bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Photodynamic Therapy in the Treatment of Actinic Keratosis†
Authors: Stritt Andrea , Merk Hans Friedrich , Braathen Lasse Roger , Von Felbert Verena
Published: March 2008

The efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT) with 5‐aminolevulinate and methyl aminolevulinate in the treatment of actinic keratosis has been demonstrated in a large number of clinical studies over the last several years. Here, we recapitulate the major findings, comparing the various photosensitizers, light sources and therapeutic regimens, and present a retrospective analysis of 142 own cases treated with 259 PDTs. In addition, we also discuss the value of PDT in comparison with cryotherapy or 5‐fluorouracil. The efficacy and the low risk of side effects of PDT have resulted in a high patient preference in clinical trials.
Relationship of Heart Failure Patients' Knowledge, Perceived Barriers, and Attitudes Regarding Low‐Sodium Diet Recommendations to Adherence
Authors: Lennie Terry A. , Worrall‐Carter Linda , Hammash Muna , Odom‐Forren Jan , Roser Lynn P. , Smith Carol S. , Trupp Robin , Chung Misook L. , Moser Debra K.
Published: March 2008

The purposes of this study were to describe heart failure patient perceptions regarding instructions received for following a low‐sodium diet and the benefits, barriers, and ease and frequency of following the diet. A total of 246 patients with heart failure referred from academic medical centers in the United States and Australia participated in the study. A subset of 145 patients provided 24‐hour urine samples for sodium excretion assessment. While most (80%) patients reported receiving recommendations to follow a low‐sodium diet, their recall of specific instructions was poor. Although the majority (75%) reported following a low‐sodium diet most or all of the time, 24‐hour urine sodium excretion indicated that only 25% of patients were adherent. Patients who reported being more adherent, however, had lower urine sodium excretion levels. Attitudes regarding difficulty in and perceived benefits of following the diet were not related to sodium excretion. Data on attitudes and barriers provided guidance for strategies to improve adherence.
Telemonitoring of Heart Failure Patients and Their Caregivers: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Schwarz Karen A. , Mion Lorraine C. , Hudock Debra , Litman George
Published: March 2008

Heart failure (HF) is the leading cause of rehospitalization in older adults. The purpose of this pilot study was to examine whether telemonitoring by an advanced practice nurse reduced subsequent hospital readmissions, emergency department visits, costs, and risk of hospital readmission for patients with HF. One hundred two patient/caregiver dyads were randomized into 2 groups postdischarge; 84 dyads completed the study. Hospital readmissions, emergency department visits, costs, and days to readmission were abstracted from medical records. Participants were interviewed soon after discharge and 3 months later about effects of telemonitoring on depressive symptoms, quality of life, and caregiver mastery. There were no significant differences due to telemonitoring for any outcomes. Caregiver mastery, informal social support, and electronic home monitoring were not significant predictors for risk of hospital readmission. Further studies should address the interaction between the advanced practice nurse and follow‐up intervention with telemonitoring of patients with HF to better target those who are most likely to benefit.
Sex Differences in Prodromal Symptoms of Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Pilot Study
Authors: Norris Colleen M. , Hegadoren Kathleen M. , Patterson Lauren , Pilote Louise
Published: March 2008

Increasing evidence suggests that there are sex/gender differences in the presentation and prodromal symptoms of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The purpose of this pilot study was to identify sex differences in the prodromal symptoms of ACS using the McSweeney Acute and Prodromal Myocardial Infarction Symptom Survey (MAPMISS). Telephone surveys using the MAPMISS were conducted between 4 and 6 months after the ACS event. Seventy‐six patients (24 women) participated in the study. The women generally reported higher prodromal scores. Moreover, scores demonstrated differences in prodromal symptoms based on menopausal status. The premenopausal and perimenopausal women reported a greater number and higher frequency of symptoms compared with the men and menopausal women. The results of this study suggest that both men and women report nontraditional prodromal symptoms of ACS. In addition, there appears to be a difference in the frequency and number of symptoms reported based on menopausal status.
Racist Discourse in New Zealand and Australia: Reviewing the Last 20 Years
Authors: Tuffin Keith
Published: March 2008

The discursive study of racism has developed considerably over the last 20 years, and the body of work that has emerged from Australia and New Zealand is reviewed. The historical significance and importance of studying racism is discussed. The increasingly subtle face of racism argues for methods that are sensitive to these changes. Critical, discursive approaches are introduced following which the colonial history of both countries is outlined. Race talk in New Zealand and Australia is reviewed with several key summary points being identified. The review concludes with the suggestion that this work has gone some way toward living up to the disciplinary responsibilities we have as social psychologists in seeking a better understanding of the production of racism.
Geology 102: More Thoughts on a Shift to a Dimensional Model of Personality Disorders
Authors: Trull Timothy J. , Widiger Thomas A.
Published: March 2008

The classification of personality disorders is at a critical stage. The categorical model presented in the official diagnostic manual of mental disorders has serious limitations, and it is time for a shift to a dimensional model of personality disorder. Although the evidence in favor of switching to a dimensional model of personality disorder is compelling, the fields of clinical psychology and psychiatry have been reluctant to make the shift. We think some of this reluctance is due to a misunderstanding of the current state of dimensional models of personality and personality disorders. We address three major myths about dimensional models and provide responses to each.
Jerk Analysis and Axode Geometry of Spatial Linkages
Authors: Sommer H. J.
Published: March 2008

Matrix methods for kinematic analysis of spatial linkages were extended to provide jerk of joint pair variables, individual points, and individual links. Simple expressions for axode geometry were also developed. The methods were tested on revolute-spherical-universal-revolute and revolute-cylindrical-cylindrical-cylindrical closed loop mechanisms.
Dynamical Limit of Compliant Lever Mechanisms
Authors: Bonaldi Michele , Saraceni Mario , Serra Enrico
Published: March 2008

The application of the mechanical energy conservation principle sets a dynamical limit to the performances of compliant lever mechanisms endowed with a positive definite strain energy. The limit applies to every linear compliant lever and is given as an upper bound on the product between the static effective gain of the device and its bandwidth. The relevant parameters of this relation are determined only by the structures surrounding the device and not by its design. This result is obtained on the basis of a linear two-port model, with coefficients determined by the static elastic constants of the device. The model and the dynamical limit are validated by multiobjective optimization analysis interfaced with a finite element model of a practical mechanism.
A Clustering-Based Surrogate Model Updating Approach to Simulation-Based Engineering Design
Authors: Shao Tiefu , Krishnamurty Sundar
Published: March 2008

This paper addresses the critical issue of effectiveness and efficiency in simulation-based optimization using surrogate models as predictive models in engineering design. Specifically, it presents a novel clustering-based multilocation search (CMLS) procedure to iteratively improve the fidelity and efficacy of Kriging models in the context of design decisions. The application of this approach will overcome the potential drawback in surrogate-model-based design optimization, namely, the use of surrogate models may result in suboptimal solutions due to the possible smoothing out of the global optimal point if the sampling scheme fails to capture the critical points of interest with enough fidelity or clarity. The paper details how the problem of smoothing out the best (SOB) can remain unsolved in multimodal systems, even if a sequential model updating strategy has been employed, and lead to erroneous outcomes. Alternatively, to overcome the problem of SOB defect, this paper presents the CMLS method that uses a novel clustering-based methodical procedure to screen out distinct potential optimal points for subsequent model validation and updating from a design decision perspective. It is embedded within a genetic algorithm setup to capture the buried, transient, yet inherent data pattern in the design evolution based on the principles of data mining, which are then used to improve the overall performance and effectiveness of surrogate-model-based design optimization. Four illustrative case studies, including a 21bar truss problem, are detailed to demonstrate the application of the CMLS methodology and the results are discussed.
A Compliant Bistable Mechanism Design Incorporating Elastica Buckling Beam Theory and Pseudo-Rigid-Body Model
Authors: Sönmez Ümit , Tutum Cem C.
Published: March 2008

In this work, a new compliant bistable mechanism design is introduced. The combined use of pseudo-rigid-body model (PRBM) and the Elastica buckling theory is presented for the first time to analyze the new design. This mechanism consists of the large deflecting straight beams, buckling beams, and a slider. The kinematic analysis of this new mechanism is studied, using nonlinear Elastica buckling beam theory, the PRBM of a large deflecting cantilever beam, the vector loop closure equations, and numerically solving nonlinear algebraic equations. A design method of the bistable mechanism in microdimensions is investigated by changing the relative stiffness of the flexible beams. The actuation force versus displacement characteristics of several cases is explored and the full simulation results of one of the cases are presented. This paper demonstrates the united application of the PRBM and the buckling Elastica solution for an original compliant mechanism kinematic analysis. New compliant mechanism designs are presented to highlight where such combined kinematic analysis is required.
Bond Graph Based Automated Modeling for Computer-Aided Design of Dynamic Systems
Authors: Wu Zhaohong , Campbell Matthew I. , Fernández Benito R.
Published: March 2008

This paper introduces research leading to a computer-aided design tool in which engineering designers can test various design concepts (topologies) in an environment equipped to automatically model the dynamics and conveniently optimize the specified components (given the evaluation criteria defined by human designers). A component repository is developed to store not only the component dynamics models, but also other information such as typical component design constraints and physical constitutive laws. In this paper, automated modeling of design configurations is introduced through a design representation called a conceptual dynamics graph (CD graph) and generic models of various components. CD graphs contain the information on how physical components as well as their generic models are topologically connected. A generic component model can accommodate various types of coupling between this component and its environment. This paper also discusses a systematic approach to automatically prepare a mechatronic design problem for the use of optimization to tune the parameters for optimum dynamics. Since genetic algorithms are used for this optimization, this preparation decodes and encodes proper design variables into design genotypes while taking into consideration the design constraints and physical constitutive laws.
Probabilistic Analysis of MEMS Asymmetric Gear Tooth
Authors: Karpat Fatih , Ekwaro-Osire Stephen , Khandaker Morshed P. H.
Published: March 2008

Currently, there is an increased interest in the application of microelectromechanical system (MEMS) gear drives. Additionally, requirements for transmitted power and related reliability issues have increased. Reliability issues often occur due to uncertainties of material, geometry, and loading conditions of the MEMS gears. Asymmetric gear teeth are used to improve the performance of gears by increasing the load capacity or by reducing vibrations. In this paper, asymmetric gear teeth are proposed for MEMS applications. The objective of this research is to investigate the feasibility of applying asymmetric gears for MEMS devices while accounting for uncertainty. The Weibull failure theory was applied to four different MEMS gear configurations. The following analyses were carried out in this research: (i) for the calculation of root stress, four different asymmetric gears were used; (ii) for the calculation of the probability of failure, the Weibull failure theory formulization was used, and (iii) the efficacy of the various asymmetric tooth configurations was discussed. Specifically, the probability of failure of the asymmetric gear was extracted for various parameters. The parameters considered included pressure angle, tooth height, and contact ratio. The efficacy of using asymmetric gear teeth was shown in this study.
Performance Analysis and Optimal Design of a 3-DOF 3-PRUR Parallel Mechanism
Authors: Zeng Daxing , Huang Zhen , Lu Wenjuan
Published: March 2008

In this paper, a 3-DOF 3-PRUR parallel mechanism (PM) is chosen for performance analysis and optimal design. First, the mobility of the PM is analyzed by using screw theory. Then, the kinematics of this PM is studied based on the geometrical characteristics and the Jacobian matrix is derived. Furthermore, we research some performance indices with respect to the Jacobian matrix over the whole workspace and nondimensional parameters when the input is given, and their performance atlases are obtained with different inputs. Finally, the optimal design of the PM is determined according to the performance atlases, and some examples are presented.
Preparing and Motivating Behavior Outside of Awareness
Authors: Aarts Henk , Custers Ruud , Marien Hans
Published: March 2008

The mere activation of the idea of a behavioral act moves the human body without the person consciously deciding to take action. In an experiment, we showed that people subliminally primed with the concept of exertion were faster to squeeze a hand grip forcefully but expended more effort when the subliminal primes were directly accompanied by consciously visible positive stimuli. These findings demonstrate the human capacity to rely on mental processes in preparing and motivating behavior outside of awareness.
Spending Money on Others Promotes Happiness
Authors: Dunn Elizabeth W. , Aknin Lara B. , Norton Michael I.
Published: March 2008

Although much research has examined the effect of income on happiness, we suggest that how people spend their money may be at least as important as how much money they earn. Specifically, we hypothesized that spending money on other people may have a more positive impact on happiness than spending money on oneself. Providing converging evidence for this hypothesis, we found that spending more of one's income on others predicted greater happiness both cross-sectionally (in a nationally representative survey study) and longitudinally (in a field study of windfall spending). Finally, participants who were randomly assigned to spend money on others experienced greater happiness than those assigned to spend money on themselves.
Observation of Giant Diffusivity Along Dislocation Cores
Authors: Legros Marc , Dehm Gerhard , Arzt Eduard , Balk T. John
Published: March 2008

Diffusion of atoms in a crystalline lattice is a thermally activated process that can be strongly accelerated by defects such as grain boundaries or dislocations. When carried by dislocations, this elemental mechanism is known as “pipe diffusion.” Pipe diffusion has been used to explain abnormal diffusion, Cottrell atmospheres, and dislocation-precipitate interactions during creep, although this rests more on conjecture than on direct demonstration. The motion of dislocations between silicon nanoprecipitates in an aluminum thin film was recently observed and controlled via in situ transmission electron microscopy. We observed the pipe diffusion phenomenon and measured the diffusivity along a single dislocation line. It is found that dislocations accelerate the diffusion of impurities by almost three orders of magnitude as compared with bulk diffusion.
Sulfur and Chlorine in Late Cretaceous Deccan Magmas and Eruptive Gas Release
Authors: Self Stephen , Blake Stephen , Sharma Kirti , Widdowson Mike , Sephton Sarah
Published: March 2008

Large-volume pāhoehoe lava flows erupted 67 to 65 million years ago, forming the Deccan Traps, India. The impact of these flood basalt eruptions on the global atmosphere and the coeval end-Cretaceous mass extinction has been uncertain. To assess the potential gas release from this volcanism, we measured sulfur and chlorine concentrations in rare glass inclusions inside crystals and on glassy selvages preserved within lavas. Concentrations range from ∼1400 parts per million of S and 900 parts per million of Cl in inclusions down to a few hundred parts per million in the lava. These data indicate that eruptions of Deccan lavas could have released at most 0.103 weight % of S, yielding up to 5.4 teragrams of SO
2
per cubic kilometer of lava. A more conservative estimate is 0.07 weight % of S and 0.04 weight % of Cl, yielding 3.5 teragrams of SO
2
and 1 teragram of HCl for every cubic kilometer of lava erupted. The flows were very large in volume, and these results imply that huge amounts of S and Cl gases were released. The environmental impact from even individual eruptions during past flood basalt activity was probably severe.
Rise and Demise of Ghostly Animals
Authors: Xiao Shuhai
Published: March 2008

The Rise of Animals
. Evolution and Diversification of the Kingdom Animalia. by
Mikhail A. Fedonkin, James G. Gehling, Kathleen Grey, Guy M. Narbonne, and Patricia Vickers-Rich
. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD, 2008. 343 pp. £75. ISBN 9780801886799.

.
The Rise and Fall of the Ediacaran Biota
.
Patricia Vickers-Rich and Patricia Komarower, Eds
. The Geological Society, Bath, UK, 2007. 464 pp. $190, £95. ISBN 9781862392335. Special Publication 286.

The strange organisms of the Ediacaranare the topic of two recent titles, a monograph that will most interest paleontologists and evolutionary biologists and an account that will reward the general public.
Play It Again, Robot
Authors: Bohannon John
Published: March 2008

One advantage robot musicians have over humans, the Gonzo Scientist learns in this installment, is that they don't need coffee breaks. But both types of performers share one problem: "If you ignore your audience, they ignore you."
Immune Response Induced by Three
Mycobacterium bovis
BCG Substrains with Diverse Regions of Deletion in a C57BL/6 Mouse Model
Authors: Irwin S. M. , Goodyear A. , Keyser A. , Christensen R. , Troudt J. M. , Taylor J. L. , Bohsali A. , Briken V. , Izzo A. A.
Published: March 2008

This study was performed to examine the adaptive immune response generated by three
Mycobacterium bovis
bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) substrains to determine if the number of genomic regions of deletion played a significant role in determining the magnitude of the immune response or affected their ability to reduce the bacterial burden following low-dose aerosol challenge with a virulent
M. tuberculosis
strain. BCG Connaught, Pasteur, and Sweden were chosen as representative substrains, as they possessed many, intermediate, and few regions of deletion, respectively, as a result of changes in the genome in various regions. Mice were vaccinated subcutaneously and were then examined at 14, 21, and 42 days postvaccination. BCG was observed in the spleen, lung, and lymph nodes. BCG Connaught induced a greater pulmonary T-cell response than the other two substrains at day 14 postvaccination, although by 42 days postvaccination activated T-cell levels dropped to the levels observed in control mice for all three substrains. Among the three substrains, BCG Connaught induced significantly greater levels of interleukin-12 in bone marrow-derived macrophage cultures. Mice challenged at days 14, 21, and 42 postvaccination displayed an equal capacity to reduce the bacterial burden in the lungs and spleen. The data provide evidence that although the BCG substrains generated qualitatively and quantitatively different immune responses, they induced similar reductions in the bacterial burden against challenge with a virulent
M. tuberculosis
strain in the mouse model of tuberculosis. The data raise questions about the assessment of vaccine immune responses and the relationship to a vaccine's ability to reduce the bacterial burden.
Major Outer Membrane Proteins from Many
Campylobacter
Species Cross-React with Cholera Toxin
Authors: Albert M. John , Haridas Shilpa , Adler Ben
Published: March 2008

We have previously shown that
Campylobacter jejuni
strains do not produce a functional cholera toxin-like toxin (CTLT) detectable in a Chinese hamster ovary cell assay. Instead, the 53-kDa major outer membrane protein (OMP) of
C. jejuni
, PorA, reacts with cholera toxin (CT) antibody on immunoblots. Here, we have extended this observation to other species of
Campylobacter
, including
C. coli, C. lari, C. fetus, C. hyointestinalis
, and
C. upsaliensis
, the common 53-kDa OMP of which reacted with CT antibody in immunoblotting assays. There were additional reactive bands for
C. fetus
. As with
C. jejuni
, this finding may lead to the erroneous conclusion that these additional species produce a functional CTLT. However, this common cross-reactive OMP can be explored as a vaccine candidate to prevent campylobacteriosis.
Comparison of the Copan ESwab System with Two Amies Agar Swab Transport Systems for Maintenance of Microorganism Viability
Authors: Van Horn Kenneth G. , Audette Carol D. , Sebeck Denise , Tucker Kelly A.
Published: March 2008

Swab transport systems are used for a variety of specimen types and must maintain organism viability throughout the transport process. The Copan ESwab is a new nylon-flocked swab designed to optimize specimen collection and to minimize entrapment of the specimen. We used the quantitative elution method with recommended strains, as described in CLSI document M40-A, to evaluate the ESwab for maintenance of viability of aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms for 0, 6, 24, and 48 h during room temperature and refrigerated temperature storage. The Becton Dickinson CultureSwab MaxV swab and the Remel BactiSwab were used as comparators. The ESwab met CLSI acceptance criteria for all aerobic isolates stored at both temperatures and for all anaerobic isolates stored at refrigerated temperature. The ESwab also met CLSI criteria for four of five anaerobic strains at room temperature.
Prevotella melaninogenica
was not recovered after 24 or 48 h of room temperature storage with any of the three swab transport systems tested. Overall, the ESwab was equivalent to the Becton Dickinson CultureSwab MaxV swab in organism recovery but recovered more isolates than Remel BactiSwab.
Comparative Neuropathogenesis and Neurovirulence of Attenuated Flaviviruses in Nonhuman Primates
Authors: Maximova Olga A. , Ward Jerrold M. , Asher David M. , St. Claire Marisa , Finneyfrock Brad W. , Speicher James M. , Murphy Brian R. , Pletnev Alexander G.
Published: March 2008

Based on previous preclinical evaluation in mice and monkeys, the chimeric TBEV/DEN4Δ30 virus, carrying the prM and E protein genes from a highly virulent Far Eastern strain of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) on the backbone of a nonneuroinvasive dengue type 4 virus (DEN4), has been identified as a promising live attenuated virus vaccine candidate against disease caused by TBEV. However, prior to use of this vaccine candidate in humans, its neurovirulence in nonhuman primates needed to be evaluated. In the present study, we compared the neuropathogeneses of the chimeric TBEV/DEN4Δ30 virus; Langat virus (LGTV), a former live TBEV vaccine; and yellow fever 17D virus vaccine (YF 17D) in rhesus monkeys inoculated intracerebrally. TBEV/DEN4Δ30 and YF 17D demonstrated remarkably similar spatiotemporal profiles of virus replication and virus-associated histopathology in the central nervous system (CNS) that were high in cerebral hemispheres but progressively decreased toward the spinal cord. In contrast, the neurovirulence of LGTV exhibited the reverse profile, progressing from the site of inoculation toward the cerebellum and spinal cord. Analysis of the spatiotemporal distribution of viral antigens in the CNS of monkeys revealed a prominent neurotropism associated with all three attenuated viruses. Nevertheless, TBEV/DEN4Δ30 virus exhibited higher neurovirulence in monkeys than either LGTV or YF 17D, suggesting insufficient attenuation. These results provide insight into the neuropathogenesis associated with attenuated flaviviruses that may guide the design of safe vaccines.
New Complex Recombinant Genotype of Hepatitis B Virus Identified in Vietnam
Authors: Huy Tran Thien Tuan , Ngoc Trinh Thi , Abe Kenji
Published: March 2008

A novel variant of hepatitis B virus was identified in Vietnam. This strain (HBV-VH24) had a novel intergenotypic recombination between genotypes A, C, and G. VH24 showed high similarity (98.3 to 98.9%) to the “aberrant strains” among Vietnamese isolates reported by Hannoun et al. (C. Hannoun et al., J. Gen. Virol. 81:2267-2272, 2000) and also had similar breakpoints of recombination. Phylogenetic analysis of the complete genome of these strains formed a separate clade. Furthermore, their pre-S/S gene-encoded seven unique conserved amino acid residues were not present in other genotypes. These findings support the designation of the new genotype I.
Identification of a Novel Coronavirus from a Beluga Whale by Using a Panviral Microarray
Authors: Mihindukulasuriya Kathie A. , Wu Guang , St. Leger Judy , Nordhausen Robert W. , Wang David
Published: March 2008

The emergence of viruses such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus and Nipah virus has underscored the role of animal reservoirs in human disease and the need for reservoir surveillance. Here, we used a panviral DNA microarray to investigate the death of a captive beluga whale in an aquatic park. A highly divergent coronavirus, tentatively named coronavirus SW1, was identified in liver tissue from the deceased whale. Subsequently, the entire genome of SW1 was sequenced, yielding a genome of 31,686 nucleotides. Phylogenetic analysis revealed SW1 to be a novel virus distantly related to but most similar to group III coronaviruses.
Diversity in coffee assessed with SSR markers: structure of the genus Coffea and perspectives for breeding
Authors: Cubry Philippe , Musoli Pascal , Legnaté Hyacinte , Pot David , de Bellis Fabien , Poncet Valérie , Anthony François , Dufour Magali , Leroy Thierry
Published: March 2008

The present study shows transferability of microsatellite markers developed in the two cultivated coffee species ( Coffea arabica L. and C. canephora Pierre ex Froehn.) to 15 species representing the previously identified main groups of the genus Coffea. Evaluation of the genetic diversity and available resources within Coffea and development of molecular markers transferable across species are important steps for breeding of the two cultivated species. We worked on 15 species with 60 microsatellite markers developed using different strategies (SSR-enriched libraries, BAC libraries, gene sequences). We focused our analysis on 4 species used for commercial or breeding purposes. Our results establish the high transferability of microsatellite markers within Coffea. We show the large amount of diversity available within wild species for breeding applications. Finally we discuss the consequences for future comparative mapping studies and breeding of the two cultivated species.
Identification and characterization of zebrafish ocular formation genes
Authors: Wang Han , Kesinger Jason W. , Zhou Qingchun , Wren Jonathan D. , Martin George , Turner Sean , Tang Yuhong , Frank Mark Barton , Centola Michael
Published: March 2008

To study genes that are specifically expressed in the eyes, we employed microarray and in situ hybridization analyses to identify and characterize differentially expressed ocular genes in eyeless masterblind (mbl−/−) zebrafish (Danio rerio). Among 70 differentially expressed genes in the mbl–/–mutant identified by microarray analysis, 8 down-regulated genes were characterized, including 4 eye-specific genes, opsin 1 short-wave-sensitive 1 (opn1sw1), crystallinßa1b (cryba1b), crystallinßa2b (cryba2b), and crystallinγ M2d3 (crygm2d3); 2 eye and brain genes, ATPase, H+transporting, lysosomal, V0subunit c (atp6v0c) and basic leucine zipper and W2 domains 1a (bzw1a); and 2 constitutive genes, heat shock protein 8 (hspa8) and ribosomal protein L7a (rpl7a). In situ hybridization experiments confirmed down-regulation of these 8 ocular formation genes in mbl–/–zebrafish and showed their ocular and dynamic temporal expression patterns during zebrafish early development. Further, an automated literature analysis of the 70 differentially expressed genes identified a sub-network of genes with known associations, either with each other or with ocular structures or development, and shows how this study contributes to the current body of knowledge.
An efficient field screening procedure for identifying transposants for constructing an Ac/Ds-based insertional-mutant library of rice
Authors: Luan Wei-Jiang , He Cheng-Kun , Hu Guo-Cheng , Dey Moul , Fu Ya-Ping , Si Hua-Min , Zhu Li , Liu Wen-Zhen , Duan Faping , Zhang Hong , Liu Wen-Ying , Zhuo Ren-Ying , Garg Ajay , Wu Ray , Sun Zong-Xiu
Published: March 2008

An efficient system was developed, and several variables tested, for generating a large-scale insertional-mutagenesis population of rice. The most important feature in this improved Ac/Ds tagging system is that one can conveniently carry out large-scale screening in the field and select transposants at the seedling stage. Rice was transformed with a plasmid that includes a Basta-resistance gene (bar). After the Ds element is excised during transposition, bar becomes adjacent to the ubiquitin promoter, and the rice plant becomes resistant to the herbicide Basta. In principle, one can plant up to one million plants in the field and select those plants that survive after spraying with Basta. To test the utility of this system, 4 Ds starter lines were crossed with 14 different Ac plants, and many transposants were successfully identified after planting 134 285 F2 plants in the field. Over 2 800 of these transposants were randomly chosen for PCR analysis, and the results fully confirmed the reliability of the field screening procedure.
Purification of circular YACs from yeast cells for DNA sequencing
Authors: Leem S.-H. , Yoon Y.-H. , Kim S. I. , Larionov V.
Published: March 2008

We describe a method for the purification of circular yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) DNA 120–150 kilobases (kb) in size that is of sufficient quantity and quality for restriction enzyme analysis and DNA sequencing. This method preferentially enriches for circular YAC DNA and avoids the time-consuming step of centrifugation in CsCl – ethidium bromide (EtBr) gradients. We applied this method to the purification of circular YACs carrying DNA segments that are extremely unstable in E. coli, including those that correspond to GAP2 and GAP3 on human chromosome 19. We showed that YAC DNA (GAP2 and GAP3) purified using this new method is clearly resolved in EtBr-stained gels. The sequence of YAC-GAP3 was obtained, representing the first GAP clone sequenced in YAC form. At present, it is estimated that there are more than 1000 gaps in the human genome that cannot be cloned using bacterial vectors. Thus, our new method may be very useful for completing the last stage of the human genome project.
Plant simple sequence repeats: distribution, variation, and effects on gene expression
Authors: Sharopova Natalya
Published: March 2008

Genome-wide simple sequence repeat (SSR) information was analyzed together with functional annotations of Arabidopsis genes and public gene expression data for Arabidopsis and rice. Analysis of more than 15 000 Arabidopsis and more than 16 000 rice SSRs indicated that SSRs may affect the expression of hundreds of genes. Data from experiments on DNA methylation, histone acetylation, and transcript turnover suggest that SSRs may affect gene expression at transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels. Members of some functional groups were shown to be enriched with SSRs and often contained similar but non-homologous repeats within the same gene regions. In addition, the distribution of perfect and imperfect SSRs in some Arabidopsis, maize, and rice genes was used to demonstrate how two-level control of SSR variation may contribute to protein evolution.
Molecular diversity of the 5S rRNA gene and genomic relationships in the genus Avena (Poaceae: Aveneae)
Authors: Peng Yuan-Ying , Wei Yu-Ming , Baum Bernard R. , Zheng You-Liang
Published: March 2008

The molecular diversity of the rDNA sequences (5S rDNA units) in 71 accessions from 26 taxa of Avena was evaluated. The analyses, based on 553 sequenced clones, indicated that there were 6 unit classes, named according to the haplomes (genomes) they putatively represent, namely the long A1, long B1, long M1, short C1, short D1, and short M1 unit classes. The long and short M1 unit classes were found in the tetraploid A. macrostachya , the only perennial species. The long M1 unit class was closely related to the short C1 unit class, while the short M1 unit class was closely related to the long A1 and long B1 unit classes. However, the short D1 unit class was more divergent from the other unit classes. There was only one unit class per haplome in Avena, whereas haplomes in the Triticeae often have two. Most of the sequences captured belonged to the long A1 unit class. Sequences identified as the long B1 unit class were found in the tetraploids A. abyssinica and A. vaviloviana and the diploids A. atlantica and A. longiglumis . The short C1 unit class was found in the diploid species carrying the C genome, i.e., A. clauda, A. eriantha , and A. ventricosa , and also in the diploid A. longiglumis, the tetraploids A. insularis and A. maroccana , and all the hexaploid species. The short D1 unit class was found in all the hexaploid species and two clones of A. clauda. It is noteworthy that in previous studies the B genome was found only in tetraploid species and the D genome only in hexaploid species. Unexpectedly, we found that various diploid Avena species contained the B1 and D1 units. The long B1 unit class was found in 3 accessions of the diploid A. atlantica (CN25849, CN25864, and CN25887) collected in Morocco and in 2 accessions of A. longiglumis (CIav9087 and CIav9089) collected in Algeria and Libya, respectively, whereas only 1 clone of A. clauda (CN21378) had the short D1 unit. Thus there might be a clue as to where to search for diploids carrying the B and D genomes. Avena longiglumis was found to be the most diverse species, possibly harboring the A, B, and C haplomes. The long M1 and short M1 are the unit classes typical of A. macrostachya. These results could explain the roles of A. clauda, A. longiglumis, and A. atlantica in the evolution of the genus Avena. Furthermore, one clone of the tetraploid A. murphyi was found to have sequences belonging to the short D1 unit class, which could indicate that A. murphyi might have been the progenitor of hexaploid oats and not, as postulated earlier, A. insularis. The evolution of Avena did not follow the molecular clock. The path inferred is that the C genome is more ancient than the A and B genomes and closer to the genome of A. macrostachya, the only existing perennial, which is presumed to be the most ancestral species in the genus.
DEFORMATION QUANTIZATION FOR COUPLED HARMONIC OSCILLATORS ON A GENERAL NONCOMMUTATIVE SPACE
Authors: LIN BINGSHENG , JING SICONG , HENG TAIHUA
Published: March 2008

Deformation quantization is a powerful tool to quantize some classical systems especially in noncommutative space. In this work we first show that for a class of special Hamiltonian one can easily find relevant time evolution functions and Wigner functions, which are intrinsic important quantities in the deformation quantization theory. Then based on this observation we investigate a two-coupled harmonic oscillators system on the general noncommutative phase space by requiring both spatial and momentum coordinates do not commute each other. We derive all the Wigner functions and the corresponding energy spectra for this system, and consider several interesting special cases, which lead to some significant results.
EFFECTIVE 3-BRANE BRANS–DICKE COSMOLOGY
Authors: EL-NABULSI AHMAD RAMI
Published: March 2008

A Brans–Dicke brane cosmology with two scalar fields inspired from string theories and phenomenological effective cosmological constant is investigated and some features are described in some details, in particular the low and high energies limit.
SEARCHES FOR LONG-LIVED PARTICLES AT THE TEVATRON COLLIDER
Authors: ADAMS TODD
Published: March 2008

Several searches for long-lived particles have been performed using data from [Formula: see text] collisions from Run II at the Tevatron. In most cases, new analysis techniques have been developed to carry out each search and/or estimate the backgrounds. These searches expand the discovery potential of the CDF and D0 experiments to new physics that may have been missed by traditional search techniques. This review discusses searches for (1) neutral, long-lived particles decaying to muons, (2) massive, neutral, long-lived particles decaying to a photon and missing energy, (3) stopped gluinos, and (4) charged massive stable particles. It summarizes some of the theoretical and experimental motivations for such searches.
PSEUDOCLASSICAL DESCRIPTION OF SCALAR PARTICLE IN NON-ABELIAN BACKGROUND AND PATH-INTEGRAL REPRESENTATIONS
Authors: FRESNEDA R. , GITMAN D.
Published: March 2008

Path-integral representations for a scalar particle propagator in non-Abelian external backgrounds are derived. To this aim, we generalize the procedure proposed by Gitman and Schvartsman of path-integral construction to any representation of SU (N) given in terms of antisymmetric generators. And for arbitrary representations of SU (N), we present an alternative construction by means of fermionic coherent states. From the path-integral representations we derive pseudoclassical actions for a scalar particle placed in non-Abelian backgrounds. These actions are classically analyzed and then quantized to prove their consistency.
STRING TENSION AND REMOVAL OF LATTICE COARSENING EFFECTS IN MONTE CARLO RENORMALIZATION GROUP
Authors: TOMBOULIS E. T. , VELYTSKY A.
Published: March 2008

We study the computation of the static quark potential under decimations in the Monte Carlo Renormalization Group (MCRG). Employing a multirepresentation plaquette action, we find that fine-tuning the decimation prescription so that the MCRG equilibrium self-consistency condition is satisfied produces dramatic improvement at large distances. In particular, lattice coarsening (change of effective lattice spacing on action-generated lattices after decimation) is nearly eliminated. Failure to correctly tune the decimation, on the other hand, produces large coarsening effects, of order 50% or more, consistent with those seen in previous studies. We also study rotational invariance restoration at short distances, where no particular improvement is seen for this action.
SEARCH FOR EFFECT OF INFLUENCE FROM FUTURE IN LARGE HADRON COLLIDER
Authors: NIELSEN HOLGER B. , NINOMIYA MASAO
Published: March 2008

We propose an experiment which consists of drawing a card and using it to decide restrictions on the running of Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN, such as luminosity and beam energy. There may potentially occur total shut down. The purpose of such an experiment is to search for influence from the future, that is, backward causation. Since LHC will produce particles of a mathematically new type of fundamental scalars, i.e. the Higgs particles, there is potentially a chance to find unseen effects, such as on influence going from future to past, which we suggest in the present paper.
STUDIES OF MAGNETIC PROPERTIES AND GHz PERMEABILITY OF PURE AMORPHOUS COBALT THIN FILMS
Authors: JIAO DONGMAO , LI JIANGONG , ZHANG XUDONG , WANG SHU
Published: March 2008

Soft Co films deposited by a method which we called the "weak magnetron radio frequency (RF) sputtering" have amorphous structures. The amorphous structure varies with the increasing of P Ar . Static magnetic measurements show that all the films possess high saturation magnetization and a well-defined in-plane uniaxial anisotropy with the easy axis parallel with the applied field. The highest coercivity in the easy axis H ce and in the hard axis H ch is only 20 Oe and 9 Oe, respectively. The sputter pressure P Ar affects essentially the uniaxial anisotropy energy Ku. The GHz permeability of the as-deposited films was measured in the 0.1–5 GHz using the shorted microstrip transmission-line perturbation method. The full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) for the peak in the imaginary part of the permeability at resonance is about 1.3 GHz which is far broader than other FWHM reported.
PAIRWISE ENTANGLEMENT WITH SPIN IMPURITY
Authors: DONG XIAOYAN , ZHU SHIQUN , HAO XIANG
Published: March 2008

The zero-temperature pairwise entanglement is investigated in the antiferromagnetic Heisenberg chain with one impure spin s. The impurity location is varied from the open end to a mediate site of the spin chain. It is found that the pairwise entanglement is proportional to 1/s. This means that the entanglement will disappear in the classical systems as s → ∞. Compared to the isotropic Heisenberg chain without impurity, the efficient control of the spin coupling between the impurity spin and nearest-neighbor spins can enhance the pairwise entanglement.
SCALING BEHAVIOR OF DIFFUSION LIMITED AGGREGATION IN PERCOLATION CLUSTER
Authors: TANG QIANG
Published: March 2008

This paper presents a computer model of diffusion limited aggregation (DLA) in percolation cluster. Simulation of the aggregation clusters in percolation cluster with varying occupancy probability is performed, and their fractal dimension and multifractal spectrum are obtained. The simulation results show that the percolation cluster has stronger effects on the aggregation clusters' pattern structure when occupancy probability is smaller. The dimension Df of aggregation clusters increases together with the increase of occupancy probability. Furthermore, the multifractal spectra f(α) curve becomes higher and the range of singularity α wilder. The bigger the occupancy probability is, the more irregular and non-uniform the aggregation clusters becomes.
A NOVEL FEATURE GROUPING METHOD FOR ENSEMBLE NEURAL NETWORK USING LOCALIZED GENERALIZATION ERROR MODEL
Authors: CHAN AKI P. F. , CHAN PATRICK P. K. , NG WING W. Y. , TSANG ERIC C. C. , YEUNG DANIEL S.
Published: March 2008

Multiple Classifier System (MCS) is a very popular research topic in recent years. It has been proved theoretically and empirically to be better than single classifiers in many scenarios. Creating diverse sets of classifier is one of the key issues in building MCSs. Feature grouping is one of the methods to create diverse classifiers and it has been shown to improve the accuracy of an MCS. In this paper, we propose a new feature grouping method based on Genetic Algorithm (GA) with the localized Generalization Error Model as the evaluation criterion. The combined individual classifiers using the weighted sum are examined in this paper. Moreover, several feature grouping methods are compared with the proposed method in this work. The experimental results on benchmark dataset show that the MCS trained by the proposed method is promising.
A SIMULATED ANNEALING BASED BEAM SEARCH ALGORITHM FOR THE FLOW-SHOP SCHEDULING PROBLEM
Authors: JIN FENG , SONG SHI-JI , WU CHENG
Published: March 2008

Beam search algorithm, as an adaptation of branch and bound method, is regarded as one of the effective approaches in solving combinational optimization problems. In this paper, a new beam search algorithm for the large-scale permutation flow shop scheduling problem (FSP) is proposed. A new branching scheme is addressed and compared with the traditional branching scheme. With the new branching scheme, the number of partial schedules in the search tree can be greatly reduced. Based on a simple simulated annealing algorithm, partial schedules are globally evaluated. Numerical experiments show that good solutions of large-scale FSPs could be found with the proposed algorithm in a short time.
AN IMPROVED ALGORITHM OF OPTICAL FORMULA EXTRACTION WITH FUZZY CLASSIFICATION
Authors: HA MING-HU , TIAN XUE-DONG
Published: March 2008

Formula extraction is the first stage of optical formula recognition which converts printed scientific documents into their corresponding electronic format. So far, little research has been done in this area. In this paper, an improved method using fuzzy classification and irregularity rate feature is proposed to separate formulas from texts in the printed documents. Firstly, according to a statistical threshold of distance, connected components are extracted and merged to form the areas of characters and lines. Secondly, the isolated formulas are extracted based on the line features. Finally, the formula symbols in the rest lines are labeled using irregularity degree, and the embedded formulas are located by extending kernel symbols using the propagation of context. In these steps, fuzzy classification algorithm and irregularity degree feature are introduced to solve the problems existing in traditional methods and improve the extracting accuracy. The experimental results show that the method is of great significance in both theory and practice.
PARAMETERS OPTIMIZE METHOD BASED ON GENETIC AND SIMULATED ANNEALING ALGORITHMS
Authors: LIU JIAO-MIN , WANG JING-HONG
Published: March 2008

This paper gives an initial study on the comparison between Genetic Algorithm (GA) and Simulated Annealing Algorithm (SAA). Firstly, a new algorithm is presented. This method combines Genetic Algorithm and Simulated Annealing Algorithm, and it can be used to optimize the three parameters α, β and γ. It involes the rules that are extracted from Fuzzy Extension Matrix (FEM). These parameters play an important part in the entire process of rule extraction based on FEM. Secondly, it provides some theoretical support to the direct selection of the parameter values through experiments. Lastly, five data sets from the UCI Machine Learning centers are employed in the study. Experimental results and discussions are given.