Analysis and visualisation with host-based software – The features of STNAnaVist™

This article is based on experiences with data and text mining to gain information for strategic business decisions, using host-based analysis and visualisation (A/V), primarily in the field of patents. The potential advantages of host-based A/V are pointed out and the features of the first such A/V software, STN^®AnaVist™, are described in detail. Areas covered include the user interfaces, initial set of documents for A/V, data mining, text mining, reporting, and suggestions for further development.     

Peridynamic modeling of concrete structures

The peridynamic model described in Silling (Silling, S.A., 1998. Reformation of Elasticity Theory for Discontinuous and Long-Range Forces, SAND98-2176. Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM), being a central-force model, is limited to modeling materials with a Poisson's ratio of 1/4. In this paper, the peridynamic model is generalized by adding pairwise peridynamic moments to simulate linear elastic materials with varying Poisson's ratios. The new model is called the “micropolar peridynamic model”. The micropolar peridynamic model is placed within a finite element context to enable efficacious application of boundary conditions and efficient computational solutions using an implicit, rather than an explicit solution algorithm. The implicit solution algorithm is suitable for quasistatic simulation of damage and cracking in concrete structures. With this new model, very simple tensile damage mechanisms at the micro structural (peridynamic) level are sufficient to explain a great deal of the microcracking (damage) and fracture mechanics observed in concrete structures. The new implementation appears to be computationally efficient.     

Does social dominance generate prejudice? Integrating individual and contextual determinants of intergroup cognitions.

Social dominance orientation (SDO) has been proposed as an important variable in the explanation of prejudice. We distinguish between three conceptualizations of SDO: SDO as a personality trait (personality model), SDO as a moderator of the effects of situational variables (Person X Situation model), and SDO as a mediator of the effect of social position on prejudice (group socialization model [GSM]). Four studies (N = 1,657) looking at the relations between social positions, SDO, and prejudice in a natural setting and in a laboratory setting provide strong support for the GSM. In contrast to previous correlational findings, there is evidence of a cause (dominant social position), an effect (prejudice increases), and a mediator (SDO). These results suggest new perspectives on the integration of individual and contextual determinants of prejudice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The determinants of cost efficiency of hydroelectric generating plants: A random frontier approach

This paper analyses the technical efficiency in the hydroelectric generating plants of a main Portuguese electricity enterprise EDP (Electricity of Portugal) between 1994 and 2004, investigating the role played by increase in competition and regulation. A random cost frontier method is adopted. A translog frontier model is used and the maximum likelihood estimation technique is employed to estimate the empirical model. We estimate the efficiency scores and decompose the exogenous variables into homogeneous and heterogeneous. It is concluded that production and capacity are heterogeneous, signifying that the hydroelectric generating plants are very distinct and therefore any energy policy should take into account this heterogeneity. It is also concluded that competition, rather than regulation, plays the key role in increasing hydroelectric plant efficiency.     

Degradation of lincomycin in aqueous medium: Coupling of solar photocatalysis and membrane separation

The photocatalytic oxidation of a common antibiotic, the lincomycin was carried out in aqueous suspensions of polycrystalline TiO₂ Degussa P25 irradiated by sunlight. In order to improve the performance of the lincomycin degradation a hybrid system consisting of a solar photoreactor with the photocatalyst in suspension coupled with a membrane module, used to confine both photocatalyst and pollutants in the reaction environment, was tested.A preliminary study was carried out in order to determine some kinetics parameters of the drug photodegradation. The influence of initial substrate concentration on the lincomycin photooxidation rate was investigated. The photooxidation rate follows a pseudo-first order kinetics with respect to the lincomycin concentration under the used experimental conditions. The presence of the membrane reactor allows the catalyst separation and to operate in continuous mode as the membranes rejection for lincomycin and its oxidation products was quite high.     

Rapid tamoxifen-induced inactivation of an estrogenic response is accompanied by a localized epigenetic modification but not by mutations

Ethidium was found to be efficiently cross-linked to DNA by glyoxal. Kinetic studies showed that the rate of the cross-linking reaction is strongly dependent on the glyoxal concentration. Comparative studies using a series of phenanthridines and acridines showed that NH2 groups at both the 2 and 7 positions on the phenanthridine ring are necessary for efficient cross-linking. Studies using synthetic polydeoxynucleotides showed that the 2-amino group of guanine is absolutely required for cross-linking. Fluorescence contact energy transfer and relative viscosity experiments showed that the cross-linked drug remains intercalated into DNA. DNA gel electrophoresis and melting studies demonstrated that cross-linked ethidium does not dissociate the DNA double helix to single strands.     

EASEA: specification and execution of evolutionary algorithms on GPGPU

EASEA is a framework designed to help non-expert programmers to optimize their problems by evolutionary computation. It allows to generate code targeted for standard CPU architectures, GPGPU-equipped machines as well as distributed memory clusters. In this paper, EASEA is presented by its underlying algorithms and by some example problems. Achievable speedups are also shown onto different NVIDIA GPGPUs cards for different optimization algorithm families.     

Analysis of the Structure and Biosynthesis of the Lipopolysaccharide Core Oligosaccharide of Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), the major component of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria, is important for bacterial viability in general and host–pathogen interactions in particular. Negative charges at its core oligosaccharide (core-OS) contribute to membrane integrity through bridging interactions with divalent cations. The molecular structure and synthesis of the core-OS have been resolved in various bacteria including the mammalian pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. A few core-OS structures of plant-associated Pseudomonas strains have been solved to date, but the genetic components of the underlying biosynthesis remained unclear. We conducted a comparative genome analysis of the core-OS gene cluster in Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (Pst) DC3000, a widely used model pathogen in plant–microbe interactions, within the P. syringae species complex and to other plant-associated Pseudomonas strains. Our results suggest a genetic and structural conservation of the inner core-OS but variation in outer core-OS composition within the P. syringae species complex. Structural analysis of the core-OS of Pst DC3000 shows an uncommonly high phosphorylation and presence of an O-acetylated sugar. Finally, we combined the results of our genomic survey with available structure information to estimate the core-OS composition of other Pseudomonas species.     

The Multifunctional Sactipeptide Ruminococcin C1 Displays Potent Antibacterial Activity In Vivo as Well as Other Beneficial Properties for Human Health

The world is on the verge of a major antibiotic crisis as the emergence of resistant bacteria is increasing, and very few novel molecules have been discovered since the 1960s. In this context, scientists have been exploring alternatives to conventional antibiotics, such as ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs). Interestingly, the highly potent in vitro antibacterial activity and safety of ruminococcin C1, a recently discovered RiPP belonging to the sactipeptide subclass, has been demonstrated. The present results show that ruminococcin C1 is efficient at curing infection and at protecting challenged mice from Clostridium perfringens with a lower dose than the conventional antibiotic vancomycin. Moreover, antimicrobial peptide (AMP) is also effective against this pathogen in the complex microbial community of the gut environment, with a selective impact on a few bacterial genera, while maintaining a global homeostasis of the microbiome. In addition, ruminococcin C1 exhibits other biological activities that could be beneficial for human health, as well as other fields of applications. Overall, this study, by using an in vivo infection approach, confirms the antimicrobial clinical potential and highlights the multiple functional properties of ruminococcin C1, thus extending its therapeutic interest.