Reading the fine print of the human genome

It is our belief that the genomic annotations and data formats will eventually converge into more standardized forms. At such time, an effective data retrieval confluence can be attained and elaborate annotation heuristics may not be necessary. This has begun to happen already with the LocusLink project where several databases are linked to provide a "one-stop-shopping" resource for genomic, genetic, and phenotypic information tied together by a single gene locus identifier. Overall, we were able to identify a number of clones that could serve as new cancer markers (whether they are suitable is a question to be answered in the wet lab). The moral of the story is that predictions of the end of science are rarely (if ever) correct. While some of the easier biological questions may have already been answered with the availability of the "complete" human genome, the genome contains many more answers for which we need to find the right questions. Focusing on the difficult, less understood areas is one way to ensure that we are vigilantly attempting to take advantage of the richness and depth of information available in the human genome.     

Phase-Locked Loop Coherent Combiners for Phased Array Sensor Systems

Phase-locked loops (PLL's) may be used to implement signal combiners which coherently sum multiple signals from an array of sensors. In each combiner channel, the sensor signal is simultaneously downconverted to an intermediate frequency (IF) signal and phase-locked to an appropriately generated reference signal by a "long-loop" PLL. This loop maintains a nominal 90° phase difference between the IF signal and the reference signal irrespective of phase of the channel input (sensor output) signal. The channel IF signals are summed to generate the combiner output signal. The reference signal may be a locally generated sine wave or a delayed version of the combiner output signal. Imperfect phase control and, thus, imperfect signal combining results when noise voltages are associated with the channel signals. In this paper, a lincarized model of a PLL coherent combiner is developed. This model applies when the desired channel signals are equal amplitude and angle modulated; the channel noise voltages are equal level, Gaussian distributed, and independent; and the combiner phase errors are appropriately small. This model is then used to derive equations for the variance of differential phase errors associated with combiner operation and to show the effect of these phase errors on the average power in the combiner output signal. Relevant experimental results from a four-channel combiner are compared with the performance predicted by the linear model.     

A behavioral model of international labor and nonlabor migration: the case of Turkish movements to West Germany, 1960-1986

"In this paper behavioral models of international labor and nonlabor migration are presented. The models are based on the concept of chain migration, where the immigrant stock, differentiated by the duration of stay, induces and directs future migration flows. Three roles of the immigrant stock in inducing the inflow of potential migrants are identified: provider of assimilation aid; transmitter of information; and source of family reunification. Operationalized versions of the models are empirically tested for Turkish labor and nonlabor migration to West Germany, 1960-86. The results support the importance of information for labor migrants, and reunification ties for nonlabor migrants."     

Effect of storage temperature on survival and growth of foodborne pathogens on whole, damaged, and internally inoculated jalapeños (Capsicum annuum var. annuum)

There is a lack of general knowledge regarding the behavior of foodborne pathogenic bacteria associated with jalape?o peppers. The survival and growth behaviors of Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Salmonella enterica on the interior and exterior of jalape?o peppers were determined under different storage conditions. Jalape?os were inoculated with a five-strain cocktail of L. monocytogenes, E. coli O157:H7, or S. enterica on the intact external surface, injured external surface, or intact internal cavity of jalape?o peppers and held at 7 or 12°C for a period of 14 days. Populations of each pathogen were determined at 0, 1, 2, 5, 7 10, and 14 days throughout storage. The uninjured, intact external surface of jalape?o peppers did not support growth of the pathogens tested under both storage conditions, with the exception of L. monocytogenes at 12°C. Populations of E. coli and S. enterica declined on the external injured surface of peppers at 7°C, but populations of L. monocytogenes remained consistent throughout the length of storage. At 12°C, L. monocytogenes and S. enterica populations increased throughout storage, and E. coli populations remained unchanged on injured surfaces. The uninjured internal cavity of the jalape?o supported growth of all pathogens at 12°C. Overall, L. monocytogenes was the microorganism most capable of growth and survival in association with jalape?o peppers for the scenarios tested. Results emphasize the importance of jalape?o pepper quality and proper storage conditions in preventing or reducing pathogen survival and growth.     

Laboratory measurements of the heterogeneous oxidation of condensed-phase organic molecular makers for meat cooking emissions

Multiphase oxidation of trace organic constituents inside of complex atmospheric particles is not well understood. In this study, organic aerosol formed from flash-vaporized residual grease from meat cooking was exposed to atmospherically relevant ozone concentrations in a smog chamber for 4-6 h. Changes in particle composition were measured to determine reaction rates for important molecular markers used for source apportionment analysis (oleic acid, palmitoleic acid, and cholesterol). Results are also presented for palmitic and stearic acids and likely reaction products. To quantify oxidation rates over a range of atmospheric conditions, separate experiments were conducted at low and high relative humidity and using particles mixed with and without secondary organic aerosol. Although particle composition, relative humidity, and secondary organic aerosol all influence the reaction rates, the unsaturated compounds were rapidly oxidized in every experiment. At typical summertime conditions, palmitoleic acid, oleic acid and cholesterol are estimated to have a chemical lifetime of about one day. The experimentally determined reaction rates are used in conjunction with the chemical mass balance model to investigate the effects of aging on source apportionment estimates. The results highlight that assumptions regarding the photochemical stability of molecular markers can lead to substantial biases in predictions of receptor models.     

Internet Streaming SIMD Extensions

Because floating-point computation is the heart of 3D geometry, speeding up floating-point computation is vital to overall 3D performance. To produce a visually perceptible difference in graphics applications, Intel's 32-bit processors-based on the IA-32 architecture-required an increase of 1.5 to 2 times the native floating-point performance. One path to better performance involves studying how the system uses data. Today's 3D applications can execute a lot faster by differentiating between data used repeatedly and streaming data-data used only once and then discarded. The Pentium III's new floating-point extension lets programmers designate data as streaming and provides instructions that handle this data efficiently. The authors designed the Internet Streaming SIMD Extensions (ISSE) to enable a new level of visual computing on the volume PC platform. They discuss their results in terms of boosting the performance of 3D and video applications     

Probability learning with four event classes of schematic stimuli.

Describes 2 experiments with a total of 80 college students in which classification performance was explored using distorted patterns within a sequentially dependent temporal context. Visual stimuli representing 4 prototype classes were used. All Ss classified patterns by identifying each with 1 of 4 prototypes, and rated the similarity of each pattern to the prototypes. In addition, Ss in 2 groups predicted which pattern would occur next and indicated their confidence in that prediction. Stimulus classes were arranged so that there were sequential dependencies to be learned. Results indicate that both classification and prediction performance improved with sequence redundancy. Prediction performance improved during training, demonstrating that probability learning can occur even when the S is dealing with distorted patterns. Moreover, sequential dependencies in the stimulus sequence facilitated Ss' accurate classification of the patterns. (French summary) (17 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)