Answering Mermin's Challenge with Conservation per No Preferred Reference Frame

In 1981, Mermin published a now famous paper titled, "Bringing home the atomic world: Quantum mysteries for anybody" that Feynman called, "One of the most beautiful papers in physics that I know." Therein, he presented the "Mermin device" that illustrates the conundrum of quantum entanglement per the Bell spin states for the "general reader." He then challenged the "physicist reader" to explain the way the device works "in terms meaningful to a general reader struggling with the dilemma raised by the device." Herein, we show how "conservation per no preferred reference frame (NPRF)" answers that challenge. In short, the explicit conservation that obtains for Alice and Bob's Stern-Gerlach spin measurement outcomes in the same reference frame holds only on average in different reference frames, not on a trial-by-trial basis. This conservation is SO(3) invariant in the relevant symmetry plane in real space per the SU(2) invariance of its corresponding Bell spin state in Hilbert space. Since NPRF is also responsible for the postulates of special relativity, and therefore its counterintuitive aspects of time dilation and length contraction, we see that the symmetry group relating non-relativistic quantum mechanics and special relativity via their "mysteries" is the restricted Lorentz group.Comment: 18 pages, 9 figures. This version as revised and resubmitted to Scientific Report

Galcanezumab in episodic migraine: subgroup analyses of efficacy by high versus low frequency of migraine headaches in phase 3 studies (EVOLVE-1 & EVOLVE-2).

BACKGROUND: Patients with high-frequency episodic migraine (HFEM) have a greater disease burden than those with low-frequency episodic migraine (LFEM). Acute treatment overuse increases the risk of migraine chronification in patients with HFEM. Galcanezumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody binding calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), is effective for migraine prevention with a favorable safety profile. Here, we investigate whether there are differences in galcanezumab efficacy in patients with LFEM or with HFEM. METHODS: Data were pooled from two double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 trials; EVOLVE-1 and EVOLVE-2. Patients were 18-65 years old, experienced 4-14 monthly migraine headache days (MHDs) for ≥1 year prior, with onset at \u3c 50 years of age. Migraine headaches were tracked via electronic patient-reported outcome system and randomization was stratified by low (LFEM; 4-7 monthly MHDs) or high (HFEM; 8-14 monthly MHDs) frequency. Subgroup analysis compared the HFEM and LFEM subgroups with a linear or generalized linear mixed model repeated measures approach. RESULTS: The intent-to-treat patients (N = 1773) had a mean age of 41.3 years, were mostly white (75%), female (85%), and 66% of patients had HFEM. In both the LFEM and HFEM subgroups, the overall (Months 1-6) and monthly changes from baseline in monthly MHDs and monthly MHDs with acute medication use compared with placebo were statistically significantly reduced for galcanezumab 120-mg and 240-mg. Galcanezumab (120-mg and 240-mg) significantly decreased the overall and monthly MHDs with nausea and/or vomiting, and with photophobia and phonophobia versus placebo in patients with LFEM or HFEM. In both subgroups, the mean overall (Months 1-6) and monthly percentages of patients with ≥50%, ≥75%, and 100% reduction in monthly MHDs from baseline were statistically significantly greater in patients receiving either dose of galcanezumab versus placebo. Galcanezumab (120-mg and 240-mg) significantly improved the Migraine-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire role function-restrictive domain score as well as the Migraine Disability Assessment total score versus placebo for patients with LFEM or HFEM. There were no significant subgroup-by-treatment interactions. CONCLUSIONS: Galcanezumab was as effective in patients with HFEM as in those with LFEM. Associated symptoms, quality of life, and disability were similarly improved in patients with HFEM or LFEM. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT02614183 , NCT02614196

Zonisamide for migraine prophylaxis in refractory patients

Zonisamide, a new antiepileptic drug, has been approved in the US as adjunctive therapy for the treatment of partial seizures in adults.1,2 Chemically a sulfonamide analogue, zonisamide is thought to have several mechanisms of action, including a rate-dependent blockade of voltage-gated sodium channels and reduction of ion flow through T-type calcium channels.3-5 It is also a weak carbonic anhydrase inhibitor. Zonisamide has a favorable pharmacokinetic profile that includes high oral bioavailability and a long half life (63 hours), permitting a once- or twice-daily dosing regimen.6 There are only a limited number of current migraine preventive medications that have proven efficacy. Their use is often limited because of adverse events (AEs) in a significant number of patients.7 Because of its pharmacologic properties, zonisamide is potentially an effective drug for migraine prevention, and preliminary data suggest that it may be effective for this indication.8-10 The long half life of the drug makes it a good candidate for migraine patients who have poor compliance to preventive therapy that involves multiple daily dosing. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of zonisamide for migraine prophylaxis in refractory patients attending a tertiary headache center

Fremanezumab for the Preventive Treatment of Chronic Migraine.

BACKGROUND: Fremanezumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), is being investigated as a preventive treatment for migraine. We compared two fremanezumab dose regimens with placebo for the prevention of chronic migraine. METHODS: In this phase 3 trial, we randomly assigned patients with chronic migraine (defined as headache of any duration or severity on ≥15 days per month and migraine on ≥8 days per month) in a 1:1:1 ratio to receive fremanezumab quarterly (a single dose of 675 mg at baseline and placebo at weeks 4 and 8), fremanezumab monthly (675 mg at baseline and 225 mg at weeks 4 and 8), or matching placebo. Both fremanezumab and placebo were administered by means of subcutaneous injection. The primary end point was the mean change from baseline in the average number of headache days (defined as days in which headache pain lasted ≥4 consecutive hours and had a peak severity of at least a moderate level or days in which acute migraine-specific medication [triptans or ergots] was used to treat a headache of any severity or duration) per month during the 12 weeks after the first dose. RESULTS: Of 1130 patients enrolled, 376 were randomly assigned to fremanezumab quarterly, 379 to fremanezumab monthly, and 375 to placebo. The mean number of baseline headache days (as defined above) per month was 13.2, 12.8, and 13.3, respectively. The least-squares mean (±SE) reduction in the average number of headache days per month was 4.3±0.3 with fremanezumab quarterly, 4.6±0.3 with fremanezumab monthly, and 2.5±0.3 with placebo (P CONCLUSIONS: Fremanezumab as a preventive treatment for chronic migraine resulted in a lower frequency of headache than placebo in this 12-week trial. Injection-site reactions to the drug were common. The long-term durability and safety of fremanezumab require further study. (Funded by Teva Pharmaceuticals; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02621931 .)

Maxwell equations in matrix form, squaring procedure, separating the variables, and structure of electromagnetic solutions

The Riemann -- Silberstein -- Majorana -- Oppenheimer approach to the Maxwell electrodynamics in vacuum is investigated within the matrix formalism. The matrix form of electrodynamics includes three real 4 \times 4 matrices. Within the squaring procedure we construct four formal solutions of the Maxwell equations on the base of scalar Klein -- Fock -- Gordon solutions. The problem of separating physical electromagnetic waves in the linear space \lambda_{0}\Psi^{0}+\lambda_{1}\Psi^{1}+\lambda_{2}\Psi^{2}+ lambda_{3}\Psi^{3} is investigated, several particular cases, plane waves and cylindrical waves, are considered in detail.Comment: 26 pages 16 International Seminar NCPC, May 19-22, 2009, Minsk, Belaru

Helicity, polarization, and Riemann-Silberstein vortices

Riemann-Silberstein (RS) vortices have been defined as surfaces in spacetime where the complex form of a free electromagnetic field given by F=E+iB is null (F.F=0), and they can indeed be interpreted as the collective history swept out by moving vortex lines of the field. Formally, the nullity condition is similar to the definition of "C-lines" associated with a monochromatic electric or magnetic field, which are curves in space where the polarization ellipses degenerate to circles. However, it was noted that RS vortices of monochromatic fields generally oscillate at optical frequencies and are therefore unobservable while electric and magnetic C-lines are steady. Here I show that under the additional assumption of having definite helicity, RS vortices are not only steady but they coincide with both sets of C-lines, electric and magnetic. The two concepts therefore become one for waves of definite frequency and helicity. Since the definition of RS vortices is relativistically invariant while that of C-lines is not, it may be useful to regard the vortices as a wideband generalization of C-lines for waves of definite helicity.Comment: 5 pages, no figures. Submitted to J of Optics A, special issue on Singular Optics; minor changes from v.

Age-related changes to the neural correlates of working memory which emerge after midlife

Previous research has indicated that the neural processes which underlie working memory change with age. Both age-related increases and decreases to cortical activity have been reported. This study investigated which stages of working memory are most vulnerable to age-related changes after midlife. To do this we examined age-differences in the 13 Hz steady state visually evoked potential (SSVEP) associated with a spatial working memory delayed response task. Participants were 130 healthy adults separated into a midlife (40-60 years) and an older group (61-82 years). Relative to the midlife group, older adults demonstrated greater bilateral frontal activity during encoding and this pattern of activity was related to better working memory performance. In contrast, evidence of age-related under activation was identified over left frontal regions during retrieval. Findings from this study suggest that after midlife, under-activation of frontal regions during retrieval contributes to age-related decline in working memory performance. © 2014 Macpherson, White, Ellis, Stough, Camfield, Silberstein and Pipingas

65 Years of Reprocessed GLDAS Version 2.0 Data and Their Exploration Using the NASA GES DISC Giovanni

GLDAS-2.0 data have been reprocessed with updated Princeton meteorological forcing data within the Land Information System (LIS) Version 7, and temporal coverage have been extended to 1948-2012.Global Land Data Assimilation System Version 2 (GLDAS-2) has two components: GLDAS-2.0: entirely forced with the Princeton meteorological forcing data GLDAS-2.1: forced with atmospheric analysis and observation-based data after 2001In order to create more climatologically consistent data sets, NASA GSFC's Hydrological Sciences Laboratory (HSL) has recently reprocessed the GLDAS-2.0, by using updated Princeton meteorological forcing data within the LIS Version 7.GLDAS-2.0 data and data services are provided at NASA GES DISC Hydrology Data and Information Services Center (HDISC), in collaboration with HSL

Shift-Symmetric Configurations in Two-Dimensional Cellular Automata: Irreversibility, Insolvability, and Enumeration

The search for symmetry as an unusual yet profoundly appealing phenomenon, and the origin of regular, repeating configuration patterns have long been a central focus of complexity science and physics. To better grasp and understand symmetry of configurations in decentralized toroidal architectures, we employ group-theoretic methods, which allow us to identify and enumerate these inputs, and argue about irreversible system behaviors with undesired effects on many computational problems. The concept of so-called configuration shift-symmetry is applied to two-dimensional cellular automata as an ideal model of computation. Regardless of the transition function, the results show the universal insolvability of crucial distributed tasks, such as leader election, pattern recognition, hashing, and encryption. By using compact enumeration formulas and bounding the number of shift-symmetric configurations for a given lattice size, we efficiently calculate the probability of a configuration being shift-symmetric for a uniform or density-uniform distribution. Further, we devise an algorithm detecting the presence of shift-symmetry in a configuration. Given the resource constraints, the enumeration and probability formulas can directly help to lower the minimal expected error and provide recommendations for system's size and initialization. Besides cellular automata, the shift-symmetry analysis can be used to study the non-linear behavior in various synchronous rule-based systems that include inference engines, Boolean networks, neural networks, and systolic arrays.Comment: 22 pages, 9 figures, 2 appendice

Hemicrania continua-like headache associated with carotid dissection may respond to indomethacin

Hemicrania continua (HC) is an idiopathic, chronic disorder characterized by a continuous, strictly unilateral headache associated with ipsilateral cranial autonomic symptoms. The symptoms of HC typically respond dramatically to indomethacin therapy. We describe a patient with traumatic internal carotid artery (ICA) dissection, who presented with a clinical picture mimicking HC that initially responded to indomethacin. Patients with a clinical picture similar to HC should be managed with a high index of suspicion for a possible cervical arterial dissection