bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
WRESTLING AS A SYMBOL FOR MAINTAINING THE ORDER OF NATURE IN ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA
Authors: Azize Joseph
Published: February 2003

There is found in the ancient art of Mesopotamia an enigmatic bearded hero who appears in several attitudes, but often wrestling wild animals. An analysis of the art demonstrates that this figure is a guardian of the natural order. It is now known that the figure is not Gilgameš, as was once thought, but a ''lahmu'' (singular), and that the lahmū (plural) as a class, are the servants of the god Enki. The material considered here reveals a consistent outlook wherein the universe is viewed as being in a dynamic, but not invulnerable, equilibrium. Everything has a place, or better, a latitude, and when it lives and dies within its latitude, balance is maintained. Paradoxically, the appetite of creatures to dominate and prevail over other forms of life was admitted as a legitimate factor in the equation of the universe. Every striving has both a natural scope and a natural limit. The art work in question comprises, as it were, a prayer in pictures that the limits be maintained. From all this a concept of nature implicitly emerges: it is the field wherein gods, demi-gods, humans, animals and plants all struggle to sustain their existence. It is, among other things, where animals and human consume, and protect their own resources from being consumed. The wrestling motif is significant in these art works. With few exceptions, the bearded hero wrestles, rather than stabs, wild beasts attacking domestic animals. Implicitly, it propagates the view that struggle is necessary to maintain the natural balance. Wrestling (checking), not slaying, represents the appointed way to maintain order against the threat of the wild. The wrestling hero thus maintains a ''co-existence of contraries''. Wrestling an opponent allows for the opponent to be subdued without being destroyed. The topic is large, and naturally opens onto other questions. It is necessary to limit the paper, and I have done so in three ways: in time, geography and artistic material. In time, and geographically, I concentrate on Early Dynastic Sumer. I restrict my consideration of the artistic material to the art of cylinder seals, and even then discuss only a selection of the available seals.
THE IRON AGE PITHOI DRAWINGS FROM HORVAT TEMAN OR KUNTILLET 'AJRUD: SOME NEW PROPOSALS
Authors: Schmidt Brian
Published: February 2003

Did the Israelites and Judahites of the Iron age visually represent their gods? In this article, established arguments are supplemented and some new ones advanced in support of a single, ancient composer's representation of the deities Yahweh and Asherah by means of the deliberate association of text and image on the two pithoi scenes from Iron age Kuntillet 'Ajrud. Not only were the ancient artist and scribe one and the same, but this individual employed a number of well known artistic techniques to convey both depth of field and perspective in such a way as to create a unified field of meaning for each of the two ritual scenes as well as for both scenes in their complementary function as two halves of a larger semiotic whole.
Augmentation of umbilical cord blood (UCB) transplantation with ex vivo–expanded UCB cells: results of a phase 1 trial using the AastromReplicell System
Authors: Jaroscak Jennifer , Goltry Kristin , Smith Alan , Waters-Pick Barbara , Martin Paul L. , Driscoll Timothy A. , Howrey Richard , Chao Nelson , Douville Judy , Burhop Sue , Fu Pingfu , Kurtzberg Joanne
Published: February 2003

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation with umbilical cord blood (UCB) cells is limited by the cell dose a single unit provides recipients. Ex vivo expansion is one strategy to increase the number of cells available for transplantation. Aastrom Biosciences developed an automated continuous perfusion culture device for expansion of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Cells are expanded in media supplemented with fetal bovine serum, horse serum, PIXY321, flt-3 ligand, and erythropoietin. We performed a phase 1 trial augmenting conventional UCB transplants with ex vivo–expanded cells. The 28 patients were enrolled on the trial between October 8, 1997 and September 30, 1998. UCB cells were expanded in the device, then administered as a boost to the conventional graft on posttransplantation day 12. While expansion of total cells and colony-forming units (CFUs) occurred in all cases, the magnitude of expansion varied considerably. The median fold increase was 2.4 (range, 1.0-8.5) in nucleated cells, 82 (range, 4.6-266.4) in CFU granulocyte-macrophages, and 0.5 (range, 0.09-2.45) in CD34+ lineage negative (lin–) cells. CD3+ cells did not expand under these conditions. Clinical-scale ex vivo expansion of UCB is feasible, and the administration of ex vivo–expanded cells is well tolerated. Augmentation of UCB transplants with ex vivo–expanded cells did not alter the time to myeloid, erythroid, or platelet engraftment in 21 evaluable patients. Recipients of ex vivo–expanded cells continue to have durable engraftment with a median follow-up of 47 months (range, 41-51 months). A randomized phase 2 study will determine whether augmenting UCB transplants with ex vivo–expanded UCB cells is beneficial.
HLA-matched related hematopoietic cell transplantation for chronic-phase CML using a targeted busulfan and cyclophosphamide preparative regimen
Authors: Radich Jerald P. , Gooley Ted , Bensinger William , Chauncey Thomas , Clift Reginald , Flowers Mary , Martin Paul , Slattery John , Sultan Debbie , Appelbaum Frederick R.
Published: February 2003

Allogeneic blood or marrow transplantation (BMT) is a curative therapy for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). We have previously reported that the pharmacologic targeting of busulfan combined with cyclophosphamide (TBU/CY) can minimize regimen-related toxicity while preserving antileukemic effects. We report here on 131 consecutive chronic-phase CML patients treated with allogeneic related BMT using a TBU/CY preparative regimen, where the busulfan dose was targeted to achieve a steady-state plasma concentration of at least 900 ng/mL. The median age of the patients was 43 years (range, 14-66 years). Estimates of the probabilities of nonrelapse mortality, relapse, survival, and disease-free survival 3 years after transplantation were 14%, 8%, 86%, and 78%, respectively. Age had no statistically significant effect on survival. Although approximately 60% of the patients developed clinically extensive chronic graft-versus-host disease, the median Karnofsky score at last contact date among survivors was 95%. Of surviving patients, 11% were molecularly positive for the bcr-abl mRNA at last contact, with a median level of bcr-abl transcripts of 4.6 copies/μg RNA. These data suggest that TBU/CY is a very effective preparative regimen for CML in chronic phase, associated with an expected survival at 3 years of approximately 85%, with most patients being in molecular remission. (Blood. 2003;102:31-35)
The role of G-protein signaling in hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell mobilization
Authors: Papayannopoulou Thalia , Priestley Gregory V. , Bonig Halvard , Nakamoto Betty
Published: February 2003

The directed migration of mature leukocytes to inflammatory sites and the lymphocyte trafficking in vivo are dependent on G protein–coupled receptors and delivered through pertussis toxin (Ptx)–sensitive Gi-protein signaling. In the present study, we explored the in vivo role of G-protein signaling on the redistribution or mobilization of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HPCs). A single injection of Ptx in mice elicits a long-lasting leukocytosis and a progressive increase in circulating colony-forming unit-culture (CFU-C) and colony-forming unit spleen (CFU-S). We found that the prolonged effect is sustained by a continuous slow release of Ptx bound to red blood cells or other cells and is potentially enhanced by an indirect influence on cell proliferation. Plasma levels of certain cytokines (interleukin 6 [IL-6], granulocyte colony-stimulating factor [G-CSF]) increase days after Ptx treatment, but these are unlikely initiators of mobilization. In addition to normal mice, mice genetically deficient in monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1), matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9), G-CSF receptor, β2 integrins, or selectins responded to Ptx treatment, suggesting independence of Ptx-response from the expression of these molecules. Combined treatments of Ptx with anti–very late activation antigen (anti-VLA-4), uncovered potentially important insight in the interplay of chemokines/integrins, and the synergy of Ptx with G-CSF appeared to be dependent on MMP-9. As Ptx-mobilized kit+ cells display virtually no response to stromal-derived factor 1 (SDF-1) in vitro, our data suggest that disruption of CXCR4/SDF-1 signaling may be the underlying mechanism of Ptx-induced mobilization and indirectly reinforce the notion that active signaling through this pathway is required for continuous retention of cells within the bone marrow. Collectively, our data unveil a novel example of mobilization through pharmacologic modulation of signaling.
Erythropoiesis from acetyl LDL incorporating endothelial cells at the preliver stage
Authors: Sugiyama Daisuke , Ogawa Minetaro , Hirose Imiko , Jaffredo Thierry , Arai Ken-ichi , Tsuji Kohichiro
Published: February 2003

Erythropoiesis is characterized by 2 waves of production during mouse embryogenesis: a primitive one originating from the yolk sac (YS) and a definitive one produced from both the YS and the embryo proper. How the latter wave is generated remains unclear. To investigate our hypothesis that endothelial cells (ECs) could generate erythroid cells, we designed a method to label ECs at 10 days after coitus. This labeling method associates 2 techniques: an intracardiac inoculation that allows molecules to be delivered into the bloodstream followed by a whole-embryo culture period. DiI-conjugated acetylated low-density lipoproteins (Ac-LDL-DiI) were used to specifically tag ECs from the inside. One hour after inoculation, DiI staining was found along the entire endothelial tree. Fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS) analysis revealed that DiI+ cells were CD31+, CD34+, and CD45–, an antigen makeup characteristic of the endothelial lineage. Twelve hours after inoculation, 43% of DiI+ circulating cells belonged to the erythroid lineage. These cells expressed Ter119 and displayed an adult globin chain arrangement; thus they belonged to the definitive lineage as confirmed in erythroid colony formation. The remaining cells likely represent committed white blood cells or multipotent progenitors, as revealed by a mixed-colony formation. Beyond the 29-somite stage, the proportion of DiI+ erythroid cells gradually decreased. These results demonstrate the generation of hematopoietic cells from an endothelial intermediate, using in vivo tracing. We provide evidence for a release of these cells into the circulation and hypothesize that these cells are able to colonize the fetal liver and generate definitive erythrocytes in vivo.
Identification of thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) in human platelets
Authors: Mosnier Laurent O. , Buijtenhuijs Paula , Marx Pauline F. , Meijers Joost C. M. , Bouma Bonno N.
Published: February 2003

Thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) is a carboxypeptidase B-like proenzyme that after activation down-regulates fibrinolysis. Platelets are known to contain antifibrinolytic factors that are secreted during platelet activation. Therefore, the presence of TAFI in platelets was analyzed. TAFI was identified in platelets in a concentration of about 50 ng/1 × 109 platelets and was secreted on platelet activation. Thrombin-mediated activation of platelet-derived TAFI resembled that of plasma-derived TAFI with respect to stimulation by thrombomodulin and spontaneous loss of activity at 37°C. The different glycosylation of platelet-derived TAFI compared with plasma-derived TAFI suggests that platelet-derived TAFI is synthesized in the megakaryocyte. This suggestion was substantiated by the detection of mRNA in the megakaryocytic cell lines DAMI and CHRF, representing the intermediate and late stages of megakaryocyte development. These results establish the presence of TAFI in platelets and suggest a role for platelet-derived TAFI in the protection of the clot against fibrinolysis.
The CNS is a sanctuary for leukemic cells in mice receiving imatinib mesylate for Bcr/Abl-induced leukemia
Authors: Wolff Nicholas C. , Richardson James A. , Egorin Merrill , Ilaria Robert L.
Published: February 2003

The chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML)–like myeloproliferative disorder observed in the BCR/ABL murine bone marrow transduction and transplantation model shares several features with the human disease, including a high response rate to the tyrosine kinase inhibitor imatinib mesylate (STI571). To study the impact of chronic imatinib mesylate treatment on the CML-like illness, mice were maintained on therapeutic doses of this drug and serially monitored. Unexpectedly, despite excellent systemic control of the CML-like illness, many of the mice developed progressive neurologic deficits after 2 to 4 months of imatinib mesylate therapy because of central nervous system (CNS) leukemia. Analysis of imatinib mesylate cerebral spinal fluid concentrations revealed levels 155- fold lower than in plasma. Thus, in the mouse, the limited ability of imatinib mesylate to cross the blood-brain barrier allowed the CNS to become a sanctuary for Bcr/Abl-induced leukemia. This model will be a useful tool for the future study of novel anti-CML drugs and in better defining the mechanisms for limited imatinib mesylate penetration into the CNS.
Exosite-dependent regulation of factor VIIIa by activated protein C
Authors: Manithody Chandrashekhara , Fay Philip J. , Rezaie Alireza R.
Published: February 2003

Activated protein C (APC) is a natural anticoagulant serine protease in plasma that down-regulates the coagulation cascade by degrading cofactors Va and VIIIa by limited proteolysis. Recent results have indicated that basic residues of 2 surface loops known as the 39-loop (Lys37-Lys39) and the Ca2+-binding 70-80–loop (Arg74 and Arg75) are critical for the anticoagulant function of APC. Kinetics of factor Va degradation by APC mutants in purified systems have demonstrated that basic residues of these loops are involved in determination of the cleavage specificity of the Arg506 scissile bond on the A2 domain of factor Va. In this study, we characterized the properties of the same exosite mutants of APC with respect to their ability to interact with factor VIIIa. Time course of the factor VIIIa degradation by APC mutants suggested that the same basic residues of APC are also critical for recognition and degradation of factor VIIIa. Sodium dodecyl sulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) of the factor VIIIa cleavage reactions revealed that these residues are involved in determination of the specificity of both A1 and A2 subunits in factor VIIIa, thus facilitating the cleavages of both Arg336 and Arg562 scissile bonds in the cofactor.
Effect of varying oceanicity on early- to mid-Holocene palaeohydrology, Kola Peninsula, Russia: isotopic evidence from treeline lakes
Authors: Wolfe Brent B. , Edwards Thomas W. D. , Jiang Hongbo , MacDonald Glen M. , Gervais Bruce R. , Snyder Jeffrey A.
Published: February 2003

The stable-isotope stratigraphy of sedimentary organic matter and algal cellulose in cores from two lakes near treeline on the Kola Peninsula indicate changes in water and nutrient balance that correlate with inferred expansion of Pinus sylvestris during the early to mid-Holocene. Trends in cellulose-inferred lakewater δ18O values for both lakes suggest that moist conditions after deglaciation were followed by progressive drying from about 9500 to between 8000 and 7500 14C yr BP. Although pine appeared in the area by 8000 14C yr BP, the maximum density of trees locally, as suggested by stomate evidence, occurred during subsequent moistening between 7500 and 6000 14C yr BP. This is c. 1000 years later than in other regions of northern Russia and is possibly attributable to limitations on seedling establishment and survival due to root desiccation during dry winters. Changes in nutrient balance and productivity in the lakes, as inferred from variations in sediment carbon and nitrogen elemental abundances and their respective stable-isotope signatures, are also consistent with expected changes in hydrological and edaphic conditions. Development of moister conditions at about 7000 14C yr BP on the Kola Peninsula is in harmony with evidence for increased oceanicity at this time in central Siberia, which is thought to reflect enhanced propagation of warm, moist air masses across northern Eurasia due to increased sea-surface temperatures and reduced sea-ice cover in the Nordic Seas.
Late-Holocene climate and ecosystem history from Chesapeake Bay sediment cores, USA
Authors: Willard Debra A. , Cronin Thomas M. , Verardo Stacey
Published: February 2003

Palaeoclimate records from late-Holocene sediments in Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the USA, provide evidence that both decadal to centennial climate variability and European colonization had severe impacts on the watershed and estuary. Using pollen and dinoflagellate cysts as proxies for mid-Atlantic regional precipitation, estuarine salinity and dissolved oxygen (DO) during the last 2300 years, we identified four dry intervals, centred on ad 50 (P1/D1), ad 1000 (P2/D2), ad 1400 (P3) and ad 1600 (P4). Two centennial-scale events, P1/D1 and P2/D2, altered forest composition and led to increased salinity and DO levels in the estuary. Intervals P3 and P4 lasted several decades, leading to decreased production of pine pollen. Periods of dry mid Atlantic climate correspond to ‘megadroughts’ identified from tree-ring records in the southeastern and central USA. The observed mid-Atlantic climate variability may be explained by changes in atmospheric circulation resulting in longer-term, perhaps amplified, intervals of meridional flow. After European colonization in the early seventeenth century, forest clearance for agriculture, timber and urbanization altered estuarine water quality, with dinoflagellate assemblages indicating reduced DO and increased turbidity.
Holocene records of effective precipitation in West Greenland
Authors: Gowan Suzanne Mc , Ryves David B. , Anderson N. John
Published: February 2003

Holocene changes in effective precipitation (precipitation-evaporation; P-E) were reconstructed for the Søndre Strømfjord region of southwest Greenland using the sediment records of two neighbouring closed-basin ‘saline’ lakes. Past lakewater conductivities (a proxy for P-E balance) were estimated using a diatom-inferred conductivity model. Broadly similar changes in both lake records corroborate the use of DI conductivity as a regional climate proxy. An increasing DI conductivity trend through the Holocene indicated net negative or balanced P-E ratios in this region, even during most of the Neoglacial period (post-4000 yr BP). This contrasts with other regions of West Greenland, where conditions became more humid in the Neoglacial period. The reconstructions presented here therefore suggest a high degree of spatial variability in the P-E balance, likely caused by region-specific orographic features. While interpret ation of the mid-Holocene P-E balance was limited by dissolution of the diatom record, other sediment indicators suggest a period of extremely negative effective precipitation (~7000–5600 yr BP), followed by a period of positive effective precipitation lasting until 4700 yr BP. This contrasts markedly with the later Holocene, after c. 4000 yr BP, when high-frequency oscillations in DI conductivity probably reflect short-term climatic variations (amplified by in-lake processes connected with meromixis) but no long-term trends in the P-E balance.
The Experience of Fighting with Allies: The Case of the Capture of Falfemont Farm during the Battle of the Somme, 1916
Authors: Greenhalgh Elizabeth
Published: February 2003

The Somme was the only significant joint Anglo-French operation of the First World War. This study of one important, though small, action in that battle shows how the Allies worked together. Using both French and British operational records, it challenges the accepted account. Analysis of the artillery preparations reveals that the initial failure of the infantry was entirely predictable. The ‘gallant’ infantry were not betrayed by the French artillery. The need to apportion blame coincided with the recent relief of the units that fought the action. Fighting with allies is more harmonious when troops know each other and their efforts are attended by success.
Hitting the Mark, but Missing the Target: Luftwaffe Deception Operations, 1939-1945
Authors: Westermann Edward
Published: February 2003

During the course of the air campaign against the Third Reich, the Luftwaffe employed a variety of active and passive defensive measures. The overwhelming tendency to focus solely on the performance of fighters and flak provides only one piece of the air defence mosaic and has led to a widespread under-appreciation of the contributions of deception measures and the role of dummy sites within the Luftwaffe’s air defences. The dummy installations and decoy measures experienced varying degrees of success throughout the conflict, but at times they proved instrumental in luring Allied aircraft away from their intended targets. On the one hand, the relatively modest costs associated with these efforts highlighted the benefits that could be achieved by deception. On the other hand, the dynamic nature of these defences and their ability to adapt in the face of Allied countermeasures aptly illustrated the dialectic battle between offence and defence during the Second World War.
Expanding Naval Powers: Admiralty Private Secretaries and Private Offices, 1800-1945
Authors: Hamilton C. I.
Published: February 2003

The private secretaries, eventually private offices, of the lords of Admiralty and under-secretaries grew in importance, undertaking one function in particular that proved of value during total war - liaison. A basic division grew between the civilian and the military. By 1939-45, the sea lords’ offices are more properly described as personal military staffs. The private office of the first lord, on the other hand, had developed from a purely personal instrument of the minister’s into a crucial adjunct to the machinery under the permanent secretary, and was even part of a network that spread over Whitehall and beyond.
Comparison of Loss Estimation for Various Seismic Source Models: The Case of the 1995 Hyogo-ken Nanbu Earthquake
Authors: Hatayama Ken , Zama Shinsaku
Published: February 2003

We compare the distribution of damage to housing caused by the 1995 Hyogo-ken Nanbu (Kobe) earthquake with those estimated for several source models proposed for this earthquake. This comparison aims at identifying source models that can provide loss estimates that are most appropriate for planning emergency response activities just after earthquakes and/or for preparing effective countermeasures for mitigation of future earthquake disasters. The results suggest the necessity of finite-fault slip models that can reproduce or predict accurately strong ground motion within a frequency range closely related to damage. The loss estimation just after earthquakes based on source models can be counted on in areas without dense strong-ground-motion observation networks. Even with the dense networks, source models will also be useful for accurate loss estimation in the immediate vicinity of earthquake source faults.
Simplified R-Factor Relationships for Strong Ground Motions
Authors: Cuesta Isabel , Aschheim Mark A. , Fajfar Peter
Published: February 2003

Recent studies have demonstrated the need to consider the ground motion frequency content in the development and use of R−μ−T relationships. Results from two different approaches to determining these relationships are unified in the present paper. Two bilinear R−μ−T/Tg relationships are recommended for most strong ground motions and structural systems. One is more accurate, while the other, more conservative relationship is used in FEMA 273, ATC-32, and the simple version of the N2 method. Both relationships are indexed by the characteristic period of the ground motion, Tg. Simple methods to determine Tg from smoothed design spectra and recorded ground motions are provided. Neither recommended relationships are applicable to the nearly harmonic ground motions that may be generated at sites containing soft lakebed deposits. An example illustrates the application of these relationships to a code design spectrum in both the acceleration-displacement and yield point spectra formats.
Assessment of Design Recommendations for Torsionally Unbalanced Multistory Buildings
Authors: De-la-Colina Jaime
Published: February 2003

Multistory models are studied to assess design recommendations for torsionally unbalanced multistory buildings. Structural systems are assumed as shear beams with nonlinear lateral-resisting elements oriented along two orthogonal directions and subjected to a bidirectional earthquake ground motion. Five-story rigid-diaphragm models with mass or stiffness eccentricity are considered in the study. Accidental eccentricity is not included in the modeling and, therefore, its related recommendations are not assessed. Design recommendations studied here are based on the simple static procedure and include two values and an expression for the amplification factor α to compute story eccentricities, three values of the torsion-shear reduction factor δ, an additional lateral force Ft to be applied at the building top level, and a minimal story eccentricity for the building. Design recommendations to control ductility demands of torsionally unbalanced multistory buildings are given.
Scissor-Jack-Damper Energy Dissipation System
Authors: Şigaher Ani N. , Constantinou Michael C.
Published: February 2003

Installation of damping devices has been limited to diagonal or chevron brace configurations until the recent development of the toggle-brace configurations. These configurations magnify the effect of damping devices, thus facilitating their use in stiff framing systems. This paper introduces the scissor-jack-damper system that was developed as a variant of the toggle-brace-damper systems, with the added advantage of compactness. The effectiveness of the scissor-jack configuration is demonstrated through testing of a large-scale steel-framed model structure on an earthquake simulator. Experiments showed that despite the small size of the damping device considered, the scissor-jack system provided a significant amount of damping and substantially reduced the seismic response of the tested structure. Response history and simplified analyses produce results that are consistent with the experimental results.
Identification of Site Frequencies from Building Records
Authors: Çelebi M.
Published: February 2003

A simple procedure to identify site frequencies using earthquake response records from roofs and basements of buildings is presented. For this purpose, data from five different buildings are analyzed using only spectral analyses techniques. Additional data such as free-field records in close proximity to the buildings and site characterization data are also used to estimate site frequencies and thereby to provide convincing evidence and confirmation of the site frequencies inferred from the building records. Furthermore, simple code-formula is used to calculate site frequencies and compare them with the identified site frequencies from records. Results show that the simple procedure is effective in identification of site frequencies and provides relatively reliable estimates of site frequencies when compared with other methods. Therefore the simple procedure for estimating site frequencies using earthquake records can be useful in adding to the database of site frequencies. Such databases can be used to better estimate site frequencies of those sites with similar geological structures.
Legislative Politics and Seismic Safety: California's Early Years and the “Field Act,” 1925–1933
Authors: Olson Robert A.
Published: February 2003

California's first major earthquake safety policy initiative was 1933's Safety of Design and Construction of Public School Buildings Act, popularly known as the Field Act for its author, Assemblyman Don C. Field, who became the Field Act's legislative champion. The foundation for its enactment a month after the 10 March 1933 Long Beach earthquake was laid earlier by the 29 June 1925 Santa Barbara earthquake, the Dam Act of 1929, the drafting of a proposed Building Code for California, the formation of the Structural Engineers Association of California, and general acceptance of California's earthquake risk. This paper reviews the roles played by the pre-Field Act factors and the politics of the law's enactment, including the central role played by the State Division of Architecture in preparing the legislation and supporting Assemblyman Field's efforts.
A Methodology for Probabilistic Fault Displacement Hazard Analysis (PFDHA)
Authors: Youngs Robert R. , Arabasz Walter J. , Anderson R. Ernest , Ramelli Alan R. , Ake Jon P. , Slemmons David B. , McCalpin James P. , Doser Diane I. , Fridrich Christopher J. , Swan Frank H. , Rogers Albert M. , Yount James C. , Anderson Laurence W. , Smith Kenneth D. , Bruhn Ronald L. , Knuepfer Peter L. K. , Smith Robert B. , dePolo Craig M. , O'Leary Dennis W. , Coppersmith Kevin J. , Pezzopane Silvio K. , Schwartz David P. , Whitney John W. , Olig Susan S. , Toro Gabriel R.
Published: February 2003

We present a methodology for conducting a site-specific probabilistic analysis of fault displacement hazard. Two approaches are outlined. The first relates the occurrence of fault displacement at or near the ground surface to the occurrence of earthquakes in the same manner as is done in a standard probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA) for ground shaking. The methodology for this approach is taken directly from PSHA methodology with the ground-motion attenuation function replaced by a fault displacement attenuation function. In the second approach, the rate of displacement events and the distribution for fault displacement are derived directly from the characteristics of the faults or geologic features at the site of interest. The methodology for probabilistic fault displacement hazard analysis (PFDHA) was developed for a normal faulting environment and the probability distributions we present may have general application in similar tectonic regions. In addition, the general methodology is applicable to any region and we indicate the type of data needed to apply the methodology elsewhere.
Testing Sprinkler-Pipe Seismic-Brace Components
Authors: Malhotra Praveen K. , Senseny Paul E. , Braga Antonio C. , Allard Roger L.
Published: February 2003

The design codes and standards (e.g., UBC, IBC, NFPA-13) estimate the amplitude of the seismic load in sprinkler-pipe braces, but they do not specify the number of cycles for which this load must be resisted by various components of pipe braces. Because the components can fail in low-cycle fatigue, the number of load cycles must be considered in establishing the strength of the brace components. The first part of this study deals with determining the number of cycles for which a component must resist its rated capacity. Strong-motion records from 18 strongly shaken buildings were incorporated into a low-cycle fatigue model to develop a test criterion for measuring the seismic strength of brace components. In the second part of this study, a series of tests were conducted to gain insight into the cyclic behavior of brace components. Finally, a test protocol was established to measure the seismic strength of brace components. With some modifications, the protocol can be applied to many other nonstructural components.
Surface Seismic Refraction/Reflection Measurement Determinations of Potential Site Resonances and the Areal Uniformity of NEHRP Site Class D in Memphis, Tennessee
Authors: Williams R. A. , Wood S. , Stephenson W. J. , Odum J. K. , Meremonte M. E. , Street R. , Worley D. M.
Published: February 2003

We determined S-wave velocities (Vs) to about 40-m depth at 65 locations in the Memphis-Shelby County, Tennessee, area. The Vs measurements were made using high-resolution seismic refraction and reflection methods on the ground surface. We find a clear difference in the Vs profiles between sites located on the Mississippi River flood plain and those located to the east, mostly covered by loess, in the urban areas of Memphis. The average Vs to 30-m depth at 19 sites on the modern Mississippi River floodplain averages 197 m/s (±15 m/s) and places 17 of these sites at the low end of NEHRP soil profile category type D (average Vs 180-360 m/s). The two remaining sites are type E. Vs to 30-m depth at 46 sites in the urban areas east of the modern floodplain are more variable and generally higher than the floodplain sites, averaging about 262 m/s (±45 m/s), still within category D. We often observed the base of the loess as a prominent S-wave reflection and as an increase in Vs to about 500 m/s. Based on the two-way travel time of this reflection, during an earthquake the impedance boundary at the loess base may generate resonances in the 3- to 6-Hz range over many areas of Memphis. Amplitude spectra from four local earthquakes recorded at one site located on loess indicate consistent resonance peaks in the 4.5- to 6.5-Hz range.
Nonparametric estimation of the chord length distribution
Authors: Hansen Martin B. , van Zwet Erik W.
Published: February 2003

The distribution of the length of a typical chord of a stationary random set is an interesting feature of the set's whole distribution. We give a nonparametric estimator of the chord length distribution and prove its strong consistency. We report on a simulation experiment in which our estimator compared favourably to a reduced sample estimator. Both estimators are illustrated by applying them to an image sample from a yoghurt ferment. We briefly discuss the closely related problem of estimation of the linear contact distribution. We show by a simulation experiment that a transformation of our estimator of the chord length distribution is more efficient than a Kaplan-Meier type estimator of the linear contact distribution.
Estimation of orientation characteristic of fibrous material
Authors: Kärkkäinnen Salme , Penttinen Antti , Ushakov Nikolai G. , Ushakova Alexandra P.
Published: February 2003

A new statistical method for estimating the orientation distribution of fibres in a fibre process is suggested where the process is observed in the form of a degraded digital greyscale image. The method is based on line transect sampling of the image in a few fixed directions. A well-known method based on stereology is available if the intersections between the transects and fibres can be counted. We extend this to the case where, instead of the intersection points, only scaled variograms of grey levels along the transects are observed. The nonlinear estimation equations for a parametric orientation distribution as well as a numerical algorithm are given. The method is illustrated by a real-world example and simulated examples where the elliptic orientation distribution is applied. In its simplicity, the new approach is intended for industrial on-line estimation of fibre orientation in disordered fibrous materials.
The specific connectivity number of random networks
Authors: Mecke Joseph , Stoyan Dietrich
Published: February 2003

A network is a system of segments or edges in ℝdwhich intersect only in the segment endpoints, which are called vertices. An example is the system of edges of a tessellation. It is possible to give formulas for the specific connectivity number of a random network; in the stationary case, the intensity of the 0-curvature measure is equal to the difference of the intensities of the point processes of vertices and edge centres.
On the rose of intersections of stationary flat processes
Authors: Spodarev Eugene
Published: February 2003

The paper yields retrieval formulae of the directional distribution of a stationary k-flat process in ℝd if its rose of intersections with all r-flats is known. Cases k = d −1, 1 ≤ r ≤ d - 1 for arbitrary d and d = 4, k = 2, r = 2 are considered. Some generalizations to manifold processes in ℝd are made. The proofs use the methods of harmonic analysis on higher Grassmannians (spherical harmonics, integral transforms).
Post-data inference of coalescence times and segregating-site distribution in a two-island model with symmetric migration
Authors: Gorroochurn Prakash
Published: February 2003

In this paper, we present the distribution of the coalescence time of two DNA sequences (or genes) subject to symmetric migration between two islands, and conditional on the observed number of segregating sites in the sequences. The distribution for the segregating-site pattern is also obtained. Some surprising results emerge when both genes are initially on the same island. First, the post-data mean coalescence time is shown to be dependent on the migration parameter, as opposed to the pre-data mean. Second, both the post-data density and expectation for the coalescence time are shown to converge, in the weak-migration limit, to the corresponding panmictic results, as opposed to the pre-data situation where there is convergence in the density but not in the expectation. Finally, it is shown that there is convergence in the weak-migration limit in the distribution of the number of segregating sites but not in the expectation and variance. Numerical and graphical results for samples of size greater than two are also presented.
Analogies and correspondences between variograms and covariance functions
Authors: Gneiting Tilmann , Sasvári Zoltán , Schlather Martin
Published: February 2003

Variograms and covariance functions are key tools in geostatistics. However, various properties, characterizations, and decomposition theorems have been established for covariance functions only. We present analogous results for variograms and explore the connections with covariance functions. Our findings include criteria for covariance functions on intervals, and we apply them to exponential models, fractional Brownian motion, and locally polynomial covariances. In particular, we characterize isotropic locally polynomial covariance functions of degree 3.
Shot noise on cluster processes with cluster marks, and studies of long range dependence
Authors: Ramirez-Perez Filemon , Serfling Robert
Published: February 2003

With the aim of providing greater flexibility in developing and applying shot noise models, this paper studies shot noise on cluster point processes with both pointwise and cluster marks. For example, in financial modelling, responses to events in the financial market may occur in clusters, with random amplitudes including a ‘cluster component’ reflecting a degree of commonness among responses within a cluster. For such shot noise models, general formulae for the characteristic functional are developed and specialized to the case of Neyman-Scott clustering with cluster marks. For several general forms of response function, long range dependence of the corresponding equilibrium shot noise models is investigated. It is shown, for example, that long range dependence holds when the ‘structure component’ of the response function decays slowly enough, or when the response function has a finite random duration with a heavy tailed distribution.
Asymptotic expansions in multidimensional Markov renewal theory and first passage times for Markov random walks
Authors: Fuh Cheng-Der , Lai Tze Leung
Published: February 2003

We prove ad-dimensional renewal theorem, with an estimate on the rate of convergence, for Markov random walks. This result is applied to a variety of boundary crossing problems for a Markov random walk (Xn,Sn),n≥0, in whichXntakes values in a general state space andSntakes values in ℝd. In particular, for the cased= 1, we use this result to derive an asymptotic formula for the variance of the first passage time whenSnexceeds a high thresholdb, generalizing Smith's classical formula in the case of i.i.d. positive increments forSn. Ford> 1, we apply this result to derive an asymptotic expansion of the distribution of (XT,ST), whereT= inf {n:Sn,1>b} andSn,1denotes the first component ofSn.
Lundberg inequalities for renewal equations
Authors: Willmot Gordon E. , Cai Jun , Lin X. Sheldon
Published: February 2003

Sharp upper and lower bounds are derived for the solution of renewal equations. These include as special cases exponential inequalities, some of which have been derived for specific renewal equations. Together with the well-known Cramér-Lundberg asymptotic estimate, these bounds give additional information about the behaviour of the solution. Nonexponential bounds, which are of use in connection with defective renewal equations, are also obtained. The results are then applied in examples involving the severity of insurance ruin, age-dependent branching processes, and a generalized type II Geiger counter.
On random motions with velocities alternating at Erlang-distributed random times
Authors: Di Crescenzo Antonio
Published: February 2003

We analyse a non-Markovian generalization of the telegrapher's random process. It consists of a stochastic process describing a motion on the real line characterized by two alternating velocities with opposite directions, where the random times separating consecutive reversals of direction perform an alternating renewal process. In the case of Erlang-distributed interrenewal times, explicit expressions of the transition densities are obtained in terms of a suitable two-index pseudo-Bessel function. Some results on the distribution of the maximum of the process are also disclosed.
Calculation of noncrossing probabilities for Poisson processes and its corollaries
Authors: Khmaladze Estate , Shinjikashvili Eka
Published: February 2003

The paper describes a new numerical method for the calculation of noncrossing probabilities for arbitrary boundaries by a Poisson process. We find the method to be simple in implementation, quick and efficient - it works reliably for Poisson processes of very high intensity n, up to several thousand. Hence, it can be used to detect unusual features in the finite-sample behaviour of empirical process and trace it down to very high sample sizes. It also can be used as a good approximation for noncrossing probabilities for Brownian motion and Brownian bridge, in particular when the boundaries are not regular. As a numerical example we demonstrate the divergence of normalized Kolmogorov-Smirnov statistics from their prescribed limiting distributions (Eicker (1979), Jaeshke (1979)) for quite large n in contrast to very regular behaviour of statistics of Mason (1983). For the Brownian motion case we considered square-root, Daniels' (1969) and Grooneboom's (1989) boundaries.
On the estimation of a star-shaped set
Authors: Baíllo Amparo , Cuevas Antonio
Published: February 2003

The estimation of a star-shaped set S from a random sample of points X1,…,Xn ∊ S is considered. We show that S can be consistently approximated (with respect to both the Hausdorff metric and the ‘distance in measure’ between sets) by an estimator ŝn defined as a union of balls centered at the sample points with a common radius which can be chosen in such a way that ŝn is also star-shaped. We also prove that, under some mild conditions, the topological boundary of the estimator ŝn converges, in the Hausdorff sense, to that of S; this has a particular interest when the proposed estimation problem is considered from the point of view of statistical image analysis.
The number of two-dimensional maxima
Authors: Barbour A. D. , Xia A.
Published: February 2003

Letnpoints be placed uniformly at random in a subsetAof the plane. A point is said to be maximal in the configuration if no other point is larger in both coordinates. We show that, for largenand for many setsA, the number of maximal points is approximately normally distributed. The argument uses Stein's method, and is also applicable in higher dimensions.
Central limit theorem for germination-growth models in ℝd with non-Poisson locations
Authors: Chiu S. N. , Quine M. P.
Published: February 2003

Seeds are randomly scattered in ℝd according to an m-dependent point process. Each seed has its own potential germination time. From each seed that succeeds in germinating, a spherical inhibited region grows to prohibit germination of any seed with later potential germination time. We show that under certain conditions on the distribution of the potential germination time, the number of germinated seeds in a large region has an asymptotic normal distribution.
On the almost sure coverage property of Voronoi tessellation: the ℝ1case
Authors: Khmaladze Estate , Toronjadze N.
Published: February 2003

This paper raises the following question: let {Φn(A),A⊂ ℝd} be a Poisson process with intensitynf(x),x∈ ℝdand letc(Xi| Φn) be a Voronoi tile with nucleusXi(a jump point of Φn). Let μ(.) denote Lebesgue measure in ℝd. Is it true that, for any bounded measurable subsetBof ℝd, ∑Xi∈Bμ(c(Xi| Φn)) → μ(B) almost surely asn→ ∞ only iff> 0 almost everywhere? This statement can be viewed as the strong law of large numbers for Voronoi tessellation. Though the positive answer may seem ‘obvious’, we could not find any such statement, especially for arbitrary measurableBand nonhomogeneous Poisson processes. ForBwith the boundary of Lebesgue measure 0 the proof is simple. We prove in this paper that the statement is true for ℝ1.
Estimation variances for Poisson processes of compact sets
Authors: Mrkvička Tomáš
Published: February 2003

A complete and sufficient statistic is found for various stationary Poisson processes of compact sets with known primary grain. In the particular case of a segment process, the uniformly best unbiased estimator for the length density is the number of segments hitting the sampling window divided by a certain constant and multiplied by the mean segment length.
Testing for signals with unknown location and scale in a χ2random field, with an application to fMRI
Authors: Worsley Keith J.
Published: February 2003

Siegmund and Worsley (1995) considered the problem of testing for signals with unknown location and scale in a Gaussian random field defined on ℝN. The test statistic was the maximum of a Gaussian random field in anN+1 dimensional ‘scale space’,Ndimensions for location and 1 dimension for the scale of a smoothing filter. Scale space is identical to a continuous wavelet transform with a kernel smoother as the wavelet, though the emphasis here is on signal detection rather than image compression or enhancement. Two methods were used to derive an approximate null distribution forN=2 andN=3: one based on the method of volumes of tubes, the other based on the expected Euler characteristic of the excursion set. The purpose of this paper is two-fold: to show how the latter method can be extended to higher dimensions, and to apply this more general result to χ2fields. The result of Siegmund and Worsley (1995) then follows as a special case. In this paper the results are applied to the problem of searching for activation in brain images obtained by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).