cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thermodynamics of membrane structure: Implications for pharmacology

The thermodynamic factors controlling the equilibrium between the aggregated and dispersed states of proteins in a biological membrane are examined. A free energy of mixing expression for this equilibrium is presented which includes solvent, intermolecular energy, and entropic terms. Ways by which each of these terms may be altered are discussed. It is proposed that some pharmacological agents may act by changing the mode of distribution of the proteins in a membrane, and it is shown that such an effect may be brought about equally well by lipoidal reagents as by agents which act directly on the proteins.
Matrix effects in biological reference materials used in the standardization of cholesterol measurements

The precise and accurate laboratory measurement of blood cholesterol has become a national public health priority in the diagnosis and management of patients at risk for coronary heart disease. Unreliable measurements can hamper the national program to control heart disease. The National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) recommends that manufacturers and clinical laboratories achieve traceability to the National Reference System for Cholesterol in order to reliably classify patients according to the NCEP guidelines for assessing coronary heart disease risk. Documenting the accuracy of certain clinical analytical systems for the measurement of cholesterol has been complicated by the occurrence of fluid matrix effects. The major difficulty is that some processed materials (including calibrators, controls, proficiency survey samples, and reference materials) may not be reliable and may result in inaccurate measurement of patient specimens. Similarly, use of such material in accuracy assessment or proficiency testing may yield erroneous conclusions regarding system accuracy. Here, we will review the problem of matrix effects in cholesterol materials and present the results of several studies evaluating sources of matrix error. An alternate approach to documenting accuracy, to be used until commutable materials free of matrix effects are available, will also be discussed.
Emissions of polynuclear hydrocarbons from automobiles and trucks.

Abstract As part of a screening survey to determine the origin of the benzo[a]pyrene found in urban atmospheres in the United States, emission rates of several polynuclear hydrocarbons, including benzo [a] pyrene, were measured on several automobiles and trucks powered by gasoline engines. The vehicles were road-tested over typical driving routes. The total exhaust was sampled by passing it through a multi-plate condenser followed by large high-efficiency filters. Operating and emission data are given. The combined effects of vehicle-model age and mileage on polynuclear emissions are discussed, as are the relationships between polynuclear hydrocarbon emissions and the emissions of other products of incomplete combustion.
Nondiverging algebraically special ℋ-spaces

All nondiverging algebraically special ℋ -spaces are found by means of the complexified spin-coefficient formalism. The solutions are found to group naturally into two classes according to whether or not the optical-rotation spin coefficient\(\tilde \tau\) vanishes.
Ultrastructure of zebrafish dorsal aortic cells.

Expression of vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) markers such as serum response factor (SRF) is complicated in zebrafish because of the ill-defined histology of the dorsal aorta and the presence of...
Toward a Flame Embedding Model for Turbulent Combustion Simulation

Combustion in turbulent flows may take the form of a thin flame wrapped around vortical structures. For this regime, the flame embedding approach seeks to decouple computations of the outer nonreacting flow and the combustion zone by discretizing the flame surface into a number of elemental flames, each incorporating the local impact of unsteady flow-flame interaction. An unsteady strained laminar flame solver, based on a boundary-layer approximation of combustion in a time-dependent stagnation-point potential flow, is proposed as an elemental flame model. To validate the concept, two-dimensional simulations of premixed flame-vortex interactions are performed for a matrix of vortex strengths and length scales, and a section of the flame is selected for comparison with the flame embedding model results. Results show that using the flame leading-edge strain rate gives reasonable agreement in the cases of low strain rate and weak strain rate gradient within the flame structure. This agreement deteriorates substantially when both are high. We propose two different schemes, both based on averaging the strain rate across the flame structure, and demonstrate that agreement between the one-dimensional model and the two-dimensional simulation greatly improves when the actual strain rate at the reaction zone of the one-dimensional flame is made to match that of the two-dimensional flame.
Effects of drugs that modify brain monoamine concentrations on plasma gonadotropin and prolactin levels in the rat.

DL-α-Methyltyrosine (α-MT), which blocks catecholamine biosynthesis, produced a dramatic rise in plasma prolactin within 30 min of ip injection in castrated rats and treatment with α-MT for 4 days resulted in continued high levels of plasma prolactin and an elevation of pituitary prolactin concentration and content. Plasma FSH and LH were not significantly altered by α-MT. Selective blockade of norepinephrine (NE) biosynthesis with diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC) failed to alter prolactin levels but did lower plasma LH. Blockade of serotonin biosynthesis with p-chlorophenylalanine (p-CPA) failed to modify plasma levels of any of the 3 pituitary hormones measured and did not alter the elevation in plasma prolactin produced by concomitant administration of α-MT. When L-dihydroxphenylalanine (L-DOPA) was administered to elevate brain catecholamines, it lowered plasma prolactin but failed to alter FSH and LH levels. This lowering of piolactin by L-DOPA still occurred if conversion of dopamine (DA) to NE was bloc...
Passive tuned vibration absorbers for sound radiation attenuation from panels

Passive tuned vibration absorbers (TVA) are widely used in reducing vibrations in machinery, buildings and many other vibrating structures. Recently, TVAs have been installed on structures for the purpose of reducing the sound radiation from the structure. As in the case of vibration control, the tuning and placement of TVAs for noise control is often based on the forced response of the structure, as opposed to the behavior of structural-acoustic interaction. This conventional approach for TVA placement on structures is not always effective for controlling sound radiation from the structure. This task requires proper control of the structural waves that couple well with the acoustic environment. This paper presents a preliminary study of acoustic radiation and radiation efficiency of panels instrumented with passive TVAs.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Coded source neutron imaging at the PULSTAR reactor

Abstract A neutron imaging facility is located on beam-tube #5 of the 1-MW PULSTAR reactor at North Carolina State University. An investigation of high resolution imaging using the coded source imaging technique has been initiated at the facility. Coded imaging uses a mosaic of pinholes to encode an aperture, thus generating an encoded image of the object at the detector. To reconstruct the image data received by the detector, the corresponding decoding patterns are used. The optimized design of coded mask is critical for the performance of this technique and will depend on the characteristics of the imaging beam. In this work, a 34×38 uniformly redundant array (URA) coded aperture system is studied for application at the PULSTAR reactor neutron imaging facility. The URA pattern was fabricated on a 500 μm gadolinium sheet. Simulations and experiments with a pinhole object have been conducted using the Gd URA and the optimized beam line.
Congruences for ℓ-regular partition functions modulo 3

Let bl(n) denote the number of l-regular partitions of n. Recently Andrews, Hirschhorn, and Sellers proved that b4(n) satisfies two infinite families of congruences modulo 3, and Webb established an analogous result for b13(n). In this paper we prove similar families of congruences for bl(n) for other values of l.
ALK expression in pseudosarcomatous myofibroblastic proliferations of the genitourinary tract.

Aims : Pseudosarcomatous myofibroblastic proliferation of the genitourinary tract is rare and may develop after trauma or spontaneously. The aim of this study was to characterize further the clinicopathological features of these lesions and to examine their relationship to inflammatory myofibroblastic tumour (IMT). Methods and results : Twenty-seven cases of pseudosarcomatous myofibroblastic proliferation were analysed. There were seven males and 20 females; median age was 37 years (range 16–88). Most lesions were from the bladder (n = 21), while others were in the urethra, vulva, vagina, rectum and retrovesical space. Median tumour size was 30 mm (range 6–120 mm). Seven cases (25%) had a history of prior trauma or surgery. Three cases recurred locally but not destructively. The tumours had fasciitis-like features including bland spindle cells with evenly distributed chromatin, admixed inflammatory cells (mainly lymphocytes) and often a myxoid stroma. Immunohistochemistry showed positivity for smooth muscle actin in 14/20 cases, keratin in 8/19, desmin in 7/20 and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) in 10/21 cases. Fluorescent in situ hybridization was performed in six ALK+ cases; all were negative for ALK gene rearrangement. Conclusions : Pseudosarcomatous myofibroblastic proliferations of the genitourinary tract may show ALK immunopositivity but do not show consistent ALK rearrangement. Given subtle morphological differences and more consistently benign behaviour, their relationship to inflammatory myofibroblastic tumour at other sites remains uncertain.
Empirical Modeling of Pavement Overlay Crack Progression with Field Data

We present the development of an empirical pavement overlay crack progression model using condition survey data for the highway system in the state of Washington. The crack progression model uses random-effect panel data regression techniques, with correction for incidental truncation, endogeneity bias, and unobserved heterogeneity. The parameter estimation results show that existing cracking prior to the overlay, traffic loading, overlay thickness and materials, and some environmental factors play important roles in explaining crack progression. The model developed in this paper is used jointly with a probabilistic model of overlay crack initiation as inputs to a Monte Carlo simulation of overlay cracking trends over time. These trends are realistic for overlays in the estimation database, but caution should be used when applying the model to other states. Specifically, it should only be used in situations where the maintenance policy used is similar to that used by the Washington DOT.
Bottom water and benthonic foraminifera in the North Atlantic—Glacial-interglacial contrasts

Today, below 2500 m, benthonic foraminiferal faunas in the North Atlantic are dominated by a few species. Faunal composition changes slowly with increasing depth and decreasing temperature. Surface sediment and down-core counts of benthonic foraminifera reported by Phleger, Parker, and Peirson (1953) in the reports of the Swedish Deep-Sea Expedition have been supplemented by additional bottom sediment and piston core samples. Present-day benthonic foraminiferal assemblages from the deeper portions of the North Atlantic appear to be controlled more by the distribution of bottom water types than by bathymetry. In most piston cores, the assemblages vary greatly during the last 150,000 yr, suggesting depression and elevation of faunas at the core site through a depth range of several hundred meters. This would indicate that bottom water characteristics have shifted back and forth in this interval of time and, therefore, that bottom circulation partakes in the well-documented shifts recorded for surface waters of the North Atlantic. It appears that dense water, similar to present-day North Atlantic Deep Water, was produced over a wide area north of 45° N during cooler intervals and that it spread widely at depth.
Assessment of Consultation and Intervention Implementation: A Review of Conjoint Behavioral Consultation Studies

Reviews of treatment outcome literature indicate treatment integrity is not regularly assessed. In consultation, two levels of treatment integrity (i.e., consultant procedural integrity [CPI] and intervention treatment integrity [ITI]) provide relevant implementation data. Specifically, assessment of CPI and ITI are necessary to conclude (a) consultation is functionally related to consultee implementation behavior and (b) intervention implementation is functionally related to student outcomes. In this article, study characteristics and the presence of treatment integrity at both levels are examined in 21 studies utilizing Conjoint Behavioral Consultation, a model of consultation that includes multiple consultees. Results indicate that in approximately half of studies, CPI, ITI, or both are assessed and, when reported, treatment integrity is moderately high across both levels. However, there are distinct differences in the assessment and reporting of these levels of treatment integrity. Limitations and imp...
Pixelless infrared imaging device

A new concept for infrared imaging using a pixelless photon frequency up-conversion device together with a CCD array is presented. The concept is applicable to wavelengths longer than the CCD response range (longer than about 1.1 /spl mu/m). Preliminary imaging results using a quantum well infrared photodetector integrated with a light emitting diode are also presented.
Inferior vena cava injury with distal bullet embolization

Inferior vena cava injury with distal bullet embolization Timothy P. Plackett *, Brad Putty , Marko Bukur , Lydia Lam, Donald J. Green , David Plurad , Demetrios Demetriades b Department of Surgery, Tripler Army Medical Center, 1 Jarrett White Road, Honolulu, HI 96859, United States Division of Trauma, Department of Surgery, University of Southern California + Los Angeles County Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
Acoustic Modeling and Control of Conical Enclosures

Acoustic modeling and control of conical enclosures with an actuator boundary condition is presented. Acoustic impedances are coupled with electrical and mechanical actuator dynamics to generate a coupled state-space model of the system. Analysis of the acoustic impedance illustrates that pole-zero cancellation occurs when the length of the conic section becomes large compared to the distance from the apex to the actuator boundary condition. Used as a platform for control design, positive position feedback is applied for acoustic attenuation. The model predicts the first four resonance frequencies to within 1.75 percent of experimentally measured values. Standing waveforms are presented and related to the effects of the actuator boundary condition. A feedback controller is implemented on an experimental testbed with global reductions of 38.4 percent or 4.2 dB observed over a 50-400 Hz frequency range. Experimental results demonstrate that global sound attenuation is possible with a single feedback channel.
Mechanisms of mercury removal by O3 and OH in the atmosphere

The mechanisms of the reactions of gaseous Hg atoms with O3 and OH radical are evaluated from current kinetic and enthalpy data. The reaction, O3+Hg→HgO+O2, is considered to be an unlikely pathway for atmospheric conditions. Considerations given here suggest that the reaction may occur with initial formation of a metastable HgO3 molecule that in laboratory experiments is the source of the HgO product observed to accumulate on the walls of the reactor (HgO3→HgO(s)+O2). Laboratory studies of the gas phase reaction, Hg+OH→HgOH (2), have been reported using relative rate measurements initiated by photodissociation of an organic nitrite in mixtures of Hg vapor with NO, air and various reference hydrocarbons. Computer simulations of this reaction system suggest that the use of reactive reference gases (e.g., cyclohexane) leads to the generation of significant ozone in these NOx–RH–air mixtures, and the resulting O3–Hg reaction can result in an over-estimate of the rate of reaction (2). Also the apparent rate coefficients for reaction (2) are highly dependent on the assumed rate coefficients of its competitive reactions of dissociation in HgOH→Hg+OH (3), and association of HgOH molecule with other free radicals present in the system: HgOH+X→XHgOH (4); X=OH, HO2, RO, RO2, NO, NO2. Reaction (4) competes successfully with HgOH decomposition for the laboratory conditions employed, and the kinetic measurements relate to the rate determining reaction, Hg+OH→HgOH in this case. However, the use of these laboratory measurements of k2 to determine the extent of Hg removal by OH in the troposphere will greatly over-estimate the importance of Hg removal by this reaction.
Abstract 4962: Derivation of bone trophic human prostate cancer cells

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Introduction: Bone metastases continue to be the main source of morbidity and mortality in prostate cancer patients. Determining the mechanism(s) by which prostate cancer cells utilize the bone microenvironment to survive and grow is key to developing strategies to prevent metastasis. Such approaches could affect disease morbidity and mortality, as nearly 80% patients have bone metastases at the time of death. The finding that disseminated cancer cells can be detected in 72% of patients prior to prostatectomy led to the realization that prostate cancer cells disseminate early and persist in the bone for extended periods of time prior to detection. This may be due to factors within the metastatic microenvironment that restrict cancer cell growth. Unfortunately, current models of prostate cancer bone metastases are lacking, and the field would greatly benefit from the creation of new bone trophic model cell lines. Hypothesis: We hypothesize that the AR positive, human CWR22Rv1 can be made bone trophic by serial passage through mice in an experimental metastasis assay. Methods: CWR22Rv1 cells were engineered to express the synthetic firefly luciferase luc 2, and injected into the left ventricle of intact male, 8 week old NOD/SCID mice. Metastatic growth was assessed weekly, and metastases were examined histologically at the experimental endpoint. Bone metastatic cells were extracted, cultured and ultimately re-injected to select for a sub-population of bone trophic human prostate cancer cells. Results: CWR22Rv1 cells lodge in the skeleton where they persist for approximately two weeks. The cells then undergo progressive growth (as indicated by increasing signal intensity), culminating in overt metastases at the experimental endpoint (8 weeks post injection). The 145-fold increase in luciferase signal was accompanied by osteoblastic-lesions in the skeleton, most notably calvarial lesions. Several animals developed additional metastases in the hind limbs. Cells that were passaged once or twice through animals exhibit increased bone tropism, but are not simply more metastatic as indicated by whole body luciferase signal. Conclusions: Passage through animals is successfully generating bone trophic human prostate cancer cells. These baseline data serves as a staring point for additional studies to more precisely define the kinetics of metastatic growth in this model system. Future work will identify molecular changes that occur in the prostate cancer cells and the bone microenvironment both during and prior to metastatic outgrowth. Note: This abstract was not presented at the meeting. Citation Format: Erin N. Howe, Ryan M. Brown, Russell Z. Szmulewitz, Carrie W. Rinker-Schaeffer. Derivation of bone trophic human prostate cancer cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 4962. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-4962
Loading and characterization of a printed-circuit-board atomic ion trap

We demonstrate loading of 88 Sr + ions into a 0.5-mm-scale printed circuit board surface-electrode ion trap. We then characterize the trap by measuring the secular frequencies and comparing them to a three-dimensional simulation of the trap, and by measuring the stray electric fields along two of the trap’s principal axes. Cancelling these fields by applying additional voltages enables a hundredfold increase in the trap lifetime to greater than ten minutes at a vacuum of 10 9 torr.
Influence of the Acceptor Composition on Physical Properties and Solar Cell Performance in Semi-Random Two-Acceptor Copolymers

Five novel semi-random poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) based donor–acceptor copolymers containing either thienopyrroledione (TPD) or both diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) and TPD acceptors were synthesized by Stille copolymerization, and their optical, electrochemical, charge transport, and photovoltaic properties were investigated. Poly(3-hexylthiophene-thiophene-thienopyrroledione) polymers P3HTT-TPD-10% and P3HTT-TPD-15% with either 10% or 15% acceptor content were synthesized as a point of reference. Two-acceptor polymers containing both TPD and DPP were synthesized with varying acceptor ratios to fine-tune electrooptical properties, namely, P3HTT-TPD-DPP (1:1) (7.5% TPD and 7.5% DPP), P3HTT-TPD-DPP (2:1) (10% TPD and 5% DPP), and P3HTT-TPD-DPP (1:2) (5% TPD and 10% DPP). The two-acceptor copolymers have broad and uniformly strong absorption profiles from 350–850 nm with absorption coefficients up to 8 × 104 cm–1 at ∼700 nm for P3HTT-TPD-DPP (1:2). This is reflected in the photocurrent responses of polymer:fu...
The use of the erbium:YAG laser for the treatment of class III rhytids.

Background. The erbium:YAG (Er:YAG) laser can be used for precise tissue ablation with minimal thermally induced damage. Because of its ability to superficially ablate tissue, the Er:YAG laser can be used to improve fine rhytids with rapid epidermal reepithelialization. It has not been shown that the Er:YAG laser can successfully treat deeper rhytids where some thermal damage may lead to more optimal collagen remodeling. Objective. We chose to evaluate the efficacy of multiple superficial Er:TAG laser sessions in the treatment of deeper class III rhytids. Methods. Twenty subjects were selected for this study. All treated subjects had class III rhytids and were Fitzpatrick I–III skin phenotypes. All subjects were treated with four Er:YAG laser passes at 5 J/cm2. Three months after the initial treatment, a second treatment with similar parameters was repeated. Six months after the initial treatment, a third laser session with identical parameters was undertaken. Subjects were evaluated for laser efficacy and postlaser complications. Results. Although no subjects showed improvement after the first laser session, mild to excellent improvement was noted 6 months after the third Er:YAG laser treatment. Conclusion. The Er:YAG may be used successfully in the treatment of class III rhytids. Multiple sessions may be required.
Simple synthesis of carbon-11-labeled chromen-4-one derivatives as new potential PET agents for imaging of DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) in cancer

Abstract Carbon-11-labeled chromen-4-one derivatives were synthesized as new potential PET agents for imaging of DNA repair enzyme DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) in cancer. The target tracers, X-[ 11 C]methoxy-2-morpholino-4 H -chromen-4-ones ( X =8, 7, 6, 5; [ 11 C] 4a–d ), were prepared from their corresponding precursors, X-hydroxy-2-morpholino-4 H -chromen-4-ones ( X =8, 7, 6, 5; 5a–d ), with [ 11 C]CH 3 OTf through O -[ 11 C]methylation and isolated by a simplified solid-phase extraction (SPE) method using a C-18 Sep-Pak Plus cartridge. The radiochemical yields decay corrected to end of bombardment (EOB), from [ 11 C]CO 2 , were 40–60%. The specific activity at end of synthesis (EOS) was 185–370 GBq/μmol.
Noncanonical Wnt Signaling in Tumor Progression and Metastasis

Abstract For almost 15 years, the concept that noncanonical (β-catenin–independent) Wnt signaling pathways play key roles in embryonic development has grown steadily in the scientific literature. Significant progress has been made toward understanding how these pathways regulate morphogenetic processes as diverse as gastrulation cell movements and the formation of cilia. More recently, however, data have implicated components of noncanonical Wnt/Ca2+ and Wnt/planar cell polarity signaling in directly promoting the invasiveness and malignant progression of diverse forms of human cancer. Here I review this emerging field of cancer research using data from developmental model systems to provide a framework for addressing future questions.
SCALE: A hybrid MPI and multithreading based work stealing approach for massive contingency analysis in power systems

Abstract In this paper, we present SCALE, a hybrid message passing interface (MPI) and multithreading based work Stealing approach for massive Contingency AnaLysis in powEr systems. SCALE performs time domain simulation of power systems using efficient numerical algorithms and scales the approach for analyzing a large number of contingencies using MPI. For achieving dynamic load balancing, SCALE uses efficient implementation of the work stealing algorithm. SCALE uses a hybrid MPI and multithreading based implementation, where MPI is used for communication between different nodes (processors) and multithreading is used within each processor to facilitate implementation of non-blocking version of work-stealing algorithm. We have evaluated SCALE on a large, 13,029 bus system using thousands of contingencies. Also, we have compared the dynamic load balancing based scheduling approach of SCALE with a state-of-art scheduling approach, namely master–slave scheduling approach. The results show that SCALE is effective in analyzing a large number of contingencies and scales well to a large number of processors.
Three-Component Synthesis of 1,4-Diazepin-5-ones and the Construction of γ-Turn-like Peptidomimetic Libraries

The parallel synthesis of γ-turn-inspired peptidomimetic libraries has been demonstrated through two approaches toward the preparation of 1,4-diazepin-5-ones. In the first approach, 1,4-diazepin-5-ones scaffolds were prepared on gram scale and subsequently diversified to produce libraries. In a second approach, libraries of 1,4-diazepin-5-ones were produced directly through a three-component strategy that maximizes the diversity obtained in a single step.
Corrosion performance of polypyrrole coating applied to low carbon steel by an electrochemical process

The corrosion performance of polypyrrole and poly(N-methylpyrrole) coated steel was evaluated by DC polarization and Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Our results show that the presence of polypyrrole coatings significantly increases the corrosion potential and drastically reduces the corrosion current and corrosion rate of steel. The corrosion resistance of poly(N-methylpyrrole) coated steel was lower than that of polypyrrole coated steel.
VISUAL IMAGERY CORRELATED TO A MEASURE OF CREATIVITY.

Scores on questionnaires of visual imagery and of creativity showed a low but highly significant positive correlation for 307 undergraduates. No Ss with very high imagery scores had very low creativity scores. These findings tend to support the thesis that creative individuals accept the products of primary process thinking. However, several Ss with high creativity scores had very low imagery scores; this fits less readily into the same thesis. Men's imagery scores had a higher variance and a lower mean than women's. Further research is needed to find if the sex difference represents only differences in compliance with the implied desire of a woman E. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)
Land use dynamics within an urbanizing non-metropolitan county in New York State (USA)

Land use/land cover data for fifteen minor civil divisions (MCDs) in Ulster County, New York (USA) were interpreted from 1968 and 1985 aerial photographs. These data were combined with ancillary physiographic and demographic data as raster layers within a computerized geographic information system (GIS). Class to class changes in land use/land cover were quantified for a study area approximately 30 kilometers by 50 kilometers. The relationships between the land use/land cover variables and the ancillary variables were modeled in a series of weighted least squares regressions employing data spatially aggregated by general soil map unit (N = 44). Between 1968 and 1985, nearly one-third of the study area changed to another land use/land cover class. Land in the urban class increased from 6.7% to 17.8% of the study area, while the forest class declined from 65.0% to 55.2%, and the agriculture class declined from 12.7% to 8.9%. Gains and losses in the remaining five major (Level I) land use/land cover classes were relatively small. Land use changes primarily involved the conversion of land from the forest, agriculture, and vacant classes to the urban class, and from the agriculture class to the forest and vacant classes. Variables accounting for the variance in the land use/land cover class proportions of the soil units were population density, highway proximity, distance to urban centers, mean elevation, mean slope gradient, and soil suitability for farming and for urban development.
Empirical and Theoretical Constraints on the Evolution of Lactation

For 829 mammalian species, data on age at weaning or age at first solid food were analyzed with respect to body mass, phylogeny, habitat, diet, length of gestation, basal metabolism, and neonatal development. The primary influence on lactation length is female mass, but phylogenetic constraints are important. Thus, lactation can be characterized as short (earless seals and baleen whales), long (marsupials, bats, and primates), or average (remaining eutherians). Among average mammals, lagomorphs have short lactations. Lactation may have different functions, evolutionary constraints, and physiological control depending on whether young first eat solid food near weaning or well before it. First solid food eaten near weaning occurs in polytocous species with altricial young; in this case, lactation has a clear energetic role. In contrast, first solid food well before weaning is common for mammals with single, precocial offspring. For these species, the energetic and nutritional constraints on lactation may be less important than the benefits of maintaining contact between mother and young, such as reduced juvenile mortality and increased opportunities for learning social or foraging patterns. Thus, the age at first solid food relative to the age at weaning may indicate the function of lactation within the reproductive biology of a given mammal. Delayed development and implantation alter the timing of energetic investment during gestation, so too, the age at first solid food may alter or reflect the rate of energetic investment during lactation. Thus, the age at first solid food relative to the age at weaning may indicate the function of lactation within the reproductive biology of a given mammal. Testing these hypotheses will require data from diverse species on the nutritional and energetic value of milk before and after first solid food as well as on the mechanics and consequences of nursing or suckling during the course of lactation.
Development and qualitative assessment of the GAME/sup Cycle/ exercise system

Increased physical activity is important for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, among people with disabilities, inactivity is prevalent. In order to encourage exercise among members of this group, an exercise system combining arm ergometry with video gaming, called the GAME/sup Cycle/ was previously developed. User input was received through an arm crank ergometer on a swivel, with the angular velocity of the ergometer resistance wheel controlling one axis and rotation of ergometer about the swivel controlling the other. The purpose of this study was to detail the algorithms used in this device and present novel features included in a second generation of the GAME/sup Cycle/. The features include a wheel on base, a steering return mechanism, and wireless fire buttons. A focus group of clinicians (n=8), wheelchair users (n=8), and clinician wheelchair users (n=2) was conducted to evaluate the features of the GAME/sup Cycle/. The focus group suggested improvements to the steering mechanism and to reduce vibration in the system. However, the focus group enjoyed the GAME/sup Cycle/ and felt that it would encourage exercise among persons with disabilities.
Map-Mediated geocollaborative crisis management

Managing crises requires collecting geographical intelligence and making spatial decisions through collaborative efforts among multiple, distributed agencies and task groups. Crisis management also requires close coordination among individuals and groups of individuals who need to collaboratively derive information from geospatial data and use that information in coordinated ways. However, geospatial information systems do not currently support group work and can not meet the information needs of crisis managers. This paper describes a group interface for geographical information system, featuring multimodal human input, conversational dialogues, and same-time, different place communications among teams.
Fast two-stage vocabulary independent search in spontaneous speech

For efficient organization of speech recordings - meetings, interviews, voice mails, lectures - the ability to search for spoken keywords is an essential capability. In Seide et al. (2004) and Yu et al. (2004), we presented our work on vocabulary-independent search in spontaneous speech. That method involved linear scanning of phonetic lattices, and thus did not scale up to large collections. In this paper, we present a two-stage approach to fast search: first we retrieve segments from an index-like structure that are promising to contain the keyword, then we locate individual keyword occurrences by a detailed linear lattice scan. However, designing an efficient vocabulary-independent indexing structure is non-trivial. We use a "soft" index, similar to Allauzen et al., that provides expected term frequencies (ETF) of query terms. We propose to approximate ETF by M-gram phoneme language models estimated on the lattices (one per segment). Our index stores these language models in an inverted structure. Word spotting experiments on voicemails show that with this two-stage method, we lose under 4% FOM (figure of merit) relative at a 25-times speed-up compared with a full linear search.
Urban expansion monitoring and driving forces analysis: A case study of Jiangsu Province, China

Urban expansion and land use change was studied in Jiangsu Province with RS and GIS technique, and driving forces was analyzed. Cities studied in this paper include 13 prefecture cities and 51 county cities. Remote sensing images include Landsat MSS, TM and ETM with time series from 1979 to 2000.
Self-characterization of commercial ultrasound probes in transmission acoustic inverse scattering: transducer model and volume integral formulation

A self-contained source characterization method for commercial ultrasound probes in transmission acoustic inverse scattering is derived and experimentally tested. The method is based on modified scattered field volume integral equations that are linked to the source-scattering transducer model. The source-scattering parameters are estimated via pair-wise transducer measurements and the nonlinear inversion of an acoustic propagation model that is derived. This combination creates a formal link between the transducer characterization and the inverse scattering algorithm. The method is tested with two commercial ultrasound probes in a transmission geometry including provisions for estimating the probe locations and aligning a robotic rotator. The transducer characterization results show that the nonlinear inversion fit the measured data well. The transducer calibration and inverse scattering algorithm are tested on simple targets. Initial images show that the recovered contrasts are physically consistent with expected values.
Public affairs and political strategy: theoretical foundations

During the past two decades there have been hundreds of articles published within the broad topic of business political strategy, many of them rigorous and innovative. This paper presents a review and assessment of the theoretical bases of extant research, focusing on three broad research questions: Why do firms participate in the political process? What strategies and tactics do firms employ? What are the limitations on firms' capacity for rational action in the political arena? Research in political strategy has been informed by interest group theory, collective action theory, public choice theory, transaction costs theory, game theory, resource dependence theory, institutional theory, agency theory, the behavioural theory of the firm, business strategy, and population ecology. The paper concludes with a plea to scholars to conduct research in this area which is explicitly and consistently grounded in broad theories of social science. Copyright © 2001 Henry Stewart Publications
Species-specific activity of HIV-1 Vpu and positive selection of tetherin transmembrane domain variants

Tetherin/BST-2/CD317 is a recently identified antiviral protein that blocks the release of nascent retrovirus, and other virus, particles from infected cells. An HIV-1 accessory protein, Vpu, acts as an antagonist of tetherin. Here, we show that positive selection is evident in primate tetherin sequences and that HIV-1 Vpu appears to have specifically adapted to antagonize variants of tetherin found in humans and chimpanzees. Tetherin variants found in rhesus macaques (rh), African green monkeys (agm) and mice were able to inhibit HIV-1 particle release, but were resistant to antagonism by HIV-1 Vpu. Notably, reciprocal exchange of transmembrane domains between human and monkey tetherins conferred sensitivity and resistance to Vpu, identifying this protein domain as a critical determinant of Vpu function. Indeed, differences between hu-tetherin and rh-tetherin at several positions in the transmembrane domain affected sensitivity to antagonism by Vpu. Two alterations in the hu-tetherin transmembrane domain, that correspond to differences found in rh- and agm-tetherin proteins, were sufficient to render hu-tetherin completely resistant to HIV-1 Vpu. Interestingly, transmembrane and cytoplasmic domain sequences in primate tetherins exhibit variation at numerous codons that is likely the result of positive selection, and some of these changes coincide with determinants of HIV-1 Vpu sensitivity. Overall, these data indicate that tetherin could impose a barrier to viral zoonosis as a consequence of positive selection that has been driven by ancient viral antagonists, and that the HIV-1 Vpu protein has specialized to target the transmembrane domains found in human/chimpanzee tetherin proteins.
Photon equation of motion with application to the Lamb shift

Abstract A photon equation of motion is proposed which is the scalar product of four-vectors and therefore a Lorentz invariant. A photon equation of motion captures the quantum nature of light but yet does not have the standard field-operator form, thereby making practical calculations easier to perform. The equation of motion proposed here is applied to the Lamb shift. No divergences exist, and the result agrees with the observed Lamb shift for the 1S 1/2 state of hydrogen within experimental error.
Virtue, Satisfaction and Welfare Enhancement

In ‘Is Virtue Its Own Reward?’ Wayne Sumner argues that (1) as a matter of necessity, virtue is intrinsically prudentially rewarding, and (2) if all else is equal, the virtuous will fare better than the non-virtuous. In this article, I reproduce and criticize those arguments. I offer several objections to the argument for the first thesis; each objection makes the same basic point: contrary to what Sumner assumes, certain contingent facts over and above a person's being virtuous have to obtain if virtue is to issue in any prudential reward. I object to Sumner's second thesis by arguing that moral neutrality can be at least as welfare-enhancing as moral virtuosity. Finally, I argue that even if virtue were intrinsically rewarding in the way Sumner envisions, it would still be impossible to determine a priori whether adopting a virtuous lifestyle would be prudentially rational.
Detoxification of bacterial lipopolysaccharides (endotoxins) by a human neutrophil enzyme

Lipopolysaccharides in the cell walls of Gram-negative bacteria elicit toxic as well as potentially beneficial inflammatory responses in animals. It is now reported that tissue toxicity caused by lipopolysaccharides is preferentially reduced by an enzymatic activity in human neutrophils. Acyloxyacyl hydrolysis removes fatty acyl chains that are linked to the hydroxyl groups of 3-hydroxytetradecanoyl residues in the bioactive lipid A moiety of the lipopolysaccharides. Maximal acyloxyacyl hydrolysis reduced lipopolysaccharide tissue toxicity, as measured in the dermal Shwartzman reaction, by a factor of 100 or more. In contrast, the ability of the deacylated lipopolysaccharides to stimulate B lymphocytes to divide was decreased only by a factor of 12. It is suggested that during tissue invasion by Gram-negative bacteria acyloxyacyl hydrolysis may be a defense mechanism that reduces the toxicity of lipopolysaccharides while preserving some of their potentially beneficial inflammatory and immune stimuli.
Depth Distribution of Magnetofossils in Near-Surface Sediments From the Blake/Bahama Outer Ridge, Western North Atlantic Ocean, Determined by Low-Temperature Magnetism

[1] Fe-oxide and Fe-sulfide trace minerals in sediments and sedimentary rocks provide proxy records of biogeochemical processes, record past variations in the geomagnetic field, and can serve as proxies for climatic variations. An important class of these Fe-oxides is produced by bacteria. Magnetic particles produced by magnetotactic bacteria have been proposed as a primary recorder of the geomagnetic field in many terrestrial marine sediments, and have also been suggested to represent fossil evidence of life on the planet Mars. To better understand their distribution and preservation in the sediment column, and their relationship to other biochemical processes, we present rock-magnetic data that document the occurrence and abundance of fossil biogenic magnetite (magnetofossils) in marine sediments from the Blake/Bahama Outer Ridge. Magnetic hysteresis and low-temperature magnetism both indicate that the occurrence of magnetofossils is closely linked to the depth of the modern Fe-redox boundary within the sediment column, and that a fraction of the magnetic minerals in the sediment column above the Fe-redox boundary are in the form of intact and relatively unaltered chains of nanophase magnetite crystals. Below the Fe-redox boundary the abundance of these magnetofossils is markedly decreased. The important conclusions of this work are to demonstrate that nondestructive rock-magnetic methods can be used to successfully document the occurrence and relative abundance of magnetofossils in geologic materials.
A Reexamination of Auditor versus Model Accuracy within the Context of the Going-Concern Opinion Decision*

Abstract. The Cohen Commission and previous research have suggested that auditors' opinions are inferior indicators of bankruptcy relative to the predictions of statistical models. This research reexamines this question in light of two important considerations that make the comparison between audit opinions and model predictions considerably more reflective of the auditors' real-world decision environment. First, the sample is partitioned into stressed and nonstressed observations and the importance of doing so is demonstrated; second, the statistical models and the forecast errors are adjusted so that they reflect the proportion of bankrupt firms actually faced by auditors. The empirical results provide convincing evidence suggesting that the notion established in previous research that auditors' opinions are interior to models in predicting bankruptcy is unfounded. It should be noted, however, that neither the auditors' opinions nor the bankruptcy prediction model are very good predictors of bankruptcy when population proportions, differences in misclassification costs, and financial stress levels are considered. Resume. Les travaux de recherche de la Commission Cohen et d'autres travaux qui les ont precedes semblent indiquer que les opinions des verificateurs sont des indicateurs de faillite moins efficaces que les predictions des modeles statistiques. Les auteurs se penchent a leur tour sur cette question, a la lumiere de deux elements importants qui font en sorte que la comparaison entre les opinions des verificateurs et les modeles previsionnels s'inscrit beaucoup plus dans le contexte decisionnel veritable dans lequel travaillent les verificateurs. D'abord, l'echantillon est scinde en deux groupes d'observations selon la presence ou l'absence de contrainte financiere, partage dont les auteurs expliquent l'importance; ensuite, les modeles statistiques et les erreurs previsionnelles sont ajustes de maniere & refleter la proportion des societes dont la faillite a ete envisagee par le verificateur. Les resultats empiriques demontrent de facon probante que les conclusions tirees des travaux precedents selon lesquelles les opinions des verificateurs sont moins efficaces que les modeles en matiere de prevision des faillites ne sont pas fondees. Il convient de noter, cependant, que ni les opinions des verificateurs ni les modeles previsionnels ne sont des predicteurs tres efficaces des faillites si l'on tient compte des proportions de la population, des differences dans le cout des erreurs de classification et du niveau de contrainte financiere.
The nickel silicide inner core of the Earth

From observations of nature the suggestion is made that the inner core of the Earth consists not of nickel-iron metal but of nickel silicide.
On non-distinctive voicing in Russian

In his illuminating article for the Max Vasmer Festschrift, Jakobson (I956) gave a concise description of the implementation of the voicing feature in Russian obstruents. In addition to stating well-known facts about the pronunciation of contemporary standard Russian, Jakobson brought to the attention of students of Russian phonetics a fact which had been completely overlooked in previous investigations, namely the determinative role of the segment FOLLOWING the morphonemes {v } and {v, } in the distribution of voicing, rather than these sounds themselves. With respect to the feature of voicing, obstruent clusters containing medial {v } or {v, } were demonstrated to be entirely composed of voiced segments or unvoiced segments, depending on the value of the last obstruent in the cluster. Thus it was pointed out that voiceless obstruents were assimilatively voiced not only in npocb6a [-z,b-] 'request', cjaaia [zd-] 'submission', K weHe [gZ-] 'to one's wife', TpeXqHeBHbIii [-yd-] '3day', but also in OT BqOBbI [-dvd-] 'from the widow', c BqoBoi [zvd-] 'with the widow', K BqOBe [gvd-] 'to the widow', OT B3rJiAa0B [-dvzg-] 'from the glances, K B3XaoXaM [gvzd-] 'to the sighs'; not only in 3TOT ropox [-di g-] 'this city', Kyneu 6fiii [-31 b-] 'the merchant was (there)' 3xAecb we [-Z I z-] 'but here', JIe'fb 6bI [-31 b-] 'go lie down', XOTb qoMa [-d, I d-] 'at least at home', TaK 3i0 [-g z-] 'so maliciously', 3anax gwbima [-y I d-] 'smell of smoke', 6nH3 6epera