Discussion of "Win-Win concession period determination methodology" by Xueqing Zhang

'Win-win concession period determination methodology' By: Zhang, Xueqing. Journal of Construction Engineering & Management, Jun2009, Vol. 135 Issue 6, p550-558, 9 p; DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)CO.1943-7862.0000012; (AN 39786304)postprin

An Unanswered Question about Heavy Metals in Chinese Herbal Medicinal Preparations: Environmental Contamination or Medicinal Elements?

Plenary Session 1: Translational/Population Studiespublished_or_final_versio

Multirate Kalman filtering approach for optimal two-dimensional signal reconstruction from noisy subband systems

The International Conference on Image Processing, Santa Barbara, California, 26-29 October 1997Conventional synthesis filters in subband systems lose their optimality when additive noise due, for example, to signal quantization, disturbs the subband components. The multichannel representation of subband signal is combined with the statistical model of input signal to derive the multirate state-space model for filter bank system with additive noises. Thus the signal reconstruction problem in subband system can be formulated as the process of optimal state estimation in the equivalent multirate state-space model. With the input signal embedded in the state vector, the multirate Kalman filtering provides the minimum-variance reconstruction of input signal. Using the powerful Kronecker product notation, the results and derivations can then be extended to the 2-D cases. Incorporated with the vector dynamical model, the 2-D multirate state-space model for 2-D Kalman filtering is developed. Computer simulation with the proposed 2-D multirate Kalman filter gives favorable results.published_or_final_versio

A Femtosecond Neutron Source

The possibility to use the ultrashort ion bunches produced by circularly polarized laser pulses to drive a source of fusion neutrons with sub-optical cycle duration is discussed. A two-side irradiation of a thin foil deuterated target produces two countermoving ion bunches, whose collision leads to an ultrashort neutron burst. Using particle-in-cell simulations and analytical modeling, it is evaluated that, for intensities of a few $10^{19} W cm^{-2}$, more than $10^3$ neutrons per Joule may be produced within a time shorter than one femtosecond. Another scheme based on a layered deuterium-tritium target is outlined.Comment: 15 pages, 3 figure

qtl.outbred: Interfacing outbred line cross data with the R/qtl mapping software

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><b>qtl.outbred </b>is an extendible interface in the statistical environment, R, for combining quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping tools. It is built as an umbrella package that enables outbred genotype probabilities to be calculated and/or imported into the software package R/<b>qtl</b>.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>Using <b>qtl.outbred</b>, the genotype probabilities from outbred line cross data can be calculated by interfacing with a new and efficient algorithm developed for analyzing arbitrarily large datasets (included in the package) or imported from other sources such as the web-based tool, GridQTL.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p><b>qtl.outbred </b>will improve the speed for calculating probabilities and the ability to analyse large future datasets. This package enables the user to analyse outbred line cross data accurately, but with similar effort than inbred line cross data.</p

Polyetheretherketone hybrid composites with bioactive nanohydroxyapatite and multiwalled carbon nanotube fillers

published_or_final_versio

Focus on vulnerable populations and promoting equity in health service utilization ––an analysis of visitor characteristics and service utilization of the Chinese community health service

Background Community health service in China is designed to provide a convenient and affordable primary health service for the city residents, and to promote health equity. Based on data from a large national study of 35 cities across China, we examined the characteristics of the patients and the utilization of community health institutions (CHIs), and assessed the role of community health service in promoting equity in health service utilization for community residents. Methods Multistage sampling method was applied to select 35 cities in China. Four CHIs were randomly chosen in every district of the 35 cities. A total of 88,482 visitors to the selected CHIs were investigated by using intercept survey method at the exit of the CHIs in 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011. Descriptive analyses were used to analyze the main characteristics (gender, age, and income) of the CHI visitors, and the results were compared with that from the National Health Services Survey (NHSS, including CHIs and higher levels of hospitals). We also analyzed the service utilization and the satisfactions of the CHI visitors. Results The proportions of the children (2.4%) and the elderly (about 22.7%) were lower in our survey than those in NHSS (9.8% and 38.8% respectively). The proportion of the low-income group (26.4%) was apparently higher than that in NHSS (12.5%). The children group had the lowest satisfaction with the CHIs than other age groups. The satisfaction of the low-income visitors was slightly higher than that of the higher-income visitors. The utilization rate of public health services was low in CHIs. Conclusions The CHIs in China appears to fulfill the public health target of uptake by vulnerable populations, and may play an important role in promoting equity in health service utilization. However, services for children and the elderly should be strengthened

Genomic analysis of the function of the transcription factor gata3 during development of the Mammalian inner ear

We have studied the function of the zinc finger transcription factor gata3 in auditory system development by analysing temporal profiles of gene expression during differentiation of conditionally immortal cell lines derived to model specific auditory cell types and developmental stages. We tested and applied a novel probabilistic method called the gamma Model for Oligonucleotide Signals to analyse hybridization signals from Affymetrix oligonucleotide arrays. Expression levels estimated by this method correlated closely (p<0.0001) across a 10-fold range with those measured by quantitative RT-PCR for a sample of 61 different genes. In an unbiased list of 26 genes whose temporal profiles clustered most closely with that of gata3 in all cell lines, 10 were linked to Insulin-like Growth Factor signalling, including the serine/threonine kinase Akt/PKB. Knock-down of gata3 in vitro was associated with a decrease in expression of genes linked to IGF-signalling, including IGF1, IGF2 and several IGF-binding proteins. It also led to a small decrease in protein levels of the serine-threonine kinase Akt2/PKB beta, a dramatic increase in Akt1/PKB alpha protein and relocation of Akt1/PKB alpha from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. The cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27(kip1), a known target of PKB/Akt, simultaneously decreased. In heterozygous gata3 null mice the expression of gata3 correlated with high levels of activated Akt/PKB. This functional relationship could explain the diverse function of gata3 during development, the hearing loss associated with gata3 heterozygous null mice and the broader symptoms of human patients with Hearing-Deafness-Renal anomaly syndrome

DNA Methylation Profiles of Primary Colorectal Carcinoma and Matched Liver Metastasis

BACKGROUND: The contribution of DNA methylation to the metastatic process in colorectal cancers (CRCs) is unclear. METHODS: We evaluated the methylation status of 13 genes (MINT1, MINT2, MINT31, MLH1, p16, p14, TIMP3, CDH1, CDH13, THBS1, MGMT, HPP1 and ERα) by bisulfite-pyrosequencing in 79 CRCs comprising 36 CRCs without liver metastasis and 43 CRCs with liver metastasis, including 16 paired primary CRCs and liver metastasis. We also performed methylated CpG island amplification microarrays (MCAM) in three paired primary and metastatic cancers. RESULTS: Methylation of p14, TIMP3 and HPP1 in primary CRCs progressively decreased from absence to presence of liver metastasis (13.1% vs. 4.3%; 14.8% vs. 3.7%; 43.9% vs. 35.8%, respectively) (P<.05). When paired primary and metastatic tumors were compared, only MGMT methylation was significantly higher in metastatic cancers (27.4% vs. 13.4%, P = .013), and this difference was due to an increase in methylation density rather than frequency in the majority of cases. MCAM showed an average 7.4% increase in DNA methylated genes in the metastatic samples. The numbers of differentially hypermethylated genes in the liver metastases increased with increasing time between resection of the primary and resection of the liver metastasis. Bisulfite-pyrosequencing validation in 12 paired samples showed that most of these increases were not conserved, and could be explained by differences in methylation density rather than frequency. CONCLUSIONS: Most DNA methylation differences between primary CRCs and matched liver metastasis are due to random variation and an increase in DNA methylation density rather than de-novo inactivation and silencing. Thus, DNA methylation changes occur for the most part before progression to liver metastasis

XRCC1 mutation is associated with PARP1 hyperactivation and cerebellar ataxia

XRCC1 is a molecular scaffold protein that assembles multi-protein complexes involved in DNA single-strand break repair1,2. Here we show that biallelic mutations in the human XRCC1 gene are associated with ocular motor apraxia, axonal neuropathy, and progressive cerebellar ataxia. Cells from a patient with mutations in XRCC1 exhibited not only reduced rates of single-strand break repair but also elevated levels of protein ADP-ribosylation. This latter phenotype is recapitulated in a related syndrome caused by mutations in the XRCC1 partner protein PNKP3,4,5 and implicates hyperactivation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase/s as a cause of cerebellar ataxia. Indeed, remarkably, genetic deletion of Parp1 rescued normal cerebellar ADP-ribose levels and reduced the loss of cerebellar neurons and ataxia in Xrcc1-defective mice, identifying a molecular mechanism by which endogenous single-strand breaks trigger neuropathology. Collectively, these data establish the importance of XRCC1 protein complexes for normal neurological function and identify PARP1 as a therapeutic target in DNA strand break repair-defective disease