Knowledge representation support

The representation of world knowledge in a machine translation system is discussed, especially in terms of the interlingua text that is adopted in KBMT-89. While knowledge about the world is at the core of a knowledge-based machine translation program, it cannot be extracted from a text without knowledge about how languages encode it syntactically. The paper therefore also presents the grammar formalism with which language-specific syntactic knowledge is presented. Details are presented of our version of unification-based grammar, its basis in linguistic theory and its role in a knowledge-based machine translation system.     

Efficacy of antitat gene therapy in the presence of high multiplicity infection and inflammatory cytokines

Because human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection is characterized by a large number of viral replication cycles and rapid cell turnover in vivo, successful gene therapy requires an approach effective under these conditions. The antitat gene has been proposed for gene therapy because it effectively blocks Tat function and the replication of HIV-1. However, neither antitat nor any other antiviral gene has been shown to inhibit HIV in the presence of high viral load and inflammatory cytokines, a condition closer to the in vivo situation. We show that cells transduced with antitat retrovirus vector are resistant to high multiplicity of HIV infection. In the presence of inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor, both known to activate viral gene expression independently of Tat, antitat suppressed virus replication. HIV-1 inhibition was observed when cell were treated with a mixture of inflammatory cytokines able to induce acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) Kaposi's sarcoma cell growth. These molecules have been shown to be increased in HIV-1-infected individuals, and it is suggested they play a role in the pathogenesis of AIDS. Our results suggest that antitat is effective under conditions present in vivo and therefore a primary candidate for HIV-1 gene therapy.     

Effect of cholesterol and cholestyramine feeding and of fasting on sterol synthesis in the liver,ileum, and lung of the guinea pig

The effects of feeding diets containing either cholesterol (0.24% w/w) or cholestyramine (2.5% w/w) and of fasting on sterol synthesis in the liver, ileum, and lung of both male and female guinea pigs have been studied by measuring the incorporation by tissue slices of¹⁴C-labeled acetate into total digitonin-precipitable sterols. Cholesterol feeding significantly decreased (P<0.05) sterol synthesis in the liver, ileum, and lung of the males and in the ileum of females. Cholestyramine feeding stimulated the rate of hepatic sterol synthesis 13-fold but did not significantly affect sterologenesis in the ileum. Sterol synthesis in the lung was significantly increased (P<0.05) but to a much lesser extent than in the liver. Fatty acid synthesis in the liver, ileum, and lung was not significantly affected by either cholesterol or cholestyramine feeding. In guinea pigs fasted for 24 hr, sterol synthesis was inhibited in all three tissues, the most pronounced effect occurring in the liver. Only in the lung was fatty acid synthesis significantly decreased (P<0.001) by fasting. Cholesterol feeding resulted in increased concentrations of cholesterol in the plasma and liver. Cholestyramine feeding reduced plasma cholesterol concentration by 81% in females and by 64% in males. However, it did not significantly change the tissue cholesterol concentrations. Fasting resulted in a significant increase (P<0.05) in plasma cholesterol concentration but did not affect the concentration of cholesterol in the tissues. It was concluded that in the normal guinea pig, the feedback inhibition produced by both cholesterol and also possibly by bile acids suppresses sterol synthesis in the liver to very low rates compared to those in the small intestine, where sterologenesis is not only less sensitive to the cholesterol negative feedback system than that in the liver, but also is not subject to regulation by the bile acid negative feedback system.     

A predictive model for the mechanical behavior of particulate composites. Part I: Model derivation

A method for predicting the highly nonlinear stress-strain behavior and dilatation induced by cavitation of highly filled particulate composites from constituent properties has been developed. The approach presented uses a variation of linear elasticity throughout and has no adjustable parameters, unlike the methods currently used, which require large numbers of fitting factors and complicated nonlinear analyses. An energy balance derived from the first law of thermodynamics calculates critical strain values at which filler particles will debond when subjected to deformation. Repeated calculations of critical strain values using re-evaluated material properties accounting for the damage caused by debonding give very nonlinear stress-strain and dilatation curves. Experimentally observed dependencies on particle size, filler concentration, adhesion, and matrix and filler properties are correctly predicted. The method can be generalized for any state of stress or particle shape. Comparisons of experimental data with the model results give good agreement.     

Effect of apigeninidin on the growth of selected bacteria

Apigeninidin, a 3-deoxyanthocyanidin present in sorghum, was chemically synthesized and effectively purified by extracting impurities from aqueous 2 N HC1 into ethyl acetate. Apigeninidin (50mol) applied to filter paper disks inhibited the growth on agar plates of selected gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, andStreptococcus faecalis) and to a lesser extent gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Serratia marcens, andShigella flexneri). Apigeninidin was not mutagenic based on the Ames assay. The ability of apigeninidin to precipitate proteins from plant extracts could be physiologically important if it can be shown to bind to specific plant proteins.     

Optimal joint routing and link scheduling for real-time traffic in TDMA Wireless Mesh Networks

We investigate the problem of joint routing and link scheduling in Time-Division Multiple Access (TDMA) Wireless Mesh Networks (WMNs) carrying real-time traffic. We propose a framework that always computes a feasible solution (i.e. a set of paths and link activations) if there exists one, by optimally solving a mixed integer-nonlinear problem. Such solution can be computed in minutes or tens thereof for e.g. grids of up to 4 × 4 nodes. We also propose heuristics based on Lagrangian decomposition to compute suboptimal solutions considerably faster and/or for larger WMNs, up to about 50 nodes. We show that the heuristic solutions are near-optimal, and we exploit them to gain insight on the schedulability in WMN, i.e. to investigate the optimal placement of one or more gateways from a delay bound perspective, and to investigate how the schedulability is affected by the transmission range.     

Effect of material aspects on the production of machined and ground surfaces

The surface finishes produced under normal machining conditions are commonly much worse than those predicted from theoretical considerations and factors concerned with the material behaviour of the workpiece often contribute to this discrepancy. Factors such as the nature of the chip formation process and built-up edge formation which considerably affect surface finish and are material dependent are discussed. Attention is given to the process of redeposition in grinding which also produces a poor surface finish. Here metal adhering to the tops of the grinding grits is carried around on the periphery of the wheel and redeposited on to the already ground surface prior to the grits re-entering the cutting zone. Adhesion is important in affecting the redeposition process and grinding lubricants which effectively prevent metal-to-metal contact have been shown to prevent redeposition resulting in a marked improvement in surface finish.     

Attentional effects of lesions to the anterior cingulate cortex: How prior reinforcement influences distractibility.

Morphological changes in the anterior cingulate cortex are found in subjects with schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and obsessive–compulsive disorder. These changes are hypothesized to underlie the impairments these individuals show on tasks that require cognitive control. The anterior cingulate cortex has previously been shown to be active in situations involving high conflict, presentation of salient, distracting stimuli, and error processing, that is, situations that occur when a shift in attention or responding is required. However, there is some uncertainty as to what specific role the anterior cingulate cortex plays in these situations. The current study used converging evidence from two behavioral paradigms to determine the effects of excitotoxic lesions in the anterior cingulate cortex on executive control. The first assay tests reversal learning, attentional set formation and shifting. The second assesses sustained attention with and without distractors. Animals with anterior cingulate cortex lesions were impaired during reinforcement reversals, discriminations that required subjects to disregard previously relevant stimulus attributes and showed a more rapid decline in attentional ability than Sham-Lesioned subjects when maintaining sustained attention for extended periods of time. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that the anterior cingulate cortex is involved in attending to stimulus attributes that currently predict reinforcement in the presence of previously relevant, salient distractors and maintaining sustained attention over prolonged time on task. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Implications of carbon cap-and-trade for US voluntary renewable energy markets

Many consumers today are purchasing renewable energy in large part for the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions benefits that they provide. Emerging carbon regulation in the US has the potential to affect existing markets for renewable energy. Carbon cap-and-trade programs are now under development in the Northeast under the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and in early stages of development in the West and Midwest. There is increasing discussion about carbon regulation at the national level as well. While renewable energy will likely benefit from carbon cap-and-trade programs because compliance with the cap will increase the costs of fossil fuel generation, cap-and-trade programs can also impact the ability of renewable energy generation to affect overall CO₂ emissions levels and obtain value for those emissions benefits. This paper summarizes key issues for renewable energy markets that are emerging with carbon regulation, such as the implications for emissions benefits claims and voluntary market demand and the use of renewable energy certificates (RECs) in multiple markets. It also explores policy options under consideration for designing carbon policies to enable carbon markets and renewable energy markets to work together.     

Islet Regeneration: Endogenous and Exogenous Approaches

Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are characterized by a progressive loss of beta cell mass that contributes to impaired glucose homeostasis. Although an optimal treatment option would be to simply replace the lost cells, it is now well established that unlike many other organs, the adult pancreas has limited regenerative potential. For this reason, significant research efforts are focusing on methods to induce beta cell proliferation (replication of existing beta cells), promote beta cell formation from alternative endogenous cell sources (neogenesis), and/or generate beta cells from pluripotent stem cells. In this article, we will review (i) endogenous mechanisms of beta cell regeneration during steady state, stress and disease; (ii) efforts to stimulate endogenous regeneration and transdifferentiation; and (iii) exogenous methods of beta cell generation and transplantation.