cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
American fertility and industrial restructuring: a possible link.

Despite the fact that economic and demographic factors conventionally are considered to be integrally related, researchers have overlooked recent changes in the structure of the American economy that may have affected fertility in the United States. This article seeks to raise questions and explores the possibility that recent processes of industrial restructuring have created new employment patterns and socioeconomic conditions which have influenced American fertility positively. Specifically, conditions of underemployment and unemployment, generated by the service and manufacturing sectors, may be conducive to increased fertility.
Molecular Scale Texture and Topological Defects in Lipid Membranes: A New Liquid Crystalline Phase

Lipid membranes are self-organizing structures that define intercellular and intracellular interfaces in biological systems. Grazing incidence x-ray diffraction (GIXD), provides a sensitive probe of the local, molecular structure and packing of lipid molecules within single membranes. For example, diffraction clearly establishes that dipalmitoyl-phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) membrane leaflets are always coupled across the bilayer, and that even when leaflets are deposited independently the membrane rapidly self-organizes so that opposing lipid tails scatter as one entity. Variation in the azimuthal tilt direction of the lipid tails was required to reproduce the diffraction data indicating an orientational texture of lipid molecules and smectic domains formation identical to larger scale textures observed in many 2-D liquid crystalline systems, but at a molecular scale.A similar phenomenon is also observed when proteins bind to membrane receptors. The interplay between lipids and proteins is complex: lipids can influence the structure and function of membrane proteins and at the same time proteins can impact lipid organization. In this example, lipid monolayers at the air-water interface containing the ganglioside GM1 were studied in the absence and presence of cholera toxin. At low surface pressures, protein binding perturbed the lipid order such that the molecules were no longer close packed, creating topological defects and lipid-protein domains with orientational texture. This new lipid phase may be a mechanism for toxin penetration and potentially has far broader implications in biological signaling.
Toxicity of the organophosphate pesticide diazinon to crayfish of differing age

Diazinon is a widely applied agricultural pesticide whose effect importantly on the environment and the possible contamination of surface waters has led to increased interest in toxicological studies. Crayfish, as an ecologically important benthic macroinvertebrate, seems to be an appropriate model organism for such assessments. Acute toxicity tests were carried out on three crayfish age groups: young-of-the-year (total length = 25.0 ± 4.9 mm), juvenile (total length = 56.5 ± 3.8 mm) and adult (total length = 83.5 ± 5.7 mm). Young-of-the-year crayfish were found to be the most sensi- tive to diazinon (96 h LC50= 0.15 mg L -1 ), followed by juvenile crayfish (96 h LC50 = 0.27 mg L -1 ), and adults (96 hL C50= 0.51 mg L -1 ). Crayfish were highly sensitive to diazinon. A delayed effect of Diazinon 60EC on adults was detected (144 h LC50 = 0.44 mg L -1 ) suggests functional damage from the use of sublethal concentrations.
Southern Strategy 2.0: Conservatives, White Voters, and the Election of Barack Obama

In the rush of excitement over Barack Obama’s nomination and ascension to the presidency of the United States, many media figures were loathe to analyze the impact of race on both the rhetoric of the election and the actual results. From across the political spectrum, pundits argued that race did not play a major role on Election Day, without offering any context to such comments. Likewise, conservatives in particular have used that idea to assert that racism is no longer a hindrance to advancement in American society. This article seeks to examine the role of race in the election, both in political attacks on Barack Obama and in an analysis of the voting patterns, with a particular emphasis on how conservatives have tried to shape the contours of these discussions. Their purpose, it is argued, is to launch Southern Strategy 2.0, which seeks to use Obama’s victory to attack some of the results of the civil rights movement that helped make his rise possible. At the same time, it still plays on some of the ...
Spontaneous supersymmetry breaking in supersymmetric string theories

Abstract A generalization of the dimensional reduction of supersymmetric string theories is introduced which leads to spontaneous breaking of supersymmetry. This supersymmetry breaking has non-trivial consequences for the quantization and dynamics of the theory. The lowest quantum correction to the cosmological constant is calculated and found to be unacceptably large.
Learning by maximizing the information transfer through nonlinear noisy neurons and "noise breakdown"

The transmission of information through a nonlinear noisy neuron has been computed with the following results. The mutual information between input and output signals is, in the large-noise limit, rigorously given by the mean-squared variance of the fluctuations of the output of the nonlinear neuron. The changes of synaptic strengths that tend to maximize the mutual information are qualitatively similar to those obtained by Hebbian learning of the nonlinear neuron. If noise is added homogeneously to all inputs, its strength becomes multiplied by the number of synapses leading, even in the presence of weak noise, to a ``noise breakdown,'' for which all synaptic strengths tend to the same value during learning.
The Influence of Family Background on Education, Earnings, and Wealth

Tthis paper examines the extent to which wealth explains the relationship between family background and adult economic status for white and black males. Wealth is treated both as a component of family background and as a measure of adult economic status. The findings reveal that parental wealth influences schooling independent of other, social components of family environment. For white males, parental wealth has a direct effect on earnings, even controllingfor its effect on schooling. Also, for white males, parental wealth exerts a direct and stronger effect on son's wealth after controlling for its effects on schooling and earnings. The issue of equality of opportunity has generated a good deal of research. Most of this work has attempted to answer two related questions: How strong is the influence of family background on adult economic status? How is inequality transmitted from one generation to another? The answers to these questions vary greatly and have stirred up considerable
Low concentrations of negatively charged sub-micron particles alter the microstructure of DPPC at the air–water interface

Abstract The function of dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) Langmuir monolayers was studied after exposure to various concentrations of 200 nm carboxyl-modified polystyrene particles by a combination of surface pressure and surfactant microstructure studies. The presence of particles in the subphase at the lowest concentrations tested (10 −5 to 10 −4 g/L) did not influence the π – A isotherms. However, at the highest concentration (10 −3 g/L), changes in the hysteresis areas of the isotherms were observed. The formation of LC domains during compression was significantly altered by the presence of the particles, resulting in the formation of smaller but more numerous domains. Fluorescence and atomic force microscopy images suggested that particles remained in the subphase but were closely associated with the condensed domains.
Cointegration of price measures: Evidence from the G-7

This study addresses index-dependency of empirical results associated with the purchasing power parity (PPP) relationship. Using four key price indices involving the G-7 nations, empirical tests for long-run co-movement are conducted. A test for linear restrictions is imposed. The speeds of adjustment are calculated for statistically significant linear combinations. The speed of the short-run response to disequilibrium differs both within and across countries. The seven-country average reveals that the CPI has the quickest recovery response to a one-time disturbance. The findings suggest that PPP results are not dependent upon the choice of index when an explicit set of indices is cointegrated.(JEL F3)
Comparative immunotoxicity of free doxorubicin and doxorubicin encapsulated in cardiolipin liposomes.

The immunologic and pharmacologic effects of free doxorubicin and of doxorubicin entrapped in liposomes were compared in mice at a dose of 20 mg/kg. Liposomes for encapsulation of doxorubicin were prepared by using 39.35 μmol drug, 19.65 μmol cardiolipin, 100 μmol phosphatidylcholine, 68.4 μmol cholesterol, and 38.9 μmol stearylamine. Pharmacologic disposition studies after a dose of 20 mg/kg demonstrated 7- to 10-fold higher drug concentrations in the spleen at all time points following administration of doxorubicin entrapped in cardiolipin lipsosomes than after the free drug. The levels in liver were 4- to 5-fold higher with liposomal drug, whereas the cardiac uptake with liposomal doxorubicin was significantly lower than with free drug. Mice were sacrificed on days 1, 8, 15, and 22 after drug administration and spleen cells were isolated for studies of sensitization to alloantigens for cell-mediated cytolysis and of proliferation in response to mitogens. Mice treated with free doxorubicin demonstrated a decrease of more than 50 fold (compared with saline control) in allospecific cytotoxic activity on day 15; normal levels were recovered by day 22. The animals treated with doxorubicin encapsulated in liposomes showed a similar but not more pronounced fall to low levels. The total lytic activity per spleen after free drug or drug encapsulated in liposomes was markedly reduced at day 8, but this activity was fully recovered by day 15 in animals receiving liposomal doxorubicin; in those receiving free drug it had not recovered fully even at day 22. The proliferative response to concanavalin A was affected by the two forms of doxorubicin in a pattern very similar to the cytotoxic response. The proliferative response to lipopolysaccharide was markedly depressed by doxorubicin delivered in either form, and the kinetics were not altered by the mode of administration. The concentration of doxorubicin in spleen was markedly increased with liposomal delivery, but did not result in greater toxicity than that of free durg according to the immunologic parameters evaluated.
Impact of silk biomaterial structure on proteolysis

The goal of this study was to determine the impact of silk biomaterial structure (e.g. solution, hydrogel, film) on proteolytic susceptibility. In vitro enzymatic degradation of silk fibroin hydrogels and films was studied using a variety of proteases, including proteinase K, protease XIV, α-chymotrypsin, collagenase, matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) and MMP-2. Hydrogels were used to assess bulk degradation while films were used to assess surface degradation. Weight loss, secondary structure determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and degradation products analyzed via sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis were used to evaluate degradation over 5 days. Silk films were significantly degraded by proteinase K, while silk hydrogels were degraded more extensively by protease XIV and proteinase K. Collagenase preferentially degraded the β-sheet content in hydrogels while protease XIV and α-chymotrypsin degraded the amorphous structures. MMP-1 and MMP-2 degraded silk fibroin in solution, resulting in a decrease in peptide fragment sizes over time. The link between primary sequence mapping with protease susceptibility provides insight into the role of secondary structure in impacting proteolytic access by comparing solution vs. solid state proteolytic susceptibility.
Evaluation of mobile source emission trends in the United States

[1] A fuel-based approach is used to estimate exhaust emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from mobile sources in the United States for the years 1996–2006. Source categories considered include on-road and off-road gasoline and diesel engines. Pollutant emissions for each mobile source category were estimated by combining fuel consumption with emission factors expressed per unit of fuel burned. Over the 10-year time period that is the focus of this study, sales of gasoline and diesel fuel intended for on-road use increased by 15 and 43%, respectively. Diesel fuel use by off-road equipment increased by ∼20% over the same time period. Growth in fuel consumption offset some of the reductions in pollutant emission factors that occurred during this period. For NOx, there have been dramatic (factor of 2) decreases in emission factors for on-road gasoline engines between 1996 and 2006. In contrast, diesel NOx emission factors decreased more gradually. Exhaust PM2.5 emission factors appear to have decreased for most engine categories, but emission uncertainties are large for this pollutant. Diesel engines appear to be the dominant mobile source of both NOx and PM2.5; the diesel share of total NOx has increased over time as gasoline engine emissions have declined. Comparing fuel-based emission estimates with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's national emission inventory led to the following conclusions: (1) total emissions of NOx and PM2.5 estimated by two different methods were similar, (2) source contributions to these totals differ significantly, with higher relative contributions coming from on-road diesel engines in this study.
Raman Scattering from Tunnelling and Hindered Rotational States of CN- Molecules in KCl

The low lying tunnelling and hindered rotational states of dilute (≈ 10−4) systems of substitutional CN− ions in KCl are studied by Raman techniques. The tunnelling splitting of the ground state could be directly observed as a resolved side-band structure of the CN− stretching vibration. The observed splitting is in quantitative agreement with the previously derived value for the tunnelling splitting, while the appearance of this splitting only in the T2g scattering geometry confirms definitely the 〈111〉 dipole model. Hindered rotational structure (in the 10 to 30 cm−1 range), which is partially resolved, is detected, both in the low energy and stretching-side-band spectrum in Eg and T2g symmetry. The observed Raman data can be fitted to the Raman positions and intensities calculated by Beyeler, using the V4 + V6 Devonshire model parameters derived from high resolution IR work. Nous avons etudie, par spectroscopie Raman, les etats tunnel et de rotation genee de CN-dilue (≈ 10−4) en position substitutionnelle dans KCl. Les transitions Raman entre les etats tunnel du multiplet fondamental peuvent ětre observees comme une bande de combinaison de la vibration du CN- a 2089 cm−1, en symetrie T2g seulement. Ceci confirme definitivement l'orientation 〈111〉 du dipole. La difference d'energie observee (≈ 2,4 cm−1) correspondant a ces transitions est conforme aux valeurs proposees anterieurement. De plus, une structure partiellement resolue, due aux transitions entre les differents etats rotationnels genes du CN−, est observee, en symetrie Eg et T2g, a la fois dans le spectre Raman basse energie et comme bandes de combinaison de la vibration du CN−. Les spectres Raman observes sont compares, en position et intensite, aux predictions d'un modele de type Devonshire en V4 + V6 calcule par Beyeler pour representer ses resultats IR haute resolution.
Measurements of plasma properties from a large bore, plasma armature railgun

Measurements from four firings of the large-bore railgun CHECMATE have been used to infer fundamental properties of the plasma which comprises the arc armature. A set of diagnostic measurements was devised in an attempt to quantify the armature length, current density, and conductivity. The quantities measured were muzzle voltage, breech voltage, armature induction field and inbore light emission. The authors describe diagnostic probes, the data accumulated in each of the firings, and an unfolding analysis utilized to derive armature properties from the data. The information is largely derived by the detection of the armature's induction field. >
The reassociation of ribosomal subunits from the muscle of normal and diabetic animals

Summary Ribosomal subunits from the muscle of diabetic animals were less effective than normal in forming 80S couples, either spontaneously (e.g. in the absence of factors) or in the reaction catalyzed by EIF-1 (G-25 fraction); those couples that did form were more sensitive to pressure induced dissociation during centrifugation. The diabetic defect was carried by the 60S subunit; the 40S particle appeared unaltered by diabetes.
Managing change: East Asian libraries in transition

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to discuss the challenges and opportunities that East Asian libraries in the USA are facing in managing change at the beginning of the twenty‐first century and argue that if the microcosm of East Asian collections can be understood, it will be easier to understand the direction in which America's largest research libraries are heading as they move into the twenty‐first century, what challenges they will face and what opportunities they may encounter.Design/methodology/approaches – Proceeding to examine the current state of East Asian collection in the USA and their transformation, this study offers insight on the larger trends in research libraries and strategies used to cope with change. A case study of the C.V. Starr East Asian Library of University of California, Berkeley illustrates concisely particular measures and solutions.Findings and implications – At present the greatest challenge facing research collections, including East Asian collections, is the move ...
Introduction of an ultrathin and flexible laser scanning endoscope for color imaging and integrated PDD and future PDT

The scanning fiber endoscope (SFE), an ultrathin laser scanning endoscope capable of producing 500-line color images at 30-Hz frame rate, has been developed at the University of Washington. The SFE probe is a 1-mm diameter by 9-mm long rigid scanner at the tip of a highly flexible and robust tether (minimum bend radius < 8- mm), comprised of helically wound optical fibers and electrical wires within a protective sheath. The unique physical characteristics of this system have allowed the camera to navigate narrow passages where other technologies have suffered from reduced image quality and fragility, such as imaging the peripheral airways and bile duct. The scanning engine of the SFE allows for laser-based imaging and potential applications of pixel-accurate therapy in remote regions of the body. In this study, the standard SFE operation has been tailored to create widefield fluorescence images for photodynamic detection. A kidney with renal cell carcinoma was excised from an Eker rat after post-mortem in situ perfusion with 0.4 mM hypericin. The 442-nm blue and 532-nm green laser illumination sources were used for both standard reflectance imaging and fluorescence excitation, while the red 635- nm illumination was disabled. Red detection signal gain was increased to amplify the red fluorescence signal from the photomultiplier tube and within the computer image display. Results show green and blue reflectance images overlaid with red fluorescence signal in tumor regions of the kidney. These imaging capabilities portend future adoption of laser-based SFE imaging for real-time PDD.
Perforated gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) in a true jejunal diverticulum in adulthood: report of a case.

A 61-year-old man was referred to us for investigation of acute abdominal pain. Computed tomography showed a 5.9 × 5.3 × 5.0 cm lump of food residue in the jejunum, and a large amount of free air and ascites around the liver and right paracolic gutter. He underwent emergency laparotomy for suspected peritonitis from perforation by a foreign body in the small intestine. We identified purulent exudate in the abdominal cavity and perforation of a jejunal cystic mass, attached ~40 cm from Treitz’s ligament at the anti-mesenteric side of the jejunum. Based on a diagnosis of jejunal duplication with perforation, we resected that part of the small intestine and performed intra-abdominal drainage. Pathological findings confirmed the diagnosis of a perforated gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) in a true jejunal diverticulum. Histopathological evidence suggests that intestinal pressure and/or hemorrhage can cause perforation in the background of a true jejunal diverticulum. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of a perforated GIST in a true jejunal diverticulum.
Phenylalanine 508 Forms Intra-domain Contact Crucial To CFTR Folding And Dynamics

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most prevalent genetically inherited lethal disease in the United States, with an especially high incidence rate among people of European descent and affects at least one in every 2500-4000 newborns. In 90% of CF patients, the disease is caused by the deletion of phenylalanine-508 (Phe508) from the first nucleotide-binding domain (NBD1) of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), a member of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter family. Prior experimental studies suggest that the Phe508 deletion cause the aberrant folding of NBD1 and the misassembly of various CFTR domains. To gain a fuller understanding of the role of Phe508 in channel function and of the impact of its deletion, we constructed a 3D structural model of CFTR using the high-resolution structure of another ABC transporter, Sav1866. The CFTR model predicts, and we validated experimentally, that Phe508 mediates an interaction between NBD1 and the fourth cytoplasmic loop in the second membrane-spanning domain (MSD2). This interface explains the observed sensitivity of CFTR assembly to many disease-associated mutations in CL4 as well as in NBD1. We also confirmed other intra-domain contacts between the cytoplasmic and membrane-spanning domains that were predicted by the CFTR model. Furthermore, our electrophysiological measurements and molecular dynamics simulations show that these interfaces regulate channel gating and are highly dynamic. Aside from advancing understanding of CFTR structure and function, this study identifies the region of CFTR that should be targeted in treating cystic fibrosis.
Laser diffraction determination of the crystalline structure of an electrorheological fluid.

The electric-field-induced structures of small glass spheres in silicone oil produce laser diffraction patterns which verify, for the first time, the body-centered-tetragonal lattice structure predicted by theory. By n mechanism totally unlike that of conventionnl x-ray scattering, the incident laser beam propagates through the lattice of close-packed spheres via stable optic modes along regular arrays of transparent spheres, and then produces diffraction patterns after exiting from the lattice
Correlates of Lifetime Physical Activity in Young Women

Abstract This study retrospectively examined physical activity patterns across three specific age periods (childhood, teenage, and young adulthood) in a cross sectional sample of young Caucasian undergraduate women (N=44). All women (mean age=22.27±3.14 years) completed questionnaire packets assessing transtheoretical model of behavior change constructs. Additionally, each woman completed a detailed historical physical activity oral interview with the investigator. Physical activity decreased significantly across all age groups. Physical activity during ages 13 to 18 and 19 years and older, counterconditioning (i.e., substituting physical activity for other behaviors), self-liberation (i.e., making a commitment to adopt an active lifestyle), self-reevaluation (i.e., recognizing the personal importance of physical activity in one's life), reinforcement management (i.e., rewards associated with physical activity), physical activity during ages 6 to 12 years, and dramatic relief (i.e., experiencing negative ...
A novel two-pattern full lateral resolution structured light illumination method

Structured Light Illumination is a widely used 3D shape measurement technique in non-contact surface scanning. Multi-pattern based Structured Light Illumination methods are the most accurate measuring techniques, but are sensitive to object motion during the pattern projection. To reduce this sensitivity, Composite Pattern was introduced as a single pattern Structured Light Illumination technique. Composite Pattern technique spatially modulates several Phase Measuring Profilometry patterns into a single pattern but demonstrated sensitivity to surface contrast and an object’s Spatial Modulation Transfer Function in the form of banding error. The Modified Composite Pattern was developed based on Composite Pattern, but used an imbedded binary gray code to minimize sensitivity to an object’s Spatial Modulation Transfer Function and banding at the expense of lateral resolution. We present a novel method utilizing an MCP pattern for non-ambiguous phase followed by a single sinusoidal pattern. The surface phase modulates the single sinusoidal pattern which is demodulated using a quadrature demodulation technique and then unwrapped by the MCP phase result. A single sinusoidal pattern reconstruction inherently has banding error. So the final step is to use an existing de-banding algorithm. The mathematical implementation is given in detail for the two pattern algorithm and experimental results are presented.
Angiotensin-dependent gene expression in the developing rat kidney.

Angiotensin-dependent gene expression in the developing rat kidney. We aimed to identify genes involved in the growth effects of angiotensin II (Ang II) during kidney development. In rats treated from birth with the Ang II type-1 receptor blocker losartan, expression of transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1), platelet-derived growth factor B (PDGF-B), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and epidermal growth factor (EGF), as measured by Northern blot, did not change significantly ( N = 4 to 6 per group each). Differential display methods, used to identify genes with Ang II-dependent expression, produced mostly false positives. We identified one novel rat partial cDNA, termed AD.5, that is related to a human orphan receptor. AD.5 was expressed in a developmentally regulated pattern and may be involved in kidney development and/or the trophic actions of Ang II.
Image Formation by Induced Local Interactions: Examples Employing Nuclear Magnetic Resonance

AN image of an object may be defined as a graphical representation of the spatial distribution of one or more of its properties. Image formation usually requires that the object interact with a matter or radiation field characterized by a wavelength comparable to or smaller than the smallest features to be distinguished, so that the region of interaction may be restricted and a resolved image generated.
Virtual prototyping of assembly components using process modeling

Abstract Assembly is a geometric problem, and assembly success depends on the quality of the mating parts. Practical considerations like deformation during manufacturing, wear and tear of machines and jigs, machine and tool chatter, and other constraints like cost and technical limitations contribute significantly to dimensional and form errors. Moreover, when the same component is subjected to more than one process during its fabrication, the final dimension and form of the part are influenced by each of the process variables. These factors are usually not accounted for during the design for assembly, as the data are not as yet available. This results in improper assembly and part rejection at a later stage. One approach of solving this problem is to develop a virtual prototype, which captures the real manufacturing variables by modeling the process impact on the assembled components. Virtual reality based manufacturing systems have been used in recent years for areas such as shape design and sensitivity analysis, virtual prototyping, and so on. The present work extends this concept by applying a finite element method based process modeling technique for assembly evaluation of a virtual prototype of a manufactured component. A Virtual Prototype Assembly Validation Environment (VPAVE) was developed to test this concept. A case study is presented to outline the use of process modeling for assembly evaluation of manufactured components. This approach can simulate unexpected difficulties that often arise during the actual assembly process due to the influence of production processes. The influence of a welding operation on a peg-inhole assembly process is evaluated in detail to demonstrate the application of VPAVE.
Induction of novel Grp75 isoforms by 2-deoxyglucose in human and murine fibroblasts

Grp75 is a stress-inducible mitochondrial chaperone which has a high homology to senescence-related protein, p66mot mortalin. In human cells the mortalin gene assigns to the locus of a putative tumor suppressor gene for myeloid malignancies. In order to study expression and localization of Grp75 and p66mot in human and murine fibroblast lines, polyclonal antibodies were raised to conserved portions of each sequence. HT1080 and C3H10T1/2 cells were treated with various Grp-inducing agents. A single 75 kDa band was detected by Western blot of cytoplasmic proteins which was not greatly altered after thermal stress or treatment with l-azetidine-2-carboxylic acid or nonactin. However, glucose deprivation by 2-deoxyglucose treatment induced five novel isoforms at 74–75 kDa mass. Mortalin at 66 kDa could not be detected under these treatment conditions.
Pathogenicity of stable L-phase variants of staphylococcus aureus. Reaction of rabbit synovium to intraarticular inoculation.

Stable L-phase variants of Staphylococcus aureus were injected into the knee joints of rabbits. The recovery of organisms at various intervals was attempted and the reaction of the synovium studied. Although what appeared to be L-phase variants could be seen within polymorphonu-clear leukocytes in the synovial fluid at 48 hours, they did not grow in culture. At 1 week, there was a mild synovitis characterized by both acute and chronic inflammatory changes which was diminished at 2 weeks and resolved by 5 weeks. Joints injected with L-phase variants and sterile media differed only in the degree of change. Following multiple injections a more diffuse chronic synovitis was present, and in 1 experimental animal rheumatoid-like changes were seen. L-phase variants could not be recovered from cultures of the synovial fluid or the synovial tissue.
Predicting flaw-induced resonance spectrum shift with theoretical perturbation analysis

Abstract Resonance inspection is an emerging non-destructive evaluation (NDE) technique used by the automotive casting industry which uses the resonance spectra differences between the good part population and the flawed parts to identify anomalous parts. It was previously established that finite-element (FE)-based modal analysis can be used to predict the resonance spectrum for an engineering scale part with relatively good accuracy. However, FE-based simulations can be time consuming in examining the spectrum shifts induced by all possible structural flaws. This paper aims at developing a computationally efficient perturbation technique to quantify the frequency shifts induced by small structural flaws, based on the FE simulated resonance spectrum for the perfect part. A generic automotive connecting rod is used as the example part for our study. The results demonstrate that the linear perturbation theory provides a very promising way in predicting frequency changes induced by small structural flaws. As the flaw size increases, the discrepancy between the perturbation analysis and the actual FE simulation results increases due to nonlinearity, yet the perturbation analysis is still able to predict the right trend in frequency shift.
Learning, detection and representation of multi-agent events in videos

In this paper, we model multi-agent events in terms of a temporally varying sequence of sub-events, and propose a novel approach for learning, detecting and representing events in videos. The proposed approach has three main steps. First, in order to learn the event structure from training videos, we automatically encode the sub-event dependency graph, which is the learnt event model that depicts the conditional dependency between sub-events. Second, we pose the problem of event detection in novel videos as clustering the maximally correlated sub-events using normalized cuts. The principal assumption made in this work is that the events are composed of a highly correlated chain of sub-events that have high weights (association) within the cluster and relatively low weights (disassociation) between the clusters. The event detection does not require prior knowledge of the number of agents involved in an event and does not make any assumptions about the length of an event. Third, we recognize the fact that any abstract event model should extend to representations related to human understanding of events. Therefore, we propose an extension of CASE representation of natural languages that allows a plausible means of interface between users and the computer. We show results of learning, detection, and representation of events for videos in the meeting, surveillance, and railroad monitoring domains.
The determination of myogenic and cartilage cells in the early chick embryo and the modifying effect of retinoic acid

The time of determination of cartilage and skeletal muscle was studied by making chimeric grafts or explants of small tissue pieces from several stages of early chick or quail embryos. Chondrogenesis was assessed by histology or with antibodies directed against type II collagen or cartilage proteoglycan, while myogenesis was detected immunohistochemically with antibodies directed against 3 different muscle markers, including muscle myosin. Grafts from Hensen's node, primitive streak and segmental plate of donor embryos of Stage 3-5 (Hamburger and Hamilton) were transplanted under the ectoderm in the extraembryonic area of Stage 12 host embryos. In addition, explants and mesodermal cells were cultured on glass in DMEM+F12 medium supplemented with 10% FCS. The results showed that determined myogenic cells could first be detected in Hensen's node and the primitive streak at Stage 3+-4 and that they developed from mesodermal cells located between the epiblast and hypoblast. Myogenic cells also appeared in grafted and explanted segmental plate with or without notochord from Stage 5 embryos. On the other hand, cartilage cells only formed in grafted and explanted segmental plate that also contained notochord. RA (1 ng/ml) could induce the formation of cartilage cells in the explanted primitive streak without Hensen's node or notochord taken from Stage 3-5 embryos and could also promote the differentiation of myogenic cells in primitive streak from Stage 3 embryo. Thus RA can substitute for Hensen's node or the notochord in the induction of cartilage cells and has some stimulatory effects on the differentiation of myogenic cells. Additional evidence indicates that the hypoblast might play an "inductive" role in the formation of the notochord which may subsequently promote the differentiation of cartilage cells.
Bootstrap Methods for Markov Processes

The block bootstrap is the best known bootstrap method for time-series data when the analyst does not have a parametric model that reduces the data generation process to simple random sampling. However, the errors made by the block bootstrap converge to zero only slightly faster than those made by first-order asymptotic approximations. This paper describes a bootstrap procedure for data that are generated by a Markov process or a process that can be approximated by a Markov process with sufficient accuracy. The procedure is based on estimating the Markov transition density nonparametrically. Bootstrap samples are obtained by sampling the process implied by the estimated transition density. Conditions are given under which the errors made by the Markov bootstrap converge to zero more rapidly than those made by the block bootstrap.
Ultrafast Raman scattering studies of electron transport in a thick InN film grown on GaN

Transient Raman spectroscopy has been used to study electron transport in a thick InN film grown on GaN at T = 300 K. Our experimental results demonstrate that under the subpicosecond laser excitation and probing, electron drift velocity in the Γ valley, which reaches as high as 7.5x10 7 cm/sec , can exceed its steady state value by as much as 40%. Electron velocities have been found to cut off at around 2x10 8 cm/s , significantly larger than those observed for other III-V semiconductors such as GaAs and InP. Our experimental results suggest that InN is potentially an excellent material for ultrafast electronic devices.
An efficient method for computing leading eigenvalues and eigenvectors of large asymmetric matrices

An efficient method for computing a given number of leading eigenvalues (i.e., having largest real parts) and the corresponding eigenvectors of a large asymmetric matrixM is presented. The method consists of three main steps. The first is a filtering process in which the equationx = Mx is solved for an arbitrary initial conditionx(0) yielding:x(t)=e Mt x(0). The second step is the construction of (n+1) linearly independent vectorsv m =M m x, 0⩽m⩽n orv m =e mMt x (τ being a “short” time interval). By construction, the vectorsv m are combinations of only a small number of leading eigenvectors ofM. The third step consists of an analysis of the vectors {v m } that yields the eigenvalues and eigenvectors. The proposed method has been successfully tested on several systems. Here we present results pertaining to the Orr-Sommerfeld equation. The method should be useful for many computations in which present methods are too slow or necessitate excessive memory. In particular, we believe it is well suited for hydrodynamic and mechanical stability investigations.
Quantum kinetics regime during and immediately after laser excitation of semiconductors

Abstract We investigated carrier dynamics in the semiconductor GaAs, during and just after creation by ≈ 30 fs laser pulses, much shorter than the phonon and plasma time scales. We observed a quasi-instantaneous spread of the carrier population in momentum-energy space, that is not even qualitatively consistent with Boltzmann kinetics. The observations are, however, in qualitative agreement with quantum kinetic theories of carrier-carrier and carrier-phonon scattering.
Epidemiology, public health and preventive medicine in veterinary medical education in Canada and the United States

Abstract A survey was conducted of teachers, faculty positions, curricula, and administrative structure of epidemiology, public health and preventive medicine in the professional curricula of 28 veterinary schools in Canada and the United States. All or nearly all schools allocated core curricular time to courses in epidemiology, public health, food, safety, and preventive medicine. Fewer schools allocated time to regulatory medicine (79%), economics (75%), biometry (61%) and environmental protection (54%). Of the 148 surveyed teachers of these disciplines, 92% had the DVM or equivalent degree, and 52% had both DVM and Ph.D. degree. In the period 1987–1989, 33 faculty positions related to epidemiology and preventive medicine were filled, and in mid-1989 there were 41 vacant or anticipated positions. Of the 41 vacant or anticipated positions, the DVM (or equivalent) degree was required in 85%, and the DVM and Ph.D. degrees were required in 61%. Analytic epidemiology (quantitative methodology) and livestock/herd health management were the most common areas of emphasis required in the vacant or anticipated positions.
Assignment of 1H, 13C, and 15N resonances of the RNA binding protein Snu13p from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Snu13p is a highly conserved RNA binding protein from Saccharomyces cerevisiae required for both eukaryotic pre-mRNA splicing and pre-rRNA processing. The 1H, 13C, and 15N assignments were determined from multidimensional, multinuclear NMR experiments conducted at 25°C.
An Extended Pattern Search Approach to Wind Farm Layout Optimization

An extended pattern search approach is presented for the optimization of the placement of wind turbines on a wind farm. Problem-specific extensions infuse stochastic characteristics into the deterministic pattern search, inhibiting convergence on local optima and yielding better results than pattern search alone. The optimal layout for a wind farm is considered here to be one that maximizes the power generation of the farm while minimizing the farm cost. To estimate the power output, an established wake model is used to account for the aerodynamic effects of turbine blades on downstream wind speed, as the oncoming wind speed for any turbine is proportional to the amount of power the turbine can produce. As turbines on a wind farm are in close proximity, the interaction of turbulent wakes developed by the turbines can have a significant effect on the power development capability of the farm. The farm cost is estimated using an accepted simplified model that is a function of the number of turbines. The algorithm develops a two-dimensional layout for a given number of turbines, performing local turbine movement while applying global evaluation. Three test cases are presented: (a) constant, unidirectional wind, (b) constant, multidirectional wind, and (c) varying, multidirectional wind. The purpose of this work is to explore the ability of an extended pattern search (EPS) algorithm to solve the wind farm layout problem, as EPS has been shown to be particularly effective in solving multimodal layout problems. It is also intended to show that the inclusion of extensions into the algorithm can better inform the search than algorithms that have been previously presented in the literature. Resulting layouts created by this extended pattern search algorithm develop more power than previously explored algorithms using the same evaluation models and objective functions. In addition, the algorithm’s resulting layouts motivate a heuristic that aids in the manual development of the best layout found to date. The results of this work validate the application of an extended pattern search algorithm to the wind farm layout problem, and that its performance is enhanced by the use of problem-specific extensions that aid in developing results that are superior to those developed by previous algorithms.
Power through Appointment

Abstract The ability to appoint members to a formally constituted group may confer power. That is, through appointment an actor may be able to affect decisions made by the group and to further the actor's own interests. This article analyzes the effects of a number of factors on such power, including population proportions favoring different goals, size of decision-making group, size of pool of potential appointees, and decision-making procedure in the group. Analysis suggests that power through appointment is important; under many conditions, it allows the appointer to control 10% or more of the variation in the outcome. Other conclusions include that a voting procedure gives the appointer more power than a turn-taking procedure for groups of more than two members when population proportions of goals are not extreme and that power concerning the appointer's own interests generally does not parallel power concerning group decisions when more than two goals are relevant.
Spatial variability of digital soil maps and its impact on regional ecosystem modeling

This paper discusses some of the practical difficulties encountered in using generalized regional soils maps such as the U.S. Soil Conservation Service State Soil Geographic Data Base (STATSGO) for landscape to regional level ecosystem modeling. For highlighting regional trends, the STATSGO-derived maps are adequate. However, caution is warranted when using the same maps for modeling at a landscape level due to the generalized nature of the STATSGO data coupled with the inherent spatial variability of soils. The variability of soil water holding capacity (SWHC), within a STATSGO class was quite large with a median coefficient of variation of between 40 and 60%. Comparison of SWHC values derived from finer scale county level soil surveys with STATSGO data showed large discrepancies. Simulated outputs from the forest ecosystem model, PnET, differed by approximately 20% depending on the source of SWHC input data. To improve the utility of regional soils databases for modeling purposes, estimates of the spatial variability of soil properties need to be better quantified and communicated to the prospective data user.
Living laboratories: the future computing environments group at the Georgia Institute of Technology

The Future Computing Environments (FCE) Group at Georgia Tech is a collection of faculty and students that share a desire to understand the partnership between humans and technology that arises as computation and sensing become ubiquitous. With expertise covering the breadth of Computer Science, but focusing on HCI, Computational Perception, and Machine Learning, the individual research agendas of the FCE faculty are grounded in a number of shared living laboratories where their research is applied to everyday life in the classroom (Classroom 2000), the home (Aware Home), the office (Augmented Offices), and on one's person (Wearable Computing).
N-Phenyl Ureides of Some Diaryl Amidines of Some Aliphatic Acids

N-phenyl ureides of N,N′ symmetrically disubstituted amidines of aliphatic acids have structures which are isosteric with those of certain sedatives and hypnotics. The amidines themselves are homologs of phenacaine, and their hydrochloride salts may be local anesthetics. Six amidines have been prepared, and a revision of a general method of synthesis, in which less than one molecular equivalent of phosphorus pentachloride is used, has been proposed. An attempt was made to prepare N-phenyl ureides of symmetrical disubstituted amidines in which the N and N′ substituents are different; the failure to obtain these compounds in a pure form is explained on the basis of the tautomerism of the amidine bases.
A protein complex required for signal-sequence-specific sorting and translocation

We have purified a nascent-polypeptide-associated complex (NAC) which prevents short ribosome-associated nascent polypeptides from inappropriate interactions with proteins in the cytosol. NAC binds nascent-polypeptide domains emerging from ribosomes unless a signal peptide is fully exposed. Depletion of cytosolic proteins (including NAC) from ribosomes carrying nascent polypeptides allows the signal recognition particle (SRP) to crosslink to polypeptides irrespective of whether or not they contain signal peptides. In the absence of cytosol, proteins lacking signal peptides can be mistranslocated into the endoplasmic reticulum in vitro, albeit with low efficiency. Readdition of NAC restores the specificity of SRP and fidelity of translocation.