THE HISTORICAL BASIS RECORD FOR GRAIN AND SOYBEANS IN DELAWARE; MARKETING YEARS 1999/00 TO 2003/04

Basis is used in the grain marketing industry as a guide in making all grain marketing decisions. Historical basis records for given geographical locations should be updated periodically. The historical basis record for the most recent three to five year period is necessary to effect grain marketing decisions. This publication updates the historical basis record for corn, soybeans, and wheat for the 1999/00 to 2003/04 Marketing Years. The following can be used in effecting current grain marketing decisions: Five-year average basis table summaries for Northern and Southern Eastern Shore Corn can be found on pages 18 and 24. Corresponding graphical illustrations are given on pages 59 and 65. Five-year average basis table summaries for Northern and Southern Eastern Shore Soybeans can be found on pages 30 and 36. Corresponding graphical illustrations are given on pages 71 and 77. Five-year average basis table summaries for Northern and Southern Eastern Shore Wheat can be found on pages 42 and 48. Corresponding graphical illustrations are given on pages 83 and 89.Crop Production/Industries, Marketing,

Memory Access Optimizations for High-Performance Computing

This paper discusses the importance of memory access optimizations which are shown to be highly effective on the MasPar architecture. The study is based on two MasPar machines, a 16K-processor MP-1 and a 4K-processor MP-2. A software pipelining technique overlaps memory accesses with computation and/or communication. Another optimization, called the register window technique reduces the number of loads in a loop. These techniques are evaluated using three parallel matrix multiplication algorithms on both the MasPar machines. The matrix multiplication study shows that for a highly computation intensive problem, reducing the interprocessor communication can become a secondary issue compared to memory access optimization. Also, it is shown that memory access optimizations can play a more important role than the choice of a superior parallel algorithm. Keywords: load/store architecture, memory accesses, matrix multiplication, parallel programming

Approximately-Strategyproof and Tractable Multi-Unit Auctions

We present an approximately-efficient and approximately-strategyproof auction mechanism for a single-good multiunit allocation problem. The bidding language allows marginal-decreasing piecewise-constant curves and quantity-based side constraints. We develop a fully polynomial-time approximation scheme for the multiunit allocation problem, which computes a (1+ε) approximation in worst-case time T=O(n3/ε), given n bids each with a constant number of pieces. We integrate this approximation scheme within a Vickrey–Clarke–Groves (VCG) mechanism and compute payments for an asymptotic cost of O(T log n). The maximal possible gain from manipulation to a bidder in the combined scheme is bounded by εV/(1+ε), where V is the total surplus in the efficient outcome.Engineering and Applied Science

TREX1 is expressed by microglia in normal human brain and increases in regions affected by ischemia

BACKGROUND: Mutations in the three-prime repair exonuclease 1 (TREX1) gene have been associated with neurological diseases, including Retinal Vasculopathy with Cerebral Leukoencephalopathy (RVCL). However, the endogenous expression of TREX1 in human brain has not been studied. METHODS: We produced a rabbit polyclonal antibody (pAb) to TREX1 to characterize TREX1 by Western blotting (WB) of cell lysates from normal controls and subjects carrying an RVCL frame-shift mutation. Dual staining was performed to determine cell types expressing TREX1 in human brain tissue. TREX1 distribution in human brain was further evaluated by immunohistochemical analyses of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded samples from normal controls and patients with RVCL and ischemic stroke. RESULTS: After validating the specificity of our anti-TREX1 rabbit pAb, WB analysis was utilized to detect the endogenous wild-type and frame-shift mutant of TREX1 in cell lysates. Dual staining in human brain tissues from patients with RVCL and normal controls localized TREX1 to a subset of microglia and macrophages. Quantification of immunohistochemical staining of the cerebral cortex revealed that TREX1 CONCLUSIONS: TREX1 is expressed by a subset of microglia in normal human brain, often in close proximity to the microvasculature, and increases in the setting of ischemic lesions. These findings suggest a role for TREX

Secret Sharing Based on a Hard-on-Average Problem

The main goal of this work is to propose the design of secret sharing schemes based on hard-on-average problems. It includes the description of a new multiparty protocol whose main application is key management in networks. Its unconditionally perfect security relies on a discrete mathematics problem classiffied as DistNP-Complete under the average-case analysis, the so-called Distributional Matrix Representability Problem. Thanks to the use of the search version of the mentioned decision problem, the security of the proposed scheme is guaranteed. Although several secret sharing schemes connected with combinatorial structures may be found in the bibliography, the main contribution of this work is the proposal of a new secret sharing scheme based on a hard-on-average problem, which allows to enlarge the set of tools for designing more secure cryptographic applications

An open label study to determine the effects of an oral proteolytic enzyme system on whey protein concentrate metabolism in healthy males

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Current research suggests that protein intake of 1.5 – 2.8 g/kg/day (3.5 times the current recommended daily allowance) is effective and safe for individuals trying to increase or maintain lean muscle mass. To achieve these levels of daily protein consumption, supplementing the diet with processed whey protein concentrate (WPC) in liquid form has become a popular choice for many people. Some products have a suggested serving size as high as 50 g of protein. However, due to possible inhibition of endogenous digestive enzymes from over-processing and rapid small intestine transit time, the average amount of liquid WPC that is absorbed may be only 15 g. The combined effect of these factors may contribute to incomplete digestion, thereby limiting the absorption rate of protein before it reaches the ceacum and is eliminated as waste. The purpose of this study was to determine if Aminogen^®, a patented blend of digestive proteases from <it>Aspergillus niger </it>and <it>Aspergillus oryzae</it>, would significantly increase the in-vivo absorption rate of processed WPC over control values. It also investigated if any increase would be sufficient to significantly alter nitrogen (N2) balance and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels over control values as further evidence of increased WPC absorption rate.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Two groups of healthy male subjects were assigned a specified balanced diet before and after each of two legs of the study. Subjects served as their own controls. In the first leg each control group (CG) was dosed with 50 g of WPC following an overnight fast. Nine days later each test group (TG) was dosed following an overnight fast with 50 g of WPC containing either 2.5 g (A2.5) or 5 g (A5) of Aminogen^®. Blood samples were collected during each leg at 0 hr, 0.5 hr, 1 hr, 2 hr, 3 hr, 3.5 hr and 4 hr for amino acid (AA) and CRP analyses. The following 18 AAs were quantified: alanine, arginine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine and valine. Urine was collected for 24 hours from 0 hr for total N2 analysis. Results are expressed as means ± SEM. All significance and power testing on results was done at a level of alpha = 0.05. Area under the concentration time curve (AUC) was calculated using the trapezoidal rule. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA-1) was done between CGs, between TGs and between time points. One-way repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA-1-RM) was done to compare CGs and TGs. Two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA-2) was performed on total serum amino acid (TSAA) levels, urine N2 levels and CRP levels between each CG and TG.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>After baseline subtraction the mean AUC was significantly (p ≤ 0.05) greater in each TG compared the corresponding CG. Comparison of the mean AUC between each TG and each CG was not significantly different. Total serum amino acid (TSAA) levels were significantly greater in each TG compared the corresponding CG. They were also significantly different between each TG but not between each CG. All individual serum amino acid (ISAA) levels in TG-A2.5 except glycine, histidine, methionine and serine were significantly higher than in CG-A2.5 at 4 hr. All ISAA levels in TG-A5 except methionine and serine were significantly higher than in CG-A5 at 4 hr. The N2 balance was significantly higher in each TG compared to the corresponding CG, but not significantly different between each CG and between each TG. Significant differences in CRP levels are reported between each TG compared to the corresponding CG, but not significantly different between each TG and between each CG.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>A patented blend of digestive proteases (Aminogen^®) increased the absorption rate of processed WPC over controls, as measured by statistically significant increases in AUC, TSAA levels, ISAA levels and N2 balance. Significant decreases in CRP levels and fluxes in AA levels are also reported.</p

Effectively engaging stakeholders and the public in developing violence prevention messages

Background: Preventing family violence requires that stakeholders and the broader public be involved in developing evidence-based violence prevention strategies. However, gaps exist in between what we know (knowledge), what we do (action), and the structures supporting practice (policy). Discussion: We discuss the broad challenge of mobilizing knowledge-for-action in family violence, with a primary focus on the issue of how stakeholders and the public can be effectively engaged when developing and communicating evidence-based violence prevention messages. We suggest that a comprehensive approach to stakeholder and public engagement in developing violence prevention messages includes: 1) clear and consistent messaging; 2) identifying and using, as appropriate, lessons from campaigns that show evidence of reducing specific types of violence; and 3) evidence-informed approaches for communicating to specific groups. Components of a comprehensive approach must take into account the available research evidence, implementation feasibility, and the context-specific nature of family violence. Summary: While strategies exist for engaging stakeholders and the public in messaging about family violence prevention, knowledge mobilization must be informed by evidence, dialogue with stakeholders, and proactive media strategies. This paper will be of interest to public health practitioners or others involved in planning and implementing violence prevention programs because it highlights what is known about the issue, potential solutions, and implementation considerations