cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Minimizing Wavelength Conversions in WDM Path Establishment

This paper studies algorithms for connection establishment in wavelength division multiplexing networks. Although wavelength conversion capabilities are assumed at each node in the network, the goal of this research is to minimize or impose an upper bound on the number of wavelength conversions on the established path. Two types of schemes are investigated and compared. In the first scheme, the wavelengths are selected adaptively during path establishment on a given route, and in the second scheme, both the route and the wavelength assignment are selected optimally based on global information about path costs and wavelength availability in the network. We present two efficient algorithms for globally selecting routes and wavelengths, one finds the least cost route for a maximum number of wavelength conversions, and the other selects from among the shortest routes, the one with a minimum number of wavelength conversions. The results of comparing the two path establishment schemes show that, for dynamically changing traffic, the adaptive selection of wavelengths on a fixed route during path establishment is more beneficial than the optimal selection of the route and wavelengths prior to path establishment.
"Prostatic acid phosphatase?" A comparison of acid phosphatase activities in epithelial cells, granulocytes, monocytes, lymphocytes, and platelets purified by velocity sedimentation in isokinetic gradients of Ficoll in tissue culture medium.

Numerous investigators have found several substrates and inhibitors to be particularly suited for the demonstration of acid phosphatase of prostatic origin. There has been much controversy over the specificity or lack of specificity of several substrates and inhibitors. We have investigated acid phosphatase activities obtained from several kinds of purified cells. None of the substrates or inhibitors which we studied permitted us to discriminate "prostatic" acid phosphatase from acid phosphatase activities obtained from other kinds of cells.
Trait Dissociation and the Subjective Affective, Motivational, and Phenomenological Experience of Self‐Defining Memories

The present research reports 2 studies that examine the relation between nonpathological trait dissociation and the subjective affect, motivation, and phenomenology of self-defining memories. In Study 1 (N=293), participants retrieved and rated the emotional and motivational experience of a general and a positive and negative achievement-related memory. Study 2 (N=449) extended these ratings to relationship-related memories and the phenomenological experience of the memory. Dissociation was associated with incongruent affect in valenced memories (e.g., positive affect in a negative memory) and memories that were visually incoherent and saturated with power motivation, hubristic pride, and shame, regardless of valence or domain. The present findings demonstrate that autobiographical memories, which integrate emotional, motivational, and phenomenological components, reflect the emotional and motivational processes inherent to dissociation.
Reality Television, Gender, and Authenticity in Saudi Arabia

Drawn from a bigger project (Kraidy, 2009, in press), this article examines the heated debate triggered by the pan-Arab reality show Star Academy in Saudi Arabia. It examines how controversies over authenticity spawned by popular culture crystallize broader social and political struggles. The article focuses on Star Academy as a contentious media event, describing and analyzing various Saudi reactions to Star Academy, and zeroing in on what the controversy reveals about Saudi politics. The article concludes that Star Academy was so polemical in Saudi Arabia because the show subverted the religious bases of Saudi social order by promoting women's agency, featuring cultural hybridity and individuating authenticity.
Asymmetric Einstein field unification of gravity with electroweak and strong forces

Einstein’s asymmetric metric tensor strongly suggests spin-2 counterparts for all gauge particles of the standard model. Simultaneous production of spin-1 and spin-2 particles, for example in theZ factory, would confirm Einstein’s Unified Field Theory.
Indium on Si(001): growth beyond the first atomic layer

Abstract Indium grows as metal adatom dimers parallel to the Si(001) dimers at room temperature. The densest possible packing of these dimers results in a 2×2 phase, which covers the entire surface at 0.5 ML. We have used STM to study coverages above 0.5 ML where different structures form. The surface is covered in a mixture of two dimensional phases as well as 6 A high islands. The islands are unstable under certain STM imaging conditions, and when they are removed, the footprint reveals 2×2 and 3×3 phases, identical to those seen below 1 ML.
Of snakes and robots

As anyone who has run up a sand dune can attest from burning calves, climbing a sandy slope is demanding. The root of the struggle—in animal and vehicle alike—comes from the behavior of the sand, a granular medium that can slip, slide, and flow like a fluid. Yet, desert-dwelling snakes can ascend sandy slopes with grace and energetic ease ( 1 ) through a process called sidewinding. Having no limbs to push off should make the matter worse, yet the snakes make it look simple. How do they do it? On page 224 of this issue, Marvi et al. ( 2 ) explore the physics of sidewinding in animal and robot, revealing how limbless locomotors can move up sandy slopes.
The Battle of Shepherd's Bush

In the annals of sport history, the 1908 Olympic Games in London stand as an unprecedented success, setting new standards in organisation, event planning and sporting achievement. The games are also remembered as an occasion for competitive national self-assertion, as Great Britain and its trans-Atlantic cousin the United States clashed in a desperate struggle for Olympic mastery. Fuelled by Irish-American nationalism, biased British officiating, competing sporting ideologies, as well as sensationalist reporting on both sides of the Atlantic, an intense Anglo-American rivalry plagued the 1908 London games. The scenes of controversy and bitter recriminations between British and American athletes, officials and high-ranking politicians went a long way to solidifying negative British attitudes towards Pierre de Coubertin's international Olympic revival.
Further Studies of the Value of Iodine on the Poultry Farm

Abstract At the meeting of Poultry Science Association at Pennsylvania State College in 1926, a paper1 was presented outlining two new uses for iodine on the poultry farm: one, as a vermicide for use against intestinal roundworms and tapeworms ; the other as a disinfectant for use in destroying worm eggs and larvae and the cysts of coccidia on the floors of poultry houses and brooder houses. Further researches on the value of iodine on the poultry farm have been carried out, primarily at Michigan State College, and the resulting data have substantiated the thesis presented in 1926. These data have also resulted in making possible economies in the preparation of a suitable iodine vermicide and improvements in appliances for its administration, as well as in having greatly extended the uses of iodine on the poultry farm. During 1927 a series of critical and checked experiments2 on the vermicidal value of . . .
Evaluation of the Safety and Quality of Videoscopic Inguinal Lymphadenectomy: Mitigation of Patient Comorbidities by a Minimally Invasive Technique

Evaluation of the Safety and Quality of Videoscopic Inguinal Lymphadenectomy: Mitigation of Patient Comorbidities by a Minimally Invasive Technique Malcolm H Squires, MD, MS, Viraj A Master, MD, FACS, David A Kooby, MD, FACS, Maria C Russell, MD, Monica Rizzo, MD, FACS, Kenneth Ogan, MD, Benjamin M Martin, MD, Alexandra B Longwell, BA, Grant W Carlson, MD, FACS, Keith A Delman, MD, FACS Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
Institutionalizing Information Literacy

Abstract There is increasing recognition that information literacy is essential for individual and community empowerment, workforce readiness, and global competitiveness. However, there is a history of difficulty in integrating information literacy with the postsecondary educational process. This paper posits that a greater understanding of the organizational functioning of different types of colleges and universities can identify targeted strategies to address this issue. It applies Birnbaum's descriptions of four models of higher education organizations and strategies for effectiveness in each to the problem of institutionalizing information literacy. It proposes strategies for the institutionalization of information literacy based on the differences in these models.
Role of amino acid residues at the interface of α52asparginyl-N-glycosyl chain of human choriogonadotropin

Abstract Of all the four N-glycosyl chains present in hCG, only one of them at α52Asn is located at the α | β subunit interface and is crucial for the biological function of the hormone. The other three are exposed on the surface of the molecule and play only a minor role in the function of the hormone. The α52Asn oligosaccharide interacts with five amino acid residues in the β-subunit, Tyr59, Val62, Phe64, Ala83, and Thr97. The present studies were undertaken to determine the role of the residues at the α52Asn-oligosaccharide and the β-subunit interface in the mechanism of subunit association and downstream signaling events. Ten mutants, two of the α-subunit by the replacement of Asn52 and Thr80 with Gln and eight of the β-subunit by multiple or single amino acid mutations, were prepared. These mutants included, hCGβ59,62,64,97Ala,hCGβ59,62,64Ala, hCGβ62,64Ala, hCGβ59Phe, hCGβ62Ala or Thr, hCGβ83Ile and hCGβ97Ala. The mutation of the Asn52 to Gln resulted in a drastic change in its conformation and as a consequence in its weak affinity with the wild type β as compared with that of the wild type hCGα and hCGα80Gln. The mutants with mutations in the four or three amino acids as well as both mutants of hCGβ62Val almost failed to combine with hCGα again as a result of conformational changes shown by circular dichroism (CD) analysis and not due to their direct involvement in the subunit association. The double mutant combined with hCGα and the heterodimer behaved more like the wild type hCG. The mutation of Tyr to Phe resulted in a drop of 20% in the receptor binding and cAMP stimulation although Tyr is considered to be involved directly in subunit association. HCGβ with mutations in the other amino acids, Phe64, Ala83, and Thr97, combined with the α subunit forming heterodimers with biological activity comparable to that of the wild type hCG. Thus, it appears that among the five amino acids in the vicinity of α52Asn carbohydrate, only β59Tyr and β62Val may be involved directly or indirectly in the α | β dimer formation.
Gynostemium structure and relationships of theCorallorhizinae (Orchidaceae: Epidendroideae)

Several types of pollinium stalk are present in theCorallorhizinae. Govenia has a cellular epidermal pollinium stalk, whileTipularia has a unique stipe that results from prolongation and detachment of the rostellum.Dactylostalix andEphippianthus have no stipe, but do have a detachable viscidium.Aplectrum, Corallorhiza, Cremastra, andOreorchis have hamuli. Cladistic analysis of morphological characters suggests that these four genera form a “core”Corallorhizinae, and are sister group to a clade includingTipularia, Calypso, andYoania (the latter two possessing a true tegula).Govenia is shown to be most closely related to cymbidioid genera (such asEulophia), sharing with them the cellular epidermal pollinium stalk andCymbidium type velamen, and indicating that removal ofGovenia fromCorallorhizinae is appropriate.Dactylostalix andEphippianthus appear to occupy a more basal position in the subfamily, further arguing that the subtribe as previously recognized is paraphyletic.
Rapid adaptation for mobile speech applications

We investigate the use of iVector-based rapid adaptation for recognition in mobile speech applications. We show that on this task, the proposed approach has two merits over a linear-transform based approach. First it provides larger error reductions (11% vs. 6%) as it is better suited for the short utterances and varied recording conditions. Second it omits the need for speaker data pooling and/or clustering and the very large infrastructure complexity that accompanies that. Empirical results show that although the proposed utterance-based training algorithm leads to large data fragmentation, the resulting model re-estimation performs well. Our implementation within the MapReduce framework allows processing of the large statistics that this approach gives rise to when applied on a database of thousands of hours.
Classical generalization of the Drude formula for the optical conductivity

A simple classical generalization of the Drude formula is derived based on the impulse response approach and Poisson statistics. The new feature is a parameter c, which is a measure of persistence of velocity. With negative values of c, it is possible to mimic the infrared properties of poor metals that display a minimum in the optical conductivity at zero frequency. The electron current in these cases reverses direction before decaying to zero. Specific examples considered are Hg and its amalgams, liquid Te, and the quasicrystal ${\mathrm{Al}}_{63.5}{\mathrm{Cu}}_{24.5}{\mathrm{Fe}}_{12}.$ Discussion is offered on the connection with interband transitions, on the distinction between the electron lifetime and the transport relaxation time, and on other generalizations of the Drude formula.
Change in Epworth Sleepiness Scale after surgical treatment of obstructive sleep apnea.

Objectives/Hypothesis: To evaluate the effect of surgical intervention for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) on patients' level of excessive daytime sleepiness as determined by the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). The ESS questionnaire is a validated measure of subjective daytime sleepiness. There have been several studies that have shown that continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) improves excessive daytime sleepiness in OSA patients as measured by the ESS. Study Design: Retrospective case series. Methods: This is a study of patients who had uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP); UPPP and tonsillectomy; or UPPP, tonsillectomy, and radiofrequency ablation of the base of the tongue for OSA between January 2007 and December 2009. Forty patients were identified who met the criteria of having had an ESS evaluation and polysomnography prior to surgery for OSA. Results: Across all of the patients there was a mean reduction of their ESS by 5.6 ± 4.1; t = 8.82, P < .001. Only three of the patients did not improve in their ESS scores after surgical treatment for OSA. Conclusions: Surgical intervention for OSA significantly improves sleepiness in OSA patients as measured by the ESS. Two meta-analyses of multiple, randomized, controlled studies showed patients with mild to moderate OSA treated with CPAP demonstrated an improvement in the ESS score of 1.2 points (95% confidence interval, 0.05-1.9, P = .001) and 2.94 points for patients with mild to severe OSA treated with CPAP. The results of this study show an improvement in ESS after surgery that is substantially higher than previously reported with CPAP for all categories of OSA.
Iowa's Drinking Driver, 1961: With a Method for Identifying Drinking Drivers in a Survey Sample

Several sets of check data supported the sample's representativeness, including the proportions owning a liquor permit4 and possessing a motor vehicle operators' license. To verify the respondent's driving status, he was asked to produce his operators' license. This research has been supported by the State Psychopathic Hospital and the Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, State University of Iowa, Iowa City. I wish to thank the Iowa Poll Organization of the Des Moines Register and Tribune, and especially Mr. Glenn Roberts, its director, and Mrs. Beverly Laws, for their kind assistance and cooperation. I wish also to thank T. R. Anderson, Professor of Sociology for statistical advice and Mr. Richard Ingersoll and Mr. Ronald Wilson, Research Associates, for assistance with data analyses. The author is Associate Professor of Research, Departments of Psychiatry and Sociology, and Director of Alcohol Studies, State University of Iowa. 1 John Carpenter has critically reviewed much of the research regarding the effects of alcohol on driving skill. See John A. Carpenter, "Effects of Alcohol on Some Psychological Processes, A Critical Review with Special Reference to Automobile Driving Skill," Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 23 (1962), pp. 274-314. For other recent reviews and bibliographies, see Barnard H. Fox and James H. Fox, editors, Alcohol and Traffic Safety, Public Health Service Publication No. 1043, 1963, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. This is a collection of papers presented at the U.S. Public Health Service National Conference on Alcohol and Traffic Safety, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, May 22, 1961. 2 Data for this particular report were collected as part of a larger study which was a replication of an earlier (1958) investigation of the drinking habits and attitudes of Iowa adults. The findings are reported in H. A. Mulford, and D. E. Miller, "The Prevalence and Extent of Drinking in Iowa, 1961. A Replication and an Evaluation of Methods," Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 24 (1963), pp. 39-53. Although the earlier work did not inquire about drinking related to driving, the comparability of the replication findings with those of the original work regarding numerous other measures of drinking behavior and attitudes adds to our confidence in the reliability of the responses to the questions of particular interest in this report. 3 Mulford and Miller, op. cit. 4 At the time the data were collected (February-March, 1961) liquor could be legally purchased in Iowa only from state owned stores and then only after the purhase of an individual permit book, valid for one year and costing one dollar. This system has since been abandoned.
Energetics of ATP dissociation from the mitochondrial ATPase during oxidative phosphorylation.

Abstract The dissociation constant (K) for ATP bound in the high affinity catalytic site of membrane-bound beef heart mitochondrial ATPase (F1) was calculated from the ratio of the rate constants for the reverse dissociation step (k) and the forward binding step (k). kfor ATP bound to submitochondrial particles or to submitochondrial particles washed with KCl so as to activate ATPase activity was accelerated by about five orders of magnitude during respiratory chain-linked oxidations of NADH. In the presence of NADH and 0.1 m M ADP, kincreased more than six orders of magnitude. These energy-dependent dissociations of ATP were sensitive to the uncoupler carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethyloxyphenylhydrazone. Only small changes in kwere observed in the presence of NADH or NADH and ADP. Kat 23°C in the absence of NADH and ADP was 10 M, in the presence of NADH, 3 μ M, and in the presence of NADH and 0.1 m M ADP, 60 μ M. Thus, the dissociation of ATP during the transition from non-energized to energized states was, under these conditions, accompanied by observed free energy changes of 8 and 9.7 kcal/mol, respectively.
Nitrogen turnover in the leaf litter and fine roots of sugar maple

In order to better understand the nitrogen (N) cycle, a pulse of 15NO3- was applied in 1998 to a sugar maple (Acer saccharum) dominated northern hardwood forest receiving long-term (1994-2008) simulated atmospheric N deposition. Sugar maple leaf litter and live fine-root 15N were quantified for four years prior to labeling and for 11 subsequent years. Continuous sampling of 15N following addition of the tracer enabled calculation of leaf litter and fine-root N pool turnover utilizing an exponential decay function. Fine-root 15N recovery peaked at 3.7% +/- 1.7% the year the tracer was applied, while leaf litter 15N recovery peaked in the two years following tracer application at approximately 8%. These results suggest shoots are primarily constructed from N taken up in previous years, while fine roots are constructed from new N. The residence time of N was 6.5 years in leaf litter and 3.1 years in fine roots. The longer residence time and higher recovery rate are evidence that leaves were a stronger sink for labeled N than fine roots, but the relatively short residence time of tracer N in both pools suggests that there is not tight intra-ecosystem cycling of N in this mature forest.
Microfluidic isolation and manipulation of microscopic objects using optical trap with geometric distortion

Novel beam-based optical tweezers, employed in microfluidic devices, has enabled efficient and non-contact actuation of microscale samples. We report development of an optical isolator based on pincushion distortion introduced into astigmatic optical tweezers. While objects in the range of 1 to 5 microns (polystyrene particles and bacteria) were transported away along the curvilinear trajectories of the pincushion profile, objects in 10-20 micron range (e.g. cells) could easily be trapped in the center of the pincushion profile. This enabled efficient isolation of cell(s) from its surrounding with high spatial and temporal precision and thus opens up new possibility to control and study interaction of cells (and other microscopic objects) with surrounding objects without requiring presence or actuation of physical valves. The trapped and isolated cell(s) could be transported by maneuvering the sample stage or beam. Further, optical clearing of wide microscopic area was achieved using the distorted profile without requiring beam scanning or sample movement. The distorted tweezers was used to clear floating microscopic particles near axonal networks as well as from the top surface of retina explant. Theoretical simulation of force exerted by such beam profiles and experimental demonstration of its potential in microfluidic isolation and manipulation is discussed.
A novel optimization-based pole-figure inversion method: comparison with WIMV and maximum entropy methods

An optimization-based method for pole-figure (PF) inversion that utilizes the orientation distribution function (ODF) gradient for conditional control of the solution is presented. The novel PF inversion method, coined the hybrid {\cal H}^1-seminorm minimization (HHSM), is empirically shown to be versatile, general and robust in the presence of simulated experimental errors. Finite elements (FE) and Rodrigues space are used for the representation and parameterization of the orientation space throughout. The versatility of the FE representation is significantly enhanced from previous implementations by introducing a method for obtaining discrete approximations to spherical harmonic modes from the local FE basis functions. A comparative study with similar implementations of the basic WIMV algorithm and the maximum entropy method is undertaken using several model ODFs of varying sharpness and symmetry. Randomly distributed noise is added to the synthetic PFs to simulate experimental errors and assess the stability of each method. Solution consistency is assessed by inverting two sets of measured PFs, one complete, one incomplete, using several meshes on the orientation space with an increasing number of degrees of freedom. The HHSM method is shown to compare favorably in tests with both the WIMV method and the maximum entropy method.
Adaptations and selection of harmful and other dinoflagellate species in upwelling systems 1. Morphology and adaptive polymorphism

Abstract The complex three-dimensional physical structure, spatial scale and the variations in the upwelling–relaxation cycles characterizing eastern boundary upwelling systems are summarized. It is suggested that upwelling systems and their bloom dynamics should be accorded the status of biomes. A unique upwelling dinoflagellate flora is not found. The harmful, red tide and other dinoflagellates selected to bloom are cosmopolitan in distribution and commonly bloom in coastal habitats. The morphological features of 27 dinoflagellate species that bloom in upwelling systems are compared to identify commonalities in form and function adaptations relevant to their upwelling occurrences. The upwelling dinoflagellate species are morphologically, physiologically, ecologically and toxicologically diverse; a unique set of morphological traits specifically evolved for growth in upwelling systems is not evident. The absence of a unique dinoflagellate upwelling flora is unexpected given the challenges to survival and growth in upwelling systems posed by the energetic physical conditions and spatial and temporal complexity of upwelling dynamics. Cellular defense mechanisms – “armouring” and small cell formation – against external and internal cellular damage resulting from turbulence-induced stress–strain, and the occurrence of morphological streamlining to facilitate swimming-based strategies adaptive to growth in upwelling systems are evaluated. The occurrence of autotomy, ecdysis, thecal resorption and regeneration, seasonal cyclomorphosis and polymorphism (form variation) among dinoflagellates is evaluated. The impressive commonality and rapidity of ecomorph formation suggest autoregulated polymorphism is potentially an important mode of adaptation available to upwelling dinoflagellates, and specifically directed towards adjustment of their flotation (swim:sink ratio) capacity. However, seasonal cyclomorphosis and regional and local displays of adaptive polymorphism are traits shared with dinoflagellates generally, rather than unique, or specific to the upwelling dinoflagellates. It would appear that the morphological traits, including the requirements of hydrodynamic streamlining and shear tolerance, evolved to accommodate the swim-based ecology of the dinoflagellates, as distinguished from the sinking strategy of diatoms, allow dinoflagellates to exploit the complex niche structure of upwelling systems without the need for special adaptations. The greater conundrum is what are the mechanisms that select for upwelling dinoflagellate species and their blooms, and not their adaptations.
Abstract 3727: Targeting autotaxin to reduce chemotherapy resistance in ovarian cancer

Development of resistance to chemotherapy presents the biggest challenge in the treatment of ovarian cancer. Autotaxin (ATX) is a secreted enzyme that catalyzes lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) production and is responsible for the up-regulation of LPA in ovarian cancer. The ATX-LPA axis has been identified to be one of the mechanisms of chemotherapy resistance in ovarian cancer. Thus, inhibition of autotaxin may be a potential strategy to increase the chemotherapy efficacy in this disease context. At Southern Research, we previously identified a known anti-parasitic small molecule, Bithionol as a potent antiangiogenic agent, which inhibits endothelial cell proliferation, migration and tubular morphogenesis in vitro and directly inhibits autotaxin enzyme activity. Our recent results have shown that Bithionol not only directly inhibits the enzyme activity; it also reduces autotaxin secretion from human endothelial and ovarian cancer cells. Recently, using a human ovarian cancer xenograft mouse model, Biothionol was shown to have in vivo anti-tumor activity as a single drug treatment. In addition, in combination therapy studies in mice, Bithionol significantly increased the efficacy of Paclitaxel and Cisplatin against ovarian tumor growth. These results suggest that Bithionol may provide a promising approach for reducing chemotherapy associated resistance in ovarian cancer. Additional preclinical studies are in progress to assess the potential clinical utility of Bithionol in combination with current ovarian cancer therapy. (This work is supported by a pilot grant from Norma Livingston Foundation and SRI SIP fund). Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3727. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-3727
Effects of sulfur nutrition on photosynthesis in cadmium‐treated barley seedlings

Abstract The effects of sulfur (S) nutrition at 0.1 or 1 mM S on cadmium (Cd) toxicity measured by photosynthesis in barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. UC 476) seedlings were studied. Eight‐day‐old seedlings were treated with 25 μM Cd by adding cadmium chloride (CdCl2) to the nutrient solution. Then photosynthetic carboxylation efficiency (ACi curve) and stomatal conductance of the primary and second leaves were measured at four and eight days after Cd treatment. Fluorescence parameters were measured every 24 h for eight days after two days of Cd treatment. At 20 days, plant growth parameters were measured and dry biomass determined. The results showed that ACi was significantly reduced by Cd, but more in the low (0.1 mM) S than in the high (1 mM) S‐treated plants. Stomatal conductance of plants was also decreased by Cd, but more in the low S‐treated plants. Low S‐treated plants exposed to Cd showed an increase in Fo and Fq, and a decrease in Fv/Fm and T1/2, indicating photoinhibitory damage to PSII. Analysis...
Comparisons of effects of statins (atorvastatin, fluvastatin, lovastatin, pravastatin, and simvastatin) on fasting and postprandial lipoproteins in patients with coronary heart disease versus control subjects

The effects of atorvastatin at 20, 40, and 80 mg/day on plasma lipoprotein subspecies were examined in a randomized, placebo-controlled fashion over 36 weeks in 97 patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) with low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels of >130 mg/dl and compared directly with the effects of fluvastatin (n = 28), pravastatin (n = 22), lovastatin (n = 24), and simvastatin (n = 25). The effects of placebo and 40 mg/day of each statin were also examined in subjects with CHD with subjects in the fasting state and in the fed state 4 hours after a meal rich in saturated fat and cholesterol and compared with results in age- and gender-matched control subjects. At all doses tested in the fasting and fed states, atorvastatin was significantly (p <0.01) more effective in lowering LDL cholesterol and non-high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol than all other statins, and significantly (p <0.05) more effective than all statins, except for simvastatin, in lowering triglyceride and remnant lipoprotein (RLP) cholesterol. At 40 mg/day in the fasting state, atorvastatin was significantly (p <0.01) more effective than all statins, except for lovastatin and simvastatin, in lowering cholesterol levels in small LDL, and was significantly (p <0.05) more effective than all statins, except for simvastatin, in increasing cholesterol in large HDL and in lowering LDL particle numbers. Our data indicate that atorvastatin was the most effective statin tested in lowering cholesterol in LDL, non-HDL, and RLP in the fasting and fed states, and getting patients with CHD to established goals, with fluvastatin, pravastatin, lovastatin, and simvastatin having about 33%, 50%, 60%, and 85% of the efficacy of atorvastatin, respectively, at the same dose in the same patients.
Developments in Medicaid managed care.

Some of the most important developments in the health care system are occurring in the Medicaid program. Medicaid has a natural engine for innovation since it is administered by the states, each of which has developed its Medicaid program in distinctive ways and has the power and resources of a large purchaser. The population covered by Medicaid--low income and disabled adults and chil- dren-presents many challenges; in many ways, these individuals seem perfect candidates for managed care programs that provide a point of entry, coordination of services, and a locus of accountability. Almost all states have tried some version of managed care under federally approved waivers of the ordinary rules of the Medicaid program. The challenges and opportunities resulting from the state-by-state nature of the Medicaid program provide one of the themes for this special section of the Journal of Urban Health. Medicaid operates in real time with real constraints, and states improvise their own solutions to the program's countless problems of design and administration. Yet, neither they nor the policy research community are well situated to draw lessons from their experiences. Sophisticated case studies, such as the paper of Gold and colleagues about Maryland and the safety net in this issue, are invaluable. Brodsky and Baron describe an innovative program at the Center for Health Care Strategies to enable states to learn from the experiences of each other. Somers and associates, whose work has made them familiar with developments in virtually all states, provide a broad synthesis regarding developments across the country. Questions regarding cost and quality provide the other theme for this issue.
Spontaneous CP violation, small instantons, and invisible axions.

I propose a variant invisible axion model of spontaneous CP violation at the electroweak scale without CP domain-wall and «strong-CP» problems. Both large-sized QCD and small-sized non-QCD instantons break CP and Peccei-Quinn symmetries, and render cosmologically harmful CP domain walls unstable. The decaying epoch depends on the size of the small instanton effects, and is around 100 eV if the current neutron electric dipole moment bound is maximally saturated. The model satisfies constraints from primordial D and He photodissociation and black hole formation, while producing a cosmologically interesting size of gravitational waves and galaxy-scale density perturbations
A case study of the reliability of multielectrode earth resistivity testing for geotechnical investigations in karst terrains

Abstract The thinly mantled karst areas of northeastern Pennsylvania have been associated with a number of structural failures caused by sinkholes. Geotechnical investigations in these areas have primarily relied upon intrusive probe tests, either through borings or air-track drillings. The silty clay soils overlying the carbonate bedrock have limited the use of nonintrusive ground-penetrating radar and electromagnetic methods; however, multielectrode earth resistivity testing may be a suitable method for locating subsurface features associated with sinkhole formation in these areas The case study presented in this paper concerns a site in Northampton County where sinkholes have been occurring at an accelerated rate due to the influence of construction. The bedrock at the site is located between 1 m and approximately 10 m below the surface. The soil is primarily a silty clay. Seventy resistivity lines using a variety of electrode and line spacings were conducted at the site. Using the data obtained from the earth resistivity tests, 17 borings were located to assess the accuracy of the resistivity results. Comparisons between boring and resistivity results demonstrate that the resistivity tests provide good information concerning the depth to the irregular surface of the bedrock. However, use of the test to locate subsurface anomalies associated with sinkhole formation and to determine their size will require additional research. The paper presents the results of the study and provides recommendations for geotechnical investigation in silty clay soils overlying shallow carbonate bedrock.
A comparison between observed and geostrophic winds in low latitudes

Low-latitude wind and pressure data are used to determine the mean departure of the actual wind speed from the geostrophic speed. The computed departure becomes progressively greater equatorward of 30°N and attains a magnitude of about 10 m/sec at 10°N.
Why do some zygopterans (Odonata) perch with open wings

Abstract Zygoptera show two perching modes, one with wings closed and one with wings open. These perching modes are distributed unequally through the suborder; most Zygoptera perch with closed wings, but species in 43 genera of eight families at least occasionally - in most cases usually - perch with open wings. Alternative hypotheses to explain this dichotomy are assessed. The dichotomy does not seem to be explicable by the Phylogenetic Inertia Hypothesis (PIH), the Wing Display Hypothesis (WDH), or the Thermoregulation Hypothesis (TH). I propose a hypothesis that the openwing position used by some zygopterans facilitates either more rapid takeoff or quicker orientation toward flying prey: the Quick Takeoff Hypothesis (QTH). That openwing species usually take flying prey furnishes support for the QTH, although many closedwing species also take flying prey. However, as most zygopterans perch with closed wings, that behavior needs explanation too, and I propose a hypothesis that perching with wings spread ...
Environmental enrichment increases amphetamine-induced glutamate neurotransmission in the nucleus accumbens: a neurochemical study.

In addition to dopamine (DA), evidence indicates that glutamatergic regulation of the mesolimbic reward pathway is involved in mediating the abuse-related effects of psychostimulants, including amphetamine. Since rats raised in an enrichment condition (EC) during development are more sensitive to the locomotor stimulant effects of acute amphetamine compared to rats raised in an impoverished condition (IC), the present study examined amphetamine-induced extracellullar glutamate and aspartate levels in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) of EC and IC rats using in vivo microdialysis coupled with HPLC-electrochemical detection. Basal extracellular levels of glutamate or aspartate were not significantly different between EC and IC rats. Acute systemic amphetamine (0.5 or 2.0 mg/kg, sc) increased extracellular glutamate levels in NAcc of EC rats (137% or 305% of basal) and IC rats (120% or 187% of basal). Similarly, acute systemic amphetamine (0.5 or 2.0 mg/kg, sc) elevated aspartate levels in NAcc of EC rats (148% or 237% of basal) and IC rats (115% or 170% of basal). Glutamate levels were elevated by amphetamine to a greater extent in EC rats than in IC rats. Pretreatment with systemic MK-801 (0.25 mg/kg, ip), a non-competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, prevented the acute amphetamine-induced increase in extracellular glutamate and aspartate levels in NAcc. Overall, these results suggest that alterations in glutamate in the NAcc may be involved in the environment-dependent effects of amphetamine.
Case Reports: Unusual Cause of Shoulder Pain in a Collegiate Baseball Player

The objective of reporting this case was to introduce a unique cause of shoulder pain in a high-level Division I NCAA collegiate baseball player. Various neurovascular causes of shoulder pain have been described in the overhead athlete, including quadrilateral space syndrome, thoracic outlet syndrome, effort thrombosis, and suprascapular nerve entrapment. All of these syndromes are uncommon and frequently are missed as a result of their rarity and the need for specialized tests to confirm the diagnosis. This pitcher presented with nonspecific posterior shoulder pain that was so severe he could not throw more than 50 feet. Eventually, intermittent axillary artery compression with the arm in abduction resulting from hypertrophy of the pectoralis minor and scalene muscles was documented by performing arteriography with the arm in 120° abduction. MRI-MR angiographic evaluation revealed no anatomic abnormalities. The patient was treated successfully with a nonoperative rehabilitation program and after 6 months was able to successfully compete at the same level without pain.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Psychotic Symptoms in Elderly Patients

The diagnosis and treatment of psychotic symptoms in elderly patients requires more than extrapolation from studies of similar symptoms in the adult population. In comparison with early-onset psychosis, late-onset psychosis is characterised by differences in both its risk factors and typical signs and symptoms. Diagnosis may include psychotic disorders, mood disorders, delusional disorder, dementia or delirium. Several medications have also been associated with the development of psychotic symptoms in the elderly. There is a paucity of literature concerning psychotic symptoms specifically in elderly patients, and this complicates management. Treatment involves the resolution of any causative general medical condition, and/or symptomatic management with antipsychotic medication. The high-potency antipsychotics are typically better tolerated in the elderly than their low-potency counterparts. In addition, the newer atypical antipsychotics such as clozapine have shown early promise. It is important to consider the higher incidence of adverse effects and tardive dyskinesia in the elderly when choosing a drug and its dosage. Consideration of psychosocial factors completes the appropriate management of psychotic symptoms in older patients.
Cyclophilin A Mediates Vascular Remodeling by Promoting Inflammation and Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation

Background— Oxidative stress, generated by excessive reactive oxygen species, promotes cardiovascular disease. Cyclophilin A (CyPA) is a 20-kDa chaperone protein secreted from vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in response to reactive oxygen species that stimulates VSMC proliferation and inflammatory cell migration in vitro; however, the role CyPA plays in vascular function in vivo remains unknown. Methods and Results— We tested the hypothesis that CyPA contributes to vascular remodeling by analyzing the response to complete carotid ligation in CyPA knockout mice, wild-type mice, and mice that overexpress CyPA in VSMC (VSMC-Tg). After carotid ligation, CyPA expression in vessels of wild-type mice increased dramatically and was significantly greater in VSMC-Tg mice. Reactive oxygen species–induced secretion of CyPA from mouse VSMCs correlated significantly with intracellular CyPA expression. Intimal and medial hyperplasia correlated significantly with CyPA expression after 2 weeks of carotid ligation, wi...
China views globalization: Toward a new great‐power politics?

China's strategic choices increasingly seek to use globalization as a way to make China rich and strong, reduce international fears of its rising material power, and transform great‐power politics to a more cooperative form of interstate competition that increases prospects for China's peaceful rise.
The Effect of Parental Divorce on Discomfort and Cardiac Activity in Response to Public Displays of Affection in College Females

Two studies examined the effect of parental divorce on feelings of discomfort and cardiac activity in response to public displays of affection (PDAs). In the first study, females from divorced homes reported marginally significant higher discomfort in response to PDAs than females from intact homes. In the second study, 32 female participants (16 from divorced homes and 16 from intact homes) viewed a PDA video and a control video and subsequently were asked to complete the same measure of discomfort as in Study 1. Interbeat intervals (IBIs) were recorded, and mean IBI and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) were derived. IBI and RSA increased in both groups in response to the videos over baseline. No differences were found between the divorce and intact groups for responses to the PDA video. However, the divorce group had higher heart rates and lower RSA overall, which suggests a potential mechanism for the association between divorce and negative physical health outcomes in women. Future studies should ex...
Conductive polymer composites with positive temperature coefficient

Conductive polymer composites showing large positive temperature coefficient (PTC) are made of semi-crystalline polymer as an insulator and a conducting filler, whose concentration is close to the critical volume fraction. In this study, the resistivity and PTC behaviour of polyethylene filled with different carbon blacks were studied. Among the composites filled with different carbon blacks, N660 carbon black filled PE showed the greatest PTC behaviour. Large particle size, small surface area and small amount of the aggregate structure lead to large amplitude PTC behaviour (defined as the ratio of maximum resistivity to the resistivity at room temperature). The large PTC behaviour is due to some microscopic mechanism under the macroscopic thermal expansion of the polymer matrix during the melting of polymer crystal.
An Examination of the Rule-Use Construct of the Frequency Theory of Verbal Discrimination Learning

Summary Sixty-six female and 18 male college students were employed in a study of the relative effect of instructional set and item familiarity on performance in a 20-word pair, verbal discrimination task. Results indicated performance was facilitated with a 2:1 frequency ratio of correct to incorrect items (p < .001), but the instructions and interaction effects were nonsignificant. The results were discussed in terms of overt and covert rehearsal of word pairs.
Membrane glycoconjugates as potential mediators of alcohol effects.

Abstract 1. 1. Membrane glycoconjugates include glycoproteins and glycolipids that have many important functions in a wide variety of tissues, especially brain. 2. 2. Alcohol's ability to fluidize and swell plasma membranes could be expected to alter the orientation and conformation of the embedded glycoconjugates. 3. 3. Both kinds of glycoconjugates can contain terminal moieties of sialic acid, which has been shown to be decreased by single doses of alcohol. Chronic exposure to alcohol may have no effect on sialic acid, except in very young animals. 4. 4. Glycolipids containing sialic acid (gangliosides) are also decreased by acute doses of alcohol, but chronic alcohol has little effect. Thus, gangliosides may have a role in the development and expression of tolerance. 5. 5. Glycoproteins containing sialic acid may also be involved in alcohol action, but there has been less research in this area. 6. 6. Alcohol-induced disruptions in membrane glycoconjugates could affect the important cellular functions that glycoconjugates have, and thus research on alcohol effects on glycoconjugates could lead to important discoveries of diagnostic and therapeutic value for alcohol abuse and alcoholism.
The taxonomy, genetics, production and uses of the cultivated species of Cucúrbita.

Hundreds of varieties in the five recoǵnized species of this ǵenus, all native to the Americas, are the sources of the well known pumpkins and squashes, of which about 150,000 tons, fresh weiǵht, in 481/2 million No. 2 cans, is the annual canned pack alone in the United States. The seeds constitute a potential but so far wholly undeveloped source of valuable oil.
Contagious laughter: Laughter is a sufficient stimulus for laughs and smiles

The laugh- and/or smile-evoking potency of laughter was evaluated by observing responses of 128 subjects in three undergraduate psychology classes to laugh stimuli produced by a “laugh box.” Subjects recorded whether they laughed and/or smiled during each of 10 trials, each of which consisted of an 18-sec sample of laughter, followed by 42 sec of silence. Most subjects laughed and smiled in response to the first presentation of laughter. However, the polarity of the response changed quickly. By the 10th trial, few subjects laughed and/or smiled, and most found the stimulus “obnoxious.” Although other research has described canned-laughter effects, it did not consider the hypothesis confirmed here, that laughter itself evokes laughter, perhaps by activating a laughter-specific auditory-feature detector. This result is relevant to the neurological basis of social communication, human ethology, and theories of speech production and perception.