Automatically extracting polarity-bearing topics for cross-domain sentiment classification

Joint sentiment-topic (JST) model was previously proposed to detect sentiment and topic simultaneously from text. The only supervision required by JST model learning is domain-independent polarity word priors. In this paper, we modify the JST model by incorporating word polarity priors through modifying the topic-word Dirichlet priors. We study the polarity-bearing topics extracted by JST and show that by augmenting the original feature space with polarity-bearing topics, the in-domain supervised classifiers learned from augmented feature representation achieve the state-of-the-art performance of 95% on the movie review data and an average of 90% on the multi-domain sentiment dataset. Furthermore, using feature augmentation and selection according to the information gain criteria for cross-domain sentiment classification, our proposed approach performs either better or comparably compared to previous approaches. Nevertheless, our approach is much simpler and does not require difficult parameter tuning.

Effect of fluid contaminant on the behaviour of a hydrostatic thrust bearing

DUE TO COPYRIGHT RESTRICTIONS ONLY AVAILABLE FOR CONSULTATION AT ASTON UNIVERSITY LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SERVICES WITH PRIOR ARRANGEMENT

Bearing capacity of concrete

DUE TO COPYRIGHT RESTRICTIONS ONLY AVAILABLE FOR CONSULTATION AT ASTON UNIVERSITY LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SERVICES WITH PRIOR ARRANGEMENT

Adipose atrophy in cancer cachexia:morphologic and molecular analysis of adipose tissue in tumour-bearing mice

Extensive loss of adipose tissue is a hallmark of cancer cachexia but the cellular and molecular basis remains unclear. This study has examined morphologic and molecular characteristics of white adipose tissue in mice bearing a cachexia-inducing tumour, MAC16. Adipose tissue from tumour-bearing mice contained shrunken adipocytes that were heterogeneous in size. Increased fibrosis was evident by strong collagen-fibril staining in the tissue matrix. Ultrastructure of 'slimmed' adipocytes revealed severe delipidation and modifications in cell membrane conformation. There were major reductions in mRNA levels of adipogenic transcription factors including CCAAT/enhancer binding protein alpha (C/EBPα), CCAAT/enhancer binding protein beta, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, and sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) in adipose tissue, which was accompanied by reduced protein content of C/EBPα and SREBP-1. mRNA levels of SREBP-1c targets, fatty acid synthase, acetyl CoA carboxylase, stearoyl CoA desaturase 1 and glycerol-3-phosphate acyl transferase, also fell as did glucose transporter-4 and leptin. In contrast, mRNA levels of peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1alpha and uncoupling protein-2 were increased in white fat of tumour-bearing mice. These results suggest that the tumour-induced impairment in the formation and lipid storing capacity of adipose tissue occurs in mice with cancer cachexia. © 2006 Cancer Research UK.

Oil bearing seasonal crops in India:energy and phytoremediation potential

Purpose: A variety of biomass plantations are being raised for energy production. This case study is on energy production potential of seasonal oil bearing crops in India. These crops have the advantage of producing oil (liquid fuel) as well as biomass as agro residue (solid fuel). The purpose of the study is to estimate total energy yields of oil bearing crops and compare with other types of energy plantations. Also oil bearing crops bioaccumulate metals and thus phytoremediate soil. This provides scope for waste water irrigation. Design/methodology/approach: Relevant published papers on energy production by raising oil bearing crops have been analyzed. The effect of waste water irrigation and agronomic practices on increasing productivity is given special attention. Findings: It is shown that the seasonal oil bearing crops such as castor have a high potential to generate energy and this is comparable to energy produced by many perennial grasses. The energy yields of castor under irrigated condition was 196×103 MJ/ha and this is comparable to the reed canary grass which yields 195×103 MJ/ha. Some of the oil bearing crops are also super accumulators of certain toxic metals. Research limitations/implications: In this study, only all the accessible papers on the topic could be analyzed. Practical implications: This case study indicates that raising oil bearing crops such as castor using waste water has many advantages which include high energy yields, utilization of waste water for productive purpose and phytoremediation of soil. Originality/value: The comparison made between various types of energy crops for their energy generation is an original contribution. Findings of economic and environmental benefits by waste water irrigation are also of value. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

The role of primary carbides in fatigue crack propagation in aeroengine bearing steels

Fatigue crack propagation, tensile and fracture toughness data for four aeroengine bearing steels are reported. The steels involved are the through-hardened tool steels 18-4-1 (T1) and M50, and two similar carburized steels, RBD and Volvic. Crack growth data have been obtained at 20 °C and 280 °C to cover the range of oil temperatures experienced in aeroengine bearing operations. At 20 °C threshold ΔK values (ΔKth) ranged between 3.5 and 4.5 MPa √m with Paris exponents (m) of between 2.0 and 3.5. The lowest m-values were seen in the carburizing steels, which also exhibited lower Paris regime crack growth rates than M50 and 18-4-1. For all the steels, growth rates were higher at 280 °C,than 20 °C, although there was a slight tendency for ΔKth to increase, probably associated with oxide-induced closure at 280 °C. The effects of primary carbides, strength and toughness on fatigue crack growth behaviour are discussed, in relation to the importance of static-mode cracking. © 1990.

Grades do have a bearing

I am afraid that I need to challenge the assertion made by Rachel Airley in her letter (PJ, 10 March 2012, p308) that “there is no clear cut evidence that UCAS points obtained at school have any bearing on final degree performance”. Research from the Higher Education Funding Council for England — the body responsible for the distribution of funding to universities in England — shows that educational attainment before entry to higher education (ie, A-level grades) is the most important factor in determining academic success on undergraduate degree programmes.1,2 Indeed, research I have recently conducted on a cohort of MPharm students at Aston University (which will hopefully be published in a peer-reviewed academic journal shortly) demonstrates a strong positive correlation between UCAS Tariff points per A-level and final degree classification. As Dr Airley highlights in her letter, competition for places on MPharm programmes remains fierce and, in response to high levels of demand, her own institution has increased its standard entry offer. If UCAS Tariff points have little predictive ability of performance on the MPharm programme then, aside from minimising the administrative burden that the admissions process places on an institution, what is the logic behind increasing standard entry offers?

Branching Populations of Cells Bearing a Continuous Label

2000 Mathematics Subject Classification: 60J80.

Mineralogy, mineral chemistry, and genesis of precious metal-bearing volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits in the Newfoundland Appalachians, Canada: the Ming deposit as example

The Ming deposit, Newfoundland Appalachians, is a metamorphosed (upper greenschist to lower amphibolite facies), Cambro-Ordovician, bimodalmafic volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposit that consists of several, spatially-associated, elongated orebodies composed of stratabound semimassive to massive sulfides and/or discordant sulfide stringers in a rhyodacitic footwall. Copper is the main commodity; however, the deposit contains precious metal-bearing zones with elevated Au grades. In this study, field observations, microscopy, and micro-analytical tools including electron microprobe, laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and secondary ion mass spectrometry were used to constrain the relative timing of precious metal emplacement, the physico-chemical conditions of hydrothermal fluid precipitation, and the sources of sulfur, precious metals, semi-metals and metals. The ore mineral assemblage is complex and indicates an intermediate sulfidation state. Pyrite and chalcopyrite are the dominant ore minerals with minor sphalerite and pyrrhotite, and trace galena, arsenopyrite and cubanite. Additional trace phases include tellurides, NiSb phases, sulfosalts, electrum, AgHg±Au alloys, and oxides. Silver phases and precious metals occur predominantly in semi-massive and massive sulfides as free grains, and as grains spatially associated with arsenopyrite and/or sulfosalts. Precious metal phases occurring between recrystallized pyrite and within cataclastic pyrite are rare. Hence, the complex ore assemblage and textures strongly suggest syngenetic precious metal emplacement, whereas metamorphism and deformation only internally and locally remobilized precious metal phases. The ore assemblage formed from reduced, acidic hydrothermal fluids over a range of temperatures (≈350 to below 260ºC). The abundance of telluride and Ag-bearing tetrahedrite, however, varies strongly between the different orebodies indicating variable ƒTe₂, ƒSe₂, mBi, and mSb within the hydrothermal fluids. The variations in the concentrations of semi-metals and metals (As, Bi, Hg, Sb, Se, Te), as well as Au and Ag, were due to variations in temperature but also to a likely contribution of magmatic fluids into the VMS hydrothermal system from presumably different geothermal reservoirs. Sulfur isotope studies indicate at least two sulfur sources: sulfur from thermochemically-reduced seawater sulfate and igneous sulfur. The source of igneous sulfur is the igneous footwall, direct magmatic fluid/volatiles, or both. Upper greenschist to lower amphibolite metamorphic conditions and deformation had no significant effect on the sulfur isotope composition of the sulfides at the Ming deposit.

Smoking and dietary inadequacy among Inuvialuit women of child bearing age in the Northwest Territories, Canada

Objective. The prevalence of smoking in Aboriginal Canadians is higher than non-Aboriginal Canadians, a behavior that also tends to alter dietary patterns. Compared with the general Canadian population, maternal smoking rates are almost twice as high. The aim of this study was to compare dietary adequacy of Inuvialuit women of childbearing age comparing smokers versus non-smokers. Research methods & procedures. A cross-sectional study, where participants completed a culturally specific quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Non-parametric analysis was used to compare mean nutrient intake, dietary inadequacy and differences in nutrient density among smokers and non-smokers. Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed for key nutrients inadequacy and smoking status. Data was collected from three communities in the Beaufort Delta region of the Northwest Territories, Canada from randomly selected Inuvialuit women of childbearing age (19-44 years). Results: Of 92 participants, 75% reported being smokers. There were no significant differences in age, BMI, marital status, education, number of people in household working and/or number of self employed, and physical activity between smokers and non-smokers. Non-parametric analysis showed no differences in nutrient intake between smokers and non-smokers. Logistic regression however revealed there was a positive association between smoking and inadequacies of vitamin C (OR = 2.91, 95% CI, 1.17-5.25), iron (OR = 3.16, 95% CI, 1.27-5.90), and zinc (OR = 2.78, 95% CI, 1.12-4.94). A high percentage of women (>60%), regardless of smoking status, did not meet the dietary recommendations for fiber, vitamin D, E and potassium. Conclusions: This study provides evidence of inadequate dietary intake among Inuvialuit of childbearing age regardless of smoking behavior.

Boron uptake in normal melanocytes and melanoma cells and boron biodistribution study in mice bearing B16F10 melanoma for boron neutron capture therapy

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Study of Worker’s Exposure to Tantalum-bearing Particles in a Mining and Metallurgical Plant

The objective of this study was to assess worker exposure to mineral dust particles and a metabolic model, based on the model adopted by ICRP, was applied to assess human exposure to Ta, and predicted values of Ta concentrations in excreta. The occupational exposure to Th, U, Nb, and Ta bearing particles during routine tasks to obtain Fe-Nb alloys was estimated using air samplers and excreta samples. Ta concentrations in food samples and in drinking water were also determined. The results support that workers were occupationally exposed to Ta bearing particles, and also indicate that a source of Ta exposure for both workers and the control group was the ingestion of drinking water containing soluble compounds of Ta. Therefore, some Ta compounds should be considered soluble compounds in gastrointestinal tract. Consequently the metabolic model based on ICRP metabolic model and/or the transfer factor f1 for Ta should be reviewed and the solubility of Ta compounds in gastrointestinal should be determined.

Concrete deterioration due to sulfide-bearing aggregates

Dans la région de Trois-Rivières (Québec, Canada), plus de 1 000 bâtiments résidentiels et commerciaux montrent de graves problèmes de détérioration du béton. Les problèmes de détérioration sont liés à l’oxydation des sulfures de fer incorporés dans le granulat utilisé pour la confection du béton. Ce projet de doctorat vise à mieux comprendre les mécanismes responsables de la détérioration de béton incorporant des granulats contenant des sulfures de fer, et ce afin de développer une méthodologie pour évaluer efficacement la réactivité potentielle de ce type de granulats. Un examen pétrographique détaillé de carottes de béton extraites de fondations résidentielles montrant différents degré d’endommagement a été réalisé. Le granulat problématique contenant des sulfures de fer a été identifié comme un gabbro à hypersthène incorporant différentes proportions (selon les différentes localisations dans les deux carrières d’origine) de pyrrhotite, pyrite, chalcopyrite et pentlandite. Les produits de réaction secondaires observés dans les échantillons dégradés comprennent des formes minérales de "rouille", gypse, ettringite et thaumasite. Ces observations ont permis de déterminer qu’en présence d’eau et d’oxygène, la pyrrhotite s’oxyde pour former des oxyhydroxides de fer et de l’acide sulfurique qui provoquent une attaque aux sulfates dans le béton. Tout d’abord, la fiabilité de l’approche chimique proposée dans la norme européenne NF EN 12 620, qui consiste à mesurer la teneur en soufre total (ST,% en masse) dans le granulat pour détecter la présence (ou non) de sulfures de fer, a été évaluée de façon critique. Environ 50% (21/43) des granulats testés, représentant une variété de types de roches/lithologies, a montré une ST > 0,10%, montrant qu’une proportion importante de types de roches ne contient pas une quantité notable de sulfure, qui, pour la plupart d’entre eux, sont susceptibles d’être inoffensifs dans le béton. Ces types de roches/granulats nécessiteraient toutefois d’autres tests pour identifier la présence potentielle de pyrrhotite compte tenu de la limite de ST de 0,10 % proposée dans les normes européennes. Basé sur une revue exhaustive de la littérature et de nombreuses analyses de laboratoire, un test accéléré d’expansion sur barres de mortier divisé en deux phases a ensuite été développé pour reproduire, en laboratoire, les mécanismes de détérioration observés à Trois-Rivières. Le test consiste en un conditionnement de 90 jours à 80°C/80% RH, avec 2 cycles de mouillage de trois heures chacun, par semaine, dans une solution d’hypochlorite de sodium (eau de javel) à 6% (Phase I), suivi d’une période pouvant atteindre 90 jours de conditionnement à 4°C/100 % HR (Phase II). Les granulats ayant un potentiel d’oxydation ont présenté une expansion de 0,10 % au cours de la Phase I, tandis que la formation potentielle de thaumasite est détectée par le regain rapide de l’expansion suivi par la destruction des échantillons durant la Phase II. Un test de consommation d’oxygène a également été modifié à partir d’un test de Drainage Minier Acide, afin d’évaluer quantitativement le potentiel d’oxydation des sulfures de fer incorporés dans les granulats à béton. Cette technique mesure le taux de consommation d’oxygène dans la partie supérieure d’un cylindre fermé contenant une couche de matériau compacté afin de déterminer son potentiel d’oxydation. Des paramètres optimisés pour évaluer le potentiel d’oxydation des granulats comprennent une taille de particule inférieure à 150 μm, saturation à 40 %, un rapport de 10 cm d’épaisseur de granulat par 10 cm de dégagement et trois heures d’essai à 22ᵒC. Les résultats obtenus montrent que le test est capable de discriminer les granulats contenant des sulfures de fer des granulats de contrôle (sans sulfures de fer) avec un seuil limite fixé à 5% d’oxygène consommé. Finalement, un protocole d’évaluation capable d’estimer les effets néfastes potentiels des granulats à béton incorporant des sulfures de fer a été proposé. Le protocole est divisé en 3 grandes phases: (1) mesure de la teneur en soufre total, (2) évaluation de la consommation d’oxygène, et (3) un test accéléré d’expansion sur barres de mortier. Des limites provisoires sont proposées pour chaque phase du protocole, qui doivent être encore validées par la mise à l’essai d’un plus large éventail de granulats.