Bayesian matching of unlabeled marked point sets using random fields, with an application to molecular alignment

Statistical methodology is proposed for comparing unlabeled marked point sets, with an application to aligning steroid molecules in chemoinformatics. Methods from statistical shape analysis are combined with techniques for predicting random fields in spatial statistics in order to define a suitable measure of similarity between two marked point sets. Bayesian modeling of the predicted field overlap between pairs of point sets is proposed, and posterior inference of the alignment is carried out using Markov chain Monte Carlo simulation. By representing the fields in reproducing kernel Hilbert spaces, the degree of overlap can be computed without expensive numerical integration. Superimposing entire fields rather than the configuration matrices of point coordinates thereby avoids the problem that there is usually no clear one-to-one correspondence between the points. In addition, mask parameters are introduced in the model, so that partial matching of the marked point sets can be carried out. We also propose an adaptation of the generalized Procrustes analysis algorithm for the simultaneous alignment of multiple point sets. The methodology is illustrated with a simulation study and then applied to a data set of 31 steroid molecules, where the relationship between shape and binding activity to the corticosteroid binding globulin receptor is explored.Comment: Published in at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/11-AOAS486 the Annals of Applied Statistics (http://www.imstat.org/aoas/) by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org

Vibration analysis of a circular plate in interaction with an acoustic cavity leading to extraction of structural modal parameters

When carrying out vibration health monitoring (VHM) of a structure it is usually assumed that the structure is in the absence of fluid interaction and that any environmental effects which can cause changes in natural frequency either remain constant or are negligible. In certain cases, this condition cannot be assumed and therefore it is necessary to extract values of natural frequencies of the structure for the condition with no fluid interaction from those values measured. This paper considers the case of a thin circular plate in contact with a fluid cavity giving rise to strong structural/fluid vibration interaction. The paper details the free vibration analysis of the coupled system and through consideration of modal energy, illustrates how the affined modes of vibration of the plate and the fluid can be qualitatively described. The paper then introduces a method by which the natural frequencies of the plate in the absence of fluid interaction can be obtained from those of the plate in interaction with the fluid

Heliophysics: Prediction of Radiation Doses Received During Airplane Flights

No abstract availabl

Sources and utilization of foodstuffs in Belarusian households: results of the Grodno households survey

The paper is a documentation of a (non-representative) survey on the food situation of households in the Grodno region, Belarus. It covers the year between September 2000 and August 2001. The focus of the survey was on the sources of food in the households (purchase, own production, and receipt in non-monetary transactions between households) and on the utilization (consumption, feed use, sale, unpaid transfers to other households, and spoilage). The paper describes the survey design and the scope and quality of the compiled data set and it presents results of descriptive analyses. The survey households consume a well balanced diet based on potatoes and vegetables as the main staple food. 75 percent of the households use small land plots for food production and a third of the households keep livestock. Household food production provides an important contribution to food available in the households and the value of the produce represents a considerable part of average household income. Most of the self-produced food is consumed or given away in non-monetary transactions. Prices of foodstuffs differ in part significantly between different points of sale and between rural and urban areas. -- G E R M A N V E R S I O N: Dieses Diskussionspapier dokumentiert eine (nicht-repräsentative) Befragung über die Ernährungssituation von Haushalten in der Region Grodno in Weißrussland. Die Befragung wurde zwischen September 2000 und August 2001 durchgeführt. Der Fragebogen behandelt vorwiegend das Aufkommen von Nahrungsmitteln aus verschiedenen Quellen (Kauf, Eigenproduktion und den Erhalt von Nahrungsmitteln durch nicht-monetären Transfer zwischen Haushalten) und die Verwendung (Verzehr, Verfütterung, Verkauf, nicht-monetäre Vergabe und Verderb). Das Papier beschreibt das Studiendesign sowie den Umfang und die Qualität der erhobenen Daten. Weiterhin werden die Ergebnisse deskriptiver Analysen präsentiert. Die Ernährung der befragten Haushalte basiert auf Kartoffeln und Gemüse, wobei Kartoffeln das wichtigste Grundnahrungsmittel darstellen. 75 % der Haushalte nutzen kleine Landflächen zur Nahrungsmittelproduktion und ein Drittel hält Nutztiere. Die Eigenproduktion in den Haushalten leistet einen wichtigen Beitrag zum Nahrungsmittelaufkommen und der Produktionswert repräsentiert einen bedeutsamen Teil des durchschnittlichen Haushaltseinkommens. Der größte Teil der produzierten Nahrungsmittel wird verzehrt, gefolgt von der Vergabe in nichtmonetären Transaktionen. Die Nahrungsmittelpreise unterscheiden sich teilweise signifikant zwischen verschiedenen Einkaufsquellen und zwischen städtischen und ländlichen Gebieten.Belarus,Grodno,foodstuffs,food,nutrition,diet,household survey,Weißrussland,Belarus,Grodno,Ernährung,Nahrungsmittel,Haushaltsbefragung

Calpain 3 and CaMKIIβ signaling are required to induce HSP70 necessary for adaptive muscle growth after atrophy.

Mutations in CAPN3 cause autosomal recessive limb girdle muscular dystrophy 2A. Calpain 3 (CAPN3) is a calcium dependent protease residing in the myofibrillar, cytosolic and triad fractions of skeletal muscle. At the triad, it colocalizes with calcium calmodulin kinase IIβ (CaMKIIβ). CAPN3 knock out mice (C3KO) show reduced triad integrity and blunted CaMKIIβ signaling, which correlates with impaired transcriptional activation of myofibrillar and oxidative metabolism genes in response to running exercise. These data suggest a role for CAPN3 and CaMKIIβ in gene regulation that takes place during adaptation to endurance exercise. To assess whether CAPN3- CaMKIIβ signaling influences skeletal muscle remodeling in other contexts, we subjected C3KO and wild type mice to hindlimb unloading and reloading and assessed CaMKIIβ signaling and gene expression by RNA-sequencing. After induced atrophy followed by 4 days of reloading, both CaMKIIβ activation and expression of inflammatory and cellular stress genes were increased. C3KO muscles failed to activate CaMKIIβ signaling, did not activate the same pattern of gene expression and demonstrated impaired growth at 4 days of reloading. Moreover, C3KO muscles failed to activate inducible HSP70, which was previously shown to be indispensible for the inflammatory response needed to promote muscle recovery. Likewise, C3KO showed diminished immune cell infiltration and decreased expression of pro-myogenic genes. These data support a role for CaMKIIβ signaling in induction of HSP70 and promotion of the inflammatory response during muscle growth and remodeling that occurs after atrophy, suggesting that CaMKIIβ regulates remodeling in multiple contexts: endurance exercise and growth after atrophy

FARM FIRM MICRO-ECONOMETRIC MODELLING:EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FROM RUSSIAN DAIRY FARMING

This study develops a micro econometric model of specialised dairy farms in Moscow Region using panel data over the period 1995-1998. The model is used to analyse the role of input and output subsidies in the on-farm decision making. Theoretical conditions for short term profit maximization and the fixed effect specification are not rejected by the data. Estimates of the parameters related to input and output subsidies are found to be highly significant. The effect of output subsidies on milk output supply is larger then the price effect. Output subsidies are allocated efficiently in the period 1996-1998 and inefficiently in 1995; input subsidies are allocated efficiently in 1995 and inefficiently in 1996-1998.Livestock Production/Industries,