Hybrid of Genetic Programming with PBIL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Caldas, Gustavo Henrique Flores; Schirru, Roberto

2005-01-01

Genetic programming and PBIL (Population-Based Incremental Learning) are evolutionary algorithms that have found applications in several fields of application. The Genetic Programming searches a solution allowing that the individuals of a population modify, mainly, its structures. The PBIL, on the other hand, works with individuals of fixed structure and is particularly successful in finding numerical solutions. There are problems where the simultaneous adjustment of the structure and numerical constants in a solution is essential. The Symbolic Regression is an example where both the form and the constants of a mathematical expression must be found. Although the traditional Genetic Programming is capable to solve this problem by itself, it is interesting to explore a cooperation with the PBIL, allowing each algorithm to do only that they do best: the Genetic Programming tries to find a structure while the PBIL adjust the constants that will be enclosed in the structure. In this work, the benchmark 'the sextic polynomial regression problem' is used to compare some traditional techniques of Genetic Programming with the proposed Hybrid of Genetic Programming with PBIL. The results are presented and discussed. (author)

Applications of Genetic Programming

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gaunholt, Hans; Toma, Laura

1996-01-01

In this report a study of genetic programming (GP) has been performed with respect to a number of applications such as Symbolic function regression, Solving Symbolic Differential Equations, Image encoding, the ant problem etc.......In this report a study of genetic programming (GP) has been performed with respect to a number of applications such as Symbolic function regression, Solving Symbolic Differential Equations, Image encoding, the ant problem etc....

76 FR 9709 - Water Quality Challenges in the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary

Science.gov (United States)

2011-02-22

... Water Quality Challenges in the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary AGENCY... the San Francisco Bay/ Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary (Bay Delta Estuary) in California. EPA is... programs to address recent significant declines in multiple aquatic species in the Bay Delta Estuary. EPA...

Linear genetic programming

CERN Document Server

Brameier, Markus

2007-01-01

Presents a variant of Genetic Programming that evolves imperative computer programs as linear sequences of instructions, in contrast to the more traditional functional expressions or syntax trees. This book serves as a reference for researchers, but also contains sufficient introduction for students and those who are new to the field

Assessment of interim flow water-quality data of the San Joaquin River restoration program and implications for fishes, California, 2009-11

Science.gov (United States)

Wulff, Marissa L.; Brown, Larry R.

2015-01-01

After more than 50 years of extensive water diversion for urban and agriculture use, a major settlement was reached among the U.S. Departments of the Interior and Commerce, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Friant Water Users Authority in an effort to restore the San Joaquin River. The settlement received Federal court approval in October 2006 and established the San Joaquin River Restoration Program, a multi-agency collaboration between State and Federal agencies to restore and maintain fish populations, including Chinook salmon, in the main stem of the river between Friant Dam and the confluence with the Merced River. This is to be done while avoiding or minimizing adverse water supply effects to all of the Friant Division contractors that could result from restoration flows required by the settlement. The settlement stipulates that water- and sediment-quality data be collected to help assess the restoration goals. This report summarizes and evaluates water-quality data collected in the main stem of the San Joaquin River between Friant Dam and the Merced River by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for the San Joaquin River Restoration Program during 2009-11. This summary and assessment consider sampling frequency for adequate characterization of variability, sampling locations for sufficient characterization of the San Joaquin River Restoration Program restoration reach, sampling methods for appropriate media (water and sediment), and constituent reporting limits. After reviewing the water- and sediment-quality results for the San Joaquin River Restoration Program, several suggestions were made to the Fisheries Management Work Group, a division of the San Joaquin River Restoration Program that focuses solely on the reintroduction strategies and health of salmon and other native fishes in the river. Water-quality results for lead and total organic carbon exceeded the Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program Basin Plan Objectives for the San Joaquin Basin

Estimating the actual subject-specific genetic correlations in behavior genetics.

Science.gov (United States)

Molenaar, Peter C M

2012-10-01

Generalization of the standard behavior longitudinal genetic factor model for the analysis of interindividual phenotypic variation to a genetic state space model for the analysis of intraindividual variation enables the possibility to estimate subject-specific heritabilities.

Genetic programming theory and practice XII

CERN Document Server

Riolo, Rick; Kotanchek, Mark

2015-01-01

These contributions, written by the foremost international researchers and practitioners of Genetic Programming (GP), explore the synergy between theoretical and empirical results on real-world problems, producing a comprehensive view of the state of the art in GP. Topics in this volume include: gene expression regulation, novel genetic models for glaucoma, inheritable epigenetics, combinators in genetic programming, sequential symbolic regression, system dynamics, sliding window symbolic regression, large feature problems, alignment in the error space, HUMIE winners, Boolean multiplexer funct

Genetic specificity of face recognition.

Science.gov (United States)

Shakeshaft, Nicholas G; Plomin, Robert

2015-10-13

Specific cognitive abilities in diverse domains are typically found to be highly heritable and substantially correlated with general cognitive ability (g), both phenotypically and genetically. Recent twin studies have found the ability to memorize and recognize faces to be an exception, being similarly heritable but phenotypically substantially uncorrelated both with g and with general object recognition. However, the genetic relationships between face recognition and other abilities (the extent to which they share a common genetic etiology) cannot be determined from phenotypic associations. In this, to our knowledge, first study of the genetic associations between face recognition and other domains, 2,000 18- and 19-year-old United Kingdom twins completed tests assessing their face recognition, object recognition, and general cognitive abilities. Results confirmed the substantial heritability of face recognition (61%), and multivariate genetic analyses found that most of this genetic influence is unique and not shared with other cognitive abilities.

Genet-specific spawning patterns in Acropora palmata

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, M. W.; Williams, D. E.; Fisch, J.

2016-12-01

The broadcast spawning elkhorn coral, Acropora palmata, requires outcrossing among different genets for effective fertilization. Hence, a low density of genets in parts of its range emphasizes the need for precise synchrony among neighboring genets as sperm concentration dilutes rapidly in open-ocean conditions. We documented the genet-specific nightly occurrence of spawning of A. palmata over 8 yr in a depauperate population in the Florida Keys to better understand this potential reproductive hurdle. The observed population failed to spawn within the predicted monthly window (nights 2-6 after the full moon in August) in three of the 8 yr of observation; negligible spawning was observed in a fourth year. Moreover, genet-specific patterns are evident in that (1) certain genets have significantly greater odds of spawning overall and (2) certain genets predictably spawn on the earlier and others on the later lunar nights within the predicted window. Given the already low genet density in this population, this pattern implies a substantial degree of wasted reproductive effort and supports the hypothesis that depensatory factors are impairing recovery in this species.

Resistance Management for San Jose Scale (Hemiptera: Diaspididae).

Science.gov (United States)

Buzzetti, K; Chorbadjian, R A; Nauen, R

2015-12-01

The San Jose scale Diaspidiotus perniciosus Comstock is one of the most important pests of deciduous fruit trees. The major cause of recent outbreaks in apple orchards is thought to be the development of insecticide resistance, specifically organophosphates. The first report was given in North America, and now, in Chile. In the present study, San Jose scale populations collected from two central regions of Chile were checked for their susceptibility to different mode of action insecticides in order to establish alternatives to manage this pest. No evidence of cross resistance between organophosphates insecticides and acetamiprid, buprofezin, pyriproxyfen, spirotetramat, sulfoxaflor, or thiacloprid was found. Baselines of LC50-LC95 for different life stages of San Jose scale are given, as reference to future studies of resistance monitoring. The systemic activity of acetamiprid, spirotetramat, and thiacloprid was higher than the contact residue effect of these compounds. For sulfoxaflor, both values were similar. Program treatments including one or more of these compounds are compared in efficacy and impact on resistance ratio values. In order to preserve new insecticides as an important tool to control San Jose scale, resistance management programs should be implemented, considering insecticide mode of action classes alternated or mixed. © The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Behavioral program synthesis with genetic programming

CERN Document Server

Krawiec, Krzysztof

2016-01-01

Genetic programming (GP) is a popular heuristic methodology of program synthesis with origins in evolutionary computation. In this generate-and-test approach, candidate programs are iteratively produced and evaluated. The latter involves running programs on tests, where they exhibit complex behaviors reflected in changes of variables, registers, or memory. That behavior not only ultimately determines program output, but may also reveal its `hidden qualities' and important characteristics of the considered synthesis problem. However, the conventional GP is oblivious to most of that information and usually cares only about the number of tests passed by a program. This `evaluation bottleneck' leaves search algorithm underinformed about the actual and potential qualities of candidate programs. This book proposes behavioral program synthesis, a conceptual framework that opens GP to detailed information on program behavior in order to make program synthesis more efficient. Several existing and novel mechanisms subs...

Waterbird nest monitoring program in San Francisco Bay (2005-10)

Science.gov (United States)

Ackerman, Joshua T.; Herzog, Mark P.

2012-01-01

-Term Restoration Project, 2004); thus, specific efforts are planned to ensure that the Restoration Project enhances the habitats of the remaining salt ponds for breeding waterbirds.Here, we provide a summary of nesting ecology data for Forster’s Terns, American Avocets, and Black-necked Stilts, collected from 2005 to 2010 in the areas of the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project, including lands managed by the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge and Eden Landing Ecological Reserve. These results provide baseline conditions for breeding waterbirds prior to implementation of most restoration actions and can be used to both guide future restoration actions as well as to determine the effect of the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project on breeding waterbirds. It is imperative to continue to collect nesting waterbird data annually to assess the response of birds to the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project.

77 FR 59969 - Notice of Inventory Completion: San Francisco State University, Department of Anthropology, San...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-10-01

... Inventory Completion: San Francisco State University, Department of Anthropology, San Francisco, CA... Francisco State University, NAGPRA Program (formerly in the Department of Anthropology). The human remains... State University Department of Anthropology records. In the Federal Register (73 FR 30156-30158, May 23...

Genetic Network Programming with Reconstructed Individuals

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Fengming; Mabu, Shingo; Wang, Lutao; Eto, Shinji; Hirasawa, Kotaro

A lot of research on evolutionary computation has been done and some significant classical methods such as Genetic Algorithm (GA), Genetic Programming (GP), Evolutionary Programming (EP), and Evolution Strategies (ES) have been studied. Recently, a new approach named Genetic Network Programming (GNP) has been proposed. GNP can evolve itself and find the optimal solution. It is based on the idea of Genetic Algorithm and uses the data structure of directed graphs. Many papers have demonstrated that GNP can deal with complex problems in the dynamic environments very efficiently and effectively. As a result, recently, GNP is getting more and more attentions and is used in many different areas such as data mining, extracting trading rules of stock markets, elevator supervised control systems, etc., and GNP has obtained some outstanding results. Focusing on the GNP's distinguished expression ability of the graph structure, this paper proposes a method named Genetic Network Programming with Reconstructed Individuals (GNP-RI). The aim of GNP-RI is to balance the exploitation and exploration of GNP, that is, to strengthen the exploitation ability by using the exploited information extensively during the evolution process of GNP and finally obtain better performances than that of GNP. In the proposed method, the worse individuals are reconstructed and enhanced by the elite information before undergoing genetic operations (mutation and crossover). The enhancement of worse individuals mimics the maturing phenomenon in nature, where bad individuals can become smarter after receiving a good education. In this paper, GNP-RI is applied to the tile-world problem which is an excellent bench mark for evaluating the proposed architecture. The performance of GNP-RI is compared with that of the conventional GNP. The simulation results show some advantages of GNP-RI demonstrating its superiority over the conventional GNPs.

Developing robotic behavior using a genetic programming model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pryor, R.J.

1998-01-01

This report describes the methodology for using a genetic programming model to develop tracking behaviors for autonomous, microscale robotic vehicles. The use of such vehicles for surveillance and detection operations has become increasingly important in defense and humanitarian applications. Through an evolutionary process similar to that found in nature, the genetic programming model generates a computer program that when downloaded onto a robotic vehicle's on-board computer will guide the robot to successfully accomplish its task. Simulations of multiple robots engaged in problem-solving tasks have demonstrated cooperative behaviors. This report also discusses the behavior model produced by genetic programming and presents some results achieved during the study

Sex-specific genetic effects in physical activity: results from a quantitative genetic analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Diego, Vincent P; de Chaves, Raquel Nichele; Blangero, John; de Souza, Michele Caroline; Santos, Daniel; Gomes, Thayse Natacha; dos Santos, Fernanda Karina; Garganta, Rui; Katzmarzyk, Peter T; Maia, José A R

2015-08-01

The objective of this study is to present a model to estimate sex-specific genetic effects on physical activity (PA) levels and sedentary behaviour (SB) using three generation families. The sample consisted of 100 families covering three generations from Portugal. PA and SB were assessed via the International Physical Activity Questionnaire short form (IPAQ-SF). Sex-specific effects were assessed by genotype-by-sex interaction (GSI) models and sex-specific heritabilities. GSI effects and heterogeneity were tested in the residual environmental variance. SPSS 17 and SOLAR v. 4.1 were used in all computations. The genetic component for PA and SB domains varied from low to moderate (11% to 46%), when analyzing both genders combined. We found GSI effects for vigorous PA (p = 0.02) and time spent watching television (WT) (p < 0.001) that showed significantly higher additive genetic variance estimates in males. The heterogeneity in the residual environmental variance was significant for moderate PA (p = 0.02), vigorous PA (p = 0.006) and total PA (p = 0.001). Sex-specific heritability estimates were significantly higher in males only for WT, with a male-to-female difference in heritability of 42.5 (95% confidence interval: 6.4, 70.4). Low to moderate genetic effects on PA and SB traits were found. Results from the GSI model show that there are sex-specific effects in two phenotypes, VPA and WT with a stronger genetic influence in males.

Influence of pig genetic type on sensory properties and consumer acceptance of Parma, San Daniele and Toscano dry-cured hams.

Science.gov (United States)

Pagliarini, Ella; Laureati, Monica; Dinnella, Caterina; Monteleone, Erminio; Proserpio, Cristina; Piasentier, Edi

2016-02-01

This study investigated the sensory properties and acceptability of different Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) dry-cured hams. For each PDO, two genotypes were selected: IL×LW (reference hybrid) and Goland (commercial hybrid). According to descriptive analysis, genetic variance affected few attributes describing Toscano and San Daniele ham sensory quality. The commercial hybrid Parma ham was distinct from the traditional one, the Goland genotype being significantly higher in red color, saltiness, dryness and hardness and showing a lower intensity of pork-meat odor/flavor and sweetness than the IL×LW genotype. Consumer acceptance was mainly influenced by the PDO technology. A genotype effect on acceptance was only observed in Toscano ham. Principal component regression analysis revealed that Toscano ham was the preferred sample. Considering that the consumers involved were from Tuscany, it is likely that Toscano ham was preferred owing to their higher familiarity with this product. Sensory properties of ham samples were better discriminated according to their PDO than their genotype. Likewise, consumer liking was more affected by the specific PDO technology than by genetic type. Toscano ham was the most preferred and most familiar product among Tuscan consumers, indicating that familiarity with the product was the best driver of dry-cured ham preference. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Testing the Structure of Hydrological Models using Genetic Programming

Science.gov (United States)

Selle, B.; Muttil, N.

2009-04-01

Genetic Programming is able to systematically explore many alternative model structures of different complexity from available input and response data. We hypothesised that genetic programming can be used to test the structure hydrological models and to identify dominant processes in hydrological systems. To test this, genetic programming was used to analyse a data set from a lysimeter experiment in southeastern Australia. The lysimeter experiment was conducted to quantify the deep percolation response under surface irrigated pasture to different soil types, water table depths and water ponding times during surface irrigation. Using genetic programming, a simple model of deep percolation was consistently evolved in multiple model runs. This simple and interpretable model confirmed the dominant process contributing to deep percolation represented in a conceptual model that was published earlier. Thus, this study shows that genetic programming can be used to evaluate the structure of hydrological models and to gain insight about the dominant processes in hydrological systems.

Testing the structure of a hydrological model using Genetic Programming

Science.gov (United States)

Selle, Benny; Muttil, Nitin

2011-01-01

SummaryGenetic Programming is able to systematically explore many alternative model structures of different complexity from available input and response data. We hypothesised that Genetic Programming can be used to test the structure of hydrological models and to identify dominant processes in hydrological systems. To test this, Genetic Programming was used to analyse a data set from a lysimeter experiment in southeastern Australia. The lysimeter experiment was conducted to quantify the deep percolation response under surface irrigated pasture to different soil types, watertable depths and water ponding times during surface irrigation. Using Genetic Programming, a simple model of deep percolation was recurrently evolved in multiple Genetic Programming runs. This simple and interpretable model supported the dominant process contributing to deep percolation represented in a conceptual model that was published earlier. Thus, this study shows that Genetic Programming can be used to evaluate the structure of hydrological models and to gain insight about the dominant processes in hydrological systems.

San Francisco Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund

Science.gov (United States)

EPAs grant program to protect and restore San Francisco Bay. The San Francisco Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund (SFBWQIF) has invested in 58 projects along with 70 partners contributing to restore wetlands, water quality, and reduce polluted runoff.,

Milestone-specific, Observed data points for evaluating levels of performance (MODEL) assessment strategy for anesthesiology residency programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Nagy, Christopher J; Fitzgerald, Brian M; Kraus, Gregory P

2014-01-01

Anesthesiology residency programs will be expected to have Milestones-based evaluation systems in place by July 2014 as part of the Next Accreditation System. The San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium (SAUSHEC) anesthesiology residency program developed and implemented a Milestones-based feedback and evaluation system a year ahead of schedule. It has been named the Milestone-specific, Observed Data points for Evaluating Levels of performance (MODEL) assessment strategy. The "MODEL Menu" and the "MODEL Blueprint" are tools that other anesthesiology residency programs can use in developing their own Milestones-based feedback and evaluation systems prior to ACGME-required implementation. Data from our early experience with the streamlined MODEL blueprint assessment strategy showed substantially improved faculty compliance with reporting requirements. The MODEL assessment strategy provides programs with a workable assessment method for residents, and important Milestones data points to programs for ACGME reporting.

Chromosome-specific staining to detect genetic rearrangements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gray, Joe W.; Pinkel, Daniel; Tkachuk, Douglas; Westbrook, Carol

2013-04-09

Methods and compositions for staining based upon nucleic acid sequence that employ nucleic acid probes are provided. Said methods produce staining patterns that can be tailored for specific cytogenetic analyzes. Said probes are appropriate for in situ hybridization and stain both interphase and metaphase chromosomal material with reliable signals. The nucleic acid probes are typically of a complexity greater than 50 kb, the complexity depending upon the cytogenetic application. Methods and reagents are provided for the detection of genetic rearrangements. Probes and test kits are provided for use in detecting genetic rearrangements, particularly for use in tumor cytogenetics, in the detection of disease related loci, specifically cancer, such as chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and for biological dosimetry. Methods and reagents are described for cytogenetic research, for the differentiation of cytogenetically similar but genetically different diseases, and for many prognostic and diagnostic applications.

Genetics Education in Nurse Residency Programs: A Natural Fit.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamilton, Nalo M; Stenman, Christina W; Sang, Elaine; Palmer, Christina

2017-08-01

Scientific advances are shedding light on the genetic underpinning of common diseases. With such insight, the entire health care team is faced with the need to address patient questions regarding genetic risk, testing, and the psychosocial aspects of genetics information. Nurses are in a prime position to help with patient education about genetic conditions, yet they often lack adequate genetics education within their nursing curriculum to address patient questions and provide resources. One mechanism to address this knowledge deficit is the incorporation of a genetics-based curriculum into nurse residency programs. This article describes a novel genetics-based curriculum designed and implemented in the UCLA Health System Nurse Residency Program. J Contin Educ Nurs. 2017;48(8):379-384. Copyright 2017, SLACK Incorporated.

Epileptic MEG Spike Detection Using Statistical Features and Genetic Programming with KNN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Turky N. Alotaiby

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. Monitoring the brain activities and identifying the seizure source which starts with spike detection are important steps for epilepsy treatment. Magnetoencephalography (MEG is an emerging epileptic diagnostic tool with high-density sensors; this makes manual analysis a challenging task due to the vast amount of MEG data. This paper explores the use of eight statistical features and genetic programing (GP with the K-nearest neighbor (KNN for interictal spike detection. The proposed method is comprised of three stages: preprocessing, genetic programming-based feature generation, and classification. The effectiveness of the proposed approach has been evaluated using real MEG data obtained from 28 epileptic patients. It has achieved a 91.75% average sensitivity and 92.99% average specificity.

Automatic Construction of Java Programs from Functional Program Specifications

OpenAIRE

Md. Humayun Kabir

2015-01-01

This paper presents a novel approach to construct Java programs automatically from the input functional program specifications on natural numbers from the constructive proofs of the input specifications using an inductive theorem prover called Poiti'n. The construction of a Java program from the input functional program specification involves two phases. The theorem prover is used to construct a higher order functional (HOF) program from the input specification expressed as an existential the...

Genetic Programming for Medicinal Plant Family Identification System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Indra Laksmana

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Information about medicinal plants that is available in text documents is generally quite easy to access, however, one needs some efforts to use it. This research was aimed at utilizing crucial information taken from a text document to identify the family of several species of medicinal plants using a heuristic approach, i.e. genetic programming. Each of the species has its unique features. The genetic program puts the characteristics or special features of each family into a tree form. There are a number of processes involved in the investigated method, i.e. data acquisition, booleanization, grouping of training and test data, evaluation, and analysis. The genetic program uses a training process to select the best individual, initializes a generate-rule process to create several individuals and then executes a fitness evaluation. The next procedure is a genetic operation process, which consists of tournament selection to choose the best individual based on a fitness value, the crossover operation and the mutation operation. These operations have the purpose of complementing the individual. The best individual acquired is the expected solution, which is a rule for classifying medicinal plants. This process produced three rules, one for each plant family, displaying a feature structure that distinguishes each of the families from each other. The genetic program then used these rules to identify the medicinal plants, achieving an average accuracy of 86.47%.

San Diego Multiple Species Conservation Program (MSCP) Rare Plant Monitoring Review and Revision

Science.gov (United States)

McEachern, Kathryn; Pavlik, Bruce M.; Rebman, Jon; Sutter, Rob

2007-01-01

Introduction The San Diego Multiple Species Conservation Program (MSCP) was developed for the conservation of plants and animals in the south part of San Diego County, under the California Natural Community Conservation Planning Act of 1991 (California Department of Fish and Game) and the Federal Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S. Code 1531-1544.) The Program is on the leading edge of conservation, as it seeks to both guide development and conserve at-risk species with the oversight of both State and Federal agencies. Lands were identified for inclusion in the MSCP based on their value as habitat for at-risk plants or plant communities (Natural Community Conservation Planning, 2005). Since its inception in the mid-1990s the Program has protected over 100,000 acres, involving 15 jurisdictions and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) in the conservation of 87 taxa. Surveys for covered species have been conducted, and management and monitoring have been implemented at some high priority sites. Each jurisdiction or agency manages and monitors their conservation areas independently, while collaborating regionally for long-term protection. The San Diego MSCP is on the forefront of conservation, in one of the most rapidly growing urban areas of the country. The planning effort that developed the MSCP was state-of-the-art, using expert knowledge, spatial habitat modeling, and principles of preserve design to identify and prioritize areas for protection. Land acquisition and protection are ahead of schedule for most jurisdictions. Surveys have verified the locations of many rare plant populations known from earlier collections, and they provide general information on population size and health useful for further conservation planning. Management plans have been written or are in development for most MSCP parcels under jurisdictional control. Several agencies are developing databases for implementation

Coastal Cactus Wren, San Diego Co. - 2009 [ds702

Data.gov (United States)

California Natural Resource Agency — The San Diego Multiple Species Conservation program (MSCP) was developed for the conservation of plants and animals in the southeast portion of San Diego County....

Coastal Cactus Wren, San Diego Co. - 2011 [ds708

Data.gov (United States)

California Natural Resource Agency — The San Diego Multiple Species Conservation program (MSCP) was developed for the conservation of plants and animals in the southeast portion of San Diego County....

Community "San Gregorio." A Christian Educative Response to the Problem of Drug Abuse in Youth Aged 12-18 Years.

Science.gov (United States)

Lamus, Jose Antonio Lopez; Sarmiento, Albeiro Saldana

This pamphlet describes the "San Gregorio" pilot program in Latin America, the first of its type on the continent as a program specifically for adolescent drug addicts. The Christian educative program is designed for males 12-18 years of age, who are addicted to psycho-active substances and evidence serious behavioral problems. It is…

Genetic algorithms and genetic programming for multiscale modeling: Applications in materials science and chemistry and advances in scalability

Science.gov (United States)

Sastry, Kumara Narasimha

2007-03-01

Effective and efficient rnultiscale modeling is essential to advance both the science and synthesis in a, wide array of fields such as physics, chemistry, materials science; biology, biotechnology and pharmacology. This study investigates the efficacy and potential of rising genetic algorithms for rnultiscale materials modeling and addresses some of the challenges involved in designing competent algorithms that solve hard problems quickly, reliably and accurately. In particular, this thesis demonstrates the use of genetic algorithms (GAs) and genetic programming (GP) in multiscale modeling with the help of two non-trivial case studies in materials science and chemistry. The first case study explores the utility of genetic programming (GP) in multi-timescaling alloy kinetics simulations. In essence, GP is used to bridge molecular dynamics and kinetic Monte Carlo methods to span orders-of-magnitude in simulation time. Specifically, GP is used to regress symbolically an inline barrier function from a limited set of molecular dynamics simulations to enable kinetic Monte Carlo that simulate seconds of real time. Results on a non-trivial example of vacancy-assisted migration on a surface of a face-centered cubic (fcc) Copper-Cobalt (CuxCo 1-x) alloy show that GP predicts all barriers with 0.1% error from calculations for less than 3% of active configurations, independent of type of potentials used to obtain the learning set of barriers via molecular dynamics. The resulting method enables 2--9 orders-of-magnitude increase in real-time dynamics simulations taking 4--7 orders-of-magnitude less CPU time. The second case study presents the application of multiobjective genetic algorithms (MOGAs) in multiscaling quantum chemistry simulations. Specifically, MOGAs are used to bridge high-level quantum chemistry and semiempirical methods to provide accurate representation of complex molecular excited-state and ground-state behavior. Results on ethylene and benzene---two common

Toxic phytoplankton in San Francisco Bay

Science.gov (United States)

Rodgers, Kristine M.; Garrison, David L.; Cloern, James E.

1996-01-01

The Regional Monitoring Program (RMP) was conceived and designed to document the changing distribution and effects of trace substances in San Francisco Bay, with focus on toxic contaminants that have become enriched by human inputs. However, coastal ecosystems like San Francisco Bay also have potential sources of naturally-produced toxic substances that can disrupt food webs and, under extreme circumstances, become threats to public health. The most prevalent source of natural toxins is from blooms of algal species that can synthesize metabolites that are toxic to invertebrates or vertebrates. Although San Francisco Bay is nutrient-rich, it has so far apparently been immune from the epidemic of harmful algal blooms in the world’s nutrient-enriched coastal waters. This absence of acute harmful blooms does not imply that San Francisco Bay has unique features that preclude toxic blooms. No sampling program has been implemented to document the occurrence of toxin-producing algae in San Francisco Bay, so it is difficult to judge the likelihood of such events in the future. This issue is directly relevant to the goals of RMP because harmful species of phytoplankton have the potential to disrupt ecosystem processes that support animal populations, cause severe illness or death in humans, and confound the outcomes of toxicity bioassays such as those included in the RMP. Our purpose here is to utilize existing data on the phytoplankton community of San Francisco Bay to provide a provisional statement about the occurrence, distribution, and potential threats of harmful algae in this Estuary.

Concept Paper for Real-Time Temperature and Water QualityManagement for San Joaquin River Riparian Habitat Restoration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Quinn, Nigel W.T.

2004-12-20

The San Joaquin River Riparian Habitat Restoration Program (SJRRP) has recognized the potential importance of real-time monitoring and management to the success of the San Joaquin River (SJR) restoration endeavor. The first step to realizing making real-time management a reality on the middle San Joaquin River between Friant Dam and the Merced River will be the installation and operation of a network of permanent telemetered gauging stations that will allow optimization of reservoir releases made specifically for fish water temperature management. Given the limited reservoir storage volume available to the SJJRP, this functionality will allow the development of an adaptive management program, similar in concept to the VAMP though with different objectives. The virtue of this approach is that as management of the middle SJR becomes more routine, additional sensors can be added to the sensor network, initially deployed, to continue to improve conditions for anadromous fish.

Amount of Genetics Education is Low Among Didactic Programs in Dietetics.

Science.gov (United States)

Beretich, Kaitlan; Pope, Janet; Erickson, Dawn; Kennedy, Angela

2017-01-01

Nutritional genomics is a growing area of research. Research has shown registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) have limited knowledge of genetics. Limited research is available regarding how didactic programs in dietetics (DPDs) meet the genetics knowledge requirement of the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND®). The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which the study of nutritional genomics is incorporated into undergraduate DPDs in response to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics position statement on nutritional genomics. The sample included 62 DPD directors in the U.S. Most programs (63.9%) reported the ACEND genetics knowledge requirement was being met by integrating genetic information into the current curriculum. However, 88.7% of programs reported devoting only 1-10 clock hours to genetics education. While 60.3% of directors surveyed reported they were confident in their program's ability to teach information related to genetics, only 6 directors reported having specialized training in genetics. The overall amount of clock hours devoted to genetics education is low. DPD directors, faculty, and instructors are not adequately trained to provide this education to students enrolled in DPDs. Therefore, the primary recommendation of this study is the development of a standardized curriculum for genetics education in DPDs.

San Jose Accord: energy aid or petroleum-marketing strategy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1982-09-30

The San Jose Accord was signed in San Jose, Costa Rica on August 3, 1980 by the Presidents of Venezuela and Mexico, whereby the two countries mutually committed to supply the net imported domestic oil consumption of several Central American and Caribbean countries. Countries initially participating in the program are: Barbados, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua, and Panama. Seven eastern Caribbean countries were to meet on October 7 to petition for inclusion in the Accord, namely: Antigua, St. Kitt/Nevis, Montserrat, Dominica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and Grenada. The official language of the Accord is presented, and the operative status of the Accord two years after signing is discussed. Specific briefs about some of the individual countries in the Accord are included. The fuel price/tax series for the Western Hemisphere countries is updated.

Portfolio optimization by using linear programing models based on genetic algorithm

Science.gov (United States)

Sukono; Hidayat, Y.; Lesmana, E.; Putra, A. S.; Napitupulu, H.; Supian, S.

2018-01-01

In this paper, we discussed the investment portfolio optimization using linear programming model based on genetic algorithms. It is assumed that the portfolio risk is measured by absolute standard deviation, and each investor has a risk tolerance on the investment portfolio. To complete the investment portfolio optimization problem, the issue is arranged into a linear programming model. Furthermore, determination of the optimum solution for linear programming is done by using a genetic algorithm. As a numerical illustration, we analyze some of the stocks traded on the capital market in Indonesia. Based on the analysis, it is shown that the portfolio optimization performed by genetic algorithm approach produces more optimal efficient portfolio, compared to the portfolio optimization performed by a linear programming algorithm approach. Therefore, genetic algorithms can be considered as an alternative on determining the investment portfolio optimization, particularly using linear programming models.

Biological and associated water-quality data for lower Olmos Creek and upper San Antonio River, San Antonio, Texas, March-October 1990

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, R. Lynn

1995-01-01

Biological and associated water-quality data were collected from lower Olmos Creek and upper San Antonio River in San Antonio, Texas, during March-October 1990, the second year of a multiyear data-collection program. The data will be used to document water-quality conditions prior to implementation of a proposal to reuse treated wastewater to irrigate city properties in Olmos Basin and Brackenridge Parks and to augment flows in the Olmos Creek/San Antonio River system.

Routine human-competitive machine intelligence by means of genetic programming

Science.gov (United States)

Koza, John R.; Streeter, Matthew J.; Keane, Martin

2004-01-01

Genetic programming is a systematic method for getting computers to automatically solve a problem. Genetic programming starts from a high-level statement of what needs to be done and automatically creates a computer program to solve the problem. The paper demonstrates that genetic programming (1) now routinely delivers high-return human-competitive machine intelligence; (2) is an automated invention machine; (3) can automatically create a general solution to a problem in the form of a parameterized topology; and (4) has delivered a progression of qualitatively more substantial results in synchrony with five approximately order-of-magnitude increases in the expenditure of computer time. Recent results involving the automatic synthesis of the topology and sizing of analog electrical circuits and controllers demonstrate these points.

Trends in genome-wide and region-specific genetic diversity in the Dutch-Flemish Holstein-Friesian breeding program from 1986 to 2015.

Science.gov (United States)

Doekes, Harmen P; Veerkamp, Roel F; Bijma, Piter; Hiemstra, Sipke J; Windig, Jack J

2018-04-11

In recent decades, Holstein-Friesian (HF) selection schemes have undergone profound changes, including the introduction of optimal contribution selection (OCS; around 2000), a major shift in breeding goal composition (around 2000) and the implementation of genomic selection (GS; around 2010). These changes are expected to have influenced genetic diversity trends. Our aim was to evaluate genome-wide and region-specific diversity in HF artificial insemination (AI) bulls in the Dutch-Flemish breeding program from 1986 to 2015. Pedigree and genotype data (~ 75.5 k) of 6280 AI-bulls were used to estimate rates of genome-wide inbreeding and kinship and corresponding effective population sizes. Region-specific inbreeding trends were evaluated using regions of homozygosity (ROH). Changes in observed allele frequencies were compared to those expected under pure drift to identify putative regions under selection. We also investigated the direction of changes in allele frequency over time. Effective population size estimates for the 1986-2015 period ranged from 69 to 102. Two major breakpoints were observed in genome-wide inbreeding and kinship trends. Around 2000, inbreeding and kinship levels temporarily dropped. From 2010 onwards, they steeply increased, with pedigree-based, ROH-based and marker-based inbreeding rates as high as 1.8, 2.1 and 2.8% per generation, respectively. Accumulation of inbreeding varied substantially across the genome. A considerable fraction of markers showed changes in allele frequency that were greater than expected under pure drift. Putative selected regions harboured many quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated to a wide range of traits. In consecutive 5-year periods, allele frequencies changed more often in the same direction than in opposite directions, except when comparing the 1996-2000 and 2001-2005 periods. Genome-wide and region-specific diversity trends reflect major changes in the Dutch-Flemish HF breeding program. Introduction of

Developing close combat behaviors for simulated soldiers using genetic programming techniques.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pryor, Richard J.; Schaller, Mark J.

2003-10-01

Genetic programming is a powerful methodology for automatically producing solutions to problems in a variety of domains. It has been used successfully to develop behaviors for RoboCup soccer players and simple combat agents. We will attempt to use genetic programming to solve a problem in the domain of strategic combat, keeping in mind the end goal of developing sophisticated behaviors for compound defense and infiltration. The simplified problem at hand is that of two armed agents in a small room, containing obstacles, fighting against each other for survival. The base case and three changes are considered: a memory of positions using stacks, context-dependent genetic programming, and strongly typed genetic programming. Our work demonstrates slight improvements from the first two techniques, and no significant improvement from the last.

Including nonadditive genetic effects in mating programs to maximize dairy farm profitability.

Science.gov (United States)

Aliloo, H; Pryce, J E; González-Recio, O; Cocks, B G; Goddard, M E; Hayes, B J

2017-02-01

We compared the outcome of mating programs based on different evaluation models that included nonadditive genetic effects (dominance and heterozygosity) in addition to additive effects. The additive and dominance marker effects and the values of regression on average heterozygosity were estimated using 632,003 single nucleotide polymorphisms from 7,902 and 7,510 Holstein cows with calving interval and production (milk, fat, and protein yields) records, respectively. Expected progeny values were computed based on the estimated genetic effects and genotype probabilities of hypothetical progeny from matings between the available genotyped cows and the top 50 young genomic bulls. An index combining the traits based on their economic values was developed and used to evaluate the performance of different mating scenarios in terms of dollar profit. We observed that mating programs with nonadditive genetic effects performed better than a model with only additive effects. Mating programs with dominance and heterozygosity effects increased milk, fat, and protein yields by up to 38, 1.57, and 1.21 kg, respectively. The inclusion of dominance and heterozygosity effects decreased calving interval by up to 0.70 d compared with random mating. The average reduction in progeny inbreeding by the inclusion of nonadditive genetic effects in matings compared with random mating was between 0.25 to 1.57 and 0.64 to 1.57 percentage points for calving interval and production traits, respectively. The reduction in inbreeding was accompanied by an average of A$8.42 (Australian dollars) more profit per mating for a model with additive, dominance, and heterozygosity effects compared with random mating. Mate allocations that benefit from nonadditive genetic effects can improve progeny performance only in the generation where it is being implemented, and the gain from specific combining abilities cannot be accumulated over generations. Continuous updating of genomic predictions and mate

Genetic programming applied to RFI mitigation in radio astronomy

Science.gov (United States)

Staats, K.

2016-12-01

Genetic Programming is a type of machine learning that employs a stochastic search of a solutions space, genetic operators, a fitness function, and multiple generations of evolved programs to resolve a user-defined task, such as the classification of data. At the time of this research, the application of machine learning to radio astronomy was relatively new, with a limited number of publications on the subject. Genetic Programming had never been applied, and as such, was a novel approach to this challenging arena. Foundational to this body of research, the application Karoo GP was developed in the programming language Python following the fundamentals of tree-based Genetic Programming described in "A Field Guide to Genetic Programming" by Poli, et al. Karoo GP was tasked with the classification of data points as signal or radio frequency interference (RFI) generated by instruments and machinery which makes challenging astronomers' ability to discern the desired targets. The training data was derived from the output of an observation run of the KAT-7 radio telescope array built by the South African Square Kilometre Array (SKA-SA). Karoo GP, kNN, and SVM were comparatively employed, the outcome of which provided noteworthy correlations between input parameters, the complexity of the evolved hypotheses, and performance of raw data versus engineered features. This dissertation includes description of novel approaches to GP, such as upper and lower limits to the size of syntax trees, an auto-scaling multiclass classifier, and a Numpy array element manager. In addition to the research conducted at the SKA-SA, it is described how Karoo GP was applied to fine-tuning parameters of a weather prediction model at the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO), to glitch classification at the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO), and to astro-particle physics at The Ohio State University.

77 FR 48532 - Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: San Diego State University, San Diego, CA

Science.gov (United States)

2012-08-14

... Management Program, in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribe, has determined that the cultural items... itself to be culturally affiliated with the cultural items may contact San Diego State University Archaeology Collections Management Program. DATES: Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes it has a...

Applications of genetic programming in cancer research.

Science.gov (United States)

Worzel, William P; Yu, Jianjun; Almal, Arpit A; Chinnaiyan, Arul M

2009-02-01

The theory of Darwinian evolution is the fundamental keystones of modern biology. Late in the last century, computer scientists began adapting its principles, in particular natural selection, to complex computational challenges, leading to the emergence of evolutionary algorithms. The conceptual model of selective pressure and recombination in evolutionary algorithms allow scientists to efficiently search high dimensional space for solutions to complex problems. In the last decade, genetic programming has been developed and extensively applied for analysis of molecular data to classify cancer subtypes and characterize the mechanisms of cancer pathogenesis and development. This article reviews current successes using genetic programming and discusses its potential impact in cancer research and treatment in the near future.

75 FR 65985 - Safety Zone: Epic Roasthouse Private Party Firework Display, San Francisco, CA

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-27

... the navigable waters of San Francisco Bay 1,000 yards off Epic Roasthouse Restaurant, San Francisco.... Wright, Program Manager, Docket Operations, telephone 202-366-9826. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulatory... waters of San Francisco Bay, 1,000 yards off Epic Roasthouse Restaurant, San Francisco, CA. The fireworks...

Building-owners energy-education program. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1981-12-01

The objectives of the program are to develop and test market a cogent education program aimed specifically at building owners to help them be more decisive and knowledgeable, and to motivate them to direct their managers and professionals to implement a rational plan for achieving energy conservation in their commercial office buildings and to establish a plan, sponsored by the Building Owners and Managers Association International (BOMA) to implement this educational program on a nation-wide basis. San Francisco, Chicago, and Atlanta were chosen for test marketing a model program. The procedure used in making the energy survey is described. Energy survey results of participating buildings in San Francisco, Chicago, and Atlanta are summarized. (MCW)

1993 Annual Report: San Francisco estuary regional monitoring program for trace substances

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, B.; Lacy, Jessica; Hardin, Dane; Grovhaug, Tom; Taberski, K.; Jassby, Alan D.; Cloern, James E.; Caffrey, J.; Cole, B.; Schoellhamer, David H.

1993-01-01

This first annual report of the San Francisco Estuary Regional Monitoring Program contains the results of monitoring measurements made in 1993. Measurements of conventional water quality parameters and trace contaminant concentrations were made at 16 stations throughout the Estuary three times during the year: the wet period (March), during declining Delta outflow (May), and during the dry period (September). Water toxicity tests were conducted at 8 of those stations. Measurements of sediment quality and contaminant concentrations were made at the same 16 stations during the wet and dry sampling periods. Sediment toxicity was measured at 8 of those stations. Transplanted, bagged bivalve bioaccumulation and condition was measured at 11 stations during the wet and dry sampling periods.

Genetic programs can be compressed and autonomously decompressed in live cells

Science.gov (United States)

Lapique, Nicolas; Benenson, Yaakov

2018-04-01

Fundamental computer science concepts have inspired novel information-processing molecular systems in test tubes1-13 and genetically encoded circuits in live cells14-21. Recent research has shown that digital information storage in DNA, implemented using deep sequencing and conventional software, can approach the maximum Shannon information capacity22 of two bits per nucleotide23. In nature, DNA is used to store genetic programs, but the information content of the encoding rarely approaches this maximum24. We hypothesize that the biological function of a genetic program can be preserved while reducing the length of its DNA encoding and increasing the information content per nucleotide. Here we support this hypothesis by describing an experimental procedure for compressing a genetic program and its subsequent autonomous decompression and execution in human cells. As a test-bed we choose an RNAi cell classifier circuit25 that comprises redundant DNA sequences and is therefore amenable for compression, as are many other complex gene circuits15,18,26-28. In one example, we implement a compressed encoding of a ten-gene four-input AND gate circuit using only four genetic constructs. The compression principles applied to gene circuits can enable fitting complex genetic programs into DNA delivery vehicles with limited cargo capacity, and storing compressed and biologically inert programs in vivo for on-demand activation.

Ground-Water Quality Data in the San Fernando-San Gabriel Study Unit, 2005 - Results from the California GAMA Program

Science.gov (United States)

Land, Michael; Belitz, Kenneth

2008-01-01

Ground-water quality in the approximately 460 square mile San Fernando-San Gabriel study unit (SFSG) was investigated between May and July 2005 as part of the Priority Basin Assessment Project of the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The GAMA Priority Basin Assessment Project was developed in response to the Groundwater Quality Monitoring Act of 2001 and is being conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB). The San Fernando-San Gabriel study was designed to provide a spatially unbiased assessment of raw ground-water quality within SFSG, as well as a statistically consistent basis for comparing water quality throughout California. Samples were collected from 52 wells in Los Angeles County. Thirty-five of the wells were selected using a spatially distributed, randomized grid-based method to provide statistical representation of the study area (grid wells), and seventeen wells were selected to aid in the evaluation of specific water-quality issues or changes in water chemistry along a historic ground-water flow path (understanding wells). The ground-water samples were analyzed for a large number of synthetic organic constituents [volatile organic compounds (VOCs), pesticides and pesticide degradates], constituents of special interest [perchlorate, N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), 1,2,3-trichloropropane (1,2,3-TCP), and 1,4-dioxane], naturally occurring inorganic constituents (nutrients, major and minor ions, and trace elements), radioactive constituents, and microbial indicators. Naturally occurring isotopes (tritium, and carbon-14, and stable isotopes of hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon), and dissolved noble gases also were measured to help identify the source and age of the sampled ground water. Quality-control samples (blanks, replicates, samples for matrix spikes) were collected at approximately one-fifth (11 of 52) of the wells, and the results for these

Empirical valence bond models for reactive potential energy surfaces: a parallel multilevel genetic program approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Bellucci, Michael A; Coker, David F

2011-07-28

We describe a new method for constructing empirical valence bond potential energy surfaces using a parallel multilevel genetic program (PMLGP). Genetic programs can be used to perform an efficient search through function space and parameter space to find the best functions and sets of parameters that fit energies obtained by ab initio electronic structure calculations. Building on the traditional genetic program approach, the PMLGP utilizes a hierarchy of genetic programming on two different levels. The lower level genetic programs are used to optimize coevolving populations in parallel while the higher level genetic program (HLGP) is used to optimize the genetic operator probabilities of the lower level genetic programs. The HLGP allows the algorithm to dynamically learn the mutation or combination of mutations that most effectively increase the fitness of the populations, causing a significant increase in the algorithm's accuracy and efficiency. The algorithm's accuracy and efficiency is tested against a standard parallel genetic program with a variety of one-dimensional test cases. Subsequently, the PMLGP is utilized to obtain an accurate empirical valence bond model for proton transfer in 3-hydroxy-gamma-pyrone in gas phase and protic solvent. © 2011 American Institute of Physics

Selecting the Best Forecasting-Implied Volatility Model Using Genetic Programming

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wafa Abdelmalek

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The volatility is a crucial variable in option pricing and hedging strategies. The aim of this paper is to provide some initial evidence of the empirical relevance of genetic programming to volatility's forecasting. By using real data from S&P500 index options, the genetic programming's ability to forecast Black and Scholes-implied volatility is compared between time series samples and moneyness-time to maturity classes. Total and out-of-sample mean squared errors are used as forecasting's performance measures. Comparisons reveal that the time series model seems to be more accurate in forecasting-implied volatility than moneyness time to maturity models. Overall, results are strongly encouraging and suggest that the genetic programming approach works well in solving financial problems.

Implementation of genetic conservation practices in a muskellunge propagation and stocking program

Science.gov (United States)

Jennings, Martin J.; Sloss, Brian L.; Hatzenbeler, Gene R.; Kampa, Jeffrey M.; Simonson, Timothy D.; Avelallemant, Steven P.; Lindenberger, Gary A.; Underwood, Bruce D.

2010-01-01

Conservation of genetic resources is a challenging issue for agencies managing popular sport fishes. To address the ongoing potential for genetic risks, we developed a comprehensive set of recommendations to conserve genetic diversity of muskellunge (Esox masquinongy) in Wisconsin, and evaluated the extent to which the recommendations can be implemented. Although some details are specific to Wisconsin's muskellunge propagation program, many of the practical issues affecting implementation are applicable to other species and production systems. We developed guidelines to restrict future broodstock collection operations to lakes with natural reproduction and to develop a set of brood lakes to use on a rotational basis within regional stock boundaries, but implementation will require considering lakes with variable stocking histories. Maintaining an effective population size sufficient to minimize the risk of losing alleles requires limiting broodstock collection to large lakes. Recommendations to better approximate the temporal distribution of spawning in hatchery operations and randomize selection of brood fish are feasible. Guidelines to modify rearing and distribution procedures face some logistic constraints. An evaluation of genetic diversity of hatchery-produced fish during 2008 demonstrated variable success representing genetic variation of the source population. Continued evaluation of hatchery operations will optimize operational efficiency while moving toward genetic conservation goals.

San Francisco Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund Map Service, San Francisco CA, 2012, US EPA Region 9

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — The San Francisco Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund is a competitive grant program that is helping implement TMDLs to improve water quality, protect wetlands, and...

San Francisco Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund Project Locations, San Francisco CA, 2017, US EPA Region 9

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — The San Francisco Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund is a competitive grant program that is helping implement TMDLs to improve water quality, protect wetlands, and...

A Constraint programming-based genetic algorithm for capacity output optimization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kate Ean Nee Goh

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Purpose: The manuscript presents an investigation into a constraint programming-based genetic algorithm for capacity output optimization in a back-end semiconductor manufacturing company.Design/methodology/approach: In the first stage, constraint programming defining the relationships between variables was formulated into the objective function. A genetic algorithm model was created in the second stage to optimize capacity output. Three demand scenarios were applied to test the robustness of the proposed algorithm.Findings: CPGA improved both the machine utilization and capacity output once the minimum requirements of a demand scenario were fulfilled. Capacity outputs of the three scenarios were improved by 157%, 7%, and 69%, respectively.Research limitations/implications: The work relates to aggregate planning of machine capacity in a single case study. The constraints and constructed scenarios were therefore industry-specific.Practical implications: Capacity planning in a semiconductor manufacturing facility need to consider multiple mutually influenced constraints in resource availability, process flow and product demand. The findings prove that CPGA is a practical and an efficient alternative to optimize the capacity output and to allow the company to review its capacity with quick feedback.Originality/value: The work integrates two contemporary computational methods for a real industry application conventionally reliant on human judgement.

Petrological and geochemical characterization of the plutonic rocks of the Sierra de La Aguada, Province of San Luis, Argentina: Genetic implications with the Famatinian magmatic arc

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. Cristofolini

2017-07-01

Full Text Available This study presents a synthesis on the geology of the crystalline complex that constitute the Sierra de la Aguada, San Luis province, Argentine, from an approach based on field relations, petrologic and structural features and geochemical characteristic. This mountain range exposes a basement dominated by intermediate to mafic calcalkaline igneous rocks and peraluminous felsic granitoids, both emplaced in low to medium grade metamorphic rocks stabilized under low amphibolite facies. All this lithological terrane has been grouped in the El Carrizal-La Aguada Complex. Field relations, petrographic characterization and geochemical comparison of the plutonic rocks from the study area with those belonging to the Ordovician Famatinian suit exposed in the Sierra Grande de San Luis, suggest a genetic and temporal relation linked to the development of the Famatinian magmatic arc.

Algorithmic Trading with Developmental and Linear Genetic Programming

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Garnett; Banzhaf, Wolfgang

A developmental co-evolutionary genetic programming approach (PAM DGP) and a standard linear genetic programming (LGP) stock trading systemare applied to a number of stocks across market sectors. Both GP techniques were found to be robust to market fluctuations and reactive to opportunities associated with stock price rise and fall, with PAMDGP generating notably greater profit in some stock trend scenarios. Both algorithms were very accurate at buying to achieve profit and selling to protect assets, while exhibiting bothmoderate trading activity and the ability to maximize or minimize investment as appropriate. The content of the trading rules produced by both algorithms are also examined in relation to stock price trend scenarios.

San Francisco urban partnership agreement, national evaluation : exogenous factors test plan.

Science.gov (United States)

2011-06-01

This report presents the test plan for collecting and analyzing exogenous factors data for the San Francisco Urban : Partnership Agreement (UPA) under the United States Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) UPA Program. : The San Francisco UPA proj...

Evolving rule-based systems in two medical domains using genetic programming.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsakonas, Athanasios; Dounias, Georgios; Jantzen, Jan; Axer, Hubertus; Bjerregaard, Beth; von Keyserlingk, Diedrich Graf

2004-11-01

To demonstrate and compare the application of different genetic programming (GP) based intelligent methodologies for the construction of rule-based systems in two medical domains: the diagnosis of aphasia's subtypes and the classification of pap-smear examinations. Past data representing (a) successful diagnosis of aphasia's subtypes from collaborating medical experts through a free interview per patient, and (b) correctly classified smears (images of cells) by cyto-technologists, previously stained using the Papanicolaou method. Initially a hybrid approach is proposed, which combines standard genetic programming and heuristic hierarchical crisp rule-base construction. Then, genetic programming for the production of crisp rule based systems is attempted. Finally, another hybrid intelligent model is composed by a grammar driven genetic programming system for the generation of fuzzy rule-based systems. Results denote the effectiveness of the proposed systems, while they are also compared for their efficiency, accuracy and comprehensibility, to those of an inductive machine learning approach as well as to those of a standard genetic programming symbolic expression approach. The proposed GP-based intelligent methodologies are able to produce accurate and comprehensible results for medical experts performing competitive to other intelligent approaches. The aim of the authors was the production of accurate but also sensible decision rules that could potentially help medical doctors to extract conclusions, even at the expense of a higher classification score achievement.

San Francisco folio, California, Tamalpais, San Francisco, Concord, San Mateo, and Haywards quadrangles

Science.gov (United States)

Lawson, Andrew Cowper

1914-01-01

The five sheets of the San Francisco folio the Tamalpais, Ban Francisco, Concord, Ban Mateo, and Haywards sheets map a territory lying between latitude 37° 30' and 38° and longitude 122° and 122° 45'. Large parts of four of these sheets cover the waters of the Bay of San Francisco or of the adjacent Pacific Ocean. (See fig. 1.) Within the area mapped are the cities of San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda, Ban Rafael, and San Mateo, and many smaller towns and villages. These cities, which have a population aggregating about 750,000, together form the largest and most important center of commercial and industrial activity on the west coast of the United States. The natural advantages afforded by a great harbor, where the railways from the east meet the ships from all ports of the world, have determined the site of a flourishing cosmopolitan, commercial city on the shores of San Francisco Bay. The bay is encircled by hilly and mountainous country diversified by fertile valley lands and divides the territory mapped into two rather contrasted parts, the western part being again divided by the Golden Gate. It will therefore be convenient to sketch the geographic features under four headings (1) the area east of San Francisco Bay; (2) the San Francisco Peninsula; (3) the Marin Peninsula; (4) San Francisco Bay. (See fig. 2.)

Forecasting Shaharchay River Flow in Lake Urmia Basin using Genetic Programming and M5 Model Tree

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Samadianfard

2017-01-01

analytical formulations did not have positive effect in reducing prediction error. Unlike the previous observed trend, in case of predicting river flows with Q Q, the genetic programming method with root mean squared error of 3.3501 in comparison with M5 model trees with error of 3.8480 had more satisfied performance. Finally, in the case of predicting river flows with Q, Q,Q, the genetic programming method with root mean squared error of 3.3094 in comparison with M5 model trees with error of 3.5514 presented better predictions. As a result, it can be stated that genetic programming by the best mathematical functions and considering the input parameters of Q,Q,Q, by resulting less root mean squared error and high correlation coefficients had the best performances among others. Also, the results showed that adding more trigonometric functions did not improve the precisions of the predictions. Conclusion: In this research, the intelligent models such as genetic programming and M5 model trees have been used for prediction of monthly flows of Shaharchay River located in East Azerbaijan, Iran. The obtained results showed that the genetic programming by the best mathematical functions and M5 model trees in case of considering the input parameters of Q,Q,Q, by less root mean squared error had the best performances in river flow predictions. As a conclusion, the genetic programming method by specific mathematical functions including four basic operations, logarithm, power and using input parameters of Q,Q,Q, has been proposed as the best and precise model for predicting Shaharchay River flows.

29 CFR 99.235 - Program-specific audits.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Program-specific audits. 99.235 Section 99.235 Labor Office... § 99.235 Program-specific audits. (a) Program-specific audit guide available. In many cases, a program... schedule of prior audit findings consistent with the requirements of § 99.315(b), and a corrective action...

Integrated plant safety assessment: Systematic Evaluation Program, San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, Unit 1 (Docket No. 50-206): Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-12-01

The Systematic Evaluation Program was initiated in February 1977 by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission to review the designs of older operating nuclear reactor plants to reconfirm and document their safety. The review provides: (1) an assessment of how these plants compare with current licensing safety requirements relating to selected issues; (2) a basis for deciding on how these differences should be resolved in an integrated plant review; and (3) a documented evaluation of plant safety. This report documents the review of San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, Unit 1, operated by Southern California Edison Company. The San Onofre plant is one of ten plants reviewed under Phase II of this program. This report indicates how 137 topics selected for review under Phase I of the program were addressed. Equipment and procedural changes have been identified as a result of the review. This report will be one of the bases in considering the issuance of a full-term operating license in place of the existing provisional operating license. This report also addresses the comments and recommendations made by the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards in connection with its review of the draft report issued in April 1985

San Jacinto Tries Management by Objectives

Science.gov (United States)

Deegan, William

1974-01-01

San Jacinto, California, has adopted a measurable institutional objectives approach to management by objectives. Results reflect, not only improved cost effectiveness of community college education, but also more effective educational programs for students. (Author/WM)

The sheep blowfly genetic control program in Australia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foster, Geoffrey G.

1989-01-01

The blowfly Lucilia cuprina is the most important myiasis pet of sheep in Australia. Other species are associated with sheep myiasis, but L. cuprina is probably responsible for initiating more than 90% of infestations. Annual costs of production losses, prevention and treatment have been estimated at $149 millions in 1985. Prevention and treatment encompass both insecticidal applications to sheep and non-chemical management practices. In the absence of effective preventive measures, the sheep industry would be non-viable over much of Australia. Insecticide usage against L. cuprina has been marked by the appearance of widespread resistance to cyclodienes in 1956, the organophosphates in 1965, and carbamates in 1966. Resistance has not yet been reported against the triazine compounds introduced for blowfly control in 1981. The most effective non-chemical control measures are surgical (removal of skin from the breech in certain breeds of sheep, and tail-docking). They protect sheep by reducing favourable oviposition sites (dung and urine-stained wool). The spectre of insecticide resistance and the early success of the sterile insect technique (SIT) against screwworm fly in the U.S.A., led this Division to consider SIT and other autocidal methods in the 1960s. The L. cuprina genetics research program was established in 1966 and subsequently expanded in 1971. More recently, lobbying by animal welfare groups against surgical blowfly control practices, as well as increasing consumer awareness of insecticide residues in animal products, have accelerated the search for alternatives to chemical control. When SIT was first considered for L. cuprina control in 1960, little was known about the population dynamics of L. cuprina. There were insufficient ecological data to evaluate the prospects of alternative strategies such as suppression or containment. The number of flies which would have to be released in a SIT program was unknown, as were the costs. Assuming that the cost of

Primer on molecular genetics. DOE Human Genome Program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1992-04-01

This report is taken from the April 1992 draft of the DOE Human Genome 1991--1992 Program Report, which is expected to be published in May 1992. The primer is intended to be an introduction to basic principles of molecular genetics pertaining to the genome project. The material contained herein is not final and may be incomplete. Techniques of genetic mapping and DNA sequencing are described.

Guidelines on the use of molecular genetics in reintroduction programs

Science.gov (United States)

Michael K. Schwartz

2005-01-01

The use of molecular genetics can play a key role in reintroduction efforts. Prior to the introduction of any individuals, molecular genetics can be used to identify the most appropriate source population for the reintroduction, ensure that no relic populations exist in the reintroduction area, and guide captive breeding programs. The use of molecular genetics post-...

San Gregorio mining: general presentation of the enterprise

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-01-01

This work is a project presented by San Gregorio Mine.This company is responsible for the extraction and gold ore deposits benefits in San Gregorio and East extension in Minas de Corrales. For this project was carried out an environmental impact study as well as and agreement with the LATU for the laboratory analyzes and the surface and groundwater monitoring within the Environmental program established by the Company

Olfactory map formation in the Drosophila brain: genetic specificity and neuronal variability.

Science.gov (United States)

Brochtrup, Anna; Hummel, Thomas

2011-02-01

The development of the Drosophila olfactory system is a striking example of how genetic programs specify a large number of different neuron types and assemble them into functional circuits. To ensure precise odorant perception, each sensory neuron has to not only select a single olfactory receptor (OR) type out of a large genomic repertoire but also segregate its synaptic connections in the brain according to the OR class identity. Specification and patterning of second-order interneurons in the olfactory brain center occur largely independent of sensory input, followed by a precise point-to-point matching of sensory and relay neurons. Here we describe recent progress in the understanding of how cell-intrinsic differentiation programs and context-dependent cellular interactions generate a stereotyped sensory map in the Drosophila brain. Recent findings revealed an astonishing morphological diversity among members of the same interneuron class, suggesting an unexpected variability in local microcircuits involved in insect sensory processing. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Variation in Spring Nearshore Resident Fish Species Composition and Life Histories in the Lower San Joaquin Watershed and Delta

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Larry R. Brown

2006-09-01

Full Text Available Providing freshwater to human populations while protecting or rehabilitating ecosystem health is a significant challenge to water resource managers and requires accurate knowledge of aquatic resources. Previous studies of fish assemblages in the San Francisco Estuary and watershed have focused on specific habitat types, water bodies, or geographic subregions. In this study, we use seining data from two monitoring programs to provide an integrated view of spring nearshore resident fish species composition and life history characteristics in five regions: the San Joaquin River, the upper Sacramento River, the lower Sacramento River, the northern Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (North Delta, and the Interior Delta. Data for the period March-May from 1994 to 2002, showed that spring species composition of the San Joaquin River was very different from the other four regions. Total catch in the San Joaquin River was dominated by small, short-lived batch spawning alien species (93%, particularly red shiner Cyprinella lutrensis (>75% of total catch. The upper and lower Sacramento River were very similar in species composition and life history characteristics and less dominated by alien fish (

Non-linear nuclear engineering models as genetic programming application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Domingos, Roberto P.; Schirru, Roberto; Martinez, Aquilino S.

1997-01-01

This work presents a Genetic Programming paradigm and a nuclear application. A field of Artificial Intelligence, based on the concepts of Species Evolution and Natural Selection, can be understood as a self-programming process where the computer is the main agent responsible for the discovery of a program able to solve a given problem. In the present case, the problem was to find a mathematical expression in symbolic form, able to express the existent relation between equivalent ratio of a fuel cell, the enrichment of fuel elements and the multiplication factor. Such expression would avoid repeatedly reactor physics codes execution for core optimization. The results were compared with those obtained by different techniques such as Neural Networks and Linear Multiple Regression. Genetic Programming has shown to present a performance as good as, and under some features superior to Neural Network and Linear Multiple Regression. (author). 10 refs., 8 figs., 1 tabs

Considering genetic characteristics in German Holstein breeding programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Segelke, D; Täubert, H; Reinhardt, F; Thaller, G

2016-01-01

Recently, several research groups have demonstrated that several haplotypes may cause embryonic loss in the homozygous state. Up to now, carriers of genetic disorders were often excluded from mating, resulting in a decrease of genetic gain and a reduced number of sires available for the breeding program. Ongoing research is very likely to identify additional genetic defects causing embryonic loss and calf mortality by genotyping a large proportion of the female cattle population and sequencing key ancestors. Hence, a clear demand is present to develop a method combining selection against recessive defects (e.g., Holstein haplotypes HH1-HH5) with selection for economically beneficial traits (e.g., polled) for mating decisions. Our proposed method is a genetic index that accounts for the allele frequencies in the population and the economic value of the genetic characteristic without excluding carriers from breeding schemes. Fertility phenotypes from routine genetic evaluations were used to determine the economic value per embryo lost. Previous research has shown that embryo loss caused by HH1 and HH2 occurs later than the loss for HH3, HH4, and HH5. Therefore, an economic value of € 97 was used against HH1 and HH2 and € 70 against HH3, HH4, and HH5. For polled, € 7 per polled calf was considered. Minor allele frequencies of the defects ranged between 0.8 and 3.3%. The polled allele has a frequency of 4.1% in the German Holstein population. A genomic breeding program was simulated to study the effect of changing the selection criteria from assortative mating based on breeding values to selecting the females using the genetic index. Selection for a genetic index on the female path is a useful method to control the allele frequencies by reducing undesirable alleles and simultaneously increasing economical beneficial characteristics maintaining most of the genetic gain in production and functional traits. Additionally, we applied the genetic index to real data and

Ten-year rollover of San Onofre inservice testing program for pumps and valves to OM-6 and OM-10

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Croy, P.A.; Fischetti, S.; Chiang, D.; Schofield, P.; Barney, D.

1994-01-01

The Pump and Valve Inservice Testing (IST) Program Sat San Onofre, Units 2 and 3, was updated for the second 120-month interval from August 1993 to April 1994. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC) approved the OM-6 and OM-10 Codes in mid-1992. The project for the rollover to these new Codes included several elements: (a) a review of the differences between IWV/IWP and OM-6/OM-10, (b) a comprehensive audit of the IST Program scope for valves, (c) creation of the program and supporting basis documents, the Relief Requests, and implementing procedures, (d) interdivisional coordination, (e) submittal to the USNRC, and (f) training. Subsections IWV and IWP have been used and essentially unchanged for over a decade. The new Code (Parts 1, 6, and 10 called OM-1, OM-6, and OM-10) includes several significant changes from the old Code. Our group identified these differences and drafted revised and reorganized Inservice Testing (IST) Program documents. We also considered USNRC Generic Letter 89-04 (GL 89-04), open-quotes Guidance on Developing Acceptable Inservice Testing Programsclose quotes, and NUREG-1482, Guidelines for Inservice Testing at Nuclear Power Plants, while revising the program. There were six pump relief requires and 13 valve relief requests in the program for the first 10-year interval. For the revised program we needed only one pump relief request (and no valve relief requests). Converting to the 1989 edition of the ASME Code did not require changes to the technical specifications. We revised our Updated Final Safety Analysis Report (UFSAR) to reflect the IST Program for the second 10-year interval. UFSAR changes were minor, consisting of updated references to the Code edition and 10 CFR 50.55a(f), open-quotes Inservice Testing Requirementsclose quotes

75 FR 38412 - Safety Zone; San Diego POPS Fireworks, San Diego, CA

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-02

...-AA00 Safety Zone; San Diego POPS Fireworks, San Diego, CA AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS. ACTION: Temporary... waters of San Diego Bay in support of the San Diego POPS Fireworks. This safety zone is necessary to... San Diego POPS Fireworks, which will include fireworks presentations conducted from a barge in San...

National Status and Trends: Bioeffects Program - San Francisco Bay Database

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This study was based on the sediment quality triad (SQT) approach. A stratified probabilistic sampling design was utilized to characterize the San Francisco Bay...

Polyglot programming in applications used for genetic data analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Nowak, Robert M

2014-01-01

Applications used for the analysis of genetic data process large volumes of data with complex algorithms. High performance, flexibility, and a user interface with a web browser are required by these solutions, which can be achieved by using multiple programming languages. In this study, I developed a freely available framework for building software to analyze genetic data, which uses C++, Python, JavaScript, and several libraries. This system was used to build a number of genetic data processing applications and it reduced the time and costs of development.

Energy Consumption Forecasting Using Semantic-Based Genetic Programming with Local Search Optimizer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mauro Castelli

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Energy consumption forecasting (ECF is an important policy issue in today’s economies. An accurate ECF has great benefits for electric utilities and both negative and positive errors lead to increased operating costs. The paper proposes a semantic based genetic programming framework to address the ECF problem. In particular, we propose a system that finds (quasi-perfect solutions with high probability and that generates models able to produce near optimal predictions also on unseen data. The framework blends a recently developed version of genetic programming that integrates semantic genetic operators with a local search method. The main idea in combining semantic genetic programming and a local searcher is to couple the exploration ability of the former with the exploitation ability of the latter. Experimental results confirm the suitability of the proposed method in predicting the energy consumption. In particular, the system produces a lower error with respect to the existing state-of-the art techniques used on the same dataset. More importantly, this case study has shown that including a local searcher in the geometric semantic genetic programming system can speed up the search process and can result in fitter models that are able to produce an accurate forecasting also on unseen data.

Genetic variability of broodstocks of restocking programs in Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nelson Lopera-Barrero

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Objective. The aim of this study was evaluate the genetic diversity of the following broodstocks: piapara (Leporinus elongatus, dourado (Salminus brasiliensis, jundiá (Rhamdia quelen and cachara (Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum already useful for restocking programs in the Paranapanema, Iguaçu and Paraná Brazilian Rivers. Materials and methods. Samples from the caudal fin of 122 fish were analyzed. DNA was extracted by NaCl protocol. PCR products were separated by a horizontal agarose gel electrophoresis. The fragments were visualized by staining with ethidium bromide. Results. The amplification of 25 primers generated different fragments in studied species that allowed characterizing 440 fragments of 100-2900 bp. High percentage of polymorphic fragments (66.67 to 86.29, Shannon index (0.365 to 0.486 and genetic diversity of Nei (0.248 to 0.331 were detected. Conclusions. The level of genetic variability in the broodstocks was adequate for allowing their use in restocking programs in the studied Rivers. However, periodical monitoring studies of genetic variability in these stocks, the mating system, reproductive system and general management must be made to guarantee the preservation of wild populations.

Development of 40m SANS and Its Utilization Techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Sung Min; Kim, Tae Hwan

2010-06-01

Small angle neutron scattering (SANS) has been a very powerful tool to study nanoscale (1-100 nm) bulk structures in various materials such as polymer, self assembled materials, nano-porous materials, nano-magnetic materials, metal and ceramics. Understanding the importance of the SANS instrument, the 8m SANS instrument was installed at the CN beam port of HANARO in 2001. However, without having a cold neutron source, the beam intensity is fairly low and the Q-range is rather limited due to short instrument length. In July 1, 2003, therefore, the HANARO cold neutron research facility project was launched and a state of the art 40m SANS instrument was selected as top-priority instrument. The development of the 40m SANS instrument was completed as a joint project between Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology and the HANARO in 2010. Here, we report the specification of a state of art 40m SANS instrument at HANARO

Feature extraction from multiple data sources using genetic programming.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Szymanski, J. J. (John J.); Brumby, Steven P.; Pope, P. A. (Paul A.); Eads, D. R. (Damian R.); Galassi, M. C. (Mark C.); Harvey, N. R. (Neal R.); Perkins, S. J. (Simon J.); Porter, R. B. (Reid B.); Theiler, J. P. (James P.); Young, A. C. (Aaron Cody); Bloch, J. J. (Jeffrey J.); David, N. A. (Nancy A.); Esch-Mosher, D. M. (Diana M.)

2002-01-01

Feature extration from imagery is an important and long-standing problem in remote sensing. In this paper, we report on work using genetic programming to perform feature extraction simultaneously from multispectral and digital elevation model (DEM) data. The tool used is the GENetic Imagery Exploitation (GENIE) software, which produces image-processing software that inherently combines spatial and spectral processing. GENIE is particularly useful in exploratory studies of imagery, such as one often does in combining data from multiple sources. The user trains the software by painting the feature of interest with a simple graphical user interface. GENIE then uses genetic programming techniques to produce an image-processing pipeline. Here, we demonstrate evolution of image processing algorithms that extract a range of land-cover features including towns, grasslands, wild fire burn scars, and several types of forest. We use imagery from the DOE/NNSA Multispectral Thermal Imager (MTI) spacecraft, fused with USGS 1:24000 scale DEM data.

Synthesis of studies in the fall low-salinity zone of the San Francisco Estuary, September-December 2011

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Larry R.; Baxter, Randall; Castillo, Gonzalo; Conrad, Louise; Culberson, Steven; Erickson, Gregg; Feyrer, Frederick; Fong, Stephanie; Gehrts, Karen; Grimaldo, Lenny; Herbold, Bruce; Kirsch, Joseph; Mueller-Solger, Anke; Slater, Steven B.; Sommer, Ted; Souza, Kelly; Van Nieuwenhuyse, Erwin

2014-01-01

In fall 2011, a large-scale investigation (fall low-salinity habitat investigation) was implemented by the Bureau of Reclamation in cooperation with the Interagency Ecological Program to explore hypotheses about the ecological role of low-salinity habitat in the San Francisco Estuary—specifically, hypotheses about the importance of fall low-salinity habitat to the biology of delta smelt Hypomesus transpacificus, a species endemic to the San Francisco Estuary and listed as threatened or endangered under federal and state endangered species legislation. The Interagency Ecological Program is a consortium of 10 agencies that work together to develop a better understanding of the ecology of the Estuary and the effects of the State Water Project and Federal Central Valley Project operations on the physical, chemical, and biological conditions of the San Francisco Estuary. The fall low-salinity habitat investigation constitutes one of the actions stipulated in the Reasonable and Prudent Alternative issued with the 2008 Biological Opinion of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which called for adaptive management of fall Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta outflow following “wet” and “above normal” water years to alleviate jeopardy to delta smelt and adverse modification of delta smelt critical habitat. The basic hypothesis of the adaptive management of fall low-salinity habitat is that greater outflows move the low-salinity zone (salinity 1–6), an important component of delta smelt habitat, westward and that moving the low-salinity zone westward of its position in the fall of recent years will benefit delta smelt, although the specific mechanisms providing such benefit are uncertain. An adaptive management plan was prepared to guide implementation of the adaptive management of fall low-salinity habitat and to reduce uncertainty. This report has three major objectives:

Behavioural genetic differences between Chinese and European pigs

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

QINGPO CHU

2017-09-13

Sep 13, 2017 ... Journal of Genetics, Vol. 96, No. ... In this study, we have confirmed that Chinese Mi pigs are less active and less aggressive than European LLW pigs, and the genetic polymorphisms of ...... Academic Press, San Diego, USA.

Genetic similarity of polyploids - A new version of the computer program POPDIST (ver. 1.2.0) considers intraspecific genetic differentiation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tomiuk, Jürgen; Guldbrandtsen, Bernt; Loeschcke, Volker

2009-01-01

For evolutionary studies of polyploid species estimates of the genetic identity between species with different degrees of ploidy are particularly required because gene counting in samples of polyploid individuals often cannot be done, e.g., in triploids the phenotype AB can be genotypically either...... ABB or AAB. We recently suggested a genetic distance measure that is based on phenotype counting and made available the computer program POPDIST. The program provides maximum-likelihood estimates of the genetic identities and distances between polyploid populations, but this approach...

Disease-Specific Care: Spine Surgery Program Development.

Science.gov (United States)

Koerner, Katie; Franker, Lauren; Douglas, Barbara; Medero, Edgardo; Bromeland, Jennifer

2017-10-01

Minimal literature exists describing the process for development of a Joint Commission comprehensive spine surgery program within a community hospital health system. Components of a comprehensive program include structured communication across care settings, preoperative education, quality outcomes tracking, and patient follow-up. Organizations obtaining disease-specific certification must have clear knowledge of the planning, time, and overall commitment, essential to developing a successful program. Health systems benefit from disease-specific certification because of their commitment to a higher standard of service. Certification standards establish a framework for organizational structure and management and provide institutions a competitive edge in the marketplace. A framework for the development of a spine surgery program is described to help guide organizations seeking disease-specific certification. In developing a comprehensive program, it is critical to define the program's mission and vision, identify key stakeholders, implement clinical practice guidelines, and evaluate program outcomes.

ATR Technical Specification Upgrade Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCracken, R.T.; Durney, J.L.; Freund, G.A.

1990-01-01

The Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) is a 250 MW, uranium-aluminum fueled test reactor which began full power operation in 1969. The initial operation was controlled by an Operating Limits document based on the original Safety Analysis Report. Additional safety bases were later developed to support Technical Specifications which were approved and implemented in 1977. The Technical Specifications which were initially developed with content and format specified in ANSI/ANS--15.1, ''The Development of Technical Specifications for Research Reactors.'' The safety basis documentation and the Technical Specifications have been updated as required to maintain them current with the ATR facility configuration. All revisions have been made with a content, format and style consistent with the original. A major, two-phase program to upgrade the content, format and style is in progress. This paper describes the first phase of this program

Using genetic programming to find Lyapunov functions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Soute, I.A.C.; Molengraft, van de M.J.G.; Angelis, G.Z.; Ryan, C; Spector, L.

2001-01-01

In this paper Genetic Programming is used to find Lyapunov functions for (non)linear dif ferential equations of autonomous systems. As Lyapunov functions can be difficult to find, we use OP to make the decisions concerning the form of the Lyapunov function. As an e5cample two systems are taken to

A Hybrid Genetic Programming Algorithm for Automated Design of Dispatching Rules.

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Su; Mei, Yi; Xue, Bing; Zhang, Mengjie

2018-06-04

Designing effective dispatching rules for production systems is a difficult and timeconsuming task if it is done manually. In the last decade, the growth of computing power, advanced machine learning, and optimisation techniques has made the automated design of dispatching rules possible and automatically discovered rules are competitive or outperform existing rules developed by researchers. Genetic programming is one of the most popular approaches to discovering dispatching rules in the literature, especially for complex production systems. However, the large heuristic search space may restrict genetic programming from finding near optimal dispatching rules. This paper develops a new hybrid genetic programming algorithm for dynamic job shop scheduling based on a new representation, a new local search heuristic, and efficient fitness evaluators. Experiments show that the new method is effective regarding the quality of evolved rules. Moreover, evolved rules are also significantly smaller and contain more relevant attributes.

Academic training: From Evolution Theory to Parallel and Distributed Genetic Programming

CERN Multimedia

2007-01-01

2006-2007 ACADEMIC TRAINING PROGRAMME LECTURE SERIES 15, 16 March From 11:00 to 12:00 - Main Auditorium, bldg. 500 From Evolution Theory to Parallel and Distributed Genetic Programming F. FERNANDEZ DE VEGA / Univ. of Extremadura, SP Lecture No. 1: From Evolution Theory to Evolutionary Computation Evolutionary computation is a subfield of artificial intelligence (more particularly computational intelligence) involving combinatorial optimization problems, which are based to some degree on the evolution of biological life in the natural world. In this tutorial we will review the source of inspiration for this metaheuristic and its capability for solving problems. We will show the main flavours within the field, and different problems that have been successfully solved employing this kind of techniques. Lecture No. 2: Parallel and Distributed Genetic Programming The successful application of Genetic Programming (GP, one of the available Evolutionary Algorithms) to optimization problems has encouraged an ...

Tracking the Genetic Stability of a Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Breeding Program With Genetic Markers.

Science.gov (United States)

Bourgeois, Lelania; Beaman, Lorraine

2017-08-01

A genetic stock identification (GSI) assay was developed in 2008 to distinguish Russian honey bees from other honey bee stocks that are commercially produced in the United States. Probability of assignment (POA) values have been collected and maintained since the stock release in 2008 to the Russian Honey Bee Breeders Association. These data were used to assess stability of the breeding program and the diversity levels of the contemporary breeding stock through comparison of POA values and genetic diversity parameters from the initial release to current values. POA values fluctuated throughout 2010-2016, but have recovered to statistically similar levels in 2016 (POA(2010) = 0.82, POA(2016) = 0.74; P = 0.33). Genetic diversity parameters (i.e., allelic richness and gene diversity) in 2016 also remained at similar levels when compared to those in 2010. Estimates of genetic structure revealed stability (FST(2009/2016) = 0.0058) with a small increase in the estimate of the inbreeding coefficient (FIS(2010) = 0.078, FIS(2016) = 0.149). The relationship among breeding lines, based on genetic distance measurement, was similar in 2008 and 2016 populations, but with increased homogeneity among lines (i.e., decreased genetic distance). This was expected based on the closed breeding system used for Russian honey bees. The successful application of the GSI assay in a commercial breeding program demonstrates the utility and stability of such technology to contribute to and monitor the genetic integrity of a breeding stock of an insect species. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America 2017. This work is written by US Government employees and is in the public domain in the US.

Rare Plants - City of San Diego [ds455

Data.gov (United States)

California Natural Resource Agency — The Biological Monitoring Plan (BMP; Ogden 1996) for the Multiple Species Conservation Program (MSCP) was developed in 1996 and is a component of the City of San...

Modeling pesticide loadings from the San Joaquin watershed into the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta using SWAT

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, H.; Zhang, M.

2016-12-01

The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is an ecologically rich, hydrologically complex area that serves as the hub of California's water supply. However, pesticides have been routinely detected in the Delta waterways, with concentrations exceeding the benchmark for the protection of aquatic life. Pesticide loadings into the Delta are partially attributed to the San Joaquin watershed, a highly productive agricultural watershed located upstream. Therefore, this study aims to simulate pesticide loadings to the Delta by applying the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model to the San Joaquin watershed, under the support of the USDA-ARS Delta Area-Wide Pest Management Program. Pesticide use patterns in the San Joaquin watershed were characterized by combining the California Pesticide Use Reporting (PUR) database and GIS analysis. Sensitivity/uncertainty analyses and multi-site calibration were performed in the simulation of stream flow, sediment, and pesticide loads along the San Joaquin River. Model performance was evaluated using a combination of graphic and quantitative measures. Preliminary results indicated that stream flow was satisfactorily simulated along the San Joaquin River and the major eastern tributaries, whereas stream flow was less accurately simulated in the western tributaries, which are ephemeral small streams that peak during winter storm events and are mainly fed by irrigation return flow during the growing season. The most sensitive parameters to stream flow were CN2, SOL_AWC, HRU_SLP, SLSUBBSN, SLSOIL, GWQMN and GW_REVAP. Regionalization of parameters is important as the sensitivity of parameters vary significantly spatially. In terms of evaluation metric, NSE tended to overrate model performance when compared to PBIAS. Anticipated results will include (1) pesticide use pattern analysis, (2) calibration and validation of stream flow, sediment, and pesticide loads, and (3) characterization of spatial patterns and temporal trends of pesticide yield.

Waveband specific transcriptional control of select genetic pathways in vertebrate skin (Xiphophorus maculatus).

Science.gov (United States)

Walter, Ronald B; Boswell, Mikki; Chang, Jordan; Boswell, William T; Lu, Yuan; Navarro, Kaela; Walter, Sean M; Walter, Dylan J; Salinas, Raquel; Savage, Markita

2018-05-10

Evolution occurred exclusively under the full spectrum of sunlight. Conscription of narrow regions of the solar spectrum by specific photoreceptors suggests a common strategy for regulation of genetic pathways. Fluorescent light (FL) does not possess the complexity of the solar spectrum and has only been in service for about 60 years. If vertebrates evolved specific genetic responses regulated by light wavelengths representing the entire solar spectrum, there may be genetic consequences to reducing the spectral complexity of light. We utilized RNA-Seq to assess changes in the transcriptional profiles of Xiphophorus maculatus skin after exposure to FL ("cool white"), or narrow wavelength regions of light between 350 and 600 nm (i.e., 50 nm or 10 nm regions, herein termed "wavebands"). Exposure to each 50 nm waveband identified sets of genes representing discrete pathways that showed waveband specific transcriptional modulation. For example, 350-400 or 450-500 nm waveband exposures resulted in opposite regulation of gene sets marking necrosis and apoptosis (i.e., 350-400 nm; necrosis suppression, apoptosis activation, while 450-500 nm; apoptosis suppression, necrosis activation). Further investigation of specific transcriptional modulation employing successive 10 nm waveband exposures between 500 and 550 nm showed; (a) greater numbers of genes may be transcriptionally modulated after 10 nm exposures, than observed for 50 nm or FL exposures, (b) the 10 nm wavebands induced gene sets showing greater functional specificity than 50 nm or FL exposures, and (c) the genetic effects of FL are primarily due to 30 nm between 500 and 530 nm. Interestingly, many genetic pathways exhibited completely opposite transcriptional effects after different waveband exposures. For example, the epidermal growth factor (EGF) pathway exhibits transcriptional suppression after FL exposure, becomes highly active after 450-500 nm waveband exposure, and again, exhibits strong

A Genetic-Algorithms-Based Approach for Programming Linear and Quadratic Optimization Problems with Uncertainty

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Weihua Jin

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes a genetic-algorithms-based approach as an all-purpose problem-solving method for operation programming problems under uncertainty. The proposed method was applied for management of a municipal solid waste treatment system. Compared to the traditional interactive binary analysis, this approach has fewer limitations and is able to reduce the complexity in solving the inexact linear programming problems and inexact quadratic programming problems. The implementation of this approach was performed using the Genetic Algorithm Solver of MATLAB (trademark of MathWorks. The paper explains the genetic-algorithms-based method and presents details on the computation procedures for each type of inexact operation programming problems. A comparison of the results generated by the proposed method based on genetic algorithms with those produced by the traditional interactive binary analysis method is also presented.

78 FR 19103 - Safety Zone; Spanish Navy School Ship San Sebastian El Cano Escort; Bahia de San Juan; San Juan, PR

Science.gov (United States)

2013-03-29

...-AA00 Safety Zone; Spanish Navy School Ship San Sebastian El Cano Escort; Bahia de San Juan; San Juan... temporary moving safety zone on the waters of Bahia de San Juan during the transit of the Spanish Navy... Channel entrance, and to protect the high ranking officials on board the Spanish Navy School Ship San...

Genetic programming over context-free languages with linear constraints for the knapsack problem: first results.

Science.gov (United States)

Bruhn, Peter; Geyer-Schulz, Andreas

2002-01-01

In this paper, we introduce genetic programming over context-free languages with linear constraints for combinatorial optimization, apply this method to several variants of the multidimensional knapsack problem, and discuss its performance relative to Michalewicz's genetic algorithm with penalty functions. With respect to Michalewicz's approach, we demonstrate that genetic programming over context-free languages with linear constraints improves convergence. A final result is that genetic programming over context-free languages with linear constraints is ideally suited to modeling complementarities between items in a knapsack problem: The more complementarities in the problem, the stronger the performance in comparison to its competitors.

SANS-1 Experimental reports of 2000

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Willumeit, R.; Haramus, V.

2001-01-01

The instrument SANS-1 at the Geesthacht neutron facility GeNF was used for scattering experiments in 2000 at 196 of 200 days of reactor and cold source operation. The utilisation was shared between the in-house R and D program and user groups from different universities and research centers. These measurements were performed and analysed either by guest scientists or GKSS staff. The focus of the work in 2000 at the experiment SANS-1 was the structural investigation of hydrogen containing substances such as biological macromolecules (ribosomes, protein-RNA-complexes, protein solutions, glycolipids and membranes), molecules which are important in the fields of environmental research (refractoric organic substances) and technical chemistry (surfactants, micelles). (orig.) [de

Compact High Resolution SANS using very cold neutrons (VCN-SANS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kennedy, S.; Yamada, M.; Iwashita, Y.; Geltenbort, P.; Bleuel, M.; Shimizu, H.

2011-01-01

SANS (Small Angle Neutron Scattering) is a popular method for elucidation of nano-scale structures. However science continually challenges SANS for higher performance, prompting exploration of ever-more exotic and expensive technologies. We propose a compact high resolution SANS, using very cold neutrons, magnetic focusing lens and a wide-angle spherical detector. This system will compete with modern 40 m pinhole SANS in one tenth of the length, matching minimum Q, Q-resolution and dynamic range. It will also probe dynamics using the MIEZE method. Our prototype lens (a rotating permanent-magnet sextupole), focuses a pulsed neutron beam over 3-5 nm wavelength and has measured SANS from micelles and polymer blends. (authors)

14 CFR 91.1017 - Amending program manager's management specifications.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Amending program manager's management... Ownership Operations Program Management § 91.1017 Amending program manager's management specifications. (a... specifications; or (2) The program manager applies for the amendment of any management specifications, and the...

Sex-specific genetic diversity is shaped by cultural factors in Inner Asian human populations.

Science.gov (United States)

Marchi, Nina; Hegay, Tatyana; Mennecier, Philippe; Georges, Myriam; Laurent, Romain; Whitten, Mark; Endicott, Philipp; Aldashev, Almaz; Dorzhu, Choduraa; Nasyrova, Firuza; Chichlo, Boris; Ségurel, Laure; Heyer, Evelyne

2017-04-01

Sex-specific genetic structures have been previously documented worldwide in humans, even though causal factors have not always clearly been identified. In this study, we investigated the impact of ethnicity, geography and social organization on the sex-specific genetic structure in Inner Asia. Furthermore, we explored the process of ethnogenesis in multiple ethnic groups. We sampled DNA in Central and Northern Asia from 39 populations of Indo-Iranian and Turkic-Mongolic native speakers. We focused on genetic data of the Y chromosome and mitochondrial DNA. First, we compared the frequencies of haplogroups to South European and East Asian populations. Then, we investigated the genetic differentiation for eight Y-STRs and the HVS1 region, and tested for the effect of geography and ethnicity on such patterns. Finally, we reconstructed the male demographic history, inferred split times and effective population sizes of different ethnic groups. Based on the haplogroup data, we observed that the Indo-Iranian- and Turkic-Mongolic-speaking populations have distinct genetic backgrounds. However, each population showed consistent mtDNA and Y chromosome haplogroups patterns. As expected in patrilocal populations, we found that the Y-STRs were more structured than the HVS1. While ethnicity strongly influenced the genetic diversity on the Y chromosome, geography better explained that of the mtDNA. Furthermore, when looking at various ethnic groups, we systematically found a genetic split time older than historical records, suggesting a cultural rather than biological process of ethnogenesis. This study highlights that, in Inner Asia, specific cultural behaviors, especially patrilineality and patrilocality, leave a detectable signature on the sex-specific genetic structure. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Genetic Programming for Sea Level Predictions in an Island Environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.A. Ghorbani

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Accurate predictions of sea-level are important for geodetic applications, navigation, coastal, industrial and tourist activities. In the current work, the Genetic Programming (GP and artificial neural networks (ANNs were applied to forecast half-daily and daily sea-level variations from 12 hours to 5 days ahead. The measurements at the Cocos (Keeling Islands in the Indian Ocean were used for training and testing of the employed artificial intelligence techniques. A comparison was performed of the predictions from the GP model and the ANN simulations. Based on the comparison outcomes, it was found that the Genetic Programming approach can be successfully employed in forecasting of sea level variations.

Engineering antigen-specific T cells from genetically modified human hematopoietic stem cells in immunodeficient mice.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Scott G Kitchen

Full Text Available There is a desperate need for effective therapies to fight chronic viral infections. The immune response is normally fastidious at controlling the majority of viral infections and a therapeutic strategy aimed at reestablishing immune control represents a potentially powerful approach towards treating persistent viral infections. We examined the potential of genetically programming human hematopoietic stem cells to generate mature CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes that express a molecularly cloned, "transgenic" human anti-HIV T cell receptor (TCR. Anti-HIV TCR transduction of human hematopoietic stem cells directed the maturation of a large population of polyfunctional, HIV-specific CD8+ cells capable of recognizing and killing viral antigen-presenting cells. Thus, through this proof-of-concept we propose that genetic engineering of human hematopoietic stem cells will allow the tailoring of effector T cell responses to fight HIV infection or other diseases that are characterized by the loss of immune control.

Genetic programming theory and practice X

CERN Document Server

Riolo, Rick; Ritchie, Marylyn D; Moore, Jason H

2013-01-01

These contributions, written by the foremost international researchers and practitioners of Genetic Programming (GP), explore the synergy between theoretical and empirical results on real-world problems, producing a comprehensive view of the state of the art in GP. Topics in this volume include: evolutionary constraints, relaxation of selection mechanisms, diversity preservation strategies, flexing fitness evaluation, evolution in dynamic environments, multi-objective and multi-modal selection, foundations of evolvability, evolvable and adaptive evolutionary operators, foundation of  injecting

Programming peptidomimetic syntheses by translating genetic codes designed de novo.

Science.gov (United States)

Forster, Anthony C; Tan, Zhongping; Nalam, Madhavi N L; Lin, Hening; Qu, Hui; Cornish, Virginia W; Blacklow, Stephen C

2003-05-27

Although the universal genetic code exhibits only minor variations in nature, Francis Crick proposed in 1955 that "the adaptor hypothesis allows one to construct, in theory, codes of bewildering variety." The existing code has been expanded to enable incorporation of a variety of unnatural amino acids at one or two nonadjacent sites within a protein by using nonsense or frameshift suppressor aminoacyl-tRNAs (aa-tRNAs) as adaptors. However, the suppressor strategy is inherently limited by compatibility with only a small subset of codons, by the ways such codons can be combined, and by variation in the efficiency of incorporation. Here, by preventing competing reactions with aa-tRNA synthetases, aa-tRNAs, and release factors during translation and by using nonsuppressor aa-tRNA substrates, we realize a potentially generalizable approach for template-encoded polymer synthesis that unmasks the substantially broader versatility of the core translation apparatus as a catalyst. We show that several adjacent, arbitrarily chosen sense codons can be completely reassigned to various unnatural amino acids according to de novo genetic codes by translating mRNAs into specific peptide analog polymers (peptidomimetics). Unnatural aa-tRNA substrates do not uniformly function as well as natural substrates, revealing important recognition elements for the translation apparatus. Genetic programming of peptidomimetic synthesis should facilitate mechanistic studies of translation and may ultimately enable the directed evolution of small molecules with desirable catalytic or pharmacological properties.

Interview with Jaime Córtez, Program Manager at the Galería de la Raza, San Francisco, CA, USA, August 14, 2001 Entretien avec Jaime Córtez, directeur de la programmation, Galería de la Raza, San Francisco, CA, États-Unis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gérard Selbach

2009-10-01

Full Text Available ForewordLocated at 2857 24th Street, just off Mission Street, at the heart of the Hispanic district in San Francisco, is theGalería de la Raza Co-founded by René Yáñez (cf. interview infra and Ralph Maradiaga in 1970, the Galería was initially funded by the San Francisco Neighborhood Arts Program (NAP which provided the salaries of the directors, equipment and a small budget for exhibitions for a dozen years. The opening showed awareness and compromise on the part of the SF City and of art ...

76 FR 45693 - Safety Zone; San Diego POPS Fireworks, San Diego, CA

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-01

...-AA00 Safety Zone; San Diego POPS Fireworks, San Diego, CA AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS. ACTION: Temporary... San Diego Bay in support of the San Diego POPS Fireworks. This safety zone is necessary to provide for... of the waterway during scheduled fireworks events. Persons and vessels will be prohibited from...

Genetic diversity and identification of variety-specific AFLP markers ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

In all the fenugreek varieties, a total of 25 variety-specific AFLP markers were found. Phylogenetic trees among 5 plant varieties were constructed based on Nei's coefficient standard genetic distances using unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) method. For RAPD and AFLP analysis, Gujarat Methi-1 ...

33 CFR 165.754 - Safety Zone: San Juan Harbor, San Juan, PR.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Safety Zone: San Juan Harbor, San Juan, PR. 165.754 Section 165.754 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND... Zone: San Juan Harbor, San Juan, PR. (a) Regulated area. A moving safety zone is established in the...

Specific Genetic Disorders

Science.gov (United States)

... Care Genomic Medicine Working Group New Horizons and Research Patient Management Policy and Ethics Issues Quick Links for Patient Care Education All About the Human Genome Project Fact Sheets Genetic Education Resources for ...

The potential use of genetics to increase the effectiveness of treatment programs for criminal offenders.

Science.gov (United States)

Beaver, Kevin M; Jackson, Dylan B; Flesher, Dillon

2014-01-01

During the past couple of decades, the amount of research examining the genetic underpinnings to antisocial behaviors, including crime, has exploded. Findings from this body of work have generated a great deal of information linking genetics to criminal involvement. As a partial result, there is now a considerable amount of interest in how these findings should be integrated into the criminal justice system. In the current paper, we outline the potential ways that genetic information can be used to increase the effectiveness of treatment programs designed to reduce recidivism among offenders. We conclude by drawing attention to how genetic information can be used by rehabilitation programs to increase program effectiveness, reduce offender recidivism rates, and enhance public safety.

An introduction to programming with specifications

CERN Document Server

1991-01-01

A feature of modern advanced computing is the functional approach to programming. In this book, the authors present an introduction to the mathematics which underline functional programming, emphasizing the understanding of definition and specification--a prerequisite of good programming and problem solving with a computer. The book is self-contained, requiring a low level of mathematical sophistication and may be used as an introduction to the mathematics of programming.Provides an introduction to the functional approach to programming**Emphasizes the problem to be solved, not the pro

Identification of Ethnically Specific Genetic Variations in Pan-Asian Ethnos

OpenAIRE

Yang, Jin Ok; Hwang, Sohyun; Kim, Woo-Yeon; Park, Seong-Jin; Kim, Sang Cheol; Park, Kiejung; Lee, Byungwook

2014-01-01

Asian populations contain a variety of ethnic groups that have ethnically specific genetic differences. Ethnic variants may be highly relevant in disease and human differentiation studies. Here, we identified ethnically specific variants and then investigated their distribution across Asian ethnic groups. We obtained 58,960 Pan-Asian single nucleotide polymorphisms of 1,953 individuals from 72 ethnic groups of 11 Asian countries. We selected 9,306 ethnic variant single nucleotide polymorphism...

Comparison of the levels of intra-specific genetic variation within Giardia muris and Giardia intestinalis.

Science.gov (United States)

Andrews, R H; Monis, P T; Ey, P L; Mayrhofer, G

1998-08-01

The extent of intra-specific genetic variation between isolates of Giardia muris was assessed by allozyme electrophoresis. Additionally, the levels of allozymic variation detected within G. muris were compared with those observed between members of the two major assemblages of the morphologically distinct species Giardia intestinalis. Four isolates of G. muris were analysed. Three (Ad-120, -150, -151) were isolated from mice in Australia, while the fourth (R-T) was isolated from a golden hamster in North America. The 11 isolates of G. intestinalis (Ad-1, -12, -2, -62, representing genetic Groups I and II of Assemblage A and BAH-12, BRIS/87/HEPU/694, Ad-19, -22, -28, -45, -52, representing genetic Groups III and IV of Assemblage B) were from humans in Australia. Intra-specific genetic variation was detected between G. muris isolates at four of the 23 enzyme loci examined. Similar levels of variation were found within the genetic groups that comprise Assemblages A and B of G. intestinalis. These levels of intra-specific variation are similar to those observed within other morphologically-distinct species of protozoan parasites. We suggest that the magnitude of the genetic differences detected within G. muris provides an indication of the range of genetic variation within other species of Giardia and that this can be used as a model to delineate morphologically similar but genetically distinct (cryptic) species within this genus.

Multi-gene genetic programming based predictive models for municipal solid waste gasification in a fluidized bed gasifier.

Science.gov (United States)

Pandey, Daya Shankar; Pan, Indranil; Das, Saptarshi; Leahy, James J; Kwapinski, Witold

2015-03-01

A multi-gene genetic programming technique is proposed as a new method to predict syngas yield production and the lower heating value for municipal solid waste gasification in a fluidized bed gasifier. The study shows that the predicted outputs of the municipal solid waste gasification process are in good agreement with the experimental dataset and also generalise well to validation (untrained) data. Published experimental datasets are used for model training and validation purposes. The results show the effectiveness of the genetic programming technique for solving complex nonlinear regression problems. The multi-gene genetic programming are also compared with a single-gene genetic programming model to show the relative merits and demerits of the technique. This study demonstrates that the genetic programming based data-driven modelling strategy can be a good candidate for developing models for other types of fuels as well. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Empirical evidence for synchrony in the evolution of TB cases and HIV+ contacts among the San Francisco homeless.

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Mojdeh Mohtashemi

Full Text Available The re-emergence of tuberculosis (TB in the mid-1980s in many parts of the world, including the United States, is often attributed to the emergence and rapid spread of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS. Although it is well established that TB transmission is particularly amplified in populations with high HIV prevalence, the epidemiology of interaction between TB and HIV is not well understood. This is partly due to the scarcity of HIV-related data, a consequence of the voluntary nature of HIV status reporting and testing, and partly due to current practices of screening high risk populations through separate surveillance programs for HIV and TB. The San Francisco Department of Public Health, TB Control Program, has been conducting active surveillance among the San Francisco high-risk populations since the early 1990s. We present extensive TB surveillance data on HIV and TB infection among the San Francisco homeless to investigate the association between the TB cases and their HIV+ contacts. We applied wavelet coherence and phase analyses to the TB surveillance data from January 1993 through December 2005, to establish and quantify statistical association and synchrony in the highly non-stationary and ostensibly non-periodic waves of TB cases and their HIV+ contacts in San Francisco. When stratified by homelessness, we found that the evolution of TB cases and their HIV+ contacts is highly coherent over time and locked in phase at a specific periodic scale among the San Francisco homeless, but no significant association was observed for the non-homeless. This study confirms the hypothesis that the dynamics of HIV and TB are significantly intertwined and that HIV is likely a key factor in the sustenance of TB transmission among the San Francisco homeless. The findings of this study underscore the importance of contact tracing in detection of HIV+ individuals that may otherwise remain undetected, and

Institutional Profile: University of California San Diego Pharmacogenomics Education Program (PharmGenEd™): bridging the gap between science and practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuo, Grace M; Ma, Joseph D; Lee, Kelly C; Halpert, James R; Bourne, Philip E; Ganiats, Theodore G; Taylor, Palmer

2011-02-01

Clinical application of evidence-based pharmacogenomics information has the potential to help healthcare professionals provide safe and effective medication management to patients. However, there is a gap between the advances of pharmacogenomics discovery and the health professionals' knowledge regarding pharmacogenomics testing and therapeutic uses. Furthermore, pharmacogenomics education materials for healthcare professionals have not been readily available or accessible. Pharmacogenomics Education Program (PharmGenEd™) is an evidence-based pharmacogenomics education program developed at the University of California San Diego Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and the School of Medicine (CA, USA), with funding support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Program components include continuing education modules, train-the-trainer materials and shared curriculum modules based on therapeutic topics, and virtual communities with online resources.

Artificial intelligence programming with LabVIEW: genetic algorithms for instrumentation control and optimization.

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, J H

1995-06-01

A genetic algorithm for instrumentation control and optimization was developed using the LabVIEW graphical programming environment. The usefulness of this methodology for the optimization of a closed loop control instrument is demonstrated with minimal complexity and the programming is presented in detail to facilitate its adaptation to other LabVIEW applications. Closed loop control instruments have variety of applications in the biomedical sciences including the regulation of physiological processes such as blood pressure. The program presented here should provide a useful starting point for those wishing to incorporate genetic algorithm approaches to LabVIEW mediated optimization of closed loop control instruments.

Educational intervention on pregnancy in adolescence. “San Francisco” Consejo Popular. Venezuela

OpenAIRE

Niurka Fleites Santana; Yosmel Álvarez González; Iván Arlé González Duque; Jayce Díaz Díaz

2015-01-01

Background:The studies accomplished in the worldwide space on pregnancy in adolescence demonstrate the need of an integral attention that would help the family in young people's education.Objective: to implement a program of educational intervention that contribute to modify young people's knowledges on pregnancy in adolescence.Methods: Study of educational intervention in teens of San Francisco community, belonging to the Municipality of Agua Blanca, San Francisco clinic, Portuguesa State, d...

San Pedro River Aquifer Binational Report

Science.gov (United States)

Callegary, James B.; Minjárez Sosa, Ismael; Tapia Villaseñor, Elia María; dos Santos, Placido; Monreal Saavedra, Rogelio; Grijalva Noriega, Franciso Javier; Huth, A. K.; Gray, Floyd; Scott, C. A.; Megdal, Sharon; Oroz Ramos, L. A.; Rangel Medina, Miguel; Leenhouts, James M.

2016-01-01

The United States and Mexico share waters in a number of hydrological basins and aquifers that cross the international boundary. Both countries recognize that, in a region of scarce water resources and expanding populations, a greater scientific understanding of these aquifer systems would be beneficial. In light of this, the Mexican and U.S. Principal Engineers of the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) signed the “Joint Report of the Principal Engineers Regarding the Joint Cooperative Process United States-Mexico for the Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Program" on August 19, 2009 (IBWC-CILA, 2009). This IBWC “Joint Report” serves as the framework for U.S.-Mexico coordination and dialogue to implement transboundary aquifer studies. The document clarifies several details about the program such as background, roles, responsibilities, funding, relevance of the international water treaties, and the use of information collected or compiled as part of the program. In the document, it was agreed by the parties involved, which included the IBWC, the Mexican National Water Commission (CONAGUA), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and the Universities of Arizona and Sonora, to study two priority binational aquifers, one in the San Pedro River basin and the other in the Santa Cruz River basin. This report focuses on the Binational San Pedro Basin (BSPB). Reasons for the focus on and interest in this aquifer include the fact that it is shared by the two countries, that the San Pedro River has an elevated ecological value because of the riparian ecosystem that it sustains, and that water resources are needed to sustain the river, existing communities, and continued development. This study describes the aquifer’s characteristics in its binational context; however, most of the scientific work has been undertaken for many years by each country without full knowledge of the conditions on the other side of the border. The general objective of this study is to

Modeling the Isentropic Head Value of Centrifugal Gas Compressor using Genetic Programming

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Safiyullah Ferozkhan

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Gas compressor performance is vital in oil and gas industry because of the equipment criticality which requires continuous operations. Plant operators often face difficulties in predicting appropriate time for maintenance and would usually rely on time based predictive maintenance intervals as recommended by original equipment manufacturer (OEM. The objective of this work is to develop the computational model to find the isentropic head value using genetic programming. The isentropic head value is calculated from the OEM performance chart. Inlet mass flow rate and speed of the compressor are taken as the input value. The obtained results from the GP computational models show good agreement with experimental and target data with the average prediction error of 1.318%. The genetic programming computational model will assist machinery engineers to quantify performance deterioration of gas compressor and the results from this study will be then utilized to estimate future maintenance requirements based on the historical data. In general, this genetic programming modelling provides a powerful solution for gas compressor operators to realize predictive maintenance approach in their operations.

Structural health monitoring feature design by genetic programming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harvey, Dustin Y; Todd, Michael D

2014-01-01

Structural health monitoring (SHM) systems provide real-time damage and performance information for civil, aerospace, and other high-capital or life-safety critical structures. Conventional data processing involves pre-processing and extraction of low-dimensional features from in situ time series measurements. The features are then input to a statistical pattern recognition algorithm to perform the relevant classification or regression task necessary to facilitate decisions by the SHM system. Traditional design of signal processing and feature extraction algorithms can be an expensive and time-consuming process requiring extensive system knowledge and domain expertise. Genetic programming, a heuristic program search method from evolutionary computation, was recently adapted by the authors to perform automated, data-driven design of signal processing and feature extraction algorithms for statistical pattern recognition applications. The proposed method, called Autofead, is particularly suitable to handle the challenges inherent in algorithm design for SHM problems where the manifestation of damage in structural response measurements is often unclear or unknown. Autofead mines a training database of response measurements to discover information-rich features specific to the problem at hand. This study provides experimental validation on three SHM applications including ultrasonic damage detection, bearing damage classification for rotating machinery, and vibration-based structural health monitoring. Performance comparisons with common feature choices for each problem area are provided demonstrating the versatility of Autofead to produce significant algorithm improvements on a wide range of problems. (paper)

Magmatism and mineralization ages from northeast area of La Sierra de San Luis, Argentina

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ulacco, Jose H

2001-01-01

Three igneous rock groups, characterized as pre, sin and post-kinematics, have intruded the crystalline basement of Sierra de San Luis, Argentina. The ore deposits are associated with Devonian to Carboniferous epizonal granite stocks and batholiths in an area underlain by metamorphic rocks. This granitoids are characterized as post-kinematics magmatism. Model lead ages on the ore deposits (338,8 - 292,1 Ma) are strongly supported by K-Ar ages of the intrusives. The bulk of the north Sierra de San Luis ore deposits are genetically related to late Carboniferous granite plutons. The ore bodies are tungsten veins with greisen envelopes, lead veins, epithermal fluorite veins and REE and Th deposit. A generalized scheme of ore bodies related to granites is proposed. The ore deposits and their lithotectonic setting are characteristic of Gondwana metallogenetic Epoch in the Sierra de San Luis (au)

Minería, conflicto y mediadores locales: Minera San Xavier en Cerro de San Pedro, México Mineira, conflito e mediadores locais: Minera San Xavier em Cerro de San Pedro Mining, conflict and local brokers: Minera San Xavier in Cerro de San Pedro

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Hernán Horacio Schiaffini

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Este trabajo indaga en las instancias de mediación que intervienen en la articulación de procesos económicos de gran escala y su puesta en práctica local. Basándonos en el conflicto que se produjo en el Municipio de Cerro de San Pedro (San Luis Potosí, México entre la empresa Minera San Xavier y el Frente Amplio Opositor (FAO a la misma, aplicamos el método etnográfico con el objetivo de describir las estructuras locales de mediación política y analizar sus prácticas y racionalidad. Intentamos demostrar así la importancia de los factores políticos locales en las vinculaciones entre estado, empresa y población.Este trabalho indaga nas instâncias de mediação que intervêm em processos econômicos de grande escala e sua posta em prática local. Baseando-nos no conflito no Cerro de San Pedro (San Luis Potosí, México entre a empresa Minera San Xavier e a Frente Amplio Opositor (FAO aplicamos o método etnográfico pra descrever as estruturas de mediação política locais e analisar suas práticas e racionalidade. Tenta-se demonstrar assim a importância dos fatores políticos locais nas vinculações entre estado, empresa e população.This paper investigates in instances of mediation involved in large-scale economic processes and local implementation. Analyzing the conflict in Cerro de San Pedro (San Luis Potosí, México among San Xavier mining company and the Frente Amplio Opositor (FAO, it applies an ethnographic approach to describe the local structures of political mediation and its practices and rationality. The work shows the relevance of local factors in the relationships between State, company and people.

Developmental status of bioassays in genetic toxicology: a report of Phase II of the US Environmental Protection Agency Gene-Tox program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brusick, D; Auletta, A

1985-01-01

The Gene-Tox Program was structured around two phases of genetic test data evaluation. The first phase consisted of 36 Work Group reports, each evaluating the results and performance of a specific bioassay. The second phase consisted of a plan to summarize the information provided by the Work Groups. The Gene-Tox Coordinating Committee was to be responsible for Phase II, and several subgroups were assigned specific goals in implementing this analysis. This report deals with Goal I which is to identify the developmental status of the individual bioassays reviewed by the Gene-Tox Work Groups in the first phase of the Program. 5 references, 6 tables.

A NEW MUTATION OPERATOR IN GENETIC PROGRAMMING

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Anuradha Purohit

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes a new type of mutation operator, FEDS (Fitness, Elitism, Depth, and Size mutation in genetic programming. The concept behind the new mutation operator is inspired from already introduced FEDS crossover operator to handle the problem of code bloating. FEDS mutation operates by using local elitism replacement in combination with depth limit and size of the trees to reduce bloat with a subsequent improvement in the performance of trees (program structures. We have designed a multiclass classifier for some benchmark datasets to test the performance of proposed mutation. The results show that when the initial run uses FEDS crossover and the concluding run uses FEDS mutation, then not only is the final result significantly improved but there is reduction in bloat also.

Report on an Investigation into an Entry Level Clinical Doctorate for the Genetic Counseling Profession and a Survey of the Association of Genetic Counseling Program Directors.

Science.gov (United States)

Reiser, Catherine; LeRoy, Bonnie; Grubs, Robin; Walton, Carol

2015-10-01

The master's degree is the required entry-level degree for the genetic counseling profession in the US and Canada. In 2012 the Association of Genetic Counseling Program Directors (AGCPD) passed resolutions supporting retention of the master's as the entry-level and terminal degree and opposing introduction of an entry-level clinical doctorate (CD) degree. An AGCPD workgroup surveyed directors of all 34 accredited training programs with the objective of providing the Genetic Counseling Advanced Degrees Task Force (GCADTF) with information regarding potential challenges if master's programs were required to transition to an entry-level CD. Program demographics, projected ability to transition to an entry-level CD, factors influencing ability to transition, and potential effects of transition on programs, students and the genetic counseling workforce were characterized. Two programs would definitely be able to transition, four programs would close, thirteen programs would be at risk to close and fourteen programs would probably be able to transition with varying degrees of difficulty. The most frequently cited limiting factors were economic, stress on clinical sites, and administrative approval of a new degree/program. Student enrollment under an entry-level CD model was projected to decrease by 26.2 %, negatively impacting the workforce pipeline. The results further illuminate and justify AGCPD's position to maintain the master's as the entry-level degree.

Characterization of the Drosophila ortholog of the human Usher Syndrome type 1G protein sans.

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Fabio Demontis

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The Usher syndrome (USH is the most frequent deaf-blindness hereditary disease in humans. Deafness is attributed to the disorganization of stereocilia in the inner ear. USH1, the most severe subtype, is associated with mutations in genes encoding myosin VIIa, harmonin, cadherin 23, protocadherin 15, and sans. Myosin VIIa, harmonin, cadherin 23, and protocadherin 15 physically interact in vitro and localize to stereocilia tips in vivo, indicating that they form functional complexes. Sans, in contrast, localizes to vesicle-like structures beneath the apical membrane of stereocilia-displaying hair cells. How mutations in sans result in deafness and blindness is not well understood. Orthologs of myosin VIIa and protocadherin 15 have been identified in Drosophila melanogaster and their genetic analysis has identified essential roles in auditory perception and microvilli morphogenesis, respectively. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here, we have identified and characterized the Drosophila ortholog of human sans. Drosophila Sans is expressed in tubular organs of the embryo, in lens-secreting cone cells of the adult eye, and in microvilli-displaying follicle cells during oogenesis. Sans mutants are viable, fertile, and mutant follicle cells appear to form microvilli, indicating that Sans is dispensable for fly development and microvilli morphogenesis in the follicle epithelium. In follicle cells, Sans protein localizes, similar to its vertebrate ortholog, to intracellular punctate structures, which we have identified as early endosomes associated with the syntaxin Avalanche. CONCLUSIONS: Our work is consistent with an evolutionary conserved function of Sans in vesicle trafficking. Furthermore it provides a significant basis for further understanding of the role of this Usher syndrome ortholog in development and disease.

SANS-polymer and functional materials with neutron in Indonesia. Progress report on the collaboration activities?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ikram, A.; Gunawan; Sukirman, E.; Ridwan; Jahja, A.K.

2000-01-01

Activities on SANS-polymer collaboration program are reported. This paper presents SANS-data from Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate that have been obtained using BATAN's SANS machine in Serpong. Reports are also presented about activities in the groups for functional materials structural determination which includes magnetic, HTc superconducting and superionic conducting materials. Discussions are also given towards the way the collaboration activities were carried out in the last three years as well as impact of neutron scattering facility conditions in Indonesia. (author)

A screening on Specific Learning Disorders in an Italian speaking high genetic homogeneity area.

Science.gov (United States)

Cappa, Claudia; Giulivi, Sara; Schilirò, Antonino; Bastiani, Luca; Muzio, Carlo; Meloni, Fabrizio

2015-01-01

The aim of the present research is to investigate the prevalence of Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) in Ogliastra, an area of the island of Sardinia, Italy. Having experienced centuries of isolation, Ogliastra has become a high genetic homogeneity area, and is considered particularly interesting for studies on different kinds of pathologies. Here we are going to describe the results of a screening carried out throughout 2 consecutive years in 49 second grade classes (24 considered in the first year and 25 in the second year of the study) of the Ogliastra region. A total of 610 pupils (average age 7.54 years; 293 female, 317 male) corresponding to 68.69% of all pupils who were attending second grade in the area, took part in the study. The tool used for the screening was "RSR-DSA. Questionnaire for the detection of learning difficulties and disorders", which allowed the identification of 83 subjects at risk (13.61% of the whole sample involved in the study). These subjects took part in an enhancement training program of about 6 months. After the program, pupils underwent assessment for reading, writing and calculation abilities, as well as cognitive assessment. According to the results of the assessment, the prevalence of SLDs is 6.06%. For what concerns dyslexia, 4.75% of the total sample manifested this disorder either in isolation or in comorbidity with other disorders. According to the first national epidemiological investigation carried out in Italy, the prevalence of dyslexia is 3.1-3.2%, which is lower than the prevalence obtained in the present study. Given the genetic basis of SLDs, this result, together with the presence of several cases of SLD in isolation (17.14%) and with a 3:1 ratio of males to females diagnosed with a SLD, was to be expected in a sample coming from a high genetic homogeneity area. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

CAREER TRAINING IN HOTEL AND RESTAURANT OPERATION...AT CITY COLLEGE OF SAN FRANCISCO.

Science.gov (United States)

BATMALE, LOUIS F.; MULLANY, GEORGE G.

THE HOTEL AND RESTAURANT PROGRAM, ONE OF 35 SEMIPROFESSIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMS AT CITY COLLEGE OF SAN FRANCISCO, COMBINES GENERAL EDUCATION, RELATED BUSINESS INSTRUCTION, HOTEL AND RESTAURANT CLASSES, FOOD PREPARATION AND SERVICE TRAINING, AND WORK EXPERIENCE. THIS DESCRIPTION OF THE PROGRAM INCLUDES (1) PURPOSES AND OBJECTIVES, (2) CURRICULUM,…

Genetic counseling for schizophrenia: a review of referrals to a provincial medical genetics program from 1968–2007

Science.gov (United States)

Hunter, MJ; Hippman, Catriona; Honer, William G; Austin, Jehannine C.

2014-01-01

Purpose Recent studies have shown that individuals with schizophrenia and their family members are interested in genetic counseling, but few have received this service. We conducted an exploratory, retrospective study to describe (a) the population of individuals who were referred to the provincial program for genetic counseling for a primary indication of schizophrenia, and (b) trends in number of referrals between 1968 and 2007. Methods Referrals for a primary indication of schizophrenia were identified through the provincial program database. Charts were reviewed and the following information was recorded: discipline of referring physician, demographics, psychiatric diagnosis, referred individual’s and partner’s (if applicable) family history, and any current pregnancy history. Data were characterized using descriptive statistics. Results Between 1968 and 2007, 288 referrals were made for a primary indication of schizophrenia. Most referrals were made: (a) for individuals who had a first-degree family member with schizophrenia, rather than for affected individuals, (b) for preconception counseling, and (c) by family physicians (69%), with only 2% by psychiatrists. Conclusions In British Columbia, individuals affected with schizophrenia and their family members are rarely referred for psychiatric genetic counseling. There is a need to identify barriers to psychiatric genetic counseling and develop strategies to improve access. PMID:20034078

Multigene Genetic Programming for Estimation of Elastic Modulus of Concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alireza Mohammadi Bayazidi

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a new multigene genetic programming (MGGP approach for estimation of elastic modulus of concrete. The MGGP technique models the elastic modulus behavior by integrating the capabilities of standard genetic programming and classical regression. The main aim is to derive precise relationships between the tangent elastic moduli of normal and high strength concrete and the corresponding compressive strength values. Another important contribution of this study is to develop a generalized prediction model for the elastic moduli of both normal and high strength concrete. Numerous concrete compressive strength test results are obtained from the literature to develop the models. A comprehensive comparative study is conducted to verify the performance of the models. The proposed models perform superior to the existing traditional models, as well as those derived using other powerful soft computing tools.

Cuisine Preference of Local Tourists in San Juan, Batangas, Philippines

OpenAIRE

RYENE SELLINE B. KALALO; ANGELICA LYNTTE A. CABLAO; MARICRISS P. CABATAY; CHARISSA P. MANTAL; RHONALYN T. MANALO; SEVILLA S. FELICEN

2014-01-01

This study aimed to determine the cuisine preference of the local tourist in San Juan, Batangas. More specifically, it aimed to describe the demographic profile of local tourist; to identify the preferred cuisine by different restaurants; to determine the significant difference when group according to demographic profile; and to determine the cuisine preference of local tourists in San Juan, Batangas. The research design used the descriptive method because it is the most appropria...

Technical specification optimization program - engineered safety features

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andre, G.R.; Jansen, R.L.

1986-01-01

The Westinghouse Technical Specification Program (TOP) was designed to evaluate on a quantitative basis revisions to Nuclear Power Plant Technical Specifications. The revisions are directed at simplifying plant operation, and reducing unnecessary transients, shutdowns, and manpower requirements. In conjunction with the Westinghouse Owners Group, Westinghouse initiated a program to develop a methodology to justify Technical Specification revisions; particularly revisions related to testing and maintenance requirements on plant operation for instrumentation systems. The methodology was originally developed and applied to the reactor trip features of the reactor protection system (RPS). The current study further refined the methodology and applied it to the engineered safety features of the RPS

United States Air Force Personalized Medicine and Advanced Diagnostics Program Panel: Representative Research at the San Antonio Military Medical Center

Science.gov (United States)

2016-05-20

health system. dedicated to excellence in global care PROCESSING OF PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS/PRESENTATIONS INSTRUCTIONS 1. The...present this research at the University of Texas at San Antonio/SAMHS & Universities Research Forum, SURF 2016 in San Antonio, TX, on 20 May 2016. The...at San Antonio/SAMHS & Universities Research Forum, SURF 2016 in San Antonio, TX, on 20 May 2016. 3. LAWS AND REGULATIONS: DoD 5500.07-R, Joint

Implementation of the program for conservation and sustainable utilization of forest genetic resources in Republic of Serbia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Šijačić-Nikolić Mirjana

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Program for conservation and sustainable utilization of forest genetic resources has been defined for 2016-2025 period and it is a base for concrete activities in this field. This Program could be divided into several parts that deal with: the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable utilization of forest genetic resources; status of forest genetic resources in Serbia; previous activities on the conservation of forest genetic resources; and objectives, priorities and measures of conservation. The Program should have an impact on the development of the forestry sector through the following activities: conservation and sustainable utilization of the available gene pool; improving forest management in accordance with conservation principles; improving the production of reproductive material of forest trees; make the public awareness of the need for conservation and sustainable utilization of forest genetic resources; fulfillment of international obligations related to this field and the possibility of joining FAO activities related to forest genetic resources - development of the national report as a part of the publication The State of the World's Forest Genetic Resources. Implementation of the Program will depend upon raising the awareness on the importance, conservation and sustainable utilization of forest genetic resources, as a precondition for the forests survival; it will depend of funds that will be allocated for this purpose and enthusiasm of people who deal with these issues.

AUTOMATA PROGRAMS CONSTRUCTION FROM SPECIFICATION WITH AN ANT COLONY OPTIMIZATION ALGORITHM BASED ON MUTATION GRAPH

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniil S. Chivilikhin

2014-11-01

Full Text Available The procedure of testing traditionally used in software engineering cannot guarantee program correctness; therefore verification is used at the excess requirements to programs reliability. Verification makes it possible to check certain properties of programs in all possible computational states; however, this process is very complex. In the model checking method a model of the program is built (often, manually and requirements in terms of temporal logic are formulated. Such temporal properties of the model can be checked automatically. The main issue in this framework is the gap between the program and its model. Automata-based programming paradigm gives the possibility to overcome this limitation. In this paradigm, program logic is represented using finite-state machines. The advantage of finite-state machines is that their models can be constructed automatically. The paper deals with the application of mutation-based ant colony optimization algorithm to the problem of finite-state machine construction from their specification, defined by test scenarios and temporal properties. The presented approach has been tested on the elevator doors control problem as well as on randomly generated data. Obtained results show the ant colony algorithm is two-three times faster than the previously used genetic algorithm. The proposed approach can be recommended for inferring control programs for critical systems.

76 FR 1386 - Safety Zone; Centennial of Naval Aviation Kickoff, San Diego Bay, San Diego, CA

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-10

...-AA00 Safety Zone; Centennial of Naval Aviation Kickoff, San Diego Bay, San Diego, CA AGENCY: Coast... zone on the navigable waters of San Diego Bay in San Diego, CA in support of the Centennial of Naval... February 12, 2010, the Centennial of Naval Aviation Kickoff will take place in San Diego Bay. In support of...

Groundwater quality in the western San Joaquin Valley, California

Science.gov (United States)

Fram, Miranda S.

2017-06-09

Groundwater provides more than 40 percent of California’s drinking water. To protect this vital resource, the State of California created the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The Priority Basin Project of the GAMA Program provides a comprehensive assessment of the State’s groundwater quality and increases public access to groundwater-quality information. The Western San Joaquin Valley is one of the study units being evaluated. 

UCSF partnership to enrich science teaching for sixth graders in San Francisco's schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Doyle, H J

1999-04-01

Increasing the diversity of students entering the health professions is a challenging goal for medical schools. One approach to this goal is to share the enthusiasm and energy of medical students with younger students, who may pursue medical education in the future. The MedTeach program, established in 1989 and coordinated by the Science & Health Education Partnership of the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), does so by partnering volunteer medical students from UCSF with sixth-grade classes studying the human body. In 1997-98, around 350 sixth-graders in the San Francisco Schools benefitted from the program. Each team of medical student's visits its class ten to 12 times a year to present engaging, hands-on lessons on body systems and health. The medical students are also role models for the middle-school students. In addition, the diverse student population of San Francisco public schools provides a rich environment for the medical students to improve their communication and teaching skills.

Gamma ray induced effects in in vitro mammillaria san angelensis (CACTACEAE)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brunner, I.; Rubluo, A.; De la Cruz, E.; Gonzalez, J.

2001-01-01

The nearly extinct Mammillaria san angelensis has been recovered in vitro and large quantities of individuals are growing successfully in the greenhouse, however due to its axillary shoot proliferation origin the genetic make-up of this species is extremely narrow. For this reason is urgently required to increase its genetic variability. The induction of point mutations through irradiation of in vitro plantlets can favour the survival of this plant. Radiosensibility experiments using gamma rays were performed in order to determine the primary effects of radiation in in vitro plantlets of this species as a necessary preliminary for the use of the mutation induction strategy

San Marino.

Science.gov (United States)

1985-02-01

San Marino, an independent republic located in north central Italy, in 1983 had a population of 22,206 growing at an annual rate of .9%. The literacy rate is 97% and the infant mortality rate is 9.6/1000. The terrain is mountainous and the climate is moderate. According to local tradition, San Marino was founded by a Christian stonecutter in the 4th century A.D. as a refuge against religious persecution. Its recorded history began in the 9th century, and it has survived assaults on its independence by the papacy, the Malatesta lords of Rimini, Cesare Borgia, Napoleon, and Mussolini. An 1862 treaty with the newly formed Kingdom of Italy has been periodically renewed and amended. The present government is an alliance between the socialists and communists. San Marino has had its own statutes and governmental institutions since the 11th century. Legislative authority at present is vested in a 60-member unicameral parliament. Executive authority is exercised by the 11-member Congress of State, the members of which head the various administrative departments of the goverment. The posts are divided among the parties which form the coalition government. Judicial authority is partly exercised by Italian magistrates in civil and criminal cases. San Marino's policies are tied to Italy's and political organizations and labor unions active in Italy are also active in San Marino. Since World War II, there has been intense rivalry between 2 political coalitions, the Popular Alliance composed of the Christian Democratic Party and the Independent Social Democratic Party, and the Liberty Committee, coalition of the Communist Party and the Socialist Party. San Marino's gross domestic product was $137 million and its per capita income was $6290 in 1980. The principal economic activities are farming and livestock raising, along with some light manufacturing. Foreign transactions are dominated by tourism. The government derives most of its revenue from the sale of postage stamps to

SAFOD Penetrates the San Andreas Fault

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mark D. Zoback

2006-03-01

Full Text Available SAFOD, the San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth (Fig. 1, completed an important milestone in July 2005 by drilling through the San Andreas Fault at seismogenic depth. SAFOD is one of three major components of EarthScope, a U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF initiative being conducted in collaboration with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS. The International Continental Scientific DrillingProgram (ICDP provides engineering and technical support for the project as well as online access to project data and information (http://www.icdp-online.de/sites/sanandreas/news/news1.html. In 2002, the ICDP, the NSF, and the USGS provided funding for a pilot hole project at the SAFOD site. Twenty scientifi c papers summarizing the results of the pilot hole project as well as pre-SAFOD site characterization studies were published in Geophysical Research Letters (Vol.31, Nos. 12 and 15, 2004.

Geometric Semantic Genetic Programming Algorithm and Slump Prediction

OpenAIRE

Xu, Juncai; Shen, Zhenzhong; Ren, Qingwen; Xie, Xin; Yang, Zhengyu

2017-01-01

Research on the performance of recycled concrete as building material in the current world is an important subject. Given the complex composition of recycled concrete, conventional methods for forecasting slump scarcely obtain satisfactory results. Based on theory of nonlinear prediction method, we propose a recycled concrete slump prediction model based on geometric semantic genetic programming (GSGP) and combined it with recycled concrete features. Tests show that the model can accurately p...

Construction and Verification of PLC LD-programs by LTL-specification

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. V. Kuzmin

2013-01-01

Full Text Available An approach to construction and verification of PLC LD-programs for discrete problems is proposed. For the specification of the program behavior, we use the linear-time temporal logic LTL. Programming is carried out in the LD-language (Ladder Diagram according to an LTL-specification. The correctness analysis of an LTL-specification is carried out by the symbolic model checking tool Cadence SMV. A new approach to programming and verification of PLC LD-programs is shown by an example. For a discrete problem, we give a LD-program, its LTL-specification and an SMV-model. The purpose of the article is to describe an approach to programming PLC, which would provide a possibility of LD-program correctness analysis by the model checking method. Under the proposed approach, the change of the value of each program variable is described by a pair of LTL-formulas. The first LTL-formula describes situations which increase the value of the corresponding variable, the second LTL-formula specifies conditions leading to a decrease of the variable value. The LTL-formulas (used for speci- fication of the corresponding variable behavior are constructive in the sense that they construct the PLC-program (LD-program, which satisfies temporal properties expressed by these formulas. Thus, the programming of PLC is reduced to the construction of LTLspecification of the behavior of each program variable. In addition, an SMV-model of a PLC LD-program is constructed according to LTL-specification. Then, the SMV-model is analysed by the symbolic model checking tool Cadence SMV.

Geology and oil and gas assessment of the Fruitland Total Petroleum System, San Juan Basin, New Mexico and Colorado: Chapter 6 in Geology and Oil and Gas Assessment of the Fruitland Total Petroleum System, San Juan Basin, New Mexico and Colorado

Science.gov (United States)

Ridgley, J.L.; Condon, S.M.; Hatch, J.R.

2013-01-01

The Fruitland Total Petroleum System (TPS) of the San Juan Basin Province includes all genetically related hydrocarbons generated from coal beds and organic-rich shales in the Cretaceous Fruitland Formation. Coal beds are considered to be the primary source of the hydrocarbons. Potential reservoir rocks in the Fruitland TPS consist of the Upper Cretaceous Pictured Cliffs Sandstone, Fruitland Formation (both sandstone and coal beds), and the Farmington Sandstone Member of the Kirtland Formation, and the Tertiary Ojo Alamo Sandstone, and Animas, Nacimiento, and San Jose Formations.

LOD First Estimates In 7406 SLR San Juan Argentina Station

Science.gov (United States)

Pacheco, A.; Podestá, R.; Yin, Z.; Adarvez, S.; Liu, W.; Zhao, L.; Alvis Rojas, H.; Actis, E.; Quinteros, J.; Alacoria, J.

2015-10-01

In this paper we show results derived from satellite observations at the San Juan SLR station of Felix Aguilar Astronomical Observatory (OAFA). The Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) telescope was installed in early 2006, in accordance with an international cooperation agreement between the San Juan National University (UNSJ) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). The SLR has been in successful operation since 2011 using NAOC SLR software for the data processing. This program was designed to calculate satellite orbits and station coordinates, however it was used in this work for the determination of LOD (Length Of Day) time series and Earth Rotation speed.

Specificity of genetic and environmental risk factors for symptoms of cannabis, cocaine, alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine dependence.

Science.gov (United States)

Kendler, Kenneth S; Myers, John; Prescott, Carol A

2007-11-01

Although genetic risk factors have been found to contribute to dependence on both licit and illicit psychoactive substances, we know little of how these risk factors interrelate. To clarify the structure of genetic and environmental risk factors for symptoms of dependence on cannabis, cocaine, alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine in males and females. Lifetime history by structured clinical interview. General community. Four thousand eight hundred sixty-five members of male-male and female-female pairs from the Virginia Adult Twin Study of Psychiatric and Substance Use Disorders. Main Outcome Measure Lifetime symptoms of abuse of and dependence on cannabis, cocaine, alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine. Controlling for greater symptom prevalence in males, genetic and environmental parameters could be equated across sexes. Two models explained the data well. The best-fit exploratory model contained 2 genetic factors and 1 individual environmental factor contributing to all substances. The first genetic factor loaded strongly on cocaine and cannabis dependence; the second, on alcohol and nicotine dependence. Nicotine and caffeine had high substance-specific genetic effects. A confirmatory model, which also fit well, contained 1 illicit drug genetic factor--loading only on cannabis and cocaine--and 1 licit drug genetic factor loading on alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine. However, these factors were highly intercorrelated (r = + 0.82). Large substance-specific genetic effects remained for nicotine and caffeine. The pattern of genetic and environmental risk factors for psychoactive substance dependence was similar in males and females. Genetic risk factors for dependence on common psychoactive substances cannot be explained by a single factor. Rather, 2 genetic factors-one predisposing largely to illicit drug dependence, the other primarily to licit drug dependence-are needed. Furthermore, a large proportion of the genetic influences on nicotine and particularly caffeine dependence

The Mouse House: a brief history of the ORNL mouse-genetics program, 1947-2009.

Science.gov (United States)

Russell, Liane B

2013-01-01

The large mouse genetics program at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is often remembered chiefly for the germ-cell mutation-rate data it generated and their uses in estimating the risk of heritable radiation damage. In fact, it soon became a multi-faceted research effort that, over a period of almost 60 years, generated a wealth of information in the areas of mammalian mutagenesis, basic genetics (later enriched by molecular techniques), cytogenetics, reproductive biology, biochemistry of germ cells, and teratology. Research in the area of germ-cell mutagenesis explored the important physical and biological factors that affect the frequency and nature of induced mutations and made several unexpected discoveries, such as the major importance of the perigametic interval (the zygote stage) for the origin of spontaneous mutations and for the sensitivity to induced genetic change. Of practical value was the discovery that ethylnitrosourea was a supermutagen for point mutations, making high-efficiency mutagenesis in the mouse feasible worldwide. Teratogenesis findings resulted in recommendations still generally accepted in radiological practice. Studies supporting the mutagenesis research added whole bodies of information about mammalian germ-cell development and about molecular targets in germ cells. The early decision to not merely count but propagate genetic variants of all sorts made possible further discoveries, such as the Y-chromosome's importance in mammalian sex determination and the identification of rare X-autosome translocations, which, in turn, led to the formulation of the single-active-X hypothesis and provided tools for studies of functional mosaicism for autosomal genes, male sterility, and chromosome-pairing mechanism. Extensive genetic and then molecular analyses of large numbers of induced specific-locus mutants resulted in fine-structure physical and correlated functional mapping of significant portions of the mouse genome and constituted a

Population Structure of Xylella fastidiosa Associated with Almond Leaf Scorch Disease in the San Joaquin Valley of California.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Hong; Islam, Md Sajedul; Cabrera-La Rosa, Juan C; Civerolo, Edwin L; Groves, Russell L

2015-06-01

Xylella fastidiosa causes disease in many commercial crops, including almond leaf scorch (ALS) disease in susceptible almond (Prunus dulcis). In this study, genetic diversity and population structure of X. fastidiosa associated with ALS disease were evaluated. Isolates obtained from two almond orchards in Fresno and Kern County in the San Joaquin Valley of California were analyzed for two successive years. Multilocus simple-sequence repeat (SSR) analysis revealed two major genetic clusters that were associated with two host cultivars, 'Sonora' and 'Nonpareil', respectively, regardless of the year of study or location of the orchard. These relationships suggest that host cultivar selection and adaptation are major driving forces shaping ALS X. fastidiosa population structure in the San Joaquin Valley. This finding will provide insight into understanding pathogen adaptation and host selection in the context of ALS disease dynamics.

Analysis of the a genome genetic diversity among brassica napus, b. rapa and b. juncea accessions using specific simple sequence repeat markers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tian, H.; Yan, J.; Zhang, R.; Guo, Y.; Hu, S.; Channa, S.A.

2017-01-01

This investigation was aimed at evaluating the genetic diversity of 127 accessions among Brassica napus, B. rapa, and B. juncea by using 15 pairs of the A genome specific simple sequence repeat primers. These 127 accessions could be clearly separated into three groups by cluster analysis, principal component analysis, and population structure analysis separately, and the results analyzed by the three methods were very similar. Group I comprised of mainly B. napus accessions and the most of B. juncea accessions formed Group II, Group III included nearly all of the B. rapa accessions. The result showed that 36.86% of the variance was due to significant differences among populations of species, indicated that abundance genetic diversity existed among the A genome of B. napus, B. rapa, and B. juncea accessions. B. napus, B. rapa, and B. juncea have the abundant genetic diversity in the A genome, and some elite genes can be used to broaden the genetic base of them, especially for B. napus, in future rapeseed breeding program. (author)

76 FR 72424 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request Information Program on the Genetic Testing Registry

Science.gov (United States)

2011-11-23

... particular tests; and (3) facilitating genetic and genomic data-sharing for research and new scientific...; Comment Request Information Program on the Genetic Testing Registry AGENCY: National Institutes of Health... currently valid OMB control number. Proposed Collection: Title: The Genetic Testing Registry; Type of...

LESSONS FROM A RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF A 5-YR PERIOD OF PRESHIPMENT TESTING AT SAN DIEGO ZOO: A RISK-BASED APPROACH TO PRESHIPMENT TESTING MAY BENEFIT ANIMAL WELFARE.

Science.gov (United States)

Marinkovich, Matt; Wallace, Chelsea; Morris, Pat J; Rideout, Bruce; Pye, Geoffrey W

2016-03-01

The preshipment examination, with associated transmissible disease testing, has become standard practice in the movement of animals between zoos. An alternative disease risk-based approach, based on a comprehensive surveillance program including necropsy and preventive medicine examination testing and data, has been in practice since 2006 between the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park. A retrospective analysis, evaluating comprehensive necropsy data and preshipment testing over a 5-yr study period, was performed to determine the viability of this model for use with sending animals to other institutions. Animals (607 birds, 704 reptiles and amphibians, and 341 mammals) were shipped to 116 Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)-accredited and 29 non-AZA-accredited institutions. The evaluation showed no evidence of the specific transmissible diseases tested for during the preshipment exam being present within the San Diego Zoo collection. We suggest that a risk-based animal and institution-specific approach to transmissible disease preshipment testing is more cost effective and is in the better interest of animal welfare than the current industry standard of dogmatic preshipment testing.

Direct interaction of the Usher syndrome 1G protein SANS and myomegalin in the retina.

Science.gov (United States)

Overlack, Nora; Kilic, Dilek; Bauss, Katharina; Märker, Tina; Kremer, Hannie; van Wijk, Erwin; Wolfrum, Uwe

2011-10-01

The human Usher syndrome (USH) is the most frequent cause of combined hereditary deaf-blindness. USH is genetically heterogeneous with at least 11 chromosomal loci assigned to 3 clinical types, USH1-3. We have previously demonstrated that all USH1 and 2 proteins in the eye and the inner ear are organized into protein networks by scaffold proteins. This has contributed essentially to our current understanding of the function of USH proteins and explains why defects in proteins of different families cause very similar phenotypes. We have previously shown that the USH1G protein SANS (scaffold protein containing ankyrin repeats and SAM domain) contributes to the periciliary protein network in retinal photoreceptor cells. This study aimed to further elucidate the role of SANS by identifying novel interaction partners. In yeast two-hybrid screens of retinal cDNA libraries we identified 30 novel putative interacting proteins binding to the central domain of SANS (CENT). We confirmed the direct binding of the phosphodiesterase 4D interacting protein (PDE4DIP), a Golgi associated protein synonymously named myomegalin, to the CENT domain of SANS by independent assays. Correlative immunohistochemical and electron microscopic analyses showed a co-localization of SANS and myomegalin in mammalian photoreceptor cells in close association with microtubules. Based on the present results we propose a role of the SANS-myomegalin complex in microtubule-dependent inner segment cargo transport towards the ciliary base of photoreceptor cells. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Feasibility of geothermal heat use in the San Bernardino Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant. Final report, September 1980-June 1981

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Racine, W.C.; Larson, T.C.; Stewart, C.A.; Wessel, H.B.

1981-06-01

A system was developed for utilizing nearby low temperature geothermal energy to heat two high-rate primary anaerobic digesters at the San Bernardino Wastewater Treatment Plant. The geothermal fluid would replace the methane currently burned to fuel the digesters. A summary of the work accomplished on the feasibility study is presented. The design and operation of the facility are examined and potentially viable applications selected for additional study. Results of these investigations and system descriptions and equipment specifications for utilizing geothermal energy in the selected processes are presented. The economic analyses conducted on the six engineering design cases are discussed. The environmental setting of the project and an analysis of the environmental impacts that will result from construction and operation of the geothermal heating system are discussed. A Resource Development Plan describes the steps that the San Bernardino Municipal Water Department could follow in order to utilize the resource. A preliminary well program and rough cost estimates for the production and injection wells also are included. The Water Department is provided with a program and schedule for implementing a geothermal system to serve the wastewater treatment plant. Regulatory, financial, and legal issues that will impact the project are presented in the Appendix. An outline of a Public Awareness Program is included.

33 CFR 165.776 - Security Zone; Coast Guard Base San Juan, San Juan Harbor, Puerto Rico

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Security Zone; Coast Guard Base San Juan, San Juan Harbor, Puerto Rico 165.776 Section 165.776 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST... Guard District § 165.776 Security Zone; Coast Guard Base San Juan, San Juan Harbor, Puerto Rico (a...

Genetic composition and connectivity of the Antillean manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus) in Panama

Science.gov (United States)

Díaz-Ferguson, Edgardo; Hunter, Margaret; Guzmán, Héctor M.

2017-01-01

Genetic diversity and haplotype composition of the West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus) population from the San San Pond Sak wetland in Bocas del Toro, Panama was studied using a segment of mitochondrial DNA (D’loop). No genetic information has been published to date for Panamanian populations. Due to the secretive behavior and small population size of the species in the area, DNA extraction was conducted from opportunistically collected fecal (N=20), carcass tissue (N=4) and bone (N=4) samples. However, after DNA processing only 10 samples provided good quality DNA for sequencing (3 fecal, 4 tissue and 3 bone samples). We found three haplotypes in total; two of these haplotypes are reported for the first time, J02 (N=3) and J03 (N=4), and one J01 was previously published (N=3). Genetic diversity showed similar values to previous studies conducted in other Caribbean regions with moderate values of nucleotide diversity (π= 0.00152) and haplotipic diversity (Hd= 0.57). Connectivity assessment was based on sequence similarity, genetic distance and genetic differentiation between San San population and other manatee populations previously studied. The J01 haplotype found in the Panamanian population is shared with populations in the Caribbean mainland and the Gulf of Mexico showing a reduced differentiation corroborated with Fst value between HSSPS and this region of 0.0094. In contrast, comparisons between our sequences and populations in the Eastern Caribbean (South American populations) and North Western Caribbean showed fewer similarities (Fst =0.049 and 0.058, respectively). These results corroborate previous phylogeographic patterns already established for manatee populations and situate Panamanian populations into the Belize and Mexico cluster. In addition, these findings will be a baseline for future studies and comparisons with manatees in other areas of Panama and Central America. These results should be considered to inform management decisions

San Pablo Bay Tidal Marsh Enhancement and Water Quality Improvement Project

Science.gov (United States)

Information about the SFBWQP San Pablo Bay Tidal Marsh Enhancement and Water Quality Improvement Project, part of an EPA competitive grant program to improve SF Bay water quality focused on restoring impaired waters and enhancing aquatic resources.

Safe genetic modification of cardiac stem cells using a site-specific integration technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Lan, Feng; Liu, Junwei; Narsinh, Kazim H; Hu, Shijun; Han, Leng; Lee, Andrew S; Karow, Marisa; Nguyen, Patricia K; Nag, Divya; Calos, Michele P; Robbins, Robert C; Wu, Joseph C

2012-09-11

Human cardiac progenitor cells (hCPCs) are a promising cell source for regenerative repair after myocardial infarction. Exploitation of their full therapeutic potential may require stable genetic modification of the cells ex vivo. Safe genetic engineering of stem cells, using facile methods for site-specific integration of transgenes into known genomic contexts, would significantly enhance the overall safety and efficacy of cellular therapy in a variety of clinical contexts. We used the phiC31 site-specific recombinase to achieve targeted integration of a triple fusion reporter gene into a known chromosomal context in hCPCs and human endothelial cells. Stable expression of the reporter gene from its unique chromosomal integration site resulted in no discernible genomic instability or adverse changes in cell phenotype. Namely, phiC31-modified hCPCs were unchanged in their differentiation propensity, cellular proliferative rate, and global gene expression profile when compared with unaltered control hCPCs. Expression of the triple fusion reporter gene enabled multimodal assessment of cell fate in vitro and in vivo using fluorescence microscopy, bioluminescence imaging, and positron emission tomography. Intramyocardial transplantation of genetically modified hCPCs resulted in significant improvement in myocardial function 2 weeks after cell delivery, as assessed by echocardiography (P=0.002) and MRI (P=0.001). We also demonstrated the feasibility and therapeutic efficacy of genetically modifying differentiated human endothelial cells, which enhanced hind limb perfusion (Pmodification system is a safe, efficient tool to enable site-specific integration of reporter transgenes in progenitor and differentiated cell types.

In-Depth Analysis of Citrulline-Specific CD4 T-Cells in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Science.gov (United States)

2018-01-01

player in the activation of lymphoid , myeloid and mast cells , indicating MALT1’s crucial role in innate and adaptive signaling. Therefore, MALT1 is...for RA (IFRA) Program Session 7: Adaptive immunity vs. innate immunity and mesenchymal functions in RA Genetics, T cell specificity and T cell ...Program Session 7: Adaptive immunity vs. innate immunity and mesenchymal functions in RA Genetics, T cell specificity and T cell regulation in RA

San Carlos Apache Tribe - Energy Organizational Analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rapp, James; Albert, Steve

2012-04-01

The San Carlos Apache Tribe (SCAT) was awarded $164,000 in late-2011 by the U.S. Department of Energy (U.S. DOE) Tribal Energy Program's "First Steps Toward Developing Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency on Tribal Lands" Grant Program. This grant funded:  The analysis and selection of preferred form(s) of tribal energy organization (this Energy Organization Analysis, hereinafter referred to as "EOA").  Start-up staffing and other costs associated with the Phase 1 SCAT energy organization.  An intern program.  Staff training.  Tribal outreach and workshops regarding the new organization and SCAT energy programs and projects, including two annual tribal energy summits (2011 and 2012). This report documents the analysis and selection of preferred form(s) of a tribal energy organization.

Enhanced Preliminary Assessment Report: Presidio of San Francisco Military Reservation, San Francisco, California

Science.gov (United States)

1989-11-01

CAD981415656 Filmore Steiner Bay San Francisco 24 PG&E Gas Plant SanFran 502-IG CAD981415714 Bay North Point Buchanan Laguna 25 PG&E Gas Plant SanFran 502-1H...76-ioV /5,JO /0.7 /,230 PSF Water PSF, Main U.N. Lagunda Honda Analvte Plant Clearwell Reservoir Plaza Reservoi- Chlordane inetab. ə.2 ə.2 (1.2 ə.2

Analyzing age-specific genetic effects on human extreme age survival in cohort-based longitudinal studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tan, Qihua; Jacobsen, Rune; Sørensen, Mette

2013-01-01

The analysis of age-specific genetic effects on human survival over extreme ages is confronted with a deceleration pattern in mortality that deviates from traditional survival models and sparse genetic data available. As human late life is a distinct phase of life history, exploring the genetic...... effects on extreme age survival can be of special interest to evolutionary biology and health science. We introduce a non-parametric survival analysis approach that combines population survival information with individual genotype data in assessing the genetic effects in cohort-based longitudinal studies...

Risk-based technical specifications program: Site interview results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andre, G.R.; Baker, A.J.; Johnson, R.L.

1991-08-01

The Electric Power Research Institute and Pacific Gas and Electric Company are sponsoring a program directed at improving Technical Specifications using risk-based methods. The major objectives of the program are to develop risk-based approaches to improve Technical Specifications and to develop an Interactive Risk Advisor (IRA) prototype. The IRA is envisioned as an interactive system that is available to plant personnel to assist in controlling plant operation. Use of an IRA is viewed as a method to improve plant availability while maintaining or improving plant safety. In support of the program, interviews were conducted at several PWR and BWR plant sites, to elicit opinions and information concerning risk-based approaches to Technical Specifications and IRA requirements. This report presents the results of these interviews, including the functional requirements of an IRA. 2 refs., 6 figs., 2 tabs

Surveillance for previously unmonitored organic contaminants in the San Francisco Estuary.

Science.gov (United States)

Oros, Daniel R; Jarman, Walter M; Lowe, Theresa; David, Nicole; Lowe, Sarah; Davis, Jay A

2003-09-01

The San Francisco Estuary Regional Monitoring Program initiated surveillance monitoring to identify previously unmonitored synthetic organic contaminants in the San Francisco Estuary. Organic extracts of water samples were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in full scan mode. The major contaminant classes identified in the samples were fire retardants, pesticides, personal care product ingredients, and plasticizers. Evidence from the literature suggests that some of these contaminants can persist in the environment, induce toxicity, and accumulate in marine biota and in higher food chain consumers. The major sources of these contaminants into the marine environment are the discharge of municipal and industrial wastewater effluents, urban stormwater, and agricultural runoff. As a proactive effort, it is suggested that surveillance studies be used routinely in monitoring programs to identify and prevent potential problem contaminants from harming the marine environment.

An integrated biochemistry and genetics outreach program designed for elementary school students.

Science.gov (United States)

Ross, Eric D; Lee, Sarah K; Radebaugh, Catherine A; Stargell, Laurie A

2012-02-01

Exposure to genetic and biochemical experiments typically occurs late in one's academic career. By the time students have the opportunity to select specialized courses in these areas, many have already developed negative attitudes toward the sciences. Given little or no direct experience with the fields of genetics and biochemistry, it is likely that many young people rule these out as potential areas of study or career path. To address this problem, we developed a 7-week (~1 hr/week) hands-on course to introduce fifth grade students to basic concepts in genetics and biochemistry. These young students performed a series of investigations (ranging from examining phenotypic variation, in vitro enzymatic assays, and yeast genetic experiments) to explore scientific reasoning through direct experimentation. Despite the challenging material, the vast majority of students successfully completed each experiment, and most students reported that the experience increased their interest in science. Additionally, the experiments within the 7-week program are easily performed by instructors with basic skills in biological sciences. As such, this program can be implemented by others motivated to achieve a broader impact by increasing the accessibility of their university and communicating to a young audience a positive impression of the sciences and the potential for science as a career.

Travel and Tourism Industry: Program Options for City College of San Francisco.

Science.gov (United States)

City Coll. of San Francisco, CA.

In an effort to determine the current occupational outlook and resulting implications for education and training, the City College of San Francisco (CCSF), in California, undertook a study of current trends in the travel and tourism industry. This report provides findings from the project, which involved consultation with local and national…

Extracting classification rules from an informatic security incidents repository by genetic programming

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos Javier Carvajal Montealegre

2015-04-01

Full Text Available This paper describes the data mining process to obtain classification rules over an information security incident data collection, explaining in detail the use of genetic programming as a mean to model the incidents behavior and representing such rules as decision trees. The described mining process includes several tasks, such as the GP (Genetic Programming approach evaluation, the individual's representation and the algorithm parameters tuning to upgrade the performance. The paper concludes with the result analysis and the description of the rules obtained, suggesting measures to avoid the occurrence of new informatics attacks. This paper is a part of the thesis work degree: Information Security Incident Analytics by Data Mining for Behavioral Modeling and Pattern Recognition (Carvajal, 2012.

Management intensity and genetics affect loblolly pine seedling performance

Science.gov (United States)

Scott D. Roberts; Randall J. Rousseau; B. Landis Herrin

2012-01-01

Capturing potential genetic gains from tree improvement programs requires selection of the appropriate genetic stock and application of appropriate silvicultural management techniques. Limited information is available on how specific loblolly pine varietal genotypes perform under differing growing environments and management approaches. This study was established in...

A case for historic joint rupture of the San Andreas and San Jacinto faults.

Science.gov (United States)

Lozos, Julian C

2016-03-01

The San Andreas fault is considered to be the primary plate boundary fault in southern California and the most likely fault to produce a major earthquake. I use dynamic rupture modeling to show that the San Jacinto fault is capable of rupturing along with the San Andreas in a single earthquake, and interpret these results along with existing paleoseismic data and historic damage reports to suggest that this has likely occurred in the historic past. In particular, I find that paleoseismic data and historic observations for the ~M7.5 earthquake of 8 December 1812 are best explained by a rupture that begins on the San Jacinto fault and propagates onto the San Andreas fault. This precedent carries the implications that similar joint ruptures are possible in the future and that the San Jacinto fault plays a more significant role in seismic hazard in southern California than previously considered. My work also shows how physics-based modeling can be used for interpreting paleoseismic data sets and understanding prehistoric fault behavior.

A case for historic joint rupture of the San Andreas and San Jacinto faults

Science.gov (United States)

Lozos, Julian C.

2016-01-01

The San Andreas fault is considered to be the primary plate boundary fault in southern California and the most likely fault to produce a major earthquake. I use dynamic rupture modeling to show that the San Jacinto fault is capable of rupturing along with the San Andreas in a single earthquake, and interpret these results along with existing paleoseismic data and historic damage reports to suggest that this has likely occurred in the historic past. In particular, I find that paleoseismic data and historic observations for the ~M7.5 earthquake of 8 December 1812 are best explained by a rupture that begins on the San Jacinto fault and propagates onto the San Andreas fault. This precedent carries the implications that similar joint ruptures are possible in the future and that the San Jacinto fault plays a more significant role in seismic hazard in southern California than previously considered. My work also shows how physics-based modeling can be used for interpreting paleoseismic data sets and understanding prehistoric fault behavior. PMID:27034977

Geothermal resource assessment of western San Luis Valley, Colorado

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zacharakis, Ted G.; Pearl, Richard Howard; Ringrose, Charles D.

1983-01-01

The Colorado Geological Survey initiated and carried out a fully integrated assessment program of the geothermal resource potential of the western San Luis Valley during 1979 and 1980. The San Luis Valley is a large intermontane basin located in southcentral Colorado. While thermal springs and wells are found throughout the Valley, the only thermal waters found along the western part of the Valley are found at Shaw Warm Springs which is a relatively unused spring located approximately 6 miles (9.66 km) north of Del Norte, Colorado. The waters at Shaws Warm Spring have a temperature of 86 F (30 C), a discharge of 40 gallons per minute and contain approximately 408 mg/l of total dissolved solids. The assessment program carried out din the western San Luis Valley consisted of: soil mercury geochemical surveys; geothermal gradient drilling; and dipole-dipole electrical resistivity traverses, Schlumberger soundings, Audio-magnetotelluric surveys, telluric surveys, and time-domain electro-magnetic soundings and seismic surveys. Shaw Warm Springs appears to be the only source of thermal waters along the western side of the Valley. From the various investigations conducted the springs appear to be fault controlled and is very limited in extent. Based on best evidence presently available estimates are presented on the size and extent of Shaw Warm Springs thermal system. It is estimated that this could have an areal extent of 0.63 sq. miles (1.62 sq. km) and contain 0.0148 Q's of heat energy.

Genetic parameters of pathogen-specific incidence of clinical mastitis in dairy cows

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Haas, de Y.; Barkema, H.W.; Veerkamp, R.F.

2002-01-01

The objective of this study was to estimate heritabilities for and genetic correlations among different pathogen-specific mastitis traits. The traits were unspecific mastitis, which is all mastitis treatments regardless of the causative pathogen as well as mastitis caused by Streptococcus

76 FR 10945 - San Luis Trust Bank, FSB, San Luis Obispo, CA; Notice of Appointment of Receiver

Science.gov (United States)

2011-02-28

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Office of Thrift Supervision San Luis Trust Bank, FSB, San Luis Obispo, CA; Notice of Appointment of Receiver Notice is hereby given that, pursuant to the authority... appointed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation as sole Receiver for San Luis Trust Bank, FSB, San Luis...

CRISPR/Cas9-loxP-Mediated Gene Editing as a Novel Site-Specific Genetic Manipulation Tool.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Fayu; Liu, Changbao; Chen, Ding; Tu, Mengjun; Xie, Haihua; Sun, Huihui; Ge, Xianglian; Tang, Lianchao; Li, Jin; Zheng, Jiayong; Song, Zongming; Qu, Jia; Gu, Feng

2017-06-16

Cre-loxP, as one of the site-specific genetic manipulation tools, offers a method to study the spatial and temporal regulation of gene expression/inactivation in order to decipher gene function. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated targeted genome engineering technologies are sparking a new revolution in biological research. Whether the traditional site-specific genetic manipulation tool and CRISPR/Cas9 could be combined to create a novel genetic tool for highly specific gene editing is not clear. Here, we successfully generated a CRISPR/Cas9-loxP system to perform gene editing in human cells, providing the proof of principle that these two technologies can be used together for the first time. We also showed that distinct non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) patterns from CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing of the targeting sequence locates at the level of plasmids (episomal) and chromosomes. Specially, the CRISPR/Cas9-mediated NHEJ pattern in the nuclear genome favors deletions (64%-68% at the human AAVS1 locus versus 4%-28% plasmid DNA). CRISPR/Cas9-loxP, a novel site-specific genetic manipulation tool, offers a platform for the dissection of gene function and molecular insights into DNA-repair pathways. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Barriers and Facilitators to Community CPR Education in San José, Costa Rica.

Science.gov (United States)

Schmid, Kristin M; Mould-Millman, Nee-Kofi; Hammes, Andrew; Kroehl, Miranda; García, Raquel Quiros; McDermott, Manrique Umaña; Lowenstein, Steven R

2016-10-01

Bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) improves survival after prehospital cardiac arrest. While community CPR training programs have been implemented across the US, little is known about their acceptability in non-US Latino populations. The purpose of this study was to identify barriers to enrolling in CPR training classes and performing CPR in San José, Costa Rica. After consulting 10 San José residents, a survey was created, pilot-tested, and distributed to a convenience sample of community members in public gathering places in San José. Questions included demographics, CPR knowledge and beliefs, prior CPR training, having a family member with heart disease, and prior witnessing of a cardiac arrest. Questions also addressed barriers to enrolling in CPR classes (cost/competing priorities). The analysis focused on two main outcomes: likelihood of registering for a CPR class and willingness to perform CPR on an adult stranger. Odds ratios and 95% CIs were calculated to test for associations between patient characteristics and these outcomes. Among 371 participants, most were male (60%) and education (OR: 1.9; 95% CI, 1.1-3.2). Believing that CPR does not work was associated with a higher likelihood of not attending a CPR class (OR: 2.4; 95% CI, 1.7-7.9). Fear of performing mouth-mouth, believing CPR is against God's will, and fear of legal risk were associated with a likelihood of not attending a CPR class and not performing CPR on a stranger (range of ORs: 2.4-3.9). Most San José residents are willing to take CPR classes and perform CPR on a stranger. To implement a community CPR program, barriers must be considered, including misgivings about CPR efficacy and legal risk. Hands-only CPR programs may alleviate hesitancy to perform mouth-to-mouth. Schmid KM , Mould-Millman NK , Hammes A , Kroehl M , Quiros García R , Umaña McDermott M , Lowenstein SR . Barriers and facilitators to community CPR education in San José, Costa Rica. Prehosp Disaster Med

Research on non-uniform strain profile reconstruction along fiber Bragg grating via genetic programming algorithm and interrelated experimental verification

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Shijie; Zhang, Nan; Xia, Yanjun; Wang, Hongtao

2014-03-01

A new heuristic strategy for the non-uniform strain profile reconstruction along Fiber Bragg Gratings is proposed in this paper, which is based on the modified transfer matrix and Genetic Programming(GP) algorithm. The present method uses Genetic Programming to determine the applied strain field as a function of position along the fiber length. The structures that undergo adaptation in genetic programming are hierarchical structures which are different from that of conventional genetic algorithm operating on strings. GP regress the strain profile function which matches the 'measured' spectrum best and makes space resolution of strain reconstruction arbitrarily high, or even infinite. This paper also presents an experimental verification of the reconstruction of non-homogeneous strain fields using GP. The results are compared with numerical calculations of finite element method. Both the simulation examples and experimental results demonstrate that Genetic Programming can effectively reconstruct continuous profile expression along the whole FBG, and greatly improves its computational efficiency and accuracy.

76 FR 22809 - Safety Zone; Bay Ferry II Maritime Security Exercise; San Francisco Bay, San Francisco, CA

Science.gov (United States)

2011-04-25

... DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Coast Guard 33 CFR Part 165 [Docket No. USCG-2011-0196] RIN 1625-AA00 Safety Zone; Bay Ferry II Maritime Security Exercise; San Francisco Bay, San Francisco, CA AGENCY... Security Exercise; San Francisco Bay, San Francisco, CA. (a) Location. The limits of this safety zone...

Evolving Rule-Based Systems in two Medical Domains using Genetic Programming

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tsakonas, A.; Dounias, G.; Jantzen, Jan

2004-01-01

We demonstrate, compare and discuss the application of two genetic programming methodologies for the construction of rule-based systems in two medical domains: the diagnosis of Aphasia's subtypes and the classification of Pap-Smear Test examinations. The first approach consists of a scheme...

Model-based problem solving through symbolic regression via pareto genetic programming

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vladislavleva, E.

2008-01-01

Pareto genetic programming methodology is extended by additional generic model selection and generation strategies that (1) drive the modeling engine to creation of models of reduced non-linearity and increased generalization capabilities, and (2) improve the effectiveness of the search for robust

Logic programming and metadata specifications

Science.gov (United States)

Lopez, Antonio M., Jr.; Saacks, Marguerite E.

1992-01-01

Artificial intelligence (AI) ideas and techniques are critical to the development of intelligent information systems that will be used to collect, manipulate, and retrieve the vast amounts of space data produced by 'Missions to Planet Earth.' Natural language processing, inference, and expert systems are at the core of this space application of AI. This paper presents logic programming as an AI tool that can support inference (the ability to draw conclusions from a set of complicated and interrelated facts). It reports on the use of logic programming in the study of metadata specifications for a small problem domain of airborne sensors, and the dataset characteristics and pointers that are needed for data access.

User-friendly software for SANS data reduction and analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Biemann, P.; Haese-Seiller, M.; Staron, P.

1999-01-01

At the Geesthacht Neutron Facility (GeNF) a new software is being developed for the reduction of two-dimensional small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) data. The main motivation for this work was to created software for users of our SANS facilities that is easy to use. Another motivation was to provide users with software they can also use at their home institute. Therefore, the software is implemented on a personal computer running WINDOWS. The program reads raw data from an area detector in binary or ascii format and produces ascii files containing the scattering curve. The cross section can be averaged over the whole area of the detector or over users defined sectors only. Scripts can be created for processing large numbers of files. (author)

Diversidade genética de Enterolobium contortisiliquum (Vell. Morong. no Baixo Rio São Francisco, por meio de marcadores RAPD Genetic diversity of Enterolobium contortisiliquum (Vell. Morong. in the low San Francisco river by RAPD markers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Georgea da Cruz Santana

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Enterolobium contortisiliquum Vell. Morong (Leguminosae-Mimosoideae é uma espécie muito utilizada em programas de recuperação de matas ciliares no Baixo Rio São Francisco, devido ao seu rápido crescimento inicial. Assim, o objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar, por meio de marcadores moleculares RAPD, a diversidade genética de oito indivíduos de uma população remanescente dessa espécie, visando contribuir para a definição de estratégias de coleta de sementes. Os indivíduos estão situados em uma área de 100 ha de mata ciliar do Baixo Rio São Francisco. Para a extração do DNA, pelo método CTAB 2%, foram utilizadas folhas tenras dos indivíduos. Testaram-se 20 oligonucleotídios de 10 bases de seqüência arbitrária, cujos produtos foram separados em gel de agarose 0,8%, submetidos à eletroforese horizontal, corados com brometo-de-etídio e visualizados em luz ultravioleta. A similaridade genética entre os indivíduos foi calculada pelo Coeficiente de Similaridade de Jaccard e a construção do dendrograma, realizada utilizando-se o método UPGMA. O valor médio de diversidade genética entre as matrizes foi de 49%, variando de 33 a 85%. Os indivíduos 6 e 7 apresentaram relativa proximidade genética (67%, não sendo indicado o plantio de suas mudas ou semeadura direta para recuperação de área ciliar em locais muito próximos. A partir dos resultados observados, podem-se desenvolver estratégias para a coleta de sementes e produção de mudas, auxiliando, assim, programas de restauração ambiental.Enterolobium contortisiliquum Vell. Morong (Leguminosae-Mimosoideae is very much used in riparian forest restoration programs in the Low San Francisco River because of its fast initial growth. The objective of this work was to evaluate by RAPD molecular markers the genetic diversity of eight individuals of a remaining population of this species, in order to contribute for the definition of strategies for seed production. The

San Jose, California: Evaluating Local Solar Energy Generation Potential (City Energy: From Data to Decisions)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Office of Strategic Programs, Strategic Priorities and Impact Analysis Team

2017-09-29

This fact sheet "San Jose, California: Evaluating Local Solar Energy Generation Potential" explains how the City of San Jose used data from the U.S. Department of Energy's Cities Leading through Energy Analysis and Planning (Cities-LEAP) and the State and Local Energy Data (SLED) programs to inform its city energy planning. It is one of ten fact sheets in the "City Energy: From Data to Decisions" series.

The Mouse House: A brief history of the ORNL mouse-genetics program, 1947–2009

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Russell, Liane B.

2013-10-01

The large mouse genetics program at the Oak Ridge National Lab is often re-membered chiefly for the germ-cell mutation-rate data it generated and their uses in estimating the risk of heritable radiation damage. In fact, it soon became a multi-faceted research effort that, over a period of almost 60 years, generated a wealth of information in the areas of mammalian mutagenesis, basic genetics (later enriched by molecular techniques), cytogenetics, reproductive biology, biochemistry of germ cells, and teratology. Research in the area of germ-cell mutagenesis explored the important physical and biological factors that affect the frequency and nature of induced mutations and made several unexpected discoveries, such as the major importance of the perigametic interval (the zygote stage) for the origin of spontaneous mutations and for the sensitivity to induced genetic change. Of practical value was the discovery that ethylnitrosourea was a supermutagen for point mutations, making high-efficiency mutagenesis in the mouse feasible worldwide. Teratogenesis findings resulted in recommendations still generally accepted in radiological practice. Studies supporting the mutagenesis research added whole bodies of information about mammalian germ-cell development and about molecular targets in germ cells. The early decision to not merely count but propagate genetic variants of all sorts made possible further discoveries, such as the Y-Chromosome s importance in mammalian sex determination and the identification of rare X-autosome translocations, which, in turn, led to the formulation of the single-active-X hypothesis and provided tools for studies of functional mosaicism for autosomal genes, male sterility, and chromosome-pairing mechanism. Extensive genetic and then molecular analyses of large numbers of induced specific-locus mutants resulted in fine-structure physical and correlated functional mapping of significant portions of the mouse genome and constituted a valuable

Simulating a base population in honey bee for molecular genetic studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Pooja; Conrad, Tim; Spötter, Andreas; Reinsch, Norbert; Bienefeld, Kaspar

2012-06-27

Over the past years, reports have indicated that honey bee populations are declining and that infestation by an ecto-parasitic mite (Varroa destructor) is one of the main causes. Selective breeding of resistant bees can help to prevent losses due to the parasite, but it requires that a robust breeding program and genetic evaluation are implemented. Genomic selection has emerged as an important tool in animal breeding programs and simulation studies have shown that it yields more accurate breeding value estimates, higher genetic gain and low rates of inbreeding. Since genomic selection relies on marker data, simulations conducted on a genomic dataset are a pre-requisite before selection can be implemented. Although genomic datasets have been simulated in other species undergoing genetic evaluation, simulation of a genomic dataset specific to the honey bee is required since this species has a distinct genetic and reproductive biology. Our software program was aimed at constructing a base population by simulating a random mating honey bee population. A forward-time population simulation approach was applied since it allows modeling of genetic characteristics and reproductive behavior specific to the honey bee. Our software program yielded a genomic dataset for a base population in linkage disequilibrium. In addition, information was obtained on (1) the position of markers on each chromosome, (2) allele frequency, (3) χ(2) statistics for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, (4) a sorted list of markers with a minor allele frequency less than or equal to the input value, (5) average r(2) values of linkage disequilibrium between all simulated marker loci pair for all generations and (6) average r2 value of linkage disequilibrium in the last generation for selected markers with the highest minor allele frequency. We developed a software program that takes into account the genetic and reproductive biology specific to the honey bee and that can be used to constitute a genomic

Closing the Gap Between Specification and Programming: VDM++ and SCALA

Science.gov (United States)

Havelund, Klaus

2011-01-01

We argue that a modern programming language such as Scala offers a level of succinctness, which makes it suitable for program and systems specification as well as for high-level programming. We illustrate this by comparing the language with the Vdm++ specification language. The comparison also identifies areas where Scala perhaps could be improved, inspired by Vdm++. We furthermore illustrate Scala's potential as a specification language by augmenting it with a combination of parameterized state machines and temporal logic, defined as a library, thereby forming an expressive but simple runtime verification framework.

The San Bernabe power substation; La subestacion San Bernabe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chavez Sanudo, Andres D. [Luz y Fuerza del Centro, Mexico, D. F. (Mexico)

1997-12-31

The first planning studies that gave rise to the San Bernabe substation go back to year 1985. The main circumstance that supports this decision is the gradual restriction for electric power generation that has been suffering the Miguel Aleman Hydro System, until its complete disappearance, to give priority to the potable water supply through the Cutzamala pumping system, that feeds in an important way Mexico City and the State of Mexico. In this document the author describes the construction project of the San Bernabe Substation; mention is made of the technological experiences obtained during the construction and its geographical location is shown, as well as the one line diagram of the same [Espanol] Los primeros estudios de planeacion que dieron origen a la subestacion San Bernabe se remontan al ano de 1985. La circunstancia principal que soporta esta decision es la restriccion paulatina para generar energia que ha venido experimentando el Sistema Hidroelectrico Miguel Aleman, hasta su desaparicion total, para dar prioridad al suministro de agua potable por medio del sistema de bombeo Cutzamala, que alimenta en forma importante a la Ciudad de Mexico y al Estado de Mexico. En este documento el autor describe el proyecto de construccion de la subestacion San Bernabe; se mencionan las experiencias tecnologicas obtenidas durante su construccion y se ilustra su ubicacion geografica, asi como un diagrama unifilar de la misma

Genetic diversity of tambaqui broodstocks in stock enhancement programs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Americo Moraes Neto

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Natural populations of tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum have significantly decreased in recent decades especially due to human extraction activities. So that the environmental impact may be reduced, the restocking of fish and increase in fish production are enhanced. Genetic evaluations using molecular markers are essential for this purpose. Current study evaluates the genetic variability of two tambaqui broodstocks used in restocking programs. Sixty-five samples (33 samples from broodstock A and 32 samples from broodstock B were collected. DNA was extracted from caudal fin samples, with the amplification of four microsatellite loci: Cm1A11 (EU685307 Cm1C8 (EU685308 Cm1F4 (EU685311 and Cm1H8 (EU685315. Fourteen alleles in the stock of broodstock A were produced, five alleles for Cm1A11 locus (230, 255, 260, 270 and 276 bp, three alleles Cm1C8 (239, 260, and 273 bp, two alleles Cm1F4 (211 and 245 bp, four alleles for Cm1H8 (275, 290, 320 and 331 bp and two unique alleles were found for Cm1A11 loci (alleles 270 and 276 bp and Cm1H8 (alleles 275 and 331 bp. In broodstock B, ten alleles were produced, the same alleles of the first stock except for alleles 270 and 276 bp in Cm1A11 locus and 275 and 331 bp in Cm1H8 locus. Broodstock A revealed low frequency alleles in Cm1A11 loci, Cm1C8, Cm1F4 and Cm1H8, whereas broodstock B had no locus with low allelic frequency. Loci Cm1A11, Cm1C8 and Cm1H8 exhibited significant deficit of heterozygotes in both broodstocks, revealing changes in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Genetic diversity between stocks was 0.1120, whilst genetic similarity was 0.894, with FST rate = 0.05, and Nm = 3.93, indicating gene flow between the two broodstocks. Results show that broodstocks are genetically closely related, with no great genetic variability. Strategies such as a previous genetic analysis of breeding with its marking, use of a large Ne crossing between the most genetically divergent specimens, and the introduction of new

Towards Merging Binary Integer Programming Techniques with Genetic Algorithms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Reza Zamani

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a framework based on merging a binary integer programming technique with a genetic algorithm. The framework uses both lower and upper bounds to make the employed mathematical formulation of a problem as tight as possible. For problems whose optimal solutions cannot be obtained, precision is traded with speed through substituting the integrality constrains in a binary integer program with a penalty. In this way, instead of constraining a variable u with binary restriction, u is considered as real number between 0 and 1, with the penalty of Mu(1-u, in which M is a large number. Values not near to the boundary extremes of 0 and 1 make the component of Mu(1-u large and are expected to be avoided implicitly. The nonbinary values are then converted to priorities, and a genetic algorithm can use these priorities to fill its initial pool for producing feasible solutions. The presented framework can be applied to many combinatorial optimization problems. Here, a procedure based on this framework has been applied to a scheduling problem, and the results of computational experiments have been discussed, emphasizing the knowledge generated and inefficiencies to be circumvented with this framework in future.

Groundwater quality in the North San Francisco Bay shallow aquifer, California

Science.gov (United States)

Bennett, George L.; Fram, Miranda S.

2018-02-23

Groundwater provides more than 40 percent of California’s drinking water. To protect this vital resource, the State of California created the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The Priority Basin Project of the GAMA Program provides a comprehensive assessment of the State’s groundwater quality and increases public access to groundwater-quality information. The North San Francisco Bay Shallow Aquifer constitutes one of the study units being evaluated.

Empirical study of self-configuring genetic programming algorithm performance and behaviour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

KrasnoyarskiyRabochiy prospect, Krasnoyarsk, 660014 (Russian Federation))" data-affiliation=" (Siberian State Aerospace University named after Academician M.F. Reshetnev 31 KrasnoyarskiyRabochiy prospect, Krasnoyarsk, 660014 (Russian Federation))" >Semenkin, E; KrasnoyarskiyRabochiy prospect, Krasnoyarsk, 660014 (Russian Federation))" data-affiliation=" (Siberian State Aerospace University named after Academician M.F. Reshetnev 31 KrasnoyarskiyRabochiy prospect, Krasnoyarsk, 660014 (Russian Federation))" >Semenkina, M

2015-01-01

The behaviour of the self-configuring genetic programming algorithm with a modified uniform crossover operator that implements a selective pressure on the recombination stage, is studied over symbolic programming problems. The operator's probabilistic rates interplay is studied and the role of operator variants on algorithm performance is investigated. Algorithm modifications based on the results of investigations are suggested. The performance improvement of the algorithm is demonstrated by the comparative analysis of suggested algorithms on the benchmark and real world problems

Description of gravity cores from San Pablo Bay and Carquinez Strait, San Francisco Bay, California

Science.gov (United States)

Woodrow, Donald L.; John L. Chin,; Wong, Florence L.; Fregoso, Theresa A.; Jaffe, Bruce E.

2017-06-27

Seventy-two gravity cores were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in 1990, 1991, and 2000 from San Pablo Bay and Carquinez Strait, California. The gravity cores collected within San Pablo Bay contain bioturbated laminated silts and sandy clays, whole and broken bivalve shells (mostly mussels), fossil tube structures, and fine-grained plant or wood fragments. Gravity cores from the channel wall of Carquinez Strait east of San Pablo Bay consist of sand and clay layers, whole and broken bivalve shells (less than in San Pablo Bay), trace fossil tubes, and minute fragments of plant material.

Data release for persistence of historical population structure in an endangered species despite near-complete biome conversion in California’s San Joaquin Desert

Data.gov (United States)

Department of the Interior — The recency of large-scale land conversion in California’s San Joaquin Desert raises the probability that the region’s numerous endemic species still retain genetic...

Genetic analysis of the spindle checkpoint genes san-1, mdf-2, bub-3 and the CENP-F homologues hcp-1 and hcp-2 in Caenorhabditis elegans

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Moore Landon L

2008-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The spindle checkpoint delays the onset of anaphase until all sister chromatids are aligned properly at the metaphase plate. To investigate the role san-1, the MAD3 homologue, has in Caenorhabditis elegans embryos we used RNA interference (RNAi to identify genes synthetic lethal with the viable san-1(ok1580 deletion mutant. Results The san-1(ok1580 animal has low penetrating phenotypes including an increased incidence of males, larvae arrest, slow growth, protruding vulva, and defects in vulva morphogenesis. We found that the viability of san-1(ok1580 embryos is significantly reduced when HCP-1 (CENP-F homologue, MDF-1 (MAD-1 homologue, MDF-2 (MAD-2 homologue or BUB-3 (predicted BUB-3 homologue are reduced by RNAi. Interestingly, the viability of san-1(ok1580 embryos is not significantly reduced when the paralog of HCP-1, HCP-2, is reduced. The phenotype of san-1(ok1580;hcp-1(RNAi embryos includes embryonic and larval lethality, abnormal organ development, and an increase in abnormal chromosome segregation (aberrant mitotic nuclei, anaphase bridging. Several of the san-1(ok1580;hcp-1(RNAi animals displayed abnormal kinetochore (detected by MPM-2 and microtubule structure. The survival of mdf-2(RNAi;hcp-1(RNAi embryos but not bub-3(RNAi;hcp-1(RNAi embryos was also compromised. Finally, we found that san-1(ok1580 and bub-3(RNAi, but not hcp-1(RNAi embryos, were sensitive to anoxia, suggesting that like SAN-1, BUB-3 has a functional role as a spindle checkpoint protein. Conclusion Together, these data suggest that in the C. elegans embryo, HCP-1 interacts with a subset of the spindle checkpoint pathway. Furthermore, the fact that san-1(ok1580;hcp-1(RNAi animals had a severe viability defect whereas in the san-1(ok1580;hcp-2(RNAi and san-1(ok1580;hcp-2(ok1757 animals the viability defect was not as severe suggesting that hcp-1 and hcp-2 are not completely redundant.

The Department of Energy/American Chemical Society Summer School in Nuclear and Radiochemistry at San Jose State University

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kinard, W.F.; Silber, H.B.

2005-01-01

A Summer School in Nuclear Chemistry sponsored by the U. S. Department of Energy and the American Chemical Society has been held at San Jose State University for the past 20 years. The intent of the program is to introduce outstanding college students to the field of nuclear and radiochemistry with the goal that some of these students will consider careers on nuclear science. The program features radiochemistry experiments along with radiation safety training, guest lectures by well known nuclear scientists and field trips to nuclear chemistry facilities in the San Francisco area. (author)

Specialty education in periodontics in Japan and the United States: comparison of programs at Nippon Dental University Hospital and the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

Science.gov (United States)

Osawa, Ginko; Nakaya, Hiroshi; Mealey, Brian L; Kalkwarf, Kenneth; Cochran, David L

2014-03-01

Japan has institutions that train qualified postdoctoral students in the field of periodontics; however, Japan does not have comprehensive advanced periodontal programs and national standards for these specialty programs. To help Japanese programs move toward global standards in this area, this study was designed to describe overall differences in periodontics specialty education in Japan and the United States and to compare periodontics faculty members and residents' characteristics and attitudes in two specific programs, one in each country. Periodontal faculty members and residents at Nippon Dental University (NDU) and the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA) Dental School participated in the survey study: four faculty members and nine residents at NDU; seven faculty members and thirteen residents at UTHSCSA. Demographic data were collected as well as respondents' attitudes toward and assessment of their programs. The results showed many differences in curriculum structure and clinical performance. In contrast to the UTHSCSA respondents, for example, the residents and faculty members at NDU reported that they did not have enough subject matter and time to learn clinical science. Although the residents at NDU reported seeing more total patients in one month than those at UTHSCSA, they were taught fewer varieties of periodontal treatments. To provide high-quality and consistent education for periodontal residents, Japan needs to establish a set of standards that will have positive consequences for those in Japan who need periodontal treatment.

The San Diego Center for Patient Safety: Creating a Research, Education, and Community Consortium

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Pratt, Nancy; Vo, Kelly; Ganiats, Theodore G; Weinger, Matthew B

2005-01-01

In response to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Developmental Centers of Education and Research in Patient Safety grant program, a group of clinicians and academicians proposed the San...

San José de Moro y el Fin de los Mochicas en el Valle de Jequetepeque, Costa Norte del Perú

OpenAIRE

Castillo Butters, Luis Jaime

2012-01-01

This dissertation presents a new perspective on the Late Moche phenomenon on the basis of theexcavations at San Jose de Moro and other Moche sites in the Northern Jequetepeque Valley,North Coast of Peru. Since 1991 the San Jose de Moro Archaeological Program has focused onthe Middle Moche, Late Moche and Transitional Period occupations of these sites. Thisdissertation reviews data obtained through archaeological surveys conducted in the region,mapping and excavation programs, stratigraphic ex...

Effectiveness of the combined evaluation of KLK3 genetics and free-to-total prostate specific antigen ratio for prostate cancer diagnosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Zambon, Carlo-Federico; Prayer-Galetti, Tommaso; Basso, Daniela; Padoan, Andrea; Rossi, Elisa; Secco, Silvia; Pelloso, Michela; Fogar, Paola; Navaglia, Filippo; Moz, Stefania; Zattoni, Filiberto; Plebani, Mario

2012-10-01

Of serum prostate specific antigen variability 40% depends on inherited factors. We ascertained whether the knowledge of KLK3 genetics would enhance prostate specific antigen diagnostic performance in patients with clinical suspicion of prostate cancer. We studied 1,058 men who consecutively underwent prostate biopsy for clinical suspicion of prostate cancer. At histology prostate cancer was present in 401 cases and absent in 657. Serum total prostate specific antigen and the free-to-total prostate specific antigen ratio were determined. Four polymorphisms of the KLK3 gene (rs2569733, rs2739448, rs925013 and rs2735839) and 1 polymorphism of the SRD5A2 gene (rs523349) were studied. The influence of genetics on prostate specific antigen variability was evaluated by multivariate linear regression analysis. The performance of total prostate specific antigen and the free-to-total prostate specific antigen ratio alone or combined with a genetically based patient classification were defined by ROC curve analyses. For prostate cancer diagnosis the free-to-total prostate specific antigen ratio index alone (cutoff 11%) was superior to total prostate specific antigen (cutoff 4 ng/ml) and to free-to-total prostate specific antigen ratio reflex testing (positive predictive value 61%, 43% and 54%, respectively). Prostate specific antigen correlated with KLK3 genetics (rs2735839 polymorphism p = 0.001, and rs2569733, rs2739448 and rs925013 haplotype combination p = 0.003). In patients with different KLK3 genetics 2 optimal free-to-total prostate specific antigen ratio cutoffs (11% and 14.5%) were found. For free-to-total prostate specific antigen ratio values between 11% and 14.5% the prostate cancer probability ranged from 30.0% to 47.4% according to patient genetics. The free-to-total prostate specific antigen ratio is superior to total prostate specific antigen for prostate cancer diagnosis, independent of total prostate specific antigen results. Free-to-total prostate

75 FR 15611 - Safety Zone; United Portuguese SES Centennial Festa, San Diego Bay, San Diego, CA

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-30

...-AA00 Safety Zone; United Portuguese SES Centennial Festa, San Diego Bay, San Diego, CA AGENCY: Coast... navigable waters of the San Diego Bay in support of the United Portuguese SES Centennial Festa. This... Centennial Festa, which will include a fireworks presentation originating from a tug and barge combination in...

Feline genetics: clinical applications and genetic testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Lyons, Leslie A

2010-11-01

DNA testing for domestic cat diseases and appearance traits is a rapidly growing asset for veterinary medicine. Approximately 33 genes contain 50 mutations that cause feline health problems or alterations in the cat's appearance. A variety of commercial laboratories can now perform cat genetic diagnostics, allowing both the veterinary clinician and the private owner to obtain DNA test results. DNA is easily obtained from a cat via a buccal swab with a standard cotton bud or cytological brush, allowing DNA samples to be easily sent to any laboratory in the world. The DNA test results identify carriers of the traits, predict the incidence of traits from breeding programs, and influence medical prognoses and treatments. An overall goal of identifying these genetic mutations is the correction of the defect via gene therapies and designer drug therapies. Thus, genetic testing is an effective preventative medicine and a potential ultimate cure. However, genetic diagnostic tests may still be novel for many veterinary practitioners and their application in the clinical setting needs to have the same scrutiny as any other diagnostic procedure. This article will review the genetic tests for the domestic cat, potential sources of error for genetic testing, and the pros and cons of DNA results in veterinary medicine. Highlighted are genetic tests specific to the individual cat, which are a part of the cat's internal genome. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Performance of BATAN-SANS instrument

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ikram, Abarrul; Insani, Andon [National Nuclear Energy Agency, P and D Centre for Materials Science and Technology, Serpong (Indonesia)

2003-03-01

SANS data from some standard samples have been obtained using BATAN-SANS instrument in Serpong. The experiments were performed for various experimental set-ups that involve different detector positions and collimator lengths. This paper describes the BATAN-SANS instrument briefly as well as the data taken from those experiments and followed with discussion of the results concerning the performance and calibration of the instrument. The standard samples utilized in these experiments include porous silica, polystyrene-poly isoprene, silver behenate, poly ball and polystyrene-poly (ethylene-alt-propylene). Even though the results show that BATAN-SANS instrument is in good shape, but rooms for improvements are still widely open especially for the velocity selector and its control system. (author)

Genetic Approaches to Study Meiosis and Meiosis-Specific Gene Expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Science.gov (United States)

Kassir, Yona; Stuart, David T

2017-01-01

The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has a long history as a model organism for studies of meiosis and the cell cycle. The popularity of this yeast as a model is in large part due to the variety of genetic and cytological approaches that can be effectively performed with the cells. Cultures of the cells can be induced to synchronously progress through meiosis and sporulation allowing large-scale gene expression and biochemical studies to be performed. Additionally, the spore tetrads resulting from meiosis make it possible to characterize the haploid products of meiosis allowing investigation of meiotic recombination and chromosome segregation. Here we describe genetic methods for analysis progression of S. cerevisiae through meiosis and sporulation with an emphasis on strategies for the genetic analysis of regulators of meiosis-specific genes.

Emergency operating instruction improvements at San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station Units 2 and 3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trillo, M.W.; Smith, B.H.

1989-01-01

In late 1987, San Onofre nuclear generating station (SONGS) began an extensive upgrade of the units 2 and 3 emergency operating instructions (EOIs). The original intent of this program was to incorporate revised generic guidance and to correct problems that were identified by operators. While this program was in progress, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) conducted a series of audits of emergency operating procedure (EOP) development and maintenance programs as 16 commercial nuclear facilities in the United States. These audits included four stations with Combustion Engineering-designed nuclear steam supply systems. (One of these audits included a review of preupgrade SONGS units 2 and 3 EOIs.) Significant industrywide comments resulted from these audits. The NRC has stated its intent to continue the review and audit of EOIs and the associated maintenance programs at all US commercial nuclear facilities. The units 2 and 3 EOI upgrade program developed procedural improvements and procedural program maintenance improvements that address many of the existing audit comments that have been received by the industry. Other resulting improvements may be useful in minimizing NRC comments in future such audits. Specific improvements are discussed. The upgrade program resulted in benefits that were not originally anticipated. The results of this program can be of significant use by other utilities in addressing the industrywide concerns that have been raised in recent NRC audits of EOP development and maintenance programs

A case for historic joint rupture of the San Andreas and San Jacinto faults

OpenAIRE

Lozos, Julian C.

2016-01-01

The San Andreas fault is considered to be the primary plate boundary fault in southern California and the most likely fault to produce a major earthquake. I use dynamic rupture modeling to show that the San Jacinto fault is capable of rupturing along with the San Andreas in a single earthquake, and interpret these results along with existing paleoseismic data and historic damage reports to suggest that this has likely occurred in the historic past. In particular, I find that paleoseismic data...

Overlapping genetic and child-specific nonshared environmental influences on listening comprehension, reading motivation, and reading comprehension.

Science.gov (United States)

Schenker, Victoria J; Petrill, Stephen A

2015-01-01

This study investigated the genetic and environmental influences on observed associations between listening comprehension, reading motivation, and reading comprehension. Univariate and multivariate quantitative genetic models were conducted in a sample of 284 pairs of twins at a mean age of 9.81 years. Genetic and nonshared environmental factors accounted for statistically significant variance in listening and reading comprehension, and nonshared environmental factors accounted for variance in reading motivation. Furthermore, listening comprehension demonstrated unique genetic and nonshared environmental influences but also had overlapping genetic influences with reading comprehension. Reading motivation and reading comprehension each had unique and overlapping nonshared environmental contributions. Therefore, listening comprehension appears to be related to reading primarily due to genetic factors whereas motivation appears to affect reading via child-specific, nonshared environmental effects. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Overlapping Genetic and Child-Specific Nonshared Environmental Influences on Listening Comprehension, Reading Motivation, and Reading Comprehension

Science.gov (United States)

Schenker, Victoria J.; Petrill, Stephen A.

2015-01-01

This study investigated the genetic and environmental influences on observed associations between listening comprehension, reading motivation, and reading comprehension. Univariate and multivariate quantitative genetic models were conducted in a sample of 284 pairs of twins at a mean age of 9.81 years. Genetic and nonshared environmental factors accounted for statistically significant variance in listening and reading comprehension, and nonshared environmental factors accounted for variance in reading motivation. Furthermore, listening comprehension demonstrated unique genetic and nonshared environmental influences but also had overlapping genetic influences with reading comprehension. Reading motivation and reading comprehension each had unique and overlapping nonshared environmental contributions. Therefore, listening comprehension appears to be related to reading primarily due to genetic factors whereas motivation appears to affect reading via child-specific, nonshared environmental effects. PMID:26321677

Phenotypic and genetic effects of contrasting ethanol environments on physiological and developmental traits in Drosophila melanogaster.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luis E Castañeda

Full Text Available A central problem in evolutionary physiology is to understand the relationship between energy metabolism and fitness-related traits. Most attempts to do so have been based on phenotypic correlations that are not informative for the evolutionary potential of natural populations. Here, we explored the effect of contrasting ethanol environments on physiological and developmental traits, their genetic (covariances and genetic architecture in Drosophila melanogaster. Phenotypic and genetic parameters were estimated in two populations (San Fernando and Valdivia, Chile, using a half-sib family design where broods were split into ethanol-free and ethanol-supplemented conditions. Our findings show that metabolic rate, body mass and development times were sensitive (i.e., phenotypic plasticity to ethanol conditions and dependent on population origin. Significant heritabilities were found for all traits, while significant genetic correlations were only found between larval and total development time and between development time and metabolic rate for flies of the San Fernando population developed in ethanol-free conditions. Posterior analyses indicated that the G matrices differed between ethanol conditions for the San Fernando population (mainly explained by differences in genetic (covariances of developmental traits, whereas the Valdivia population exhibited similar G matrices between ethanol conditions. Our findings suggest that ethanol-free environment increases the energy available to reduce development time. Therefore, our results indicate that environmental ethanol could modify the process of energy allocation, which could have consequences on the evolutionary response of natural populations of D. melanogaster.

Phenotypic and Genetic Effects of Contrasting Ethanol Environments on Physiological and Developmental Traits in Drosophila melanogaster

Science.gov (United States)

Castañeda, Luis E.; Nespolo, Roberto F.

2013-01-01

A central problem in evolutionary physiology is to understand the relationship between energy metabolism and fitness-related traits. Most attempts to do so have been based on phenotypic correlations that are not informative for the evolutionary potential of natural populations. Here, we explored the effect of contrasting ethanol environments on physiological and developmental traits, their genetic (co)variances and genetic architecture in Drosophila melanogaster. Phenotypic and genetic parameters were estimated in two populations (San Fernando and Valdivia, Chile), using a half-sib family design where broods were split into ethanol-free and ethanol-supplemented conditions. Our findings show that metabolic rate, body mass and development times were sensitive (i.e., phenotypic plasticity) to ethanol conditions and dependent on population origin. Significant heritabilities were found for all traits, while significant genetic correlations were only found between larval and total development time and between development time and metabolic rate for flies of the San Fernando population developed in ethanol-free conditions. Posterior analyses indicated that the G matrices differed between ethanol conditions for the San Fernando population (mainly explained by differences in genetic (co)variances of developmental traits), whereas the Valdivia population exhibited similar G matrices between ethanol conditions. Our findings suggest that ethanol-free environment increases the energy available to reduce development time. Therefore, our results indicate that environmental ethanol could modify the process of energy allocation, which could have consequences on the evolutionary response of natural populations of D. melanogaster. PMID:23505567

Tissue-specifically regulated site-specific excision of selectable marker genes in bivalent insecticidal, genetically-modified rice.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Zhan; Ding, Xuezhi; Hu, Shengbiao; Sun, Yunjun; Xia, Liqiu

2013-12-01

Marker-free, genetically-modified rice was created by the tissue-specifically regulated Cre/loxP system, in which the Cre recombinase gene and hygromycin phosphotransferase gene (hpt) were flanked by two directly oriented loxP sites. Cre expression was activated by the tissue-specific promoter OsMADS45 in flower or napin in seed, resulting in simultaneous excision of the recombinase and marker genes. Segregation of T1 progeny was performed to select recombined plants. The excision was confirmed by PCR, Southern blot and sequence analyses indicating that efficiency varied from 10 to 53 % for OsMADS45 and from 12 to 36 % for napin. The expression of cry1Ac and vip3A was detected by RT-PCR analysis in marker-free transgenic rice. These results suggested that our tissue-specifically regulated Cre/loxP system could auto-excise marker genes from transgenic rice and alleviate public concerns about the security of GM crops.

The genetic algorithm for the nonlinear programming of water pollution control system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wei, J.; Zhang, J. [China University of Geosciences (China)

1999-08-01

In the programming of water pollution control system the combined method of optimization with simulation is used generally. It is not only laborious in calculation, but also the global optimum of the obtained solution is guaranteed difficult. In this paper, the genetic algorithm (GA) used in the nonlinear programming of water pollution control system is given, by which the preferred conception for the programming of waste water system is found in once-through operation. It is more succinct than the conventional method and the global optimum of the obtained solution could be ensured. 6 refs., 4 figs., 3 tabs.

Multi-objective genetic algorithm for solving N-version program design problem

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yamachi, Hidemi [Department of Computer and Information Engineering, Nippon Institute of Technology, Miyashiro, Saitama 345-8501 (Japan) and Department of Production and Information Systems Engineering, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Technology, Hino, Tokyo 191-0065 (Japan)]. E-mail: yamachi@nit.ac.jp; Tsujimura, Yasuhiro [Department of Computer and Information Engineering, Nippon Institute of Technology, Miyashiro, Saitama 345-8501 (Japan)]. E-mail: tujimr@nit.ac.jp; Kambayashi, Yasushi [Department of Computer and Information Engineering, Nippon Institute of Technology, Miyashiro, Saitama 345-8501 (Japan)]. E-mail: yasushi@nit.ac.jp; Yamamoto, Hisashi [Department of Production and Information Systems Engineering, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Technology, Hino, Tokyo 191-0065 (Japan)]. E-mail: yamamoto@cc.tmit.ac.jp

2006-09-15

N-version programming (NVP) is a programming approach for constructing fault tolerant software systems. Generally, an optimization model utilized in NVP selects the optimal set of versions for each module to maximize the system reliability and to constrain the total cost to remain within a given budget. In such a model, while the number of versions included in the obtained solution is generally reduced, the budget restriction may be so rigid that it may fail to find the optimal solution. In order to ameliorate this problem, this paper proposes a novel bi-objective optimization model that maximizes the system reliability and minimizes the system total cost for designing N-version software systems. When solving multi-objective optimization problem, it is crucial to find Pareto solutions. It is, however, not easy to obtain them. In this paper, we propose a novel bi-objective optimization model that obtains many Pareto solutions efficiently. We formulate the optimal design problem of NVP as a bi-objective 0-1 nonlinear integer programming problem. In order to overcome this problem, we propose a Multi-objective genetic algorithm (MOGA), which is a powerful, though time-consuming, method to solve multi-objective optimization problems. When implementing genetic algorithm (GA), the use of an appropriate genetic representation scheme is one of the most important issues to obtain good performance. We employ random-key representation in our MOGA to find many Pareto solutions spaced as evenly as possible along the Pareto frontier. To pursue improve further performance, we introduce elitism, the Pareto-insertion and the Pareto-deletion operations based on distance between Pareto solutions in the selection process. The proposed MOGA obtains many Pareto solutions along the Pareto frontier evenly. The user of the MOGA can select the best compromise solution among the candidates by controlling the balance between the system reliability and the total cost.

Multi-objective genetic algorithm for solving N-version program design problem

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamachi, Hidemi; Tsujimura, Yasuhiro; Kambayashi, Yasushi; Yamamoto, Hisashi

2006-01-01

N-version programming (NVP) is a programming approach for constructing fault tolerant software systems. Generally, an optimization model utilized in NVP selects the optimal set of versions for each module to maximize the system reliability and to constrain the total cost to remain within a given budget. In such a model, while the number of versions included in the obtained solution is generally reduced, the budget restriction may be so rigid that it may fail to find the optimal solution. In order to ameliorate this problem, this paper proposes a novel bi-objective optimization model that maximizes the system reliability and minimizes the system total cost for designing N-version software systems. When solving multi-objective optimization problem, it is crucial to find Pareto solutions. It is, however, not easy to obtain them. In this paper, we propose a novel bi-objective optimization model that obtains many Pareto solutions efficiently. We formulate the optimal design problem of NVP as a bi-objective 0-1 nonlinear integer programming problem. In order to overcome this problem, we propose a Multi-objective genetic algorithm (MOGA), which is a powerful, though time-consuming, method to solve multi-objective optimization problems. When implementing genetic algorithm (GA), the use of an appropriate genetic representation scheme is one of the most important issues to obtain good performance. We employ random-key representation in our MOGA to find many Pareto solutions spaced as evenly as possible along the Pareto frontier. To pursue improve further performance, we introduce elitism, the Pareto-insertion and the Pareto-deletion operations based on distance between Pareto solutions in the selection process. The proposed MOGA obtains many Pareto solutions along the Pareto frontier evenly. The user of the MOGA can select the best compromise solution among the candidates by controlling the balance between the system reliability and the total cost

Do health benefits outweigh the costs of mass recreational programs? An economic analysis of four Ciclovía programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Montes, Felipe; Sarmiento, Olga L; Zarama, Roberto; Pratt, Michael; Wang, Guijing; Jacoby, Enrique; Schmid, Thomas L; Ramos, Mauricio; Ruiz, Oscar; Vargas, Olga; Michel, Gabriel; Zieff, Susan G; Valdivia, Juan Alejandro; Cavill, Nick; Kahlmeier, Sonja

2012-02-01

One promising public health intervention for promoting physical activity is the Ciclovía program. The Ciclovía is a regular multisectorial community-based program in which streets are temporarily closed for motorized transport, allowing exclusive access to individuals for recreational activities and physical activity. The objective of this study was to conduct an analysis of the cost-benefit ratios of physical activity of the Ciclovía programs of Bogotá and Medellín in Colombia, Guadalajara in México, and San Francisco in the U.S.A. The data of the four programs were obtained from program directors and local surveys. The annual cost per capita of the programs was: U.S. $6.0 for Bogotá, U.S. $23.4 for Medellín, U.S. $6.5 for Guadalajara, and U.S. $70.5 for San Francisco. The cost-benefit ratio for health benefit from physical activity was 3.23-4.26 for Bogotá, 1.83 for Medellín, 1.02-1.23 for Guadalajara, and 2.32 for San Francisco. For the program of Bogotá, the cost-benefit ratio was more sensitive to the prevalence of physically active bicyclists; for Guadalajara, the cost-benefit ratio was more sensitive to user costs; and for the programs of Medellín and San Francisco, the cost-benefit ratios were more sensitive to operational costs. From a public health perspective for promoting physical activity, these Ciclovía programs are cost beneficial.

Aberrant DNA Methylation in Human iPSCs Associates with MYC-Binding Motifs in a Clone-Specific Manner Independent of Genetics.

Science.gov (United States)

Panopoulos, Athanasia D; Smith, Erin N; Arias, Angelo D; Shepard, Peter J; Hishida, Yuriko; Modesto, Veronica; Diffenderfer, Kenneth E; Conner, Clay; Biggs, William; Sandoval, Efren; D'Antonio-Chronowska, Agnieszka; Berggren, W Travis; Izpisua Belmonte, Juan Carlos; Frazer, Kelly A

2017-04-06

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) show variable methylation patterns between lines, some of which reflect aberrant differences relative to embryonic stem cells (ESCs). To examine whether this aberrant methylation results from genetic variation or non-genetic mechanisms, we generated human iPSCs from monozygotic twins to investigate how genetic background, clone, and passage number contribute. We found that aberrantly methylated CpGs are enriched in regulatory regions associated with MYC protein motifs and affect gene expression. We classified differentially methylated CpGs as being associated with genetic and/or non-genetic factors (clone and passage), and we found that aberrant methylation preferentially occurs at CpGs associated with clone-specific effects. We further found that clone-specific effects play a strong role in recurrent aberrant methylation at specific CpG sites across different studies. Our results argue that a non-genetic biological mechanism underlies aberrant methylation in iPSCs and that it is likely based on a probabilistic process involving MYC that takes place during or shortly after reprogramming. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Six-year mortality in a street-recruited cohort of homeless youth in San Francisco, California.

Science.gov (United States)

Auerswald, Colette L; Lin, Jessica S; Parriott, Andrea

2016-01-01

Objectives. The mortality rate of a street-recruited homeless youth cohort in the United States has not yet been reported. We examined the six-year mortality rate for a cohort of street youth recruited from San Francisco street venues in 2004. Methods. Using data collected from a longitudinal, venue-based sample of street youth 15-24 years of age, we calculated age, race, and gender-adjusted mortality rates. Results. Of a sample of 218 participants, 11 died from enrollment in 2004 to December 31, 2010. The majority of deaths were due to suicide and/or substance abuse. The death rate was 9.6 deaths per hundred thousand person-years. The age, race and gender-adjusted standardized mortality ratio was 10.6 (95% CI [5.3-18.9]). Gender specific SMRs were 16.1 (95% CI [3.3-47.1]) for females and 9.4 (95% CI [4.0-18.4]) for males. Conclusions. Street-recruited homeless youth in San Francisco experience a mortality rate in excess of ten times that of the state's general youth population. Services and programs, particularly housing, mental health and substance abuse interventions, are urgently needed to prevent premature mortality in this vulnerable population.

The KhoeSan Early Learning Center Pilot Project: Negotiating Power and Possibility in a South African Institute of Higher Learning

Science.gov (United States)

De Wet, Priscilla

2011-01-01

As we search for a new paradigm in post-apartheid South Africa, the knowledge base and worldview of the KhoeSan first Indigenous peoples is largely missing. The South African government has established various mechanisms as agents for social change. Institutions of higher learning have implemented transformation programs. KhoeSan peoples, however,…

Intra-specific genetic diversity in wild olives (Olea europaea ssp cuspidata) in Hormozgan Province, Iran.

Science.gov (United States)

Noormohammadi, Z; Samadi-Molayousefi, H; Sheidai, M

2012-03-19

Wild olive (O. europaea ssp cuspidata) plants grow in various regions of Iran and are expected to have considerable genetic diversity due to adaptation to the various environmental conditions. We examined the genetic diversity of four populations of wild olive growing in Hormozgan Province located in southern Iran by using 30 RAPDs and 10 ISSR markers. The mean value of polymorphism for RAPD loci was 73.71%, while the value for ISSR loci was 81.74%. The Keshar population had the highest value of intra-population polymorphism for both RAPD and ISSR loci (66.86 and 62.71%, respectively), while the Tudar population had the lowest values (20.35 and 28.81%, respectively). Similarly, the highest and lowest number of effective alleles, Shannon index and Nei's genetic diversity were also found for these two populations. The highest value of H(pop)/H(sp) within population genetic diversity for RAPD and ISSR loci was found for the Keshar population (H(pop) = 0.85 and H(sp) = 0.90). OPA04-750, OPA13-650 and OPA02-350 RAPD bands were specific for Tudar, Bondon and Keshar populations, respectively, while no specific ISSR bands were observed. Analysis of molecular variance as well as the pairwise F(ST) test showed significant differences for RAPD and ISSR markers among the populations. The NJ and UPGMA trees also separated the wild olive populations from each other, indicating their genetic distinctness. UPGMA clustering of the four wild olive populations placed the Tudar population far from the other populations; Keshar and Bokhoon population samples revealed more similarity and were grouped together. We conclude that there is high genetic diversity among O. europaea ssp cuspidata populations located in southern Iran. We also found RAPD and ISSR markers to be useful molecular tools to discriminate and evaluate genetic variations in wild olive trees.

Simulating a base population in honey bee for molecular genetic studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gupta Pooja

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Over the past years, reports have indicated that honey bee populations are declining and that infestation by an ecto-parasitic mite (Varroa destructor is one of the main causes. Selective breeding of resistant bees can help to prevent losses due to the parasite, but it requires that a robust breeding program and genetic evaluation are implemented. Genomic selection has emerged as an important tool in animal breeding programs and simulation studies have shown that it yields more accurate breeding value estimates, higher genetic gain and low rates of inbreeding. Since genomic selection relies on marker data, simulations conducted on a genomic dataset are a pre-requisite before selection can be implemented. Although genomic datasets have been simulated in other species undergoing genetic evaluation, simulation of a genomic dataset specific to the honey bee is required since this species has a distinct genetic and reproductive biology. Our software program was aimed at constructing a base population by simulating a random mating honey bee population. A forward-time population simulation approach was applied since it allows modeling of genetic characteristics and reproductive behavior specific to the honey bee. Results Our software program yielded a genomic dataset for a base population in linkage disequilibrium. In addition, information was obtained on (1 the position of markers on each chromosome, (2 allele frequency, (3 χ2 statistics for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, (4 a sorted list of markers with a minor allele frequency less than or equal to the input value, (5 average r2 values of linkage disequilibrium between all simulated marker loci pair for all generations and (6 average r2 value of linkage disequilibrium in the last generation for selected markers with the highest minor allele frequency. Conclusion We developed a software program that takes into account the genetic and reproductive biology specific to the honey bee

Genome Target Evaluator (GTEvaluator: A workflow exploiting genome dataset to measure the sensitivity and specificity of genetic markers.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arnaud Felten

Full Text Available Most of the bacterial typing methods used to discriminate isolates in medical or food safety microbiology are based on genetic markers used as targets in PCR or hybridization experiments. These DNA typing methods are important tools for studying prevalence and epidemiology, for conducting surveillance, investigations and control of biological hazard sources. In that perspective, it is crucial to insure that the chosen genetic markers have the greatest specificity and sensitivity. The wealth of whole-genome sequences available for many bacterial species offers the opportunity to evaluate the performance of these genetic markers. In the present study, we have developed GTEvaluator, a bioinformatics workflow which ranks genetic markers depending on their sensitivity and specificity towards groups of well-defined genomes. GTEvaluator identifies the most performant genetic markers to target individuals among a population. The individuals (i.e. a group of genomes within a collection are defined by any kind of particular phenotypic or biological properties inside a related population (i.e. collection of genomes. The performance of the genetic markers is computed by a distance value which takes into account both sensitivity and specificity. In this study we report two examples of GTEvaluator application. In the first example Bacillus phenotypic markers were evaluated for their capacity to distinguish B. cereus from B. thuringiensis. In the second experiment, GTEvaluator measured the performance of genetic markers dedicated to the molecular serotyping of Salmonella enterica. In one in silico experiment it was possible to test 64 markers onto 134 genomes corresponding to 14 different serotypes.

San Marco C-2 (San Marco-4) Post Launch Report No. 1

Science.gov (United States)

1974-01-01

The San Marco C-2 spacecraft, now designated San Marco-4, was successfully launched by a Scout vehicle from the San Marco Platform on 18 February 1974 at 6:05 a.m. EDT. The launch occurred 2 hours 50 minutes into the 3-hour window due co low cloud cover at the launch site. All spacecraft subsystems have been checked and are functioning normally. The protective caps for the two U.S. experiments were ejected and the Omegatron experiment activated on 19 February. The neutral mass spectrometer was activated as scheduled on 22 February after sufficient time to allow for spacecraft outgassing and to avoid the possibility of corona occurring. Both instruments are performing properly and worthwhile scientific data is being acquired.

Advances in the knowledge of the mining geological anomaly uraniferous Medano Rico, Disc. Jachal, San Juan Province

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matar, M.; Arroqui, A.; Wetten, A.; Banchig, P.; Iglesias, R.

2010-01-01

Preliminary results of research carried out in the area of ​​Medano Rico, Dto Jachal San Juan Province, under the project Implementation of a model for exploration of uranium in Pre cordillera describes this work. The research tasks are intended to deepen the knowledge of the area to establish a genetic model of uranium anomaly

Intelligent and robust prediction of short term wind power using genetic programming based ensemble of neural networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zameer, Aneela; Arshad, Junaid; Khan, Asifullah; Raja, Muhammad Asif Zahoor

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Genetic programming based ensemble of neural networks is employed for short term wind power prediction. • Proposed predictor shows resilience against abrupt changes in weather. • Genetic programming evolves nonlinear mapping between meteorological measures and wind-power. • Proposed approach gives mathematical expressions of wind power to its independent variables. • Proposed model shows relatively accurate and steady wind-power prediction performance. - Abstract: The inherent instability of wind power production leads to critical problems for smooth power generation from wind turbines, which then requires an accurate forecast of wind power. In this study, an effective short term wind power prediction methodology is presented, which uses an intelligent ensemble regressor that comprises Artificial Neural Networks and Genetic Programming. In contrast to existing series based combination of wind power predictors, whereby the error or variation in the leading predictor is propagated down the stream to the next predictors, the proposed intelligent ensemble predictor avoids this shortcoming by introducing Genetical Programming based semi-stochastic combination of neural networks. It is observed that the decision of the individual base regressors may vary due to the frequent and inherent fluctuations in the atmospheric conditions and thus meteorological properties. The novelty of the reported work lies in creating ensemble to generate an intelligent, collective and robust decision space and thereby avoiding large errors due to the sensitivity of the individual wind predictors. The proposed ensemble based regressor, Genetic Programming based ensemble of Artificial Neural Networks, has been implemented and tested on data taken from five different wind farms located in Europe. Obtained numerical results of the proposed model in terms of various error measures are compared with the recent artificial intelligence based strategies to demonstrate the

Adaptive Test Selection for Factorization-based Surrogate Fitness in Genetic Programming

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Krawiec Krzysztof

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Genetic programming (GP is a variant of evolutionary algorithm where the entities undergoing simulated evolution are computer programs. A fitness function in GP is usually based on a set of tests, each of which defines the desired output a correct program should return for an exemplary input. The outcomes of interactions between programs and tests in GP can be represented as an interaction matrix, with rows corresponding to programs in the current population and columns corresponding to tests. In previous work, we proposed SFIMX, a method that performs only a fraction of interactions and employs non-negative matrix factorization to estimate the outcomes of remaining ones, shortening GP’s runtime. In this paper, we build upon that work and propose three extensions of SFIMX, in which the subset of tests drawn to perform interactions is selected with respect to test difficulty. The conducted experiment indicates that the proposed extensions surpass the original SFIMX on a suite of discrete GP benchmarks.

Mitigation of inbreeding while preserving genetic gain in genomic breeding programs for outbred plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Zibei; Shi, Fan; Hayes, Ben J; Daetwyler, Hans D

2017-05-01

Heuristic genomic inbreeding controls reduce inbreeding in genomic breeding schemes without reducing genetic gain. Genomic selection is increasingly being implemented in plant breeding programs to accelerate genetic gain of economically important traits. However, it may cause significant loss of genetic diversity when compared with traditional schemes using phenotypic selection. We propose heuristic strategies to control the rate of inbreeding in outbred plants, which can be categorised into three types: controls during mate allocation, during selection, and simultaneous selection and mate allocation. The proposed mate allocation measure GminF allocates two or more parents for mating in mating groups that minimise coancestry using a genomic relationship matrix. Two types of relationship-adjusted genomic breeding values for parent selection candidates ([Formula: see text]) and potential offspring ([Formula: see text]) are devised to control inbreeding during selection and even enabling simultaneous selection and mate allocation. These strategies were tested in a case study using a simulated perennial ryegrass breeding scheme. As compared to the genomic selection scheme without controls, all proposed strategies could significantly decrease inbreeding while achieving comparable genetic gain. In particular, the scenario using [Formula: see text] in simultaneous selection and mate allocation reduced inbreeding to one-third of the original genomic selection scheme. The proposed strategies are readily applicable in any outbred plant breeding program.

Objective Evaluation in an Online Geographic Information System Certificate Program

OpenAIRE

Scott L. WALKER

2005-01-01

Objective Evaluation in an Online Geographic Information System Certificate Program Asst. Professor. Dr. Scott L. WALKER Texas State University-San Marcos San Marcos, Texas, USA ABSTRACT Departmental decisions regarding distance education programs can be subject to subjective decision-making processes influenced by external factors such as strong faculty opinions or pressure to increase student enrolment. This paper outlines an evaluation of a departmental distance-education program....

University of California San Francisco (UCSF-2): Expression Analysis of Superior Cervical Ganglion from Backcrossed TH-MYCN Transgenic Mice | Office of Cancer Genomics

Science.gov (United States)

The CTD2 Center at University of California San Francisco (UCSF-2) used genetic analysis of the peripheral sympathetic nervous system to identify potential therapeutic targets in neuroblastoma. Read the abstract Experimental Approaches Read the detailed Experimental Approaches

Genetic differentiation between 'Araucana' creole and 'Hampshire Down' sheeps in Chile

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Silvana Bravo

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Genetic diversity studies in domestic animals allow evaluating genetic variation within and among breeds mainly for conservation purposes. In Chile exist isolated recovery programs, conservation and characterization of animal genetic resources, a consequence of which the vast majority of them have not been characterized, poorly used, and some of them have become extinct. The aim of this research was to determine genetic diversity and relationship between 'Araucana' creole and 'Hampshire Down' sheeps based on microsatellite markers; sheep breeds with similar phenotypic characteristics, raised in the south of Chile. A total of 64 'Araucana' sheep ('Araucana' from Freire, AF: 27, 'Araucana' from Padre Las Casas, AP: 10, 'Araucana' from Chol Chol, AC: 15, 'Araucana' from Villarrica, AV: 12 and 43 'Hampshire Down' sheep ('Hampshire' from Marchigue, HM: 18, 'Hampshire' from Valdivia, HV: 11, 'Hampshire' from San José, HS: 14 were analyzed using 17 microsatellite markers for determine the genetic diversity and relationship between breeds. A total of 284 alleles were observed with average polymorphic information content equal to 0.76, showing that the microsatellites panel used was highly informative. Estimated heterozygosity ranged from 0.73 in 'Hampshire Down' to 0.85 in 'Araucana'. The low inbreeding or endogamy coefficient (F IS, 0.022 and total inbreeding estimate (F IT, 0.070 indicated low level of inbreeding within and among breeds. The phylogenetic tree showed a separation between HS and HV, and the other sheep populations. The results indicated high genetic variability, low inbreeding, and low genetic differentiation, except for HV and HS, and were in according with geographical location and breeding practices.

Knowledge to serve the city: insights from an emerging knowledge-action network to address vulnerability and sustainability in San Juan, Puerto Rico

Science.gov (United States)

T.A. Munoz-Erickson; A.E. Lugo; E. Melendez-Ackerman; L.E. Santiago-Acevedo; J. Seguinot-Barbosa; P. Mendez-Lazaro

2014-01-01

This paper presents initial efforts to establish the San Juan Urban Long-Term Research Area Exploratory (ULTRA-Ex), a long-term program aimed at developing transdisciplinary social-ecological system (SES) research to address vulnerability and sustainability for the municipality of San Juan. Transdisciplinary approaches involve the collaborations between researchers,...

StrigoQuant: A genetically encoded biosensor for quantifying strigolactone activity and specificity

KAUST Repository

Samodelov, S. L.

2016-11-05

Strigolactones are key regulators of plant development and interaction with symbiotic fungi; however, quantitative tools for strigolactone signaling analysis are lacking. We introduce a genetically encoded hormone biosensor used to analyze strigolactone-mediated processes, including the study of the components involved in the hormone perception/signaling complex and the structural specificity and sensitivity of natural and synthetic strigolactones in Arabidopsis, providing quantitative insights into the stereoselectivity of strigolactone perception. Given the high specificity, sensitivity, dynamic range of activity, modular construction, ease of implementation, and wide applicability, the biosensor StrigoQuant will be useful in unraveling multiple levels of strigolactone metabolic and signaling networks.

Stream Flow Prediction by Remote Sensing and Genetic Programming

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Ni-Bin

2009-01-01

A genetic programming (GP)-based, nonlinear modeling structure relates soil moisture with synthetic-aperture-radar (SAR) images to present representative soil moisture estimates at the watershed scale. Surface soil moisture measurement is difficult to obtain over a large area due to a variety of soil permeability values and soil textures. Point measurements can be used on a small-scale area, but it is impossible to acquire such information effectively in large-scale watersheds. This model exhibits the capacity to assimilate SAR images and relevant geoenvironmental parameters to measure soil moisture.

San Onofre/Zion auxiliary feedwater system seismic fault tree modeling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Najafi, B.; Eide, S.

1982-02-01

As part of the study for the seismic evaluation of the San Onofre Unit 1 Auxiliary Feedwater System (AFWS), a fault tree model was developed capable of handling the effect of structural failure of the plant (in the event of an earthquake) on the availability of the AFWS. A compatible fault tree model was developed for the Zion Unit 1 AFWS in order to compare the results of the two systems. It was concluded that if a single failure of the San Onofre Unit 1 AFWS is to be prevented, some weight existing, locally operated locked open manual valves have to be used for isolation of a rupture in specific parts of the AFWS pipings

Phosphorylation of the Usher syndrome 1G protein SANS controls Magi2-mediated endocytosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Bauß, Katharina; Knapp, Barbara; Jores, Pia; Roepman, Ronald; Kremer, Hannie; Wijk, Erwin V; Märker, Tina; Wolfrum, Uwe

2014-08-01

The human Usher syndrome (USH) is a complex ciliopathy with at least 12 chromosomal loci assigned to three clinical subtypes, USH1-3. The heterogeneous USH proteins are organized into protein networks. Here, we identified Magi2 (membrane-associated guanylate kinase inverted-2) as a new component of the USH protein interactome, binding to the multifunctional scaffold protein SANS (USH1G). We showed that the SANS-Magi2 complex assembly is regulated by the phosphorylation of an internal PDZ-binding motif in the sterile alpha motif domain of SANS by the protein kinase CK2. We affirmed Magi2's role in receptor-mediated, clathrin-dependent endocytosis and showed that phosphorylated SANS tightly regulates Magi2-mediated endocytosis. Specific depletions by RNAi revealed that SANS and Magi2-mediated endocytosis regulates aspects of ciliogenesis. Furthermore, we demonstrated the localization of the SANS-Magi2 complex in the periciliary membrane complex facing the ciliary pocket of retinal photoreceptor cells in situ. Our data suggest that endocytotic processes may not only contribute to photoreceptor cell homeostasis but also counterbalance the periciliary membrane delivery accompanying the exocytosis processes for the cargo vesicle delivery. In USH1G patients, mutations in SANS eliminate Magi2 binding and thereby deregulate endocytosis, lead to defective ciliary transport modules and ultimately disrupt photoreceptor cell function inducing retinal degeneration. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The new 'BerSANS-PC' software for reduction and treatment of small angle neutron scattering data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keiderling, U.

2002-01-01

Measurements on small angle neutron scattering (SANS) instruments are typically characterized by a large number of samples, short measurement times for the individual samples, and a frequent change of visiting scientist groups. Besides this, recent advances in instrumentation have led to more frequent measurements of kinetic sequences and a growing interest in analyzing two-dimensional scattering data, these requiring special software tools that enable the users to extract physically relevant information from the scattering data with a minimum of effort. The new 'BerSANS-PC' data-processing software has been developed at the Hahn-Meitner-Institut (HMI) in Berlin, Germany, to meet these requirements and to support an efficiently working guest-user service. Comprising some basic functions of the 'BerSANS' program available at the HMI and other institutes in the past, BerSANS-PC is a completely new development for network-independent use on local PCs with a full-feature graphical interface. (orig.)

Conservation of Native Fishes of the San Francisco Estuary: Considerations for Artificial Propagation of Chinook Salmon, Delta Smelt, and Green Sturgeon

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Joshua A. Israel

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Many native fishes in the San Francisco Estuary and its watersheds have reached all-time low abundances. Some of these declining species (e.g., Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tschawytscha have been under artificial propagation for decades. For others (e.g., delta smelt, Hypomesus transpacificus, and green sturgeon, Acipenser medirostris, this management option is just beginning to be discussed and implemented. Propagation strategies, in which organisms spend some portion of their lives in captivity, pose well-documented genetic and ecological threats to natural populations. Negative impacts of propagation have been documented for all Central Valley Chinook salmon runs, but limited efforts have been made to adapt hatchery operations to minimize the genetic and ecological threats caused by propagated fishes. A delta smelt propagation program is undergoing intensive design and review for operations and monitoring. However, if limiting factors facing this species in its estuarine habitat are not effectively addressed, captive propagation may not be a useful conservation approach, regardless of how carefully the propagation activity is designed or monitored. Scientifically defensible, ecologically based restoration programs that include monitoring and research aimed at quantifying natural population vital rates should be fully implemented before there is any attempt to supplement natural populations of delta smelt. Green sturgeon are also likely to face risks from artificial propagation if a large–scale program is implemented before this species’ limiting factors are better understood. In each of these cases, restoring habitats, and reducing loss from human actions, are likely to be the best strategy for rebuilding and supporting self–sustaining populations.

Prediksi Nilai Tukar Rupiah Terhadap US Dollar Menggunakan Metode Genetic Programming

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Daneswara Jauhari

2016-12-01

Exchange currency rate has a wide influence in the economy of a country, both domestically or internationally. The importance of knowing the pattern of exchange rate against the IDR to USD could help the economic growth due to foreign trade involves the use of currencies of different countries. Therefore, we need an application that can predict the value of IDR against the USD in the future. In this research, the authors use genetic programming (GP method which produces solutions (chromosome that obtained from the evaluation of exchange rate and then this solution used as an approximation or prediction of currency exchange rate in the future. These solutions formed from the combination of the set terminal and the set of function that generated randomly. After testing by the number popsize and different iterations, it was found that the GP algorithm can predict the value of the rupiah against the US Dollar with a very good, judging from the value of Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE generated by 0.08%. This research can be developed even better by adding terminal parameters and operating parameters so they can add variation calculation results. Keywords:  prediction, exchange currency rate, genetic programming, MAPE.

Morphology and genetics of Anadenanthera colubrina var. cebil (Fabaceae) tree from salta (Northwestern Argentina).

Science.gov (United States)

de Viana, Marta L; Giamminola, Eugenia; Russo, Roberta; Ciaccio, Mirella

2014-06-01

Anadenanthera colubrina var. cebil is an important tree species for its cultural, economic, and medicinal uses in South America. In order to characterize A. colubrina populations, we collected fruits from four different sites (San Bernardo, El Cebilar, Metán and El Gallinato) within the species distribution area in Salta Province, Northwestern Argentina. For this, a total of 75 fruits and seeds per site were collected and described using morphological (fruits size and weight; seed weight and number per fruit) and genetic descriptors (ribosomic DNA extraction and PCR; nucleotide alignment and phylogenetic analysis) with standard protocols. Our results showed that the San Bernardo population had the heaviest fruits and seeds (7.89 +/- 0.2g and 0.19 +/- 0.002, respectively), and the Cebilar population the lightest (6.25 +/- 0.18g and 0.15 +/- 0.002g, respectively). Fruits and seeds from Metán and El Gallinato showed similar and intermediate values. The proportion viable (39 to 55%) and aborted (43 to 57%) seeds was different, while the proportion of predated (1.7 to 4.2%) seeds was similar among populations. The genetic analysis showed variability of ITS sequences within the especies, and also when compared with the same Brazilian species. Both, morphologic and genetic descriptors showed a high level of similarity between San Bernardo and Metán, and between El Cebilar and El Gallinato populations. Further studies are needed to assess levels of phenotypic and genetic variability within and between populations of different plant species, since this information is crucial for biodiversity and germplasm long-term conservation.

78 FR 53243 - Safety Zone; TriRock San Diego, San Diego Bay, San Diego, CA

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-29

... this rule because the logistical details of the San Diego Bay triathlon swim were not finalized nor... September 22, 2013. (c) Definitions. The following definition applies to this section: Designated...

Genetic characterization, molecular epidemiology, and phylogenetic relationships of insect-specific viruses in the taxon Negevirus.

Science.gov (United States)

Nunes, Marcio R T; Contreras-Gutierrez, María Angélica; Guzman, Hilda; Martins, Livia C; Barbirato, Mayla Feitoza; Savit, Chelsea; Balta, Victoria; Uribe, Sandra; Vivero, Rafael; Suaza, Juan David; Oliveira, Hamilton; Nunes Neto, Joaquin P; Carvalho, Valeria L; da Silva, Sandro Patroca; Cardoso, Jedson F; de Oliveira, Rodrigo Santo; da Silva Lemos, Poliana; Wood, Thomas G; Widen, Steven G; Vasconcelos, Pedro F C; Fish, Durland; Vasilakis, Nikos; Tesh, Robert B

2017-04-01

The recently described taxon Negevirus is comprised of a diverse group of insect-specific viruses isolated from mosquitoes and phlebotomine sandflies. In this study, a comprehensive genetic characterization, molecular, epidemiological and evolutionary analyses were conducted on nearly full-length sequences of 91 new negevirus isolates obtained in Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Panama, USA and Nepal. We demonstrated that these arthropod restricted viruses are clustered in two major phylogenetic groups with origins related to three plant virus genera (Cilevirus, Higrevirus and Blunevirus). Molecular analyses demonstrated that specific host correlations are not present with most negeviruses; instead, high genetic variability, wide host-range, and cross-species transmission were noted. The data presented here also revealed the existence of five novel insect-specific viruses falling into two arthropod-restrictive virus taxa, previously proposed as distinct genera, designated Nelorpivirus and Sandewavirus. Our results provide a better understanding of the molecular epidemiology, evolution, taxonomy and stability of this group of insect-restricted viruses. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

San Juan College Task Force on Innovation 1995 Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Nelle

In fall 1994, San Juan College, in New Mexico, established the Task Force on Innovation to examine changes in the paradigm of education and how those changes might affect the college. The Task Force determined that the primary driver of change in education was technology, and specifically the increasing number of means and ease of access to…

Solar Feasibility Study May 2013 - San Carlos Apache Tribe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rapp, Jim [Parametrix; Duncan, Ken [San Carlos Apache Tribe; Albert, Steve [Parametrix

2013-05-01

The San Carlos Apache Tribe (Tribe) in the interests of strengthening tribal sovereignty, becoming more energy self-sufficient, and providing improved services and economic opportunities to tribal members and San Carlos Apache Reservation (Reservation) residents and businesses, has explored a variety of options for renewable energy development. The development of renewable energy technologies and generation is consistent with the Tribe’s 2011 Strategic Plan. This Study assessed the possibilities for both commercial-scale and community-scale solar development within the southwestern portions of the Reservation around the communities of San Carlos, Peridot, and Cutter, and in the southeastern Reservation around the community of Bylas. Based on the lack of any commercial-scale electric power transmission between the Reservation and the regional transmission grid, Phase 2 of this Study greatly expanded consideration of community-scale options. Three smaller sites (Point of Pines, Dudleyville/Winkleman, and Seneca Lake) were also evaluated for community-scale solar potential. Three building complexes were identified within the Reservation where the development of site-specific facility-scale solar power would be the most beneficial and cost-effective: Apache Gold Casino/Resort, Tribal College/Skill Center, and the Dudleyville (Winkleman) Casino.

Reconnaissance radiological characterization for the White Point Nike Missile Site, San Pedro, California

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Espegren, M.L.; Jensen, M.K.; Pierce, G.A.; Smith, S.M.

1993-01-01

This report is the result of field work performed at the former White Point Nike Missile Site, San Pedro, California. The Hazardous Waste Remedial Actions Program tasked the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Pollutant Assessments Group in Grand Junction, Colo., with this project. The objective was to determine whether or not radioisotopes possibly associated with past Department of Defense (DOD) operations were present and within accepted background levels. The radiation survey was accomplished by performing three independent radiation surveys, both outdoors and indoors, and random soil sampling. Initially, the site was land surveyed to develop a grid block system. A background radiation investigation was performed out in the San Pedro area

San Francisco Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund Points, SF Bay CA, 2015, US EPA Region 9

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — The San Francisco Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund is a competitive grant program that is helping implement TMDLs to improve water quality, protect wetlands, and...

Identifying tagging SNPs for African specific genetic variation from the African Diaspora Genome.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnston, Henry Richard; Hu, Yi-Juan; Gao, Jingjing; O'Connor, Timothy D; Abecasis, Gonçalo R; Wojcik, Genevieve L; Gignoux, Christopher R; Gourraud, Pierre-Antoine; Lizee, Antoine; Hansen, Mark; Genuario, Rob; Bullis, Dave; Lawley, Cindy; Kenny, Eimear E; Bustamante, Carlos; Beaty, Terri H; Mathias, Rasika A; Barnes, Kathleen C; Qin, Zhaohui S

2017-04-21

A primary goal of The Consortium on Asthma among African-ancestry Populations in the Americas (CAAPA) is to develop an 'African Diaspora Power Chip' (ADPC), a genotyping array consisting of tagging SNPs, useful in comprehensively identifying African specific genetic variation. This array is designed based on the novel variation identified in 642 CAAPA samples of African ancestry with high coverage whole genome sequence data (~30× depth). This novel variation extends the pattern of variation catalogued in the 1000 Genomes and Exome Sequencing Projects to a spectrum of populations representing the wide range of West African genomic diversity. These individuals from CAAPA also comprise a large swath of the African Diaspora population and incorporate historical genetic diversity covering nearly the entire Atlantic coast of the Americas. Here we show the results of designing and producing such a microchip array. This novel array covers African specific variation far better than other commercially available arrays, and will enable better GWAS analyses for researchers with individuals of African descent in their study populations. A recent study cataloging variation in continental African populations suggests this type of African-specific genotyping array is both necessary and valuable for facilitating large-scale GWAS in populations of African ancestry.

A CAL Program to Teach the Basic Principles of Genetic Engineering--A Change from the Traditional Approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Dewhurst, D. G.; And Others

1989-01-01

An interactive computer-assisted learning program written for the BBC microcomputer to teach the basic principles of genetic engineering is described. Discussed are the hardware requirements software, use of the program, and assessment. (Author/CW)

7 CFR 3052.235 - Program-specific audits.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 15 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Program-specific audits. 3052.235 Section 3052.235 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) OFFICE OF THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AUDITS OF STATES, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, AND NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Audits § 3052.235...

Mitochondrial DNA paradox: sex-specific genetic structure in a marine mussel – despite maternal inheritance and passive dispersal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Teske Peter R

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background When genetic structure is identified using mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA, but no structure is identified using biparentally-inherited nuclear DNA, the discordance is often attributed to differences in dispersal potential between the sexes. Results We sampled the intertidal rocky shore mussel Perna perna in a South African bay and along the nearby open coast, and sequenced maternally-inherited mtDNA (there is no evidence for paternally-inherited mtDNA in this species and a biparentally-inherited marker. By treating males and females as different populations, we identified significant genetic structure on the basis of mtDNA data in the females only. Conclusions This is the first study to report sex-specific differences in genetic structure based on matrilineally-inherited mtDNA in a passively dispersing species that lacks social structure or sexual dimorphism. The observed pattern most likely stems from females being more vulnerable to selection in habitats from which they did not originate, which also manifests itself in a male-biased sex ratio. Our results have three important implications for the interpretation of population genetic data. First, even when mtDNA is inherited exclusively in the female line, it also contains information about males. For that reason, using it to identify sex-specific differences in genetic structure by contrasting it with biparentally-inherited markers is problematic. Second, the fact that sex-specific differences were found in a passively dispersing species in which sex-biased dispersal is unlikely highlights the fact that significant genetic structure is not necessarily a function of low dispersal potential or physical barriers. Third, even though mtDNA is typically used to study historical demographic processes, it also contains information about contemporary processes. Higher survival rates of males in non-native habitats can erase the genetic structure present in their mothers within a single

A High Precision Comprehensive Evaluation Method for Flood Disaster Loss Based on Improved Genetic Programming

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

ZHOU Yuliang; LU Guihua; JIN Juliang; TONG Fang; ZHOU Ping

2006-01-01

Precise comprehensive evaluation of flood disaster loss is significant for the prevention and mitigation of flood disasters. Here, one of the difficulties involved is how to establish a model capable of describing the complex relation between the input and output data of the system of flood disaster loss. Genetic programming (GP) solves problems by using ideas from genetic algorithm and generates computer programs automatically. In this study a new method named the evaluation of the grade of flood disaster loss (EGFD) on the basis of improved genetic programming (IGP) is presented (IGPEGFD). The flood disaster area and the direct economic loss are taken as the evaluation indexes of flood disaster loss. Obviously that the larger the evaluation index value, the larger the corresponding value of the grade of flood disaster loss is. Consequently the IGP code is designed to make the value of the grade of flood disaster be an increasing function of the index value. The result of the application of the IGP-EGFD model to Henan Province shows that a good function expression can be obtained within a bigger searched function space; and the model is of high precision and considerable practical significance.Thus, IGP-EGFD can be widely used in automatic modeling and other evaluation systems.

33 CFR 165.1182 - Safety/Security Zone: San Francisco Bay, San Pablo Bay, Carquinez Strait, and Suisun Bay, CA.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Safety/Security Zone: San... Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) PORTS AND WATERWAYS SAFETY... Areas Eleventh Coast Guard District § 165.1182 Safety/Security Zone: San Francisco Bay, San Pablo Bay...

Communications and Collaboration Keep San Francisco VA Medical Center Project on Track

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Federal Energy Management Program

2001-01-01

This case study about energy saving performance contacts (ESPCs) presents an overview of how the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in San Francisco established an ESPC contract and the benefits derived from it. The Federal Energy Management Program instituted these special contracts to help federal agencies finance energy-saving projects at their facilities

SAN MICHELE. ENTRE CIELO Y MAR / San Michele, between sky and sea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pablo Blázquez Jesús

2012-11-01

Full Text Available RESUMEN El cementerio es uno de los tipos arquitectónicos más profundos y metafóricos. El concurso para la ampliación del cementerio de San Michele, convocado en 1998 por la administración Municipal de Venecia, se convierte en un excelente campo de pruebas sobre el que poder analizar el contexto histórico en torno a esta tipología, y su relación con la ciudad y el territorio. El estudio de este caso concreto nos permite descubrir personajes, relaciones casuales y hallazgos que se despliegan a lo largo del texto. La historia del cementerio de San Michele es también la crónica de la transformación de la ciudad de Venecia y su Laguna. Interpretando este concurso como un instrumento de investigación, el objetivo del artículo es el de comprender la realidad contemporánea de la arquitectura funeraria a través de la isla de San Michele, Venecia, y las propuestas finalistas de Carlos Ferrater, Enric Miralles y David Chipperfield. Una historia bajo la cual se vislumbran claves que nos sirven para reflexionar acerca del cementerio contemporáneo, la ciudad y el territorio. SUMMARY The cemetery is one of the most profound and metaphorical kinds of architecture. The competition for the extension of the San Michele Cemetery, called in 1998 by the Venice municipal administration, is an excellent testing ground on which to analyse the historical context surrounding this type of architecture, and its relationship with the city and the region. The study of this particular case allows us to uncover characters, casual relationships and findings that unfold throughout the text. The history of the San Michele cemetery is also the chronicle of the transformation of the city of Venice and its Lagoon. Interpreting this competition as a research tool, the aim of the paper is to understand the contemporary reality of funerary architecture through the island of San Michele, Venice, and the finalist proposals of Carlos Ferrater, Enric Miralles and David

Pleistocene Brawley and Ocotillo Formations: Evidence for initial strike-slip deformation along the San Felipe and San Jacinto fault zonez, Southern California

Science.gov (United States)

Kirby, S.M.; Janecke, S.U.; Dorsey, R.J.; Housen, B.A.; Langenheim, V.E.; McDougall, K.A.; Steeley, A.N.

2007-01-01

We examine the Pleistocene tectonic reorganization of the Pacific-North American plate boundary in the Salton Trough of southern California with an integrated approach that includes basin analysis, magnetostratigraphy, and geologic mapping of upper Pliocene to Pleistocene sedimentary rocks in the San Felipe Hills. These deposits preserve the earliest sedimentary record of movement on the San Felipe and San Jacinto fault zones that replaced and deactivated the late Cenozoic West Salton detachment fault. Sandstone and mudstone of the Brawley Formation accumulated between ???1.1 and ???0.6-0.5 Ma in a delta on the margin of an arid Pleistocene lake, which received sediment from alluvial fans of the Ocotillo Formation to the west-southwest. Our analysis indicates that the Ocotillo and Brawley formations prograded abruptly to the east-northeast across a former mud-dominated perennial lake (Borrego Formation) at ???1.1 Ma in response to initiation of the dextral-oblique San Felipe fault zone. The ???25-km-long San Felipe anticline initiated at about the same time and produced an intrabasinal basement-cored high within the San Felipe-Borrego basin that is recorded by progressive unconformities on its north and south limbs. A disconformity at the base of the Brawley Formation in the eastern San Felipe Hills probably records initiation and early blind slip at the southeast tip of the Clark strand of the San Jacinto fault zone. Our data are consistent with abrupt and nearly synchronous inception of the San Jacinto and San Felipe fault zones southwest of the southern San Andreas fault in the early Pleistocene during a pronounced southwestward broadening of the San Andreas fault zone. The current contractional geometry of the San Jacinto fault zone developed after ???0.5-0.6 Ma during a second, less significant change in structural style. ?? 2007 by The University of Chicago. All rights reserved.

Comprehensive bidding strategies with genetic programming/finite state automata

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richter, C.W. Jr.; Sheble, G.B.; Ashlock, D.

1999-01-01

This research is an extension of the authors' previous work in double auctions aimed at developing bidding strategies for electric utilities which trade electricity competitively. The improvements detailed in this paper come from using data structures which combine genetic programming and finite state automata termed GP-Automata. The strategies developed by the method described here are adaptive--reacting to inputs--whereas the previously developed strategies were only suitable in the particular scenario for which they had been designed. The strategies encoded in the GP-Automata are tested in an auction simulator. The simulator pits them against other distribution companies (distcos) and generation companies (gencos), buying and selling power via double auctions implemented in regional commodity exchanges. The GP-Automata are evolved with a genetic algorithm so that they possess certain characteristics. In addition to designing successful bidding strategies (whose usage would result in higher profits) the resulting strategies can also be designed to imitate certain types of trading behaviors. The resulting strategies can be implemented directly in on-line trading, or can be used as realistic competitors in an off-line trading simulator

Stability and change in kelp forest habitats at San Nicolas Island

Science.gov (United States)

Kenner, Michael C.; Tinker, M. Tim

2018-01-01

Kelp forest communities are highly variable over space and time. Despite this complexity it has been suggested that kelp forest communities can be classified into one of 2 states: kelp dominated or sea urchin dominated. It has been further hypothesized that these represent “alternate stable states” because a site can remain in either of these states for decades before some perturbation causes a rapid shift to the other state. Our research group has maintained a subtidal community monitoring program for 38 years at San Nicolas Island consisting of twice-annual scuba-based surveys at 6 sites distributed within 4 regions around the island. Three types of perturbations are thought to be relevant to subtidal community dynamics at San Nicolas: (1) physical disturbances in the form of major storm and El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events; (2) invertebrate diseases, which periodically decimate urchin populations; and (3) the reintroduction and subsequent increase of sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis). These 3 perturbations differ in spatial and temporal specificity; physical disturbances and disease outbreaks occur periodically and could affect all 4 regions, while sea otter predation has been concentrated primarily at the West End sites over the last 15 years. The different types of perturbations and the duration of the time series at the kelp forests at San Nicolas make the data set ideal for testing the “alternate stable state” hypothesis. We use nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) to examine spatial and temporal patterns of community similarity at the 4 regions. In particular, we evaluate support for the existence of stable states, which are represented on NMDS plots as distinct spatial clusters. Community dynamics at each site approximated a biased random walk in NMDS space, with one or more basins of attraction and occasional jumps between basins. We found evidence for alternative stable states at some sites, and we show that transitions from one

System network planning expansion using mathematical programming, genetic algorithms and tabu search

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sadegheih, A.; Drake, P.R.

2008-01-01

In this paper, system network planning expansion is formulated for mixed integer programming, a genetic algorithm (GA) and tabu search (TS). Compared with other optimization methods, GAs are suitable for traversing large search spaces, since they can do this relatively rapidly and because the use of mutation diverts the method away from local minima, which will tend to become more common as the search space increases in size. GA's give an excellent trade off between solution quality and computing time and flexibility for taking into account specific constraints in real situations. TS has emerged as a new, highly efficient, search paradigm for finding quality solutions to combinatorial problems. It is characterized by gathering knowledge during the search and subsequently profiting from this knowledge. The attractiveness of the technique comes from its ability to escape local optimality. The cost function of this problem consists of the capital investment cost in discrete form, the cost of transmission losses and the power generation costs. The DC load flow equations for the network are embedded in the constraints of the mathematical model to avoid sub-optimal solutions that can arise if the enforcement of such constraints is done in an indirect way. The solution of the model gives the best line additions and also provides information regarding the optimal generation at each generation point. This method of solution is demonstrated on the expansion of a 10 bus bar system to 18 bus bars. Finally, a steady-state genetic algorithm is employed rather than generational replacement, also uniform crossover is used

Examining Dimethyl Sulfide Emissions in California's San Joaquin Valley

Science.gov (United States)

Huber, D.; Hughes, S.; Blake, D. R.

2017-12-01

Dimethyl Sulfide (DMS) is a sulfur-containing compound that leads to the formation of aerosols which can lead to the formation of haze and fog. Whole air samples were collected on board the NASA C-23 Sherpa aircraft during the 2017 Student Airborne Research Program (SARP) over dairies and agricultural fields in the San Joaquin Valley. Analysis of the samples indicate average DMS concentrations of 23 ± 9 pptv, with a maximum concentration of 49 pptv. When compared with DMS concentrations from previous SARP missions (2009-2016), 2017 by far had the highest frequency of elevated DMS in this region. For this study, agricultural productivity of this region was analyzed to determine whether land use could be contributing to the elevated DMS. Top down and bottom up analysis of agriculture and dairies were used to determine emission rates of DMS in the San Joaquin Valley. Correlations to methane and ethanol were used to determine that DMS emissions were strongly linked to dairies, and resulted in R2 values of 0.61 and 0.43, respectively. These values indicate a strong correlation between dairies and DMS emissions. Combined with NOAA HySPLIT back trajectory data and analysis of ground air samples, results suggest that the contribution of dairies to annual DMS emissions in the San Joaquin Valley exceeds those from corn and alfalfa production.

Six-year mortality in a street-recruited cohort of homeless youth in San Francisco, California

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Colette L. Auerswald

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Objectives. The mortality rate of a street-recruited homeless youth cohort in the United States has not yet been reported. We examined the six-year mortality rate for a cohort of street youth recruited from San Francisco street venues in 2004. Methods. Using data collected from a longitudinal, venue-based sample of street youth 15–24 years of age, we calculated age, race, and gender-adjusted mortality rates. Results. Of a sample of 218 participants, 11 died from enrollment in 2004 to December 31, 2010. The majority of deaths were due to suicide and/or substance abuse. The death rate was 9.6 deaths per hundred thousand person-years. The age, race and gender-adjusted standardized mortality ratio was 10.6 (95% CI [5.3–18.9]. Gender specific SMRs were 16.1 (95% CI [3.3–47.1] for females and 9.4 (95% CI [4.0–18.4] for males. Conclusions. Street-recruited homeless youth in San Francisco experience a mortality rate in excess of ten times that of the state’s general youth population. Services and programs, particularly housing, mental health and substance abuse interventions, are urgently needed to prevent premature mortality in this vulnerable population.

Evaluation of two-year Jewish genetic disease screening program in Atlanta: insight into community genetic screening approaches.

Science.gov (United States)

Shao, Yunru; Liu, Shuling; Grinzaid, Karen

2015-04-01

Improvements in genetic testing technologies have led to the development of expanded carrier screening panels for the Ashkenazi Jewish population; however, there are major inconsistencies in current screening practices. A 2-year pilot program was launched in Atlanta in 2010 to promote and facilitate screening for 19 Jewish genetic diseases. We analyzed data from this program, including participant demographics and outreach efforts. This retrospective analysis is based on a de-identified dataset of 724 screenees. Data were obtained through medical chart review and questionnaires and included demographic information, screening results, response to outreach efforts, and follow-up behavior and preferences. We applied descriptive analysis, chi-square tests, and logistic regression to analyze the data and compare findings with published literature. The majority of participants indicated that they were not pregnant or did not have a partner who was pregnant were affiliated with Jewish organizations and reported 100 % AJ ancestry. Overall, carrier frequency was 1 in 3.9. Friends, rabbis, and family members were the most common influencers of the decision to receive screening. People who were older, had a history of pregnancy, and had been previously screened were more likely to educate others (all p influencers who then encouraged screening in the target population. Educating influencers and increasing overall awareness were the most effective outreach strategies.

Common genetic variations in CCK, leptin, and leptin receptor genes are associated with specific human eating patterns

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Krom, Mariken; van der Schouw, Yvonne T.; Hendriks, Judith; Ophoff, Roel A.; van Gils, Carla H.; Stolk, Ronald P.; Grobbee, Diederick E.; Adan, Roger

Obesity has a heritable component; however, the heterogeneity of obesity complicates dissection of its genetic background. In this study, we therefore focused on eating patterns as specific traits within obesity. These traits have a heritable component; genes associated with a specific eating

Genetic parameters for pathogen-specific mastitis resistance in Danish Holstein cattle

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Lars Peter; Madsen, P.; Mark, Thomas

2009-01-01

The objective of this study was to estimate heritabilities for and genetic correlations among different pathogen-specific mastitis traits. The traits were unspecific mastitis, which is all mastitis treatments regardless of the causative pathogen as well as mastitis caused by Streptococcus...... caused by different pathogens has been shown to differ greatly. Sampling bias may be present because there were not pathogen information on all mastitis treatments and because some farms do not record pathogen information. Therefore, improved recording of pathogen information and mastitis treatment sin...

Ground-Water Quality Data in the San Francisco Bay Study Unit, 2007: Results from the California GAMA Program

Science.gov (United States)

Ray, Mary C.; Kulongoski, Justin T.; Belitz, Kenneth

2009-01-01

Ground-water quality in the approximately 620-square-mile San Francisco Bay study unit (SFBAY) was investigated from April through June 2007 as part of the Priority Basin project of the Ground-Water Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The GAMA Priority Basin project was developed in response to the Groundwater Quality Monitoring Act of 2001, and is being conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB). The study was designed to provide a spatially unbiased assessment of raw ground-water quality, as well as a statistically consistent basis for comparing water quality throughout California. Samples in SFBAY were collected from 79 wells in San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda, and Contra Costa Counties. Forty-three of the wells sampled were selected using a spatially distributed, randomized grid-based method to provide statistical representation of the study unit (grid wells). Thirty-six wells were sampled to aid in evaluation of specific water-quality issues (understanding wells). The ground-water samples were analyzed for a large number of synthetic organic constituents (volatile organic compounds [VOC], pesticides and pesticide degradates, pharmaceutical compounds, and potential wastewater-indicator compounds), constituents of special interest (perchlorate and N-nitrosodimethylamine [NDMA]), naturally occurring inorganic constituents (nutrients, major and minor ions, trace elements, chloride and bromide isotopes, and uranium and strontium isotopes), radioactive constituents, and microbial indicators. Naturally occurring isotopes (tritium, carbon-14 isotopes, and stable isotopes of hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, boron, and carbon), and dissolved noble gases (noble gases were analyzed in collaboration with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) also were measured to help identify the source and age of the sampled ground water. Quality-control samples (blank samples

Genetic Programming for the Generation of Crisp and Fuzzy Rule Bases in Classification and Diagnosis of Medical Data

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dounias, George; Tsakonas, Athanasios; Jantzen, Jan

2002-01-01

This paper demonstrates two methodologies for the construction of rule-based systems in medical decision making. The first approach consists of a method combining genetic programming and heuristic hierarchical rule-base construction. The second model is composed by a strongly-typed genetic...

Development of a New Aprepitant Liquisolid Formulation with the Aid of Artificial Neural Networks and Genetic Programming.

Science.gov (United States)

Barmpalexis, Panagiotis; Grypioti, Agni; Eleftheriadis, Georgios K; Fatouros, Dimitris G

2018-02-01

In the present study, liquisolid formulations were developed for improving dissolution profile of aprepitant (APT) in a solid dosage form. Experimental studies were complemented with artificial neural networks and genetic programming. Specifically, the type and concentration of liquid vehicle was evaluated through saturation-solubility studies, while the effect of the amount of viscosity increasing agent (HPMC), the type of wetting (Soluplus® vs. PVP) and solubilizing (Poloxamer®407 vs. Kolliphor®ELP) agents, and the ratio of solid coating (microcrystalline cellulose) to carrier (colloidal silicon dioxide) were evaluated based on in vitro drug release studies. The optimum liquisolid formulation exhibited improved dissolution characteristics compared to the marketed product Emend®. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and a novel method combining particle size analysis by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and HPLC, revealed that the increase in dissolution rate of APT in the optimum liquisolid formulation was due to the formation of stable APT nanocrystals. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and attenuated total reflection FTIR spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) revealed the presence of intermolecular interactions between APT and liquisolid formulation excipients. Multilinear regression analysis (MLR), artificial neural networks (ANNs), and genetic programming (GP) were used to correlate several formulation variables with dissolution profile parameters (Y 15min and Y 30min ) using a full factorial experimental design. Results showed increased correlation efficacy for ANNs and GP (RMSE of 0.151 and 0.273, respectively) compared to MLR (RMSE = 0.413).

In Depth Analysis of Citrulline Specific CD4 T Cells in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Science.gov (United States)

2018-01-01

activation of lymphoid , myeloid and mast cells , indicating MALT1’s crucial role in innate and adaptive signaling. Therefore, MALT1 is regarded a...Session 7: Adaptive immunity vs. innate immunity and mesenchymal functions in RA Genetics, T cell specificity and T cell regulation in RA Jane Buckner...IFRA) Program Session 7: Adaptive immunity vs. innate immunity and mesenchymal functions in RA Genetics, T cell specificity and T cell regulation in

Exploring differences in adiposity in two U.S. Hispanic populations of Mexican origin using social, behavioral, physiologic and genetic markers: the IRAS Family Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Young, Kendra A; Fingerlin, Tasha E; Langefeld, Carl D; Lorenzo, Carlos; Haffner, Steven M; Wagenknecht, Lynne E; Norris, Jill M

2012-01-01

The census classification of Hispanic origin is used in epidemiological studies to group individuals, even though there is geographical, cultural, and genetic diversity within Hispanic Americans of purportedly similar backgrounds. We observed differences in our measures of adiposity between our two Mexican American populations, and examined whether these differences were attributed to social, behavioral, physiologic or genetic differences between the two populations. In the IRAS Family Study, we examined 478 Hispanics from San Antonio, Texas and 447 Hispanics from the San Luis Valley, Colorado. Associations with body mass index (BMI), visceral adipose tissue area (VAT), and subcutaneous adipose tissue area (SAT) using social, behavioral, physiologic and genetic variables were examined. Hispanics of Mexican origin in our clinic population in San Antonio had significantly higher mean BMI (31.09 vs. 28.35 kg/m2), VAT (126.3 vs. 105.5 cm2), and SAT (391.6 vs. 336.9 cm2), than Hispanics of Mexican origin in the San Luis Valley. The amount of variation in adiposity explained by clinic population was 4.5% for BMI, 2.8% for VAT, and 2.7% for SAT. After adjustment, clinic population was no longer associated with VAT and SAT, but remained associated with BMI, although the amount of variation explained by population was substantially less (1.0% for BMI). Adiposity differences within this population of Mexican origin can be largely explained by social, behavioral, physiologic and genetic differences.

Microchip capillary gel electrophoresis using programmed field strength gradients for the ultra-fast analysis of genetically modified organisms in soybeans.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Yun-Jeong; Chae, Joon-Seok; Chang, Jun Keun; Kang, Seong Ho

2005-08-12

We have developed a novel method for the ultra-fast analysis of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in soybeans by microchip capillary gel electrophoresis (MCGE) using programmed field strength gradients (PFSG) in a conventional glass double-T microchip. Under the programmed electric field strength and 0.3% poly(ethylene oxide) sieving matrix, the GMO in soybeans was analyzed within only 11 s of the microchip. The MCGE-PFSG method was a program that changes the electric field strength during GMO analysis, and was also applied to the ultra-fast analysis of PCR products. Compared to MCGE using a conventional and constantly applied electric field, the MCGE-PFSG analysis generated faster results without the loss of resolving power and reproducibility for specific DNA fragments (100- and 250-bp DNA) of GM-soybeans. The MCGE-PFSG technique may prove to be a new tool in the GMO analysis due to its speed, simplicity, and high efficiency.

Estimation of genetic parameters for growth traits in a breeding program for rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, G; Gu, W; Bai, Q L; Wang, B Q

2013-04-26

Genetic parameters and breeding values for growth traits were estimated in the first and, currently, the only family selective breeding program for rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in China. Genetic and phenotypic data were collected for growth traits from 75 full-sibling families with a 2-generation pedigree. Genetic parameters and breeding values for growth traits of rainbow trout were estimated using the derivative-free restricted maximum likelihood method. The goodness-of-fit of the models was tested using Akaike and Bayesian information criteria. Genetic parameters and breeding values were estimated using the best-fit model for each trait. The values for heritability estimating body weight and length ranged from 0.20 to 0.45 and from 0.27 to 0.60, respectively, and the heritability of condition factor was 0.34. Our results showed a moderate degree of heritability for growth traits in this breeding program and suggested that the genetic and phenotypic tendency of body length, body weight, and condition factor were similar. Therefore, the selection of phenotypic values based on pedigree information was also suitable in this research population.

Vegetation - San Felipe Valley [ds172

Data.gov (United States)

California Natural Resource Agency — This Vegetation Map of the San Felipe Valley Wildlife Area in San Diego County, California is based on vegetation samples collected in the field in 2002 and 2005 and...

SF-ROCKS: Reaching Out to Communities and Kids With Science in San Francisco

Science.gov (United States)

White, L. D.; Grove, K.; La Force, M. J.; Pestrong, R.; Dempsey, D. P.; Garcia, O.; Garfield, N.

2002-12-01

The SF-ROCKS program at San Francisco State University (SFSU), funded by a grant from the NSF-OEDG program, aims to increase the number of traditionally underrepresented students who enter college as geoscience majors through a multi-faceted collaborative watershed research project that provides teacher training, student education, and several tiers of mentoring relationships. In partnership with the San Francisco Unified School District and the City College of San Francisco (CCSF), SFSU Geosciences Department faculty guide urban high school students and their teachers in field-based research projects in the Islais, Yosemite, and Mission creek watersheds in southeastern San Francisco. SFSU and CCSF students assist teachers in the classroom and help to mentor their students. The collaborative program has a research base at SFSU and during the next several years will involve five high schools in communities that have highly diverse populations and ongoing environmental problems. Our goal with each high school is to focus earth and environmental science teachers on the geologic setting around their school, and to provide teachers and their students with relevant resources via teacher workshops, frequent interactions with college faculty and students, and an interactive web site and GIS database. During the summer of 2002, project scientists worked with 9th grade Integrated/Environmental Science teachers at Phillip and Sala Burton High School on a multi-layered, hands-on mapping and sampling partnership designed to identify and monitor environmental hazards and watershed characteristics in the Yosemite Creek watershed. The watershed - within which Burton High School is located - provides an interdisciplinary focus for collecting and analyzing rocks, soils, water chemistry and rainfall characteristics. SFSU faculty incorporated concepts and data from the project into ten watershed-theme lesson plans that are now part of the year-long Integrated Science curriculum at the

Use of genetic data to infer population-specific ecological and phenotypic traits from mixed aggregations.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul Moran

Full Text Available Many applications in ecological genetics involve sampling individuals from a mixture of multiple biological populations and subsequently associating those individuals with the populations from which they arose. Analytical methods that assign individuals to their putative population of origin have utility in both basic and applied research, providing information about population-specific life history and habitat use, ecotoxins, pathogen and parasite loads, and many other non-genetic ecological, or phenotypic traits. Although the question is initially directed at the origin of individuals, in most cases the ultimate desire is to investigate the distribution of some trait among populations. Current practice is to assign individuals to a population of origin and study properties of the trait among individuals within population strata as if they constituted independent samples. It seemed that approach might bias population-specific trait inference. In this study we made trait inferences directly through modeling, bypassing individual assignment. We extended a Bayesian model for population mixture analysis to incorporate parameters for the phenotypic trait and compared its performance to that of individual assignment with a minimum probability threshold for assignment. The Bayesian mixture model outperformed individual assignment under some trait inference conditions. However, by discarding individuals whose origins are most uncertain, the individual assignment method provided a less complex analytical technique whose performance may be adequate for some common trait inference problems. Our results provide specific guidance for method selection under various genetic relationships among populations with different trait distributions.

Use of genetic data to infer population-specific ecological and phenotypic traits from mixed aggregations

Science.gov (United States)

Moran, Paul; Bromaghin, Jeffrey F.; Masuda, Michele

2014-01-01

Many applications in ecological genetics involve sampling individuals from a mixture of multiple biological populations and subsequently associating those individuals with the populations from which they arose. Analytical methods that assign individuals to their putative population of origin have utility in both basic and applied research, providing information about population-specific life history and habitat use, ecotoxins, pathogen and parasite loads, and many other non-genetic ecological, or phenotypic traits. Although the question is initially directed at the origin of individuals, in most cases the ultimate desire is to investigate the distribution of some trait among populations. Current practice is to assign individuals to a population of origin and study properties of the trait among individuals within population strata as if they constituted independent samples. It seemed that approach might bias population-specific trait inference. In this study we made trait inferences directly through modeling, bypassing individual assignment. We extended a Bayesian model for population mixture analysis to incorporate parameters for the phenotypic trait and compared its performance to that of individual assignment with a minimum probability threshold for assignment. The Bayesian mixture model outperformed individual assignment under some trait inference conditions. However, by discarding individuals whose origins are most uncertain, the individual assignment method provided a less complex analytical technique whose performance may be adequate for some common trait inference problems. Our results provide specific guidance for method selection under various genetic relationships among populations with different trait distributions.

Multifactor dimensionality reduction analysis identifies specific nucleotide patterns promoting genetic polymorphisms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arehart Eric

2009-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The fidelity of DNA replication serves as the nidus for both genetic evolution and genomic instability fostering disease. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs constitute greater than 80% of the genetic variation between individuals. A new theory regarding DNA replication fidelity has emerged in which selectivity is governed by base-pair geometry through interactions between the selected nucleotide, the complementary strand, and the polymerase active site. We hypothesize that specific nucleotide combinations in the flanking regions of SNP fragments are associated with mutation. Results We modeled the relationship between DNA sequence and observed polymorphisms using the novel multifactor dimensionality reduction (MDR approach. MDR was originally developed to detect synergistic interactions between multiple SNPs that are predictive of disease susceptibility. We initially assembled data from the Broad Institute as a pilot test for the hypothesis that flanking region patterns associate with mutagenesis (n = 2194. We then confirmed and expanded our inquiry with human SNPs within coding regions and their flanking sequences collected from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI database (n = 29967 and a control set of sequences (coding region not associated with SNP sites randomly selected from the NCBI database (n = 29967. We discovered seven flanking region pattern associations in the Broad dataset which reached a minimum significance level of p ≤ 0.05. Significant models (p Conclusion The present study represents the first use of this computational methodology for modeling nonlinear patterns in molecular genetics. MDR was able to identify distinct nucleotide patterning around sites of mutations dependent upon the observed nucleotide change. We discovered one flanking region set that included five nucleotides clustered around a specific type of SNP site. Based on the strongly associated patterns identified in

El urbanismo de Santiago de Compostela : un plano con las plazuelas de San Martín y de San Miguel de 1709

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miguel Taín Guzmán

1998-01-01

Full Text Available El presente artículo está dedicado al estudio de un plano inédito de 1709 donde se representan las plazuelas de San Martín y de San Miguel, en el barrio intramuros de la Puerta de la Peña de Santiago de Compostela. Gracias al referido dibujo, analizo al detalle el entramado urbano de ambos espacios públicos y los edificios que los delimitan, particularmente la iglesia de San Martín Pinario, el desaparecido Palacio del Tribunal de la Santa Inquisición y la iglesia parroquial de San Miguel dos Agros.The article focuses on the study of a 1709 inpublished street plan of two squares —San Martín and San Miguel— in the Puerta de la Peña quarter (Santiago de Compostela. This oíd drawing shows the urban framework of both public spaces and also the buildings around: San Martín Pinario, the lost Palacio del Tribunal de la Santa Inquisición and the paroquial church of San Miguel de los Agros.

78 FR 57482 - Safety Zone; America's Cup Aerobatic Box, San Francisco Bay, San Francisco, CA

Science.gov (United States)

2013-09-19

...-AA00 Safety Zone; America's Cup Aerobatic Box, San Francisco Bay, San Francisco, CA AGENCY: Coast Guard... America's Cup air shows. These safety zones are established to provide a clear area on the water for... announced by America's Cup Race Management. ADDRESSES: Documents mentioned in this preamble are part of...

When Darwin meets Lorenz: Evolving new chaotic attractors through genetic programming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pan, Indranil; Das, Saptarshi

2015-01-01

Highlights: •New 3D continuous time chaotic systems with analytical expressions are obtained. •The multi-gene genetic programming (MGGP) paradigm is employed to achieve this. •Extends earlier works for evolving generalised family of Lorenz attractors. •Over one hundred of new chaotic attractors along with their parameters are reported. •The MGGP method have the potential for finding other similar chaotic attractors. -- Abstract: In this paper, we propose a novel methodology for automatically finding new chaotic attractors through a computational intelligence technique known as multi-gene genetic programming (MGGP). We apply this technique to the case of the Lorenz attractor and evolve several new chaotic attractors based on the basic Lorenz template. The MGGP algorithm automatically finds new nonlinear expressions for the different state variables starting from the original Lorenz system. The Lyapunov exponents of each of the attractors are calculated numerically based on the time series of the state variables using time delay embedding techniques. The MGGP algorithm tries to search the functional space of the attractors by aiming to maximise the largest Lyapunov exponent (LLE) of the evolved attractors. To demonstrate the potential of the proposed methodology, we report over one hundred new chaotic attractor structures along with their parameters, which are evolved from just the Lorenz system alone

Experimental control of a fluidic pinball using genetic programming

Science.gov (United States)

Raibaudo, Cedric; Zhong, Peng; Noack, Bernd R.; Martinuzzi, Robert J.

2017-11-01

The wake stabilization of a triangular cluster of three rotating cylinders was investigated in the present study. Experiments were performed at Reynolds number Re 6000, and compared with URANS-2D simulations at same flow conditions. 2D2C PIV measurements and constant temperature anemometry were used to characterize the flow without and with actuation. Open-loop actuation was first considered for the identification of particular control strategies. Machine learning control was also implemented for the experimental study. Linear genetic programming has been used for the optimization of open-loop parameters and closed-loop controllers. Considering a cost function J based on the fluctuations of the velocity measured by the hot-wire sensor, significant performances were achieved using the machine learning approach. The present work is supported by the senior author's (R. J. Martinuzzi) NSERC discovery Grant. C. Raibaudo acknowledges the financial support of the University of Calgary Eyes-High PDF program.

Southern California Regional Technology Acceleration Program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ochoa, Rosibel [Univ. of California, San Diego, CA (United States). Jacobs School of Engineering; Rasochova, Lada [Univ. of California, San Diego, CA (United States). Rady School of Management

2014-09-30

UC San Diego and San Diego State University are partnering to address these deficiencies in the renewable energy space in the greater San Diego region, accelerating the movement of clean energy innovation from the university laboratory into the marketplace, building on the proven model of the William J. von Liebig Center’s (vLC’s) Proof of Concept (POC) program and virtualizing the effort to enable a more inclusive environment for energy innovation and expansion of the number of clean energy start-ups and/or technology licenses in greater California.

Genetic diversity analysis in Malaysian giant prawns using expressed sequence tag microsatellite markers for stock improvement program.

Science.gov (United States)

Atin, K H; Christianus, A; Fatin, N; Lutas, A C; Shabanimofrad, M; Subha, B

2017-08-17

The Malaysian giant prawn is among the most commonly cultured species of the genus Macrobrachium. Stocks of giant prawns from four rivers in Peninsular Malaysia have been used for aquaculture over the past 25 years, which has led to repeated harvesting, restocking, and transplantation between rivers. Consequently, a stock improvement program is now important to avoid the depletion of wild stocks and the loss of genetic diversity. However, the success of such an improvement program depends on our knowledge of the genetic variation of these base populations. The aim of the current study was to estimate genetic variation and differentiation of these riverine sources using novel expressed sequence tag-microsatellite (EST-SSR) markers, which not only are informative on genetic diversity but also provide information on immune and metabolic traits. Our findings indicated that the tested stocks have inbreeding depression due to a significant deficiency in heterozygotes, and F IS was estimated as 0.15538 to 0.31938. An F-statistics analysis suggested that the stocks are composed of one large panmictic population. Among the four locations, stocks from Johor, in the southern region of the peninsular, showed higher allelic and genetic diversity than the other stocks. To overcome inbreeding problems, the Johor population could be used as a base population in a stock improvement program by crossing to the other populations. The study demonstrated that EST-SSR markers can be incorporated in future marker assisted breeding to aid the proper management of the stocks by breeders and stakeholders in Malaysia.

Educators Exchange: A Program Evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Armstrong, William B.

The Educators Exchange Program (EEP) was established under a training and educational exchange agreement reached by California's San Diego Community College District (SDCCD) and the republic of Mexico. In the program, the District provided a 4-week technological training program to faculty at Centros de Capacitacion Tecnologica Industrial…

77 FR 42649 - Safety Zone: Sea World San Diego Fireworks, Mission Bay; San Diego, CA

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-20

... 1625-AA00 Safety Zone: Sea World San Diego Fireworks, Mission Bay; San Diego, CA AGENCY: Coast Guard... authorized by the Captain of the Port, or his designated representative. DATES: This rule is effective from 8... to ensure the public's safety. B. Basis and Purpose The Ports and Waterways Safety Act gives the...

Marine biosurfaces research program

Science.gov (United States)

The Office of Naval Research (ONR) of the U.S. Navy is starting a basic research program to address the initial events that control colonization of surfaces by organisms in marine environments. The program “arises from the Navy's need to understand and ultimately control biofouling and biocorrosion in marine environments,” according to a Navy announcement.The program, “Biological Processes Controlling Surface Modification in the Marine Environment,” will emphasize the application of in situ techniques and modern molecular biological, biochemical, and biophysical approaches; it will also encourage the development of interdisciplinary projects. Specific areas of interest include sensing and response to environmental surface (physiology/physical chemistry), factors controlling movement to and retention at surfaces (behavior/hydrodynamics), genetic regulation of attachment (molecular genetics), and mechanisms of attachment (biochemistry/surface chemistry).

Valued Youth Partnerships: Programs in Caring. Cross-Age Tutoring Dropout Prevention Strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Intercultural Development Research Association, San Antonio, TX.

This booklet provides information about the Valued Youth Partnership (VYP) program for dropout prevention. Begun in 1984 with the support of the Coca-Cola Company and the collaboration of the Intercultural Development Research Association, the VYP program is being implemented in the Edgewood and South San Antonio school districts in San Antonio,…

Capistrano unified school district works with San Onofre NGS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osterfield, M.A.; Cramer, E.N.

1992-01-01

A unique arrangement has the science coordinator for Capistrano Unified School District's (CUSD) grades kindergarten through eight (K-8) as a part-time contract employee at San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS). The purpose is to assess the science capabilities at SONGS useful to CUSD teachers and to assist in making them available. This is different from the usual single-teacher renewal program or from part-time employment. This creates several unique situations for SONGS and the 23 K-8 schools in CUSD, supplementing the existing program of optional science field trips to SONGS. This approach also interests the developing mind in science before being turned off by uninteresting, user-unfriendly, bookish approaches

Reframing autism as a behavioral syndrome and not a specific mental disorder: Implications of genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity.

Science.gov (United States)

Tordjman, S; Cohen, D; Coulon, N; Anderson, G M; Botbol, M; Canitano, R; Roubertoux, P L

2017-01-30

Clinical and molecular genetics have advanced current knowledge on genetic disorders associated with autism. A review of diverse genetic disorders associated with autism is presented and for the first time discussed extensively with regard to possible common underlying mechanisms leading to a similar cognitive-behavioral phenotype of autism. The possible role of interactions between genetic and environmental factors, including epigenetic mechanisms, is in particular examined. Finally, the pertinence of distinguishing non-syndromic autism (isolated autism) from syndromic autism (autism associated with genetic disorders) will be reconsidered. Given the high genetic and etiological heterogeneity of autism, autism can be viewed as a behavioral syndrome related to known genetic disorders (syndromic autism) or currently unknown disorders (apparent non-syndromic autism), rather than a specific categorical mental disorder. It highlights the need to study autism phenotype and developmental trajectory through a multidimensional, non-categorical approach with multivariate analyses within autism spectrum disorder but also across mental disorders, and to conduct systematically clinical genetic examination searching for genetic disorders in all individuals (children but also adults) with autism. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Determination of the genetic structure of remnant Morus boninensis Koidz. trees to establish a conservation program on the Bonin Islands, Japan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nobushima Fuyuo

2006-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Morus boninensis, is an endemic plant of the Bonin (Ogasawara Islands of Japan and is categorized as "critically endangered" in the Japanese red data book. However, little information is available about its ecological, evolutionary and genetic status, despite the urgent need for guidelines for the conservation of the species. Therefore, we adopted Moritz's MU concept, based on the species' current genetic structure, to define management units and to select mother tree candidates for seed orchards. Results Nearly all individuals of the species were genotyped on the basis of seven microsatellite markers. Genetic diversity levels in putative natural populations were higher than in putative man-made populations with the exception of those on Otouto-jima Island. This is because a limited number of maternal trees are likely to have been used for seed collection to establish the man-made populations. A model-based clustering analysis clearly distinguished individuals into nine clusters, with a large difference in genetic composition between the population on Otouto-jima Island, the putative natural populations and the putative man-made populations. The Otouto-jima population appeared to be genetically differentiated from the others; a finding that was also supported by pairwise FST and RST analysis. Although multiple clusters were detected in the putative man-made populations, the pattern of genetic diversity was monotonous in comparison to the natural populations. Conclusion The genotyping by microsatellite markers revealed strong genetic structures. Typically, artificial propagation of this species has ignored the genetic structure, relying only on seeds from Otouto-jima for replanting on other islands, because of a problem with inter-specific hybridization on Chichi-jima and Haha-jima Islands. However, this study demonstrates that we should be taking into consideration the genetic structure of the species when designing a

Determination of the genetic structure of remnant Morus boninensis Koidz. trees to establish a conservation program on the Bonin Islands, Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Tani, Naoki; Yoshimaru, Hiroshi; Kawahara, Takayuki; Hoshi, Yoshio; Nobushima, Fuyuo; Yasui, Takaya

2006-10-11

Morus boninensis, is an endemic plant of the Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands of Japan and is categorized as "critically endangered" in the Japanese red data book. However, little information is available about its ecological, evolutionary and genetic status, despite the urgent need for guidelines for the conservation of the species. Therefore, we adopted Moritz's MU concept, based on the species' current genetic structure, to define management units and to select mother tree candidates for seed orchards. Nearly all individuals of the species were genotyped on the basis of seven microsatellite markers. Genetic diversity levels in putative natural populations were higher than in putative man-made populations with the exception of those on Otouto-jima Island. This is because a limited number of maternal trees are likely to have been used for seed collection to establish the man-made populations. A model-based clustering analysis clearly distinguished individuals into nine clusters, with a large difference in genetic composition between the population on Otouto-jima Island, the putative natural populations and the putative man-made populations. The Otouto-jima population appeared to be genetically differentiated from the others; a finding that was also supported by pairwise FST and RST analysis. Although multiple clusters were detected in the putative man-made populations, the pattern of genetic diversity was monotonous in comparison to the natural populations. The genotyping by microsatellite markers revealed strong genetic structures. Typically, artificial propagation of this species has ignored the genetic structure, relying only on seeds from Otouto-jima for replanting on other islands, because of a problem with inter-specific hybridization on Chichi-jima and Haha-jima Islands. However, this study demonstrates that we should be taking into consideration the genetic structure of the species when designing a propagation program for the conservation of this species.

Cataclastic rocks of the San Gabriel fault—an expression of deformation at deeper crustal levels in the San Andreas fault zone

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, J. Lawford; Osborne, Robert H.; Palmer, Donald F.

1983-10-01

The San Gabriel fault, a deeply eroded late Oligocene to middle Pliocene precursor to the San Andreas, was chosen for petrologic study to provide information regarding intrafault material representative of deeper crustal levels. Cataclastic rocks exposed along the present trace of the San Andreas in this area are exclusively a variety of fault gouge that is essentially a rock flour with a quartz, feldspar, biotite, chlorite, amphibole, epidote, and Fe-Ti oxide mineralogy representing the milled-down equivalent of the original rock (Anderson and Osborne, 1979; Anderson et al., 1980). Likewise, fault gouge and associated breccia are common along the San Gabriel fault, but only where the zone of cataclasis is several tens of meters wide. At several localities, the zone is extremely narrow (several centimeters), and the cataclastic rock type is cataclasite, a dark, aphanitic, and highly comminuted and indurated rock. The cataclastic rocks along the San Gabriel fault exhibit more comminution than that observed for gouge along the San Andreas. The average grain diameter for the San Andreas gouge ranges from 0.01 to 0.06 mm. For the San Gabriel cataclastic rocks, it ranges from 0.0001 to 0.007 mm. Whereas the San Andreas gouge remains particulate to the smallest grain-size, the ultra-fine grain matrix of the San Gabriel cataclasite is composed of a mosaic of equidimensional, interlocking grains. The cataclastic rocks along the San Gabriel fault also show more mineralogiec changes compared to gouge from the San Andreas fault. At the expense of biotite, amphibole, and feldspar, there is some growth of new albite, chlorite, sericite, laumontite, analcime, mordenite (?), and calcite. The highest grade of metamorphism is laumontite-chlorite zone (zeolite facies). Mineral assemblages and constrained uplift rates allow temperature and depth estimates of 200 ± 30° C and 2-5 km, thus suggesting an approximate geothermal gradient of ~50°C/km. Such elevated temperatures imply a

Opportunities and obstacles for rangeland conservation in San Diego County, California, USA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kathleen A. Farley

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Working landscapes such as rangelands are increasingly recognized as having high conservation value, providing a variety of ecosystem services, including food, fiber, habitat, recreation, open space, carbon storage, and water, in addition to a broad range of social benefits. However, conversion of rangelands to other land uses has been prevalent throughout the western United States, leading to greater attention in the conservation community to the importance of collaborating with private landowners. The level of interest in collaborative conservation among private landowners and the types of conservation programs they choose to participate in depend on the social, economic, and environmental context. We used GIS analysis and interviews with ranchers to evaluate rangeland conversion and participation in conservation programs among ranchers in San Diego County, California, USA, which is part of a biodiversity hotspot with high plant species richness and a large number of endemic and rare species. We found that > 25% of rangelands were converted to other uses, primarily urbanization, over the past 25 years while the area of public rangeland increased by 9%. Interviews revealed that ranchers in San Diego County have had limited involvement with most conservation programs, and a critical factor for nonparticipation was providing programs access to private land, along with other issues related to trust and social values. Among ranchers who had participated in conservation programs, the payment level and the agency or organization administering the program were key factors. Our results provide insight into factors influencing whether and when ranchers are likely to participate in conservation initiatives and illustrate that private and public land conservation are strongly linked and would be more effective if the two strategies were better integrated.

Virus-mimetic polyplex particles for systemic and inflammation-specific targeted delivery of large genetic contents.

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, S; Lu, K; Leelawattanachai, J; Hu, X; Park, S; Park, T; Min, I M; Jin, M M

2013-11-01

Systemic and target-specific delivery of large genetic contents has been difficult to achieve. Although viruses effortlessly deliver kilobase-long genome into cells, its clinical use has been hindered by serious safety concerns and the mismatch between native tropisms and desired targets. Nonviral vectors, in contrast, are limited by low gene transfer efficiency and inherent cytotoxicity. Here we devised virus-mimetic polyplex particles (VMPs) based on electrostatic self-assembly among polyanionic peptide (PAP), cationic polymer polyethyleneimine (PEI) and nucleic acids. We fused PAP to the engineered ligand-binding domain of integrin αLβ2 to target intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), an inducible marker of inflammation. Fully assembled VMPs packaged large genetic contents, bound specifically to target molecules, elicited receptor-mediated endocytosis and escaped endosomal pathway, resembling intracellular delivery processes of viruses. Unlike conventional PEI-mediated transfection, molecular interaction-dependent gene delivery of VMPs was unaffected by the presence of serum and achieved higher efficiency without toxicity. By targeting overexpressed ICAM-1, VMPs delivered genes specifically to inflamed endothelial cells and macrophages both in vitro and in vivo. Simplicity and versatility of the platform and inflammation-specific delivery may open up opportunities for multifaceted gene therapy that can be translated into the clinic and treat a broad range of debilitating immune and inflammatory diseases.

Analysis of genetic code ambiguity arising from nematode-specific misacylated tRNAs.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kiyofumi Hamashima

Full Text Available The faithful translation of the genetic code requires the highly accurate aminoacylation of transfer RNAs (tRNAs. However, it has been shown that nematode-specific V-arm-containing tRNAs (nev-tRNAs are misacylated with leucine in vitro in a manner that transgresses the genetic code. nev-tRNA(Gly (CCC and nev-tRNA(Ile (UAU, which are the major nev-tRNA isotypes, could theoretically decode the glycine (GGG codon and isoleucine (AUA codon as leucine, causing GGG and AUA codon ambiguity in nematode cells. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the functionality of nev-tRNAs and their impact on the proteome of Caenorhabditis elegans. Analysis of the nucleotide sequences in the 3' end regions of the nev-tRNAs showed that they had matured correctly, with the addition of CCA, which is a crucial posttranscriptional modification required for tRNA aminoacylation. The nuclear export of nev-tRNAs was confirmed with an analysis of their subcellular localization. These results show that nev-tRNAs are processed to their mature forms like common tRNAs and are available for translation. However, a whole-cell proteome analysis found no detectable level of nev-tRNA-induced mistranslation in C. elegans cells, suggesting that the genetic code is not ambiguous, at least under normal growth conditions. Our findings indicate that the translational fidelity of the nematode genetic code is strictly maintained, contrary to our expectations, although deviant tRNAs with misacylation properties are highly conserved in the nematode genome.

Sex-specific genetic determinants for arterial stiffness in Dahl salt-sensitive hypertensive rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Decano, Julius L; Pasion, Khristine A; Black, Nicole; Giordano, Nicholas J; Herrera, Victoria L; Ruiz-Opazo, Nelson

2016-01-11

Arterial stiffness is an independent predictor of cardiovascular outcomes in hypertensive patients including myocardial infarction, fatal stroke, cerebral micro-bleeds which predicts cerebral hemorrhage in hypertensive patients, as well as progression to hypertension in non-hypertensive subjects. The association between arterial stiffness and various cardiovascular outcomes (coronary heart disease, stroke) remains after adjusting for age, sex, blood pressure, body mass index and other known predictors of cardiovascular disease, suggesting that arterial stiffness, measured via carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity, has a better predictive value than each of these factors. Recent evidence shows that arterial stiffening precedes the onset of high blood pressure; however their molecular genetic relationship (s) and sex-specific determinants remain uncertain. We investigated whether distinct or shared genetic determinants might underlie susceptibility to arterial stiffening in male and female Dahl salt-sensitive rats. Thus, we performed a genome-wide scan for quantitative trait loci (QTLs) affecting arterial stiffness in six-week old F2 (Dahl S x R)-intercross male and female rats characterized for abdominal aortic pulse wave velocity and aortic strain by high-resolution ultrasonography. We detected five highly significant QTLs affecting aortic stiffness: two interacting QTLs (AS-m1 on chromosome 4 and AS-m2 on chromosome16, LOD 8.8) in males and two distinct interacting QTLs (AS-f1 on chromosome 9 and AS-f2 on chromosome11, LOD 8.9) in females affecting pulse wave velocity. One QTL (AS-1 on chromosome 3, LOD 4.3) was found to influence aortic strain in a sex-independent manner. None of these arterial stiffness QTLs co-localized with previously reported blood pressure QTLs detected in equivalent genetic intercrosses. These data reveal sex-specific genetic determinants for aortic pulse wave velocity and suggest distinct polygenic susceptibility for arterial stiffness and

75 FR 27432 - Security Zone; Golden Guardian 2010 Regional Exercise; San Francisco Bay, San Francisco, CA

Science.gov (United States)

2010-05-17

... can better evaluate its effects on them and participate in the rulemaking process. Small businesses... DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Coast Guard 33 CFR Part 165 [Docket No. USCG-2010-0221] RIN 1625-AA87 Security Zone; Golden Guardian 2010 Regional Exercise; San Francisco Bay, San Francisco, CA AGENCY...

Genetic diversity of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in San Luis Potosí, México.

Science.gov (United States)

López-Rocha, Estela; Juárez-Álvarez, Julio; Riego-Ruiz, Lina; Enciso-Moreno, Leonor; Ortega-Aguilar, Francisco; Hernández-Nieto, Julián; Enciso-Moreno, José A; López-Revilla, Rubén

2013-05-01

Although epidemiologic and socioeconomic criteria and biomedical risk factors indicate high-priority for tuberculosis (TB) control in Mexico, molecular epidemiology studies of the disease in the country are scarce. Complete sociodemographic and clinical data were obtained from 248 of the 432 pulmonary TB (PTB) cases confirmed from 2006 to 2010 on the population under epidemiological surveillance in the state of San Luis Potosí, México. From most PTB cases with complete data Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) isolates were recovered and their spoligotypes, lineages and families, geographic distribution and drug resistance determined. Pulmonary tuberculosis incidence ranged from 2.4 to 33.4 (cases per 100,000 inhabitants) in the six state sanitary jurisdictions that were grouped in regions of low (jurisdictions I-II-III), intermediate (jurisdictions IV-V) and high incidence (jurisdiction VI) with 6.2, 17.3 and 33.4 rates, respectively. Most patients were poor, 50-years-median-age males and housewives. Among the 237 MTC spoligotyped isolates, 232 corresponded to M. tuberculosis (104 spoligotypes in 24 clusters) and five to M. bovis. The predominant Euro-American lineage was distributed all over the state, the East-Asian lineage (Beijing family) in the capital city, the Indo-Oceanic (Manila family) in eastern localities, and M. bovis in rural localities. In San Luis Potosí TB affects mainly poor male adults and is caused by M. tuberculosis and to a minor extent by M. bovis. There is great genotypic diversity among M. tuberculosis strains, the Euro-American lineage being much more prevalent than the Indo-Oceanic and East-Asian lineages. The frequency of resistant strains is relatively low and not associated to any particular lineage.

47 CFR 76.75 - Specific EEO program requirements.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... MULTICHANNEL VIDEO AND CABLE TELEVISION SERVICE Equal Employment Opportunity Requirements § 76.75 Specific EEO... or sex is prohibited and that they may notify the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the... necessary. Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to require a multichannel video programming...

Automatic Creation of Machine Learning Workflows with Strongly Typed Genetic Programming

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Křen, T.; Pilát, M.; Neruda, Roman

2017-01-01

Roč. 26, č. 5 (2017), č. článku 1760020. ISSN 0218-2130 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA15-19877S Grant - others:GA MŠk(CZ) LM2015042 Institutional support: RVO:67985807 Keywords : genetic programming * machine learning workflows * asynchronous evolutionary algorithm Subject RIV: IN - Informatics, Computer Science OBOR OECD: Computer sciences, information science, bioinformathics (hardware development to be 2.2, social aspect to be 5.8) Impact factor: 0.778, year: 2016

Computational dissection of human episodic memory reveals mental process-specific genetic profiles.

Science.gov (United States)

Luksys, Gediminas; Fastenrath, Matthias; Coynel, David; Freytag, Virginie; Gschwind, Leo; Heck, Angela; Jessen, Frank; Maier, Wolfgang; Milnik, Annette; Riedel-Heller, Steffi G; Scherer, Martin; Spalek, Klara; Vogler, Christian; Wagner, Michael; Wolfsgruber, Steffen; Papassotiropoulos, Andreas; de Quervain, Dominique J-F

2015-09-01

Episodic memory performance is the result of distinct mental processes, such as learning, memory maintenance, and emotional modulation of memory strength. Such processes can be effectively dissociated using computational models. Here we performed gene set enrichment analyses of model parameters estimated from the episodic memory performance of 1,765 healthy young adults. We report robust and replicated associations of the amine compound SLC (solute-carrier) transporters gene set with the learning rate, of the collagen formation and transmembrane receptor protein tyrosine kinase activity gene sets with the modulation of memory strength by negative emotional arousal, and of the L1 cell adhesion molecule (L1CAM) interactions gene set with the repetition-based memory improvement. Furthermore, in a large functional MRI sample of 795 subjects we found that the association between L1CAM interactions and memory maintenance revealed large clusters of differences in brain activity in frontal cortical areas. Our findings provide converging evidence that distinct genetic profiles underlie specific mental processes of human episodic memory. They also provide empirical support to previous theoretical and neurobiological studies linking specific neuromodulators to the learning rate and linking neural cell adhesion molecules to memory maintenance. Furthermore, our study suggests additional memory-related genetic pathways, which may contribute to a better understanding of the neurobiology of human memory.

Computational dissection of human episodic memory reveals mental process-specific genetic profiles

Science.gov (United States)

Luksys, Gediminas; Fastenrath, Matthias; Coynel, David; Freytag, Virginie; Gschwind, Leo; Heck, Angela; Jessen, Frank; Maier, Wolfgang; Milnik, Annette; Riedel-Heller, Steffi G.; Scherer, Martin; Spalek, Klara; Vogler, Christian; Wagner, Michael; Wolfsgruber, Steffen; Papassotiropoulos, Andreas; de Quervain, Dominique J.-F.

2015-01-01

Episodic memory performance is the result of distinct mental processes, such as learning, memory maintenance, and emotional modulation of memory strength. Such processes can be effectively dissociated using computational models. Here we performed gene set enrichment analyses of model parameters estimated from the episodic memory performance of 1,765 healthy young adults. We report robust and replicated associations of the amine compound SLC (solute-carrier) transporters gene set with the learning rate, of the collagen formation and transmembrane receptor protein tyrosine kinase activity gene sets with the modulation of memory strength by negative emotional arousal, and of the L1 cell adhesion molecule (L1CAM) interactions gene set with the repetition-based memory improvement. Furthermore, in a large functional MRI sample of 795 subjects we found that the association between L1CAM interactions and memory maintenance revealed large clusters of differences in brain activity in frontal cortical areas. Our findings provide converging evidence that distinct genetic profiles underlie specific mental processes of human episodic memory. They also provide empirical support to previous theoretical and neurobiological studies linking specific neuromodulators to the learning rate and linking neural cell adhesion molecules to memory maintenance. Furthermore, our study suggests additional memory-related genetic pathways, which may contribute to a better understanding of the neurobiology of human memory. PMID:26261317

Fine-scale genetic analysis of species-specific female preference in Drosophila simulans.

Science.gov (United States)

Laturney, M; Moehring, A J

2012-09-01

Behavioural differences are thought to be the first components to contribute to species isolation, yet the precise genetic basis of behavioural isolation remains poorly understood. Here, we used a combination of behaviour assays and genetic mapping to provide the first refined map locating candidate genes for interspecific female preference isolating Drosophila simulans from D. melanogaster. First, we tested whether two genes identified as affecting D. melanogaster female intraspecific mate choice also affect interspecific mate choice; neither of these genes was found to contribute to species-specific female preference. Next, we used deficiency mapping to locate genes on the right arm of the third chromosome for species-specific female preference and identified five small significant regions that contain candidate genes contributing to behavioural isolation. All five regions were located in areas that would have low interspecific recombination, which mirrors the results of other behavioural isolation studies that used quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping, but without the potential concern of bias towards regions of low recombination that QTL mapping may have. As this model system may be refined to the individual gene level using the same methodology, this initial map we provide may potentially serve as a ready template for the identification and characterization of the first behavioural isolation genes. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2012 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

Genetic associations for pathogen-specific clinical mastitis and patterns of peaks in somatic cell count

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Haas, de Y.; Barkema, H.W.; Schukken, Y.H.; Veerkamp, R.F.

2003-01-01

Genetic associations were estimated between pathogen-specific cases of clinical mastitis (CM), lactational average somatic cell score (LACSCS), and patterns of peaks in somatic cell count (SCC) which were based on deviations from the typical lactation curve for SCC. The dataset contained test-day

When public health and genetic privacy collide: positive and normative theories explaining how ACA's expansion of corporate wellness programs conflicts with GINA's privacy rules.

Science.gov (United States)

Bard, Jennifer S

2011-01-01

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA) contains many provisions intended to increase access to and lower the cost of health care by adopting public health measures. One of these promotes the use of at-work wellness programs by both providing employers with grants to develop these programs and also increasing their ability to tie the price employees pay for health insurance for participating in these programs and meeting specific health goals. Yet despite ACA's specific alteration of three different statues which had in the past shielded employees from having to contribute to the cost of their health insurance based on their achieving employer-designated health markers, it chose to leave alone recently enacted rules implementing the Genetic Non-Discrimination Act (GINA), which prohibits employers from asking employees about their family health history in any context, including assessing their risk for setting wellness targets. This article reviews how both the changes made by ACA and the restrictions recently put place by GINA will affect the way employers are likely to structure Wellness Programs. It also considers how these changes reflect the competing social goals of both ACA, which seeks to expand access to the population by lowering costs, and GINA, which seeks to protect individuals from discrimination. It does so by analyzing both positive theories about how these new laws will function and normative theories explaining the likelihood of future friction between the interests of the population of the United States as a whole who are in need of increased and affordable access to health care, and of the individuals living in this country who risk discrimination, as science and medicine continue to make advances in linking genetic make-up to risk of future illness. © 2011 American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics, Inc.

Genetic variability of Cordia alliodora (R. and P.) Oken progenies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marulanda, Marta Leonor; Lopez, Ana Maria; Uribe, Marcela; Ospina, Carlos Mario

2011-01-01

Cordia alliodora is a well-known wood producer tree of tropical areas of Latin America and the Caribbean characterized for producing valuable wood and by its fast growth rate. In Colombia, it is frequent on agro-forestall systems with coffee. This species, like most forest species have biological problems for genetic improvement programs, such as long regeneration periods and high costs for supporting a population in a long term. The molecular assisted markers in plant breeding programs have had a great impact on genetic improvement, due to the fact they minimize their intervals of regeneration, increase the genetic gain by generation and allow the evaluation of the genetic information essential for the species. In this work, 60 genotypes of C. alliodora were characterized, belonging to the provenance and progenies tests established by the program of genetic improvement of Cenicafe. The characterization was carried out through micro satellite markers, after developing a genomic library enriched with micro satellites of the species. Finally, 24 specific micro satellites were evaluated, 20 of which allowed the detection of 28 polymorphic and multiallelic loci. These results provide a guide for orienting the policies of sustainable production and conservation of this valuable species; also, it provides a useful tool for the identification of clones with commercial interest.

California State Waters Map Series: offshore of San Gregorio, California

Science.gov (United States)

Cochrane, Guy R.; Dartnell, Peter; Greene, H. Gary; Watt, Janet T.; Golden, Nadine E.; Endris, Charles A.; Phillips, Eleyne L.; Hartwell, Stephen R.; Johnson, Samuel Y.; Kvitek, Rikk G.; Erdey, Mercedes D.; Bretz, Carrie K.; Manson, Michael W.; Sliter, Ray W.; Ross, Stephanie L.; Dieter, Bryan E.; Chin, John L.; Cochran, Susan A.; Cochrane, Guy R.; Cochran, Susan A.

2014-01-01

In 2007, the California Ocean Protection Council initiated the California Seafloor Mapping Program (CSMP), designed to create a comprehensive seafloor map of high-resolution bathymetry, marine benthic habitats, and geology within the 3-nautical-mile limit of California's State Waters. The CSMP approach is to create highly detailed seafloor maps through collection, integration, interpretation, and visualization of swath sonar data, acoustic backscatter, seafloor video, seafloor photography, high-resolution seismic-reflection profiles, and bottom-sediment sampling data. The map products display seafloor morphology and character, identify potential marine benthic habitats, and illustrate both the surficial seafloor geology and shallow (to about 100 m) subsurface geology. The Offshore of San Gregorio map area is located in northern California, on the Pacific coast of the San Francisco Peninsula about 50 kilometers south of the Golden Gate. The map area lies offshore of the Santa Cruz Mountains, part of the northwest-trending Coast Ranges that run roughly parallel to the San Andreas Fault Zone. The Santa Cruz Mountains lie between the San Andreas Fault Zone and the San Gregorio Fault system. The nearest significant onshore cultural centers in the map area are San Gregorio and Pescadero, both unincorporated communities with populations well under 1,000. Both communities are situated inland of state beaches that share their names. No harbor facilities are within the Offshore of San Gregorio map area. The hilly coastal area is virtually undeveloped grazing land for sheep and cattle. The coastal geomorphology is controlled by late Pleistocene and Holocene slip in the San Gregorio Fault system. A westward bend in the San Andreas Fault Zone, southeast of the map area, coupled with right-lateral movement along the San Gregorio Fault system have caused regional folding and uplift. The coastal area consists of high coastal bluffs and vertical sea cliffs. Coastal promontories in

ASTER Flyby of San Francisco

Science.gov (United States)

2002-01-01

The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection radiometer, ASTER, is an international project: the instrument was supplied by Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry. A joint US/Japan science team developed algorithms for science data products, and is validating instrument performance. With its 14 spectral bands, extremely high spatial resolution, and 15 meter along-track stereo capability, ASTER is the zoom lens of the Terra satellite. The primary mission goals are to characterize the Earth's surface; and to monitor dynamic events and processes that influence habitability at human scales. ASTER's monitoring and mapping capabilities are illustrated by this series of images of the San Francisco area. The visible and near infrared image reveals suspended sediment in the bays, vegetation health, and details of the urban environment. Flying over San Francisco (3.2MB) (high-res (18.3MB)), we see the downtown, and shadows of the large buildings. Past the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island, we cross San Pablo Bay and enter Suisun Bay. Turning south, we fly over the Berkeley and Oakland Hills. Large salt evaporation ponds come into view at the south end of San Francisco Bay. We turn northward, and approach San Francisco Airport. Rather than landing and ending our flight, we see this is as only the beginning of a 6 year mission to better understand the habitability of the world on which we live. For more information: ASTER images through Visible Earth ASTER Web Site Image courtesy of MITI, ERSDAC, JAROS, and the U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team

Analysis of the populations genetic variability of Tagosodes orizicolus (Homoptera: Delphacidae), virus vector of the rice white leaf

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hernandez Alfaro, Myriam

2006-01-01

Tagosodes orizicolus (Homoptera: Delphacidae), is a monophagous insect of the rice and virus vector of the white leaf (RHBV). It is distributed in America Central, El Caribe, part of the America del Sur and in Costa Rica it is in all the producing zones of rice. The genetic variability was analyzed by means of RAPD-PCR of individuals from three populations of Costa Rica: Parrita, Guanacaste (Liberia) y San Carlos (Santa Clara), that they are found separated geographically. The technique consisted of amplifying regions at random of the genome of these insects utilizing five primers. A total of 72 polymorphic bands were obtained, that upon being analyzed statistically by means of the multivariate analysis program of numerical taxonomy could show a clear genetic distancing among said populations. The genetic distance observed in the molecular analysis can be explained for the climatic and/or geographical isolation of the populations or by the incident of Wolbachia, riquettsia that induces cytoplasmic sterility in insects. These symbionts are transmitted of generation in generation, of the mother to their offspring and they cause reproductive alterations as cytoplasmic incompatibility, parthenogenesis and feminization. The presence of Wolbachia was determined by means of transmission electronic microscopy being observed in the greasy and muscular weave of the abdomen of T. orizicolus. Rickettsias present pleomorphic morphology and form small groups, that are characterized for the presence of electrondense material semidetached to the cell wall with an interior electronlucent. Its size in transverse cuts ranged between 520 nm of length X 470 nm of width. In addition, its presence was detected by means of the amplification by PCR of the genomic DNA of the insects; a specific primer for the DNA ribosomal 16S of Wolbachia was utilized for it. A 86% of insects of the San Carlos population were positive, a 96% was determined for Guanacaste, a 37% for Parrita and a 100% for

Drag reduction of a car model by linear genetic programming control

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Ruiying; Noack, Bernd R.; Cordier, Laurent; Borée, Jacques; Harambat, Fabien

2017-08-01

We investigate open- and closed-loop active control for aerodynamic drag reduction of a car model. Turbulent flow around a blunt-edged Ahmed body is examined at ReH≈ 3× 105 based on body height. The actuation is performed with pulsed jets at all trailing edges (multiple inputs) combined with a Coanda deflection surface. The flow is monitored with 16 pressure sensors distributed at the rear side (multiple outputs). We apply a recently developed model-free control strategy building on genetic programming in Dracopoulos and Kent (Neural Comput Appl 6:214-228, 1997) and Gautier et al. (J Fluid Mech 770:424-441, 2015). The optimized control laws comprise periodic forcing, multi-frequency forcing and sensor-based feedback including also time-history information feedback and combinations thereof. Key enabler is linear genetic programming (LGP) as powerful regression technique for optimizing the multiple-input multiple-output control laws. The proposed LGP control can select the best open- or closed-loop control in an unsupervised manner. Approximately 33% base pressure recovery associated with 22% drag reduction is achieved in all considered classes of control laws. Intriguingly, the feedback actuation emulates periodic high-frequency forcing. In addition, the control identified automatically the only sensor which listens to high-frequency flow components with good signal to noise ratio. Our control strategy is, in principle, applicable to all multiple actuators and sensors experiments.

Wavelet-linear genetic programming: A new approach for modeling monthly streamflow

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Ravansalar, Masoud; Rajaee, Taher; Kisi, Ozgur

2017-06-01

The streamflows are important and effective factors in stream ecosystems and its accurate prediction is an essential and important issue in water resources and environmental engineering systems. A hybrid wavelet-linear genetic programming (WLGP) model, which includes a discrete wavelet transform (DWT) and a linear genetic programming (LGP) to predict the monthly streamflow (Q) in two gauging stations, Pataveh and Shahmokhtar, on the Beshar River at the Yasuj, Iran were used in this study. In the proposed WLGP model, the wavelet analysis was linked to the LGP model where the original time series of streamflow were decomposed into the sub-time series comprising wavelet coefficients. The results were compared with the single LGP, artificial neural network (ANN), a hybrid wavelet-ANN (WANN) and Multi Linear Regression (MLR) models. The comparisons were done by some of the commonly utilized relevant physical statistics. The Nash coefficients (E) were found as 0.877 and 0.817 for the WLGP model, for the Pataveh and Shahmokhtar stations, respectively. The comparison of the results showed that the WLGP model could significantly increase the streamflow prediction accuracy in both stations. Since, the results demonstrate a closer approximation of the peak streamflow values by the WLGP model, this model could be utilized for the simulation of cumulative streamflow data prediction in one month ahead.

The Effect of Bangpungtongsung-san Extracts on Adipocyte Metabolism

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Sang Min, Lee

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Objective : The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of Bangpungtongsung-san extracts on the preadipocytes proliferation, of 3T3-L1 cell line. lipolysis of adipocytes in rat's epididymis and localized fat accumulation of porcine by extraction methods(alcohol and water. Methods : Diminish 3T3-L1 proliferation and lipogenesis do primary role to reduce obesity. So, 3T3-L1 preadipocyte and adipocytes were performed on cell cultures, and using Sprague-Dawley rats for the lipogenesis, and treated with 0.01-1 ㎎/㎖ Bangpungtongsung-san Extracts depend on concentrations. Porcine skin including fat tissue after treated Bangpungtongsung-san Extracts by means of the dosage dependent variation are investigated the histologic changes after injection of these extracts. Results : Following results were obtained from the 3T3-L1 preadipocyte proliferation and lipolysis of adipocyte in rats and histologic investigation of fat tissue. 1. Bangpungtongsung-san extracts were showed the effect of decreased preadipocyte proliferation on the high dosage(1.0㎎/㎖. 2. Bangpungtongsung-san extracts were showed the effect of decreased the activity of glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase(GPDH on the high dosage(1.0㎎/㎖ and Specially, alcohol extract of Bangpungtongsung -san was clear as time goes by high concentration. 3. Bangpungtongsung-san extracts were showed tries to compare the effect of lipolysis, alcohol extract of Bangpungtongsung-san on the high dosage(1.0㎎/㎖ was observed the effect is higher than water extract. 4. Investigated the histological changes in porcine fat tissue after treated Bangpungtongsung-san extracts, we knew that water extract of Bangpungtongsung-san was showed the effect of lipolysis on the high dosage(10.0㎎/㎖ and alcohol extract of Bangpungtongsung-san was showed significant activity to the lysis of cell membranes in all concentration. Conclusion : These results suggest that Bangpungtongsung-san extracts efficiently

Loss of genetic diversity in Culex quinquefasciatus targeted by a lymphatic filariasis vector control program in Recife, Brazil.

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Cartaxo, Marina F S; Ayres, Constância F J; Weetman, David

2011-09-01

Recife is one of the largest cities in north-eastern Brazil and is endemic for lymphatic filariasis transmitted by Culex quinquefasciatus. Since 2003 a control program has targeted mosquito larvae by elimination of breeding sites and bimonthly application of Bacillus sphaericus. To assess the impact of this program on the local vector population we monitored the genetic diversity and differentiation of Cx. quinquefasciatus using microsatellites and a B. sphaericus-resistance associated mutation (cqm1(REC)) over a 3-year period. We detected a significant but gradual decline in allelic diversity, which, coupled with subtle temporal genetic structure, suggests a major impact of the control program on the vector population. Selection on cqm1(REC) does not appear to be involved with loss of neutral diversity from the population, with no temporal trend in resistant allele frequency and no correlation with microsatellite differentiation. The evidence for short-term genetic drift we detected suggests a low ratio of effective population size: census population size for Cx. quinquefasciatus, perhaps coupled with strong geographically-restricted population structure. Spatial definition of populations will be an important step for success of an expanded vector control program. Copyright © 2011 Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Genetics of Vitiligo

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Spritz, Richard; Andersen, Genevieve

2016-01-01

Synopsis Vitiligo is “complex disorder” (also termed polygenic and multifactorial), reflecting simultaneous contributions of multiple genetic risk factors and environmental triggers. Large-scale genome-wide association studies, principally in European-derived whites and in Chinese, have discovered approximately 50 different genetic loci that contribute to vitiligo risk, some of which also contribute to other autoimmune diseases that are epidemiologically associated with vitiligo. At many of these vitiligo susceptibility loci the corresponding relevant genes have now been identified, and for some of these genes the specific DNA sequence variants that contribute to vitiligo risk are also now known. A large fraction of these genes encode proteins involved in immune regulation, a number of others play roles in cellular apoptosis, and still others are involved in regulating functions of melanocytes. For this last group, there appears to be an opposite relationship between susceptibility to vitiligo and susceptibility to melanoma, suggesting that vitiligo may engage a normal mechanism of immune surveillance for melanoma. While many of the specific biologic mechanisms through which these genetic factors operate to cause vitiligo remain to be elucidated, it is now clear that vitiligo is an autoimmune disease involving a complex relationship between programming and function of the immune system, aspects of the melanocyte autoimmune target, and dysregulation of the immune response. PMID:28317533

The use of genetic transformation in the study of ovarian-specific gene expression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manzi, A.; Andone, S.; Rotoli, D.; Capua, M.R.; Gargiulo, G.; Graziani, F.; Malva, C.

1998-01-01

We are using genetic and molecular approaches to understand the mechanisms controlling the establishment of the cellular specificity of expression during oogenesis. Female-sterile mutations have been isolated and the molecular analysis is revealing interesting cell-cell interaction systems that work not only during oogenesis but also at other developmental stages. We will review in this paper our most recent studies on genes involved in ovarian development. (author)

Genetic susceptibility for specific cancers. Medical liability of the clinician.

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Severin, M J

1999-12-01

The use of genetic profiling techniques to detect individuals with an increased susceptibility to heritable cancers has provoked recent legal interest in the duties of the attending physician and in the rights of patients and their families. In the current study specific prima facie and recently litigated cases are presented and explored to delineate the issues facing physicians and to illustrate the prerogatives of patients who are caught up in a heritable cancer enigma. Various courts have attempted to answer questions involving lawsuits in which incidents of breast/ovarian carcinoma and colon carcinoma have provoked claims of negligence against health care providers. Health care workers involved in the care of these patients have specific duties to these individuals. It would appear that physicians are being forced to assume the additional duty of delving into a patient's family history of cancer through multiple generations. This duty is followed by a responsibility to provide detailed counseling to those patients in whom such activity impacts the diagnosis and management of familial cancer.

The programming language HAL: A specification

Science.gov (United States)

1971-01-01

HAL accomplishes three significant objectives: (1) increased readability, through the use of a natural two-dimensional mathematical format; (2) increased reliability, by providing for selective recognition of common data and subroutines, and by incorporating specific data-protect features; (3) real-time control facility, by including a comprehensive set of real-time control commands and signal conditions. Although HAL is designed primarily for programming on-board computers, it is general enough to meet nearly all the needs in the production, verification and support of aerospace, and other real-time applications.

Genetic and Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Symbiotic Specificity in Legume-Rhizobium Interactions.

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Wang, Qi; Liu, Jinge; Zhu, Hongyan

2018-01-01

Legumes are able to form a symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing soil bacteria called rhizobia. The result of this symbiosis is to form nodules on the plant root, within which the bacteria can convert atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia that can be used by the plant. Establishment of a successful symbiosis requires the two symbiotic partners to be compatible with each other throughout the process of symbiotic development. However, incompatibility frequently occurs, such that a bacterial strain is unable to nodulate a particular host plant or forms nodules that are incapable of fixing nitrogen. Genetic and molecular mechanisms that regulate symbiotic specificity are diverse, involving a wide range of host and bacterial genes/signals with various modes of action. In this review, we will provide an update on our current knowledge of how the recognition specificity has evolved in the context of symbiosis signaling and plant immunity.

Efficient experimental design of high-fidelity three-qubit quantum gates via genetic programming

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Devra, Amit; Prabhu, Prithviraj; Singh, Harpreet; Arvind; Dorai, Kavita

2018-03-01

We have designed efficient quantum circuits for the three-qubit Toffoli (controlled-controlled-NOT) and the Fredkin (controlled-SWAP) gate, optimized via genetic programming methods. The gates thus obtained were experimentally implemented on a three-qubit NMR quantum information processor, with a high fidelity. Toffoli and Fredkin gates in conjunction with the single-qubit Hadamard gates form a universal gate set for quantum computing and are an essential component of several quantum algorithms. Genetic algorithms are stochastic search algorithms based on the logic of natural selection and biological genetics and have been widely used for quantum information processing applications. We devised a new selection mechanism within the genetic algorithm framework to select individuals from a population. We call this mechanism the "Luck-Choose" mechanism and were able to achieve faster convergence to a solution using this mechanism, as compared to existing selection mechanisms. The optimization was performed under the constraint that the experimentally implemented pulses are of short duration and can be implemented with high fidelity. We demonstrate the advantage of our pulse sequences by comparing our results with existing experimental schemes and other numerical optimization methods.

SANS studies of polymers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wignall, G.D.

1984-10-01

Before small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), chain conformation studies were limited to light and small angle x-ray scattering techniques, usually in dilute solution. SANS from blends of normal and labeled molecules could give direct information on chain conformation in bulk polymers. Water-soluble polymers may be examined in H 2 O/D 2 O mixtures using contrast variation methods to provide further information on polymer structure. This paper reviews some of the information provided by this technique using examples of experiments performed at the National Center for Small-Angle Scattering Research (NCSASR)

RAMS+C informed decision-making with application to multi-objective optimization of technical specifications and maintenance using genetic algorithms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martorell, S.; Villanueva, J.F.; Carlos, S.; Nebot, Y.; Sanchez, A.; Pitarch, J.L.; Serradell, V.

2005-01-01

The role of technical specifications and maintenance (TSM) activities at nuclear power plants (NPP) aims to increase reliability, availability and maintainability (RAM) of Safety-Related Equipment, which, in turn, must yield to an improved level of plant safety. However, more resources (e.g. costs, task force, etc.) have to be assigned in above areas to achieve better scores in reliability, availability, maintainability and safety (RAMS). Current situation at NPP shows different programs implemented at the plant that aim to the improvement of particular TSM-related parameters where the decision-making process is based on the assessment of the impact of the change proposed on a subgroup of RAMS+C attributes. This paper briefly reviews the role of TSM and two main groups of improvement programs at NPP, which suggest the convenience of considering the approach proposed in this paper for the Integrated Multi-Criteria Decision-Making on changes to TSM-related parameters based on RAMS+C criteria as a whole, as it can be seem as a decision-making process more consistent with the role and synergic effects of TSM and the objectives and goals of current improvement programs at NPP. The case of application to the Emergency Diesel Generator system demonstrates the viability and significance of the proposed approach for the Multi-objective Optimization of TSM-related parameters using a Genetic Algorithm

PhyloGeoViz: a web-based program that visualizes genetic data on maps.

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Tsai, Yi-Hsin E

2011-05-01

The first step of many population genetic studies is the simple visualization of allele frequencies on a landscape. This basic data exploration can be challenging without proprietary software, and the manual plotting of data is cumbersome and unfeasible at large sample sizes. I present an open source, web-based program that plots any kind of frequency or count data as pie charts in Google Maps (Google Inc., Mountain View, CA). Pie polygons are then exportable to Google Earth (Google Inc.), a free Geographic Information Systems platform. Import of genetic data into Google Earth allows phylogeographers access to a wealth of spatial information layers integral to forming hypotheses and understanding patterns in the data. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Population genetic analysis and evidence of inter-specific introgression in Helichrysum armenium and H. rubicundum (Asteraceae

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Taban Malahat

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Helichrysum armenium and H. rubicundum are two medicinally important plants of Iran that are distributed in various regions of the country. They are extensively used by locals as medicinal plants and a great negative selection pressure is applied on them. Therefore, due to importance of these plant species, we performed a population genetic study in both species. For this study, we used 66 randomly collected plants from 24 geographical populations of Helichrysum armenium and H. rubicundu. These species had areas of overlap and contact and we found some intermediate plants that were included in our study too. UPGMA and MDS analyses revealed morphological separation of these closely related species and placed intermediate plants in an intermediate position. ISSR analysis revealed inter-population genetic diversity and K-Means clustering and STRUCTURE analyses revealed populations. Genetic stratification in both species. Genetic difference of the studied populations was not correlated to geographical distance. Triangle plot of Bayesian analysis and NeighborNet plot showed inter-specific gene flow. The studied populations showed plants with 2n = 2x = 14 and 2n = 4x = 28 chromosomes and differed significantly in their meiotic behavior. Therefore, a combination of genetic stratification, and genetic admixture as well as polyploidy and chromosomes structural changes, have played rule in Helichrysum diversification.

Butterfly fauna in Mount Gariwang-san, Korea

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Cheol Min Lee

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to elucidate butterfly fauna in Mt. Gariwang-san, Korea. A field survey was conducted from 2010 to 2015 using the line transect method. A literature survey was also conducted. A total of 2,037 butterflies belonging to 105 species were recorded. In the estimation of species richness of butterfly, 116 species were estimated to live in Mt. Gariwang-san. In butterfly fauna in Mt. Gariwang-san, the percentage of northern species was very high and the percentage of grassland species was relatively higher than that of forest edge species and forest interior species. Sixteen red list species were found. In particular, Mimathyma nycteis was only recorded in Mt. Gariwang-san. When comparing the percentage of northern species and southern species including those recorded in previous studies, the percentage of northern species was found to have decreased significantly whereas that of southern species increased. We suggest that the butterfly community, which is distributed at relatively high altitudes on Mt. Gariwang-san, will gradually change in response to climate change.

Genetic diversity of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex in San Luis Potosí, México

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background Although epidemiologic and socioeconomic criteria and biomedical risk factors indicate high-priority for tuberculosis (TB) control in Mexico, molecular epidemiology studies of the disease in the country are scarce. Methods Complete sociodemographic and clinical data were obtained from 248 of the 432 pulmonary TB (PTB) cases confirmed from 2006 to 2010 on the population under epidemiological surveillance in the state of San Luis Potosí, México. From most PTB cases with complete data Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) isolates were recovered and their spoligotypes, lineages and families, geographic distribution and drug resistance determined. Results Pulmonary tuberculosis incidence ranged from 2.4 to 33.4 (cases per 100,000 inhabitants) in the six state sanitary jurisdictions that were grouped in regions of low (jurisdictions I-II-III), intermediate (jurisdictions IV-V) and high incidence (jurisdiction VI) with 6.2, 17.3 and 33.4 rates, respectively. Most patients were poor, 50-years-median-age males and housewives. Among the 237 MTC spoligotyped isolates, 232 corresponded to M. tuberculosis (104 spoligotypes in 24 clusters) and five to M. bovis. The predominant Euro-American lineage was distributed all over the state, the East-Asian lineage (Beijing family) in the capital city, the Indo-Oceanic (Manila family) in eastern localities, and M. bovis in rural localities. Conclusions In San Luis Potosí TB affects mainly poor male adults and is caused by M. tuberculosis and to a minor extent by M. bovis. There is great genotypic diversity among M. tuberculosis strains, the Euro-American lineage being much more prevalent than the Indo-Oceanic and East-Asian lineages. The frequency of resistant strains is relatively low and not associated to any particular lineage. PMID:23635381

Distribution and demography of San Francisco gartersnakes (Thamnophis sirtalis tetrataenia) at Mindego Ranch, Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve, San Mateo County, California

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Richard; Halstead, Brian J.; Wylie, Glenn D.; Casazza, Michael L.

2018-04-26

San Francisco gartersnakes (Thamnophis sirtalis tetrataenia) are a subspecies of common gartersnakes endemic to the San Francisco Peninsula of northern California. Because of habitat loss and collection for the pet trade, San Francisco gartersnakes were listed as endangered under the precursor to the Federal Endangered Species Act. A population of San Francisco gartersnakes resides at Mindego Ranch, San Mateo County, which is part of the Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve owned and managed by the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (MROSD). Because the site contained non-native fishes and American bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeianus), MROSD implemented management to eliminate or reduce the abundance of these non-native species in 2014. We monitored the population using capture-mark-recapture techniques to document changes in the population during and following management actions. Although drought confounded some aspects of inference about the effects of management, prey and San Francisco gartersnake populations generally increased following draining of Aquatic Feature 3. Continued management of the site to keep invasive aquatic predators from recolonizing or increasing in abundance, as well as vegetation management that promotes heterogeneous grassland/shrubland near wetlands, likely would benefit this population of San Francisco gartersnakes.

77 FR 58208 - Airport Privatization Pilot Program

Science.gov (United States)

2012-09-19

... Privatization Pilot Program AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION: Notice of receipt of... International Airport, San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU) in the Airport Privatization Pilot Program and has determined....S.C. Section 47134 establishes an airport privatization pilot program and authorizes the Department...

A comparison of fitness-case sampling methods for genetic programming

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez, Yuliana; Naredo, Enrique; Trujillo, Leonardo; Legrand, Pierrick; López, Uriel

2017-11-01

Genetic programming (GP) is an evolutionary computation paradigm for automatic program induction. GP has produced impressive results but it still needs to overcome some practical limitations, particularly its high computational cost, overfitting and excessive code growth. Recently, many researchers have proposed fitness-case sampling methods to overcome some of these problems, with mixed results in several limited tests. This paper presents an extensive comparative study of four fitness-case sampling methods, namely: Interleaved Sampling, Random Interleaved Sampling, Lexicase Selection and Keep-Worst Interleaved Sampling. The algorithms are compared on 11 symbolic regression problems and 11 supervised classification problems, using 10 synthetic benchmarks and 12 real-world data-sets. They are evaluated based on test performance, overfitting and average program size, comparing them with a standard GP search. Comparisons are carried out using non-parametric multigroup tests and post hoc pairwise statistical tests. The experimental results suggest that fitness-case sampling methods are particularly useful for difficult real-world symbolic regression problems, improving performance, reducing overfitting and limiting code growth. On the other hand, it seems that fitness-case sampling cannot improve upon GP performance when considering supervised binary classification.

Education and certification of genetic counselors.

Science.gov (United States)

Katsichti, L; Hadzipetros-Bardanis, M; Bartsocas, C S

1999-01-01

Genetic counseling is defined by the American Society of Human Genetics as a communication process which deals with the human problems associated with the occurrence, or risk of occurrence, of a genetic disorder in a family. The first graduate program (Master's degree) in genetic counseling started in 1969 at Sarah Lawrence College, NY, USA, while in 1979 the National Society of Genetic Counseling (NSGC) was established. Today, there are 29 programs in U.S.A. offering a Master's degree in Genetic Counseling, five programs in Canada, one in Mexico, one in England and one in S. Africa. Most of these graduate programs offer two year training, consisting of graduate courses, seminars, research and practical training. Emphasis is given in human physiology, biochemistry, clinical genetics, cytogenetics, molecular and biochemical genetics, population genetics and statistics, prenatal diagnosis, teratology and genetic counseling in relation to psychosocial and ethical issues. Certification for eligible candidates is available through the American Board of Medical Genetics (ABMG). Requirements for certification include a master's degree in human genetics, training at sites accredited by the ABMG, documentation of genetic counseling experience, evidence of continuing education and successful completion of a comprehensive ABMG certification examination. As professionals, genetic counselors should maintain expertise, should insure mechanisms for professional advancement and should always maintain the ability to approach their patients.

Pre-license team training at San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freers, S.M.; Hyman, M.

1987-01-01

Team Training at San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) Units 2 and 3 has been developed to enhance the performance of station operations personnel. The FACT Training Program (Formality, Attention to Detail, Consistency and Team Effort) is the common denominator for operations team training. Compliance with good operating practices is enhanced by operators working as a team toward the same goal, using the same language, practicing the same operating and communication skills, possessing a clear understanding of individual roles and responsibilities of team members and practicing attention to detail in every task. These elements of effective teamwork are emphasized by the processes and criteria used in the Pre-License Operator Training Program at SONGS

Mid-market transformation programs: programs to promote best practices in system specification and installation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosenberg, Mitchell

2003-01-01

This paper summarizes the experience of programs designed to promote the adoption of best practices in equipment specification and installation among distributors and installation contractors in the residential central air conditioning and industrial compressed air equipment markets. For each of those markets, the paper identifies the current understanding of best practices, characterizes energy savings available from their adoption, assesses the nature of barriers to their adoption, and describes the operations and accomplishments of programs designed to address those barriers

Recent research on the hydrodynamics of the Sacramento - San Joaquin River Delta and north San Francisco Bay

Science.gov (United States)

Burau, J.R.; Monismith, S.G.; Stacey, M.T.; Oltmann, R.N.; Lacy, J.R.; Schoellhamer, D.H.

1999-01-01

This article presents an overview of recent findings from hydrodynamic research on circulation and mixing in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta) (Figure 1) and North San Francisco Bay (North Bay) (Figure 2). For the purposes of this article, North Bay includes San Pablo Bay, Carquinez Strait, and Suisun Bay. The findings presented are those gained from field studies carried out by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), as part of the Interagency Ecological Program (IEP), and Stanford University beginning about 1993. The premise behind these studies was that a basic understanding of circulation and mixing patterns in the Bay and Delta is an essential part of understanding how biota and water quality are affected by natural hydrologic variability, water appropriation, and development activities. Data collected for the field studies described in this article have significantly improved our understanding of Bay and Delta hydrodynamics. Measured flows ,in the Delta have provided valuable information on how water moves through the Delta's network of channels and how export pumping affects flows. Studies of the shallows and shallow-channel exchange processes conducted in Honker Bay have shown that the water residence time in Honker Bay is much shorter than previously reported (on the order of hours to several tidal cycles instead ofweeks). Suisun Bay studies have provided data on hydrodynamic transport and accumulation mechanisms that operate primarily in the channels. The Suisun Bay studies have caused us to revise our understanding of residual circulation in the channels of North Bay and of "entrapment" mechanisms in the low salinity zone. Finally, detailed tidal and residual (tidally averaged) time-scale studies of the mechanisms that control gravitational circulation in the estuary show that density-driven transport in the channels is governed by turbulence time-scale (seconds) interactions between the mean flow and stratification. The hydrodynamic research

Genet-specific DNA methylation probabilities detected in a spatial epigenetic analysis of a clonal plant population.

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Kiwako S Araki

Full Text Available In sessile organisms such as plants, spatial genetic structures of populations show long-lasting patterns. These structures have been analyzed across diverse taxa to understand the processes that determine the genetic makeup of organismal populations. For many sessile organisms that mainly propagate via clonal spread, epigenetic status can vary between clonal individuals in the absence of genetic changes. However, fewer previous studies have explored the epigenetic properties in comparison to the genetic properties of natural plant populations. Here, we report the simultaneous evaluation of the spatial structure of genetic and epigenetic variation in a natural population of the clonal plant Cardamine leucantha. We applied a hierarchical Bayesian model to evaluate the effects of membership of a genet (a group of individuals clonally derived from a single seed and vegetation cover on the epigenetic variation between ramets (clonal plants that are physiologically independent individuals. We sampled 332 ramets in a 20 m × 20 m study plot that contained 137 genets (identified using eight SSR markers. We detected epigenetic variation in DNA methylation at 24 methylation-sensitive amplified fragment length polymorphism (MS-AFLP loci. There were significant genet effects at all 24 MS-AFLP loci in the distribution of subepiloci. Vegetation cover had no statistically significant effect on variation in the majority of MS-AFLP loci. The spatial aggregation of epigenetic variation is therefore largely explained by the aggregation of ramets that belong to the same genets. By applying hierarchical Bayesian analyses, we successfully identified a number of genet-specific changes in epigenetic status within a natural plant population in a complex context, where genotypes and environmental factors are unevenly distributed. This finding suggests that it requires further studies on the spatial epigenetic structure of natural populations of diverse organisms

Genet-specific DNA methylation probabilities detected in a spatial epigenetic analysis of a clonal plant population.

Science.gov (United States)

Araki, Kiwako S; Kubo, Takuya; Kudoh, Hiroshi

2017-01-01

In sessile organisms such as plants, spatial genetic structures of populations show long-lasting patterns. These structures have been analyzed across diverse taxa to understand the processes that determine the genetic makeup of organismal populations. For many sessile organisms that mainly propagate via clonal spread, epigenetic status can vary between clonal individuals in the absence of genetic changes. However, fewer previous studies have explored the epigenetic properties in comparison to the genetic properties of natural plant populations. Here, we report the simultaneous evaluation of the spatial structure of genetic and epigenetic variation in a natural population of the clonal plant Cardamine leucantha. We applied a hierarchical Bayesian model to evaluate the effects of membership of a genet (a group of individuals clonally derived from a single seed) and vegetation cover on the epigenetic variation between ramets (clonal plants that are physiologically independent individuals). We sampled 332 ramets in a 20 m × 20 m study plot that contained 137 genets (identified using eight SSR markers). We detected epigenetic variation in DNA methylation at 24 methylation-sensitive amplified fragment length polymorphism (MS-AFLP) loci. There were significant genet effects at all 24 MS-AFLP loci in the distribution of subepiloci. Vegetation cover had no statistically significant effect on variation in the majority of MS-AFLP loci. The spatial aggregation of epigenetic variation is therefore largely explained by the aggregation of ramets that belong to the same genets. By applying hierarchical Bayesian analyses, we successfully identified a number of genet-specific changes in epigenetic status within a natural plant population in a complex context, where genotypes and environmental factors are unevenly distributed. This finding suggests that it requires further studies on the spatial epigenetic structure of natural populations of diverse organisms, particularly for

Mathematical programming models for solving in equal-sized facilities layout problems. A genetic search method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tavakkoli-Moghaddam, R.

1999-01-01

This paper present unequal-sized facilities layout solutions generated by a genetic search program. named Layout Design using a Genetic Algorithm) 9. The generalized quadratic assignment problem requiring pre-determined distance and material flow matrices as the input data and the continuous plane model employing a dynamic distance measure and a material flow matrix are discussed. Computational results on test problems are reported as compared with layout solutions generated by the branch - and bound algorithm a hybrid method merging simulated annealing and local search techniques, and an optimization process of an enveloped block

Patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells in neurological disease modeling: the importance of nonhuman primate models

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Qiu Z

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Zhifang Qiu,1,2 Steven L Farnsworth,2 Anuja Mishra,1,2 Peter J Hornsby1,21Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, TX, USA; 2Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, USAAbstract: The development of the technology for derivation of induced pluripotent stem (iPS cells from human patients and animal models has opened up new pathways to the better understanding of many human diseases, and has created new opportunities for therapeutic approaches. Here, we consider one important neurological disease, Parkinson's, the development of relevant neural cell lines for studying this disease, and the animal models that are available for testing the survival and function of the cells, following transplantation into the central nervous system. Rapid progress has been made recently in the application of protocols for neuroectoderm differentiation and neural patterning of pluripotent stem cells. These developments have resulted in the ability to produce large numbers of dopaminergic neurons with midbrain characteristics for further study. These cells have been shown to be functional in both rodent and nonhuman primate (NHP models of Parkinson's disease. Patient-specific iPS cells and derived dopaminergic neurons have been developed, in particular from patients with genetic causes of Parkinson's disease. For complete modeling of the disease, it is proposed that the introduction of genetic changes into NHP iPS cells, followed by studying the phenotype of the genetic change in cells transplanted into the NHP as host animal, will yield new insights into disease processes not possible with rodent models alone.Keywords: Parkinson's disease, pluripotent cell differentiation, neural cell lines, dopaminergic neurons, cell transplantation, animal models

Intoxication by mining revenues. San Marcos district politics after twelve years of Antamina’s presence

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Guillermo Salas Carreño

2010-12-01

Full Text Available This paper describes and analyses the changes in local politicstaken place in the district of San Marcos (Huari, Ancash associatedwith the arrival of the Canon Minero – a fraction of taxes paid byAntamina mining company to the Peruvian State. Canon Minero hasincreased sudden and spectacularly the municipality’s funds so muchthat currently San Marcos in «ones of the Peruvian richest districts».The paper pays attention to the municipal elections of 2006 and theimplementation of the Plan Piloto de Mantenimiento de la InfraestructuraPública, a program of temporary work for all San Marcos’citizens. The latter was key for launching a novel alliance betweenthe municipality and the rural population, particularly with the ConoSur composed by hamlets which were traditionally unimportantactors in district politics. Hence, district politics had stopped to bedominated by the struggle between two factions of former landlordfamilies and had become articulated by the opposition between therural hamlets and the town of San Marcos with the emergence ofethnic political claims. Also, local politics ceased to revolve aroundAntamina and has become entangled with struggles over the administrationof Canon Minero. Rural communities which have directnegotiations with Antamina remain important political actors whichare independent from the municipality and are even oppose to it.

An Efficient Stepwise Statistical Test to Identify Multiple Linked Human Genetic Variants Associated with Specific Phenotypic Traits.

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Iksoo Huh

Full Text Available Recent advances in genotyping methodologies have allowed genome-wide association studies (GWAS to accurately identify genetic variants that associate with common or pathological complex traits. Although most GWAS have focused on associations with single genetic variants, joint identification of multiple genetic variants, and how they interact, is essential for understanding the genetic architecture of complex phenotypic traits. Here, we propose an efficient stepwise method based on the Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test (for stratified categorical data to identify causal joint multiple genetic variants in GWAS. This method combines the CMH statistic with a stepwise procedure to detect multiple genetic variants associated with specific categorical traits, using a series of associated I × J contingency tables and a null hypothesis of no phenotype association. Through a new stratification scheme based on the sum of minor allele count criteria, we make the method more feasible for GWAS data having sample sizes of several thousands. We also examine the properties of the proposed stepwise method via simulation studies, and show that the stepwise CMH test performs better than other existing methods (e.g., logistic regression and detection of associations by Markov blanket for identifying multiple genetic variants. Finally, we apply the proposed approach to two genomic sequencing datasets to detect linked genetic variants associated with bipolar disorder and obesity, respectively.

San Francisco Bay Long Term Management Strategy for Dredging

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The San Francisco Bay Long Term Management Strategy (LTMS) is a cooperative effort to develop a new approach to dredging and dredged material disposal in the San Francisco Bay area. The LTMS serves as the Regional Dredging Team for the San Francisco area.

Genetic test utilization and diagnostic yield in adult patients with neurological disorders.

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Bardakjian, Tanya M; Helbig, Ingo; Quinn, Colin; Elman, Lauren B; McCluskey, Leo F; Scherer, Steven S; Gonzalez-Alegre, Pedro

2018-03-28

To determine the diagnostic yield of different genetic test modalities in adult patients with neurological disorders, we evaluated all adult patients seen for genetic diagnostic evaluation in the outpatient neurology practice at the University of Pennsylvania between January 2016 and April 2017 as part of the newly created Penn Neurogenetics Program. Subjects were identified through our electronic medical system as those evaluated by the Program's single clinical genetic counselor in that period. A total of 377 patients were evaluated by the Penn Neurogenetics Program in different settings and genetic testing recommended. Of those, 182 (48%) were seen in subspecialty clinic setting and 195 (52%) in a General Neurogenetics Clinic. Genetic testing was completed in over 80% of patients in whom it was recommended. The diagnostic yield was 32% across disease groups. Stratified by testing modality, the yield was highest with directed testing (50%) and array comparative genomic hybridization (45%), followed by gene panels and exome testing (25% each). In conclusion, genetic testing can be successfully requested in clinic in a large majority of adult patients. Age is not a limiting factor for a genetic diagnostic evaluation and the yield of clinical testing across phenotypes (almost 30%) is consistent with previous phenotype-focused or research-based studies. These results should inform the development of specific guidelines for clinical testing and serve as evidence to improve reimbursement by insurance payers.

Engaging nurses in genetics: the strategic approach of the NHS National Genetics Education and Development Centre.

Science.gov (United States)

Kirk, Maggie; Tonkin, Emma; Burke, Sarah

2008-04-01

The UK government announced the establishment of an NHS National Genetics Education and Development Centre in its Genetics White Paper. The Centre aims to lead and coordinate developments to enhance genetics literacy of health professionals. The nursing program takes a strategic approach based on Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behavior, using the UK nursing genetics competences as the platform for development. The program team uses innovative approaches to raise awareness of the relevance of genetics, working collaboratively with policy stakeholders, as key agents of change in promoting competence. Providing practical help in preparing learning and teaching resources lends further encouragement. Evaluation of the program is dependent on gathering baseline data, and the program has been informed by an education needs analysis. The challenges faced are substantial and necessitate international collaboration where expertise and resources can be shared to produce a global system of influence to facilitate the engagement of non-genetic nurses.

Genetic Programming and Standardization in Water Temperature Modelling

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Maritza Arganis

2009-01-01

Full Text Available An application of Genetic Programming (an evolutionary computational tool without and with standardization data is presented with the aim of modeling the behavior of the water temperature in a river in terms of meteorological variables that are easily measured, to explore their explanatory power and to emphasize the utility of the standardization of variables in order to reduce the effect of those with large variance. Recorded data corresponding to the water temperature behavior at the Ebro River, Spain, are used as analysis case, showing a performance improvement on the developed model when data are standardized. This improvement is reflected in a reduction of the mean square error. Finally, the models obtained in this document were applied to estimate the water temperature in 2004, in order to provide evidence about their applicability to forecasting purposes.

Global Health Diplomacy, "San Francisco Values," and HIV/AIDS: From the Local to the Global.

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Kevany, Sebastian

2015-01-01

San Francisco has a distinguished history as a cosmopolitan, progressive, and international city, including extensive associations with global health. These circumstances have contributed to new, interdisciplinary scholarship in the field of global health diplomacy (GHD). In the present review, we describe the evolution and history of GHD at the practical and theoretical levels within the San Francisco medical community, trace related associations between the local and the global, and propose a range of potential opportunities for further development of this dynamic field. We provide a historical overview of the development of the "San Francisco Model" of collaborative, community-owned HIV/AIDS treatment and care programs as pioneered under the "Ward 86" paradigm of the 1980s. We traced the expansion and evolution of this model to the national level under the Ryan White Care Act, and internationally via the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. In parallel, we describe the evolution of global health diplomacy practices, from the local to the global, including the integration of GHD principles into intervention design to ensure social, political, and cultural acceptability and sensitivity. Global health programs, as informed by lessons learned from the San Francisco Model, are increasingly aligned with diplomatic principles and practices. This awareness has aided implementation, allowed policymakers to pursue related and progressive social and humanitarian issues in conjunction with medical responses, and elevated global health to the realm of "high politics." In the 21st century, the integration between diplomatic, medical, and global health practices will continue under "smart global health" and GHD paradigms. These approaches will enhance intervention cost-effectiveness by addressing and optimizing, in tandem with each other, a wide range of (health and non-health) foreign policy, diplomatic, security, and economic priorities in a synergistic manner

Community-based Flood Risk Assessment using GIS for the Town of San Sebastian, Guatemala

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Peters-Guarin, G.; van Westen, C.J.; Montoya, L.

2005-01-01

The municipality of San Sebastián, considered one of the most prone to natural hazards in Guatemala, was selected as one of the pilot areas of the UNESCO program on “Capacity Building for Natural Disaster Reduction‿. The town is located within the Samalá basin, near the active channel of the river,

Microbial biogeography of San Francisco Bay sediments

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Lee, J. A.; Francis, C. A.

2014-12-01

The largest estuary on the west coast of North America, San Francisco Bay is an ecosystem of enormous biodiversity, and also enormous human impact. The benthos has experienced dredging, occupation by invasive species, and over a century of sediment input as a result of hydraulic mining. Although the Bay's great cultural and ecological importance has inspired numerous surveys of the benthic macrofauna, to date there has been almost no investigation of the microbial communities on the Bay floor. An understanding of those microbial communities would contribute significantly to our understanding of both the biogeochemical processes (which are driven by the microbiota) and the physical processes (which contribute to microbial distributions) in the Bay. Here, we present the first broad survey of bacterial and archaeal taxa in the sediments of the San Francisco Bay. We conducted 16S rRNA community sequencing of bacteria and archaea in sediment samples taken bimonthly for one year, from five sites spanning the salinity gradient between Suisun and Central Bay, in order to capture the effect of both spatial and temporal environmental variation on microbial diversity. From the same samples we also conducted deep sequencing of a nitrogen-cycling functional gene, nirS, allowing an assessment of evolutionary diversity at a much finer taxonomic scale within an important and widespread functional group of bacteria. We paired these sequencing projects with extensive geochemical metadata as well as information about macrofaunal distribution. Our data reveal a diversity of distinct biogeographical patterns among different taxa: clades ubiquitous across sites; clades that respond to measurable environmental drivers; and clades that show geographical site-specificity. These community datasets allow us to test the hypothesis that salinity is a major driver of both overall microbial community structure and community structure of the denitrifying bacteria specifically; and to assess

San Juan Uchucuanicu: évolution historique

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1975-01-01

Full Text Available La communauté de San Juan est reconnue depuis 1939. Une première partie concerne l’organisation de la reducción de San Juan vers le milieu du XVIe siècle. Le poids fiscal s’exerce durement sur le village et la crise est générale dans toute la vallée du Chancay au XVIIe. siècle. La christianisation des habitants est définitive au milieu de ce même siècle. C’est vers la fin du XVIIe siècle et durant tout le XVIIIe que se multiplient les conflits entre San Juan et les villages voisins liés aux terrains de pâture et à la possession de l’eau. La deuxième partie du travail concerne les rapports de la communauté de San Juan avec le Pérou contemporain : contrainte fiscale toujours très lourde durant la fin de l’époque coloniale, exactions des militaires juste avant l’indépendance. La période républicaine voit toujours les conflits avec les villages voisins mais aussi la naissance de familles qui cherchent à retirer le maximum de la communauté. Les terres sont divisées et attribuées : la détérioration de l’organisation communale traditionnelle est manifeste. L4es conflits se multiplient entre petits propriétaires, mais aussi avec les haciendas voisines : c’est l’apparition d’une véritable lutte de classes. La situation actuelle est incertaine, le poids de l’économie marchande se développe avec l’exode des jeunes. Que sera la communauté San Juan à la fin de ce siècle? La comunidad de San Juan está reconocida desde 1939. La primera parte concierne a la organización de la 'reducción' de San Juan hacia mediados del siglo XVI. El peso fiscal se ejerce duramente sobre el pueblo y en el siglo XVII la crisis es general en todo el valle de Chancay. Hacia mediados del mismo siglo la cristianización de los habitantes es definitiva. Es hacia fines del siglo XVII y durante todo el siglo XVIII que se multiplican los conflictos entre San Juan y los pueblos vecinos, los que están relacionados con los terrenos de

Quaternary geology of Alameda County, and parts of Contra Costa, Santa Clara, San Mateo, San Francisco, Stanislaus, and San Joaquin counties, California: a digital database

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Helley, E.J.; Graymer, R.W.

1997-01-01

Alameda County is located at the northern end of the Diablo Range of Central California. It is bounded on the north by the south flank of Mount Diablo, one of the highest peaks in the Bay Area, reaching an elevation of 1173 meters (3,849 ft). San Francisco Bay forms the western boundary, the San Joaquin Valley borders it on the east and an arbitrary line from the Bay into the Diablo Range forms the southern boundary. Alameda is one of the nine Bay Area counties tributary to San Francisco Bay. Most of the country is mountainous with steep rugged topography. Alameda County is covered by twenty-eight 7.5' topographic Quadrangles which are shown on the index map. The Quaternary deposits in Alameda County comprise three distinct depositional environments. One, forming a transgressive sequence of alluvial fan and fan-delta facies, is mapped in the western one-third of the county. The second, forming only alluvial fan facies, is mapped in the Livermore Valley and San Joaquin Valley in the eastern part of the county. The third, forming a combination of Eolian dune and estuarine facies, is restricted to the Alameda Island area in the northwestern corner of the county.

Inter- and Intraspecific Variations of Bacterial Communities Associated with Marine Sponges from San Juan Island, Washington

KAUST Repository

Lee, O. O.; Wong, Y. H.; Qian, P.-Y.

2009-01-01

This study attempted to assess whether conspecific or congeneric sponges around San Juan Island, Washington, harbor specific bacterial communities. We used a combination of culture-independent DNA fingerprinting techniques (terminal restriction

San Diego's High School Dropout Crisis

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Wilson, James C.

2012-01-01

This article highlights San Diego's dropout problem and how much it's costing the city and the state. Most San Diegans do not realize the enormous impact high school dropouts on their city. The California Dropout Research Project, located at the University of California at Santa Barbara, has estimated the lifetime cost of one class or cohort of…

Heavy mineral analysis for assessing the provenance of sandy sediment in the San Francisco Bay Coastal System

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Wong, Florence L.; Woodrow, Donald L.; McGann, Mary

2013-01-01

Heavy or high-specific gravity minerals make up a small but diagnostic component of sediment that is well suited for determining the provenance and distribution of sediment transported through estuarine and coastal systems worldwide. By this means, we see that surficial sand-sized sediment in the San Francisco Bay Coastal System comes primarily from the Sierra Nevada and associated terranes by way of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers and is transported with little dilution through the San Francisco Bay and out the Golden Gate. Heavy minerals document a slight change from the strictly Sierran-Sacramento mineralogy at the confluence of the two rivers to a composition that includes minor amounts of chert and other Franciscan Complex components west of Carquinez Strait. Between Carquinez Strait and the San Francisco Bar, Sierran sediment is intermingled with Franciscan-modified Sierran sediment. The latter continues out the Gate and turns southward towards beaches of the San Francisco Peninsula. The Sierran sediment also fans out from the San Francisco Bar to merge with a Sierran province on the shelf in the Gulf of the Farallones. Beach-sand sized sediment from the Russian River is transported southward to Point Reyes where it spreads out to define a Franciscan sediment province on the shelf, but does not continue southward to contribute to the sediment in the Golden Gate area.

(Re-)programming of subtype specific cardiomyocytes.

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Hausburg, Frauke; Jung, Julia Jeannine; Hoch, Matti; Wolfien, Markus; Yavari, Arash; Rimmbach, Christian; David, Robert

2017-10-01

Adult cardiomyocytes (CMs) possess a highly restricted intrinsic regenerative potential - a major barrier to the effective treatment of a range of chronic degenerative cardiac disorders characterized by cellular loss and/or irreversible dysfunction and which underlies the majority of deaths in developed countries. Both stem cell programming and direct cell reprogramming hold promise as novel, potentially curative approaches to address this therapeutic challenge. The advent of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) has introduced a second pluripotent stem cell source besides embryonic stem cells (ESCs), enabling even autologous cardiomyocyte production. In addition, the recent achievement of directly reprogramming somatic cells into cardiomyocytes is likely to become of great importance. In either case, different clinical scenarios will require the generation of highly pure, specific cardiac cellular-subtypes. In this review, we discuss these themes as related to the cardiovascular stem cell and programming field, including a focus on the emergent topic of pacemaker cell generation for the development of biological pacemakers and in vitro drug testing. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Genetic diversity of Prochilodus lineatus stocks using in the stocking program of Tietê River, Brazil

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Ricardo Ribeiro

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Objective. Assess the genetic diversity in four brood stocks and one juvenile stock of curimba Prochilodus lineatus in a Hydropower plant in São Paulo - Brazil, using the Tietê River stocking program. Materials and methods. Five RAPD primers were used to amplify the extracted DNA from 150 fin-clip samples. Results. Fifty-nine fragments were polymorphic, 52 had frequencies with significant differences (p<0.05, 45 had low frequencies, 54 were excluded, and two were fixed fragments. High values for polymorphic fragments (71.19% to 91.53% and Shannon index (0.327 to 0.428 were observed. The genetic divergence values within each stock were greater than 50%. Most of the genetic variation was found within the groups through the AMOVA analysis, which was confirmed by the results of the identity and genetic distance. High ancestry levels (FST among the groups value indicated high and moderate genetic differentiation. The estimates of number of migrants by generation (Nm indicated low levels of gene flow. High and moderate genetic divergence between groups (0.58 to 0.83 was observed. Conclusions. The results indicate high variability within the stocks, and genetic differentiation among them. The fish stocks analyzed represent a large genetic base that will allow the fish technicians to release juveniles without genetic risks to wild populations present in the river. These genetic procedures may be used as models for other migratory species, including those threatened by extinction.

Modeling Trace Element Concentrations in the San Francisco Bay Estuary from Remote Measurement of Suspended Solids

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Press, J.; Broughton, J.; Kudela, R. M.

2014-12-01

Suspended and dissolved trace elements are key determinants of water quality in estuarine and coastal waters. High concentrations of trace element pollutants in the San Francisco Bay estuary necessitate consistent and thorough monitoring to mitigate adverse effects on biological systems and the contamination of water and food resources. Although existing monitoring programs collect annual in situ samples from fixed locations, models proposed by Benoit, Kudela, & Flegal (2010) enable calculation of the water column total concentration (WCT) and the water column dissolved concentration (WCD) of 14 trace elements in the San Francisco Bay from a more frequently sampled metric—suspended solids concentration (SSC). This study tests the application of these models with SSC calculated from remote sensing data, with the aim of validating a tool for continuous synoptic monitoring of trace elements in the San Francisco Bay. Using HICO imagery, semi-analytical and empirical SSC algorithms were tested against a USGS dataset. A single-band method with statistically significant linear fit (p Arsenic, Iron, and Lead in the southern region of the Bay were found to exceed EPA water quality criteria for human health and aquatic life. The results of this study demonstrate the potential of monitoring programs using remote observation of trace element concentrations, and provide the foundation for investigation of pollutant sources and pathways over time.

Contrasting trends of tuberculosis in the cities of San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa, Honduras, 2005-2014.

Science.gov (United States)

Varela-Martínez, Cecilia; Yadon, Zaida E; Marín, Diana; Heldal, Einar

2016-01-01

Objective To 1) describe and compare the trends of tuberculosis (TB) case notification rates (CNRs) and treatment outcomes in the two largest cities in Honduras (San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa) for the period 2005-2014 and 2) identify possible related socioeconomic and health sector factors. Methods This retrospective ecological operational research study used aggregated data from the National TB Program (socioeconomic and health sector information and individual data from the 2014 TB case notification report). Results TB CNRs declined steadily over the study period in Tegucigalpa (from 46 to 28 per 100 000 inhabitants) but remained high in San Pedro Sula (decreasing from 89 to 78 per 100 000 inhabitants). Similar trends were observed for smear-positive TB. While presumptive TB cases examined were similar for both cities, in San Pedro Sula the proportions of presumptive cases with a positive smear; (7.7% versus 3.6%) relapses (8.9% versus 4.2%); and patients lost to follow-up (10.9% versus 2.7%) were significantly higher, and the treatment success lower (75.7% versus 87.0%). San Pedro Sula had lower annual income per capita, fewer public sector health workers and facilities, and a higher and increasing homicide index. The 2014 TB case data from San Pedro Sula showed a significantly lower median age and a higher proportion of assembly plant workers, prisoners, drug abusers, and diabetes. Conclusions The TB rate was higher and treatment success lower, and health care resources and socio-demographic indicators less favorable, in San Pedro Sula versus Tegucigalpa. City authorities, the NTP, and the health sector overall should strengthen early case detection, treatment, and infection control, involving both public and private health sectors.

Coal exploration in the Alto San Jorge area, Cordoba Department. Exploracion de carbones en el Ato San Jorge, Departamento de Cordoba

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ospina, L H; Oquendo, G G [Geominas Ltda, Medellin (Colombia)

1989-01-01

A Mining Feasibility Study in the Area of Alto San Jorge, Department of Cordoba, Colombia, was commissioned by CARBOCOL S.A. to the Consortium Geominas-NACI. An area of 800 Ka2 was explored to define surface mining possibilities within two subareas referred to as Alto San Jorge and San Pedro Ure. Rocks of Cretaceous, Tertiary and Quaternary age crop out in the zone. In the subarea Alto San Jorge the principal structure is a syncline with a south-north direction. The San Pedro Ure subarea is formed by undulations with flanks of low dip, the most important being the San Antonio Syncline because it contains the mining block. The geological study of the surface demonstrated the existence of coal in the Oligocene Cienaga de Oro Formation and the Niocene Cerrito Formation, with potential resources of 6.3 billion tons. The subsequent exploration of the subsoil, with 20.618 m of drilling, permitted determination of demonstrated reserves in the order of 2.9 billion tons within two areas. In the sector selected for the mine plan, in the area of San Pedro-Puerto Libertador, 7.791 m of drilling was accomplished to define a demonstrated reserve of 515 million tons of coal down to a depth of 200. The combustible type coal has 5.000 cal/g. Complete mining schedules were developed at the prefeasibility level for two surface mines with productions of 1.5 MMTY and 4 MMTY. 9 figs., 3 tabs., 28 refs.

Genetic and non-genetic influences during pregnancy on infant global and site specific DNA methylation: role for folate gene variants and vitamin B12.

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Jill A McKay

Full Text Available Inter-individual variation in patterns of DNA methylation at birth can be explained by the influence of environmental, genetic and stochastic factors. This study investigates the genetic and non-genetic determinants of variation in DNA methylation in human infants. Given its central role in provision of methyl groups for DNA methylation, this study focuses on aspects of folate metabolism. Global (LUMA and gene specific (IGF2, ZNT5, IGFBP3 DNA methylation were quantified in 430 infants by Pyrosequencing®. Seven polymorphisms in 6 genes (MTHFR, MTRR, FOLH1, CβS, RFC1, SHMT involved in folate absorption and metabolism were analysed in DNA from both infants and mothers. Red blood cell folate and serum vitamin B(12 concentrations were measured as indices of vitamin status. Relationships between DNA methylation patterns and several covariates viz. sex, gestation length, maternal and infant red cell folate, maternal and infant serum vitamin B(12, maternal age, smoking and genotype were tested. Length of gestation correlated positively with IGF2 methylation (rho = 0.11, p = 0.032 and inversely with ZNT5 methylation (rho = -0.13, p = 0.017. Methylation of the IGFBP3 locus correlated inversely with infant vitamin B(12 concentration (rho = -0.16, p = 0.007, whilst global DNA methylation correlated inversely with maternal vitamin B(12 concentrations (rho = 0.18, p = 0.044. Analysis of common genetic variants in folate pathway genes highlighted several associations including infant MTRR 66G>A genotype with DNA methylation (χ(2 = 8.82, p = 0.003 and maternal MTHFR 677C>T genotype with IGF2 methylation (χ(2 = 2.77, p = 0.006. These data support the hypothesis that both environmental and genetic factors involved in one-carbon metabolism influence DNA methylation in infants. Specifically, the findings highlight the importance of vitamin B(12 status, infant MTRR genotype and maternal MTHFR genotype, all of which may influence the supply of methyl groups for

Cenobios leoneses altomedievales ante la europeización: San Pedro y San Pablo de Montes, Santiago y San Martín de Peñalba y San Miguel de Escalada

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Martínez Tejera, Artemio Manuel

2002-06-01

Full Text Available The following paper analyses the behaviour of three of the most important monastic communities in the reing of Asturias-Leon for the ninth and then centuries. During this period we witness the implementation of a new ordo, or liturgical ritual that replaces the Hispanic one, strongly established in the Territorium. The liturgical adaptation produces tension and conflicts among the members of different monastic communities, and even between the Episcopate and the monarchy - being King Alfonso VI. In some of the monasteries, the arrival of the new ordo causes the adaptation of the liturgical space, with subsequent changes in liturgical furniture.

El presente estudio pretende analizar el comportamiento de tres de las más importantes comunidades monásticas astur-leonesas de los siglos IX y X (San Pedro y San Pablo de Montes, Santiago y San Martín de Peñalba y San Miguel de Escalada ante la recepción e implantación de aquel nuevo ordo o ritual litúrgico que vino a sustituir al Hispánico, fuertemente asentado en el territorium. Readaptación litúrgica que, con distinta intensidad, producirá tensiones y enfrentamientos entre los miembros de las distintas comunidades monásticas, incluso entre el episcopado y la monarquía (personificada en la figura de Alfonso VI, pero no únicamente. En alguno de estos monasterios la llegada del nuevo ordo supondrá, además, la readaptación de su espacio litúrgico, lo que trajo consigo significativas modificaciones constructivas.

Genetic and environmental contributions to the inverse association between specific autistic traits and experience seeking in adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Romero-Martínez, Ángel; Moya-Albiol, Luís; Vinkhuyzen, Anna A E; Polderman, Tinca J C

2016-12-01

Autistic traits are characterized by social and communication problems, restricted, repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests and activities. The relation between autistic traits and personality characteristics is largely unknown. This study focused on the relation between five specific autistic traits measured with the abridged version of the Autism Spectrum Quotient ("social problems," "preference for routine," "attentional switching difficulties," "imagination impairments," "fascination for numbers and patterns") and Experience Seeking (ES) in a general population sample of adults, and subsequently investigated the genetic and environmental etiology between these traits. Self-reported data on autistic traits and ES were collected in a population sample (n = 559) of unrelated individuals, and in a population based family sample of twins and siblings (n = 560). Phenotypic, genetic and environmental associations between traits were examined in a bivariate model, accounting for sex and age differences. Phenotypically, ES correlated significantly with "preference for routine" and "imagination impairments" in both samples but was unrelated to the other autistic traits. Genetic analyses in the family sample revealed that the association between ES and "preference for routine" and "imagination impairments" could largely be explained by a shared genetic factor (89% and 70%, respectively). Our analyses demonstrated at a phenotypic and genetic level an inverse relationship between ES and specific autistic traits in adults. ES is associated with risk taking behavior such as substance abuse, antisocial behavior and financial problems. Future research could investigate whether autistic traits, in particular strong routine preference and impaired imagination skills, serve as protective factors for such risky behaviors. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Genetic and environmental influences on non-specific neck pain in early adolescence: A classical twin study

Science.gov (United States)

Ståhl, Minna K; El-Metwally, Ashraf A; Mikkelsson, Marja K; Salminen, Jouko J; Pulkkinen, Lea R; Rose, Richard J; Kaprio, Jaakko A

2012-01-01

Background Prevalence of neck pain has increased among adolescents. The origins of adult chronic neck pain may lie in late childhood, but for early prevention, more information is needed about its aetiology. We investigated the relative roles of genetic and environmental factors in early adolescent neck pain with a classic twin study. Methods Frequency of neck pain was assessed with a validated pain questionnaire in a population-based sample of nearly 1800 pairs of 11–12-year-old Finnish twins. Twin pair similarity for neck pain was quantified by polychoric correlations, and variance components were estimated with biometric structural equation modelling. Results Prevalence of neck pain reported at least once monthly was 38% and at least once weekly 16%, with no significant differences between gender or zygosity. A greater polychoric correlation in liability to neck pain was found in monozygotic (0.67) than for dizygotic pairs (0.38), suggesting strong genetic influences. Model-fitting indicated that 68% (95% CI 62 to 74) of the variation in liability to neck pain could be attributed to genetic effects, with the remainder attributed to unshared environmental effects. No evidence for sex-specific genetic effects or for sex differences in the magnitude of genetic effects was found. Conclusions Genetic and unique environmental factors seem to play the most important roles in liability to neck pain in early adolescence. Future research should be directed to identifying pathways for genetic influences on neck pain and in exploring effectiveness of interventions that target already identified environmental risk factors. PMID:23139100

The influence of acculturation and breast cancer-specific distress on perceived barriers to genetic testing for breast cancer among women of African descent.

Science.gov (United States)

Sussner, Katarina M; Thompson, Hayley S; Jandorf, Lina; Edwards, Tiffany A; Forman, Andrea; Brown, Karen; Kapil-Pair, Nidhi; Bovbjerg, Dana H; Schwartz, Marc D; Valdimarsdottir, Heiddis B

2009-09-01

Rising health disparities are increasingly evident in relation to use of genetic services (including genetic counseling and testing) for breast cancer risk, with women of African descent less likely to use genetic services compared with Whites. Meanwhile, little is known regarding potential within-group acculturation and psychological differences underlying perceived barriers to genetic testing among women of African descent. Hypothesized contributions of acculturation factors and breast cancer-specific distress to perceived barriers to genetic testing were examined with a statistical analysis of baseline data from 146 women of African descent (56% US born and 44% foreign born) meeting genetic breast cancer risk criteria and participating in a larger longitudinal study that included the opportunity for free genetic counseling and testing. Perceived barriers assessed included: (1) anticipation of negative emotional reactions, (2) stigma, (3) confidentiality concerns, (4) family-related worry, and (5) family-related guilt associated with genetic testing. In multivariate analyses, being foreign born was a significant predictor of anticipated negative emotional reactions about genetic testing (beta=0.26; SE=0.11; p=0.01). Breast cancer-specific distress scores (avoidance symptoms) were positively related to anticipated negative emotional reactions (beta=0.02; SE=0.005; p=barriers to genetic testing among women of African descent. The potential utility of culturally tailored genetic counseling services taking into account such influences and addressing emotional and psychological concerns of women considering genetic testing for breast cancer should be investigated.

Repint of "Reframing autism as a behavioral syndrome and not a specific mental disorder: Implications of genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity".

Science.gov (United States)

Tordjman, S; Cohen, D; Anderson, G M; Botbol, M; Canitano, R; Coulon, N; Roubertoux, P L

2018-06-01

Clinical and molecular genetics have advanced current knowledge on genetic disorders associated with autism. A review of diverse genetic disorders associated with autism is presented and for the first time discussed extensively with regard to possible common underlying mechanisms leading to a similar cognitive-behavioral phenotype of autism. The possible role of interactions between genetic and environmental factors, including epigenetic mechanisms, is in particular examined. Finally, the pertinence of distinguishing non-syndromic autism (isolated autism) from syndromic autism (autism associated with genetic disorders) will be reconsidered. Given the high genetic and etiological heterogeneity of autism, autism can be viewed as a behavioral syndrome related to known genetic disorders (syndromic autism) or currently unknown disorders (apparent non-syndromic autism), rather than a specific categorical mental disorder. It highlights the need to study autism phenotype and developmental trajectory through a multidimensional, non-categorical approach with multivariate analyses within autism spectrum disorder but also across mental disorders, and to conduct systematically clinical genetic examination searching for genetic disorders in all individuals (children but also adults) with autism. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Blossoming Behind Bars: Relationships Between Eco-Education, Ethics and Personal Empowerment in Gardening and Mindfulness Programming Within San Quentin Prison

Science.gov (United States)

Benham, L.; O'Malley, R.; Todd, A. M.; Fassett, D.; Waitkus, B.

2014-12-01

Parallels exist between American environmental practice and those of our criminal justice system. Common among these are "throw-away" approaches, often yielding more complex problems then those attempted to solve. Personal change can be expressed via deepening sense of context and purpose, extending beyond concerns for self. Incarceration often exacerbates a thirst for new meaning-making, highly relevant to both criminal and ecological rehabilitation. Primary field data was gathered from incarcerated men, with a focus on the Insight Garden Program in San Quentin State Prison. A mixed method was used, with open-ended qualitative interviews and three established multiple-choice survey instruments: an environmental literacy quiz; a Locus of Control test (a psychological survey measuring one's sense of self-agency); and the "Six Americas" survey instrument, which stratifies responses of climate change opinion. Two control groups in the same unit were included in the study: inmates taking other programs but not gardening, and inmates in no programming at all. This research explores patterns in the ways people come to terms with personal moral obligation, as well as how restorative ecological engagement may be transformational for humans in personal crisis. Participants described prison programming in general as contributing profoundly to personal transformation. Beyond that, programming with a strong ecological focus offered vocational, intellectual, emotional and even spiritual change, which in turn has been shown to aid in reducing recidivism rates. Given a sample size of 58 participants total, the 174 surveys conducted were not primarily intended to achieve statistical significances but augment the overall perspective, for individuals, or for groups. Some correlations of significance were observed, however, between control groups, survey data, and with general US population data. Most intriguing, analysis of the qualitative interview data yielded patterns of

Development and pilot evaluation of novel genetic educational materials designed for an underserved patient population.

Science.gov (United States)

Lubitz, Rebecca Jean; Komaromy, Miriam; Crawford, Beth; Beattie, Mary; Lee, Robin; Luce, Judith; Ziegler, John

2007-01-01

Genetic counseling for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations involves teaching about hereditary cancer, genetics and risk, subjects that are difficult to grasp and are routinely misunderstood. Supported by a grant from the Avon Foundation, the UCSF Cancer Risk Program started the first genetic testing and counseling service for a population of traditionally underserved women of varied ethnic and social backgrounds at the San Francisco General Hospital (SFGH). Informed by educational theory and clinical experience, we devised and piloted two simplified explanations of heredity and genetic risk, with the aim of uncovering how to best communicate genetics and risk to this underserved population. A "conventional" version comprised pictures of genes, pedigrees, and quantitative representations of risk. A "colloquial" pictorial version used an analogy of the "information book" of genes, family stories and vignettes, and visual representations of risk, without using scientific words such as genes or chromosomes. A verbal narrative accompanied each picture. We presented these modules to four focus groups of five to eight women recruited from the SFGH Family Practice Clinic. Overall, women preferred a picture-based approach and commented that additional text would have been distracting. The majority of women preferred the colloquial version because it was easier to understand and better conveyed a sense of comfort and hope. We conclude that simplicity, analogies, and familiarity support comprehension while vignettes, family stories, and photos of real people provide comfort and hope. These elements may promote understanding of complex scientific topics in healthcare, particularly when communicating with patients who come from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Mussels as Bioindicators: A Case Study of Tributyltin Effects in San Diego Bay.

Science.gov (United States)

As part of a Navy research program to evaluate the environmental effects of tributyltin ( TBT ) antifouling coatings and develop in-situ field...documented temporal and spatial variability in TBT and the effects of TBT on growth, bioaccumulation and survival that have not been previously...the mussel bioidicator for assessing TBT effects in San Diego Bay and establishes a significant refinement in the use of mussels as biological

76 FR 54529 - Notice To Rescind a Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement: San Francisco...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-09-01

..., Acting Director, Local Programs, Federal Highway Administration, Sacramento, CA. [FR Doc. 2011-22349... To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement: San Francisco County, CA AGENCY: Federal Highway..., Oakland, California 94623-0660, Telephone: (510) 286-5231, E-mail: [email protected]ca.gov...

Chilean Teachers Begin Exchange Program Visit in Magdalena

Science.gov (United States)

2007-01-01

Two teachers from the town of San Pedro de Atacama, in the northern desert of the South American nation of Chile, arrive in Magdalena, New Mexico, Sunday, January 28, for a two-week visit that is part of a Sister Cities program sponsored by Associated Universities, Inc. (AUI), the nonprofit research corporation that operates the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO). They will be accompanied by their town's mayor. Myriam Nancy Rivera Mercado, Head of the high school in San Pedro, Gabriela Fernanda Rodriguez Moraleda, a tourism teacher there, and San Pedro Mayor Sandra Berna Martinez will begin a visit that includes classroom observations in the Magdalena schools, a reception hosted by the Magdalena Village Council, and a Mayor's Breakfast with Magdalena Mayor Jim Wolfe. They also will meet local residents, tour the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge with a second-grade class, visit an area ranch, tour the Very Large Array (VLA) radio telescope, and see Socorro's Community Arts Party. "These teachers will learn much about New Mexico, the United States, and our educational system, and will take this new knowledge back to their students and their community," said NRAO Education Officer Robyn Harrison. The visit is part of a Sister Cities program initiated and funded by AUI, which operates the NRAO for the U.S. National Science Foundation. Radio astronomy is a common link between San Pedro de Atacama and Magdalena. San Pedro is near the site of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), an international telescope project now under construction with funding by major partners in North America, Europe, and Japan. Magdalena is near the site of NRAO's VLA radio telescope. In Magdalena, the Village Council and Mayor Wolfe formalized their participation in the Sister Cities program last September, and San Pedro ratified the program in December. In San Pedro, the ceremony ratifying the agreement was attended by U.S. Ambassador to Chile Craig K

Evolving Hazard Monitoring and Communication at San Vicente Volcano, El Salvador

Science.gov (United States)

Bowman, L. J.; Gierke, J. S.

2014-12-01

El Salvador has 20 potentially active volcanoes, four of which have erupted in the last 100 years. Since San Vicente Volcano has had no historic eruptions, monitoring is not a high priority; especially given the current eruptive crisis at San Miguel Volcano. Though probability of eruptive hazards remains low at San Vicente, it is arguably one of the most hazardous volcanoes in the country due to rainfall-induced landslides and debris-flow risk. At least 250 deaths occurred in November 2009 from landslides and debris flows triggered by Hurricane Ida. This disaster caused the Universidad de El Salvador - Facultad Multidisciplinaria Paracentral (UES-FMP, San Vicente, El Salvador) to partner with governmental and nongovernmental organizations (including the U.S. Peace Corps, U.S. Fulbright Program, Korean International Cooperation Agency, Protección Civil and the Centro de Protección para Desastres (CEPRODE)) to focus its faculty and student research toward hazard monitoring and risk studies. Newly established monitoring efforts include: measurement of surface cracks and localized rainfall by Protección Civil and local residents using crude extensometers and rain gauges; installation of six weather stations that operate within the most at-risk municipalities; seismic refraction surveys to better characterize stratigraphy and seasonal water table changes; and most recently, a USAID/NSF-funded initiative partnered with the UES-FMP to monitor seasonal hydrologic conditions related to flooding and groundwater recharge. The information from these initiatives is now used to communicate current conditions and warnings through a network of two-way radios established by CEPRODE and Protección Civil. Representatives from the multi-institutional team also communicate the data to authorities who make better-informed decisions regarding warnings and evacuations, as well as determine suitable areas for population relocation in the event of a crisis. Data will eventually be used

PRDM9 and Its Role in Genetic Recombination.

Science.gov (United States)

Paigen, Kenneth; Petkov, Petko M

2018-04-01

PRDM9 is a zinc finger protein that binds DNA at specific locations in the genome where it trimethylates histone H3 at lysines 4 and 36 at surrounding nucleosomes. During meiosis in many species, including humans and mice where PRDM9 has been most intensely studied, these actions determine the location of recombination hotspots, where genetic recombination occurs. In addition, PRDM9 facilitates the association of hotspots with the chromosome axis, the site of the programmed DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) that give rise to genetic exchange between chromosomes. In the absence of PRDM9 DSBs are not properly repaired. Collectively, these actions determine patterns of genetic linkage and the possibilities for chromosome reorganization over successive generations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

77 FR 46115 - Notice of Inventory Completion: San Diego Museum of Man, San Diego, CA

Science.gov (United States)

2012-08-02

...The San Diego Museum of Man has completed an inventory of human remains in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribe, and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and a present-day Indian tribe. Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be culturally affiliated with the human remains may contact the San Diego Museum of Man. Repatriation of the human remains to the Indian tribe stated below may occur if no additional claimants come forward.

Effects of Choto-san and Chotoko on thiopental-induced sleeping time

OpenAIRE

JEENAPONGSA, Rattima; Tohda, Michihisa; Watanabe, Hiroshi

2003-01-01

Choto-san has been used for treatment of centrally regulated disorders such as dementia, hypertension, headache and vertigo. Our laboratory showed that Choto-san improved learning memory in ischemic mice. It is noticeable that Choto-san treated animals and animals that underwent conducting occlusion of common carotid arteries (2VO) operation slept longer than the normal animals. Therefore, this study aimed to clarify the effects of Choto-san and its related component; Chotoko and Choto-san wi...

Adults' perceptions of genetic counseling and genetic testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Houfek, Julia Fisco; Soltis-Vaughan, Brigette S; Atwood, Jan R; Reiser, Gwendolyn M; Schaefer, G Bradley

2015-02-01

This study described the perceptions of genetic counseling and testing of adults (N = 116) attending a genetic education program. Understanding perceptions of genetic counseling, including the importance of counseling topics, will contribute to patient-focused care as clinical genetic applications for common, complex disorders evolve. Participants completed a survey addressing: the importance of genetic counseling topics, benefits and negative effects of genetic testing, and sharing test results. Topics addressing practical information about genetic conditions were rated most important; topics involving conceptual genetic/genomic principles were rated least important. The most frequently identified benefit and negative effect of testing were prevention/early detection/treatment and psychological distress. Participants perceived that they were more likely to share test results with first-degree than other relatives. Findings suggest providing patients with practical information about genetic testing and genetic contributions to disease, while also determining whether their self-care abilities would be enhanced by teaching genetic/genomic principles. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

33 CFR 110.120 - San Luis Obispo Bay, Calif.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false San Luis Obispo Bay, Calif. 110... ANCHORAGES ANCHORAGE REGULATIONS Special Anchorage Areas § 110.120 San Luis Obispo Bay, Calif. (a) Area A-1. Area A-1 is the water area bounded by the San Luis Obispo County wharf, the shoreline, a line drawn...

Species Observations (poly) - San Diego County [ds648

Data.gov (United States)

California Natural Resource Agency — Created in 2009, the SanBIOS database serves as a single repository of species observations collected by various departments within the County of San Diego's Land...

Mammal Track Counts - San Diego County [ds442

Data.gov (United States)

California Natural Resource Agency — The San Diego Tracking Team (SDTT) is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the preservation of wildlife habitat in San Diego County through citizen-based...

Species Observations (poly) - San Diego County [ds648

Data.gov (United States)

California Department of Resources — Created in 2009, the SanBIOS database serves as a single repository of species observations collected by various departments within the County of San Diego's Land...

Impact of a Large San Andreas Fault Earthquake on Tall Buildings in Southern California

Science.gov (United States)

Krishnan, S.; Ji, C.; Komatitsch, D.; Tromp, J.

2004-12-01

In 1857, an earthquake of magnitude 7.9 occurred on the San Andreas fault, starting at Parkfield and rupturing in a southeasterly direction for more than 300~km. Such a unilateral rupture produces significant directivity toward the San Fernando and Los Angeles basins. The strong shaking in the basins due to this earthquake would have had a significant long-period content (2--8~s). If such motions were to happen today, they could have a serious impact on tall buildings in Southern California. In order to study the effects of large San Andreas fault earthquakes on tall buildings in Southern California, we use the finite source of the magnitude 7.9 2001 Denali fault earthquake in Alaska and map it onto the San Andreas fault with the rupture originating at Parkfield and proceeding southward over a distance of 290~km. Using the SPECFEM3D spectral element seismic wave propagation code, we simulate a Denali-like earthquake on the San Andreas fault and compute ground motions at sites located on a grid with a 2.5--5.0~km spacing in the greater Southern California region. We subsequently analyze 3D structural models of an existing tall steel building designed in 1984 as well as one designed according to the current building code (Uniform Building Code, 1997) subjected to the computed ground motion. We use a sophisticated nonlinear building analysis program, FRAME3D, that has the ability to simulate damage in buildings due to three-component ground motion. We summarize the performance of these structural models on contour maps of carefully selected structural performance indices. This study could benefit the city in laying out emergency response strategies in the event of an earthquake on the San Andreas fault, in undertaking appropriate retrofit measures for tall buildings, and in formulating zoning regulations for new construction. In addition, the study would provide risk data associated with existing and new construction to insurance companies, real estate developers, and

Guide for monitoring effectiveness of utility Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Midgett, W.D.; Wilson, J.F.; Krochmal, D.F.; Owsenek, L.W.

1991-02-01

Reliability centered maintenance (RCM) programs help utilities optimize preventive maintenance efforts while improving plant safety and economy through increased dependability of plant components. The project team developed this guide and accompanying methodology based on status updates from the Ginna and San Onofre demonstration projects. These updates addressed areas ranging from system selection to the effectiveness of RCM program implementation. In addition, the team incorporated information from a 12-utility survey soliciting opinions on the need for a methodology to monitor RCM cost-effectiveness. An analysis of the 12-utility survey showed that no techniques had been developed to measure RCM program cost-effectiveness. Thus, this guide addresses two key areas: Pros and cons of various monitoring techniques available to assess the overall effectiveness of RCM and a methodology for specifically evaluating the cost-effectiveness of RCM programs. 1 fig

Automatic compilation from high-level biologically-oriented programming language to genetic regulatory networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Beal, Jacob; Lu, Ting; Weiss, Ron

2011-01-01

The field of synthetic biology promises to revolutionize our ability to engineer biological systems, providing important benefits for a variety of applications. Recent advances in DNA synthesis and automated DNA assembly technologies suggest that it is now possible to construct synthetic systems of significant complexity. However, while a variety of novel genetic devices and small engineered gene networks have been successfully demonstrated, the regulatory complexity of synthetic systems that have been reported recently has somewhat plateaued due to a variety of factors, including the complexity of biology itself and the lag in our ability to design and optimize sophisticated biological circuitry. To address the gap between DNA synthesis and circuit design capabilities, we present a platform that enables synthetic biologists to express desired behavior using a convenient high-level biologically-oriented programming language, Proto. The high level specification is compiled, using a regulatory motif based mechanism, to a gene network, optimized, and then converted to a computational simulation for numerical verification. Through several example programs we illustrate the automated process of biological system design with our platform, and show that our compiler optimizations can yield significant reductions in the number of genes (~ 50%) and latency of the optimized engineered gene networks. Our platform provides a convenient and accessible tool for the automated design of sophisticated synthetic biological systems, bridging an important gap between DNA synthesis and circuit design capabilities. Our platform is user-friendly and features biologically relevant compiler optimizations, providing an important foundation for the development of sophisticated biological systems.

Extraction of Static and Dynamic Reservoir Operation Rules by Genetic Programming

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Habib Akbari Alashti

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Considering the necessity of desirable operation of limited water resources and assuming the significant role of dams in controlling and consuming the surface waters, highlights the advantageous of suitable operation rules for optimal and sustainable operation of dams. This study investigates the hydroelectric supply of a one-reservoir system of Karoon3 using nonlinear programming (NLP, genetic algorithm (GA, genetic programming (GP and fixed length gen GP (FLGGP in real-time operation of dam considering two approaches of static and dynamic operation rules. In static operation rule, only one rule curve is extracted for all months in a year whereas in dynamic operation rule, monthly rule curves (12 rules are extracted for each month of a year. In addition, nonlinear decision rule (NLDR curves are considered, and the total deficiency function as the target (objective function have been used for evaluating the performance of each method and approach. Results show appropriate efficiency of GP and FLGGP methods in extracting operation rules in both approaches. Superiority of these methods to operation methods yielded by GA and NLP is 5%. Moreover, according to the results, it can be remarked that, FLGGP method is an alternative for GP method, whereas the GP method cannot be used due to its limitations. Comparison of two approaches of static and dynamic operation rules demonstrated the superiority of dynamic operation rule to static operation rule (about 10% and therefore this method has more capabilities in real-time operation of the reservoirs systems.

A Comparison of Genetic Programming Variants for Hyper-Heuristics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Harris, Sean [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2015-03-01

Modern society is faced with ever more complex problems, many of which can be formulated as generate-and-test optimization problems. General-purpose optimization algorithms are not well suited for real-world scenarios where many instances of the same problem class need to be repeatedly and efficiently solved, such as routing vehicles over highways with constantly changing traffic flows, because they are not targeted to a particular scenario. Hyper-heuristics automate the design of algorithms to create a custom algorithm for a particular scenario. Hyper-heuristics typically employ Genetic Programming (GP) and this project has investigated the relationship between the choice of GP and performance in Hyper-heuristics. Results are presented demonstrating the existence of problems for which there is a statistically significant performance differential between the use of different types of GP.

A Domain-Specific Programming Language for Secure Multiparty Computation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Janus Dam; Schwartzbach, Michael Ignatieff

2007-01-01

We present a domain-specific programming language for Secure Multiparty Computation (SMC). Information is a resource of vital importance and considerable economic value to individuals, public administration, and private companies. This means that the confidentiality of information is crucial...... on secret values and results are only revealed according to specific protocols. We identify the key linguistic concepts of SMC and bridge the gap between high-level security requirements and low-level cryptographic operations constituting an SMC platform, thus improving the efficiency and security of SMC...

Geometric differential evolution for combinatorial and programs spaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Moraglio, A; Togelius, J; Silva, S

2013-01-01

Geometric differential evolution (GDE) is a recently introduced formal generalization of traditional differential evolution (DE) that can be used to derive specific differential evolution algorithms for both continuous and combinatorial spaces retaining the same geometric interpretation of the dynamics of the DE search across representations. In this article, we first review the theory behind the GDE algorithm, then, we use this framework to formally derive specific GDE for search spaces associated with binary strings, permutations, vectors of permutations and genetic programs. The resulting algorithms are representation-specific differential evolution algorithms searching the target spaces by acting directly on their underlying representations. We present experimental results for each of the new algorithms on a number of well-known problems comprising NK-landscapes, TSP, and Sudoku, for binary strings, permutations, and vectors of permutations. We also present results for the regression, artificial ant, parity, and multiplexer problems within the genetic programming domain. Experiments show that overall the new DE algorithms are competitive with well-tuned standard search algorithms.

Remembering San Diego

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chuyanov, V.

1999-01-01

After 6 years of existence the ITER EDA project in San Diego, USA, was terminated by desition of the US Congress. This article describes how nice it was for everybody as long as it lasted and how sad it is now

Adaptive divergence despite strong genetic drift: genomic analysis of the evolutionary mechanisms causing genetic differentiation in the island fox (Urocyon littoralis)

Science.gov (United States)

FUNK, W. CHRIS; LOVICH, ROBERT E.; HOHENLOHE, PAUL A.; HOFMAN, COURTNEY A.; MORRISON, SCOTT A.; SILLETT, T. SCOTT; GHALAMBOR, CAMERON K.; MALDONADO, JESUS E.; RICK, TORBEN C.; DAY, MITCH D.; POLATO, NICHOLAS R.; FITZPATRICK, SARAH W.; COONAN, TIMOTHY J.; CROOKS, KEVIN R.; DILLON, ADAM; GARCELON, DAVID K.; KING, JULIE L.; BOSER, CHRISTINA L.; GOULD, NICHOLAS; ANDELT, WILLIAM F.

2016-01-01

The evolutionary mechanisms generating the tremendous biodiversity of islands have long fascinated evolutionary biologists. Genetic drift and divergent selection are predicted to be strong on islands and both could drive population divergence and speciation. Alternatively, strong genetic drift may preclude adaptation. We conducted a genomic analysis to test the roles of genetic drift and divergent selection in causing genetic differentiation among populations of the island fox (Urocyon littoralis). This species consists of 6 subspecies, each of which occupies a different California Channel Island. Analysis of 5293 SNP loci generated using Restriction-site Associated DNA (RAD) sequencing found support for genetic drift as the dominant evolutionary mechanism driving population divergence among island fox populations. In particular, populations had exceptionally low genetic variation, small Ne (range = 2.1–89.7; median = 19.4), and significant genetic signatures of bottlenecks. Moreover, islands with the lowest genetic variation (and, by inference, the strongest historical genetic drift) were most genetically differentiated from mainland gray foxes, and vice versa, indicating genetic drift drives genome-wide divergence. Nonetheless, outlier tests identified 3.6–6.6% of loci as high FST outliers, suggesting that despite strong genetic drift, divergent selection contributes to population divergence. Patterns of similarity among populations based on high FST outliers mirrored patterns based on morphology, providing additional evidence that outliers reflect adaptive divergence. Extremely low genetic variation and small Ne in some island fox populations, particularly on San Nicolas Island, suggest that they may be vulnerable to fixation of deleterious alleles, decreased fitness, and reduced adaptive potential. PMID:26992010

Adaptive divergence despite strong genetic drift: genomic analysis of the evolutionary mechanisms causing genetic differentiation in the island fox (Urocyon littoralis).

Science.gov (United States)

Funk, W Chris; Lovich, Robert E; Hohenlohe, Paul A; Hofman, Courtney A; Morrison, Scott A; Sillett, T Scott; Ghalambor, Cameron K; Maldonado, Jesus E; Rick, Torben C; Day, Mitch D; Polato, Nicholas R; Fitzpatrick, Sarah W; Coonan, Timothy J; Crooks, Kevin R; Dillon, Adam; Garcelon, David K; King, Julie L; Boser, Christina L; Gould, Nicholas; Andelt, William F

2016-05-01

The evolutionary mechanisms generating the tremendous biodiversity of islands have long fascinated evolutionary biologists. Genetic drift and divergent selection are predicted to be strong on islands and both could drive population divergence and speciation. Alternatively, strong genetic drift may preclude adaptation. We conducted a genomic analysis to test the roles of genetic drift and divergent selection in causing genetic differentiation among populations of the island fox (Urocyon littoralis). This species consists of six subspecies, each of which occupies a different California Channel Island. Analysis of 5293 SNP loci generated using Restriction-site Associated DNA (RAD) sequencing found support for genetic drift as the dominant evolutionary mechanism driving population divergence among island fox populations. In particular, populations had exceptionally low genetic variation, small Ne (range = 2.1-89.7; median = 19.4), and significant genetic signatures of bottlenecks. Moreover, islands with the lowest genetic variation (and, by inference, the strongest historical genetic drift) were most genetically differentiated from mainland grey foxes, and vice versa, indicating genetic drift drives genome-wide divergence. Nonetheless, outlier tests identified 3.6-6.6% of loci as high FST outliers, suggesting that despite strong genetic drift, divergent selection contributes to population divergence. Patterns of similarity among populations based on high FST outliers mirrored patterns based on morphology, providing additional evidence that outliers reflect adaptive divergence. Extremely low genetic variation and small Ne in some island fox populations, particularly on San Nicolas Island, suggest that they may be vulnerable to fixation of deleterious alleles, decreased fitness and reduced adaptive potential. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Genetic evaluation of reproductive potential in the Zatorska goose under a conservation program.

Science.gov (United States)

Graczyk, Magdalena; Andres, Krzysztof; Kapkowska, Ewa; Szwaczkowski, Tomasz

2018-05-01

The aim of this study was to estimate the genetic parameters and inbreeding effect on the fertility, embryo mortality and hatchability traits in the Zatorska goose covered by the animal genetic resources conservation program. The material for this study contains information about results of hatching of 18 863 eggs from 721 dams and 168 sires, laid between 1998-2015. Genetic parameters were estimated based on the threshold animal model by the use of Restricted Maximum Likelihood and Gibbs sampling. The percentage of fertilized eggs ranged yearly between 37-80%. The percentage of embryo mortality was very low, ranging between 4.63-23.73%. The percentage of the hatched goslings from the total number of analyzed eggs was on average 33.18%, and 53.72% from fertilized eggs. On average based on both methods, the heritability estimates of the fertility, embryo mortality and hatchability reached 0.36, 0.07, 0.24 for males and 0.44, 0.11, 0.32 for females. The genetic trend had increasing tendency for fertility and hatchability and was stable for embryo mortality for both sexes. The obtained result shows that the Zatorska goose can be still maintained in the reserves of the local gene pool according to current rules and use in the local market as a breed with good reproductive potential. © 2018 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

CUDA-accelerated genetic feedforward-ANN training for data mining

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patulea, Catalin; Peace, Robert; Green, James

2010-01-01

We present an implementation of genetic algorithm (GA) training of feedforward artificial neural networks (ANNs) targeting commodity graphics cards (GPUs). By carefully mapping the problem onto the unique GPU architecture, we achieve order-of-magnitude speedup over a conventional CPU implementation. Furthermore, we show that the speedup is consistent across a wide range of data set sizes, making this implementation ideal for large data sets. This performance boost enables the genetic algorithm to search a larger subset of the solution space, which results in more accurate pattern classification. Finally, we demonstrate this method in the context of the 2009 UC San Diego Data Mining Contest, achieving a world-class lift on a data set of 94682 e-commerce transactions.

CUDA-accelerated genetic feedforward-ANN training for data mining

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Patulea, Catalin; Peace, Robert; Green, James, E-mail: cpatulea@sce.carleton.ca, E-mail: rpeace@sce.carleton.ca, E-mail: jrgreen@sce.carleton.ca [School of Systems and Computer Engineering, Carleton University, Ottawa, K1S 5B6 (Canada)

2010-11-01

We present an implementation of genetic algorithm (GA) training of feedforward artificial neural networks (ANNs) targeting commodity graphics cards (GPUs). By carefully mapping the problem onto the unique GPU architecture, we achieve order-of-magnitude speedup over a conventional CPU implementation. Furthermore, we show that the speedup is consistent across a wide range of data set sizes, making this implementation ideal for large data sets. This performance boost enables the genetic algorithm to search a larger subset of the solution space, which results in more accurate pattern classification. Finally, we demonstrate this method in the context of the 2009 UC San Diego Data Mining Contest, achieving a world-class lift on a data set of 94682 e-commerce transactions.

Genetic structure in the coral, Montastraea cavernosa: assessing genetic differentiation among and within Mesophotic reefs.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel A Brazeau

Full Text Available Mesophotic coral reefs (30-150 m have recently received increased attention as a potential source of larvae (e.g., the refugia hypothesis to repopulate a select subset of the shallow water (<30 m coral fauna. To test the refugia hypothesis we used highly polymorphic Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP markers as a means to assess small-scale genetic heterogeneity between geographic locations and across depth clines in the Caribbean coral, Montastraea cavernosa. Zooxanthellae-free DNA extracts of coral samples (N = 105 were analyzed from four depths, shallow (3-10 m, medium (15-25 m, deep (30-50 m and very deep (60-90 m from Little Cayman Island (LCI, Lee Stocking Island (LSI, Bahamas and San Salvador (SS, Bahamas which range in distance from 170 to 1,600 km apart. Using AMOVA analysis there were significant differences in ΦST values in pair wise comparisons between LCI and LSI. Among depths at LCI, there was significant genetic differentiation between shallow and medium versus deep and very deep depths in contrast there were no significant differences in ΦST values among depths at LSI. The assignment program AFLPOP, however, correctly assigned 95.7% of the LCI and LSI samples to the depths from which they were collected, differentiating among populations as little as 10 to 20 m in depth from one another. Discriminant function analysis of the data showed significant differentiation among samples when categorized by collection site as well as collection depth. FST outlier analyses identified 2 loci under positive selection and 3 under balancing selection at LCI. At LSI 2 loci were identified, both showing balancing selection. This data shows that adult populations of M. cavernosa separated by depths of tens of meters exhibits significant genetic structure, indicative of low population connectivity among and within sites and are not supplying successful recruits to adjacent coral reefs less than 30 m in depth.

Update: San Andreas Fault experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Christodoulidis, D. C.; Smith, D. E.

1984-01-01

Satellite laser ranging techniques are used to monitor the broad motion of the tectonic plates comprising the San Andreas Fault System. The San Andreas Fault Experiment, (SAFE), has progressed through the upgrades made to laser system hardware and an improvement in the modeling capabilities of the spaceborne laser targets. Of special note is the launch of the Laser Geodynamic Satellite, LAGEOS spacecraft, NASA's only completely dedicated laser satellite in 1976. The results of plate motion projected into this 896 km measured line over the past eleven years are summarized and intercompared.

Vabariigi aastapäev San Franciscos / Heino Valvur ; foto: Heino Valvur

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Valvur, Heino

2006-01-01

veebruarikuu möödus San Franciscos Eesti Vabariigi 88. aastapäeva pühitsedes: traditsiooniliselt tähistas aastapäeva San Francisco Seenioride Klubi koosviibimisega, E.E.L.K. San Francisco koguduses peeti jumalateenistus ja koosviibimine, kus noored esitasid rahvalaule, San Francisco Eesti Selts tähistas aastapäeva 25. veebruaril aktuse ja koosviibimisega

A Pareto-optimal moving average multigene genetic programming model for daily streamflow prediction

Science.gov (United States)

Danandeh Mehr, Ali; Kahya, Ercan

2017-06-01

Genetic programming (GP) is able to systematically explore alternative model structures of different accuracy and complexity from observed input and output data. The effectiveness of GP in hydrological system identification has been recognized in recent studies. However, selecting a parsimonious (accurate and simple) model from such alternatives still remains a question. This paper proposes a Pareto-optimal moving average multigene genetic programming (MA-MGGP) approach to develop a parsimonious model for single-station streamflow prediction. The three main components of the approach that take us from observed data to a validated model are: (1) data pre-processing, (2) system identification and (3) system simplification. The data pre-processing ingredient uses a simple moving average filter to diminish the lagged prediction effect of stand-alone data-driven models. The multigene ingredient of the model tends to identify the underlying nonlinear system with expressions simpler than classical monolithic GP and, eventually simplification component exploits Pareto front plot to select a parsimonious model through an interactive complexity-efficiency trade-off. The approach was tested using the daily streamflow records from a station on Senoz Stream, Turkey. Comparing to the efficiency results of stand-alone GP, MGGP, and conventional multi linear regression prediction models as benchmarks, the proposed Pareto-optimal MA-MGGP model put forward a parsimonious solution, which has a noteworthy importance of being applied in practice. In addition, the approach allows the user to enter human insight into the problem to examine evolved models and pick the best performing programs out for further analysis.

76 FR 70480 - Otay River Estuary Restoration Project, South San Diego Bay Unit of the San Diego Bay National...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-11-14

... River Estuary Restoration Project, South San Diego Bay Unit of the San Diego Bay National Wildlife...), intend to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the proposed Otay River Estuary Restoration... any one of the following methods. Email: [email protected] . Please include ``Otay Estuary NOI'' in the...

Genetic Gain and Inbreeding from Genomic Selection in a Simulated Commercial Breeding Program for Perennial Ryegrass

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zibei Lin

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Genomic selection (GS provides an attractive option for accelerating genetic gain in perennial ryegrass ( improvement given the long cycle times of most current breeding programs. The present study used simulation to investigate the level of genetic gain and inbreeding obtained from GS breeding strategies compared with traditional breeding strategies for key traits (persistency, yield, and flowering time. Base population genomes were simulated through random mating for 60,000 generations at an effective population size of 10,000. The degree of linkage disequilibrium (LD in the resulting population was compared with that obtained from empirical studies. Initial parental varieties were simulated to match diversity of current commercial cultivars. Genomic selection was designed to fit into a company breeding program at two selection points in the breeding cycle (spaced plants and miniplot. Genomic estimated breeding values (GEBVs for productivity traits were trained with phenotypes and genotypes from plots. Accuracy of GEBVs was 0.24 for persistency and 0.36 for yield for single plants, while for plots it was lower (0.17 and 0.19, respectively. Higher accuracy of GEBVs was obtained for flowering time (up to 0.7, partially as a result of the larger reference population size that was available from the clonal row stage. The availability of GEBVs permit a 4-yr reduction in cycle time, which led to at least a doubling and trebling genetic gain for persistency and yield, respectively, than the traditional program. However, a higher rate of inbreeding per cycle among varieties was also observed for the GS strategy.

Genetic Gain and Inbreeding from Genomic Selection in a Simulated Commercial Breeding Program for Perennial Ryegrass.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Zibei; Cogan, Noel O I; Pembleton, Luke W; Spangenberg, German C; Forster, John W; Hayes, Ben J; Daetwyler, Hans D

2016-03-01

Genomic selection (GS) provides an attractive option for accelerating genetic gain in perennial ryegrass () improvement given the long cycle times of most current breeding programs. The present study used simulation to investigate the level of genetic gain and inbreeding obtained from GS breeding strategies compared with traditional breeding strategies for key traits (persistency, yield, and flowering time). Base population genomes were simulated through random mating for 60,000 generations at an effective population size of 10,000. The degree of linkage disequilibrium (LD) in the resulting population was compared with that obtained from empirical studies. Initial parental varieties were simulated to match diversity of current commercial cultivars. Genomic selection was designed to fit into a company breeding program at two selection points in the breeding cycle (spaced plants and miniplot). Genomic estimated breeding values (GEBVs) for productivity traits were trained with phenotypes and genotypes from plots. Accuracy of GEBVs was 0.24 for persistency and 0.36 for yield for single plants, while for plots it was lower (0.17 and 0.19, respectively). Higher accuracy of GEBVs was obtained for flowering time (up to 0.7), partially as a result of the larger reference population size that was available from the clonal row stage. The availability of GEBVs permit a 4-yr reduction in cycle time, which led to at least a doubling and trebling genetic gain for persistency and yield, respectively, than the traditional program. However, a higher rate of inbreeding per cycle among varieties was also observed for the GS strategy. Copyright © 2016 Crop Science Society of America.

Facilitating Neuron-Specific Genetic Manipulations in Drosophila melanogaster Using a Split GAL4 Repressor.

Science.gov (United States)

Dolan, Michael-John; Luan, Haojiang; Shropshire, William C; Sutcliffe, Ben; Cocanougher, Benjamin; Scott, Robert L; Frechter, Shahar; Zlatic, Marta; Jefferis, Gregory S X E; White, Benjamin H

2017-06-01

Efforts to map neural circuits have been galvanized by the development of genetic technologies that permit the manipulation of targeted sets of neurons in the brains of freely behaving animals. The success of these efforts relies on the experimenter's ability to target arbitrarily small subsets of neurons for manipulation, but such specificity of targeting cannot routinely be achieved using existing methods. In Drosophila melanogaster , a widely-used technique for refined cell type-specific manipulation is the Split GAL4 system, which augments the targeting specificity of the binary GAL4-UAS (Upstream Activating Sequence) system by making GAL4 transcriptional activity contingent upon two enhancers, rather than one. To permit more refined targeting, we introduce here the "Killer Zipper" (KZip + ), a suppressor that makes Split GAL4 targeting contingent upon a third enhancer. KZip + acts by disrupting both the formation and activity of Split GAL4 heterodimers, and we show how this added layer of control can be used to selectively remove unwanted cells from a Split GAL4 expression pattern or to subtract neurons of interest from a pattern to determine their requirement in generating a given phenotype. To facilitate application of the KZip + technology, we have developed a versatile set of LexA op -KZip + fly lines that can be used directly with the large number of LexA driver lines with known expression patterns. KZip + significantly sharpens the precision of neuronal genetic control available in Drosophila and may be extended to other organisms where Split GAL4-like systems are used. Copyright © 2017 Dolan et al.

Highly specific detection of genetic modification events using an enzyme-linked probe hybridization chip.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, M Z; Zhang, X F; Chen, X M; Chen, X; Wu, S; Xu, L L

2015-08-10

The enzyme-linked probe hybridization chip utilizes a method based on ligase-hybridizing probe chip technology, with the principle of using thio-primers for protection against enzyme digestion, and using lambda DNA exonuclease to cut multiple PCR products obtained from the sample being tested into single-strand chains for hybridization. The 5'-end amino-labeled probe was fixed onto the aldehyde chip, and hybridized with the single-stranded PCR product, followed by addition of a fluorescent-modified probe that was then enzymatically linked with the adjacent, substrate-bound probe in order to achieve highly specific, parallel, and high-throughput detection. Specificity and sensitivity testing demonstrated that enzyme-linked probe hybridization technology could be applied to the specific detection of eight genetic modification events at the same time, with a sensitivity reaching 0.1% and the achievement of accurate, efficient, and stable results.

Backwater Flooding in San Marcos, TX from the Blanco River

Science.gov (United States)

Earl, Richard; Gaenzle, Kyle G.; Hollier, Andi B.

2016-01-01

Large sections of San Marcos, TX were flooded in Oct. 1998, May 2015, and Oct. 2015. Much of the flooding in Oct. 1998 and Oct. 2015 was produced by overbank flooding of San Marcos River and its tributaries by spills from upstream dams. The May 2015 flooding was almost entirely produced by backwater flooding from the Blanco River whose confluence is approximately 2.2 miles southeast of downtown. We use the stage height of the Blanco River to generate maps of the areas of San Marcos that are lower than the flood peaks and compare those results with data for the observed extent of flooding in San Marcos. Our preliminary results suggest that the flooding occurred at locations more than 20 feet lower than the maximum stage height of the Blanco River at San Marcos gage (08171350). This suggest that the datum for either gage 08171350 or 08170500 (San Marcos River at San Marcos) or both are incorrect. There are plans for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to construct a Blanco River bypass that will divert Blanco River floodwaters approximately 2 miles farther downstream, but the $60 million price makes its implementation problematic.

Development and evaluation of event-specific quantitative PCR method for genetically modified soybean A2704-12.

Science.gov (United States)

Takabatake, Reona; Akiyama, Hiroshi; Sakata, Kozue; Onishi, Mari; Koiwa, Tomohiro; Futo, Satoshi; Minegishi, Yasutaka; Teshima, Reiko; Mano, Junichi; Furui, Satoshi; Kitta, Kazumi

2011-01-01

A novel real-time PCR-based analytical method was developed for the event-specific quantification of a genetically modified (GM) soybean event; A2704-12. During the plant transformation, DNA fragments derived from pUC19 plasmid were integrated in A2704-12, and the region was found to be A2704-12 specific. The pUC19-derived DNA sequences were used as primers for the specific detection of A2704-12. We first tried to construct a standard plasmid for A2704-12 quantification using pUC19. However, non-specific signals appeared with both qualitative and quantitative PCR analyses using the specific primers with pUC19 as a template, and we then constructed a plasmid using pBR322. The conversion factor (C(f)), which is required to calculate the amount of the genetically modified organism (GMO), was experimentally determined with two real-time PCR instruments, the Applied Biosystems 7900HT and the Applied Biosystems 7500. The determined C(f) values were both 0.98. The quantitative method was evaluated by means of blind tests in multi-laboratory trials using the two real-time PCR instruments. The limit of quantitation for the method was estimated to be 0.1%. The trueness and precision were evaluated as the bias and reproducibility of relative standard deviation (RSD(R)), and the determined bias and RSD(R) values for the method were each less than 20%. These results suggest that the developed method would be suitable for practical analyses for the detection and quantification of A2704-12.

33 CFR 165.1187 - Security Zones; Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, San Francisco Bay...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... Limited Access Areas Eleventh Coast Guard District § 165.1187 Security Zones; Golden Gate Bridge and the... Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, in San Francisco Bay, California. (b... siren, radio, flashing light, or other means, the operator of a vessel shall proceed as directed. [COTP...

In-situ measurements of seismic velocities in the San Francisco Bay region...part II

Science.gov (United States)

Gibbs, James F.; Fumal, Thomas E.; Borcherdt, Roger D.

1976-01-01

Seismic wave velocities (compressional and shear) are important parameters for determining the seismic response characteristics of various geologic units when subjected to strong earthquake ground shaking. Seismic velocities of various units often show a strong correlation with the amounts of damage following large earthquakes and have been used as a basis for certain types of seismic zonation studies. Currently a program is in progress to measure seismic velocities in the San Francisco Bay region at an estimated 150 sites. At each site seismic travel times are measured in drill holes, normally at 2.5-m intervals to a depth of 30 m. Geologic logs are determined from drill hole cuttings, undisturbed samples, and penetrometer samples. The data provide a detailed comparison of geologic and seismic characteristics and provide parameters for estimating strong earthquake ground motions quantitatively at each of the site. A major emphasis of this program is to obtain a detailed comparison of geologic and seismic data on a regional scale for use in seismic zonation. The broad data base available in the San Francisco Bay region suggests using the area as a pilot area for the development of general techniques applicable to other areas.

Non-linear nuclear engineering models as genetic programming application; Modelos nao-lineares de engenharia nuclear como aplicacao de programacao genetica

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Domingos, Roberto P.; Schirru, Roberto; Martinez, Aquilino S. [Universidade Federal, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Coordenacao dos Programas de Pos-graduacao de Engenharia

1997-12-01

This work presents a Genetic Programming paradigm and a nuclear application. A field of Artificial Intelligence, based on the concepts of Species Evolution and Natural Selection, can be understood as a self-programming process where the computer is the main agent responsible for the discovery of a program able to solve a given problem. In the present case, the problem was to find a mathematical expression in symbolic form, able to express the existent relation between equivalent ratio of a fuel cell, the enrichment of fuel elements and the multiplication factor. Such expression would avoid repeatedly reactor physics codes execution for core optimization. The results were compared with those obtained by different techniques such as Neural Networks and Linear Multiple Regression. Genetic Programming has shown to present a performance as good as, and under some features superior to Neural Network and Linear Multiple Regression. (author). 10 refs., 8 figs., 1 tabs.

Conductivity Structure of the San Andreas Fault, Parkfield, Revisited

Science.gov (United States)

Park, S. K.; Roberts, J. J.

2003-12-01

Laboratory measurements of samples of sedimentary rocks from the Parkfield syncline reveal resistivities as low as 1 ohm m when saturated with fluids comparable to those found in nearby wells. The syncline lies on the North American side of the San Andreas fault at Parkfield and plunges northwestward into the fault zone. A previous interpretation of a high resolution magnetotelluric profile across the San Andreas fault at Parkfield identified an anomalously conductive (1-3 ohm m) region just west of the fault and extending to depths of 3 km. These low resistivity rocks were inferred to be crushed rock in the fault zone that was saturated with brines. As an alternative to this interpretation, we suggest that this anomalous region is actually the Parkfield syncline and that the current trace of the San Andreas fault at Middle Mountain does not form the boundary between the Salinian block and the North American plate. Instead, that boundary is approximately 1 km west and collocated with current seismicity. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by the University of California Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under contract W-7405-ENG-48 and supported specifically by the Office of Basic Energy Science. Additional support was provided by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Department of the Interior, under USGS Award number 03HQGR0041. The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as necessarily representing the official policies, either expressed or implied, of the U.S. Government.

Holocene slip rates along the San Andreas Fault System in the San Gorgonio Pass and implications for large earthquakes in southern California

Science.gov (United States)

Heermance, Richard V.; Yule, Doug

2017-06-01

The San Gorgonio Pass (SGP) in southern California contains a 40 km long region of structural complexity where the San Andreas Fault (SAF) bifurcates into a series of oblique-slip faults with unknown slip history. We combine new 10Be exposure ages (Qt4: 8600 (+2100, -2200) and Qt3: 5700 (+1400, -1900) years B.P.) and a radiocarbon age (1260 ± 60 years B.P.) from late Holocene terraces with scarp displacement of these surfaces to document a Holocene slip rate of 5.7 (+2.7, -1.5) mm/yr combined across two faults. Our preferred slip rate is 37-49% of the average slip rates along the SAF outside the SGP (i.e., Coachella Valley and San Bernardino sections) and implies that strain is transferred off the SAF in this area. Earthquakes here most likely occur in very large, throughgoing SAF events at a lower recurrence than elsewhere on the SAF, so that only approximately one third of SAF ruptures penetrate or originate in the pass.Plain Language SummaryHow large are earthquakes on the southern San Andreas Fault? The answer to this question depends on whether or not the earthquake is contained only along individual fault sections, such as the Coachella Valley section north of Palm Springs, or the rupture crosses multiple sections including the area through the San Gorgonio Pass. We have determined the age and offset of faulted stream deposits within the San Gorgonio Pass to document slip rates of these faults over the last 10,000 years. Our results indicate a long-term slip rate of 6 mm/yr, which is almost 1/2 of the rates east and west of this area. These new rates, combined with faulted geomorphic surfaces, imply that large magnitude earthquakes must occasionally rupture a 300 km length of the San Andreas Fault from the Salton Sea to the Mojave Desert. Although many ( 65%) earthquakes along the southern San Andreas Fault likely do not rupture through the pass, our new results suggest that large >Mw 7.5 earthquakes are possible on the southern San Andreas Fault and likely

City of San Francisco, California street tree resource analysis

Science.gov (United States)

E.G. McPherson; J.R. Simpson; P.J. Peper; Q. Xiao

2004-01-01

Street trees in San Francisco are comprised of two distinct populations, those managed by the city’s Department of Public Works (DPW) and those managed by private property owners with or without the help of San Francisco’s urban forestry nonprofit, Friends of the Urban Forest (FUF). These two entities believe that the public’s investment in stewardship of San Francisco...

Coupling genetics and proteomics to identify aphid proteins associated with vector-specific transmission of polerovirus (luteoviridae).

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Xiaolong; Thannhauser, T W; Burrows, Mary; Cox-Foster, Diana; Gildow, Fred E; Gray, Stewart M

2008-01-01

Cereal yellow dwarf virus-RPV (CYDV-RPV) is transmitted specifically by the aphids Rhopalosiphum padi and Schizaphis graminum in a circulative nonpropagative manner. The high level of vector specificity results from the vector aphids having the functional components of the receptor-mediated endocytotic pathways to allow virus to transverse the gut and salivary tissues. Studies of F(2) progeny from crosses of vector and nonvector genotypes of S. graminum showed that virus transmission efficiency is a heritable trait regulated by multiple genes acting in an additive fashion and that gut- and salivary gland-associated factors are not genetically linked. Utilizing two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis to compare the proteomes of vector and nonvector parental and F(2) genotypes, four aphid proteins (S4, S8, S29, and S405) were specifically associated with the ability of S. graminum to transmit CYDV-RPV. The four proteins were coimmunoprecipitated with purified RPV, indicating that the aphid proteins are capable of binding to virus. Analysis by mass spectrometry identified S4 as a luciferase and S29 as a cyclophilin, both of which have been implicated in macromolecular transport. Proteins S8 and S405 were not identified from available databases. Study of this unique genetic system coupled with proteomic analysis indicated that these four virus-binding aphid proteins were specifically inherited and conserved in different generations of vector genotypes and suggests that they play a major role in regulating polerovirus transmission.

Real Time Updating Genetic Network Programming for Adapting to the Change of Stock Prices

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yan; Mabu, Shingo; Shimada, Kaoru; Hirasawa, Kotaro

The key in stock trading model is to take the right actions for trading at the right time, primarily based on the accurate forecast of future stock trends. Since an effective trading with given information of stock prices needs an intelligent strategy for the decision making, we applied Genetic Network Programming (GNP) to creating a stock trading model. In this paper, we propose a new method called Real Time Updating Genetic Network Programming (RTU-GNP) for adapting to the change of stock prices. There are three important points in this paper: First, the RTU-GNP method makes a stock trading decision considering both the recommendable information of technical indices and the candlestick charts according to the real time stock prices. Second, we combine RTU-GNP with a Sarsa learning algorithm to create the programs efficiently. Also, sub-nodes are introduced in each judgment and processing node to determine appropriate actions (buying/selling) and to select appropriate stock price information depending on the situation. Third, a Real Time Updating system has been firstly introduced in our paper considering the change of the trend of stock prices. The experimental results on the Japanese stock market show that the trading model with the proposed RTU-GNP method outperforms other models without real time updating. We also compared the experimental results using the proposed method with Buy&Hold method to confirm its effectiveness, and it is clarified that the proposed trading model can obtain much higher profits than Buy&Hold method.

A Model Program for International Commerce Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Funston, Richard

To address the economy's growing reliance on international business, San Diego State University has recently introduced a program in international commerce. The program was developed by packaging coursework in three existing areas: business administration, language training, and area studies. Although still in its infancy, the international…

Early-life nutrition modulates the epigenetic state of specific rDNA genetic variants in mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Holland, Michelle L; Lowe, Robert; Caton, Paul W; Gemma, Carolina; Carbajosa, Guillermo; Danson, Amy F; Carpenter, Asha A M; Loche, Elena; Ozanne, Susan E; Rakyan, Vardhman K

2016-07-29

A suboptimal early-life environment, due to poor nutrition or stress during pregnancy, can influence lifelong phenotypes in the progeny. Epigenetic factors are thought to be key mediators of these effects. We show that protein restriction in mice from conception until weaning induces a linear correlation between growth restriction and DNA methylation at ribosomal DNA (rDNA). This epigenetic response remains into adulthood and is restricted to rDNA copies associated with a specific genetic variant within the promoter. Related effects are also found in models of maternal high-fat or obesogenic diets. Our work identifies environmentally induced epigenetic dynamics that are dependent on underlying genetic variation and establishes rDNA as a genomic target of nutritional insults. Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Trouble Brewing in San Francisco. Policy Brief

Science.gov (United States)

Buck, Stuart

2010-01-01

The city of San Francisco will face enormous budgetary pressures from the growing deficits in public pensions, both at a state and local level. In this policy brief, the author estimates that San Francisco faces an aggregate $22.4 billion liability for pensions and retiree health benefits that are underfunded--including $14.1 billion for the city…

A high-resolution gene expression atlas of epistasis between gene-specific transcription factors exposes potential mechanisms for genetic interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Sameith, Katrin; Amini, Saman; Groot Koerkamp, Marian J A; van Leenen, Dik; Brok, Mariel; Brabers, Nathalie; Lijnzaad, Philip; van Hooff, Sander R; Benschop, Joris J; Lenstra, Tineke L; Apweiler, Eva; van Wageningen, Sake; Snel, Berend; Holstege, Frank C P; Kemmeren, Patrick

2015-12-23

Genetic interactions, or non-additive effects between genes, play a crucial role in many cellular processes and disease. Which mechanisms underlie these genetic interactions has hardly been characterized. Understanding the molecular basis of genetic interactions is crucial in deciphering pathway organization and understanding the relationship between genotype, phenotype and disease. To investigate the nature of genetic interactions between gene-specific transcription factors (GSTFs) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we systematically analyzed 72 GSTF pairs by gene expression profiling double and single deletion mutants. These pairs were selected through previously published growth-based genetic interactions as well as through similarity in DNA binding properties. The result is a high-resolution atlas of gene expression-based genetic interactions that provides systems-level insight into GSTF epistasis. The atlas confirms known genetic interactions and exposes new ones. Importantly, the data can be used to investigate mechanisms that underlie individual genetic interactions. Two molecular mechanisms are proposed, "buffering by induced dependency" and "alleviation by derepression". These mechanisms indicate how negative genetic interactions can occur between seemingly unrelated parallel pathways and how positive genetic interactions can indirectly expose parallel rather than same-pathway relationships. The focus on GSTFs is important for understanding the transcription regulatory network of yeast as it uncovers details behind many redundancy relationships, some of which are completely new. In addition, the study provides general insight into the complex nature of epistasis and proposes mechanistic models for genetic interactions, the majority of which do not fall into easily recognizable within- or between-pathway relationships.

Genetic algorithms and fuzzy multiobjective optimization

CERN Document Server

Sakawa, Masatoshi

2002-01-01

Since the introduction of genetic algorithms in the 1970s, an enormous number of articles together with several significant monographs and books have been published on this methodology. As a result, genetic algorithms have made a major contribution to optimization, adaptation, and learning in a wide variety of unexpected fields. Over the years, many excellent books in genetic algorithm optimization have been published; however, they focus mainly on single-objective discrete or other hard optimization problems under certainty. There appears to be no book that is designed to present genetic algorithms for solving not only single-objective but also fuzzy and multiobjective optimization problems in a unified way. Genetic Algorithms And Fuzzy Multiobjective Optimization introduces the latest advances in the field of genetic algorithm optimization for 0-1 programming, integer programming, nonconvex programming, and job-shop scheduling problems under multiobjectiveness and fuzziness. In addition, the book treats a w...

Eating disorder-specific risk factors moderate the relationship between negative urgency and binge eating: A behavioral genetic investigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Racine, Sarah E; VanHuysse, Jessica L; Keel, Pamela K; Burt, S Alexandra; Neale, Michael C; Boker, Steven; Klump, Kelly L

2017-07-01

Theoretical models of binge eating and eating disorders include both transdiagnostic and eating disorder-specific risk factors. Negative urgency (i.e., the tendency to act impulsively when distressed) is a critical transdiagnostic risk factor for binge eating, but limited research has examined interactions between negative urgency and disorder-specific variables. Investigating these interactions can help identify the circumstances under which negative urgency is most strongly associated with binge eating. We examined whether prominent risk factors (i.e., appearance pressures, thin-ideal internalization, body dissatisfaction, dietary restraint) specified in well-established etiologic models of eating disorders moderate negative urgency-binge eating associations. Further, we investigated whether phenotypic moderation effects were due to genetic and/or environmental associations between negative urgency and binge eating. Participants were 988 female twins aged 11-25 years from the Michigan State University Twin Registry. Appearance pressures, thin-ideal internalization, and body dissatisfaction, but not dietary restraint, significantly moderated negative urgency-binge eating associations, with high levels of these risk factors and high negative urgency associated with the greatest binge eating. Twin moderation models revealed that genetic, but not environmental, sharing between negative urgency and binge eating was enhanced at higher levels of these eating disorder-specific variables. Future longitudinal research should investigate whether eating disorder risk factors shape genetic influences on negative urgency into manifesting as binge eating. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Maps of Quaternary Deposits and Liquefaction Susceptibility in the Central San Francisco Bay Region, California

Science.gov (United States)

Witter, Robert C.; Knudsen, Keith L.; Sowers, Janet M.; Wentworth, Carl M.; Koehler, Richard D.; Randolph, Carolyn E.; Brooks, Suzanna K.; Gans, Kathleen D.

2006-01-01

This report presents a map and database of Quaternary deposits and liquefaction susceptibility for the urban core of the San Francisco Bay region. It supercedes the equivalent area of U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 00-444 (Knudsen and others, 2000), which covers the larger 9-county San Francisco Bay region. The report consists of (1) a spatial database, (2) two small-scale colored maps (Quaternary deposits and liquefaction susceptibility), (3) a text describing the Quaternary map and liquefaction interpretation (part 3), and (4) a text introducing the report and describing the database (part 1). All parts of the report are digital; part 1 describes the database and digital files and how to obtain them by downloading across the internet. The nine counties surrounding San Francisco Bay straddle the San Andreas fault system, which exposes the region to serious earthquake hazard (Working Group on California Earthquake Probabilities, 1999). Much of the land adjacent to the Bay and the major rivers and streams is underlain by unconsolidated deposits that are particularly vulnerable to earthquake shaking and liquefaction of water-saturated granular sediment. This new map provides a consistent detailed treatment of the central part of the 9-county region in which much of the mapping of Open-File Report 00-444 was either at smaller (less detailed) scale or represented only preliminary revision of earlier work. Like Open-File Report 00-444, the current mapping uses geomorphic expression, pedogenic soils, inferred depositional environments, and geologic age to define and distinguish the map units. Further scrutiny of the factors controlling liquefaction susceptibility has led to some changes relative to Open-File Report 00-444: particularly the reclassification of San Francisco Bay mud (Qhbm) to have only MODERATE susceptibility and the rating of artificial fills according to the Quaternary map units inferred to underlie them (other than dams - adf). The two colored

Financial Reporting for the Other Defense Organizations - General Funds at the Defence Finance and Accounting Service San Antonio

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

2002-01-01

...) for inclusion in the FY 2001 Other Defense Organizations Financial Statements. Specifically, we looked at the abnormal balances reported in trial balances prepared by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service San Antonio...

Optimization of a Turboprop UAV for Maximum Loiter and Specific Power Using Genetic Algorithm

Science.gov (United States)

Dinc, Ali

2016-09-01

In this study, a genuine code was developed for optimization of selected parameters of a turboprop engine for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) by employing elitist genetic algorithm. First, preliminary sizing of a UAV and its turboprop engine was done, by the code in a given mission profile. Secondly, single and multi-objective optimization were done for selected engine parameters to maximize loiter duration of UAV or specific power of engine or both. In single objective optimization, as first case, UAV loiter time was improved with an increase of 17.5% from baseline in given boundaries or constraints of compressor pressure ratio and burner exit temperature. In second case, specific power was enhanced by 12.3% from baseline. In multi-objective optimization case, where previous two objectives are considered together, loiter time and specific power were increased by 14.2% and 9.7% from baseline respectively, for the same constraints.

Towards Interactive Visual Exploration of Parallel Programs using a Domain-Specific Language

KAUST Repository

Klein, Tobias

2016-04-19

The use of GPUs and the massively parallel computing paradigm have become wide-spread. We describe a framework for the interactive visualization and visual analysis of the run-time behavior of massively parallel programs, especially OpenCL kernels. This facilitates understanding a program\\'s function and structure, finding the causes of possible slowdowns, locating program bugs, and interactively exploring and visually comparing different code variants in order to improve performance and correctness. Our approach enables very specific, user-centered analysis, both in terms of the recording of the run-time behavior and the visualization itself. Instead of having to manually write instrumented code to record data, simple code annotations tell the source-to-source compiler which code instrumentation to generate automatically. The visualization part of our framework then enables the interactive analysis of kernel run-time behavior in a way that can be very specific to a particular problem or optimization goal, such as analyzing the causes of memory bank conflicts or understanding an entire parallel algorithm.

DNA Commission of the International Society for Forensic Genetics: Recommendations on the validation of software programs performing biostatistical calculations for forensic genetics applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Coble, M D; Buckleton, J; Butler, J M; Egeland, T; Fimmers, R; Gill, P; Gusmão, L; Guttman, B; Krawczak, M; Morling, N; Parson, W; Pinto, N; Schneider, P M; Sherry, S T; Willuweit, S; Prinz, M

2016-11-01

The use of biostatistical software programs to assist in data interpretation and calculate likelihood ratios is essential to forensic geneticists and part of the daily case work flow for both kinship and DNA identification laboratories. Previous recommendations issued by the DNA Commission of the International Society for Forensic Genetics (ISFG) covered the application of bio-statistical evaluations for STR typing results in identification and kinship cases, and this is now being expanded to provide best practices regarding validation and verification of the software required for these calculations. With larger multiplexes, more complex mixtures, and increasing requests for extended family testing, laboratories are relying more than ever on specific software solutions and sufficient validation, training and extensive documentation are of upmost importance. Here, we present recommendations for the minimum requirements to validate bio-statistical software to be used in forensic genetics. We distinguish between developmental validation and the responsibilities of the software developer or provider, and the internal validation studies to be performed by the end user. Recommendations for the software provider address, for example, the documentation of the underlying models used by the software, validation data expectations, version control, implementation and training support, as well as continuity and user notifications. For the internal validations the recommendations include: creating a validation plan, requirements for the range of samples to be tested, Standard Operating Procedure development, and internal laboratory training and education. To ensure that all laboratories have access to a wide range of samples for validation and training purposes the ISFG DNA commission encourages collaborative studies and public repositories of STR typing results. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Contribution of small conductance K+ channels to sinoatrial node pacemaker activity: insights from atrial-specific Na+ /Ca2+ exchange knockout mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Torrente, Angelo G; Zhang, Rui; Wang, Heidi; Zaini, Audrey; Kim, Brian; Yue, Xin; Philipson, Kenneth D; Goldhaber, Joshua I

2017-06-15

Repolarizing currents through K + channels are essential for proper sinoatrial node (SAN) pacemaking, but the influence of intracellular Ca 2+ on repolarization in the SAN is uncertain. We identified all three isoforms of Ca 2+ -activated small conductance K + (SK) channels in the murine SAN. SK channel blockade slows repolarization and subsequent depolarization of SAN cells. In the atrial-specific Na + /Ca 2+ exchanger (NCX) knockout mouse, cellular Ca 2+ accumulation during spontaneous SAN pacemaker activity produces intermittent hyperactivation of SK channels, leading to arrhythmic pauses alternating with bursts of pacing. These findings suggest that Ca 2+ -sensitive SK channels can translate changes in cellular Ca 2+ into a repolarizing current capable of modulating pacemaking. SK channels are a potential pharmacological target for modulating SAN rate or treating SAN dysfunction, particularly under conditions characterized by abnormal increases in diastolic Ca 2+ . Small conductance K + (SK) channels have been implicated as modulators of spontaneous depolarization and electrical conduction that may be involved in cardiac arrhythmia. However, neither their presence nor their contribution to sinoatrial node (SAN) pacemaker activity has been investigated. Using quantitative PCR (q-PCR), immunostaining and patch clamp recordings of membrane current and voltage, we identified all three SK isoforms (SK1, SK2 and SK3) in mouse SAN. Inhibition of SK channels with the specific blocker apamin prolonged action potentials (APs) in isolated SAN cells. Apamin also slowed diastolic depolarization and reduced pacemaker rate in isolated SAN cells and intact tissue. We investigated whether the Ca 2+ -sensitive nature of SK channels could explain arrhythmic SAN pacemaker activity in the atrial-specific Na + /Ca 2+ exchange (NCX) knockout (KO) mouse, a model of cellular Ca 2+ overload. SAN cells isolated from the NCX KO exhibited higher SK current than wildtype (WT) and apamin

77 FR 66499 - Environmental Impact Statement: San Bernardino and Los Angeles Counties, CA

Science.gov (United States)

2012-11-05

... San Bernardino, 285 East Hospitality Lane, San Bernardino, California 92408 (2) Sheraton Ontario..., November 13, 2012 from 5-7 p.m. at the Hilton San Bernardino, 285 East Hospitality Lane, San Bernardino...

33 CFR 110.74c - Bahia de San Juan, PR.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Bahia de San Juan, PR. 110.74c Section 110.74c Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY ANCHORAGES ANCHORAGE REGULATIONS Special Anchorage Areas § 110.74c Bahia de San Juan, PR. The waters of San Antonio...

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