Follicular Conjunctivitis due to Chlamydia felis-Case Report, Review of the Literature and Improved Molecular Diagnostics.

Science.gov (United States)

Wons, Juliana; Meiller, Ralph; Bergua, Antonio; Bogdan, Christian; Geißdörfer, Walter

2017-01-01

A 29-year-old woman presented with unilateral, chronic follicular conjunctivitis since 6 weeks. While the conjunctival swab taken from the patient's eye was negative in a Chlamydia (C.) trachomatis -specific PCR, C. felis was identified as etiological agent using a pan- Chlamydia TaqMan-PCR followed by sequence analysis. A pet kitten of the patient was found to be the source of infection, as its conjunctival and pharyngeal swabs were also positive for C. felis . The patient was successfully treated with systemic doxycycline. This report, which presents one of the few documented cases of human C. felis infection, illustrates that standard PCR tests are designed to detect the most frequently seen species of a bacterial genus but might fail to be reactive with less common species. We developed a modified pan- Chlamydia / C. felis duplex TaqMan-PCR assay that detects C. felis without the need of subsequent sequencing. The role of chlamydiae-specific serum antibody titers for the diagnosis of follicular conjunctivitis is discussed.

Redescription of Hepatozoon felis (Apicomplexa: Hepatozoidae) based on phylogenetic analysis, tissue and blood form morphology, and possible transplacental transmission.

Science.gov (United States)

Baneth, Gad; Sheiner, Alina; Eyal, Osnat; Hahn, Shelley; Beaufils, Jean-Pierre; Anug, Yigal; Talmi-Frank, Dalit

2013-04-15

A Hepatozoon parasite was initially reported from a cat in India in 1908 and named Leucocytozoon felis domestici. Although domestic feline hepatozoonosis has since been recorded from Europe, Africa, Asia and America, its description, classification and pathogenesis have remained vague and the distinction between different species of Hepatozoon infecting domestic and wild carnivores has been unclear. The aim of this study was to carry out a survey on domestic feline hepatozoonosis and characterize it morphologically and genetically. Hepatozoon sp. DNA was amplified by PCR from the blood of 55 of 152 (36%) surveyed cats in Israel and from all blood samples of an additional 19 cats detected as parasitemic by microscopy during routine hematologic examinations. Hepatozoon sp. forms were also characterized from tissues of naturally infected cats. DNA sequencing determined that all cats were infected with Hepatozoon felis except for two infected by Hepatozoon canis. A significant association (p = 0.00001) was found between outdoor access and H. felis infection. H. felis meronts containing merozoites were characterized morphologically from skeletal muscles, myocardium and lungs of H. felis PCR-positive cat tissues and development from early to mature meront was described. Distinctly-shaped gamonts were observed and measured from the blood of these H. felis infected cats. Two fetuses from H. felis PCR-positive queens were positive by PCR from fetal tissue including the lung and amniotic fluid, suggesting possible transplacental transmission. Genetic analysis indicated that H. felis DNA sequences from Israeli cats clustered together with the H. felis Spain 1 and Spain 2 sequences. These cat H. felis sequences clustered separately from the feline H. canis sequences, which grouped with Israeli and foreign dog H. canis sequences. H. felis clustered distinctly from Hepatozoon spp. of other mammals. Feline hepatozoonosis caused by H. felis is mostly sub-clinical as a high

Aspergillus felis sp. nov., an emerging agent of invasive aspergillosis in humans, cats, and dogs.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vanessa R Barrs

Full Text Available We describe a novel heterothallic species in Aspergillus section Fumigati, namely A. felis (neosartorya-morph isolated from three host species with invasive aspergillosis including a human patient with chronic invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, domestic cats with invasive fungal rhinosinusitis and a dog with disseminated invasive aspergillosis. Disease in all host species was often refractory to aggressive antifungal therapeutic regimens. Four other human isolates previously reported as A. viridinutans were identified as A. felis on comparative sequence analysis of the partial β-tubulin and/or calmodulin genes. A. felis is a heterothallic mold with a fully functioning reproductive cycle, as confirmed by mating-type analysis, induction of teleomorphs within 7 to 10 days in vitro and ascospore germination. Phenotypic analyses show that A. felis can be distinguished from the related species A. viridinutans by its ability to grow at 45°C and from A. fumigatus by its inability to grow at 50°C. Itraconazole and voriconazole cross-resistance was common in vitro.

The RF system for FELI linac

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morii, Y.; Abe, S.; Keishi, T.; Tomimasu, T.

1995-01-01

FELI (Free Electron Laser Research Institute, Inc.) is constructing a Free Electron Laser facility covering from 20μm (infra red region) to 0.35μm (ultra violet region), using as S-band linac. The linac consists of a thermoionic 0.5ns-pulse triggered gun, a 714-MHz SHB (subharmonic buncher), a 2856-MHz standing wave type buncher, and seven ETL (Electro-technical Laboratory) type accelerating sections. An RF system of the linac for FELs is required of long pulse duration and high stability. Two S-band klystrons (TOSHIBA E3729) are operated in three pulse operation modes (pulse width and peak RF power): 24μs-24MW, 12.5μs-34MW, 0.5μs-70MW. Each klystron modulator has a PFN consisting of 4 parallel networks of 24 capacitors and 24 variable inductors, and it has a line switch of an optical thyristor stack. An S-band klystron and its modulator were combined to test their performance at the works of NISSIN ELECTRIC Co. in December 1993. These equipments were installed at FELI in January 1994. The design and experimental results of the RF system are summarized in this paper. (author)

Human Infection with Rickettsia felis, Kenya

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

Human Infection with Rickettsia felis, Kenya Allen L. Richards, Ju Jiang, Sylvia Omulo, Ryan Dare, Khalif Abdirah~a~, P:bdile Ali, Shanaaz K...infection with obligate intracellular rickettsiae , which are transmitted to humans by arthropod vectors (e.g., lice, fleas, ticks, and mites... Rickettsiae are associated with arthropods for a least a part of their life cycle and are passed to other arthropods by transovarial transmission or

Lattice design of beam transport system of FELI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miyauchi, Y.; Koga, A.; Morii, Y.; Sato, S.; Keishi, T.; Tomimasu, T.

1994-01-01

A plan of lasing wide range FEL (Free Electron Laser) is in progress at FELI. For this purpose, an S-band linac accelerator system of four output energy levels is under construction. This paper describes the lattice design of its beam transport (BT) system. (author)

Effects on the development of Dipylidium caninum and on the host reaction to this parasite in the adult flea (Ctenocephalides felis felis).

Science.gov (United States)

Pugh, R E

1987-01-01

Temperature was found to be a major factor affecting the development of Dipylidium caninum and the presence of a host reaction of adult Ctenocephalides felis felis to D. caninum. Adult fleas reared at 30-32 degrees C contained fully developed metacestodes when they emerged from their cocoons. However at lower temperatures, D. caninum could not complete development until the flea hosts had spent some time on their mammalian hosts. It was the surface temperature of the mammals (31-36 degrees C) and not the fleas' blood meals which resulted in the metacestodes completing their development. This development of D. caninum was therefore independent of the flea development. At 20 degrees C, a larger and more prolonged host reaction was mounted than at higher temperatures. The larval flea diet had a small effect on the subsequent cestode development and the adult fleas' reaction to it.

Shell-vial culture and real-time PCR applied to Rickettsia typhi and Rickettsia felis detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Segura, Ferran; Pons, Immaculada; Pla, Júlia; Nogueras, María-Mercedes

2015-11-01

Murine typhus is a zoonosis transmitted by fleas, whose etiological agent is Rickettsia typhi. Rickettsia felis infection can produces similar symptoms. Both are intracellular microorganisms. Therefore, their diagnosis is difficult and their infections can be misdiagnosed. Early diagnosis prevents severity and inappropriate treatment regimens. Serology can't be applied during the early stages of infection because it requires seroconversion. Shell-vial (SV) culture assay is a powerful tool to detect Rickettsia. The aim of the study was to optimize SV using a real-time PCR as monitoring method. Moreover, the study analyzes which antibiotics are useful to isolate these microorganisms from fleas avoiding contamination by other bacteria. For the first purpose, SVs were inoculated with each microorganism. They were incubated at different temperatures and monitored by real-time PCR and classical methods (Gimenez staining and indirect immunofluorescence assay). R. typhi grew at all temperatures. R. felis grew at 28 and 32 °C. Real-time PCR was more sensitive than classical methods and it detected microorganisms much earlier. Besides, the assay sensitivity was improved by increasing the number of SV. For the second purpose, microorganisms and fleas were incubated and monitored in different concentrations of antibiotics. Gentamicin, sufamethoxazole, trimethoprim were useful for R. typhi isolation. Gentamicin, streptomycin, penicillin, and amphotericin B were useful for R. felis isolation. Finally, the optimized conditions were used to isolate R. felis from fleas collected at a veterinary clinic. R. felis was isolated at 28 and 32 °C. However, successful establishment of cultures were not possible probably due to sub-optimal conditions of samples.

Atividade residual in vitro do pelo de cobertura de cães tratados com dinotefuran sobre larvas e adultos de Ctenocephalides felis felis (Bouché, 1835 (Siphonaptera: pulicidae Residual activity in vitro of treated dog's hair coat with dinotefuran on larvae and adults of Ctenocephalides felis felis (Bouché, 1835 (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thaís R. Correia

2008-12-01

Full Text Available O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a atividade in vitro do resíduo em pelo de cobertura de cães tratados com dinotefuran sobre larvas e adultos de Ctenocephalides felis felis. Foram utilizadas três cadelas da Raça Beagle: a nº 1 foi tratada com uma formulação spray de dinotefuran a 0,834%, a nº 2 com uma formulação "strip-on" de dinotefuran a 30% e a nº 3 foi mantida sem tratamento. Pequenas áreas foram tricotomizadas nos dias 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, 37 e 44 após o tratamento. Para avaliação adulticida e larvicida, foram utilizados pulgas de uma colônia mantida em laboratório. Seis repetições com cada uma contendo 10 exemplares de C. f. felis, acondicionados em tubos de ensaio, da etapa correspondente foram utilizados por dia de desafio. Em cada repetição foi adicionado 0,02 gramas de pelo de cada área tricotomizada e dieta na etapa de larvas. O material da etapa adulto foi avaliado num período de 24 horas, o da etapa larvas foi avaliado após 20 dias de cada desafio. O resíduo no pêlo de cães tratados com ambas as formulações de dinotefuran foi eficaz no controle de larvas por um período de 44 dias, e no controle de adultos as formulações spray e a "strip-on" foram eficazes por um período de 16 e 23 dias, respectivamente.The aim of this study was to evaluate the residual activity of treated dog's hair coat with dinotefuran on larvae and adults of Ctenocephalides felis felis. Three female Beagle dogs were used. One female dog was treated with 0.834% dinotefuran spray, the second was treated with 30% dinotefuran strip-on and the third was not treated. Some areas of dog's hair were clipped on days 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, 37 and 44 after treatment. For the evaluation of adulticidal and larvicidal activities, flea adults and larvae from the laboratory colony were used. Six repetitions were used with 10 samples of each flea stage per day, placed in assay tubes. In each repetition we added 0.02 g of treated or untreated dog

Outbreaks of Rickettsia felis in Kenya and Senegal, 2010

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

This podcast describes the outbreak of Rickettsia felis in Kenya between August 2006 and June 2008, and in rural Senegal from November 2008 through July 2009. CDC infectious disease pathologist Dr. Chris Paddock discusses what researchers learned about this flea-borne disease and how to prevent infection.

Chlamydiosis in a fishing cat (Felis viverrina).

Science.gov (United States)

Kik, M J; van der Hage, M H; Greydanus-van der Putten, S W

1997-06-01

A fishing cat (Felis viverrina) died overnight, within 12 hr of peracute onset of depression, slight tremors, pallor, and icterus. Necropsy showed widespread hemorrhage and hematomata in the heart, stomach, and kidneys. The lungs were hyperemic and edematous. The liver was swollen and yellowish green. The spleen was very large and hyperemic. Histologic changes consisted of pneumonia, hepatic necrosis, and renal hemorrhage with glomerular fibrin clots. Chlamydia antigen was detected in liver and kidney using a direct immunofluorescence assay, and Chlamydia were cultured.

Genome - wide variation and demographic history of small cats with a focus on Felis species

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Anubhab Khan

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Majority of the 38 known cat species are classified as small and they inhabit five of the seven continents. They survive in a vast range of habitats but still 12 out of the 18 threatened felids are small cats. However, there has not been enough progress in the field of small cat research as they generally get overshadowed by the charismatic big cats. Here we attempt to create a resource for small cat research especially of the genus Felis which has six species out of which two are classified as vulnerable by IUCN and at least one more is at risk. We collected tissue samples of four Felis chaus (Jungle cat from central India and used available whole genome sequences of nine individuals from four other Felis species, two individuals of Prionailurus bengalensis and an Otocolobus manul. These whole genome sequences were filtered and aligned with the already published domestic cat (Felis catus genome assembly. Felids are closely related species and reads from all species in our study aligned with the domestic cat genome with a rate of at least 93%. We estimated the existing genomic variation by calculating heterozygous SNP encounter rate. So far, it seems that all wild cats have more genetic variation than Felis catus species. This can be attributed to the inbreeding in these cats. Among the wild cats, Felis silvestris seems to have the highest level of genetic variation. To understand the reasons behind the distribution of genetic variation in small cats, we estimated the demographic histories of each of the species using PSMC. This method can only detect demographic changes more than 1000 generations ago. We observe that roughly all species share a parallel history in terms of population increase. The most interesting and important feature might be that all wild small cat population sizes increased exponentially around twenty thousand years ago as opposed to domestic cat and big cats which declined around this time. Another interesting feature of

Perfil hematológico, bioquímico sérico e sorológico de Felis domesticus com lagochilascariose experimental Hematological, serum biochemical and serological profile of Felis domesticus with experimental lagochilascariosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mariana Félix de Souza Prudente

2008-10-01

Full Text Available No presente trabalho, avaliou-se o hemograma, diversas proteínas e enzimas séricas ou plasmáticas e a produção de anticorpos específicos em Felis domesticus, experimentalmente infectados por Lagochilascaris minor. Verificou-se nos animais infectados aumento de leucócitos totais, principalmente eosinófilos; queda do número de plaquetas; aumento de aspartato-aminotransferase e alanina-aminotransferase; e principalmente a presença de anticorpos IgG específicos para antígenos do parasita. A reação com extrato bruto de parasitas adultos mostrou-se mais específica, permitindo a discriminação de soros de animais: não infectados, com infecção por outros parasitas, e com lagochilascariose. Esta é a primeira descrição da padronização de uma reação sorológica para diagnóstico da lagochilascariose em Felis domesticus.The present study evaluated the hemogram, different proteins, plasma enzymes, serum enzymes and specific antibody production of Felis domesticus experimentally infected by Lagochilascaris minor. The infected animals were seen to present increased total leukocytes (particularly eosinophils, decreased platelet counts, increased aspartate-aminotransferase and alanine-aminotransferase and, especially, the presence of specific IgG antibodies against antigens of the parasite. The reaction with crude extract of adult parasites was shown to be more specific, thereby enabling serum discrimination between the animals: non-infected, infected with other parasites and infected with lagochilascariosis. This is the first description of the standardization of a serological reaction for diagnosing lagochilascariosis in Felis domesticus.

Case report: pulicosis por Ctenocephalides felis felis en ovinos y caprinos en la sabana de Bogotá, Colombia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Efraín Benavides Ortiz

2010-06-01

Full Text Available In Colombia the rearing of hair sheep and goats are expanding in various regions for being an alternative for meat and milk production at competitive prices due to their adaptability and easiness to digest rough fodder. Among the ectoparasites that affect small ruminants traditionally are recognized the lice and the sheep keds Melophagus ovinus (Díptera: Hippoboscidae, however fleas are not included. Here the occurrence of the common cat flea Ctenocephalides felis felis (Díptera: Siphonaptera affecting sheep and goats in a farm at the Sabana de Bogotá are described an so there was performed an epidemiological and parasitological evaluation. The barn maintained animals in rotational grazing at an approximated stocking rate of 25 head/ha, receiving additional supplements of hay and silage. The presence of the flea was confirmed in sheep and goats, young and adult, as well as in dogs. Diverse degrees of anemia were evidenced but the association between flea infestation and anemia, or the presence of other anemia producing agents could not be studied. In the farm synthetic parasiticides are not used, extracts of Ruda (Ruta graveolens are administered to mitigate parasitosis, without major efficacy. Sheep and goat breeders in the tropics should consider flea infestation as an agent causing adverse animal welfare situations in their farms. Control should start from the knowledge of the life cycle of the flea, trying to interrupt it.

In vitro fertilization and sperm cryopreservation in the black-footed cat (Felis nigripes) and sand cat (Felis margarita).

Science.gov (United States)

Herrick, J R; Campbell, M; Levens, G; Moore, T; Benson, K; D'Agostino, J; West, G; Okeson, D M; Coke, R; Portacio, S C; Leiske, K; Kreider, C; Polumbo, P J; Swanson, W F

2010-03-01

Studies of in vitro fertilization (IVF) and sperm cryopreservation have been conducted in several small cat species, but virtually no data exist for black-footed cats (Felis nigripes) (BFCs) or sand cats (Felis margarita) (SCs). The objectives of this study were 1) to compare in vitro motility and acrosome status of fresh and cryopreserved (frozen in pellets on dry ice or in straws in liquid nitrogen vapor) BFC and SC spermatozoa cultured in feline-optimized culture medium (FOCM) or Ham F-10, 2) to assess ovarian responsiveness in BFCs and SCs following exogenous gonadotropin treatment and laparoscopic oocyte recovery, and 3) to evaluate the fertility of fresh and frozen-thawed spermatozoa from both species using homologous and heterologous (domestic cat oocytes) IVF in the two culture media. Motility and acrosomal integrity of fresh and frozen-thawed spermatozoa from BFCs and SCs were similar (P > 0.05) in both media during 6 h of culture. Although effects were more pronounced in SCs, cryopreservation in straws was superior (P 80% of recovered oocytes were of optimal (grade 1) quality. The BFC and SC spermatozoa fertilized 60.0%-79.4% of homologous and 37.7%-42.7% of heterologous oocytes in both culture media, with increased (P < 0.05) cleavage of homologous (SC) and heterologous (BFC and SC) oocytes in FOCM. These results provide the first information to date on the gamete biology of two imperiled cat species and further our capacity to apply reproductive technologies for their conservation.

The effect of cat Felis catus predation on three breeding ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Breeding success of Pterodroma macroptera, Procellaria aequinoctialis and Pachyptila vittata salvini in three cat-free and three control areas were used to evaluate the effects of cat Felis catus predation on the avifauna of Marion Island. Breeding success of all three species was significantly higher in the combined cat-free ...

Modelling the current distribution and predicted spread of the flea species Ctenocephalides felis infesting outdoor dogs in Spain.

Science.gov (United States)

Gálvez, Rosa; Musella, Vicenzo; Descalzo, Miguel A; Montoya, Ana; Checa, Rocío; Marino, Valentina; Martín, Oihane; Cringoli, Giuseppe; Rinaldi, Laura; Miró, Guadalupe

2017-09-19

The cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis, is the most prevalent flea species detected on dogs and cats in Europe and other world regions. The status of flea infestation today is an evident public health concern because of their cosmopolitan distribution and the flea-borne diseases transmission. This study determines the spatial distribution of the cat flea C. felis infesting dogs in Spain. Using geospatial tools, models were constructed based on entomological data collected from dogs during the period 2013-2015. Bioclimatic zones, covering broad climate and vegetation ranges, were surveyed in relation to their size. The models builded were obtained by negative binomial regression of several environmental variables to show impacts on C. felis infestation prevalence: land cover, bioclimatic zone, mean summer and autumn temperature, mean summer rainfall, distance to urban settlement and normalized difference vegetation index. In the face of climate change, we also simulated the future distributions of C. felis for the global climate model (GCM) "GFDL-CM3" and for the representative concentration pathway RCP45, which predicts their spread in the country. Predictive models for current climate conditions indicated the widespread distribution of C. felis throughout Spain, mainly across the central northernmost zone of the mainland. Under predicted conditions of climate change, the risk of spread was slightly greater, especially in the north and central peninsula, than for the current situation. The data provided will be useful for local veterinarians to design effective strategies against flea infestation and the pathogens transmitted by these arthropods.

Molecular detection of Anaplasma bovis, Ehrlichia canis and Hepatozoon felis in cats from Luanda, Angola.

Science.gov (United States)

Oliveira, Ana Cristina; Luz, Maria Francisca; Granada, Sara; Vilhena, Hugo; Nachum-Biala, Yaarit; Lopes, Ana Patrícia; Cardoso, Luís; Baneth, Gad

2018-03-20

Molecular identification of tick-borne pathogen infection in cats from Africa is scarce. The presence of bacterial (Anaplasma and Ehrlichia) and protozoal (Babesia and Hepatozoon) agents was investigated in blood samples from 102 domestic cats from Luanda, Angola, by polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing. Three cats (2.9%) were found infected with Ehrlichia canis, three (2.9%) with Hepatozoon felis and one (1.0%) with Anaplasma bovis. The prevalence of infections with one single agent was 4.9%, and that of infection with two agents (i.e. E. canis and H. felis) was 1.0%. In total, six cats (5.9%) were found infected with at least one of the detected tick-borne agents. This is the first report of A. bovis, E. canis and H. felis in cats from Angola. To the best of our knowledge, A. bovis is also being reported for the first time in domestic cats outside of Japan. Cats are at a low to moderate risk of being infected with tick-borne agents in Luanda.

Detection of Rickettsia felis, Rickettsia typhi, Bartonella Species and Yersinia pestis in Fleas (Siphonaptera) from Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Leulmi, Hamza; Socolovschi, Cristina; Laudisoit, Anne; Houemenou, Gualbert; Davoust, Bernard; Bitam, Idir; Raoult, Didier; Parola, Philippe

2014-10-01

Little is known about the presence/absence and prevalence of Rickettsia spp, Bartonella spp. and Yersinia pestis in domestic and urban flea populations in tropical and subtropical African countries. Fleas collected in Benin, the United Republic of Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo were investigated for the presence and identity of Rickettsia spp., Bartonella spp. and Yersinia pestis using two qPCR systems or qPCR and standard PCR. In Xenopsylla cheopis fleas collected from Cotonou (Benin), Rickettsia typhi was detected in 1% (2/199), and an uncultured Bartonella sp. was detected in 34.7% (69/199). In the Lushoto district (United Republic of Tanzania), R. typhi DNA was detected in 10% (2/20) of Xenopsylla brasiliensis, and Rickettsia felis was detected in 65% (13/20) of Ctenocephalides felis strongylus, 71.4% (5/7) of Ctenocephalides canis and 25% (5/20) of Ctenophthalmus calceatus calceatus. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, R. felis was detected in 56.5% (13/23) of Ct. f. felis from Kinshasa, in 26.3% (10/38) of Ct. f. felis and 9% (1/11) of Leptopsylla aethiopica aethiopica from Ituri district and in 19.2% (5/26) of Ct. f. strongylus and 4.7% (1/21) of Echidnophaga gallinacea. Bartonella sp. was also detected in 36.3% (4/11) of L. a. aethiopica. Finally, in Ituri, Y. pestis DNA was detected in 3.8% (1/26) of Ct. f. strongylus and 10% (3/30) of Pulex irritans from the villages of Wanyale and Zaa. Most flea-borne infections are neglected diseases which should be monitored systematically in domestic rural and urban human populations to assess their epidemiological and clinical relevance. Finally, the presence of Y. pestis DNA in fleas captured in households was unexpected and raises a series of questions regarding the role of free fleas in the transmission of plague in rural Africa, especially in remote areas where the flea density in houses is high.

Outbreaks of Rickettsia felis in Kenya and Senegal, 2010

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

2010-06-09

This podcast describes the outbreak of Rickettsia felis in Kenya between August 2006 and June 2008, and in rural Senegal from November 2008 through July 2009. CDC infectious disease pathologist Dr. Chris Paddock discusses what researchers learned about this flea-borne disease and how to prevent infection.  Created: 6/9/2010 by National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID).   Date Released: 6/24/2010.

Prevalensi Infeksi Protozoa Saluran Pencernaan Pada Kucing Lokal (Felis catus Di Denpasar

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Putu Titin Evi Sucitrayani

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Cat is one of the pets which many people love to looking after.  A lot of people looking after cat but so many of them don’t pay much attention to cats wealth, this makes them become stray cat. The most common gastrointestinal protozoa in cat is Giardia felis, Cryptosporadium felis, Sarcocystis spp, Hammondia hamondi, Toxoplasma gondii, and Isospora spp. The purpose of this research is to know the prevalence of gastrointestinal protozoa infection in local home cat and stray cat in Denpasar. This research used 80 samples of cat feces, 40 home cat feces and 40 stray cat feces. Samples examined using float concentration method, with saturated sodium chloride. From 80 examined samples, 25 samples (31,3 % infected with gastrointestinal protozoa. For home cat, from 40 examined samples 9 samples  (22,5%  infected with gastrointestinal protozoa, meanwhile from stray cat, 16 samples (40 %  infected from gastrointestinal protozoa.

FELI linac for IR- and UV-FEL facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tomimasu, T.; Morii, Y.; Abe, S.

1995-01-01

FELI linac and IR-FEL facilities are now under construction and electron beams of 30-75MeV will be used for FIR- and IR-FEL experiments in this summer. It is composed of a 5-MeV electron injector and seven ETL type accelerating waveguides with a length of 2.93m (2π/3 mode, linearly tapered type). The injector consists of a 150-kV DC thermoionic triode gun operated by a 178.5-MHz and 500-ps pulser, a 714-MHz prebuncher (SHB), and a 2856-MHz standing wave type buncher (SWB). The linac is operated in three modes of 24μs, 12.5μs and 0.5μs. With a choice of three modes, the maximum beam loaded energy can be changed from 165 MeV to 288 MeV. The linac beam is sent to four vertical type undulators using S-type BT systems installed at 30-MeV, 75-MeV, 120-MeV, and 165-MeV sections at a 24-μs pulse beam load. The beam, once used for lasing at 30-MeV section or at 75-MeV section, can be bent back to the following accelerating waveguide and is reaccelerated and reused for lasing. Parameters of four undulators and intended FEL applications are shown. FEL spectral widths and wavelength limitations are also reviewed and discussed for 0.3μm FEL oscillations FELI is aiming at by the end of 1996. (author)

Material and process selection using product examples

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lenau, Torben Anker

2001-01-01

The objective of the paper is to suggest a different procedure for selecting materials and processes within the product development work. The procedure includes using product examples in order to increase the number of alternative materials and processes that is considered. Product examples can c...... a search engine, and through hyperlinks can relevant materials and processes be explored. Realising that designers are very sensitive to user interfaces do all descriptions of materials, processes and products include graphical descriptions, i.e. pictures or computer graphics....

Material and process selection using product examples

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lenau, Torben Anker

2002-01-01

The objective of the paper is to suggest a different procedure for selecting materials and processes within the product development work. The procedure includes using product examples in order to increase the number of alternative materials and processes that is considered. Product examples can c...... a search engine, and through hyperlinks can relevant materials and processes be explored. Realising that designers are very sensitive to user interfaces do all descriptions of materials, processes and products include graphical descriptions, i.e. pictures or computer graphics....

Flea (Ctenocephalides felis) control efficacy of topical indoxacarb on dogs subsequently bathed with a chlorhexidine–ketoconazole shampoo

Science.gov (United States)

Liebenberg, JE; Heaney, K; Guerino, F

2015-01-01

Objective An evaluation of the effect of chlorhexidine/ketoconazole shampoo baths on the flea control efficacy of indoxacarb applied topically to dogs. Methods and Results We randomly allocated 18 healthy mixed‐breed dogs to 3 groups: shampoo only; indoxacarb treated and medicated shampoo; and indoxacarb treated but not shampooed. Indoxacarb was administered on day 0 and dogs were shampooed on days 9 and 23. Dogs were infested with 100 adult Ctenocephalides felis initially 2 days before treatment and then weekly from days 7 to 28. Fleas were removed and counted 48 h post‐infestation. Conclusion Medicated shampoo use did not significantly reduce indoxacarb efficacy against C. felis. PMID:26220323

Endometrial cytology in the female cat (Felis catus) during diestrus

OpenAIRE

Sánchez Riquelme, Alfonso; Arias Ruiz, Francisco

2017-01-01

The purpose of the study was to describe and quantify cytological findings in the cat’s endometrium (Felis catus). Twenty genital tracts were obtained by ovariohysterectomy. To establish the status of the estrous cycle, vaginal cytology was evaluated and ovarian structures were recorded, resulting that all females were in the luteal phase. According to the presence of corpora lutea and follicles, a classification of the luteal phase was proposed: early diestrus: corpora lutea and follicles of...

Isolation and characterization of a novel Rickettsia species (Rickettsia asembonensis sp. nov.) obtained from cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis).

Science.gov (United States)

Maina, Alice N; Luce-Fedrow, Alison; Omulo, Sylvia; Hang, Jun; Chan, Teik-Chye; Ade, Fredrick; Jima, Dereje D; Ogola, Eric; Ge, Hong; Breiman, Robert F; Njenga, Moses K; Richards, Allen L

2016-11-01

A novel rickettsial agent, 'Candidatus Rickettsia asembonensis' strain NMRCiiT, was isolated from cat fleas, Ctenocephalides felis, from Kenya. Genotypic characterization of the new isolate based on sequence analysis of five rickettsial genes, rrs, gltA, ompA, ompB and sca4, indicated that this isolate clustered with Rickettsia felis URRWXCal2. The degree of nucleotide similarity demonstrated that isolate NMRCiiT belongs within the genus Rickettsia and fulfils the criteria for classification as a representative of a novel species. The name Rickettsia asembonensis sp. nov. is proposed, with NMRCiiT (=DSM 100172T=CDC CRIRC RAS001T=ATCC VR-1827T) as the type strain.

Aspergillus felis sp nov., an Emerging Agent of Invasive Aspergillosis in Humans, Cats, and Dogs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Barrs, Vanessa R.; van Doorn, Tineke M.; Houbraken, Jos; Kidd, Sarah E.; Martin, Patricia; Pinheiro, Maria Dolores; Richardson, Malcolm; Varga, Janos; Samson, Robert A.

2013-01-01

We describe a novel heterothallic species in Aspergillus section Fumigati, namely A. felis (neosartorya-morph) isolated from three host species with invasive aspergillosis including a human patient with chronic invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, domestic cats with invasive fungal rhinosinusitis and a

Rickettsia typhi IN RODENTS AND R. felis IN FLEAS IN YUCATÁN AS A POSSIBLE CAUSAL AGENT OF UNDEFINED FEBRILE CASES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gaspar PENICHE-LARA

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Rickettsia typhi is the causal agent of murine typhus; a worldwide zoonotic and vector-borne infectious disease, commonly associated with the presence of domestic and wild rodents. Human cases of murine typhus in the state of Yucatán are frequent. However, there is no evidence of the presence of Rickettsia typhi in mammals or vectors in Yucatán. The presence of Rickettsia in rodents and their ectoparasites was evaluated in a small municipality of Yucatán using the conventional polymerase chain reaction technique and sequencing. The study only identified the presence of Rickettsia typhi in blood samples obtained from Rattus rattus and it reported, for the first time, the presence of R. felis in the flea Polygenis odiosus collected from Ototylomys phyllotis rodent. Additionally, Rickettsia felis was detected in the ectoparasite Ctenocephalides felis fleas parasitizing the wild rodent Peromyscus yucatanicus. This study’s results contributed to a better knowledge of Rickettsia epidemiology in Yucatán.

Hematology, cytochemistry and ultrastructure of blood cells in fishing cat (Felis viverrina)

OpenAIRE

Prihirunkit, Kreangsak; Salakij, Chaleow; Apibal, Suntaree; Narkkong, Nual-Anong

2007-01-01

Hematological, cytochemical and ultrastructural features of blood cells in fishing cat (Felis viverrina) were evaluated using complete blood cell counts with routine and cytochemical blood stains, and scanning and transmission electron microscopy. No statistically significant difference was found in different genders of this animal. Unique features of blood cells in this animal were identified in hematological, cytochemical and ultrastructural studies. This study contributes to broaden hemato...

Flea (Ctenocephalides felis) control efficacy of topical indoxacarb on dogs subsequently bathed with a chlorhexidine-ketoconazole shampoo.

Science.gov (United States)

Armstrong, R D; Liebenberg, J E; Heaney, K; Guerino, F

2015-08-01

An evaluation of the effect of chlorhexidine/ketoconazole shampoo baths on the flea control efficacy of indoxacarb applied topically to dogs. We randomly allocated 18 healthy mixed-breed dogs to 3 groups: shampoo only; indoxacarb treated and medicated shampoo; and indoxacarb treated but not shampooed. Indoxacarb was administered on day 0 and dogs were shampooed on days 9 and 23. Dogs were infested with 100 adult Ctenocephalides felis initially 2 days before treatment and then weekly from days 7 to 28. Fleas were removed and counted 48 h post-infestation. Medicated shampoo use did not significantly reduce indoxacarb efficacy against C. felis. © 2015 MSD Animal Health. Australian Veterinary Journal published by Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd on behalf of Australian Veterinary Association.

Seroprevalence of Rickettsia bellii and Rickettsia felis in dogs, São José dos Pinhais, State of Paraná, Brazil Soroprevalência de Rickettsia bellii e Rickettsia felis em cães, São José dos Pinhais, Paraná, Brasil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernanda Silva Fortes

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Brazilian spotted fever (BSF is a vector-borne zoonosis caused by Rickettsia rickettsii bacteria. Dogs can be host sentinels for this bacterium. The aim of the study was to determine the presence of antibodies against Rickettsia spp. in dogs from the city of São José dos Pinhais, State of Paraná, Southern Brazil, where a human case of BSF was first reported in the state. Between February 2006 and July 2007, serum samples from 364 dogs were collected and tested at 1:64 dilutions by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA against R. rickettsii and R. parkeri. All sera that reacted at least to one of Rickettsia species were tested against the six main Rickettsia species identified in Brazil: R. rickettsii, R. parkeri, R. bellii, R. rhipicephali, R. amblyommii and R. felis. Sixteen samples (4.4% reacted to at least one Rickettsia species. Among positive animals, two dogs (15.5% showed suggestive titers for R. bellii exposure. One sample had a homologous reaction to R. felis, a confirmed human pathogen. Although Rickettsia spp. circulation in dogs in the area studied may be considered at low prevalence, suggesting low risk of human infection, the present data demonstrate for the first time the exposure of dogs to R. bellii and R. felis in Southern Brazil.A febre maculosa brasileira (FMB é uma zoonose veiculada por carrapatos e causada pela bactéria Rickettsia rickettsii, podendo os cães ser hospedeiros sentinelas para essa bactéria. O objetivo do estudo foi determinar a presença de anticorpos contra Rickettsia spp. em cães de São José dos Pinhais, estado do Paraná, Sul do Brasil. Entre fevereiro de 2006 e julho de 2007, amostras séricas de 364 cães foram coletadas e testadas na diluição de 1:64 por Reação de Imunofluorescência Indireta (RIFI contra R. rickettsii e R. parkeri. Todos os soros reagentes para pelo menos uma espécie de Rickettsia foram testados contra as seis principais espécies de Rickettsia identificadas no Brasil: R

Metales pesados en tejido muscular del bagre Ariopsis felis en el sur del golfo de México (2001-2004 Heavy metals in muscular tissue of the catfish, Ariopsis felis, in the southern Gulfof México (2001-2004

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Felipe Vázquez

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Se analizó el contenido de metales pesados en tejido muscular del bagre, Ariopsis felis en el sur del golfo de México durante el período 2001-2004. La investigación fue efectuada buscando establecer un marco de referencia ambiental para este organismo. La concentración metálica siguió el orden: Hg We analyzed the heavy metal content in the muscular tissue of the catfish, Ariopsis felis, in the southern Gulf of México between 2001 and 2004. The research was done in order to establish an environmental frame of reference for this organism. The metal concentration was as follows: Hg < Co < Pb < Ni < V < Cr. Cobalt and vanadium contents were found to decrease and those of nickel, mercury, and chromium to ulerease; however, neither of these trends was observed for the lead content. One-way analyses of variance con-firm significant temporal variation only for cobalt, mercury, lead, and vanadium. Significant linear correlation coefficients (p ≤ 0.05 were found for Co-V, Cr-Ni, Cr-Pb, Co-Hg, Ni-V, and V-Pb. The first three associa-tions showed positive correlations, whereas the remaining ones had negative correlations. A factor analysis grouped the studied metals depending on their origins. The metal levels found in the muscular tissue of A. felis from the southern Gulf of México were lower than those set by national and international regulations.

Rickettsia typhi in rodents and R. felis in fleas in Yucatán as a possible causal agent of undefined febrile cases.

Science.gov (United States)

Peniche-Lara, Gaspar; Dzul-Rosado, Karla; Pérez-Osorio, Carlos; Zavala-Castro, Jorge

2015-01-01

Rickettsia typhi is the causal agent of murine typhus; a worldwide zoonotic and vector-borne infectious disease, commonly associated with the presence of domestic and wild rodents. Human cases of murine typhus in the state of Yucatán are frequent. However, there is no evidence of the presence of Rickettsia typhi in mammals or vectors in Yucatán. The presence of Rickettsia in rodents and their ectoparasites was evaluated in a small municipality of Yucatán using the conventional polymerase chain reaction technique and sequencing. The study only identified the presence of Rickettsia typhi in blood samples obtained from Rattus rattus and it reported, for the first time, the presence of R. felis in the flea Polygenis odiosus collected from Ototylomys phyllotis rodent. Additionally, Rickettsia felis was detected in the ectoparasite Ctenocephalides felis fleas parasitizing the wild rodent Peromyscus yucatanicus. This study's results contributed to a better knowledge of Rickettsia epidemiology in Yucatán.

Selection of examples in case-based computer-aided decision systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mazurowski, Maciej A; Zurada, Jacek M; Tourassi, Georgia D

2008-01-01

Case-based computer-aided decision (CB-CAD) systems rely on a database of previously stored, known examples when classifying new, incoming queries. Such systems can be particularly useful since they do not need retraining every time a new example is deposited in the case base. The adaptive nature of case-based systems is well suited to the current trend of continuously expanding digital databases in the medical domain. To maintain efficiency, however, such systems need sophisticated strategies to effectively manage the available evidence database. In this paper, we discuss the general problem of building an evidence database by selecting the most useful examples to store while satisfying existing storage requirements. We evaluate three intelligent techniques for this purpose: genetic algorithm-based selection, greedy selection and random mutation hill climbing. These techniques are compared to a random selection strategy used as the baseline. The study is performed with a previously presented CB-CAD system applied for false positive reduction in screening mammograms. The experimental evaluation shows that when the development goal is to maximize the system's diagnostic performance, the intelligent techniques are able to reduce the size of the evidence database to 37% of the original database by eliminating superfluous and/or detrimental examples while at the same time significantly improving the CAD system's performance. Furthermore, if the case-base size is a main concern, the total number of examples stored in the system can be reduced to only 2-4% of the original database without a decrease in the diagnostic performance. Comparison of the techniques shows that random mutation hill climbing provides the best balance between the diagnostic performance and computational efficiency when building the evidence database of the CB-CAD system.

Hepatozoon silvestris sp. nov.: morphological and molecular characterization of a new species of Hepatozoon (Adeleorina: Hepatozoidae) from the European wild cat (Felis silvestris silvestris).

Science.gov (United States)

Hodžić, Adnan; Alić, Amer; Prašović, Senad; Otranto, Domenico; Baneth, Gad; Duscher, Georg Gerhard

2017-04-01

Based on morphological and genetic characteristics, we describe a new species of Hepatozoon in the European wild cat (Felis silvestris silvestris), herein named Hepatozoon silvestris sp. nov. The study also provides the first data on the occurrence of H. felis in this wild felid. Hepatozoon meronts were observed in multiple cross-sections of different organs of four (44%) cats. Additionally, extracellular forms, resembling mature gamonts of Hepatozoon, were found in the spleen and myocardium of two cats. Furthermore, tissues of six animals (67%) were positive by PCR. Hepatozoon felis was identified infecting one cat (11%), whereas the 18S rRNA sequences of the remaining five cats (56%) were identical, but distinct from the sequences of H. felis. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that those sequences form a highly supported clade distant from other Hepatozoon spp. Future studies should include domestic cats from the areas where the wild cats positive for H. silvestris sp. nov. were found, in order to investigate their potential role to serve as intermediate hosts of this newly described species. Identification of its definitive host(s) and experimental transmission studies are required for elucidating the full life cycle of this parasite and the possible alternative routes of its transmission.

Molecular characterization of Hepatozoon felis in Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks infested on captive lions (Panthera leo).

Science.gov (United States)

Bhusri, Benjaporn; Sariya, Ladawan; Mongkolphan, Chalisa; Suksai, Parut; Kaewchot, Supakarn; Changbunjong, Tanasak

2017-09-01

Hepatozoon spp. are protozoan parasites that infect a wide range of domestic and wild animals. The infection occurs by ingestion of an infected tick. This study was carried out to detect and characterize Hepatozoon spp. in ticks collected from captive lions ( Panthera leo ) in Thailand based on the partial 18S rRNA gene sequence. A total of 30 ticks were collected and identified as Rhipicephalus sanguineus . The collected ticks were separated into 10 tick pools by sex and life stages. Of the 10 tick pools examined, only one (10%) was found to be infected with the Hepatozoon species. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis showed a clustering of the partial 18S rRNA gene sequence like that of H. felis from the GenBank database. This is the first report of H. felis in R. sanguineus ticks collected from captive lions in Thailand. Our results indicated that R. sanguineus may be a possible vector of feline Hepatozoon in Thailand.

Hepatozoon silvestris sp. nov.: morphological and molecular characterization of a new species of Hepatozoon (Adeleorina: Hepatozoidae) from the European wild cat (Felis silvestris silvestris)

OpenAIRE

HOD?I?, ADNAN; ALI?, AMER; PRA?OVI?, SENAD; OTRANTO, DOMENICO; BANETH, GAD; DUSCHER, GEORG GERHARD

2016-01-01

SUMMARY Based on morphological and genetic characteristics, we describe a new species of Hepatozoon in the European wild cat (Felis silvestris silvestris), herein named Hepatozoon silvestris sp. nov. The study also provides the first data on the occurrence of H. felis in this wild felid. Hepatozoon meronts were observed in multiple cross-sections of different organs of four (44%) cats. Additionally, extracellular forms, resembling mature gamonts of Hepatozoon, were found in the spleen and myo...

Influence de la température sur le développement de la puce africaine du chat Ctenocephalides felis strongylus (Jordan, 1925 (Siphonaptera : Pulicidae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yao K.P.

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Ctenocephalides felis (Bouché, 1835 communément appelée “puce du chat” présente deux sous-espèces reconnues : Ctenocephalides felis strongylus (Jordan, 1925 inféodée au continent africain et Ctenocephalides felis felis (Bouché, 1835 présente dans les zones à climat tempéré (Afrique du Nord, Europe et Amérique (Ménier et Beaucournu, 1999. En Afrique subsaharienne, la principale puce retrouvée chez les animaux de compagnie et chez certains animaux d’élevage (ovins, caprins et bovins appartient à la sous-espèce C. f. strongylus. Quelques paramètres bio-écologiques de C. f. strongylus ont été étudiés dans différentes conditions d’élevage. Les résultats ont été comparés à ceux de C. f. felis actuellement disponibles. À 75% ± 5 d’humidité relative, le cycle de développement de C. f. strongylus dure 20-21 jours à 27 °C et de 16 à 17 jours à 29 °C. Ainsi, la sousespèce africaine de la puce du chat (C. f. strongylus se développe moins vite que C. f. felis à températures identiques. Cette différence pourrait s’expliquer par l’influence du climat de leurs aires de distribution respectives sur leur cycle de développement. À 75% ± 5 d’humidité relative, les adultes de C. f. strongylus ne peuvent survivre plus de 14 jours dans l’environnement à des températures comprises entre 27 et 29 °C, lorsqu’elles n’ont jamais pris de repas sanguin. Dans ces mêmes conditions, la durée de survie n’excède pas 16 jours à 19 °C. Mais lorsque C. f. strongylus a pris un premier repas de sang, elle a une durée de vie beaucoup plus courte lorsqu’elle est hors de son hôte. En effet, aucun individu n’est retrouvé vivant trois jours passé hors de la fourrure de son hôte à 29 °C, cinq jours à 27 °C et huit jours à 19 °C. Il en est de même pour C. f. felis. Ces données sur la bio-écologie de C. f. strongylus permettent de comprendre l’influence de la température sur son cycle de d

The RF system of FELI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morii, Y.; Miyauchi, Y.; Koga, A.; Abe, H.; Keishi, T.; Bessho, I.; Tomimasu, T.

1994-01-01

FELI (Free Electron Laser Research Institute, Inc.) is constructing a Free Electron Laser facility covering from 20 μm (infra red region) to 0.35 μm (ultra violet region), using an S-band linac. The building will be completed in November 1993 and installation of the linac will start in December 1993. The linac consists of a thermoionic 0.5ns-pulse triggered gun, a 714 MHz SHB (subharmonic buncher), a 2856 MHz standing wave type buncher, and 7 ETL (Electrotechnical Laboratory) type accelerating sections. An RF system of the linac for FELs is required of long pulse duration and high stability. S-band klystrons (TOSHIBA E3729) are operated in three pulse operation modes (pulse width and peak RF power); 24 μs - 24 MW, 12.5 μs - 34 MW, 0.5 μs - 70 MW. Each klystron modulator has the PFN consisting of 4 parallel networks of 24 capacitors and 24 inductors, and it has a line switch of an optical thyristor stack. These equipments are manufactured now, and an S-band klystron and modulator will be combined to test their performance at the works of NISSIN ELECTRIC Co. in October 1993. (author)

Serum concentrations of lipids, vitamin d metabolites, retinol, retinyl esters, tocopherols and selected carotenoids in twelve captive wild felid species at four zoos.

Science.gov (United States)

Crissey, Susan D; Ange, Kimberly D; Jacobsen, Krista L; Slifka, Kerri A; Bowen, Phyllis E; Stacewicz-Sapuntzakis, Maria; Langman, Craig B; Sadler, William; Kahn, Stephen; Ward, Ann

2003-01-01

Serum concentrations of several nutrients were measured in 12 captive wild felid species including caracal (Felis caracal), cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus), cougar (Felis concolor), fishing cat (Felis viverrinus), leopard (Panthera pardus), lion (Panthera leo), ocelot (Felis pardalis), pallas cat (Felis manul), sand cat (Felis margarita), serval (Felis serval), snow leopard (Panthera uncia) and tiger (Panthera tigris). Diet information was collected for these animals from each participating zoo (Brookfield Zoo, Fort Worth Zoo, Lincoln Park Zoological Gardens and North Carolina Zoological Park). The nutritional composition of the diets at each institution met the probable dietary requirements for each species except for the pallas cat. Blood samples were collected from each animal (n = 69) and analyzed for lipids (total cholesterol, triacylglycerides, HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol), vitamin D metabolites [25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25(OH)D) and 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol (1,25(OH)(2)D)], vitamin A (retinol, retinyl stearate and retinyl palmitate), vitamin E (alpha- and gamma-tocopherol) and selected carotenoids. Species differences were found for all except triacylglycerides and 1,25(OH)(2)D. Genus differences were found for retinol, retinyl palmitate, retinyl stearate, gamma-tocopherol and beta-carotene. Circulating nutrient concentrations for many of the species in this study have not been reported previously and most have not been compared with the animals' dietary intakes. The large number of animals analyzed provides a substantial base for comparing the serum nutrient concentrations of healthy animals, for both wild and captive exotic species.

Plasmids and rickettsial evolution: insight from Rickettsia felis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joseph J Gillespie

2007-03-01

Full Text Available The genome sequence of Rickettsia felis revealed a number of rickettsial genetic anomalies that likely contribute not only to a large genome size relative to other rickettsiae, but also to phenotypic oddities that have confounded the categorization of R. felis as either typhus group (TG or spotted fever group (SFG rickettsiae. Most intriguing was the first report from rickettsiae of a conjugative plasmid (pRF that contains 68 putative open reading frames, several of which are predicted to encode proteins with high similarity to conjugative machinery in other plasmid-containing bacteria.Using phylogeny estimation, we determined the mode of inheritance of pRF genes relative to conserved rickettsial chromosomal genes. Phylogenies of chromosomal genes were in agreement with other published rickettsial trees. However, phylogenies including pRF genes yielded different topologies and suggest a close relationship between pRF and ancestral group (AG rickettsiae, including the recently completed genome of R. bellii str. RML369-C. This relatedness is further supported by the distribution of pRF genes across other rickettsiae, as 10 pRF genes (or inactive derivatives also occur in AG (but not SFG rickettsiae, with five of these genes characteristic of typical plasmids. Detailed characterization of pRF genes resulted in two novel findings: the identification of oriV and replication termination regions, and the likelihood that a second proposed plasmid, pRFdelta, is an artifact of the original genome assembly.Altogether, we propose a new rickettsial classification scheme with the addition of a fourth lineage, transitional group (TRG rickettsiae, that is unique from TG and SFG rickettsiae and harbors genes from possible exchanges with AG rickettsiae via conjugation. We offer insight into the evolution of a plastic plasmid system in rickettsiae, including the role plasmids may have played in the acquirement of virulence traits in pathogenic strains, and the

Selected critical examples of scientometric publication analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ingwersen, Peter

2014-01-01

Objective: This paper selects and outlines factors of central importance in the calculation, presentation and interpretation of publication analysis results from a scientometric perspective. The paper focuses on growth, world share analyses and the logic behind the computation of average numbers...... of authors, institutions or countries per publication indexed by Web of Science. Methodology: The paper uses examples from earlier research evaluation studies and cases based on online data to describe issues, problematic details, pitfalls and how to overcome them in publication analysis with respect...... to analytic tool application, calculation, presentation and interpretation. Results: By means of different kinds of analysis and presentation, the paper provides insight into scientometrics in the context of informetric analysis, selected cases of research productivity, publication patterns and research...

Hematology, cytochemistry and ultrastructure of blood cells in fishing cat (Felis viverrina).

Science.gov (United States)

Prihirunkit, Kreangsak; Salakij, Chaleow; Apibal, Suntaree; Narkkong, Nual Anong

2007-06-01

Hematological, cytochemical and ultrastructural features of blood cells in fishing cat (Felis viverrina) were evaluated using complete blood cell counts with routine and cytochemical blood stains, and scanning and transmission electron microscopy. No statistically significant difference was found in different genders of this animal. Unique features of blood cells in this animal were identified in hematological, cytochemical and ultrastructural studies. This study contributes to broaden hematological resources in wildlife animals and provides a guideline for identification of blood cells in the fishing cat.

Evaluation of Felis domesticus allergen I as a possible autoallergen in cats with eosinophilic granuloma complex

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wisselink, Marinus A.; van Ree, Ronald; Willemse, Ton

2002-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of Felis domesticus allergen I (Feld I) in the pathogenesis of eosinophilic granuloma complex (EGC) in cats. ANIMALS: 7 healthy cats and 6 cats with EGC. PROCEDURE: Epidermis was removed from 4 areas. Rubber stoppers filled with Feld I, saline (0.9% NaCl) solution,

Whole-body protein turnover of a carnivore, Felis silvestris catus.

Science.gov (United States)

Russell, K; Lobley, G E; Millward, D J

2003-01-01

The cat (Felis silvestris catus) has a higher dietary protein requirement than omnivores and herbivores, thought to be due to metabolic inflexibility. An aspect of metabolic flexibility was examined with studies of whole-body protein turnover at two levels of dietary protein energy, moderate protein (MP; 20 %) and high protein (HP; 70 %), in five adult cats in a crossover design. Following a 14 d pre-feed period, a single intravenous dose of [15N]glycine was administered and cumulative excretion of the isotope in urine and faeces determined over 48 h. N flux increased (Pwork is required to determine exactly why cats have such a high protein requirement.

Infection with a Hepatozoon sp. closely related to Hepatozoon felis in a wild Pampas gray fox (Lycalopex -Pseudalopex -gymnocercus) co-infected with canine distemper virus.

Science.gov (United States)

Giannitti, Federico; Diab, Santiago S; Uzal, Francisco A; Fresneda, Karina; Rossi, Daniel; Talmi-Frank, Dalit; Baneth, Gad

2012-05-25

A species of Hepatozoon closely related to Hepatozoon felis found in the skeletal and cardiac muscle of a wild Pampas gray fox (Lycalopex gymnocercus) is described. The fox was euthanized after showing severe incoordination. On necropsy and histopathology there was bilateral, diffuse, severe, sub-acute, necrotizing bronchointerstitial pneumonia, with intracytoplasmic and intranuclear eosinophilic inclusion bodies. Canine distemper virus was detected by immunohistochemistry in the bronchiolar epithelium, syncytial cells, alveolar macrophages and pneumocytes. The skeletal muscle and myocardium contained multiple round to oval protozoan cysts ranging from 64 μm × 75 μm to 98 μm × 122 μm, with a central eosinophilic meront-like core surrounded by concentric rings of mucinous material resembling Hepatozoon americanum cysts but smaller in size. Macrophages within rare pyogranulomas and monocytes/macrophages in adjacent sinusoidal blood vessels in the skeletal muscle contained intracytoplasmic round protozoa consistent with merozoites or developing gamonts of Hepatozoon. Hepatozoon sp. infection was confirmed by PCR of skeletal muscle and the sequenced 18S rRNA PCR product was found to be 99% identical to H. felis by BLAST analysis and deposited in GenBank as accession number HQ020489. It clustered together in the phylogenetic analysis with published H. felis sequences and separately from H. canis, H. americanum and other Hepatozoon species. However, the close relatedness of the fox Hepatozoon to H. felis does not rule out infection with a different and possibly unknown Hepatozoon species. Published by Elsevier B.V.

A hybrid type undulator for far-infrared FELs at FELI

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zako, A.; Miyauchi, Y.; Koga, A. [Free Electron Laser Research Institute, Inc., Osaka (Japan)] [and others

1995-12-31

Two FEL facilities of the FELI are now operating in the wavelength range of 1-20 {mu}m. A 3.2-m hybrid type undulator ({lambda}{sub u}=80mm, N=40) has been designed for far-infrared FELs and will be installed in December. It can cover the wavelength of 20-60 {mu}m by changing K-value from 1 to 2.7 for a 28.0-MeV electron beam. It is composed of ferrite magnetic poles and Sm-Co permanent magnets. Commonly wound coils induce alternating magnetic field in ferrite poles. Combination of the induced field and the permanent magnet field can controls the magnetic field between the undulator gap.

Incidence of Helicobacter felis and the effect of coinfection with Helicobacter pylori on the gastric mucosa in the African population

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fritz, E. Lekunze; Slavik, Tomas; Delport, Wayne; Olivier, Brenda; van der Merwe, Schalk W.

2006-01-01

Helicobacter pylori and Helicobacter felis are two of the Helicobacter spp. that infect humans. H. pylori has been linked to significant gastric pathology. Coinfection with Helicobacter spp. may influence infectious burden, pathogenesis, and antibiotic resistance; however, this has not been studied.

Feeding Behavior Modulates Biofilm-Mediated Transmission of Yersinia pestis by the Cat Flea, Ctenocephalides felis

OpenAIRE

Bland, David M.; Hinnebusch, B. Joseph

2016-01-01

Background The cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis, is prevalent worldwide, will parasitize animal reservoirs of plague, and is associated with human habitations in known plague foci. Despite its pervasiveness, limited information is available about the cat flea?s competence as a vector for Yersinia pestis. It is generally considered to be a poor vector, based on studies examining early-phase transmission during the first week after infection, but transmission potential by the biofilm-dependent p...

Object permanence and working memory in cats (Felis catus).

Science.gov (United States)

Goulet, S; Doré, F Y; Rousseau, R

1994-10-01

Cats (Felis catus) find an object when it is visibly moved behind a succession of screens. However, when the object is moved behind a container and is invisibly transferred from the container to the back of a screen, cats try to find the object at or near the container rather than at the true hiding place. Four experiments were conducted to study search behavior and working memory in visible and invisible displacement tests of object permanence. Experiment 1 compared performance in single and in double visible displacement trials. Experiment 2 analyzed search behavior in invisible displacement tests and in analogs using a transparent container. Experiments 3 and 4 tested predictions made from Experiment 1 and 2 in a new situation of object permanence. Results showed that only the position changes that cats have directly perceived are encoded and activated in working memory, because they are unable to represent or infer invisible movements.

Toxoplasmosis in sand cats (Felis margarita) and other animals in the Breeding Centre for Endangered Arabian Wildlife in the United Arab Emirates

Science.gov (United States)

The Sand cat (Felis margarita) is a small-sized felid occurring in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Sand cat captive breeding program at the Breeding Centre for Endangered Arabian Wildlife (BCEAW), Sharjah, UAE, has experienced high newborn mortality rates, and congenital toxoplasmosis was recent...

Concurrent Transitional Meningioma and Ceruminous Gland Adenocarcinoma in a Scottish Wildcat Hybrid (Felis silvestris).

Science.gov (United States)

Drew, S J; Perpiñán, D; Baily, J

2016-01-01

The Scottish wildcat (Felis silvestris) is an iconic and endangered subpopulation of the European wildcat (F. silvestris silvestris). There is much research devoted to the ecology, genetics and conservation of this animal, but little published information on pathology and disease. The investigation and reporting of such information is vital to furthering understanding of the effects of hybridization, a factor that is crucial if we are to secure a future for the Scottish wildcat. This report describes the clinical presentation, gross post-mortem and histological findings in an elderly Scottish wildcat hybrid with concurrent transitional meningioma and ceruminous gland adenocarcinoma. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gastrointestinal Helminths and Ectoparasites in the Stray Cats (Felidae: Felis catus) of Ahar Municipality, Northwestern Iran

Science.gov (United States)

YAKHCHALI, Mohammad; HAJIPOUR, Nasser; MALEKZADEH-VIAYEH, Reza; ESMAEILNEJAD, Bijan; NEMATI-HARAVANI, Taher; FATHOLLAHZADEH, Mohammad; JAFARI, Rasool

2017-01-01

Background: The stray cats are considered as the sources of emerging humans and domestic livestock pathogens and the zoonoses of public health importance. The present study was aimed to elucidate intestinal helminth infections and infestation with ectoparasites of the stray cats of Ahar City, northwestern Iran. Methods: Totally, 51 stray cats were randomly trapped from different parts of the city between Mar and Nov 2013. The cats were assessed for ectoparasites by hair brushing, skin scraping, acetate tape preparation and othic swabs. They were euthanized and inspected for helminths infection. Results: Overall prevalence of helminths and flea were 44/51 (86.3%) and 31/51 (60.78%), respectively. The infection rates were significantly different among different age groups (PDipylidium caninum (29.41%), T. hydatigena (19.6%)) were identified. The predominant infectious helminths in all the infected cats were T. cati (86.3% with egg per gram of feces 27.75±9). Of the 270 collected fleas, two species of Ctenocephalides felis (80%) and C. canis (20%) were notably frequent in the cats aged 2-3-year-old. The average number of fleas per each infected cat was recorded as 5.29, with no incidence of cross-infection. Conclusion: The results indicated the high rate of helminths infections and flea infestation in the urban stray cats of which Toxocara cati and Ctenocephalides felis may play important roles as zoonotic agents in the region. PMID:28761492

Structure of Masera's Septal Olfactory Organ in Cat (Felis silvestris f. catus - Light Microscopy in Selected Stages of Ontogeny

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I. Kociánová

2006-01-01

Full Text Available The septal organ /SO/ (Masera's organ /MO/ is a chemoreceptor presently considered one of three types of olfactory organs (along with the principal olfactory region and vomeronasal organ. Notwithstanding the septal organ having been first described by Rodolfo Masera in 1943, little is known of the properties of sensory neurons or of its functional significance in chemoreception. Until now the septal organ has been described only in laboratory rodents and some marsupials. This work refers to its existence in the domestic cat (Felis silvestris f. catus. The septal organ can be identified at the end of embryonic period - 27 or 28 days of ontogenesis in cats (the 6th developmental stage of Štěrba - coincident with formation of the principal olfactory region in nasal cavity. At 45 days of ontogenesis (the 9th developmental stage of Štěrba, this septal olfactory organ is of circular or oval shape, 120 μm in diameter, in ventral part of septum nasi, lying caudally to the opening of ductus incisivus. The structure of the epithelium of septal olfactory organ is clearly distinct from the respiratory epithelium of the nasal cavity. It varies in thickness, cellular composition, as well as free surface appearance, and even lack the typical structure of sensory epithelium, in this developmental period. Nerve bundles and glandular acini are lacking in the lamina propria mucosae of the septal organ and in the adjacent tissues. Glands appear as the single non-luminized cords of epithelia extending from the surface. The adjacent respiratory epithelium contains numerous goblet cells.

The Importance of Urease in Acid Protection for the Gastric-colonising Bacteria Helicobacter pylori and Helicobacter felis sp. nov.

OpenAIRE

Ferrero, R. L.; Lee, A.

2011-01-01

The urease of the gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori shares numerous characteristics with the urease of a bacterium isolated from cat gastric mucosa, Helicobacter felis sp. nov. The native enzymes have similar apparent molecular weights and, when subjected to SDS-PAGE, disassociate into active subunits of comparable relative mobilities. In contrast, a bacterium (St1) that colonises rodent ileal mucosa, and is related to Helicobacter spp., expresses a distinct urease from those of the gastri...

Follow-up monitoring in a cat with leishmaniosis and coinfections with Hepatozoon felis and 'Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum'.

Science.gov (United States)

Attipa, Charalampos; Neofytou, Kyriaki; Yiapanis, Christos; Martínez-Orellana, Pamela; Baneth, Gad; Nachum-Biala, Yaarit; Brooks-Brownlie, Harriet; Solano-Gallego, Laia; Tasker, Séverine

2017-01-01

A 6-year-old female neutered domestic shorthair cat from Cyprus was presented with multiple ulcerated skin nodules. Cytology and histopathology of the lesions revealed granulomatous dermatitis with intracytoplasmic organisms, consistent with amastigotes of Leishmania species. Biochemistry identified a mild hyperproteinaemia. Blood extraction and PCR detected Leishmania species, Hepatozoon species and ' Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum' (CMhm) DNA. Subsequent sequencing identified Hepatozoon felis . Additionally, the rRNA internal transcribed spacer 1 locus of Leishmania infantum was partially sequenced and phylogeny showed it to cluster with species derived from dogs in Italy and Uzbekistan, and a human in France. Allopurinol treatment was administered for 6 months. Clinical signs resolved in the second month of treatment with no deterioration 8 months post-treatment cessation. Quantitative PCR and ELISA were used to monitor L infantum blood DNA and antibody levels. The cat had high L infantum DNA levels pretreatment that gradually declined during treatment but increased 8 months post-treatment cessation. Similarly, ELISA revealed high levels of antibodies pretreatment, which gradually declined during treatment and increased slightly 8 months post-treatment cessation. The cat remained PCR positive for CMhm and Hepatozoon species throughout the study. There was no clinical evidence of relapse 24 months post-treatment. To our knowledge, this is the first clinical report of a cat with leishmaniosis with H felis and CMhm coinfections. The high L infantum DNA levels post-treatment cessation might indicate that although the lesions had resolved, prolonged or an alternative treatment could have been considered.

Approaches to sampling and case selection in qualitative research: examples in the geography of health.

Science.gov (United States)

Curtis, S; Gesler, W; Smith, G; Washburn, S

2000-04-01

This paper focuses on the question of sampling (or selection of cases) in qualitative research. Although the literature includes some very useful discussions of qualitative sampling strategies, the question of sampling often seems to receive less attention in methodological discussion than questions of how data is collected or is analysed. Decisions about sampling are likely to be important in many qualitative studies (although it may not be an issue in some research). There are varying accounts of the principles applicable to sampling or case selection. Those who espouse 'theoretical sampling', based on a 'grounded theory' approach, are in some ways opposed to those who promote forms of 'purposive sampling' suitable for research informed by an existing body of social theory. Diversity also results from the many different methods for drawing purposive samples which are applicable to qualitative research. We explore the value of a framework suggested by Miles and Huberman [Miles, M., Huberman,, A., 1994. Qualitative Data Analysis, Sage, London.], to evaluate the sampling strategies employed in three examples of research by the authors. Our examples comprise three studies which respectively involve selection of: 'healing places'; rural places which incorporated national anti-malarial policies; young male interviewees, identified as either chronically ill or disabled. The examples are used to show how in these three studies the (sometimes conflicting) requirements of the different criteria were resolved, as well as the potential and constraints placed on the research by the selection decisions which were made. We also consider how far the criteria Miles and Huberman suggest seem helpful for planning 'sample' selection in qualitative research.

Investigation of the site selection examples adopted local participation. The site selection processes in Belgium, UK and Switzerland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kageyama, Hitoshi; Suzuki, Shinji; Hirose, Ikuro; Yoshioka, Tatsuji

2014-06-01

In late years, local participation policies are being adopted in foreign countries at site selection for the disposal of the radioactive waste. We performed documents investigation about the examples of the site selection processes of Belgium, the U.K., and Switzerland to establish the site selection policy in Japan. In Belgium, after the failure of the site selection for the disposal of short-lived low and intermediate level radioactive waste (LILW) in an early stage, the idea of the local partnership (LP) was developed and three independent LPs were established between the implementing body and each municipality. About 7 years later, one site was decided as the disposal site in the cabinet meeting of the federal government. In the U.K., after the failure of the site selection for the rock characterization facility, the government policy was changed and the consultation process comprised of six phases was started. Though the process had been carried out for over 4 years since one combined partnership was established between the implementing body and the municipalities involved, they had to withdraw from the consulting process because a county council had not accepted that the process would step forward to the 4th phase. In Switzerland, the implementing body selected one site for LILW disposal at an early stage, but the project was denied by the referendum in the Canton having jurisdiction over the site area. After that the Federal Parliament established new Nuclear Energy Act and Nuclear Energy Ordinance precluding the veto of Canton. Now the site selection project is being carried out according to the process comprised of three phases with local participation policy. Reviewing the merits and demerits of each example through this investigation, we confirmed if we are to adopt local participation policy in our country in future, further prudent study would be necessary, considering current and future social conditions in Japan. (author)

Performance of an undulator for visible and UV FELs at FELI

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miyauchi, Y.; Zako, A.; Koga, A. [Free Electron Laser Research Institute, Inc., Osaka (Japan)] [and others

1995-12-31

Two infrared free electron lasers (FELs) of the FELI project are now operating in the wavelength range of 1-20{mu}m. A 2.68-m undulator has been constructed for visible and UV FELs covering the wavelength of 1-0.2{mu}m for 100-165 MeV electron beams. It generates alternating, horizontal magnetic field, and wiggles electron beam on a vertical plane. The undulator length and period are 2.68m and 40mm, respectively. The gap of undulator magnets can be changed remotely by using servomotors with an accuracy of 1 {mu}m from the control room. The maximum K-value and related magnetic field strength are 1.9 and 0.5T, respectively, when its gap is set to the minimum value of 16mm. In order to minimize magnetic field reduction due to radiation damage, Sm-Co permanent magnet was adopted. Its structure and the results of magnetic field measurement will be reported.

Fatigue Testing of Dental Bridges on Selected Examples

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Urban Dariusz

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The paper presents example tests of the functional quality of selected designs of dental bridges. These were: porcelain bridges on a metal base (cobalt based alloy, porcelain bridges on a zirconia base (zirconia ceramic – Zirkon Zahn, and full zirconia bridges (Zirkon Zahn. For the purpose of the study, durability of bridges in cyclic fatigue testing was adopted as a measure of their quality. The tests were carried out on a Zwick Roell Z010 universal testing machine. They consisted in cyclic loading and unloading of dental bridges mounted on gypsum models at a loading force of F= 400 [N] and a frequency of load of f= 1 [Hz]. Each bridge was subjected to a cycle of 7200 loads. The results show that there are no significant differences in the functional quality of the bridges.

Feeding Behavior Modulates Biofilm-Mediated Transmission of Yersinia pestis by the Cat Flea, Ctenocephalides felis

Science.gov (United States)

Bland, David M.; Hinnebusch, B. Joseph

2016-01-01

Background The cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis, is prevalent worldwide, will parasitize animal reservoirs of plague, and is associated with human habitations in known plague foci. Despite its pervasiveness, limited information is available about the cat flea’s competence as a vector for Yersinia pestis. It is generally considered to be a poor vector, based on studies examining early-phase transmission during the first week after infection, but transmission potential by the biofilm-dependent proventricular-blocking mechanism has never been systematically evaluated. In this study, we assessed the vector competence of cat fleas by both mechanisms. Because the feeding behavior of cat fleas differs markedly from important rat flea vectors, we also examined the influence of feeding behavior on transmission dynamics. Methodology/Principal Findings Groups of cat fleas were infected with Y. pestis and subsequently provided access to sterile blood meals twice-weekly, 5 times per week, or daily for 4 weeks and monitored for infection, the development of proventricular biofilm and blockage, mortality, and the ability to transmit. In cat fleas allowed prolonged, daily access to blood meals, mimicking their natural feeding behavior, Y. pestis did not efficiently colonize the digestive tract and could only be transmitted during the first week after infection. In contrast, cat fleas that were fed intermittently, mimicking the feeding behavior of the efficient vector Xenopsylla cheopis, could become blocked and regularly transmitted Y. pestis for 3–4 weeks by the biofilm-mediated mechanism, but early-phase transmission was not detected. Conclusions The normal feeding behavior of C. felis, more than an intrinsic resistance to infection or blockage by Y. pestis, limits its vector competence. Rapid turnover of midgut contents results in bacterial clearance and disruption of biofilm accumulation in the proventriculus. Anatomical features of the cat flea foregut may also restrict

Feeding Behavior Modulates Biofilm-Mediated Transmission of Yersinia pestis by the Cat Flea, Ctenocephalides felis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David M Bland

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis, is prevalent worldwide, will parasitize animal reservoirs of plague, and is associated with human habitations in known plague foci. Despite its pervasiveness, limited information is available about the cat flea's competence as a vector for Yersinia pestis. It is generally considered to be a poor vector, based on studies examining early-phase transmission during the first week after infection, but transmission potential by the biofilm-dependent proventricular-blocking mechanism has never been systematically evaluated. In this study, we assessed the vector competence of cat fleas by both mechanisms. Because the feeding behavior of cat fleas differs markedly from important rat flea vectors, we also examined the influence of feeding behavior on transmission dynamics.Groups of cat fleas were infected with Y. pestis and subsequently provided access to sterile blood meals twice-weekly, 5 times per week, or daily for 4 weeks and monitored for infection, the development of proventricular biofilm and blockage, mortality, and the ability to transmit. In cat fleas allowed prolonged, daily access to blood meals, mimicking their natural feeding behavior, Y. pestis did not efficiently colonize the digestive tract and could only be transmitted during the first week after infection. In contrast, cat fleas that were fed intermittently, mimicking the feeding behavior of the efficient vector Xenopsylla cheopis, could become blocked and regularly transmitted Y. pestis for 3-4 weeks by the biofilm-mediated mechanism, but early-phase transmission was not detected.The normal feeding behavior of C. felis, more than an intrinsic resistance to infection or blockage by Y. pestis, limits its vector competence. Rapid turnover of midgut contents results in bacterial clearance and disruption of biofilm accumulation in the proventriculus. Anatomical features of the cat flea foregut may also restrict transmission by both early-phase and

Feeding Behavior Modulates Biofilm-Mediated Transmission of Yersinia pestis by the Cat Flea, Ctenocephalides felis.

Science.gov (United States)

Bland, David M; Hinnebusch, B Joseph

2016-02-01

The cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis, is prevalent worldwide, will parasitize animal reservoirs of plague, and is associated with human habitations in known plague foci. Despite its pervasiveness, limited information is available about the cat flea's competence as a vector for Yersinia pestis. It is generally considered to be a poor vector, based on studies examining early-phase transmission during the first week after infection, but transmission potential by the biofilm-dependent proventricular-blocking mechanism has never been systematically evaluated. In this study, we assessed the vector competence of cat fleas by both mechanisms. Because the feeding behavior of cat fleas differs markedly from important rat flea vectors, we also examined the influence of feeding behavior on transmission dynamics. Groups of cat fleas were infected with Y. pestis and subsequently provided access to sterile blood meals twice-weekly, 5 times per week, or daily for 4 weeks and monitored for infection, the development of proventricular biofilm and blockage, mortality, and the ability to transmit. In cat fleas allowed prolonged, daily access to blood meals, mimicking their natural feeding behavior, Y. pestis did not efficiently colonize the digestive tract and could only be transmitted during the first week after infection. In contrast, cat fleas that were fed intermittently, mimicking the feeding behavior of the efficient vector Xenopsylla cheopis, could become blocked and regularly transmitted Y. pestis for 3-4 weeks by the biofilm-mediated mechanism, but early-phase transmission was not detected. The normal feeding behavior of C. felis, more than an intrinsic resistance to infection or blockage by Y. pestis, limits its vector competence. Rapid turnover of midgut contents results in bacterial clearance and disruption of biofilm accumulation in the proventriculus. Anatomical features of the cat flea foregut may also restrict transmission by both early-phase and proventricular biofilm

Gastrointestinal Helminths and Ectoparasites in the Stray Cats (Felidae: Felis catus of Ahar Municipality, Northwestern Iran

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Mohammad YAKHCHALI

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Background: The stray cats are considered as the sources of emerging humans and domestic livestock pathogens and the zoonoses of public health importance. The present study was aimed to elucidate intestinal helminth infections and infestation with ectoparasites of the stray cats of Ahar City, northwestern Iran.Methods: Totally, 51 stray cats were randomly trapped from different parts of the city between Mar and Nov 2013. The cats were assessed for ectoparasites by hair brushing, skin scraping, acetate tape preparation and othic swabs. They were euthanized and inspected for helminths infection.Results: Overall prevalence of helminths and flea were 44/51 (86.3% and 31/51 (60.78%, respectively. The infection rates were significantly different among different age groups (P<0.05. Of the 282 isolated helminths, three species of nematodes (Toxocara cati (86.3%, T. leonina (11.77%, Ancylostoma tubaeforme (5.9% and four species of cestodes (Taenia taeniaeformis (64.7%, Mesocestoides lineatus (49.02%, Dipylidium caninum (29.41%, T. hydatigena (19.6% were identified. The predominant infectious helminths in all the infected cats were T. cati (86.3% with egg per gram of feces 27.75±9. Of the 270 collected fleas, two species of Ctenocephalides felis (80% and C. canis (20% were notably frequent in the cats aged 2-3-year-old. The average number of fleas per each infected cat was recorded as 5.29, with no incidence of cross-infection.Conclusion: The results indicated the high rate of helminths infections and flea infestation in the urban stray cats of which Toxocara cati and Ctenocephalides felis may play important roles as zoonotic agents in the region.

Preventive efficacy of NexGard Spectra® against Dipylidium caninum infection in dogs using a natural flea (Ctenocephalides felis) infestation model

OpenAIRE

Beugnet Frédéric; Meyer Leon; Fourie Josephus; Larsen Diane

2017-01-01

The efficacy of a monthly oral endectocide product, NexGard Spectra? (Merial), a combination of afoxolaner and milbemycin oxime, was evaluated in a flea (Ctenocephalides felis) challenge model for the prevention of Dipylidium caninum tapeworm infection in dogs. The efficacy of treatment with NexGard Spectra? was assessed in 10 dogs following weekly flea infestation with metacestode naturally infected fleas and compared with that in 10 untreated control dogs. The 100 fleas deposited weekly on ...

Follow-up monitoring in a cat with leishmaniosis and coinfections with Hepatozoon felis and ‘Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum’

Science.gov (United States)

Attipa, Charalampos; Neofytou, Kyriaki; Yiapanis, Christos; Martínez-Orellana, Pamela; Baneth, Gad; Nachum-Biala, Yaarit; Brooks-Brownlie, Harriet; Solano-Gallego, Laia; Tasker, Séverine

2017-01-01

Case summary A 6-year-old female neutered domestic shorthair cat from Cyprus was presented with multiple ulcerated skin nodules. Cytology and histopathology of the lesions revealed granulomatous dermatitis with intracytoplasmic organisms, consistent with amastigotes of Leishmania species. Biochemistry identified a mild hyperproteinaemia. Blood extraction and PCR detected Leishmania species, Hepatozoon species and ‘Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum’ (CMhm) DNA. Subsequent sequencing identified Hepatozoon felis. Additionally, the rRNA internal transcribed spacer 1 locus of Leishmania infantum was partially sequenced and phylogeny showed it to cluster with species derived from dogs in Italy and Uzbekistan, and a human in France. Allopurinol treatment was administered for 6 months. Clinical signs resolved in the second month of treatment with no deterioration 8 months post-treatment cessation. Quantitative PCR and ELISA were used to monitor L infantum blood DNA and antibody levels. The cat had high L infantum DNA levels pretreatment that gradually declined during treatment but increased 8 months post-treatment cessation. Similarly, ELISA revealed high levels of antibodies pretreatment, which gradually declined during treatment and increased slightly 8 months post-treatment cessation. The cat remained PCR positive for CMhm and Hepatozoon species throughout the study. There was no clinical evidence of relapse 24 months post-treatment. Relevance and novel information To our knowledge, this is the first clinical report of a cat with leishmaniosis with H felis and CMhm coinfections. The high L infantum DNA levels post-treatment cessation might indicate that although the lesions had resolved, prolonged or an alternative treatment could have been considered. PMID:29163980

Training Self-Regulated Learning Skills with Video Modeling Examples: Do Task-Selection Skills Transfer?

Science.gov (United States)

Raaijmakers, Steven F.; Baars, Martine; Schaap, Lydia; Paas, Fred; van Merriënboer, Jeroen; van Gog, Tamara

2018-01-01

Self-assessment and task-selection skills are crucial in self-regulated learning situations in which students can choose their own tasks. Prior research suggested that training with video modeling examples, in which another person (the model) demonstrates and explains the cyclical process of problem-solving task performance, self-assessment, and…

Molecular cloning of ion channels in Felis catus that are related to periodic paralyses in man: a contribution to the understanding of the genetic susceptibility to feline neck ventroflexion and paralysis

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Marlyn Zapata

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Neck ventroflexion in cats has different causes; however, the most common is the hypokalemia associated with flaccid paralysis secondary to chronic renal failure. In humans, the most common causes of acute flaccid paralysis are hypokalemia precipitated by thyrotoxicosis and familial forms linked to mutations in sodium, potassium, and calcium channel genes. Here, we describe the sequencing and analysis of skeletal muscle ion channels in Felis catus that could be related to periodic paralyses in humans, contributing to the understanding of the genetic susceptibility to feline neck ventroflexion and paralysis. We studied genomic DNA from eleven cats, including five animals that were hyperthyroid with hypokalemia, although only one presented with muscle weakness, and six healthy control domestic cats. We identified the ion channel ortholog genes KCNJ2, KCNJ12, KCNJ14, CACNA1S and SCN4A in the Felis catus genome, together with several polymorphic variants. Upon comparative alignment with other genomes, we found that Felis catus provides evidence for a high genomic conservation of ion channel sequences. Although we hypothesized that neck ventroflexion in cats could be associated with a thyrotoxic or familial periodic paralysis channel mutation, we did not identify any previously detected human channel mutation in the hyperthyroid cat presenting hypokalemia. However, based on the small number of affected cats in this study, we cannot yet rule out this molecular mechanism. Notwithstanding, hyperthyroidism should still be considered as a differential diagnosis in hypokalemic feline paralysis.

Cognitive development in kittens (Felis catus): an observational study of object permanence and sensorimotor intelligence.

Science.gov (United States)

Dumas, C; Doré, F Y

1991-12-01

Spontaneous behavior of kittens (Felis catus) was filmed from birth until the end of Month 5 and coded according to Piagetian criteria of sensorimotor intelligence (SI) and object permanence (OP). Data revealed that Stages 2, 3, and 4 of SI were reached at Days 10, 26, and 45, respectively, whereas Stages 2, 3, and 4 of OP were reached at Days 31, 37, and 41, respectively. Spontaneous search behavior was exhibited both in searching for an object that disappeared and in hiding while moving toward a target object. From Day 45 on, search behavior was integrated into a playful social interaction in the form of hide-and-seek. Hence, kittens' spontaneous activity provided them with contexts in which OP was necessary for activity. Lastly, it is proposed that the mobility of both social and physical objects triggered circular activity in this species.

Interspecies Transmission of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus from the Domestic Cat to the Tsushima Cat (Felis bengalensis euptilura) in the Wild

Science.gov (United States)

Nishimura, Yoshiaki; Goto, Yuko; Yoneda, Kumiko; Endo, Yasuyuki; Mizuno, Takuya; Hamachi, Masaharu; Maruyama, Hiroyuki; Kinoshita, Hirotoshi; Koga, Susumu; Komori, Mitsuru; Fushuku, Seigo; Ushinohama, Kanji; Akuzawa, Masao; Watari, Toshihiro; Hasegawa, Atsuhiko; Tsujimoto, Hajime

1999-01-01

Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) was isolated from a wild-caught Tsushima cat (Felis bengalensis euptilura), an endangered Japanese nondomestic subspecies of leopard cat (F. bengalensis). Phylogenetic analysis of the env gene sequences indicated that the FIV from the Tsushima cat belonged to a cluster of subtype D FIVs from domestic cats. FIVs from both the Tsushima cat and the domestic cat showed similar levels of replication and cytopathicity in lymphoid cell lines derived from these two species. The results indicated the occurrence of interspecies transmission of FIV from the domestic cat to the Tsushima cat in the wild. PMID:10438892

Detection of Rickettsia in Rhipicephalus sanguineus Ticks and Ctenocephalides felis Fleas from Southeastern Tunisia by Reverse Line Blot Assay

Science.gov (United States)

Khrouf, Fatma; M'Ghirbi, Youmna; Znazen, Abir; Ben Jemaa, Mounir; Hammami, Adnene

2014-01-01

Ticks (n = 663) and fleas (n = 470) collected from domestic animals from southeastern Tunisia were screened for Rickettsia infection using reverse line blot assay. Evidence of spotted fever group Rickettsia was obtained. We detected Rickettsia felis in fleas, Rickettsia massiliae Bar 29 and the Rickettsia conorii Israeli spotted fever strain in ticks, and Rickettsia conorii subsp. conorii and Rickettsia spp. in both arthropods. The sensitivity of the adopted technique allowed the identification of a new association between fleas and R. conorii subsp. conorii species. The presence of these vector-borne Rickettsia infections should be considered when diagnosing this disease in humans in Tunisia. PMID:24226919

Object permanence in cats (Felis catus): an ecological approach to the study of invisible displacements.

Science.gov (United States)

Dumas, C

1992-12-01

A single invisible displacement object permanence task was administered to 19 cats (Felis catus). In this task, cats watched a target object from behind a transparent panel. However, cats had to walk around an opaque panel to reach the object. While cats were behind the opaque panel, the object was hidden behind one of two screens. As cats did not perceive the disappearance of the object behind the target screen, the object was invisibly hidden. Results showed that cats solved this task with great flexibility, which markedly contrasts with what has been observed in previous research. The discussion emphasizes the difference between the typical Piagetian task in which the information necessary to succeed must be dealt with in retrospective way, whereas in our task cats had to anticipate a new position of the object. The ecological relevance of this new task is also discussed.

Differential Rickettsial Transcription in Bloodfeeding and Non-Bloodfeeding Arthropod Hosts.

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Victoria I Verhoeve

Full Text Available Crucial factors influencing the epidemiology of Rickettsia felis rickettsiosis include pathogenesis and transmission. Detection of R. felis DNA in a number of arthropod species has been reported, with characterized isolates, R. felis strain LSU and strain LSU-Lb, generated from the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis, and the non-hematophagous booklouse, Liposcelis bostrychophila, respectively. While it is realized that strain influence on host biology varies, the rickettsial response to these distinct host environments remained undefined. To identify a panel of potential rickettsial transmission determinants in the cat flea, the transcriptional profile for these two strains of R. felis were compared in their arthropod hosts using RNAseq. Rickettsial genes with increased transcription in the flea as compared to the booklouse were identified. Genes previously associated with bacterial virulence including LPS biosynthesis, Type IV secretion system, ABC transporters, and a toxin-antitoxin system were selected for further study. Transcription of putative virulence-associated genes was determined in a flea infection bioassay for both strains of R. felis. A host-dependent transcriptional profile during bloodfeeding, specifically, an increased expression of selected transcripts in newly infected cat fleas and flea feces was detected when compared to arthropod cell culture and incubation in vertebrate blood. Together, these studies have identified novel, host-dependent rickettsial factors that likely contribute to successful horizontal transmission by bloodfeeding arthropods.

Ectoparasites of small ruminants in three selected agro-ecological sites of Tigray Region, Ethiopia.

Science.gov (United States)

Mulugeta, Y; Yacob, Hailu T; Ashenafi, Hagos

2010-08-01

A study on ectoparasites of small ruminants in three selected agro-ecological sites of Tigray Region, Ethiopia disclosed an overall prevalence of 55.5% and 58% in each examined 750 sheep and goats, respectively. In the sheep population, Melophagus ovinus (19.1%), tick infestations (16%), Damalinia ovis (15.3%), Linognathus africanus (11.5%), and Ctenocephalides felis (9%) were the major ectoparasites. The major ectoparasites identified in goats were tick infestations (29.7%), L. africanus (27.9%), Sarcoptes scabiei var. caprae (12.5%), C. felis (11.1%), and Demodex caprae (6.8%). In sheep, there was a statistically significant difference (P ovinus, L. africanus, and ticks between midland and highland. In goats, the risk of Sarcoptes scabiei var. caprae infestation in midland (odds ratio (OR) = 17.2, P < 0.001) and lowland (OR = 5.2, P < 0.001) was 17.2 times and 5.2 times, respectively, higher than the highland. Favorable climatic conditions, backward level of management, poor level of consciousness and awareness of farmers, and weak animal health extension services are believed to have contributed for widespread distribution and occurrences of ectoparasites. The growing threat of ectoparasites to small ruminant production and the tanning industry needs well-coordinated and urgent control intervention.

Gastrointestinal Helminthic Parasites in Stray Cats (Felis catus from North of Iran

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A Rezaei-Doust

2007-08-01

Full Text Available Background: Cats play a crucial role in the epidemiology of gastrointestinal helminthic parasites and also play a major role in transmitting of these parasites through faecal contamination of soil, food or water. The aim of this study was to determine the species of gastrointestinal helminthes parasites in stray cats from a rural area of Bandar-e-Anzali, Iran.Method: Gastrointestinal helminthes were collected from 50 necropsied stray cats (Felis catus after capturing them by trapping from different regions of the city and humanely euthanatized in Bandar-e-Anzali, a port in the Caspian Sea in northern Iran, from March to November 2003. Results: The prevalence of infection was 90%, with those of individual parasites being Diplopylidium nolleri 54%, Phy­saloptera praeputialis 32%, Ancylostoma tubaeforme 20%, Joyeuxiella pasqualei 10%, Toxocara cati 8%, Pterygoderma­tites affinis 6%, Ancylostoma caninum 4%, and Taenia taeniaeformis 2%. Concurrent infections with two or more parasites were recorded in 34% of the individuals. In relation to the sex, the differences were not significant. Conclusion: P. praeputialis, T. cati, D. nolleri and sometime J. pasqualei are the commonest Helminthes in cats. This is the first reported isolation of P. affinis and A. caninum infections from cats in Iran.

Genetic variability of Herpailurus yagouaroundi, Puma concolor and Panthera onca (Mammalia, Felidae studied using Felis catus microsatellites

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Vanessa Roma Moreno

2006-01-01

Full Text Available We used four microsatellite loci (Fca08, Fca45, Fca77 and Fca96 from the domestic cat, Felis catus, to investigate genetic variability in specimens of Herpailurus yagouaroundi (jaguarundi, otter cat, eyra, Puma concolor (cougar, mountain lion, puma and Panthera onca (jaguar held in various Brazilian zoos. Samples of DNA from the cats were PCR amplified and then sequenced before being analyzed using the CERVUS program. Our results show a mean polymorphic information content (PIC of 0.83 for H. yagouaroundi, 0.66 for P. concolor and 0.69 for P. onca and a mean of 10.3 alleles for the Fca08 locus, 5.3 for Fca 45, 9 for Fca 77 and 14 for Fca 96. These results indicate a relatively high level of genetic diversity for the specimens studied.

Selected examples of intelligent (micro) sensor systems: state-of-the-art and tendencies

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Hauptmann, Peter R.

2006-03-01

The capability of intelligent sensors to have more intelligence built into them continues to drive their application in areas including automotive, aerospace and defense, industrial, intelligent house and wear, medical and homeland security. In principle it is difficult to overestimate the importance of intelligent (micro) sensors or sensor systems within advanced societies but one characteristic feature is the global market for sensors, which is now about 20 billion annually. Therefore sensors or sensor systems play a dominant role in many fields from the macro sensor in manufacturing industry down to the miniaturized sensor for medical applications. The diversity of sensors precludes a complete description of the state-of-the-art; selected examples will illustrate the current situation. MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) devices are of special interest in the context of micro sensor systems. In past the main requirements of a sensor were in terms of metrological performance. The electrical (or optical) signal produced by the sensor needed to match the measure relatively accurately. Such basic functionality is no longer sufficient. Data processing near the sensor, the extraction of more information than just the direct sensor information by signal analysis, system aspects and multi-sensor information are the new demands. A shifting can be observed away from aiming to design perfect single-function transducers and towards the utilization of system-based sensors as system components. In the ideal case such systems contain sensors, actuators and electronics. They can be realized in monolithic, hybrid or discrete form—which kind is used depends on the application. In this article the state-of-the-art of intelligent sensors or sensor systems is reviewed using selected examples. Future trends are deduced.

Survival of feral cats, Felis catus (Carnivora: Felidae), on Mauna Kea, Hawai'i, based on tooth cementum lines

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Danner, Raymond M.; Farmer, Chris; Hess, Steven C.; Stephens, Robert M.; Banko, Paul C.

2010-01-01

Feral cats (Felis catus) have spread throughout anthropogenic and insular environments of the world. They now threaten many species of native wildlife with chronic depredation. Knowledge of feral cat population dynamics is necessary to understand their ecological effects and to develop effective control strategies. However, there are few studies worldwide regarding annual or lifetime survival rates in remote systems, and none on Pacific islands. We constructed the age distribution and estimated survival of feral cats in a remote area of Hawai'i Island using cementum lines present in lower canine teeth. Our data suggest annual cementum line formation. A log-linear model estimated annual survival ≥ 1 yr of age to be 0.647. Relatively high survival coupled with high reproductive output allows individual cats to affect native wildlife for many years and cat populations to rebound quickly after control efforts.

Molecular epidemiology of feline immunodeficiency virus in the domestic cat (Felis catus)

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Hayward, Jessica J; Rodrigo, Allen G

2009-01-01

Studying the evolutionary mechanisms of feline immunodeficiency virus in the domestic cat (Felis catus), FIVFca, provides a good comparison to other lentiviruses, such as HIV and FIVPco in the cougar (Puma concolor). We review the current epidemiological and evolutionary findings of FIVFca,. In addition to the five accepted FIVFca, subtypes, several recent phylogenetic studies have found strains that form separate clades, indicative of novel subtypes. In New Zealand cats, these strains of unknown subtype have been found to be involved in complex patterns of intergenic recombination, and whole genome sequences are required to resolve these. Evidence of recombination events has been documented with the highest levels in the env gene, the region involved in host cell receptor recognition. Several cases of FIVFca, multiple infection, both inter- and intra-subtype, have been reported. The findings of both unknown subtypes and relatively high levels of recombination suggest the need for further testing of the current vaccine. Limited studies on the evolutionary rate of FIVFca, document a value twice to three times that of FIV in the cougar, a result suggesting the different levels of co-adaptation between the viruses and their respective hosts. We studied the tissue distribution of FIVFca, in feral domestic cats, finding the first case of FIV compartmentalisation, a phenomenon well-documented in HIV-1 patients. PMID:19896220

Detection of Hepatozoon felis in Ticks Collected from Free-Ranging Amur Tigers ( Panthera tigris altaica), Russian Far East, 2002-12.

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Thomas, Lindsay H; Seryodkin, Ivan V; Goodrich, John M; Miquelle, Dale G; Birtles, Richard J; Lewis, John C M

2016-07-01

We collected 69 ticks from nine, free-ranging Amur tigers ( Panthera tigris altaica) between 2002 and 2011 and investigated them for tick-borne pathogens. DNA was extracted using alkaline digestion and PCR was performed to detect apicomplexan organisms. Partial 18S rDNA amplification products were obtained from 14 ticks from four tigers, of which 13 yielded unambiguous nucleotide sequence data. Comparative sequence analysis revealed all 13 partial 18S rDNA sequences were most similar to those belonging to strains of Hepatozoon felis (>564/572 base-pair identity, >99% sequence similarity). Although this tick-borne protozoon pathogen has been detected in wild felids from many parts of the world, this is the first record from the Russian Far East.

Virological Survey in free-ranging wildcats (Felis silvestris) and feral domestic cats in Portugal.

Science.gov (United States)

Duarte, A; Fernandes, M; Santos, N; Tavares, L

2012-08-17

To determine the presence of viral pathogens in natural areas a survey was conducted on an opportunistic sample of fifty eight wild (Felis silvestris silvestris) and feral cats (F. s. catus). The biological materials included serum, lung tissue extract and stool. Feline leukemia virus p27 antigen was detected in 13/50 serum/lung tissue extract samples (26%), canine distemper virus antibodies were detected in 2/26 serum/lung tissue extract samples (7.7%), feline coronavirus RNA was present in 6/29 stool samples (20.7%) and feline parvovirus DNA in 2/29 stool samples (6.9%). Canine distemper virus RNA was not detected. Feline immunodeficiency virus and feline coronavirus antibodies were not detected. Evidence of exposure to feline leukemia virus, canine distemper virus, feline coronavirus and feline parvovirus was found in wild and feral cats raising the importance of performing a comprehensive survey to correctly evaluate the potential threat of infectious diseases to endangered species, namely to the wildcat and to the Iberian lynx, which is meant to be reintroduced after 2012 in Portugal. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A subjective domestic cat (Felis silvestris catus) temperament assessment results in six independent dimensions.

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Ha, Daniel; Ha, James

2017-08-01

The study of personality or temperament is well developed in many species, but in domestic cats (Felis silvestris catus) it has lagged behind. We applied one common methodology, subjective surveys, performed by their owners, to investigate the dimensions of cat temperament. To do this, we developed an eighteen question survey covering common behavioral traits of cats, and had the evaluators rank their cat on a seven point Likert scale for trait. The responses were analyzed with factor analysis, and resulted in six significant dimensions of temperament across the 251 surveys. The six dimensions, in order of importance, are: Cat Social, Active, Human Nonsocial, Human Aggressive, and Intense. Supplemental questions were also included in all the surveys, and MANOVA analysis of these showed that outdoor usage, feeding style (ad-lib vs. meal fed), living with other cats, sex, duration of ownership, and previous history as a stray all had effects on at least one of the dimensions of cat temperament. Future work is clearly needed to fully validate our model and to further investigate our findings. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biliary cystadenoma associated with Opisthorchis viverrini infection in a domestic cat (Felis catus).

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Tiwananthagorn, Saruda; Srivorakul, Saralee; Khochakul, Varangpicha; Pringproa, Kidsadagon

2018-05-05

A 12-year-old, female, domestic cat (Felis catus) presented with dehydration, emaciation, anorexia, and lethargy. The cat was unresponsive to medical treatment and euthanized; the carcass was submitted for pathological diagnosis. Necropsy revealed icteric mucous membranes. The liver was enlarged, with multinodular, cystic, white masses, 0.5-4.0 cm in diameter, scattered throughout. Microscopically, the biliary epithelium presented with a proliferation of multifocal cystic masses, occasionally with periodic acid-Schiff-positive fluid within the cysts. Simple cuboidal epithelial cells showed small, round to oval, vesicular nuclei and rare mitotic figures. There were also multifocal trematode-like parasites situated within the biliary tracts. Immunohistochemistry of the cystic masses was positive for pan-cytokeratin and proliferating cell nuclear antigen, while negative for vimentin. Molecular analysis and gene sequencing of the parasite indicated that it was Opisthorchis viverrini. Based on the pathological findings and molecular analysis, the cat was diagnosed with biliary cystadenoma related to O. viverrini infection. This report described an unusual case of O. viverrini infection associated with biliary tumor in a cat, and raises the possibility of domestic cats as a reservoir host of the human liver fluke. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Detecção de Chlamydophila felis e Herpesvirus felino tipo 1 em felídeo não doméstico no Brasil

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Meire Christina Seki

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Poucos trabalhos descrevem a ocorrência dos agentes do complexo respiratório felino, Herpesvírus Felino tipo 1 (FHV-1 e Chlamydophila felis, e a coinfecção com o vírus da imunodeficiência felina (FIV e leucemia viral felina (FeLV em felinos não domésticos no Brasil. Entre 2009 e 2010, 72 amostras de swab de conjuntiva e de soro foram coletados de oito espécies de felinos não domésticos (Leopardus pardalis, Leopardus tigrinus, Panthera leo, Panthera tigris, Puma concolor, Puma yagouaroundi, Oncifelis colocolo, and Panthera onca mantidos em cativeiro em zoológicos brasileiros. O DNA foi extraído das amostras de swab de conjuntiva para detecção de Chlamydophila sp e FHV-1 pela PCR. Anticorpos para FIV e antígeno para FeLV foram determinados pelo kit comercial de ELISA. Anticorpos para FIV foram detectados em cinco felídeos (6,9%. Nenhuma amostra foi positiva para a presença de antígeno de FeLV. Um (1,3% dos 72 felinos não domésticos apresentou fragmentos de DNA de Chlamydophila sp e FHV-1 pela PCR. Este felino era uma jaguatirica que não apresentou anticorpos para FIV e nem antígeno para FelV. Estes resultados demonstram a ocorrência de coinfecção de C. felis e FHV-1 em uma jaguatirica (Leopardus pardalis no Brasil.

Studying Cat (Felis catus Diabetes: Beware of the Acromegalic Imposter.

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Stijn J M Niessen

Full Text Available Naturally occurring diabetes mellitus (DM is common in domestic cats (Felis catus. It has been proposed as a model for human Type 2 DM given many shared features. Small case studies demonstrate feline DM also occurs as a result of insulin resistance due to a somatotrophinoma. The current study estimates the prevalence of hypersomatotropism or acromegaly in the largest cohort of diabetic cats to date, evaluates clinical presentation and ease of recognition. Diabetic cats were screened for hypersomatotropism using serum total insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1; radioimmunoassay, followed by further evaluation of a subset of cases with suggestive IGF-1 (>1000 ng/ml through pituitary imaging and/ or histopathology. Clinicians indicated pre-test suspicion for hypersomatotropism. In total 1221 diabetic cats were screened; 319 (26.1% demonstrated a serum IGF-1>1000 ng/ml (95% confidence interval: 23.6-28.6%. Of these cats a subset of 63 (20% underwent pituitary imaging and 56/63 (89% had a pituitary tumour on computed tomography; an additional three on magnetic resonance imaging and one on necropsy. These data suggest a positive predictive value of serum IGF-1 for hypersomatotropism of 95% (95% confidence interval: 90-100%, thus suggesting the overall hypersomatotropism prevalence among UK diabetic cats to be 24.8% (95% confidence interval: 21.2-28.6%. Only 24% of clinicians indicated a strong pre-test suspicion; most hypersomatotropism cats did not display typical phenotypical acromegaly signs. The current data suggest hypersomatotropism screening should be considered when studying diabetic cats and opportunities exist for comparative acromegaly research, especially in light of the many detected communalities with the human disease.

Selecting predictors for discriminant analysis of species performance: an example from an amphibious softwater plant.

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Vanderhaeghe, F; Smolders, A J P; Roelofs, J G M; Hoffmann, M

2012-03-01

Selecting an appropriate variable subset in linear multivariate methods is an important methodological issue for ecologists. Interest often exists in obtaining general predictive capacity or in finding causal inferences from predictor variables. Because of a lack of solid knowledge on a studied phenomenon, scientists explore predictor variables in order to find the most meaningful (i.e. discriminating) ones. As an example, we modelled the response of the amphibious softwater plant Eleocharis multicaulis using canonical discriminant function analysis. We asked how variables can be selected through comparison of several methods: univariate Pearson chi-square screening, principal components analysis (PCA) and step-wise analysis, as well as combinations of some methods. We expected PCA to perform best. The selected methods were evaluated through fit and stability of the resulting discriminant functions and through correlations between these functions and the predictor variables. The chi-square subset, at P < 0.05, followed by a step-wise sub-selection, gave the best results. In contrast to expectations, PCA performed poorly, as so did step-wise analysis. The different chi-square subset methods all yielded ecologically meaningful variables, while probable noise variables were also selected by PCA and step-wise analysis. We advise against the simple use of PCA or step-wise discriminant analysis to obtain an ecologically meaningful variable subset; the former because it does not take into account the response variable, the latter because noise variables are likely to be selected. We suggest that univariate screening techniques are a worthwhile alternative for variable selection in ecology. © 2011 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

Conservation inequality and the charismatic cat: Felis felicis

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E.A. Macdonald

2015-01-01

. While the felids are widely regarded as a popular taxonomic group, the great extent to which they appealed to our respondents emphasises their potential as ambassadors for conservation. Indeed, the big cats were so highly rated that we might think of them as one, Felis felicis: a globally powerful flagship for conservation.

The ontogenesis of lateralized behavior in the domestic cat, Felis silvestris catus.

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Wells, Deborah L; Millsopp, Sarah

2012-02-01

For the first time, the development of paw preferences in the domestic cat, Felis silvestris catus, is explored. Twelve cats were tested at ages 12 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year on a challenge requiring them to use one of their paws to retrieve food. To control for repeated testing of the same cats at different ages, the subjects' paw preferences were compared with those of cats tested just once, at 6 months (n = 11) or 1 year (n = 14) of age. Analysis revealed a significant effect of age on the distribution of cats' paw preferences. Cats were significantly more likely to be ambilateral than paw preferent at 12 weeks and at 6 months but more likely to display a lateral bias in paw use at 1 year. There was a significant positive correlation between cats' paw preferences at 6 months and at 1 year. Lateralized behavior was strongly sex related. Females had a greater preference for using their right paw; males were significantly more inclined to adopt their left. Analysis revealed no significant difference in the direction or strength of paw preferences of cats tested longitudinally or cross-sectionally at 6 months or 1 year of age. Findings indicate that cats develop paw preferences by 1 year and hint at a relative stability in preferred paw use over time. The strong sex effect observed strengthens the case for the influence of a biological mechanism in the emergence of motor asymmetry in cats.

Prevalensi Infeksi Cacing Ancylostoma Spp Pada Kucing Lokal (Felis catus Di Kota Denpasar

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Putu Anna Oktaviana

2014-08-01

Full Text Available A long time ago local cat (Felis catus is a symbol of faith and now it turns to mice controller or even pet. The efficiency of maintains and food make more people interested to take care of cat. Based on the area of living, cat can be categorized into three such as: (1 Domestic pet cats , (2 Stray cats  and (3 Feral cats. Domestic pet cats can be categorized into three also based on authority area such as  Indoor, Limited range and Free range. Cat disease can cause by parasite, virus, bacteria and fungus. There are some species of parasite which often be found in cat digest track such as Ancylostoma spp,  Toxocara spp and Strongyloides spp. The purpose of this research is to know the prevalence of Ancylostomma spp. infection in local cat. This research use 80 samples which divide into 40 stray cat feces and 40 home cat feces using floatation method. From 40 samples of examinated stray cat feces, 19 samples (47.5% positively found the egg of Ancylostoma spp. Meanwhile from 40 samples of examinated home cat feces, 10 samples  (25.0 %  positively found the egg of Ancylostoma spp. After analyzed by Chi-square test, there is a clear relation between the prevalence of Ancylostoma spp. infection in home cat and stray cat. (P<0,05

Adaptation Problems of the Post Industrial Heritage on the Example of Selected Objects of Bydgoszcz

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Pszczółkowski, Michał

2016-09-01

Post-industrial architecture was until recently regarded as devoid of value and importance due to obsolescence, but this awareness has been a clear change in recent years. The old factories become full-fledged cultural heritage, as evidenced by the inclusion of buildings and complexes of this type in the register of monuments and protected by their conservator. More and more often, therefore, one undertakes revitalization of degraded brownfield sites, and within these treatments - conversion works. Specific issues and problems related to the adaptation of industrial facilities are discussed in the article on the basis of selected examples, completed in recent years in Bydgoszcz.

Fate of fall-out plutonium and americium in the environment: selected examples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bunzl, K.; Kracke, W.

1994-01-01

At present, several isotopes of Pu and Am are in the biosphere as a result of above-ground nuclear weapons tests in the 1950s and 1960s. Even though their concentrations in most environmental samples are extremely low, they can be determined if methods are developed which allow convenient disintegration of very large samples before radiochemical analysis. In this way, information on the long-term behavior of actinides in the biosphere can be obtained under ideal natural conditions. The selected examples discussed here involve investigations on the following: (1) the filter effect of coniferous trees for Pu and Am during their dry deposition; (2) the rate of vertical migration of Pu and Am in the different soil horizons of forest and grassland soils; (3) the transfer of Pu and Am from soil to flour and bran from cereals; (4) the enrichment of Pu in some types of honey; (5) Pu and Am in the tissues of the general population in Germany. ((orig.))

Spotlight census of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes and the domestic cat (Felis catus in three sample areas of the Marches region (Central Italy / Censimento notturno di Volpe (Vulpes vulpes e di Gatto domestico (Felis catus in tre aree campione delle Marche

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Massimo Pandolfi

1991-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract In order to evaluate the density of the red fox and of the domestic cat, 55 transects were made from 1986 to 1989 using spotlight census method in three sample areas. The mean density of foxes agreed substantially with its biological cycle and the hightes values (2.01 foxes/km² in spring and 4.3 foxes/km² in winter were recorded in the study area with the better natural characteristics. Foxes selected the shrub woodland (macchia all year round, the inhabited area in spring. The domestic cat was widely spread and abundant, and selected especially inhabited areas where the density varied from 4.27 cats/km² (in winter to 12.42 cat/km² (in spring. Riassunto Dal 1986 al 1989, con il metodo dei percorsi notturni con fari, sono stati effettuati complessivamente 55 conteggi in tre aree campione per valutare la densità della Volpe (Vulpes vulpes e del Gatto domestico (Felis catus nonché le loro preferenze ambientali limitatamente ad una zona campione. Per la Volpe le densità medie rilevate sono sostanzialmente in accordo con il ciclo biologico della specie e quelle più elevate (2,O1 volpi/km² in primavera e 4,3 volpi/km² in inverno sono state registrate nella zona campione con maggior presenza di boschi ed aree incolte. La Volpe seleziona le zone con vegetazione "di macchia" in ogni periodo dell'anno, e le aree abitate in primavera. Per il Gatto domestico le densità rilevate evidenziano la presenza di una diffusa ed abbondante popolazione. La specie mostra una spiccata preferenza per le aree abitate dove raggiunge densità di 4,27 individui/km² e 12,42 individui/km² in inverno e primavera rispettivamente.

Examples of safety culture practices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-01-01

This report has been prepared to illustrate the concepts and principles of safety culture produced in 1991 by the International Safety Advisory Group as 75-INSAG-4. It provides a small selection of examples taken from a worldwide collection of safety performance evaluations (e.g. IAEA safety series, national regulatory inspections, utility audits and a plant assessments). These documented evaluations collectively provide a database of safety performance strengths and weakness, and related safety culture observations. The examples which have been selected for inclusion in this report are those which are considered worthy of special mention and which illustrate a specific attribute of safety culture given in 75-INSAG-4

Evaluating OO example programs for CS1

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Börstler, Jürgen; Christensen, Henrik Bærbak; Bennedsen, Jens

2008-01-01

Example programs play an important role in learning to program. They work as templates, guidelines, and inspiration for learners when developing their own programs. It is therefore important to provide learners with high quality examples. In this paper, we discuss properties of example programs...... that might affect the teaching and learning of object-oriented programming. Furthermore, we present an evaluation instrument for example programs and report on initial experiences of its application to a selection of examples from popular introductory programming textbooks....

Experimental inoculation of domestic cats (Felis domesticus) with Sarcocystis neurona or S. neurona-like merozoites.

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Butcher, M; Lakritz, J; Halaney, A; Branson, K; Gupta, G D; Kreeger, J; Marsh, A E

2002-07-29

Sarcocystis neurona is the parasite most commonly associated with equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM). Recently, cats (Felis domesticus) have been demonstrated to be an experimental intermediate host in the life cycle of S. neurona. This study was performed to determine if cats experimentally inoculated with culture-derived S. neurona merozoites develop tissue sarcocysts infectious to opossums (Didelphis virginiana), the definitive host of S. neurona. Four cats were inoculated with S. neurona or S. neurona-like merozoites and all developed antibodies reacting to S. neurona merozoite antigens, but tissue sarcocysts were detected in only two cats. Muscle tissues from the experimentally inoculated cats with and without detectable sarcocysts were fed to laboratory-reared opossums. Sporocysts were detected in gastrointestinal (GI) scrapings of one opossum fed experimentally infected feline tissues. The study results suggest that cats can develop tissue cysts following inoculation with culture-derived Sarcocystis sp. merozoites in which the particular isolate was originally derived from a naturally infected cat with tissue sarcocysts. This is in contrast to cats which did not develop tissue cysts when inoculated with S. neurona merozoites originally derived from a horse with EPM. These results indicate present biological differences between the culture-derived merozoites of two Sarcocystis isolates, Sn-UCD 1 and Sn-Mucat 2.

Mesothelioma in Two Nondomestic Felids: North American Cougar (Felis concolor and Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus

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Amanda Whiton

2013-01-01

Full Text Available A 15-year-old male North American cougar (Felis concolor presented with a 2-day history of anorexia, restlessness, and dyspnea. White blood cell count ( cells/μL and absolute segmented neutrophil count ( cells/μL were increased, and BUN (143 mg/dL, creatinine (6.3 mg/dL, and phosphorus (8.5 mg/dL concentrations indicated chronic renal disease. Thoracic radiographs showed severe pleural and pericardial effusion. During attempts to remove the fluid, cardiac tamponade developed and the cat died. At necropsy, nodular masses decorated the pericardium at the level of the base of the heart. The final microscopic diagnosis was mesothelioma of the pericardium, tunica adventitia of the main pulmonary artery, left auricle epicardium, and left ventricular epicardium. A 15-year-old female cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus was evaluated for acute respiratory distress. The white blood cell count ( cells/μL and absolute segmented neutrophil count ( cells/μL were increased. Radiographically pleural effusion and a cranial thoracic mass were seen. The cheetah was euthanized, and a gross diagnosis of disseminated pleural mesothelioma with thoracic effusion was made. Histologically, pleural mesothelioma was confirmed with local invasion of the lung and pulmonary arterial emboli and infarction. In both cases, a diagnosis of mesothelioma was made based on cellular morphology, microscopic architecture, and neoplastic cell coexpression of cytokeratin and vimentin.

Functional Analyses of Bitter Taste Receptors in Domestic Cats (Felis catus).

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Lei, Weiwei; Ravoninjohary, Aurore; Li, Xia; Margolskee, Robert F; Reed, Danielle R; Beauchamp, Gary K; Jiang, Peihua

2015-01-01

Cats are obligate carnivores and under most circumstances eat only animal products. Owing to the pseudogenization of one of two subunits of the sweet receptor gene, they are indifferent to sweeteners, presumably having no need to detect plant-based sugars in their diet. Following this reasoning and a recent report of a positive correlation between the proportion of dietary plants and the number of Tas2r (bitter receptor) genes in vertebrate species, we tested the hypothesis that if bitter perception exists primarily to protect animals from poisonous plant compounds, the genome of the domestic cat (Felis catus) should have lost functional bitter receptors and they should also have reduced bitter receptor function. To test functionality of cat bitter receptors, we expressed cat Tas2R receptors in cell-based assays. We found that they have at least 7 functional receptors with distinct receptive ranges, showing many similarities, along with some differences, with human bitter receptors. To provide a comparative perspective, we compared the cat repertoire of intact receptors with those of a restricted number of members of the order Carnivora, with a range of dietary habits as reported in the literature. The numbers of functional bitter receptors in the terrestrial Carnivora we examined, including omnivorous and herbivorous species, were roughly comparable to that of cats thereby providing no strong support for the hypothesis that a strict meat diet influences bitter receptor number or function. Maintenance of bitter receptor function in terrestrial obligate carnivores may be due to the presence of bitter compounds in vertebrate and invertebrate prey, to the necessary role these receptors play in non-oral perception, or to other unknown factors. We also found that the two aquatic Carnivora species examined had fewer intact bitter receptors. Further comparative studies of factors driving numbers and functions of bitter taste receptors will aid in understanding the forces

Prevalence of selected infectious disease agents in stray cats in Catalonia, Spain

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Sara Ravicini

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Objectives The objective of the current study was to investigate the prevalence rates of the following infectious agents in 116 stray cats in the Barcelona area of Spain: Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Bartonella species, Borrelia burgdorferi, Chlamydia felis, Dirofilaria immitis, Ehrlichia species, feline calicivirus (FCV, feline herpesvirus-1 (FHV-1, feline leukaemia virus (FeLV, feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV, haemoplasmas, Mycoplasma species and Rickettsia species. Methods Serum antibodies were used to estimate the prevalence of exposure to A phagocytophilum, Bartonella species, B burgdorferi, Ehrlichia species and FIV; serum antigens were used to assess for infection by D immitis and FeLV; and molecular assays were used to amplify nucleic acids of Anaplasma species, Bartonella species, C felis, D immitis, Ehrlichia species, FCV, FHV-1, haemoplasmas, Mycoplasma species and Rickettsia species from blood and nasal or oral swabs. Results Of the 116 cats, 63 (54.3% had evidence of infection by Bartonella species, FeLV, FIV or a haemoplasma. Anaplasma species, Ehrlichia species or Rickettsia species DNA was not amplified from these cats. A total of 18/116 cats (15.5% were positive for FCV RNA (six cats, Mycoplasma species DNA (six cats, FHV-1 DNA (three cats or C felis DNA (three cats. Conclusions and relevance This study documents that shelter cats in Catalonia are exposed to many infectious agents with clinical and zoonotic significance, and that flea control is indicated for cats in the region.

What's inside your cat's head? A review of cat (Felis silvestris catus) cognition research past, present and future.

Science.gov (United States)

Vitale Shreve, Kristyn R; Udell, Monique A R

2015-11-01

The domestic cat (Felis silvestris catus) has shared an intertwined existence with humans for thousands of years, living on our city streets and in our homes. Yet, little scientific research has focused on the cognition of the domestic cat, especially in comparison with human's other companion, the domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris). This review surveys the current status of several areas of cat cognition research including perception, object permanence, memory, physical causality, quantity and time discrimination, cats' sensitivity to human cues, vocal recognition and communication, attachment bonds, personality, and cognitive health. Although interest in cat cognition is growing, we still have a long way to go until we have an inclusive body of research on the subject. Therefore, this review also identifies areas where future research must be conducted. In addition to the scientific value of future work in this area, future research on cat cognition could have an important influence on the management and welfare of pet and free-roaming cats, leading to improved human-cat interactions.

Examples in the Teaching of Mathematics: Teachers' Perceptions

Science.gov (United States)

Ng, Lay Keow; Dindyal, Jaguthsing

2015-01-01

As part of a study examining how teachers in Singapore select and use examples for teaching mathematics, 121 teachers from 24 secondary schools responded to three open-ended questions about the use of examples in teaching. The results show that students' abilities and the difficulty level of the examples were among the topmost considerations…

Four challenges in selecting and implementing methods to monitor and evaluate participatory processes: Example from the Rwenzori region, Uganda.

Science.gov (United States)

Hassenforder, Emeline; Ducrot, Raphaëlle; Ferrand, Nils; Barreteau, Olivier; Anne Daniell, Katherine; Pittock, Jamie

2016-09-15

Participatory approaches are now increasingly recognized and used as an essential element of policies and programs, especially in regards to natural resource management (NRM). Most practitioners, decision-makers and researchers having adopted participatory approaches also acknowledge the need to monitor and evaluate such approaches in order to audit their effectiveness, support decision-making or improve learning. Many manuals and frameworks exist on how to carry out monitoring and evaluation (M&E) for participatory processes. However, few provide guidelines on the selection and implementation of M&E methods, an aspect which is also often obscure in published studies, at the expense of the transparency, reliability and validity of the study. In this paper, we argue that the selection and implementation of M&E methods are particularly strategic when monitoring and evaluating a participatory process. We demonstrate that evaluators of participatory processes have to tackle a quadruple challenge when selecting and implementing methods: using mixed-methods, both qualitative and quantitative; assessing the participatory process, its outcomes, and its context; taking into account both the theory and participants' views; and being both rigorous and adaptive. The M&E of a participatory planning process in the Rwenzori Region, Uganda, is used as an example to show how these challenges unfold on the ground and how they can be tackled. Based on this example, we conclude by providing tools and strategies that can be used by evaluators to ensure that they make utile, feasible, coherent, transparent and adaptive methodological choices when monitoring and evaluating participatory processes for NRM. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Birds be safe: Can a novel cat collar reduce avian mortality by domestic cats (Felis catus?

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S.K. Willson

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The domestic cat (Felis catus has been described as the largest anthropogenic threat to songbird populations in North America. We examined the effectiveness of a novel cat collar in reducing avian and small mammal mortality by cats. The 2-inch wide Birdsbesafe® collar cover (CC is worn over a nylon quick-release collar, and the bright colors and patterns of the CC are hypothesized to warn birds of approaching cats. We conducted two seasonal trials, each lasting 12 weeks, in autumn 2013 (n=54 cats and spring 2014 (n=19 cats. Cats were randomly assigned to two groups, and CCs with interior collars were removed or put on every two weeks, to control for weather fluctuations and seasonal change. Cats wearing Birdsbesafe® CCs killed 19 times fewer birds than uncollared cats in the spring trial, and 3.4 times fewer birds in the fall. Birdsbesafe® CCs were extremely effective at reducing predation on birds. Small mammal data were less clear, but did decrease predation by half in the fall. The Birdsbesafe® CC is a highly effective device for decreasing bird predation, especially in the spring season. We suggest that the CCs be used as a conservation tool for owned as well as feral cats.

Categorising Example Sentences in Dictionaries for Research ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

able contextual or grammatical support. I have constructed a table to classify example sentences according to different criteria. I filled in this table with randomly selected words and their examples which have been taken from five different South African school dictionaries. The goal of this research is to present characteristics ...

Detection of Rickettsia Species in Fleas Collected from Cats in Regions Endemic and Nonendemic for Flea-Borne Rickettsioses in California.

Science.gov (United States)

Billeter, Sarah A; Diniz, Pedro Paulo Vissotto de Paiva; Jett, Lindsey A; Wournell, Andrea L; Kjemtrup, Anne M; Padgett, Kerry A; Yoshimizu, Melissa Hardstone; Metzger, Marco E; Barr, Margaret C

2016-03-01

Rickettsia typhi, transmitted by rat fleas, causes most human flea-borne rickettsioses worldwide. Another rickettsia, Rickettsia felis, found in cat fleas, Ctenocephalides felis, has also been implicated as a potential human pathogen. In the continental United States, human cases of flea-borne rickettsioses are reported primarily from the southern regions of Texas and California where the cat flea is considered the principal vector. In California, more than 90% of locally acquired human cases are reported from suburban communities within Los Angeles and Orange counties despite the almost ubiquitous presence of cat fleas and their hosts throughout the state. The objective of this study is to assess the presence and infection rate of Rickettsia species in cat fleas from selected endemic and nonendemic regions of California. Cat fleas were collected from cats in Los Angeles County (endemic region) and Sacramento and Contra Costa counties (nonendemic region). Sequencing of 17 amplicons confirmed the presence of R. felis in both the endemic and non-endemic regions with a calculated maximum likelihood estimation of 131 and 234 per 1000 fleas, respectively. R. typhi was not detected in any flea pools. Two R. felis-like genotypes were also detected in fleas from Los Angeles County; Genotype 1 was detected in 1 flea pool and Genotype 2 was found in 10 flea pools. Genotype 1 was also detected in a single flea pool from Sacramento County. Results from this study show that R. felis is widespread in cat flea populations in both flea-borne rickettsioses endemic and nonendemic regions of California, suggesting that a high prevalence of this bacterium in cat fleas does not predispose to increased risk of human infection. Further studies are needed to elucidate the role of R. felis and the two R. felis-like organisms as etiologic agents of human flea-borne rickettsioses in California.

Estimated Number of Birds Killed by House Cats (Felis catus in Canada

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Peter Blancher

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Predation by house cats (Felis catus is one of the largest human-related sources of mortality for wild birds in the United States and elsewhere, and has been implicated in extinctions and population declines of several species. However, relatively little is known about this topic in Canada. The objectives of this study were to provide plausible estimates for the number of birds killed by house cats in Canada, identify information that would help improve those estimates, and identify species potentially vulnerable to population impacts. In total, cats are estimated to kill between 100 and 350 million birds per year in Canada (> 95% of estimates were in this range, with the majority likely to be killed by feral cats. This range of estimates is based on surveys indicating that Canadians own about 8.5 million pet cats, a rough approximation of 1.4 to 4.2 million feral cats, and literature values of predation rates from studies conducted elsewhere. Reliability of the total kill estimate would be improved most by better knowledge of feral cat numbers and diet in Canada, though any data on birds killed by cats in Canada would be helpful. These estimates suggest that 2-7% of birds in southern Canada are killed by cats per year. Even at the low end, predation by house cats is probably the largest human-related source of bird mortality in Canada. Many species of birds are potentially vulnerable to at least local population impacts in southern Canada, by virtue of nesting or feeding on or near ground level, and habitat choices that bring them into contact with human-dominated landscapes where cats are abundant. Because cat predation is likely to remain a primary source of bird mortality in Canada for some time, this issue needs more scientific attention in Canada.

Histologic and Molecular Correlation in Shelter Cats with Acute Upper Respiratory Infection ▿

Science.gov (United States)

Burns, Rachel E.; Wagner, Denae C.; Leutenegger, Christian M.; Pesavento, Patricia A.

2011-01-01

This is a descriptive study designed to correlate diagnostic real-time PCR results with histopathologic lesions in cats with clinical signs of upper respiratory infection (URI). The study occurred over a 9-month period in a single open-intake animal shelter. Cats that were selected for euthanasia by the shelter staff and additionally had URI were included in the study, for a total of 22 study cats. Combined conjunctival and oropharyngeal swab specimens were tested by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) for feline herpesvirus type 1 (FHV-1), feline calicivirus (FCV), Mycoplasma felis, Chlamydophila felis, and Bordetella bronchiseptica. Necropsy was performed on all cats, and a complete set of respiratory tract tissues was examined by histopathology. Among 22 cats, 20 were qPCR positive for FHV-1, 7 for M. felis, 5 for FCV, 1 for C. felis, and 0 for B. bronchiseptica. Nine cats were positive for two or more pathogens. Histopathologic lesions were present in all cats, with consistent lesions in the nasal cavity, including acute necroulcerative rhinitis in 16 cats. Histologic or antigenic detection of FHV-1 was seen in 18 of 20 cats positive for FHV-1 by qPCR. No lesions that could be specifically attributed to FCV, M. felis, or C. felis were seen, although interpretation in this cohort could be confounded by coinfection with FHV-1. A significant agreement was found between the amount of FHV-1 DNA determined by qPCR and the presence of specific histopathologic lesions for FHV-1 but not for the other respiratory pathogens. PMID:21562109

Histologic and molecular correlation in shelter cats with acute upper respiratory infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Burns, Rachel E; Wagner, Denae C; Leutenegger, Christian M; Pesavento, Patricia A

2011-07-01

This is a descriptive study designed to correlate diagnostic real-time PCR results with histopathologic lesions in cats with clinical signs of upper respiratory infection (URI). The study occurred over a 9-month period in a single open-intake animal shelter. Cats that were selected for euthanasia by the shelter staff and additionally had URI were included in the study, for a total of 22 study cats. Combined conjunctival and oropharyngeal swab specimens were tested by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) for feline herpesvirus type 1 (FHV-1), feline calicivirus (FCV), Mycoplasma felis, Chlamydophila felis, and Bordetella bronchiseptica. Necropsy was performed on all cats, and a complete set of respiratory tract tissues was examined by histopathology. Among 22 cats, 20 were qPCR positive for FHV-1, 7 for M. felis, 5 for FCV, 1 for C. felis, and 0 for B. bronchiseptica. Nine cats were positive for two or more pathogens. Histopathologic lesions were present in all cats, with consistent lesions in the nasal cavity, including acute necroulcerative rhinitis in 16 cats. Histologic or antigenic detection of FHV-1 was seen in 18 of 20 cats positive for FHV-1 by qPCR. No lesions that could be specifically attributed to FCV, M. felis, or C. felis were seen, although interpretation in this cohort could be confounded by coinfection with FHV-1. A significant agreement was found between the amount of FHV-1 DNA determined by qPCR and the presence of specific histopathologic lesions for FHV-1 but not for the other respiratory pathogens.

Functional Analyses of Bitter Taste Receptors in Domestic Cats (Felis catus.

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Weiwei Lei

Full Text Available Cats are obligate carnivores and under most circumstances eat only animal products. Owing to the pseudogenization of one of two subunits of the sweet receptor gene, they are indifferent to sweeteners, presumably having no need to detect plant-based sugars in their diet. Following this reasoning and a recent report of a positive correlation between the proportion of dietary plants and the number of Tas2r (bitter receptor genes in vertebrate species, we tested the hypothesis that if bitter perception exists primarily to protect animals from poisonous plant compounds, the genome of the domestic cat (Felis catus should have lost functional bitter receptors and they should also have reduced bitter receptor function. To test functionality of cat bitter receptors, we expressed cat Tas2R receptors in cell-based assays. We found that they have at least 7 functional receptors with distinct receptive ranges, showing many similarities, along with some differences, with human bitter receptors. To provide a comparative perspective, we compared the cat repertoire of intact receptors with those of a restricted number of members of the order Carnivora, with a range of dietary habits as reported in the literature. The numbers of functional bitter receptors in the terrestrial Carnivora we examined, including omnivorous and herbivorous species, were roughly comparable to that of cats thereby providing no strong support for the hypothesis that a strict meat diet influences bitter receptor number or function. Maintenance of bitter receptor function in terrestrial obligate carnivores may be due to the presence of bitter compounds in vertebrate and invertebrate prey, to the necessary role these receptors play in non-oral perception, or to other unknown factors. We also found that the two aquatic Carnivora species examined had fewer intact bitter receptors. Further comparative studies of factors driving numbers and functions of bitter taste receptors will aid in

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in feral cats (Felis silvestris catus) in Majorca, Balearic Islands, Spain.

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Millán, Javier; Cabezón, Oscar; Pabón, Marcela; Dubey, J P; Almería, Sonia

2009-11-12

Felids are important in the epidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii infection because they are the only hosts that can excrete environmentally resistant oocysts. Antibodies to T. gondii and Neospora caninum were determined in serum samples from 59 feral cats (Felis silvestris catus) captured in baited traps during authorized predator control campaigns in Majorca, Balearic Islands, Spain. Antibodies to T. gondii assayed by the modified agglutination test (MAT) were found in 50 (84.7%) of 59 cats with MAT titers of 1:25 in one cat, 1:200 in four cats, 1:500 in seven cats, 1:1000 in nine cats, and >or=1:2000 in 29 cats. Seroprevalence (MAT, 1:25 or more) was significantly higher in adults (94.6%) than in juveniles (cats in Majorca is one of the highest reported worldwide in this species and the highest observed in Europe to date. The results suggest that feral cats in Majorca have a high rate of T. gondii infection with important implications for public health on the island since the seropositive cats are likely to have already shed T. gondii oocysts in the environment.

Molecular characterisation of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in cats (Felis catus) in Western Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Rongchang; Ying, Joyce Lau Jie; Monis, Paul; Ryan, Una

2015-08-01

Little is known of the prevalence of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in domestic cats in Western Australia and their potential role as zoonotic reservoirs for human infection. In the present study, a total of 345 faecal samples from four different sources were screened for the presence of Cryptosporidium and Giardia by PCR and genotyped by sequence analysis. Oocyst numbers and cyst numbers for Cryptosporidium and Giardia respectively were also determined using quantitative PCR assays. Cryptosporidium and Giardia were detected in 9.9% (95% CI 6.7-13.0) and 10.1% (95% CI 7.0-13.3) of cats in Western Australia respectively. Sequence analysis at the 18S rRNA locus identified five Cryptosporidium species/genotypes; C. felis (n = 8), C. muris (n = 1), C. ryanae (n = 1), Cryptosporidium rat genotype III (n = 5) and a novel genotype most closely related to Cryptosporidium rat genotype III in one isolate. This is the first report of C. ryanae and Cryptosporidium rat genotype III in cats. For Giardia, assemblage F the most commonly identified species, while only 1 assemblage sequence was detected. Since most human cases of cryptosporidiosis are caused by C. parvum and C. hominis and human cases of giardiasis are caused by G. duodenalis assemblage A and B, the domestic cats in the present study are likely to be of low zoonotic risk to pet owners in Perth. Risk analyses identified that elderly cats (more than 6 years) were more prone to Cryptosporidium and Giardia infections than kittens (less than 6 months) (P = 0.009). Clinical symptoms were not associated with the prevalence of Cryptosporidium and Giardia infections in cats. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Tribal Green Building Administrative Code Example

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This Tribal Green Building Administrative Code Example can be used as a template for technical code selection (i.e., building, electrical, plumbing, etc.) to be adopted as a comprehensive building code.

Selection for components of complex characteristics - indirect selection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haensel, H.

1984-01-01

A hierarchy of complexity exists in plant characteristics. The efficiency of indirect selection for a complex characteristic by a sub-trait depends on the heritability of the complex characteristic (hsub(c)), the heritability of the sub-trait (hsub(s)), and the genotypic correlation between sub-trait and complex characteristic (rsub(s.c)). In 1961 hsub(s)Xrsub(s.c)>hsub(c) was postulated, when indirect selection becomes more efficient than direct selection. Numerical examples for this relationship are given and a table for indirect selection for yield in wheat is elaborated. Efficiency ranking of sub-traits in indirect selection may change with climate, conditions of cultivation, the level of other sub-traits, the level of the complex characteristic already reached by breeding, and the breeding material. An example shows that regression analysis for different sub-traits on the same complex characteristic, and an estimation of the differences of the within - and the between - variety slopes, may help to select the more efficient sub-trait. In another example, where simultaneous selection was made for two polygenic characteristics, one directly and the other indirectly by two sub-traits, less than half the F 5 -lines had to be continued, when using the more efficient sub-trait. (author)

Efficacy of slow-release collar formulations of imidacloprid/flumethrin and deltamethrin and of spot-on formulations of fipronil/(s - methoprene, dinotefuran/pyriproxyfen/permethrin and (s –methoprene/amitraz/fipronil against Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Ctenocephalides felis felis on dogs

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Horak Ivan G

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Two studies evaluating the efficacy of an imidacloprid/flumethrin collar (Seresto®, Bayer Animal Health, IVP, a deltamethrin collar (Scalibor®, MSD, CP1, a fipronil/(s-methoprene spot-on (Frontline Combo®, Merial, CP2, a dinotefuran/pyriproxyfen/permethrin spot-on (Vectra 3D®, Ceva, CP3 and an amitraz/fipronil/(s-methoprene spot-on (Certifect®, Merial, CP4/CP5 against repeated infestations with Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Ctenocephalides felis felis on dogs were conducted over periods of 226 days and 71 days respectively. Methods The first study comprised 4 groups of treated dogs and one untreated control group, and the second 3 groups of treated dogs and one control group. Each group consisted of 8 dogs. All dogs were infested with ticks and fleas at regular intervals. Ticks were counted 6 h, 18 h or 48 h after infestations and fleas 24 h after infestations. Efficacies of the treatments were calculated by comparison with the untreated control groups using standard descriptive statistics. Results The protective 48 h tick efficacy was 97.8% to 100% for the IVP (226 days, 69.3% to 97.4% for CP1 (170 days, 99.6% to 43.4% for CP2 (35 days and 98% to 61.4% for CP3 (35 days. The protective 18 h tick efficacy was 98% to 99.6% for the IVP (71 days, 100% to 86.5% for CP4 (29 days, 100% to 72.8% for CP4 after re-treatment (35 days and 98.8% to 54.3% for CP5 (35 days. The protective 6 h tick efficacy was 85.6% at Day 7 and 90.1% to 97.1% from Day 14 onwards for the IVP (70 days, 92.3% to 70.7% for CP4 (35 days, 97.5% to 65.2% for CP4 after re-treatment (35 days and 95.1% to 51.8% for CP5 (35 days. The protective 24 h flea efficacy was 99.5/90.9% to 100% for the IVP (71/226 days, 66.7% to 83% for CP1 (170 days, 100% to 88.5% for CP2 (35 days, 100% to 73.3% for CP3 (35 days, 100% to 98.7% for CP4 (35 days, 100% to 87.5% for CP4 after re-treatment (35 days and 100% to 79.5% for

Knock-down and speed of kill of a combination of fipronil and permethrin for the prevention of Ctenocephalides felis flea infestation in dogs.

Science.gov (United States)

Halos, Lénaïg; Fourie, Josephus J; Fankhauser, Becky; Beugnet, Frederic

2016-02-02

A topical combination of fipronil + permethrin (Frontline Tri-Act/Frontect, Merial) has recently been developed to control fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, sandflies and stable flies on dogs. Two studies were conducted to assess its speed of kill and knock-down effect on Ctenocephalides felis fleas. The combination was compared to either fipronil alone or to a combination of permethrin, dinotefuran, and pyriproxyfen, In each study, 18 dogs were randomly allocated to one of three groups: (Group 1: untreated dog; Group 2: treated once on D0 with the combination of fipronil and permethrin; Group 3: treated once on D0 either with fipronil alone (study 1) or with a combination of permethrin, dinetofuran and pyriproxyfen (study 2)). Each dog was infested with 100 unfed adult C. felis fleas on Days 2 (study 2), 7, 14, 21 and 28. Fleas were collected from dogs at 1 h and 12 h post- infestations (PI) (study 1) or at 2 h and 6 h PI (study 2) to assess efficacy and from collection pans underneath cages 1 h (study 1) or 5 min (study 2) PI to assess knock-down effect. All treated dogs had significantly (p ≤ 0.01) lower flea counts than untreated dogs at every time point in both studies. For a whole month, a significant knock-down effect against infesting fleas is obtained in five minutes PI with the combination of permethrin and fipronil. Complete efficacy (>95%) was achieved in 1 h (study 1) or 2 h (study 2) PI for 14 days and by 6 h PI for all challenges conducted throughout the month. Efficacy remains >85% at 2 h PI for the whole month. A significantly higher efficacy of the fipronil + permethrin combination compared to other treatments was demonstrated at the earliest time points for the month (1 h knock-down effect and insecticidal efficacy compared to fipronil alone; 5 min knock-down effect compared to the combination of permethrin + dinetofuran + pyriproxyfen). The rapid flea knock-down effect and speed of kill demonstrated by the spot on combination of

Selection of robust methods. Numerical examples and results

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Víšek, Jan Ámos

2005-01-01

Roč. 21, č. 11 (2005), s. 1-58 ISSN 1212-074X R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA402/03/0084 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10750506 Keywords : robust regression * model selection * uniform consistency of M-estimators Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics

The use of examples in polyfunctional dictionaries | Prinsloo | Lexikos

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... evaluate some current approaches towards the handling of examples of usage as a data category in modern dictionaries and to suggest ways in which this information category can be improved by compiling, selecting and shaping examples to render optimal transfer of information and to enhance information retrieval.

Felis Catus Gammaherpesvirus 1 DNAemia in Whole Blood from Therapeutically Immunosuppressed or Retrovirus-Infected Cats

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Alicia J. McLuckie

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Gammaherpesviruses are major co-pathogens of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV infection, making the interactions between feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV and Felis catus gammaherpesvirus 1 (FcaGHV1 pertinent to both human and veterinary medical research. FIV-infected cats are at increased risk of FcaGHV1 DNAemia and consistently harbor higher FcaGHV1 loads than FIV-uninfected cats. Whether immune deficiencies unrelated to FIV are associated with similar risks is unknown. Using whole blood FcaGHV1 qPCR, we found no difference in the frequency of DNAemia or DNA load in therapeutically immunosuppressed (P1, n = 18 or feline leukemia virus (FeLV-infected (P2, n = 57 patients compared with age- and sex-matched controls (C1, n = 58; C2, n = 57. In contrast, FIV/FeLV-co-infected cats (P3, n = 5 were at increased risk of FcaGHV1 DNAemia compared to retrovirus uninfected controls (C3, n = 39; p = 0.0068, and had a higher median FcaGHV1 DNA load, although the latter was not significant. FIV/FeLV-co-infected cats (P3 had a similar frequency of FcaGHV1 DNAemia reported compared to FIV-infected controls (C4. In conclusion, we found no evidence that cats with therapeutic immunosuppression or FeLV infection were at greater risk of FcaGHV1 DNAemia or had higher FcaGHV1 DNA load in whole blood. The risk of DNAemia in FIV/FeLV-co-infected cats was similar to that documented previously in cats infected with FIV alone.

Examples of plasma horizons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanni, R.S.

1975-01-01

The concept of the plasma horizon, defined as the boundary of the region in which an infinitely thin plasma can be supported against Coulomb attraction by a magnetic field, shows that the argument of selective accretion does not rule out the existence of charged black holes embedded in a conducting plasma. A detailed account of the covariant definition of plasma horizon is given and some examples of plasma horizons are presented. 7 references

Extent of linkage disequilibrium in the domestic cat, Felis silvestris catus, and its breeds.

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Hasan Alhaddad

Full Text Available Domestic cats have a unique breeding history and can be used as models for human hereditary and infectious diseases. In the current era of genome-wide association studies, insights regarding linkage disequilibrium (LD are essential for efficient association studies. The objective of this study is to investigate the extent of LD in the domestic cat, Felis silvestris catus, particularly within its breeds. A custom illumina GoldenGate Assay consisting of 1536 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs equally divided over ten 1 Mb chromosomal regions was developed, and genotyped across 18 globally recognized cat breeds and two distinct random bred populations. The pair-wise LD descriptive measure (r(2 was calculated between the SNPs in each region and within each population independently. LD decay was estimated by determining the non-linear least-squares of all pair-wise estimates as a function of distance using established models. The point of 50% decay of r(2 was used to compare the extent of LD between breeds. The longest extent of LD was observed in the Burmese breed, where the distance at which r(2 ≈ 0.25 was ∼380 kb, comparable to several horse and dog breeds. The shortest extent of LD was found in the Siberian breed, with an r(2 ≈ 0.25 at approximately 17 kb, comparable to random bred cats and human populations. A comprehensive haplotype analysis was also conducted. The haplotype structure of each region within each breed mirrored the LD estimates. The LD of cat breeds largely reflects the breeds' population history and breeding strategies. Understanding LD in diverse populations will contribute to an efficient use of the newly developed SNP array for the cat in the design of genome-wide association studies, as well as to the interpretation of results for the fine mapping of disease and phenotypic traits.

Irradiated radiation dose measurements of multilayer mirrors and permanent magnets used at FELI facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wakisaka, K.; Tongu, H.; Okuma, S.; Oshita, E.; Wakita, K.; Takii, T.; Tomimasu, Takio

1997-01-01

Recently the operation time of the free electron laser (FEL) user's facilities is close on three thousand hours per year. Cavity mirrors of their optical resonators and permanent magnets of their undulators are used under high intensity radiation field along their high current electron beam lines. Among these mirrors and permanent magnets, multilayer mirrors and Nd-Fe-B permanent magnets are not so strong against radiation damage compared with Au-coated copper mirrors and Sm-Co permanent magnets. A radiation damage on Ta 2 O 5 /SiO 2 mirrors was found for the first time after about fifty hours visible FEL operation at the FELI. The damage is due to irradiated bremsstrahlung and intracavity FEL. However, radiation damages on Nd-Fe-B permanent magnets were already reported compared with Sm-Co ones using high energy neutrons, protons, deuterons and 60 Coγ-rays. Mixed irradiation effects of 85-MeV electrons, bremsstrahlung and 60 Coγ-rays and of 17-MeV electrons and 60 Coγ-rays were also studied. The latest results show that the magnetic flux loss of Nd-Fe-B is 2% at an absorbed dose of 10 MGy. The present work was carried out to study the irradiated dose distributions near the multilayer mirrors and Nd-Fe-B permanent magnets with thermoluminescence dosimeters (TLDs). The irradiated dose to the cavity mirrors used in Linac-based FEL experiment is estimated to be 0.3 MGray for fifty hours irradiation. The irradiated dose to the Nd-Fe-B magnets is estimated to be 16 MGray for 2 thousand hours operation. The decrease of their magnetic flux due to 16 MGray is estimated to be about 3%. These dose monitorings are useful to reduce irradiated dosages to the mirrors and the permanent magnets as low as possible and to estimate their safety lifetimes. (author)

Control of immature stages of the flea Ctenocephalides felis(Bouché in carpets exposed to cats treated with imidacloprid

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L.J. Fourie

2000-07-01

Full Text Available Fleas cause allergic dermatitis in cats and dogs and therefore warrant control. It has been demonstrated previously that there is marked inhibition of the development of the immature stages of the cat flea Ctenocephalides felis on fleece blankets exposed to cats treated with imidacloprid. This study reports on the efficacy of imidacloprid in suppressing adult flea emergence in carpet exposed to treated cats. Circular discs of carpet pre-seeded with flea eggs and larvae were exposed to 6 untreated control and 6 topically treated (imidacloprid 10 % m/v cats 1 to 2 days after treatment and subsequently fortnightly for 6 weeks. Exposure times on alternate days were either 1 or 6 hours. Adult flea yield from carpets was determined 35 days after exposure. Differences between flea yield on control carpets and those exposed for 1 hour were significant only for days +1 and +14. For the 6-hour exposure, differences were significant at all times except on Day +43. The ability of imidacloprid to suppress the yield of adult fleas on carpets (6-hour exposure steadily declined from 82 % (Day +2 to 12 %(Day +43. For the 1-hour exposure it varied inconsistently between 0 and 83 % over the 6-week study period.

Identification of the Rdl mutation in laboratory and field strains of the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae).

Science.gov (United States)

Bass, Chris; Schroeder, Iris; Turberg, Andreas; Field, Linda M; Williamson, Martin S

2004-12-01

In many insect species, resistance to cyclodiene insecticides is caused by amino acid substitutions at a single residue (A302) within the M2 transmembrane region of the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor sub-unit termed Rdl (resistance to dieldrin). These mutations (A302S and A302G) have also been shown to confer varying levels of cross-resistance to fipronil, a phenylpyrazole insecticide with a similar mode of action to cyclodienes. To investigate the possible occurrence of these mutations in the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis (Bouché), a 176-bp fragment of the cat flea Rdl gene, encompassing the mutation site, was PCR amplified and sequenced from nine laboratory flea strains. The A302S mutation was found in eight of the nine strains analysed, although the relative frequency of the mutant allele varied between strains. Only one strain (R6) was found to be homozygous for the S302 allele in all the individuals tested, and this correlated with previous reports of low-level fipronil resistance in this strain. A PCR-based diagnostic assay, capable of screening individual fleas for this mutation, was developed and used to survey a range of fleas collected at random from veterinary clinics in the UK and USA. The A302S mutation was present at a high frequency in these domestic pet populations. 2004 Society of Chemical Industry.

Genetically divergent strains of feline immunodeficiency virus from the domestic cat (Felis catus) and the African lion (Panthera leo) share usage of CD134 and CXCR4 as entry receptors.

Science.gov (United States)

McEwan, William A; McMonagle, Elizabeth L; Logan, Nicola; Serra, Rodrigo C; Kat, Pieter; Vandewoude, Sue; Hosie, Margaret J; Willett, Brian J

2008-11-01

The env open reading frames of African lion (Panthera leo) lentivirus (feline immunodeficiency virus [FIV(Ple)]) subtypes B and E from geographically distinct regions of Africa suggest two distinct ancestries, with FIV(Ple)-E sharing a common ancestor with the domestic cat (Felis catus) lentivirus (FIV(Fca)). Here we demonstrate that FIV(Ple)-E and FIV(Fca) share the use of CD134 (OX40) and CXCR4 as a primary receptor and coreceptor, respectively, and that both lion CD134 and CXCR4 are functional receptors for FIV(Ple)-E. The shared usage of CD134 and CXCR4 by FIV(Fca) and FIV(Ple)-E may have implications for in vivo cell tropism and the pathogenicity of the E subtype among free-ranging lion populations.

Authenticity in the Perspective of Sport Tourism: Some Selected Examples

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hurych Emanuel

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Authenticity is usually understood as something similar to truth, or as a kind of ability of one “to be oneself”. However, for the philosophical approach, authenticity presents a more complex and complicated term. This conception has been followed in existentialism and fundamental ontology, where it has been examined and analyzed in depth (especially by Martin Heidegger. This paper deals with the search for some potentiality of the authentic modus of being through the practice of some forms of sport tourism. We selected and described four model types of sport tourism activities. Then, we designed and selected some factors of authenticity. The evaluation of authenticity within the selected activities according to the factors was applied in a two-round process of evaluation. The results of the process are explained and discussed. In conclusion, authenticity is presented as a concept that is not strongly influenced by outer settings, but is rather strongly connected with personal attunement and individual (or group perception of the outer world.

Practical example of game theory application for production route selection

Science.gov (United States)

Olender, M.; Krenczyk, D.

2017-08-01

The opportunity which opens before manufacturers on the dynamic market, especially before those from the sector of the small and medium-sized enterprises, is associated with the use of the virtual organizations concept. The planning stage of such organizations could be based on supporting decision-making tasks using the tools and formalisms taken from the game theory. In the paper the model of the virtual manufacturing network, along with the practical example of decision-making situation as two person game and the decision strategies with an analysis of calculation results are presented.

Spectrally-Selective Photonic Structures for PV Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benedikt Bläsi

2010-01-01

Full Text Available We review several examples of how spectrally-selective photonic structures may be used to improve solar cell systems. Firstly, we introduce different spectrally-selective structures that are based on interference effects. Examples shown include Rugate filter, edge filter and 3D photonic crystals such as artificial opals. In the second part, we discuss several examples of photovoltaic (PV concepts that utilize spectral selectivity such as fluorescence collectors, upconversion systems, spectrum splitting concepts and the intermediate reflector concept. The potential of spectrally selective filters in the context of solar cells is discussed.

Fluid dynamics via examples and solutions

CERN Document Server

Nazarenko, Sergey

2014-01-01

"This is an excellent book for fluid dynamics students. It gives a good overview of the theory through a large set of worthy example problems. After many classical textbooks on the subject, there is finally one with solved exercises. I fully appreciate the selection of topics."-Professor Miguel Onorato, Physics Department, University of Torino.

Analysis of selected factors that generate the costs of accidents at work using the Polish construction industry as an example

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hoła Anna

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The paper presents analysis of selected factors that generate the costs of accidents at work using the Polish construction industry as an example. The individual components of the cost of accidents have been identified. Using the statistical data published by the Central Statistical Office, the impact on the size of the cost of accidents at work of such factors as the lost time of an injured person, the lost time of other people involved in the removal of accident effects and also material losses caused by an accident, was analysed. On the basis of the conducted analysis, conclusions regarding economic losses due to accidents were formulated.

Example and Non-Example Pada Pembelajaran Matematika

OpenAIRE

Yunarto, Wanda Nugroho

2016-01-01

Abstrak Example and Non-Example Learning Model merupakan model pembelajaran yang menggunakan gambar sebagai media pembelajaran yang bertujuan mendorong mahasiswa untuk belajar berfikir kritis dengan jalan memecahkan permasalahan-permasalahan yang terkandung dalam contoh-contoh permasalahan/ konsep yang disajikan. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah mendapatkan gambaran mengenai bagaimana penerapan model pembelajaran Example and non-Example pada mahasiswa program studi Pendidikan Matematika Univ...

Thermodynamics in rotating systems—analysis of selected examples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Güémez, J; Fiolhais, M

2014-01-01

We solve a set of selected exercises on rotational motion requiring a mechanical and thermodynamical analysis. When non-conservative forces or thermal effects are present, a complete study must use the first law of thermodynamics together with Newton’s second law. The latter is here better expressed in terms of an ‘angular’ impulse–momentum equation (Poinsot–Euler equation), or, equivalently, in terms of a ‘rotational’ pseudo-work–energy equation. Thermodynamical aspects in rotational systems, when e.g. frictional forces are present or when there is a variation of the rotational kinetic energy due to internal sources of energy, are discussed. (paper)

Geological Classification of Uranium Deposits and Description of Selected Examples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2018-04-01

With the increased level of investigation into uranium deposits in recent years, a wealth of new information has become available, which has made it possible to investigate some of the least understood aspects of uranium metallogeny. This publication defines a new classification scheme, which is simple and descriptive, but flexible enough to encompass the recent advances in our understanding of uranium geology and deposit genesis. It contains improved definition of the deposit types, supported by type examples of those deposits for which good data are available, but not well described in previous literature. Along with the descriptive information, new data on uranium resources available for each deposit type are also provided.

Effects of worked examples, example-problem, and problem-example pairs on novices’ learning

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van Gog, Tamara; Kester, Liesbeth; Paas, Fred

2010-01-01

Van Gog, T., Kester, L., & Paas, F. (2011). Effects of worked examples, example-problem, and problem-example pairs on novices’ learning. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 36(3), 212-218. doi:10.1016/j.cedpsych.2010.10.004

Defense Acquisitions: Assessments of Selected Weapon Programs

Science.gov (United States)

2017-03-01

Figure 17: Examples of Knowledge Scorecards 61 Page vi GAO-17-333SP Assessments of Selected Weapon Programs...programs. Page 61 GAO-17-333SP Assessments of Selected Weapon Programs Figure 17: Examples of Knowledge Scorecards Pursuant to a...had direct access to the USD AT&L and other senior acquisition officials, and some approval authorities were delegated to lower levels. For example

Preventive efficacy of NexGard Spectra® against Dipylidium caninum infection in dogs using a natural flea (Ctenocephalides felis) infestation model.

Science.gov (United States)

Beugnet, Frédéric; Meyer, Leon; Fourie, Josephus; Larsen, Diane

2017-01-01

The efficacy of a monthly oral endectocide product, NexGard Spectra ® (Merial), a combination of afoxolaner and milbemycin oxime, was evaluated in a flea (Ctenocephalides felis) challenge model for the prevention of Dipylidium caninum tapeworm infection in dogs. The efficacy of treatment with NexGard Spectra ® was assessed in 10 dogs following weekly flea infestation with metacestode naturally infected fleas and compared with that in 10 untreated control dogs. The 100 fleas deposited weekly on each dog were not removed until Day 35, allowing enough time for their ingestion. The microscopical analysis of 30 fleas from the flea batches before each weekly challenge demonstrated that 10-33% of the fleas were infected by D. caninum cysticercoid larvae. The arithmetic mean flea count recorded was 47.7 for the 10 untreated dogs and 0 for the 10 treated dogs at Day 35. Based on the daily collection of expelled D. caninum proglottids by dogs during the 70 days of the study, 70% (7/10) of the control dogs and 0% (0/10) of the treated dogs were infected with D. caninum (p caninum infestation. No treatment-related adverse events were observed in dogs during this study. © F. Beugnet et al., published by EDP Sciences, 2017.

Innovative Public Procurement Methods: Examples Of Selected Country And Lessons For Turkey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elif Ayşe ŞAHİN İPEK

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Innovative public procurement considered as demand-side policies aimed at economic competitiveness, growth and development through the development of private sector innovation supply. In this study it is examined the methods of innovative procurement policy and country examples. It is exerted obstacles and solutions from the results of this examination.

Active learning in the presence of unlabelable examples

Science.gov (United States)

Mazzoni, Dominic; Wagstaff, Kiri

2004-01-01

We propose a new active learning framework where the expert labeler is allowed to decline to label any example. This may be necessary because the true label is unknown or because the example belongs to a class that is not part of the real training problem. We show that within this framework, popular active learning algorithms (such as Simple) may perform worse than random selection because they make so many queries to the unlabelable class. We present a method by which any active learning algorithm can be modified to avoid unlabelable examples by training a second classifier to distinguish between the labelable and unlabelable classes. We also demonstrate the effectiveness of the method on two benchmark data sets and a real-world problem.

Aspectos morfométricos do timo em gatos domésticos (Felis domesticus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Camila E. Barroso

2012-12-01

Full Text Available O timo é um órgão linfático primário que desenvolve sua atividade em organismos jovens. Apesar de sua função ser responsável por mecanismos fundamentais na aquisição das defesas e conseqüentes respostas orgânicas, ela ainda não está totalmente esclarecida, nem tampouco as bases morfológicas que respondem por tais funções, como o processo de desenvolvimento e involução do órgão. Objetivou-se analisar e caracterizar os aspectos morfológicos do timo, tais como seu tamanho e volume, e aspectos histológicos do timo em gatos, correlacionando o sexo e o desenvolvimento etário. Doze timos provenientes de fetos de gatos domésticos (Felis domesticus sem raça definida (SRD, machos e fêmeas, separados em três grupos etários. O timo apresentou-se com uma coloração rosa-pálida e com duas porções, a torácica e a cervical, sendo que cada uma delas possuía um lobo direito e um lobo esquerdo em sua maioria. A porção torácica localizava-se em região de mediastino cranial, entre os pulmões e à base do coração. E a porção cervical estendia-se além das costelas em sentido cranial, estando localizada ventralmente à traqueia. A estrutura celular do timo demonstrou-se organizada com a presença de agregados concêntricos, os chamados corpúsculos tímicos, formados por células epiteliais, sustentada por uma cápsula de tecido conjuntivo de onde partiam septos que ao penetrar no órgão dividia-o em lóbulos. Ocorreram variações significativas quanto à lobação e as dimensões do timo entre indivíduos da mesma faixa etária, e entre sexos diferentes. Os valores relativos ao comprimento, espessura e largura, de maneira geral, apresentaram aumento, em conformidade ao desenvolvimento dos animais, mas com diferenças entre os sexos.

Computer game-based mathematics education : Embedded faded worked examples facilitate knowledge acquisition

NARCIS (Netherlands)

ter Vrugte, Judith; de Jong, Anthonius J.M.; Vandercruysse, Sylke; Wouters, Pieter; van Oostendorp, Herre; Elen, Jan

This study addresses the added value of faded worked examples in a computer game-based learning environment. The faded worked examples were introduced to encourage active selection and processing of domain content in the game. The content of the game was proportional reasoning and participants were

Radionuclides for process analysis problems and examples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Otto, R.; Koennecke, H.G.; Luther, D.; Hecht, P.

1986-01-01

Both practical problems of the application of the tracer techniques for residence time measurements and the advantages of the methods are discussed. In this paper selected examples for tracer experiments carried out in a drinking water generator, a caprolactam production plant and a cokery are given. In all cases the efficiency of the processes investigated could be improved. (author)

Social interaction, food, scent or toys? A formal assessment of domestic pet and shelter cat (Felis silvestris catus) preferences.

Science.gov (United States)

Vitale Shreve, Kristyn R; Mehrkam, Lindsay R; Udell, Monique A R

2017-08-01

Domestic cats (Felis silvestris catus) engage in a variety of relationships with humans and can be conditioned to engage in numerous behaviors using Pavlovian and operant methods Increasingly cat cognition research is providing evidence of their complex socio-cognitive and problem solving abilities. Nonetheless, it is still common belief that cats are not especially sociable or trainable. This disconnect may be due, in part, to a lack of knowledge of what stimuli cats prefer, and thus may be most motivated to work for. The current study investigated domestic cat preferences at the individual and population level using a free operant preference assessment. Adult cats from two populations (pet and shelter) were presented with three stimuli within each of the following four categories: human social interaction, food, toy, and scent. Proportion of time interacting with each stimulus was recorded. The single most-preferred stimulus from each of the four categories were simultaneously presented in a final session to determine each cat's most-preferred stimulus overall. Although there was clear individual variability in cat preference, social interaction with humans was the most-preferred stimulus category for the majority of cats, followed by food. This was true for cats in both the pet and shelter population. Future research can examine the use of preferred stimuli as enrichment in applied settings and assess individual cats' motivation to work for their most-preferred stimulus as a measure of reinforcer efficacy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Felis catus gammaherpesvirus 1 (FcaGHV1 and coinfections with feline viral pathogens in domestic cats in Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jacqueline Kazue Kurissio

2018-03-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT: Felis catus gammaherpesvirus 1 (FcaGHV1 may causes an asymptomatic infection that result in an efficient transmission and subsequently dissemination of the virus in feline population. This study used molecular detection by qPCR (quantitative PCR based on DNA polymerase gene fragment amplification to evaluate the occurrence of FcaGHV1 and its correlation with other feline viral pathogens, such as Carnivore protoparvovirus 1 (CPPV-1, Felid alphaherpesvirus 1 (FeHV-1, and feline retroviruses such as feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV and feline leukemia virus (FeLV. Of the 182 blood samples evaluated 23.6% (43/182 were positives for FcaGHV1. Approximately 37.9% (33/87 of the samples that tested positive for retrovirus were also were positive for FcaGHV1 infection (P0.66 or CPPV-1 (P>0.46 coinfection. All samples were negative for FeHV-1. Male felines were significantly associated to FcaGHV1 (P<0.0001 and their risk of infection with FcaGHV1 was about of 7.74 times greater compared to females. Kittens (≤ 1year were the least affected by FcaGHV1 infection, being verified a rate of 7.7% (4/52. Therefore, male cats over one year old and infected with FIV were considerably more likely to be infected with FcaGHV1. To our knowledge, this is the first study to report the occurrence and molecular detection of FcaGHV1 infection in domestic cats in Brazil and in South America.

Selected soil enzymes: Examples of their potential roles in the ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Soil enzymes regulate ecosystem functioning and in particular play a key role in nutrient cycling. In this review we briefly summarise potential roles of selected enzymes such as amylase, arylsulphatases, -glucosidase, cellulose, chitinase, dehydrogenase, phosphatase, protease and urease in the ecosystem. We also ...

Sanitary conditions of a colony of urban feral cats (Felis catus Linnaeus, 1758) in a zoological garden of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Mendes-de-Almeida, Flavya; Faria, Maria Carolina Ferreira; Branco, Aline Serricella; Serrão, Maria Lucia; Souza, Aline Moreira; Almosny, Nádia; Charme, Márcia; Labarthe, Norma

2004-01-01

The colony of urban stray cats living in the Rio de Janeiro zoological garden was studied in order to develop a population and health control program. As many cats as possible were captured during two months (47 animals) and were classified according to gender, age, weight and coat markings. They were submitted to a general health evaluation, examined for the presence of ectoparasites and sent to a surgical neutering program. All animals had a blood sample drawn for CBC, platelet count, heartworm and retroviruses detection. Capillary blood smears were made for hemoparasites detection. Coat marking and colors were tabby (59.7%), followed by solid black (17%); torbie (10.6%); bicolor (10.6%) and harlequin (2.1%). The only ectoparasites found were fleas, which infested 28% of the animals. The hemoparasites found were Haemobartonella felis (38%) and piroplasmas that could not be differentiated between Cytauxzoon spp. and Babesia spp. (47%). No cat was found infected by Dirofilaria immitis or FeLV (Feline Leukemia Virus), although FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus) antibodies could be detected (21%). There was no correlation between hemoparasites and FIV infections. The estimated total cat population (mark-recapture method) was 59; 68% female and 32% male, suggesting that a neutering program is in fact needed.

Active Learning with Irrelevant Examples

Science.gov (United States)

Wagstaff, Kiri; Mazzoni, Dominic

2009-01-01

An improved active learning method has been devised for training data classifiers. One example of a data classifier is the algorithm used by the United States Postal Service since the 1960s to recognize scans of handwritten digits for processing zip codes. Active learning algorithms enable rapid training with minimal investment of time on the part of human experts to provide training examples consisting of correctly classified (labeled) input data. They function by identifying which examples would be most profitable for a human expert to label. The goal is to maximize classifier accuracy while minimizing the number of examples the expert must label. Although there are several well-established methods for active learning, they may not operate well when irrelevant examples are present in the data set. That is, they may select an item for labeling that the expert simply cannot assign to any of the valid classes. In the context of classifying handwritten digits, the irrelevant items may include stray marks, smudges, and mis-scans. Querying the expert about these items results in wasted time or erroneous labels, if the expert is forced to assign the item to one of the valid classes. In contrast, the new algorithm provides a specific mechanism for avoiding querying the irrelevant items. This algorithm has two components: an active learner (which could be a conventional active learning algorithm) and a relevance classifier. The combination of these components yields a method, denoted Relevance Bias, that enables the active learner to avoid querying irrelevant data so as to increase its learning rate and efficiency when irrelevant items are present. The algorithm collects irrelevant data in a set of rejected examples, then trains the relevance classifier to distinguish between labeled (relevant) training examples and the rejected ones. The active learner combines its ranking of the items with the probability that they are relevant to yield a final decision about which item

The globalization of addiction research: capacity-building mechanisms and selected examples.

Science.gov (United States)

Rawson, Richard A; Woody, George; Kresina, Thomas F; Gust, Steven

2015-01-01

Over the past decade, the amount and variety of addiction research around the world has increased substantially. Researchers in Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, United States, and western Europe have significantly contributed to knowledge about addiction and its treatment. However, the nature and context of substance use disorders and the populations using drugs are far more diverse than is reflected in studies done in Western cultures. To stimulate new research from a diverse set of cultural perspectives, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has promoted the development of addiction research capacity and skills around the world for over 25 years. This review will describe the programs NIDA has developed to sponsor international research and research fellows and will provide some examples of the work NIDA has supported. NIDA fellowships have allowed 496 individuals from 96 countries to be trained in addiction research. The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have recently developed funding to support addiction research to study, with advice from NIDA, the substance use disorder problems that affect their societies. Examples from Malaysia, Tanzania, Brazil, Russian Federation, Ukraine, Republic of Georgia, Iceland, China, and Vietnam are used to illustrate research being conducted with NIDA support. Health services research, collaboratively funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health and Department of State, addresses a range of addiction service development questions in low- and middle-income countries. Findings have expanded the understanding of addiction and its treatment, and are enhancing the ability of practitioners and policy makers to address substance use disorders.

Preventive efficacy of NexGard Spectra® against Dipylidium caninum infection in dogs using a natural flea (Ctenocephalides felis infestation model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Beugnet Frédéric

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The efficacy of a monthly oral endectocide product, NexGard Spectra® (Merial, a combination of afoxolaner and milbemycin oxime, was evaluated in a flea (Ctenocephalides felis challenge model for the prevention of Dipylidium caninum tapeworm infection in dogs. The efficacy of treatment with NexGard Spectra® was assessed in 10 dogs following weekly flea infestation with metacestode naturally infected fleas and compared with that in 10 untreated control dogs. The 100 fleas deposited weekly on each dog were not removed until Day 35, allowing enough time for their ingestion. The microscopical analysis of 30 fleas from the flea batches before each weekly challenge demonstrated that 10–33% of the fleas were infected by D. caninum cysticercoid larvae. The arithmetic mean flea count recorded was 47.7 for the 10 untreated dogs and 0 for the 10 treated dogs at Day 35. Based on the daily collection of expelled D. caninum proglottids by dogs during the 70 days of the study, 70% (7/10 of the control dogs and 0% (0/10 of the treated dogs were infected with D. caninum (p < 0.0031. Through its efficacy against fleas, NexGard Spectra® treatment provided indirect prevention of D. caninum infestation. No treatment-related adverse events were observed in dogs during this study.

Molecular Diagnosis of Felis catus Gammaherpesvirus 1 (FcaGHV1 Infection in Cats of Known Retrovirus Status with and without Lymphoma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alicia J. McLuckie

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The pathogenicity of Felis catus gammaherpesvirus 1 (FcaGHV1, a common infection of domestic cats, is unknown. To explore an association between FcaGHV1 detection and feline lymphoma, a retrospective, cross-sectional, disease-association study was conducted. The infection status of all cats for feline immunodeficiency virus and feline leukaemia virus was determined. Neither a molecular diagnosis of FcaGHV1 nor whole-blood FcaGHV1 load was related to outcome in 122 lymphoma cases compared with 71 controls matched for age and sex. Molecular analysis of lymphoma-derived DNA paired with autologous uninvolved tissue did not suggest restriction of FcaGHV1 DNA to tumour tissue. FcaGHV1 DNA detection was associated with significantly shorter survival in lymphoma cases, an observation that could not be adequately explained by treatment differences. In addition, regressive feline leukaemia virus infection was identified as a risk factor for lymphoma. A history of fighting or roaming was identified as a novel epidemiological risk factor for FcaGHV1 detection, lending support to intercat aggression as a potential route of transmission. Studies investigating the cellular location and expression of FcaGHV1 are indicated to assist in ruling out a lymphomagenic role for this virus. Prospective investigation of FcaGHV1 DNA detection as a prognostic marker in feline lymphoma is warranted.

Survey of Helicobacter infection in domestic and feral cats in Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghil, Heh-Myung; Yoo, Jong-Hyeon; Jung, Woo-Sung; Chung, Tae-Ho; Youn, Hwa-Young; Hwang, Cheol-Yong

2009-03-01

Discovery of Helicobacter (H.) pylori has led to a fundamental change in our understanding of gastric diseases in humans. Previous studies have found various Helicobacter spp. in dogs and cats, and pets have been questioned as a zoonotic carrier. The present study surveyed the Helicobacter infections and investigated the presence of H. felis and H. pylori infections in domestic and feral cats in Korea. Sixty-four domestic cats and 101 feral cats were selected from an animal shelter. Saliva and feces were evaluated by Helicobacter genus-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Genus-specific PCR positive samples were further evaluated for H. felis and H. pylori using specific primer pairs. Thirty-six of 64 (56.3%) samples from domestic cats and 92 of 101 (91.1%) samples from feral cats were PCR positive; the positive rate of feces samples was higher than that of saliva samples in both groups. H. felis and H. pylori species-specific PCR was uniformly negative. The prevalence of Helicobacter spp. in feral cats was approximately two-fold higher than that of domestic cats. The fecal-oral route may be more a common transmission route not only between cats but also in humans.

Efficacy of materials used by resource limited farmers in ethno ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

zino

2013-04-03

Apr 3, 2013 ... and efficacy of selected materials used in the control fleas in free-range chickens. The materials tested .... Mature fleas, Ctenocephalides felis of mixed sex were obtained from Clinvet ... were bought from one farmer in the Amatola basin. In addition, ..... Ababa University of School of graduate studies.

Effects of Worked Examples, Example-Problem Pairs, and Problem-Example Pairs Compared to Problem Solving

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van Gog, Tamara; Kester, Liesbeth; Paas, Fred

2010-01-01

Van Gog, T., Kester, L., & Paas, F. (2010, August). Effects of worked examples, example-problem pairs, and problem-example pairs compared to problem solving. Paper presented at the Biannual EARLI SIG meeting of Instructional design and Learning and instruction with computers, Ulm, Germany.

Comparative analysis of objective techniques for criteria weighing in two MCDM methods on example of an air conditioner selection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vujičić Momčilo D.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This paper deals with comparative analysis of two different types of objective techniques for criteria weighing: Entropy and CRITIC and two MCDM methods: MOORA and SAW on example of an air conditioner selection. We used six variants for calculation of normalized performance ratings. Results showed that the decision of the best air conditioner was basically independent of the MCDM method used, despite the applied technique for determination of criteria weights. Complete ranking within all of the combinations of methods and techniques with diverse ratio calculation variants showed that the best ranked air conditioner was A7, while the worst ones were A5 and A9. Significant positive correlation was obtained for almost all the pairs of variants in all the combinations except for the MOORA - CRITIC combination with SAW - Entropy combination to have the highest correlations between variants (p < 0.01.

Bionics by examples 250 scenarios from classical to modern times

CERN Document Server

Nachtigall, Werner

2015-01-01

Bionics means learning from the nature for the development of technology. The science of "bionics" itself is classified into several sections, from materials and structures over procedures and processes until evolution and optimization. Not all these areas, or only a few, are really known in the public and also in scientific literature. This includes the Lotus-effect, converted to the contamination-reduction of fassades and the shark-shed-effect, converted to the  resistance-reduction of airplanes. However, there are hundreds of highly interesting examples that contain the transformation of principles of the nature into technology. From the large number of these examples, 250 were selected for the present book according to "prehistory", "early-history", "classic" and "modern time". Most examples are new. Every example includes a printed page in a homogeneous arrangement. The examples from the field "modern time" are joint in blocks corresponding to the sub-disciplines of bionics.

Water resources by orbital remote sensing: Examples of applications

Science.gov (United States)

Martini, P. R. (Principal Investigator)

1984-01-01

Selected applications of orbital remote sensing to water resources undertaken by INPE are described. General specifications of Earth application satellites and technical characteristics of LANDSAT 1, 2, 3, and 4 subsystems are described. Spatial, temporal and spectral image attributes of water as well as methods of image analysis for applications to water resources are discussed. Selected examples are referred to flood monitoring, analysis of water suspended sediments, spatial distribution of pollutants, inventory of surface water bodies and mapping of alluvial aquifers.

Two Pathogens and One Disease: Detection and Identification of Flea-Borne Rickettsiae in Areas Endemic for Murine Typhus in California

Science.gov (United States)

EREMEEVA, MARINA E.; KARPATHY, SANDOR E.; KRUEGER, LAURA; HAYES, ERICA K.; WILLIAMS, ASHLEY M.; ZALDIVAR, YAMITZEL; BENNETT, STEPHEN; CUMMINGS, ROBERT; TILZER, ART; VELTEN, ROBERT K.; KERR, NELSON; DASCH, GREGORY A.; HU, RENJIE

2018-01-01

Results of an environmental assessment conducted in a newly emergent focus of murine typhus in southern California are described. Opossums, Didelphis virginiana Kerr, infested with cat fleas, Ctenocephalides felis Buché, in the suburban area were abundant. Animal and flea specimens were tested for the DNA of two flea-borne rickettsiae, Rickettsia typhi and Rickettsia felis. R. felis was commonly detected in fleas collected throughout this area while R. typhi was found at a much lower prevalence in the vicinity of just 7 of 14 case-patient homes identified. DNA of R. felis, but not R. typhi, was detected in renal, hepatic, and pulmonary tissues of opossums. In contrast, there were no hematologic polymerase chain reaction findings of R. felis or R. typhi in opossums, rats, and cats within the endemic area studied. Our data suggest a significant probability of human exposure to R. felis in the area studied; however, disease caused by this agent is not recognized by the medical community and may be misdiagnosed as murine typhus using nondiscriminatory serologic methods. PMID:23270180

Example-based learning: comparing the effects of additionally providing three different integrative learning activities on physiotherapy intervention knowledge.

Science.gov (United States)

Dyer, Joseph-Omer; Hudon, Anne; Montpetit-Tourangeau, Katherine; Charlin, Bernard; Mamede, Sílvia; van Gog, Tamara

2015-03-07

Example-based learning using worked examples can foster clinical reasoning. Worked examples are instructional tools that learners can use to study the steps needed to solve a problem. Studying worked examples paired with completion examples promotes acquisition of problem-solving skills more than studying worked examples alone. Completion examples are worked examples in which some of the solution steps remain unsolved for learners to complete. Providing learners engaged in example-based learning with self-explanation prompts has been shown to foster increased meaningful learning compared to providing no self-explanation prompts. Concept mapping and concept map study are other instructional activities known to promote meaningful learning. This study compares the effects of self-explaining, completing a concept map and studying a concept map on conceptual knowledge and problem-solving skills among novice learners engaged in example-based learning. Ninety-one physiotherapy students were randomized into three conditions. They performed a pre-test and a post-test to evaluate their gains in conceptual knowledge and problem-solving skills (transfer performance) in intervention selection. They studied three pairs of worked/completion examples in a digital learning environment. Worked examples consisted of a written reasoning process for selecting an optimal physiotherapy intervention for a patient. The completion examples were partially worked out, with the last few problem-solving steps left blank for students to complete. The students then had to engage in additional self-explanation, concept map completion or model concept map study in order to synthesize and deepen their knowledge of the key concepts and problem-solving steps. Pre-test performance did not differ among conditions. Post-test conceptual knowledge was higher (P example and completion example strategies to foster intervention selection.

Sanitary conditions of a colony of urban feral cats (Felis catus Linnaeus, 1758 in a zoological garden of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Condições sanitárias de uma colônia urbana de gatos (Felis catus Linnaeus, 1758 em um jardim zoológico do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Flavya Mendes-de-Almeida

2004-10-01

Full Text Available The colony of urban stray cats living in the Rio de Janeiro zoological garden was studied in order to develop a population and health control program. As many cats as possible were captured during two months (47 animals and were classified according to gender, age, weight and coat markings. They were submitted to a general health evaluation, examined for the presence of ectoparasites and sent to a surgical neutering program. All animals had a blood sample drawn for CBC, platelet count, heartworm and retroviruses detection. Capillary blood smears were made for hemoparasites detection. Coat marking and colors were tabby (59.7%, followed by solid black (17%; torbie (10.6%; bicolor (10.6% and harlequin (2.1%. The only ectoparasites found were fleas, which infested 28% of the animals. The hemoparasites found were Haemobartonella felis (38% and piroplasmas that could not be differentiated between Cytauxzoon spp. and Babesia spp. (47%. No cat was found infected by Dirofilaria immitis or FeLV (Feline Leukemia Virus, although FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus antibodies could be detected (21%. There was no correlation between hemoparasites and FIV infections. The estimated total cat population (mark-recapture method was 59; 68% female and 32% male, suggesting that a neutering program is in fact needed.As condições sanitárias e composição populacional de uma colônia de gatos urbanos, errantes, habitantes do zoológico do Rio de Janeiro foram estudadas, objetivando-se um programa de controle populacional e sanitário. Capturou-se o maior número de indivíduos possível durante dois meses (47 animais. Os animais capturados foram examinados quanto ao gênero, idade, peso, pelagem, inspeção geral e presença de ectoparasitas e eram encaminhados a um programa de esterilização cirúrgica. Cada animal teve uma amostra de sangue colhida para realização de hemograma completo, plaquetometria, pesquisa de hemoparasitas e de retrovírus. As marca

Example book

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Donnat, Ph.; Treimany, C.; Gouedard, C.; Morice, O.

1998-06-01

This document presents some examples which were used for debugging the code. It seemed useful to write these examples onto a book to be sure the code would not regret; to give warranties for the code's functionality; to propose some examples to illustrate the possibilities and the limits of Miro. (author)

Generic maximum likely scale selection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Kim Steenstrup; Loog, Marco; Markussen, Bo

2007-01-01

in this work is on applying this selection principle under a Brownian image model. This image model provides a simple scale invariant prior for natural images and we provide illustrative examples of the behavior of our scale estimation on such images. In these illustrative examples, estimation is based......The fundamental problem of local scale selection is addressed by means of a novel principle, which is based on maximum likelihood estimation. The principle is generally applicable to a broad variety of image models and descriptors, and provides a generic scale estimation methodology. The focus...

Supramolecular chemistry-general principles and selected examples from anion recognition and metallosupramolecular chemistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Albrecht, Markus

2007-12-01

This review gives an introduction into supramolecular chemistry describing in the first part general principles, focusing on terms like noncovalent interaction, molecular recognition, self-assembly, and supramolecular function. In the second part those will be illustrated by simple examples from our laboratories. Supramolecular chemistry is the science that bridges the gap between the world of molecules and nanotechnology. In supramolecular chemistry noncovalent interactions occur between molecular building blocks, which by molecular recognition and self-assembly form (functional) supramolecular entities. It is also termed the "chemistry of the noncovalent bond." Molecular recognition is based on geometrical complementarity based on the "key-and-lock" principle with nonshape-dependent effects, e.g., solvatization, being also highly influential. Self-assembly leads to the formation of well-defined aggregates. Hereby the overall structure of the target ensemble is controlled by the symmetry features of the certain building blocks. Finally, the aggregates can possess special properties or supramolecular functions, which are only found in the ensemble but not in the participating molecules. This review gives an introduction on supramolecular chemistry and illustrates the fundamental principles by recent examples from our group.

High Prevalence of Rickettsia spp. in Dog Fleas (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) in Rural Uganda.

Science.gov (United States)

Palomar, Ana M; Cevidanes, Aitor; Portillo, Aránzazu; Kalema-Zikusoka, Gladis; Chirife, Andrea D; Romero, Lourdes; Muro, Jesús; Mugisha, Lawrence; Oteo, José A; Millán, Javier

2017-07-01

Fleas are known vectors of zoonotic agents. Thirty-five fleas, including 28 Ctenocephalides felis (Bouché), four Pulex irritans (L.), and three Echidnophaga gallinacea (Westwood) from 19 rural dogs from southwestern Uganda were analyzed for the presence of Rickettsia spp. (ompB, gltA, and 17 kDa fragment genes) and Bartonella spp. (rpoB and ITS genes) by PCR. Rickettsial DNA was detected in 27 out of 28 of Ct. felis and in two out of four P. irritans. None of the E. gallinacea specimens harbored Rickettsia DNA. Rickettsia felis was confirmed in 12 Ct. felis and in the two P. irritans specimens with positive PCR-results. In addition, the presence of Candidatus Rickettsia asemboensis was evidenced in 15 Ct. felis. Bartonella spp. was not amplified in any sample. Our survey indicates that R. felis, the agent of the flea-borne spotted fever, is present in the study area. Besides, this is the first description of Ca. R. asemboensis in Uganda. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Selected Tools and Methods from Quality Management Field

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kateřina BRODECKÁ

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Following paper describes selected tools and methods from Quality management field and their practical applications on defined examples. Solved examples were elaborated in the form of electronic support. This in detail elaborated electronic support provides students opportunity to thoroughly practice specific issues, help them to prepare for exams and consequently will lead to education improvement. Especially students of combined study form will appreciate this support. The paper specifies project objectives, subjects that will be covered by mentioned support, target groups, structure and the way of elaboration of electronic exercise book in view. The emphasis is not only on manual solution of selected examples that may help students to understand the principles and relationships, but also on solving and results interpreting of selected examples using software support. Statistic software Statgraphics Plus v 5.0 is used while working support, because it is free to use for all students of the faculty. Exemplary example from the subject Basic Statistical Methods of Quality Management is also part of this paper.

Biosphere transport of radionuclides. First modelling by using a selected example

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bundi, A.

1984-12-01

The dispersion of radionuclides in the biosphere and their uptake by man via various nutritional pathways is studied using a compartment model. The sample environment is the area of the lower Limmat and Aare valleys. General considerations of the compartmental description of the biosphere are made. The problem of the description of surface features, in particular soil, sediment and water, is studied in detail using the code BIOPATH. This study is intended to be an example of how a model of the biosphere could be constructed. It is shown that this is a reasonable model to calculate the spreading of radionuclides in the biosphere and that it indicates the relative significance of individual compartments, pathways and radionuclides. Calculated values of doses to man, however, should not be used as reference data for safety analyses. (author)

A study of concept-based similarity approaches for recommending program examples

Science.gov (United States)

Hosseini, Roya; Brusilovsky, Peter

2017-07-01

This paper investigates a range of concept-based example recommendation approaches that we developed to provide example-based problem-solving support in the domain of programming. The goal of these approaches is to offer students a set of most relevant remedial examples when they have trouble solving a code comprehension problem where students examine a program code to determine its output or the final value of a variable. In this paper, we use the ideas of semantic-level similarity-based linking developed in the area of intelligent hypertext to generate examples for the given problem. To determine the best-performing approach, we explored two groups of similarity approaches for selecting examples: non-structural approaches focusing on examples that are similar to the problem in terms of concept coverage and structural approaches focusing on examples that are similar to the problem by the structure of the content. We also explored the value of personalized example recommendation based on student's knowledge levels and learning goal of the exercise. The paper presents concept-based similarity approaches that we developed, explains the data collection studies and reports the result of comparative analysis. The results of our analysis showed better ranking performance of the personalized structural variant of cosine similarity approach.

Free-ranging domestic cats (Felis catus) on public lands: estimating density, activity, and diet in the Florida Keys

Science.gov (United States)

Cove, Michael V.; Gardner, Beth; Simons, Theodore R.; Kays, Roland; O'Connell, Allan F.

2017-01-01

Feral and free-ranging domestic cats (Felis catus) can have strong negative effects on small mammals and birds, particularly in island ecosystems. We deployed camera traps to study free-ranging cats in national wildlife refuges and state parks on Big Pine Key and Key Largo in the Florida Keys, USA, and used spatial capture–recapture models to estimate cat abundance, movement, and activities. We also used stable isotope analyses to examine the diet of cats captured on public lands. Top population models separated cats based on differences in movement and detection with three and two latent groups on Big Pine Key and Key Largo, respectively. We hypothesize that these latent groups represent feral, semi-feral, and indoor/outdoor house cats based on the estimated movement parameters of each group. Estimated cat densities and activity varied between the two islands, with relatively high densities (~4 cats/km2) exhibiting crepuscular diel patterns on Big Pine Key and lower densities (~1 cat/km2) exhibiting nocturnal diel patterns on Key Largo. These differences are most likely related to the higher proportion of house cats on Big Pine relative to Key Largo. Carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios from hair samples of free-ranging cats (n = 43) provided estimates of the proportion of wild and anthropogenic foods in cat diets. At the population level, cats on both islands consumed mostly anthropogenic foods (>80% of the diet), but eight individuals were effective predators of wildlife (>50% of the diet). We provide evidence that cat groups within a population move different distances, exhibit different activity patterns, and that individuals consume wildlife at different rates, which all have implications for managing this invasive predator.

Subset selection in regression

CERN Document Server

Miller, Alan

2002-01-01

Originally published in 1990, the first edition of Subset Selection in Regression filled a significant gap in the literature, and its critical and popular success has continued for more than a decade. Thoroughly revised to reflect progress in theory, methods, and computing power, the second edition promises to continue that tradition. The author has thoroughly updated each chapter, incorporated new material on recent developments, and included more examples and references. New in the Second Edition:A separate chapter on Bayesian methodsComplete revision of the chapter on estimationA major example from the field of near infrared spectroscopyMore emphasis on cross-validationGreater focus on bootstrappingStochastic algorithms for finding good subsets from large numbers of predictors when an exhaustive search is not feasible Software available on the Internet for implementing many of the algorithms presentedMore examplesSubset Selection in Regression, Second Edition remains dedicated to the techniques for fitting...

Magni Reproducibility Example

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2016-01-01

An example of how to use the magni.reproducibility package for storing metadata along with results from a computational experiment. The example is based on simulating the Mandelbrot set.......An example of how to use the magni.reproducibility package for storing metadata along with results from a computational experiment. The example is based on simulating the Mandelbrot set....

Screened selection design for randomised phase II oncology trials: an example in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.

Science.gov (United States)

Yap, Christina; Pettitt, Andrew; Billingham, Lucinda

2013-07-03

As there are limited patients for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia trials, it is important that statistical methodologies in Phase II efficiently select regimens for subsequent evaluation in larger-scale Phase III trials. We propose the screened selection design (SSD), which is a practical multi-stage, randomised Phase II design for two experimental arms. Activity is first evaluated by applying Simon's two-stage design (1989) on each arm. If both are active, the play-the-winner selection strategy proposed by Simon, Wittes and Ellenberg (SWE) (1985) is applied to select the superior arm. A variant of the design, Modified SSD, also allows the arm with the higher response rates to be recommended only if its activity rate is greater by a clinically-relevant value. The operating characteristics are explored via a simulation study and compared to a Bayesian Selection approach. Simulations showed that with the proposed SSD, it is possible to retain the sample size as required in SWE and obtain similar probabilities of selecting the correct superior arm of at least 90%; with the additional attractive benefit of reducing the probability of selecting ineffective arms. This approach is comparable to a Bayesian Selection Strategy. The Modified SSD performs substantially better than the other designs in selecting neither arm if the underlying rates for both arms are desirable but equivalent, allowing for other factors to be considered in the decision making process. Though its probability of correctly selecting a superior arm might be reduced, it still performs reasonably well. It also reduces the probability of selecting an inferior arm. SSD provides an easy to implement randomised Phase II design that selects the most promising treatment that has shown sufficient evidence of activity, with available R codes to evaluate its operating characteristics.

Detection of Felis catus gammaherpesvirus 1 (FcaGHV1) in peripheral blood B- and T-lymphocytes in asymptomatic, naturally-infected domestic cats

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McLuckie, Alicia J.; Barrs, Vanessa R. [Faculty of Veterinary Science and Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006 (Australia); Smith, Adrian L. [Advanced Cytometry Facility, University of Sydney/Centenary Institute, NSW 2006 (Australia); Beatty, Julia A., E-mail: julia.beatty@sydney.edu.au [Faculty of Veterinary Science and Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006 (Australia)

2016-10-15

The domestic cat is natural host to both feline immunodeficiency virus and Felis catus gammaherpesvirus 1 (FcaGHV1). Comparative data suggest that these agents might act as synergistic copathogens in feline AIDS-related lymphoma. To identify leucocyte subsets harbouring gammaherpesvirus DNA, whole blood from 5 healthy, FcaGHV1-infected cats was labelled with monoclonal antibodies to feline CD21, CD4, CD8 and CD14 for 4-way fluorescence-activated cell sorting. FcaGHV1gB qPCR was performed on DNA extracted from purified fractions and whole blood longitudinally. FcaGHV1 DNA was detected in CD21+, CD4+, CD8+, but not CD14+ cells. Variation in whole blood load, up to 19,788 copies/10{sup 6}cells, was detected in individual cats over time. FcaGHV1 DNA was undetectable in one cat on one occasion highlighting that qPCR of whole blood from a single time point will not detect all cases of FcaGHV1 infection. Further investigation of the role of FcaGHV1 in feline lymphoid malignancies is warranted. -- Highlights: •FcaGHV1 DNA detected in circulating B and T lymphocytes in domestic cats. •Peripheral FcaGHV1 load fluctuates widely in healthy, chronically-infected cats. •qPCR of blood taken at a single time-point will fail to detect some FcaGHV-infected cats. •A role for FcaGHV1 in FIV-associated lymphoid malignancies is supported.

Detection of Felis catus gammaherpesvirus 1 (FcaGHV1) in peripheral blood B- and T-lymphocytes in asymptomatic, naturally-infected domestic cats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McLuckie, Alicia J.; Barrs, Vanessa R.; Smith, Adrian L.; Beatty, Julia A.

2016-01-01

The domestic cat is natural host to both feline immunodeficiency virus and Felis catus gammaherpesvirus 1 (FcaGHV1). Comparative data suggest that these agents might act as synergistic copathogens in feline AIDS-related lymphoma. To identify leucocyte subsets harbouring gammaherpesvirus DNA, whole blood from 5 healthy, FcaGHV1-infected cats was labelled with monoclonal antibodies to feline CD21, CD4, CD8 and CD14 for 4-way fluorescence-activated cell sorting. FcaGHV1gB qPCR was performed on DNA extracted from purified fractions and whole blood longitudinally. FcaGHV1 DNA was detected in CD21+, CD4+, CD8+, but not CD14+ cells. Variation in whole blood load, up to 19,788 copies/10 6 cells, was detected in individual cats over time. FcaGHV1 DNA was undetectable in one cat on one occasion highlighting that qPCR of whole blood from a single time point will not detect all cases of FcaGHV1 infection. Further investigation of the role of FcaGHV1 in feline lymphoid malignancies is warranted. -- Highlights: •FcaGHV1 DNA detected in circulating B and T lymphocytes in domestic cats. •Peripheral FcaGHV1 load fluctuates widely in healthy, chronically-infected cats. •qPCR of blood taken at a single time-point will fail to detect some FcaGHV-infected cats. •A role for FcaGHV1 in FIV-associated lymphoid malignancies is supported.

Compressors selection and sizing

CERN Document Server

Brown, Royce N

2005-01-01

This practical reference provides in-depth information required to understand and properly estimate compressor capabilities and to select the proper designs. Engineers and students will gain a thorough understanding of compression principles, equipment, applications, selection, sizing, installation, and maintenance. The many examples clearly illustrate key aspects to help readers understand the ""real world"" of compressor technology.Compressors: Selection and Sizing, third edition is completely updated with new API standards. Additions requested by readers include a new section on di

Selection, competency development and assessment of nuclear power plant managers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-06-01

This publication provides information on proven methods and good practices with respect to the selection, development and assessment of nuclear power plant (NPP) managers. The report is organized into four sections, a glossary, two appendices, and several annexes. The Introduction (Section 1) provides the framework for the report. Section 2 describes how appropriate management competencies can be used for the selection, development and assessment of NPP managers, including: -Selection which includes recruitment, promotion and succession management. -Management development programmes including formal training, job rotation, on the job training, mentoring, and outside assignments. -Assessment of individual performance. Section 3 describes a systematic process for identifying the competencies needed by NPP managers. This section culminates in a set of suggested core competencies for NPP managers which are further expanded in Appendix A. The annexes included provide specific examples of competency-based management selection, development, and assessment programmes in several Member States. -Annex A is one method to organize and display competencies. -Annex B is an example of using competencies for selection of first line managers. -Annex C is an example of using management competencies for succession management. -Annexes -H are examples of management development programmes. -Annexes I and J are examples of management assessment programmes. A glossary of terms is provided at the end of the report to explain the use of some key terms explain the use of some key terms

Evaluation of the effectiveness of a novel oral formulation of sarolaner (Simparica™) for the treatment and control of fleas on dogs.

Science.gov (United States)

Six, Robert H; Geurden, Thomas; Packianathan, Raj; Colgan, Sally; Everett, William R; Grace, Sarah; Hodge, Andrew; Mahabir, Sean P; Myers, Melanie R; Slootmans, Nathalie; Davis, Kylie

2016-05-30

The efficacy of a single oral dose of a novel isoxazoline, sarolaner (Simparica™, Zoetis), for the treatment and control of flea infestations on dogs was confirmed in five laboratory studies. The studies were conducted using adult purpose-bred Beagles and/or mixed breed dogs. All animals were individually identified and housed, and were allocated randomly to treatment with either placebo or sarolaner (eight to 10 per group) based on pretreatment parasite counts. Three studies used cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis felis) strains recently isolated from the field from the US, EU, or Australia; in the fourth study a laboratory strain (KS1) with documented tolerance to a number of insecticides such as fipronil, imidacloprid, and permethrin was used. In the fifth study, dogs were infested with dog fleas, Ctenocephalides canis. Dogs were treated orally on Day 0 with a placebo or a sarolaner tablet providing a minimum dose of 2mg/kg. Dogs were infested with approximately 100 unfed, adult fleas prior to treatment and at weekly intervals post-treatment. Comb counts were conducted to determine the numbers of viable fleas at 24h after treatment and after each subsequent infestation. Efficacy against C. felis and C. canis was 99.8-100% from treatment through Day 35. In all five studies, elimination of existing infestations was achieved within 24h after dosing, with only a single live C. felis found on one dog on Day 1. Similarly, control of flea challenges was achieved within 24h after infestation throughout the 35day study periods, with only single live C. felis found on two dogs on Day 28 in one study, and on a single dog on Day 35 in another study. There were no adverse reactions to treatment with sarolaner. These studies confirmed that a single oral dose of sarolaner at 2mg/kg provided highly effective treatment of existing C. felis infestations and persistent control of C. felis on dogs for 35days after treatment. Efficacy equivalent to that seen with C. felis was

Comparative efficacy on dogs of a single topical treatment with fipronil/(S-methoprene or weekly physiological hygiene shampoos against Ctenocephalides felis in a simulated flea-infested environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Beugnet F.

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Flea infestations of pets continue to persist due to the lack of knowledge of flea biology and ecology. It is not unusual that pet owners believe regular hygiene, such as shampooing their dogs can replace regular insecticidal treatment. The objective of this study was to compare in a flea simulated environment, modelling exposure similar to that found in a home, that the use of regular physiological shampoo does not control fleas adequately when compared to a long acting topical formulation. Three groups of six dogs were formed: one untreated control group, one group treated monthly with the topical formulation of fipronil/(S-methoprene, and a third group treated weekly with a hygiene shampoo. All dogs were infested with adult unfed Ctenocephalides felis fleas (200 ± 5 on Days -28 and -21. Each animal’s sleeping box was fitted with a plastic cup mounted to the inside roof of the box. The sleeping bench of each animal was covered with a carpet to accommodate flea development. The dogs were maintained in their kennels throughout the study. In order to maintain the environmental flea challenge, C. felis pupae (100 ± 5 were placed in the plastic cup in each animal’s sleeping box on Days -14, -7, 0, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35 and 42. The dogs were combed and fleas counted weekly on Days -1, 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, 38, 45, and 51. The fleas were placed immediately back on the dogs. On Day 60, fleas were counted and removed. Flea infestations in the untreated control group at each count averaged between 46.2 and 74.2 fleas throughout the study. The average number of fleas infesting dogs was significantly different (p < 0.05 between the untreated and the two treatment groups and between the two treatment groups at all counts throughout the two months study (Days 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, 38, 45, 51 and 60. The efficacy was never below 99.1% in the fipronil/(S-methoprene group, and efficacy in the shampoo group was never above 79.2%. Weekly shampooing in treatment

Safety in surgery: is selection the missing link?

Science.gov (United States)

Paice, Alistair G; Aggarwal, Rajesh; Darzi, Ara

2010-09-01

Health care providers comprise an example of a "high risk organization." Safety failings within these organizations have the potential to cause significant public harm. Significant safety improvements in other high risk organizations such as the aviation industry have led to the concept of a high reliability organization (HRO)--a high risk organization that has enjoyed a prolonged safety record. A strong organizational culture is common to all successful HROs, encompassing powerful systems of selection and training. Aircrew selection processes provide a good example of this and are examined in detail in this article using the Royal Air Force process as an example. If the lessons of successful HROs are to be applied to health care organizations, candidate selection to specialties such as surgery must become more objective and robust. Other HROs can provide valuable lessons in how this may be approached.

Follicular Conjunctivitis due to Chlamydia felis—Case Report, Review of the Literature and Improved Molecular Diagnostics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juliana Wons

2017-07-01

Full Text Available A 29-year-old woman presented with unilateral, chronic follicular conjunctivitis since 6 weeks. While the conjunctival swab taken from the patient’s eye was negative in a Chlamydia (C. trachomatis-specific PCR, C. felis was identified as etiological agent using a pan-Chlamydia TaqMan-PCR followed by sequence analysis. A pet kitten of the patient was found to be the source of infection, as its conjunctival and pharyngeal swabs were also positive for C. felis. The patient was successfully treated with systemic doxycycline. This report, which presents one of the few documented cases of human C. felis infection, illustrates that standard PCR tests are designed to detect the most frequently seen species of a bacterial genus but might fail to be reactive with less common species. We developed a modified pan-Chlamydia/C. felis duplex TaqMan-PCR assay that detects C. felis without the need of subsequent sequencing. The role of chlamydiae-specific serum antibody titers for the diagnosis of follicular conjunctivitis is discussed.

Design Guidelines for a Content-Based Image Retrieval Color-Selection Interface

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Eggen, Berry; van den Broek, Egon; van der Veer, Gerrit C.; Kisters, Peter M.F.; Willems, Rob; Vuurpijl, Louis G.

2004-01-01

In Content-Based Image Retrieval (CBIR) two query-methods exist: query-by-example and query-by-memory. The user either selects an example image or selects image features retrieved from memory (such as color, texture, spatial attributes, and shape) to define his query. Hitherto, research on CBIR

Examining speed versus selection in connectivity models using elk migration as an example

Science.gov (United States)

Brennan, Angela; Hanks, Ephraim M.; Merkle, Jerod A.; Cole, Eric K.; Dewey, Sarah R.; Courtemanch, Alyson B.; Cross, Paul C.

2018-01-01

ContextLandscape resistance is vital to connectivity modeling and frequently derived from resource selection functions (RSFs). RSFs estimate relative probability of use and tend to focus on understanding habitat preferences during slow, routine animal movements (e.g., foraging). Dispersal and migration, however, can produce rarer, faster movements, in which case models of movement speed rather than resource selection may be more realistic for identifying habitats that facilitate connectivity.ObjectiveTo compare two connectivity modeling approaches applied to resistance estimated from models of movement rate and resource selection.MethodsUsing movement data from migrating elk, we evaluated continuous time Markov chain (CTMC) and movement-based RSF models (i.e., step selection functions [SSFs]). We applied circuit theory and shortest random path (SRP) algorithms to CTMC, SSF and null (i.e., flat) resistance surfaces to predict corridors between elk seasonal ranges. We evaluated prediction accuracy by comparing model predictions to empirical elk movements.ResultsAll connectivity models predicted elk movements well, but models applied to CTMC resistance were more accurate than models applied to SSF and null resistance. Circuit theory models were more accurate on average than SRP models.ConclusionsCTMC can be more realistic than SSFs for estimating resistance for fast movements, though SSFs may demonstrate some predictive ability when animals also move slowly through corridors (e.g., stopover use during migration). High null model accuracy suggests seasonal range data may also be critical for predicting direct migration routes. For animals that migrate or disperse across large landscapes, we recommend incorporating CTMC into the connectivity modeling toolkit.

[Silvicultural treatments and their selection effects].

Science.gov (United States)

Vincent, G

1973-01-01

Selection can be defined in terms of its observable consequences as the non random differential reproduction of genotypes (Lerner 1958). In the forest stands we are selecting during the improvements-fellings and reproduction treatments the individuals surpassing in growth or in production of first-class timber. However the silvicultural treatments taken in forest stands guarantee a permanent increase of forest production only in such cases, if they have been taken with respect to the principles of directional (dynamic) selection. These principles require that the trees determined for further growing and for forest regeneration are selected by their hereditary properties, i.e. by their genotypes.For making this selection feasible, our study deals with the genetic parameters and gives some examples of the application of the response, the selection differential, the heritability in the narrow and in the broad sense, as well as of the genetic and genotypic gain. On the strength of this parameter we have the possibility to estimate the economic success of several silvicultural treatments in forest stands.The mentioned examples demonstrate that the selection measures of a higher intensity will be manifested in a higher selection differential, in a higher genetic and genotypic gain and that the mentioned measures show more distinct effects in the variable populations - in natural forest - than in the population characteristic by a smaller variability, e.g. in many uniform artificially established stands.The examples of influences of different selection on the genotypes composition of population prove that genetics instructs us to differentiate the different genotypes of the same species and gives us at the same time a new criterions for evaluating selectional treatments. These criterions from economic point of view is necessary to consider in silviculture as advantageous even for the reason that we can judge from these criterions the genetical composition of forest stands

Parasites of domestic and wild animals in South Africa. XLIV. Fleas (Insecta : Siphonaptera : Pulicidae collected from 15 carnivore species

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I.G. Horak

2004-11-01

Full Text Available Fleas were collected from 61 wild carnivores belonging to 13 species in various nature reserves and on farms, two feral domestic cats in a nature reserve and a domestic dog in the city of Johannesburg. Eleven flea species, including two subspecies of one of these, belonging to six genera were recovered. Amongst these only Ctenocephalides felis felis and Ctenocephalides felis strongylus are considered specific parasites of carnivores. The remaining ten species normally infest the prey animals of the various carnivores.

MIRABILIA ANIMALIA IN AULUS GELLIUS’ THE ATTIC NIGHTS. SELECTED EXAMPLES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Piechocka-Kłos Maria

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Aulus Gellius’ The Attic Nights are an extremely valuable source of knowledge about antiquity, as it contains information regarding many aspects of everyday life in the ancient Greco-Roman world. Gellius’ work also contains very valuable and comprehensive research material due to the anecdotes, interesting and unusual stories and tales it contains. The main goal of this publication is the discussion and presentation of selected chapters in which Gellius describes stories about animals. The starting point for research into the animals that appear in Gellius’ work is their fantastic nature. This paper, in the context of mirabilia Animalia, contains analyses of the chapter on Alexander the Great’s horse (5.2, the description of the Seian Horse (3.9, and the tale of the snake of unusual length (7. 3.

Self-Explanations: How Students Study and Use Examples in Learning To Solve Problems. Technical Report No. 9.

Science.gov (United States)

Chi, Michelene T. H.; And Others

A study examined in detail the initial encoding of worked-out examples of mechanics problems by "good" and "poor" students, and their subsequent reliance on examples during problem solving. The subjects, three males and five females, were selected from responses to a university campus advertisement. Six of them were working…

Using the FAR Guide to Teach Simulations: An Example with Natural Selection

Science.gov (United States)

Sickel, Aaron J.; Friedrichsen, Patricia J.

2012-01-01

Engaging students in a predator-prey simulation to teach natural selection is a common activity in secondary biology classrooms. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate how the authors have changed their approach to teaching this activity from a laboratory investigation to a class-constructed simulation. Specifically, the authors drew upon a…

Effectively identifying compound-protein interactions by learning from positive and unlabeled examples.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Zhanzhan; Zhou, Shuigeng; Wang, Yang; Liu, Hui; Guan, Jihong; Chen, Yi-Ping Phoebe

2016-05-18

Prediction of compound-protein interactions (CPIs) is to find new compound-protein pairs where a protein is targeted by at least a compound, which is a crucial step in new drug design. Currently, a number of machine learning based methods have been developed to predict new CPIs in the literature. However, as there is not yet any publicly available set of validated negative CPIs, most existing machine learning based approaches use the unknown interactions (not validated CPIs) selected randomly as the negative examples to train classifiers for predicting new CPIs. Obviously, this is not quite reasonable and unavoidably impacts the CPI prediction performance. In this paper, we simply take the unknown CPIs as unlabeled examples, and propose a new method called PUCPI (the abbreviation of PU learning for Compound-Protein Interaction identification) that employs biased-SVM (Support Vector Machine) to predict CPIs using only positive and unlabeled examples. PU learning is a class of learning methods that leans from positive and unlabeled (PU) samples. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work that identifies CPIs using only positive and unlabeled examples. We first collect known CPIs as positive examples and then randomly select compound-protein pairs not in the positive set as unlabeled examples. For each CPI/compound-protein pair, we extract protein domains as protein features and compound substructures as chemical features, then take the tensor product of the corresponding compound features and protein features as the feature vector of the CPI/compound-protein pair. After that, biased-SVM is employed to train classifiers on different datasets of CPIs and compound-protein pairs. Experiments over various datasets show that our method outperforms six typical classifiers, including random forest, L1- and L2-regularized logistic regression, naive Bayes, SVM and k-nearest neighbor (kNN), and three types of existing CPI prediction models. Source code, datasets and

Detection of Bartonellaspp. and Rickettsiaspp. in fleas, ticks and lice collected in rural areas of Peru

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abraham G. Cáceres

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Bartonellosis and rickettsiosis are commonly reported in Peru. In order to detect Bartonella sp. and Rickettsiasp. in fleas, ticks and lice, specimens from five distinct locations in Peru (Marizagua, Cajaruro, Jamalca, Lonya Grande and El Milagro were collected and screened for the presence of these bacteria using PCR and later confirmation by DNA sequencing. The specimens collected were distributed in 102 pools (76 Ctenocephalides felis, 2 Ctenocephalides canis, 16 Pulex irritans, 5 Pediculus humanus, 2 Rhiphicephalus sanguineus, and 1 Boophilus spp., where Bartonellawas detected in 17 pools (6 of C. felis, 9 of P. irritans, 1 of C. canis, and 1 P. humanus. Also, Rickettsiawas detected in 76 pools (62 C. felis, 10 P. irritans, 2 P. humanus, and 2 C. canis. Bartonella clarridgeiaewas detected in C. felis, C. canisand P. irritanspools at 5.3%, 50% and 12.5%, respectively.Bartonella rochalimaewas detected in one C. felisand two P. irritanspools at 1.3% and 12.5%, respectively. Furthermore, B. henselaewas detected in one C. felispool and one P. humanuspool corresponding to 1.3% and 20%, respectively; and Bartonella spp.was also found in 5 pools of P. irritansat 31.3%. Additionally, R. feliswas detected in C. felis, C. canisand P. irritanspools at 76.3%, 100% and 37.5%, respectively; and Rickettsia spp. was detected in C. felis, P. irritansand P. humanuspools at 5.3%, 25% and 40%, respectively. These results demonstrate the circulation of these bacteria in Peru.

Improving the hadron physics of non-Standard-Model decays: example bounds on R-parity violation

Science.gov (United States)

Daub, J. T.; Dreiner, H. K.; Hanhart, C.; Kubis, B.; Meißner, U.-G.

2013-01-01

Using the example of selected decays driven by R-parity-violating supersymmetric operators, we demonstrate how strong final-state interactions can be controlled quantitatively with high precision, thus allowing for a more accurate extraction of effective parameters from data. In our examples we focus on the lepton-flavor-violating decays τ → μπ + π - . InR-parityviolationthesecanariseduetotheproductoftwocouplings. We find bounds that are an order of magnitude stronger than previous ones.

Safety assessment input for site selection - the Swedish example - 59031

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andersson, Johan

2012-01-01

Svensk Kaernbraenslehantering AB (SKB) has performed comprehensive investigations of two candidate sites for a final repository for Sweden's spent nuclear fuel. In March 2011 SKB decided to submit licence applications for a final repository at Forsmark. Before selection, SKB stated that the site that offers the best prospects for achieving long-term safety in practice would be selected. Based on experiences previous safety assessments, a number of issues related to long-term safety need to be considered in the context of site comparison. The factors include sensitivity to climate change such as periods of permafrost and glaciations, rock mechanics evolution including the potential for thermally induced spalling and sensitivity to potential future earthquakes, current and future groundwater flow, evolution of groundwater composition and proximity to mineral resources. Each of these factors related to long-term safety for the two candidate sites is assessed in a comparative analysis of site characteristics. The assessment also considers differences in biosphere conditions and in the confidence of the site descriptions. The comparison is concluded by an assessment on how the identified differences would affect the estimated radiological risk from a repository located at either of the sites. The assessment concludes that there are a number of safety related site characteristics for which the analyses do not show any decisive differences in terms of implications on safety, between the sites Forsmark and Laxemar. However, the frequency of water conducting fractures at repository depth is much smaller at Forsmark than at Laxemar. This difference, in turn, affects the future stability of the current favourable groundwater composition, which combined with the much higher flows at Laxemar would, for the current repository design, lead to a breach in the safety functions for the buffer and the canister for many more deposition positions at Laxemar than at Forsmark. Thereby

Selecting Personal Computers.

Science.gov (United States)

Djang, Philipp A.

1993-01-01

Describes a Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis Approach for the selection of personal computers that combines the capabilities of Analytic Hierarchy Process and Integer Goal Programing. An example of how decision makers can use this approach to determine what kind of personal computers and how many of each type to purchase is given. (nine…

NCBI nr-aa BLAST: CBRC-ACAR-01-0595 [SEVENS

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available CBRC-ACAR-01-0595 ref|YP_246431.1| Zinc/manganese ABC transporter permease protein ...[Rickettsia felis URRWXCal2] gb|AAY61266.1| Zinc/manganese ABC transporter permease protein [Rickettsia felis URRWXCal2] YP_246431.1 2.0 21% ...

Molecular survey of Rickettsial organisms in ectoparasites from a dog shelter in Northern Mexico

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

González-Álvarez, V. H.; Fernández de Mera, I.G.; Cabezas Cruz, Alejandro; de la Fuente, J.; Ortega-Morales, A. I.; Almazán, C.

2017-01-01

Roč. 10, December (2017), s. 143-148 E-ISSN 2405-9390 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : Rhipicephalus sanguineus * Ctenocephalides felis * Heterodoxus spiniger * Rickettsia felis * Wolbachia pipientis * Dogs Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology OBOR OECD: Biochemistry and molecular biology

12 CFR 222.2 - Examples.

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2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Examples. 222.2 Section 222.2 Banks and Banking... (REGULATION V) General Provisions § 222.2 Examples. The examples in this part are not exclusive. Compliance with an example, to the extent applicable, constitutes compliance with this part. Examples in a...

12 CFR 334.2 - Examples.

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2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Examples. 334.2 Section 334.2 Banks and Banking... General Provisions § 334.2 Examples. The examples in this part are not exclusive. Compliance with an example, to the extent applicable, constitutes compliance with this part. Examples in a paragraph...

12 CFR 571.2 - Examples.

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2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Examples. 571.2 Section 571.2 Banks and Banking... Examples. The examples in this part are not exclusive. Compliance with an example, to the extent applicable, constitutes compliance with this part. Examples in a paragraph illustrate only the issue described in the...

12 CFR 717.2 - Examples.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Examples. 717.2 Section 717.2 Banks and Banking... Provisions § 717.2 Examples. The examples in this part are not exclusive. Compliance with an example, to the extent applicable, constitutes compliance with this part. Examples in a paragraph illustrate only the...

Uranium mining and rehabilitation: International aspects and examples from Germany

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barthel, F.H.; Mager, D.

1997-01-01

In the period from 1945 to 1994 about 1.87 million t U have been produced worldwide. The maximum of production reached about 70,000 t U in 1981, now the production has fell to about 32,000 t U. Due to the decrease of the annual output, employment in uranium production has decreased, however the productivity has been increased in most countries. As any mining, uranium mining has an impact on the environment. Especially the radioactivity of the ores and waste material may create radiological hazards to the population when protection measures are not observed carefully. The impact of uranium production to the environmental is illustrated by various examples. The costs which are necessary to decommission and rehabilitate uranium production facilities can reach high levels depending on the specifics of the recultivation activities. International examples are given. The production of uranium in Eastern Germany is described briefly, and the reclamation activities of the former Wismut mining and milling facilities is illustrated by selected examples. (author). 5 tabs

Selective, electrochemical etching of a semiconductor

Science.gov (United States)

Dahal, Rajendra P.; Bhat, Ishwara B.; Chow, Tat-Sing

2018-03-20

Methods for facilitating fabricating semiconductor structures are provided which include: providing a multilayer structure including a semiconductor layer, the semiconductor layer including a dopant and having an increased conductivity; selectively increasing, using electrochemical processing, porosity of the semiconductor layer, at least in part, the selectively increasing porosity utilizing the increased conductivity of the semiconductor layer; and removing, at least in part, the semiconductor layer with the selectively increased porosity from the multilayer structure. By way of example, the selectively increasing porosity may include selectively, anodically oxidizing, at least in part, the semiconductor layer of the multilayer structure.

PATH1 self-teaching curriculum: example problems for Pathways-to-Man Model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Helton, J.C.; Finley, N.C.

1982-10-01

The Pathways-to-Man Model was developed at Sandia National Laboratories to represent the environmental movement and human uptake of radionuclides. This model is implemented by the computer program PATH1. The purpose of this document is to present a sequence of examples of facilitate use of the model and the computer program which implements it. Each example consists of a brief description of the problem under consideration, a discussion of the data cards required to input the problem to PATH1, and the resultant program output. These examples are intended for use in conjunction with the technical report which describes the model and the computer progam which implements it (NUREG/CR-1636, Vol 1; SAND78-1711). In addition, a sequence of appendices provides the following: a description of a surface hydrologic system used in constructing several of the examples, a discussion of mixed-cell models, and a discussion of selected mathematical topics related to the Pathways Model. A copy of the program PATH1 is included with the report

Spatio-Temporal Variation in Predation by Urban Domestic Cats (Felis catus) and the Acceptability of Possible Management Actions in the UK

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Rebecca L.; Fellowes, Mark D. E.; Baker, Philip J.

2012-01-01

Urban domestic cat (Felis catus) populations can attain exceedingly high densities and are not limited by natural prey availability. This has generated concerns that they may negatively affect prey populations, leading to calls for management. We enlisted cat-owners to record prey returned home to estimate patterns of predation by free-roaming pets in different localities within the town of Reading, UK and questionnaire surveys were used to quantify attitudes to different possible management strategies. Prey return rates were highly variable: only 20% of cats returned ≥4 dead prey annually. Consequently, approximately 65% of owners received no prey in a given season, but this declined to 22% after eight seasons. The estimated mean predation rate was 18.3 prey cat−1 year−1 but this varied markedly both spatially and temporally: per capita predation rates declined with increasing cat density. Comparisons with estimates of the density of six common bird prey species indicated that cats killed numbers equivalent to adult density on c. 39% of occasions. Population modeling studies suggest that such predation rates could significantly reduce the size of local bird populations for common urban species. Conversely, most urban residents did not consider cat predation to be a significant problem. Collar-mounted anti-predation devices were the only management action acceptable to the majority of urban residents (65%), but were less acceptable to cat-owners because of perceived risks to their pets; only 24% of cats were fitted with such devices. Overall, cat predation did appear to be of sufficient magnitude to affect some prey populations, although further investigation of some key aspects of cat predation is warranted. Management of the predation behavior of urban cat populations in the UK is likely to be challenging and achieving this would require considerable engagement with cat owners. PMID:23173057

Spatio-temporal variation in predation by urban domestic cats (Felis catus and the acceptability of possible management actions in the UK.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rebecca L Thomas

Full Text Available Urban domestic cat (Felis catus populations can attain exceedingly high densities and are not limited by natural prey availability. This has generated concerns that they may negatively affect prey populations, leading to calls for management. We enlisted cat-owners to record prey returned home to estimate patterns of predation by free-roaming pets in different localities within the town of Reading, UK and questionnaire surveys were used to quantify attitudes to different possible management strategies. Prey return rates were highly variable: only 20% of cats returned ≥4 dead prey annually. Consequently, approximately 65% of owners received no prey in a given season, but this declined to 22% after eight seasons. The estimated mean predation rate was 18.3 prey cat⁻¹ year⁻¹ but this varied markedly both spatially and temporally: per capita predation rates declined with increasing cat density. Comparisons with estimates of the density of six common bird prey species indicated that cats killed numbers equivalent to adult density on c. 39% of occasions. Population modeling studies suggest that such predation rates could significantly reduce the size of local bird populations for common urban species. Conversely, most urban residents did not consider cat predation to be a significant problem. Collar-mounted anti-predation devices were the only management action acceptable to the majority of urban residents (65%, but were less acceptable to cat-owners because of perceived risks to their pets; only 24% of cats were fitted with such devices. Overall, cat predation did appear to be of sufficient magnitude to affect some prey populations, although further investigation of some key aspects of cat predation is warranted. Management of the predation behavior of urban cat populations in the UK is likely to be challenging and achieving this would require considerable engagement with cat owners.

Digital libraries philosophies, technical design considerations, and example scenarios

CERN Document Server

Stern, David

1999-01-01

An unparalleled overview of current design considerations for your digital library! Digital Libraries: Philosophies, Technical Design Considerations, and Example Scenarios is a balanced overview of public services, collection development, administration, and systems support, for digital libraries, with advice on adopting the latest technologies that appear on the scene. As a professional in the library and information science field, you will benefit from this special issue that serves as an overview of selected directions, trends, possibilities, limitations, enhancements, design principals, an

Simulation of selected genealogies.

Science.gov (United States)

Slade, P F

2000-02-01

Algorithms for generating genealogies with selection conditional on the sample configuration of n genes in one-locus, two-allele haploid and diploid models are presented. Enhanced integro-recursions using the ancestral selection graph, introduced by S. M. Krone and C. Neuhauser (1997, Theor. Popul. Biol. 51, 210-237), which is the non-neutral analogue of the coalescent, enables accessible simulation of the embedded genealogy. A Monte Carlo simulation scheme based on that of R. C. Griffiths and S. Tavaré (1996, Math. Comput. Modelling 23, 141-158), is adopted to consider the estimation of ancestral times under selection. Simulations show that selection alters the expected depth of the conditional ancestral trees, depending on a mutation-selection balance. As a consequence, branch lengths are shown to be an ineffective criterion for detecting the presence of selection. Several examples are given which quantify the effects of selection on the conditional expected time to the most recent common ancestor. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

A survey of cats and dogs for fleas: with particular reference to their role as intermediate hosts of Dipylidium caninum.

Science.gov (United States)

Guzman, R F

1984-05-01

Three species of fleas, viz. Ctenocephalides felis, Ctenocephalides canis, and Pulex irritans were found in an examination of 81 cats and 48 dogs in Wellington. C. felis was the most prevalent flea in cats, and C. canis predominated in dogs. It is speculated that C. felis, and its primary host the cat, may assume greater medical and veterinary significance than C. canis. In an examination of 1578 fleas for cysticercoids of the dog tapeworm, Dipylidium caninum, all were found negative. These results do not necessarily reflect the availability of cysticercoids in the environment, and the reasons for this are discussed.

The Missing Response to Selection in the Wild

OpenAIRE

Pujol, Benoit; Blanchet, Simon; Charmantier, Anne; Danchin, Etienne; Facon, Benoit; Marrot, Pascal; Roux, Fabrice; Scotti, Ivan; Teplitsky, Céline; Thomson, Caroline E.; Winney, Isabel

2018-01-01

Although there are many examples of contemporary directional selection, evidence for responses to selection that match predictions are often missing in quantitative genetic studies of wild populations. This is despite the presence of genetic variation and selection pressures – theoretical prerequisites for the response to selection. This conundrum can be explained by statistical issues with accurate parameter estimation, and by biological mechanisms that interfere with the response to selecti...

TargetMiner: microRNA target prediction with systematic identification of tissue-specific negative examples.

Science.gov (United States)

Bandyopadhyay, Sanghamitra; Mitra, Ramkrishna

2009-10-15

Prediction of microRNA (miRNA) target mRNAs using machine learning approaches is an important area of research. However, most of the methods suffer from either high false positive or false negative rates. One reason for this is the marked deficiency of negative examples or miRNA non-target pairs. Systematic identification of non-target mRNAs is still not addressed properly, and therefore, current machine learning approaches are compelled to rely on artificially generated negative examples for training. In this article, we have identified approximately 300 tissue-specific negative examples using a novel approach that involves expression profiling of both miRNAs and mRNAs, miRNA-mRNA structural interactions and seed-site conservation. The newly generated negative examples are validated with pSILAC dataset, which elucidate the fact that the identified non-targets are indeed non-targets.These high-throughput tissue-specific negative examples and a set of experimentally verified positive examples are then used to build a system called TargetMiner, a support vector machine (SVM)-based classifier. In addition to assessing the prediction accuracy on cross-validation experiments, TargetMiner has been validated with a completely independent experimental test dataset. Our method outperforms 10 existing target prediction algorithms and provides a good balance between sensitivity and specificity that is not reflected in the existing methods. We achieve a significantly higher sensitivity and specificity of 69% and 67.8% based on a pool of 90 feature set and 76.5% and 66.1% using a set of 30 selected feature set on the completely independent test dataset. In order to establish the effectiveness of the systematically generated negative examples, the SVM is trained using a different set of negative data generated using the method in Yousef et al. A significantly higher false positive rate (70.6%) is observed when tested on the independent set, while all other factors are kept the

12 CFR 41.2 - Examples.

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2010-01-01

... COMPTROLLER OF THE CURRENCY, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY FAIR CREDIT REPORTING General Provisions § 41.2 Examples. The examples in this part are not exclusive. Compliance with an example, to the extent applicable, constitutes compliance with this part. Examples in a paragraph illustrate only the issue described in the...

The Art of Selection: Command Selection Failures, and a Better Way to Select Army Senior Leaders

Science.gov (United States)

2013-04-12

and Effects ( MFE ), Force Sustainment (FS), and Operations Support (OS). Board members review board files in accordance with the instructions given to...Fires, and Effects ( MFE ), Operations Support (OS), and Force Sustainment (FS). The exact composition of a command selection board is governed by a...policy updated annually by the Military Personnel Management Directorate. For example, the MFE lieutenant colonel command board will be made up of one

16 CFR 680.2 - Examples.

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2010-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Examples. 680.2 Section 680.2 Commercial Practices FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION THE FAIR CREDIT REPORTING ACT AFFILIATE MARKETING § 680.2 Examples. The examples in this part are not exclusive. Compliance with an example, to the extent applicable, constitutes...

17 CFR 248.102 - Examples.

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2010-04-01

... 17 Commodity and Securities Exchanges 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Examples. 248.102 Section 248... AND S-AM Regulation S-AM: Limitations on Affiliate Marketing § 248.102 Examples. The examples in this subpart are not exclusive. The examples in this subpart provide guidance concerning the rules' application...

29 CFR 4022.104 - Examples.

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2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 9 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Examples. 4022.104 Section 4022.104 Labor Regulations... Future Periods After Death § 4022.104 Examples. The following examples show how the rules in §§ 4022.101.... (1) Example 1: where surviving beneficiary predeceases participant. Ellen died before Charlie. As...

NCBI nr-aa BLAST: CBRC-ACAR-01-0720 [SEVENS

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available CBRC-ACAR-01-0720 ref|NP_001009364.1| butyrylcholinesterase [Felis catus] sp|O62760|CHLE_FELCA Choli...nesterase precursor (Acylcholine acylhydrolase) (Choline esterase II) (Butyrylcholine esterase) (Pseudocholi...nesterase) gb|AAC06261.1| butyrylcholinesterase precursor [Felis catus] NP_001009364.1 1e-108 43% ...

NCBI nr-aa BLAST: CBRC-ACAR-01-0695 [SEVENS

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available CBRC-ACAR-01-0695 ref|NP_001009364.1| butyrylcholinesterase [Felis catus] sp|O62760|CHLE_FELCA Choli...nesterase precursor (Acylcholine acylhydrolase) (Choline esterase II) (Butyrylcholine esterase) (Pseudocholi...nesterase) gb|AAC06261.1| butyrylcholinesterase precursor [Felis catus] NP_001009364.1 1e-107 43% ...

NCBI nr-aa BLAST: CBRC-ACAR-01-0762 [SEVENS

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available CBRC-ACAR-01-0762 ref|NP_001009364.1| butyrylcholinesterase [Felis catus] sp|O62760|CHLE_FELCA Choli...nesterase precursor (Acylcholine acylhydrolase) (Choline esterase II) (Butyrylcholine esterase) (Pseudocholi...nesterase) gb|AAC06261.1| butyrylcholinesterase precursor [Felis catus] NP_001009364.1 2e-98 41% ...

NCBI nr-aa BLAST: CBRC-XTRO-01-3294 [SEVENS

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available CBRC-XTRO-01-3294 ref|NP_001009364.1| butyrylcholinesterase [Felis catus] sp|O62760|CHLE_FELCA Choli...nesterase precursor (Acylcholine acylhydrolase) (Choline esterase II) (Butyrylcholine esterase) (Pseudocholi...nesterase) gb|AAC06261.1| butyrylcholinesterase precursor [Felis catus] NP_001009364.1 1e-134 49% ...

NegGOA: negative GO annotations selection using ontology structure.

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Guangyuan; Wang, Jun; Yang, Bo; Yu, Guoxian

2016-10-01

Predicting the biological functions of proteins is one of the key challenges in the post-genomic era. Computational models have demonstrated the utility of applying machine learning methods to predict protein function. Most prediction methods explicitly require a set of negative examples-proteins that are known not carrying out a particular function. However, Gene Ontology (GO) almost always only provides the knowledge that proteins carry out a particular function, and functional annotations of proteins are incomplete. GO structurally organizes more than tens of thousands GO terms and a protein is annotated with several (or dozens) of these terms. For these reasons, the negative examples of a protein can greatly help distinguishing true positive examples of the protein from such a large candidate GO space. In this paper, we present a novel approach (called NegGOA) to select negative examples. Specifically, NegGOA takes advantage of the ontology structure, available annotations and potentiality of additional annotations of a protein to choose negative examples of the protein. We compare NegGOA with other negative examples selection algorithms and find that NegGOA produces much fewer false negatives than them. We incorporate the selected negative examples into an efficient function prediction model to predict the functions of proteins in Yeast, Human, Mouse and Fly. NegGOA also demonstrates improved accuracy than these comparing algorithms across various evaluation metrics. In addition, NegGOA is less suffered from incomplete annotations of proteins than these comparing methods. The Matlab and R codes are available at https://sites.google.com/site/guoxian85/neggoa gxyu@swu.edu.cn Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

42 CFR 408.26 - Examples.

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2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Examples. 408.26 Section 408.26 Public Health... PREMIUMS FOR SUPPLEMENTARY MEDICAL INSURANCE Amount of Monthly Premiums § 408.26 Examples. Example 1. Mr. J... 10 percent greater than if he had enrolled in his initial enrollment period. Example 2. Mr. V, who...

29 CFR 4022.95 - Examples.

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2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 9 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Examples. 4022.95 Section 4022.95 Labor Regulations... IN TERMINATED SINGLE-EMPLOYER PLANS Certain Payments Owed Upon Death § 4022.95 Examples. The following examples show how the rules in §§ 4022.91 through 4022.94 apply. For examples on how these rules...

OPAL: selection and acquisition of LEP data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Le Du, P.

1985-01-01

The OPAL project (Omni Purpose aparatus for LEP) is presented. It will be a frame and an example to explain the main problems and limitations concerning the mode of event selection, acquisition and information transfer to the final registering system. A quick review of the different problems related to data selection and acquisition is made [fr

Aristotle's Example: The Rhetorical Induction.

Science.gov (United States)

Benoit, William Lyon

1980-01-01

Examines the concept of example in Aristotle's inventional theory. Rejects recent claims that the example reasons from part to part, without a mediating generalization, and then explicates Aristotle's view of the example. (JMF)

Isolation and Genetic Characterization of Toxoplasma gondii from Black Bears (Ursus americanus), Bobcats (Lynx rufus), and Feral Cats (Felis catus) from Pennsylvania.

Science.gov (United States)

Dubey, Jitender P; Verma, Shiv K; Calero-Bernal, Rafael; Cassinelli, Ana B; Kwok, Oliver C H; Van Why, Kyle; Su, Chunlei; Humphreys, Jan G

2015-01-01

Toxoplasma gondii infects virtually all warm-blooded hosts worldwide. Recently, attention has been focused on the genetic diversity of the parasite to explain its pathogenicity in different hosts. It has been hypothesized that interaction between feral and domestic cycles of T. gondii may increase unusual genotypes in domestic cats and facilitate transmission of potentially more pathogenic genotypes to humans, domestic animals, and wildlife. In the present study, we tested black bear (Ursus americanus), bobcat (Lynx rufus), and feral cat (Felis catus) from the state of Pennsylvania for T. gondii infection. Antibodies to T. gondii were found in 32 (84.2%) of 38 bears, both bobcats, and 2 of 3 feral cats tested by the modified agglutination test (cut off titer 1:25). Hearts from seropositive animals were bioassayed in mice, and viable T. gondii was isolated from 3 of 32 bears, 2 of 2 bobcats, and 2 of 3 feral cats. DNA isolated from culture-derived tachyzoites of these isolates was characterized using multilocus PCR-RFLP markers. Three genotypes were revealed, including ToxoDB PCR-RFLP genotype #1 or #3 (Type II, 1 isolate), #5 (Type 12, 3 isolates), and #216 (3 isolates), adding to the evidence of genetic diversity of T. gondii in wildlife in Pennsylvania. Pathogenicity of 3 T. gondii isolates (all #216, 1 from bear, and 2 from feral cat) was determined in outbred Swiss Webster mice; all three were virulent causing 100% mortality. Results indicated that highly mouse pathogenic strains of T. gondii are circulating in wildlife, and these strains may pose risk to infect human through consuming of game meat. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Data for the elaboration of the CIPROS checklist with items for a patient registry software system: Examples and explanations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Doris Lindoerfer

2017-10-01

The data presented per checklist item provide the relevant textual information (examples and a first qualitative summary (explanation. The examples and explanations provide the background information on CIPROS. They elucidate how to implement the checklist items in other projects. The literature list and the selected texts serve as a reference for scientists and system developers.

Unlocking the mysteries of cataloging a workbook of examples

CERN Document Server

Haynes, Elizabeth; Zwierski, Michele

2015-01-01

Provides more than 100 examples that together encompass virtually all types of materials libraries collect and catalog, with MARC ""answer"" records Offers exercises that allow practice in AACR2r and RDA, description, subject classification, subject heading application, classification, subject analysis, and MARC 21 Covers both RDA and AACR2r answer records for selected exercises Includes non-English materials Links to a website that provides for multiple approaches and answer records and enables you to view all the graphics in color and enlarge them as needed Links instruction to a

Application of Interactive Multimedia Tools in Teaching Mathematics--Examples of Lessons from Geometry

Science.gov (United States)

Milovanovic, Marina; Obradovic, Jasmina; Milajic, Aleksandar

2013-01-01

This article presents the benefits and importance of using multimedia in the math classes by the selected examples of multimedia lessons from geometry (isometric transformations and regular polyhedra). The research included two groups of 50 first year students of the Faculty of the Architecture and the Faculty of Civil Construction Management.…

Cost overruns and demand shortfalls - Deception or selection?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eliasson, Jonas; Fosgerau, Mogens

2013-01-01

whether to implement projects. Using a database of projects we present examples indicating that the selection bias may be substantial. The examples also indicate that benefit-cost ratios remain a useful selection criterion even when cost and benefits are highly uncertain, gainsaying the argument......A number of highly cited papers by Flyvbjerg and associates have shown that ex ante infrastructure appraisals tend to be overly optimistic. Ex post evaluations indicate a bias where investment costs are higher and benefits lower on average than predicted ex ante. These authors argue that the bias...... that such uncertainties render cost-benefit analyses useless. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd....

Generic Example Proving Criteria for All

Science.gov (United States)

Yopp, David; Ely, Rob; Johnson­-Leung, Jennifer

2015-01-01

We review literature that discusses generic example proving and highlight ambiguities that pervade our research community's discourse about generic example arguments. We distinguish between pedagogical advice for choosing good examples that can serve as generic examples when teaching and advice for developing generic example arguments. We provide…

Empirical versus Random Item Selection in the Design of Intelligence Test Short Forms--The WISC-R Example.

Science.gov (United States)

Goh, David S.

1979-01-01

The advantages of using psychometric thoery to design short forms of intelligence tests are demonstrated by comparing such usage to a systematic random procedure that has previously been used. The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children Revised (WISC-R) Short Form is presented as an example. (JKS)

Discriminative semi-supervised feature selection via manifold regularization.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Zenglin; King, Irwin; Lyu, Michael Rung-Tsong; Jin, Rong

2010-07-01

Feature selection has attracted a huge amount of interest in both research and application communities of data mining. We consider the problem of semi-supervised feature selection, where we are given a small amount of labeled examples and a large amount of unlabeled examples. Since a small number of labeled samples are usually insufficient for identifying the relevant features, the critical problem arising from semi-supervised feature selection is how to take advantage of the information underneath the unlabeled data. To address this problem, we propose a novel discriminative semi-supervised feature selection method based on the idea of manifold regularization. The proposed approach selects features through maximizing the classification margin between different classes and simultaneously exploiting the geometry of the probability distribution that generates both labeled and unlabeled data. In comparison with previous semi-supervised feature selection algorithms, our proposed semi-supervised feature selection method is an embedded feature selection method and is able to find more discriminative features. We formulate the proposed feature selection method into a convex-concave optimization problem, where the saddle point corresponds to the optimal solution. To find the optimal solution, the level method, a fairly recent optimization method, is employed. We also present a theoretic proof of the convergence rate for the application of the level method to our problem. Empirical evaluation on several benchmark data sets demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed semi-supervised feature selection method.

How Important Are Student-Selected versus Instructor-Selected Literature Resources for Students' Learning and Motivation in Problem-Based Learning?

Science.gov (United States)

Wijnia, Lisette; Loyens, Sofie M.; Derous, Eva; Schmidt, Henk G.

2015-01-01

In problem-based learning students are responsible for their own learning process, which becomes evident when they must act independently, for example, when selecting literature resources for individual study. It is a matter of debate whether it is better to have students select their own literature resources or to present them with a list of…

48 CFR 9.508 - Examples.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... CONTRACTOR QUALIFICATIONS Organizational and Consultant Conflicts of Interest 9.508 Examples. The examples in paragraphs (a) through (i) following illustrate situations in which questions concerning organizational... (e.g., fire control, navigation, etc.). In this example, the system is the powerplant, not the...

Natural selection. VII. History and interpretation of kin selection theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Frank, S A

2013-06-01

Kin selection theory is a kind of causal analysis. The initial form of kin selection ascribed cause to costs, benefits and genetic relatedness. The theory then slowly developed a deeper and more sophisticated approach to partitioning the causes of social evolution. Controversy followed because causal analysis inevitably attracts opposing views. It is always possible to separate total effects into different component causes. Alternative causal schemes emphasize different aspects of a problem, reflecting the distinct goals, interests and biases of different perspectives. For example, group selection is a particular causal scheme with certain advantages and significant limitations. Ultimately, to use kin selection theory to analyse natural patterns and to understand the history of debates over different approaches, one must follow the underlying history of causal analysis. This article describes the history of kin selection theory, with emphasis on how the causal perspective improved through the study of key patterns of natural history, such as dispersal and sex ratio, and through a unified approach to demographic and social processes. Independent historical developments in the multivariate analysis of quantitative traits merged with the causal analysis of social evolution by kin selection. © 2013 The Author. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2013 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

Microbial Resistance to Triclosan: A Case Study in Natural Selection

Science.gov (United States)

Serafini, Amanda; Matthews, Dorothy M.

2009-01-01

Natural selection is the mechanism of evolution caused by the environmental selection of organisms most fit to reproduce, sometimes explained as "survival of the fittest." An example of evolution by natural selection is the development of bacteria that are resistant to antimicrobial agents as a result of exposure to these agents. Triclosan, which…

Fair Equality of Opportunity and Selective Secondary Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Mason, Andrew

2016-01-01

Can selecting on the basis of academic ability at secondary school level be reconciled with equality of opportunity? One common view is that although the two can be reconciled in principle, for various contingent reasons selection tends to undermine equality of opportunity in practice, for example, it tends to advantage children who have been…

Bayesian Methods for the Physical Sciences. Learning from Examples in Astronomy and Physics.

Science.gov (United States)

Andreon, Stefano; Weaver, Brian

2015-05-01

Chapter 1: This chapter presents some basic steps for performing a good statistical analysis, all summarized in about one page. Chapter 2: This short chapter introduces the basics of probability theory inan intuitive fashion using simple examples. It also illustrates, again with examples, how to propagate errors and the difference between marginal and profile likelihoods. Chapter 3: This chapter introduces the computational tools and methods that we use for sampling from the posterior distribution. Since all numerical computations, and Bayesian ones are no exception, may end in errors, we also provide a few tips to check that the numerical computation is sampling from the posterior distribution. Chapter 4: Many of the concepts of building, running, and summarizing the resultsof a Bayesian analysis are described with this step-by-step guide using a basic (Gaussian) model. The chapter also introduces examples using Poisson and Binomial likelihoods, and how to combine repeated independent measurements. Chapter 5: All statistical analyses make assumptions, and Bayesian analyses are no exception. This chapter emphasizes that results depend on data and priors (assumptions). We illustrate this concept with examples where the prior plays greatly different roles, from major to negligible. We also provide some advice on how to look for information useful for sculpting the prior. Chapter 6: In this chapter we consider examples for which we want to estimate more than a single parameter. These common problems include estimating location and spread. We also consider examples that require the modeling of two populations (one we are interested in and a nuisance population) or averaging incompatible measurements. We also introduce quite complex examples dealing with upper limits and with a larger-than-expected scatter. Chapter 7: Rarely is a sample randomly selected from the population we wish to study. Often, samples are affected by selection effects, e.g., easier

Selected Examples of LDRD Projects Supporting Test Ban Treaty Verification and Nonproliferation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jackson, K. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Al-Ayat, R. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Walter, W. R. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

2015-02-23

The Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program at the DOE National Laboratories was established to ensure the scientific and technical vitality of these institutions and to enhance the their ability to respond to evolving missions and anticipate national needs. LDRD allows the Laboratory directors to invest a percentage of their total annual budget in cutting-edge research and development projects within their mission areas. We highlight a selected set of LDRD-funded projects, in chronological order, that have helped provide capabilities, people and infrastructure that contributed greatly to our ability to respond to technical challenges in support of test ban treaty verification and nonproliferation.

The presence of tick-borne diseases in domestic dogs and cats living on Iriomote-jima and Tsushima islands

Science.gov (United States)

JIKUYA, Mao; TATENO, Morihiro; TAKAHASHI, Masashi; ENDO, Yasuyuki

2017-01-01

The Iriomote cat and Tsushima leopard cat are endangered wildcats in Japan and inhabit only Iriomote-jima and Tsushima islands, respectively. Domestic dogs and cats living on Iriomote-jima and Tsushima islands were surveyed to clarify the interrelationship between wildcats and domestic animals regarding tick-borne disease transmission. Pathogen-derived DNA in blood samples was detected by polymerase chain reaction. Babesia gibsoni was detected in dogs of Iriomote-jima, and Hepatozoon felis and hemoplasmas were detected in domestic cats of Tsushima. Because the H. felis detected in this study was closely related to that isolated from wildcats, we suspect that common H. felis is harbored and transmitted among wildcats and domestic cats via ticks in Tsushima. PMID:28484147

Penalized feature selection and classification in bioinformatics

OpenAIRE

Ma, Shuangge; Huang, Jian

2008-01-01

In bioinformatics studies, supervised classification with high-dimensional input variables is frequently encountered. Examples routinely arise in genomic, epigenetic and proteomic studies. Feature selection can be employed along with classifier construction to avoid over-fitting, to generate more reliable classifier and to provide more insights into the underlying causal relationships. In this article, we provide a review of several recently developed penalized feature selection and classific...

Strategy Guideline: Quality Management in Existing Homes; Cantilever Floor Example

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Taggart, J.; Sikora, J.; Wiehagen, J.; Wood, A.

2011-12-01

This guideline is designed to highlight the QA process that can be applied to any residential building retrofit activity. The cantilevered floor retrofit detailed in this guideline is included only to provide an actual retrofit example to better illustrate the QA activities being presented. The goal of existing home high performing remodeling quality management systems (HPR-QMS) is to establish practices and processes that can be used throughout any remodeling project. The research presented in this document provides a comparison of a selected retrofit activity as typically done versus that same retrofit activity approached from an integrated high performance remodeling and quality management perspective. It highlights some key quality management tools and approaches that can be adopted incrementally by a high performance remodeler for this or any high performance retrofit. This example is intended as a template and establishes a methodology that can be used to develop a portfolio of high performance remodeling strategies.

A framework for analyzing sex-selective abortion: the example of changing sex ratios in Southern Caucasus

Science.gov (United States)

Hohmann, Sophie A; Lefèvre, Cécile A; Garenne, Michel L

2014-01-01

The paper proposes a socioeconomic framework of supply, demand, and regulation to explain the development of sex-selective abortion in several parts of the world. The framework is then applied to three countries of southern Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia) where sex-selective abortion has developed since the collapse of the Soviet Union. The authors argue that sex-selective abortion cannot be explained simply by patriarchal social systems, sex discrimination, or son preference. The emphasis is put on the long-term acceptability of abortion in the region, on acceptability of sex-screening by both the medical establishment and by the population, on newly imported techniques of sex-screening, and on the changing demand for children associated with the major economic and social changes that followed the dismantlement of the Soviet Union. PMID:25349481

Selecting a silvicultural system

Science.gov (United States)

Richard M. Godman

1992-01-01

Sometimes a name creates a problem. The name of a silvicultural system usually refers to the way a stand is cut to get regeneration-"single tree selection"-for example. Trouble is, the name suggests that the regeneration cut will be the first treatment applied to the stand. Not so. We are now mostly making "intermediate" cuts in our Lake States...

Aerospace Example

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This is a textbook, created example for illustration purposes. The System takes inputs of Pt, Ps, and Alt, and calculates the Mach number using the Rayleigh Pitot...

Selection signatures in worldwide sheep populations.

OpenAIRE

Fariello, Maria-Ines; Servin, Bertrand; Tosser-Klopp, Gwenola; Rupp, Rachel; Moreno, Carole; San Cristobal, Magali; Boitard, Simon; Drögemüller, Cord; The International Sheep Genomics Consortium, ISGC

2014-01-01

The diversity of populations in domestic species offers great opportunities to study genome response to selection. The recently published Sheep HapMap dataset is a great example of characterization of the world wide genetic diversity in sheep. In this study, we re-analyzed the Sheep HapMap dataset to identify selection signatures in worldwide sheep populations. Compared to previous analyses, we made use of statistical methods that (i) take account of the hierarchical structure of sheep popula...

Selection Signatures in Worldwide Sheep Populations

OpenAIRE

Fariello, Maria-Ines; Servin, Bertrand; Tosser-Klopp, Gwenola; Rupp, Rachel; Moreno, Carole; Cristobal, Magali San; Boitard, Simon

2014-01-01

The diversity of populations in domestic species offers great opportunities to study genome response to selection. The recently published Sheep HapMap dataset is a great example of characterization of the world wide genetic diversity in sheep. In this study, we re-analyzed the Sheep HapMap dataset to identify selection signatures in worldwide sheep populations. Compared to previous analyses, we made use of statistical methods that (i) take account of the hierarchical structure of sheep popula...

Programs that work : California case examples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodgrigues, G.

2007-01-01

Examples of programs that work in California with respect to greenhouse gas emissions were discussed. Specifically, Southern California Edison (SCE) was noted as one of the country's largest investor-owned utilities that has provided environmental leadership in this area. Energy, environment, economy, and community were mentioned as being the four value propositions for demand side management (DSM) programs. The environmental benefits of California investor-owned utilities programs were also discussed. Customer participation in SCE's energy efficiency programs was defined as an important measure of success. Other topics that were addressed in the presentation included energy efficiency in the long-term resource plan; ratcheting codes and standards; effective marketing and outreach; residential and non-residential programs; partnership programs; and competitively-selected programs. Measurement, verification and evaluation were noted as being real savings. Initiatives on the horizon such as the California solar initiative and Edison smartconnect were presented. tabs., figs

Alfanet Worked Example: What is Greatness?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

dr. Pierre Gorissen

2004-01-01

This document consists of an example of a Learning Design based on the What is Greatness example originally created by James Dalziel from WebMCQ using LAMS. Note: The example has been created in parallel with the actual development of the Alfanet system. So no claims can be made that the example

Selection and design of solvents

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gani, Rafiqul

and design of solvents will be presented together with application examples. The selection problem is defined as finding known chemicals that match the desired functions of a solvent for a specified set of applications. The design problem is defined as finding the molecular structure (or mixture of molecules....... With increasing interest on issues such as waste, sustainability, environmental impact and green chemistry, the selection and design of solvents have become important problems that need to be addressed during chemical product-process design and development. Systematic methods and tools suitable for selection......) that match the desired functions of a solvent for a specified set of applications. Use of organic chemicals and ionic liquids as solvents will be covered....

Inferring selection in the Anopheles gambiae species complex: an example from immune-related serine protease inhibitors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Little Tom J

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Mosquitoes of the Anopheles gambiae species complex are the primary vectors of human malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. Many host genes have been shown to affect Plasmodium development in the mosquito, and so are expected to engage in an evolutionary arms race with the pathogen. However, there is little conclusive evidence that any of these mosquito genes evolve rapidly, or show other signatures of adaptive evolution. Methods Three serine protease inhibitors have previously been identified as candidate immune system genes mediating mosquito-Plasmodium interaction, and serine protease inhibitors have been identified as hot-spots of adaptive evolution in other taxa. Population-genetic tests for selection, including a recent multi-gene extension of the McDonald-Kreitman test, were applied to 16 serine protease inhibitors and 16 other genes sampled from the An. gambiae species complex in both East and West Africa. Results Serine protease inhibitors were found to show a marginally significant trend towards higher levels of amino acid diversity than other genes, and display extensive genetic structuring associated with the 2La chromosomal inversion. However, although serpins are candidate targets for strong parasite-mediated selection, no evidence was found for rapid adaptive evolution in these genes. Conclusion It is well known that phylogenetic and population history in the An. gambiae complex can present special problems for the application of standard population-genetic tests for selection, and this may explain the failure of this study to detect selection acting on serine protease inhibitors. The pitfalls of uncritically applying these tests in this species complex are highlighted, and the future prospects for detecting selection acting on the An. gambiae genome are discussed.

Using the bootstrap in a multivariadte data problem: An example

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Glosup, J.G.; Axelrod, M.C.

1995-01-01

The use of the bootstrap in the multivariate version of the paired t-test is considered and demonstrated through an example. The problem of interest involves comparing two different techniques for measuring the chemical constituents of an sample item. The bootstrap is used to form an empirical significance level for Hotelling's one-sample T-squared statistic. The bootstrap was selected to determine empirical significance levels because the implicit assumption of multivariate normality in the classic Hotelling's one-sample test night not hold. The results of both the classic and bootstrap test are presented and contrasted

Infection status with helminthes in feral cats purchased from a market in Busan, Republic of Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

Sohn, Woon Mok; Chai, Jong Yil

2005-09-01

The present study was performed to investigate the infection status with helminth in a group of feral cats in Korea. More than 29 helminth species including adults or eggs were detected in visceral and fecal samples of the examined cats. Among these were a host of nematodes, including toxocarids, Ancylostoma sp. and the larva of Anisakis simplex; trematodes, including Clonorchis sinensis, Paragonimus westermani, Eurytrema pancreaticum, Pharyngostomum cordatum, Metagonimus spp., Heterophyes nocens, Pygidiopsis summa, Heterophyopsis continua, Stictodora fuscata, Stictodora lari, Acanthotrema felis, Stellantchasmus falcatus, Centrocestus armatus, Procerovum varium, Cryptocotyle sp., Echinostoma revolutum, Echinostoma hortense, Echinochasmus japonicus, Stephanoprora sp., Plagiorchis muris, Neodiplostomum sp. and diplostomulum. We also detected a variety of cestodes, including Spirometra erinacei, Taenia taeniaeformis and unidentified species of tapeworm. We also found examples of the acanthocephalan, Bolbosoma sp. In our assessment of the stools, we detected at least 12 species of helminth eggs. These findings confirmed that feral cats in Korea are infected with a variety of helminth parasite species. Furthermore, among the helminths detected, E. pancreaticum, S. fuscata, S. lari, A. felis, S. falcatus, C. armatus, P. varium, Cryptocotyle sp., E. revolutum, E. japonicus, Stephanoprora sp., P. muris, Neodiplostomum sp. and Bolbosoma sp. represent helminth fauna which have not been reported previously in feral cats in the Republic of Korea.

26 CFR 1.1368-3 - Examples.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 11 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 true Examples. 1.1368-3 Section 1.1368-3 Internal... TAXES Small Business Corporations and Their Shareholders § 1.1368-3 Examples. The principles of §§ 1.1368-1 and 1.1368-2 are illustrated by the examples below. In each example Corporation S is a calendar...

Security threats to automotive CAN networks-Practical examples and selected short-term countermeasures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoppe, Tobias; Kiltz, Stefan; Dittmann, Jana

2011-01-01

The IT security of automotive systems is an evolving area of research. To analyse the current situation and the potentially growing tendency of arising threats we performed several practical tests on recent automotive technology. With a focus on automotive systems based on CAN bus technology, this article summarises the results of four selected tests performed on the control systems for the window lift, warning light and airbag control system as well as the central gateway. These results are supplemented in this article by a classification of these four attack scenarios using the established CERT taxonomy and an analysis of underlying security vulnerabilities, and especially, potential safety implications. With respect to the results of these tests, in this article we further discuss two selected countermeasures to address basic weaknesses exploited in our tests. These are adaptations of intrusion detection (discussing three exemplary detection patterns) and IT-forensic measures (proposing proactive measures based on a forensic model). This article discusses both looking at the four attack scenarios introduced before, covering their capabilities and restrictions. While these reactive approaches are short-term measures, which could already be added to today's automotive IT architecture, long-term concepts also are shortly introduced, which are mainly preventive but will require a major redesign. Beneath a short overview on respective research approaches, we discuss their individual requirements, potential and restrictions.

Variable selection and estimation for longitudinal survey data

KAUST Repository

Wang, Li

2014-09-01

There is wide interest in studying longitudinal surveys where sample subjects are observed successively over time. Longitudinal surveys have been used in many areas today, for example, in the health and social sciences, to explore relationships or to identify significant variables in regression settings. This paper develops a general strategy for the model selection problem in longitudinal sample surveys. A survey weighted penalized estimating equation approach is proposed to select significant variables and estimate the coefficients simultaneously. The proposed estimators are design consistent and perform as well as the oracle procedure when the correct submodel was known. The estimating function bootstrap is applied to obtain the standard errors of the estimated parameters with good accuracy. A fast and efficient variable selection algorithm is developed to identify significant variables for complex longitudinal survey data. Simulated examples are illustrated to show the usefulness of the proposed methodology under various model settings and sampling designs. © 2014 Elsevier Inc.

Comparing Patterns of Natural Selection across Species Using Selective Signatures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shapiro, Jesse; Alm, Eric J.

2007-12-01

Comparing gene expression profiles over many different conditions has led to insights that were not obvious from single experiments. In the same way, comparing patterns of natural selection across a set of ecologically distinct species may extend what can be learned from individual genome-wide surveys. Toward this end, we show how variation in protein evolutionary rates, after correcting for genome-wide effects such as mutation rate and demographic factors, can be used to estimate the level and types of natural selection acting on genes across different species. We identify unusually rapidly and slowly evolving genes, relative to empirically derived genome-wide and gene family-specific background rates for 744 core protein families in 30 c-proteobacterial species. We describe the pattern of fast or slow evolution across species as the"selective signature" of a gene. Selective signatures represent aprofile of selection across species that is predictive of gene function: pairs of genes with correlated selective signatures are more likely to share the same cellular function, and genes in the same pathway can evolve in concert. For example,glycolysis and phenylalanine metabolism genes evolve rapidly in Idiomarina loihiensis, mirroring an ecological shift in carbon source from sugars to amino acids. In a broader context, our results suggest that the genomic landscape is organized into functional modules even at the level of natural selection, and thus it may be easier than expected to understand the complex evolutionary pressures on a cell.

Comparing Patterns of Natural Selection Across Species Using Selective Signatures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alm, Eric J.; Shapiro, B. Jesse; Alm, Eric J.

2007-12-18

Comparing gene expression profiles over many different conditions has led to insights that were not obvious from single experiments. In the same way, comparing patterns of natural selection across a set of ecologically distinct species may extend what can be learned from individual genome-wide surveys. Toward this end, we show how variation in protein evolutionary rates, after correcting for genome-wide effects such as mutation rate and demographic factors, can be used to estimate the level and types of natural selection acting on genes across different species. We identify unusually rapidly and slowly evolving genes, relative to empirically derived genome-wide and gene family-specific background rates for 744 core protein families in 30 gamma-proteobacterial species. We describe the pattern of fast or slow evolution across species as the 'selective signature' of a gene. Selective signatures represent a profile of selection across species that is predictive of gene function: pairs of genes with correlated selective signatures are more likely to share the same cellular function, and genes in the same pathway can evolve in concert. For example, glycolysis and phenylalanine metabolism genes evolve rapidly in Idiomarina loihiensis, mirroring an ecological shift in carbon source from sugars to amino acids. In a broader context, our results suggest that the genomic landscape is organized into functional modules even at the level of natural selection, and thus it may be easier than expected to understand the complex evolutionary pressures on a cell.

26 CFR 7.465-5 - Examples.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 14 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Examples. 7.465-5 Section 7.465-5 Internal... INCOME TAX REGULATIONS UNDER THE TAX REFORM ACT OF 1976 § 7.465-5 Examples. The provisions of § 7.465-1 and § 7.465-2 may be illustrated by the following examples: Example (1). J and K, as equal partners...

26 CFR 20.2013-6 - Examples.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 14 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Examples. 20.2013-6 Section 20.2013-6 Internal...; ESTATES OF DECEDENTS DYING AFTER AUGUST 16, 1954 Credits Against Tax § 20.2013-6 Examples. The application of §§ 20.2013-1 to 20.2013-5 may be further illustrated by the following examples: Example (1). (a) A...

Transforming properties of Felis catus papillomavirus type 2 E6 and E7 putative oncogenes in vitro and their transcriptional activity in feline squamous cell carcinoma in vivo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Altamura, Gennaro, E-mail: gennaro.altamura@unina.it [Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, General Pathology and Pathological Anatomy Unit, University of Naples Federico II, Via Delpino 1, 80137 Naples (Italy); Corteggio, Annunziata, E-mail: ancorteg@unina.it [Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, General Pathology and Pathological Anatomy Unit, University of Naples Federico II, Via Delpino 1, 80137 Naples (Italy); Pacini, Laura, E-mail: PaciniL@students.iarc.fr [Infections and Cancer Biology Group, International Agency for Research on Cancer, 150 Cours Albert Thomas, 69372 Lyon (France); Conte, Andrea, E-mail: andreaconte88@hotmail.it [Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples Federico II, Via Pansini 5, 80131 Naples (Italy); Pierantoni, Giovanna Maria, E-mail: gmpieran@unina.it [Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples Federico II, Via Pansini 5, 80131 Naples (Italy); Tommasino, Massimo, E-mail: tommasinom@iarc.fr [Infections and Cancer Biology Group, International Agency for Research on Cancer, 150 Cours Albert Thomas, 69372 Lyon (France); Accardi, Rosita, E-mail: accardir@iarc.fr [Infections and Cancer Biology Group, International Agency for Research on Cancer, 150 Cours Albert Thomas, 69372 Lyon (France); Borzacchiello, Giuseppe, E-mail: borzacch@unina.it [Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, General Pathology and Pathological Anatomy Unit, University of Naples Federico II, Via Delpino 1, 80137 Naples (Italy)

2016-09-15

Felis catus papillomavirus type 2 (FcaPV2) DNA is found in feline cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs); however, its biological properties are still uncharacterized. In this study, we successfully expressed FcaPV2 E6 and E7 putative oncogenes in feline epithelial cells and demonstrated that FcaPV2 E6 binds to p53, impairing its protein level. In addition, E6 and E7 inhibited ultraviolet B (UVB)-triggered accumulation of p53, p21 and pro-apoptotic markers such as Cleaved Caspase3, Bax and Bak, suggesting a synergistic action of the virus with UV exposure in tumour pathogenesis. Furthermore, FcaPV2 E7 bound to feline pRb and impaired pRb levels, resulting in upregulation of the downstream pro-proliferative genes Cyclin A and Cdc2. Importantly, we demonstrated mRNA expression of FcaPV2 E2, E6 and E7 in feline SCC samples, strengthening the hypothesis of a causative role in the development of feline SCC. - Highlights: • FcaPV2 E6 binds to and deregulates feline p53 protein. • FcaPV2 E7 binds to and deregulates feline pRb protein. • FcaPV2 oncogenes inhibit UVB-induced apoptosis. • FcaPV2 E6E7 and E7 increase the lifespan of primary cells. • FcaPV2 E2, E6 and E7 are expressed at the mRNA level in feline SCC in vivo.

The site selection process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kittel, J.H.

1989-01-01

One of the most arduous tasks associated with the management of radioactive wastes is the siting of new disposal facilities. Experience has shown that the performance of the disposal facility during and after disposal operations is critically dependent on the characteristics of the site itself. The site selection process consists of defining needs and objectives, identifying geographic regions of interest, screening and selecting candidate sites, collecting data on the candidate sites, and finally selecting the preferred site. Before the site selection procedures can be implemented, however, a formal legal system must be in place that defines broad objectives and, most importantly, clearly establishes responsibilities and accompanying authorities for the decision-making steps in the procedure. Site selection authorities should make every effort to develop trust and credibility with the public, local officials, and the news media. The responsibilities of supporting agencies must also be spelled out. Finally, a stable funding arrangement must be established so that activities such as data collection can proceed without interruption. Several examples, both international and within the US, are given

Superoxide dismutase 1 is positively selected to minimize protein aggregation in great apes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dasmeh, Pouria; Kepp, Kasper Planeta

2017-01-01

Positive (adaptive) selection has recently been implied in human superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), a highly abundant antioxidant protein with energy signaling and antiaging functions, one of very few examples of direct selection on a human protein product (exon); the molecular drivers...... and SOD1 aggregates and triggered by aging. Our study thus marks an example of direct selection for a particular chemical phenotype (high net charge and stability) in a single human protein with possible implications for the evolution of aging....... of this selection are unknown. We mapped 30 extant SOD1 sequences to the recently established mammalian species tree and inferred ancestors, key substitutions, and signatures of selection during the protein's evolution. We detected elevated substitution rates leading to great apes (Hominidae) at ~1 per 2 million...

Selective-imaging camera

Science.gov (United States)

Szu, Harold; Hsu, Charles; Landa, Joseph; Cha, Jae H.; Krapels, Keith A.

2015-05-01

How can we design cameras that image selectively in Full Electro-Magnetic (FEM) spectra? Without selective imaging, we cannot use, for example, ordinary tourist cameras to see through fire, smoke, or other obscurants contributing to creating a Visually Degraded Environment (VDE). This paper addresses a possible new design of selective-imaging cameras at firmware level. The design is consistent with physics of the irreversible thermodynamics of Boltzmann's molecular entropy. It enables imaging in appropriate FEM spectra for sensing through the VDE, and displaying in color spectra for Human Visual System (HVS). We sense within the spectra the largest entropy value of obscurants such as fire, smoke, etc. Then we apply a smart firmware implementation of Blind Sources Separation (BSS) to separate all entropy sources associated with specific Kelvin temperatures. Finally, we recompose the scene using specific RGB colors constrained by the HVS, by up/down shifting Planck spectra at each pixel and time.

Qualitative Research Designs: Selection and Implementation

Science.gov (United States)

Creswell, John W.; Hanson, William E.; Plano Clark, Vicki L.; Morales, Alejandro

2007-01-01

Counseling psychologists face many approaches from which to choose when they conduct a qualitative research study. This article focuses on the processes of selecting, contrasting, and implementing five different qualitative approaches. Based on an extended example related to test interpretation by counselors, clients, and communities, this article…

[The biology of Dipylidium caninum. Part 2].

Science.gov (United States)

Hinaidy, H K

1991-07-01

From 198 cats and 182 dogs in Austria 9,134 fleas were collected. Ctenocephalides felis is the main flea of our cats (98.5%) and dogs (77.5%). Demonstration of cysticercoids of Dipylidium caninum through bleaching of fleas failed. Dissection of fleas gave, however, positive results. Each 44th flea from cats and 61st flea from dogs harbours cysticercoids. Infection intensity rates were 2.3% for C. felis (cats), 1.2% for C. felis (dogs), and 3.1% for C. canis (dogs). Male fleas are more extensively, but less intensively infected than female fleas. Cysticercoids form fleas of feline origin are more infective to cats than those from fleas found on dogs. The longest patency in cats lasted 3 years.

Examples of New Models Applied in Selected Simulation Systems with Respect to Database

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ignaszak Z.

2013-03-01

Full Text Available The tolerance of damage rule progressively meets the approval in the design casting parts procedures. Therefore, there were appeared the new challenges and expectations for permanent development of process virtualization in the mechanical engineering industry. Virtualization is increasingly developed on the stage of product design and materials technologies optimization. Increasing expectations of design and process engineers regarding the practical effectiveness of applied simulation systems with new proposed up-grades modules is observed. The purpose is to obtain simulation tools allowing the most possible realistic prognosis of the casting structure, including indication, with the highest possible probability, places in the casting that are endangered with the possibility of shrinkage- and gas porosity formation. This 3D map of discontinuities and structure transformed in local mechanical characteristics are used to calculate the local stresses and safety factors. The needs of tolerance of damage and new approach to evaluate the quality of such prognosis must be defined. These problems of validation of new models/modules used to predict the shrinkage- and gas porosity including the chosen structure parameters in the example of AlSi7 alloy are discussed in the paper.

Examples of New Models Applied in Selected Simulation Systems with Respect to Database

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Z. Ignaszak

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The tolerance of damage rule progressively meets the approval in the design casting parts procedures. Therefore, there were appeared thenew challenges and expectations for permanent development of process virtualization in the mechanical engineering industry.Virtualization is increasingly developed on the stage of product design and materials technologies optimization. Increasing expectations of design and process engineers regarding the practical effectiveness of applied simulation systems with new proposed up-grades modules is observed. The purpose is to obtain simulation tools allowing the most possible realistic prognosis of the casting structure, including indication, with the highest possible probability, places in the casting that are endangered with the possibility of shrinkage– and gas porosity formation. This 3D map of discontinuities and structure transformed in local mechanical characteristics are used to calculate the local stresses and safety factors. The needs of tolerance of damage and new approach to evaluate the quality of such prognosis must be defined. These problems of validation of new models/modules used to predict the shrinkage– and gas porosity including the chosen structure parameters in the example of AlSi7 alloy are discussed in the paper.

[Problem areas and examples of best practice in intersectoral medication treatment--a literature review].

Science.gov (United States)

Mehrmann, Lena; Ollenschläger, Günter

2014-01-01

Transitions between the outpatient and inpatient sector are a critical phase in medication treatment. This article provides an overview of published problem areas and examples of best practice in the intersectoral medication treatment. Data with regard to related problem areas and examples of best practice was collected in August 2011 by a systematic literature research. The relevant literature was identified using the following databases and search engines: MEDLINE, The Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Google, and Google Scholar. Additionally, a hand search was done on the websites of SpringerLink and Thieme Connect. The initial search yielded a total of 4,409 records which were further selected in two screening steps and analysed according to their relevance. Of the remaining 63 records, 3 exclusively described problem areas, 11 of them examples of best practice, and 49 provided information on both problem areas and examples of best practice with regard to intersectoral medication treatment. Among other things, problem areas include varying legal regulations in inpatient and outpatient medication treatment, drug therapy interruptions after hospital discharge, or deficits in communication and continuity of care. Examples of best practice are projects, programmes, initiatives, recommendations, and points to consider with respect to medication reconciliation, pharmaceutical support, or transitions of care. Problem areas as well as examples of best practice are mainly focused on the transition from inpatient to outpatient care. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Programs that work : California case examples

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodgrigues, G. [Southern California Edison, Rosemead, CA (United States)

2007-07-01

Examples of programs that work in California with respect to greenhouse gas emissions were discussed. Specifically, Southern California Edison (SCE) was noted as one of the country's largest investor-owned utilities that has provided environmental leadership in this area. Energy, environment, economy, and community were mentioned as being the four value propositions for demand side management (DSM) programs. The environmental benefits of California investor-owned utilities programs were also discussed. Customer participation in SCE's energy efficiency programs was defined as an important measure of success. Other topics that were addressed in the presentation included energy efficiency in the long-term resource plan; ratcheting codes and standards; effective marketing and outreach; residential and non-residential programs; partnership programs; and competitively-selected programs. Measurement, verification and evaluation were noted as being real savings. Initiatives on the horizon such as the California solar initiative and Edison smartconnect were presented. tabs., figs.

FINAS. Example manual. 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iwata, Koji; Tsukimori, Kazuyuki; Ueno, Mutsuo

2003-12-01

FINAS is a general purpose structural analysis computer program which was developed by Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute for the analysis of static, dynamic and thermal responses of elastic and inelastic structures by the finite element method. This manual contains typical analysis examples that illustrate applications of FINAS to a variety of structural engineering problems. The first part of this manual presents fundamental examples in which numerical solutions by FINAS are compared with some analytical reference solutions, and the second part of this manual presents more complex examples intended for practical application. All the input data images and principal results for each problem are included in this manual for beginners' convenience. All the analyses are performed by using the FINAS Version 13.0. (author)

Approaches to qualitative research in mathematics education examples of methodology and methods

CERN Document Server

Bikner-Ahsbahs, Angelika; Presmeg, Norma

2014-01-01

This volume documents a range of qualitative research approaches emerged within mathematics education over the last three decades, whilst at the same time revealing their underlying methodologies. Continuing the discussion as begun in the two 2003 ZDM issues dedicated to qualitative empirical methods, this book presents astate of the art overview on qualitative research in mathematics education and beyond. The structure of the book allows the reader to use it as an actual guide for the selection of an appropriate methodology, on a basis of both theoretical depth and practical implications. The methods and examples illustrate how different methodologies come to life when applied to a specific question in a specific context. Many of the methodologies described are also applicable outside mathematics education, but the examples provided are chosen so as to situate the approach in a mathematical context.

Does hair coat length affect flea infestation in naturally infested dogs?

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Guilherme Araujo Collares da; Lins, Luciana Araujo; Irala, Márcio Josué Costa; Cárcamo, Marcial Corrêa; Ribeiro, Paulo Bretanha

2016-01-01

The Siphonaptera are parasitic insects of endothermic animals and Ctenocephalides felis and Pulex irritans are important parasites of dogs. This study evaluated the effect of hair coat length and time of year on the population size of C. felis and P. irritans in naturally infested dogs. Fleas were collected from 14 dogs on a monthly basis for a year (February 2015 to January 2016) at a rural property in Bagé, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The dogs were divided into two groups based on hair coat length: short coat (coat length coat (coat length > 5.0 cm, n= 7). In total, 2057 fleas were collected, 1541 of which were C. felis (74.91%) and 516 were P. irritans (25.08%). The number of C. felis and P. irritans individuals was significantly affected by hair coat length and time of year. The variation in flea numbers over the study months was higher in long-coated than in short-coated dogs for the two flea species and flea numbers increased with increasing mean monthly temperatures. The results provide a better understanding of behavioral aspects of flea communities in dogs and may help develop control strategies targeting these parasites.

Absence of zoonotic Bartonella species in questing ticks: First detection of Bartonella clarridgeiae and Rickettsia felis in cat fleas in the Netherlands

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Reimerink Johan R

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Awareness for flea- and tick-borne infections has grown in recent years and the range of microorganisms associated with these ectoparasites is rising. Bartonella henselae, the causative agent of Cat Scratch Disease, and other Bartonella species have been reported in fleas and ticks. The role of Ixodes ricinus ticks in the natural cycle of Bartonella spp. and the transmission of these bacteria to humans is unclear. Rickettsia spp. have also been reported from as well ticks as also from fleas. However, to date no flea-borne Rickettsia spp. were reported from the Netherlands. Here, the presence of Bartonellaceae and Rickettsiae in ectoparasites was investigated using molecular detection and identification on part of the gltA- and 16S rRNA-genes. Results The zoonotic Bartonella clarridgeiae and Rickettsia felis were detected for the first time in Dutch cat fleas. B. henselae was found in cat fleas and B. schoenbuchensis in ticks and keds feeding on deer. Two Bartonella species, previously identified in rodents, were found in wild mice and their fleas. However, none of these microorganisms were found in 1719 questing Ixodes ricinus ticks. Notably, the gltA gene amplified from DNA lysates of approximately 10% of the questing nymph and adult ticks was similar to that of an uncultured Bartonella-related species found in other hard tick species. The gltA gene of this Bartonella-related species was also detected in questing larvae for which a 16S rRNA gene PCR also tested positive for "Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii". The gltA-gene of the Bartonella-related species found in I. ricinus may therefore be from this endosymbiont. Conclusions We conclude that the risk of acquiring Cat Scratch Disease or a related bartonellosis from questing ticks in the Netherlands is negligible. On the other hand fleas and deer keds are probable vectors for associated Bartonella species between animals and might also transmit Bartonella spp. to humans.

Survey of Helicobacter infection in domestic and feral cats in Korea

OpenAIRE

Ghil, Heh-Myung; Yoo, Jong-Hyeon; Jung, Woo-Sung; Chung, Tae-Ho; Youn, Hwa-Young; Hwang, Cheol-Yong

2009-01-01

Discovery of Helicobacter (H.) pylori has led to a fundamental change in our understanding of gastric diseases in humans. Previous studies have found various Helicobacter spp. in dogs and cats, and pets have been questioned as a zoonotic carrier. The present study surveyed the Helicobacter infections and investigated the presence of H. felis and H. pylori infections in domestic and feral cats in Korea. Sixty-four domestic cats and 101 feral cats were selected from an animal shelter. Saliva an...

48 CFR 225.504 - Evaluation examples.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Evaluation examples. 225.504 Section 225.504 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEFENSE ACQUISITION REGULATIONS SYSTEM... 225.504 Evaluation examples. For examples that illustrate the evaluation procedures in 225.502(c)(ii...

48 CFR 25.504 - Evaluation Examples.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Evaluation Examples. 25... PROGRAMS FOREIGN ACQUISITION Evaluating Foreign Offers-Supply Contracts 25.504 Evaluation Examples. The following examples illustrate the application of the evaluation procedures in 25.502 and 25.503. The...

Activity report for feasibility study on PKI authentication method with IC card in authentication system sub group of J-PARC information system group

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teshima, Naoya; Aoyagi, Tetsuo; Nakajima, Norihiro; Hashimoto, Kiyoharu; Manabe, Atsushi; Yuasa, Fukuko

2009-06-01

The Authentication System Sub Group of J-PARC Information System Group completed the mapping of the several authentication methods in terms of the level of security. Of the methods, the PKI authentication method with IC card provides the Super High Security Level and will be adopted as the authentication method of several J-PARC Information Systems. We study the feasibility of this method with following four examples; (1) 'The EAP-TLS wireless LAN authentication method'. (2) 'The Web-SSL client authentication method in SSL-VPN connection'. (3) 'The PKI authentication method with a certificate issued by NAREGI-CA software stored in IC card.' (4) 'The PKI authentication method with Dual interface FeliCa card'. In each example, we confirmed the feasibility of the method in a practical way. In this report we present the details of the study. (author)

Maple by example

CERN Document Server

Abell, Martha L

2005-01-01

Maple by Example, Third Edition, is a reference/text with CD for beginning and experienced students, professional engineers, and other Maple users. This new edition has been updated to be compatible with the most recent release of the Maple software. Coverage includes built-in Maple commands used in courses and practices that involve calculus, linear algebra, business mathematics, ordinary and partial differential equations, numerical methods, graphics and more. The CD-ROM provides updated Maple input and all text from the book.* Updated coverage of Maple features and functions * Backwards compatible for all versions* New applications from a variety of fields, including biology, physics and engineering* Expanded topics with many additional examples

45 CFR 1170.13 - Illustrative examples.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Illustrative examples. 1170.13 Section 1170.13... ASSISTED PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES Discrimination Prohibited § 1170.13 Illustrative examples. (a) The following examples will illustrate the application of the foregoing provisions to some of the activities...

Spatially heterogeneous land cover/land use and climatic risk factors of tick-borne feline cytauxzoonosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Raghavan, Ram K; Almes, Kelli; Goodin, Doug G; Harrington, John A; Stackhouse, Paul W

2014-07-01

Feline cytauxzoonosis is a highly fatal tick-borne disease caused by a hemoparasitic protozoan, Cytauxzoon felis. This disease is a leading cause of mortality for cats in the Midwestern United States, and no vaccine or effective treatment options exist. Prevention based on knowledge of risk factors is therefore vital. Associations of different environmental factors, including recent climate were evaluated as potential risk factors for cytauxzoonosis using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). There were 69 cases determined to be positive for cytauxzoonosis based upon positive identification of C. felis within blood film examinations, tissue impression smears, or histopathologic examination of tissues. Negative controls totaling 123 were selected from feline cases that had a history of fever, malaise, icterus, and anorexia but lack of C. felis within blood films, impression smears, or histopathologic examination of tissues. Additional criteria to rule out C. felis among controls were the presence of regenerative anemia, cytologic examination of blood marrow or lymph node aspirate, other causative agent diagnosed, or survival of 25 days or greater after testing. Potential environmental determinants were derived from publicly available sources, viz., US Department of Agriculture (soil attributes), US Geological Survey (land-cover/landscape, landscape metrics), and NASA (climate). Candidate variables were screened using univariate logistic models with a liberal p value (0.2), and associations with cytauxzoonosis were modeled using a global multivariate logistic model (p<0.05). Spatial heterogeneity among significant variables in the study region was modeled using a geographically weighted regression (GWR) approach. Total Edge Contrast Index (TECI), grassland-coverage, humidity conditions recorded during the 9(th) week prior to case arrival, and an interaction variable, "diurnal temperature range × percent mixed forest area" were significant risk factors for

Quality Quandaries- Time Series Model Selection and Parsimony

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bisgaard, Søren; Kulahci, Murat

2009-01-01

Some of the issues involved in selecting adequate models for time series data are discussed using an example concerning the number of users of an Internet server. The process of selecting an appropriate model is subjective and requires experience and judgment. The authors believe an important...... consideration in model selection should be parameter parsimony. They favor the use of parsimonious mixed ARMA models, noting that research has shown that a model building strategy that considers only autoregressive representations will lead to non-parsimonious models and to loss of forecasting accuracy....

Parasites of domestic and wild canids in the region of Serra do Cipó National Park, Brazil Parasitos de canídeos domésticos e silvestres na região do Parque Nacional da Serra do Cipó - Brasil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juliana Lúcia Costa Santos

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Over recent decades, diseases have been shown to be important causes of extinctions among wild species. Greater emphasis has been given to diseases transmitted by domestic animals, which have been increasing in numbers in natural areas, along with human populations. This study had the aim of investigating the presence of intestinal helminths in wild canids (maned wolf, Chrysocyon brachyurus, and crab-eating fox, Cerdocyon thous in the Serra do Cipó National Park (43-44º W and 19-20º S and endo and ectoparasites of domestic dogs in the Morro da Pedreira Environmental Protection Area (an area surrounding the National Park. The Serra do Cipó is located in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Among the enteroparasites found in domestic and wild canids, the following taxons were identified: Ancylostomidae, Trichuridae, Toxocara sp., Spirocerca sp., Physaloptera sp., Strongyloides sp., Cestoda, Dipylidium caninum, Diphyllobothriidae, Hymenolepidae, Anoplocephalidae, Trematoda, Acanthocephala and Isospora sp. Domestic dogs were positive for leishmaniasis and Babesia canis in serological tests. Among the ectoparasites, Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Amblyomma cajennense and Ctenocephalides felis felis were observed in domestic dogs. Variations in the chaetotaxy of the meta-episternum and posterior tibia were observed in some specimens of C. felis felis.Nas últimas décadas, as doenças têm sido apontadas como importantes causas de extinção de espécies silvestres. Maior ênfase tem sido dada às doenças transmitidas por animais domésticos que crescem em número, bem como as populações humanas, em áreas naturais. O presente estudo objetivou verificar a presença de helmintos intestinais de canídeos silvestres (lobo-guará - Chrysocyon brachyurus e cachorro-do-mato - Cerdocyon thous do Parque Nacional da Serra do Cipó (43-44º W e 19-20º S e endo e ectoparasitos de cães domésticos da Área de Proteção Ambiental Morro da Pedreira (entorno do

Selection signatures in worldwide sheep populations.

Science.gov (United States)

Fariello, Maria-Ines; Servin, Bertrand; Tosser-Klopp, Gwenola; Rupp, Rachel; Moreno, Carole; San Cristobal, Magali; Boitard, Simon

2014-01-01

The diversity of populations in domestic species offers great opportunities to study genome response to selection. The recently published Sheep HapMap dataset is a great example of characterization of the world wide genetic diversity in sheep. In this study, we re-analyzed the Sheep HapMap dataset to identify selection signatures in worldwide sheep populations. Compared to previous analyses, we made use of statistical methods that (i) take account of the hierarchical structure of sheep populations, (ii) make use of linkage disequilibrium information and (iii) focus specifically on either recent or older selection signatures. We show that this allows pinpointing several new selection signatures in the sheep genome and distinguishing those related to modern breeding objectives and to earlier post-domestication constraints. The newly identified regions, together with the ones previously identified, reveal the extensive genome response to selection on morphology, color and adaptation to new environments.

Sex-ratio control erodes sexual selection, revealing evolutionary feedback from adaptive plasticity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fawcett, Tim W.; Kuijper, Bram; Weissing, Franz J.; Pen, Ido

2011-01-01

Female choice is a powerful selective force, driving the elaboration of conspicuous male ornaments. This process of sexual selection has profound implications for many life-history decisions, including sex allocation. For example, females with attractive partners should produce more sons, because

Regression analysis by example

CERN Document Server

Chatterjee, Samprit

2012-01-01

Praise for the Fourth Edition: ""This book is . . . an excellent source of examples for regression analysis. It has been and still is readily readable and understandable."" -Journal of the American Statistical Association Regression analysis is a conceptually simple method for investigating relationships among variables. Carrying out a successful application of regression analysis, however, requires a balance of theoretical results, empirical rules, and subjective judgment. Regression Analysis by Example, Fifth Edition has been expanded

Personalized Resource Recommendations using Learning from Positive and Unlabeled Examples

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Priyank Thakkar

2016-08-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes a novel approach for recommending social resources using learning from positive and unlabeled examples. Bookmarks submitted on social bookmarking system delicious1 and artists on online music system last.fm2 are considered as social resources. The foremost feature of this problem is that there are no labeled negative resources/examples available for learning a recommender/classifier. The memory based collaborative filtering has served as the most widely used algorithm for social resource recommendation. However, its predictions are based on some ad hoc heuristic rules and its success depends on the availability of a critical mass of users. This paper proposes model based two-step techniques to learn a classifier using positive and unlabeled examples to address personalized resource recommendations. In the first step of these techniques, naïve Bayes classifier is employed to identify reliable negative resources. In the second step, to generate effective resource recommender, classification and regression tree and least square support vector machine (LS-SVM are exercised. A direct method based on LS-SVM is also put forward to realize the recommendation task. LS-SVM is customized for learning from positive and unlabeled data. Furthermore, the impact of feature selection on our proposed techniques is also studied. Memory based collaborative filtering as well as our proposed techniques exploit usage data to generate personalized recommendations. Experimental results show that the proposed techniques outperform existing method appreciably.

26 CFR 1.851-5 - Examples.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... two or more issuers which it controls. Example 2. Investment Company V at the close of a particular... controls and which are engaged in related trades or businesses. Example 4. Investment Company Y at the... 26 Internal Revenue 9 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Examples. 1.851-5 Section 1.851-5 Internal...

Mathematics++ selected topics beyond the basic courses

CERN Document Server

Kantor, Ida; Šámal, Robert

2015-01-01

Mathematics++ is a concise introduction to six selected areas of 20th century mathematics providing numerous modern mathematical tools used in contemporary research in computer science, engineering, and other fields. The areas are: measure theory, high-dimensional geometry, Fourier analysis, representations of groups, multivariate polynomials, and topology. For each of the areas, the authors introduce basic notions, examples, and results. The presentation is clear and accessible, stressing intuitive understanding, and it includes carefully selected exercises as an integral part. Theory is comp

Time Series Analysis and Forecasting by Example

CERN Document Server

Bisgaard, Soren

2011-01-01

An intuition-based approach enables you to master time series analysis with ease Time Series Analysis and Forecasting by Example provides the fundamental techniques in time series analysis using various examples. By introducing necessary theory through examples that showcase the discussed topics, the authors successfully help readers develop an intuitive understanding of seemingly complicated time series models and their implications. The book presents methodologies for time series analysis in a simplified, example-based approach. Using graphics, the authors discuss each presented example in

Extended asymptotic functions - some examples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Todorov, T.D.

1981-01-01

Several examples of extended asymptotic functions of two variables are given. This type of asymptotic functions has been introduced as an extension of continuous ordinary functions. The presented examples are realizations of some Schwartz distributions delta(x), THETA(x), P(1/xsup(n)) and can be multiplied in the class of the asymptotic functions as opposed to the theory of Schwartz distributions. The examples illustrate the method of construction of extended asymptotic functions similar to the distributions. The set formed by the extended asymptotic functions is also considered. It is shown, that this set is not closed with respect to addition and multiplication

Selection on alleles affecting human longevity and late-life disease: the example of apolipoprotein E.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fotios Drenos

2010-04-01

Full Text Available It is often claimed that genes affecting health in old age, such as cardiovascular and Alzheimer diseases, are beyond the reach of natural selection. We show in a simulation study based on known genetic (apolipoprotein E and non-genetic risk factors (gender, diet, smoking, alcohol, exercise that, because there is a statistical distribution of ages at which these genes exert their influence on morbidity and mortality, the effects of selection are in fact non-negligible. A gradual increase with each generation of the epsilon2 and epsilon3 alleles of the gene at the expense of the epsilon4 allele was predicted from the model. The epsilon2 allele frequency was found to increase slightly more rapidly than that for epsilon3, although there was no statistically significant difference between the two. Our result may explain the recent evolutionary history of the epsilon 2, 3 and 4 alleles of the apolipoprotein E gene and has wider relevance for genes affecting human longevity.

Molecular Components of Catalytic Selectivity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Somorjai, Gabor A.; Park, Jeong Y.

2008-07-02

Selectivity, that is, to produce one molecule out of many other thermodynamically feasible product molecules, is the key concept to develop 'clean manufacturing' processes that do not produce byproducts (green chemistry). Small differences in potential energy barriers for elementary reaction steps control which reaction channel is more likely to yield the desired product molecule (selectivity), instead of the overall activation energy for the reaction that controls turnover rates (activity). Recent studies have demonstrated the atomic- or molecular-level tailoring of parameters such as the surface structures of active sites that give rise to nanoparticle size and shape dependence of turnover rates and reaction selectivities. Here, we highlight seven molecular components that influence reaction selectivities. These include: surface structure, adsorbate-induced restructuring, adsorbate mobility, reaction intermediates, surface composition, charge transport, and oxidation states for model metal single crystal and colloid nanoparticle catalysts. We show examples of their functioning and describe in-situ instruments that permit us to investigate their roles in surface reactions.

The Mealiness and Quality of Herbal Medicine: Licorice for Example.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xueying; Hou, Weilong; Dou, Deqiang

2017-01-01

The morphological identification is an effective and simple quality evaluation method in Chinese drugs, and the traits of mealiness and color were widely used in the commercial market of Chinese drugs. The objective of this study was to explore the correlation between mealiness of herbal drugs and its quality; licorice was selected as an example. The mealiness of licorice was graded by its weight; meanwhile, the content of glycyrrhizic acid and liquiritin was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography-diode-array detection method; the content of polysaccharides, soluble sugars, pectin, total starch, amylose, and amylopectin was measured by colorimetric method; and the number and diameter of starch granule were observed by microscope. The results showed that the mealiness of licorice which collected from wild and cultivated plants is positively correlated with the content of glycyrrhizic acid, liquiritin, the ratio of amylose to total starch, and the number of starch granules whose diameter was over 5 μm. However, the mealiness is negatively correlated with the total starch. Further, the formation mechanism of starch granule was discussed. It is for the first time to report the positive correlation between the mealiness and the starch granule size, the ratio of amylose to total starch, which can provide rationality for the quality evaluation using the character of mealiness in herbal medicine. It is a convenient method to justify the quality of herbal medicine. To explore the correlation between mealiness of herbal drugs and its quality, licorice was selected as an example. The result indicated that the effective constituent is correlated with mealiness of licorice. Abbreviations Used: TCM: Traditional Chinese Medicine.

From Utterance to Example Sentence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kristoffersen, Jette Hedegaard

This poster will address some of the problems on excerption of example sentences for the online dictionary of Danish Sign Language (DTS) from a raw corpus of dialogues and monologues. In the Danish Sign Language Dictionary every meaning is illustrated by one or more sentences showing the sign...... lexicographers. The sentences were excerpted by hand from a raw corpus of dialogues and monologues – given to us by our group of consultants. The poster describes the process from utterance in a corpus in a larger context to an example sentence in a dictionary, where the purpose of having examples sentences...... for use in the dictionary consists of 11 stages in the DTS dictionary project. Special focus will be on the stage in the process where the sentence is judged suitable for dictionary use. A set of guidelines for what makes up a good example sentence has been developed for the DTS dictionary project...

Selection of appropriate greenhouse gas mitigation options

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ramanathan, R. [Indira Ghandi Institute of Development Research, Mumbai (India)

1999-10-01

Greenhouse gas mitigation options help in reducing greenhouse gas emissions so as to avoid the adverse environmental impacts due to global warming/climate change. They have different characteristics when evaluated using different criteria. For example, some options may be very cost effective, while some may have an additional advantage of reducing local pollution. Hence, selection of these options, for consideration by a national government or by a funding agency, has to incorporate multiple criteria. In this paper, some important criteria relevant to the selection are discussed, and a multi-criteria methodology is suggested for making appropriate selection. The methodology, called the Analytic Hierarchy Process, is described using two illustrations. (author)

26 CFR 1.642(h)-5 - Example.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Example. 1.642(h)-5 Section 1.642(h)-5 Internal... TAXES Estates, Trusts, and Beneficiaries § 1.642(h)-5 Example. The application of section 642(h) may be illustrated by the following example: Example. (a) A decedent dies January 31, 1954, leaving a will which...

Five-month comparative efficacy evaluation of three ectoparasiticides against adult cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis), flea egg hatch and emergence, and adult brown dog ticks (Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato) on dogs housed outdoors.

Science.gov (United States)

Varloud, Marie; Hodgkins, Elizabeth

2015-03-01

This study was designed to compare the efficacy of three topical combinations on dogs in outdoor conditions against adult cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis), flea egg hatch and emergence, and against adult brown dog ticks (Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato). Treatment was performed on day 0 with a placebo; dinotefuran, pyriproxifen and permethrin (DPP); fipronil and (S)-methoprene (FM) or imidacloprid and permethrin (IP). Dogs (n = 32), housed outdoors for 7 months, were treated monthly for four consecutive months (on days 0, 30, 60 and 90) and infested with ~100 unfed adult fleas on days 14, 55, 74, 115 and 150 and with ~50 unfed adult ticks on days 28, 44, 88 and 104. Adult fleas were counted and removed 24 h after infestation. Immediately after flea removal, dogs were reinfested with ~100 new adult fleas 72 h prior to egg collection for up to 48 h. Flea eggs were incubated for 32 days, and newly emerged adults were counted. Ticks were counted and removed 48 h after each infestation. FM had >90 % efficacy against fleas at each time point and variable efficacy against ticks (38.0-99.6 %). Efficacy of IP was 60 days after the last treatment. Despite challenging weather conditions, DPP was highly effective, providing >90 % efficacy against adult ticks as well as adult and immature fleas at every time point of the study.

A selective review of selective attention research from the past century.

Science.gov (United States)

Driver, J

2001-02-01

Research on attention is concerned with selective processing of incoming sensory information. To some extent, our awareness of the world depends on what we choose to attend, not merely on the stimulation entering our senses. British psychologists have made substantial contributions to this topic in the past century. Celebrated examples include Donald Broadbent's filter theory of attention, which set the agenda for most subsequent work; and Anne Treisman's revisions of this account, and her later feature-integration theory. More recent contributions include Alan Allport's prescient emphasis on the relevance of neuroscience data, and John Duncan's integration of such data with psychological theory. An idiosyncratic but roughly chronological review of developments is presented, some practical and clinical implications are briefly sketched, and future directions suggested. One of the biggest changes in the field has been the increasing interplay between psychology and neuroscience, which promises much for the future. A related change has been the realization that selection attention is best thought of as a broad topic, encompassing a range of selective issues, rather than as a single explanatory process.

The Missing Response to Selection in the Wild.

Science.gov (United States)

Pujol, Benoit; Blanchet, Simon; Charmantier, Anne; Danchin, Etienne; Facon, Benoit; Marrot, Pascal; Roux, Fabrice; Scotti, Ivan; Teplitsky, Céline; Thomson, Caroline E; Winney, Isabel

2018-05-01

Although there are many examples of contemporary directional selection, evidence for responses to selection that match predictions are often missing in quantitative genetic studies of wild populations. This is despite the presence of genetic variation and selection pressures - theoretical prerequisites for the response to selection. This conundrum can be explained by statistical issues with accurate parameter estimation, and by biological mechanisms that interfere with the response to selection. These biological mechanisms can accelerate or constrain this response. These mechanisms are generally studied independently but might act simultaneously. We therefore integrated these mechanisms to explore their potential combined effect. This has implications for explaining the apparent evolutionary stasis of wild populations and the conservation of wildlife. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

10 CFR 1706.9 - Examples.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... FACILITIES SAFETY BOARD ORGANIZATIONAL AND CONSULTANT CONFLICTS OF INTERESTS § 1706.9 Examples. The examples...) Guidance. Assuming the work of the oversight committee has no direct or indirect relationship with the work... work being performed for DOE to ensure no potential or actual conflict of interest would be created...

Miro V4.0: example book

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morice, O.; Ribeyre, X.; Donnat, Ph.; Porcher, Th.; Treimany, C.; Nassiet, D.; Gallice, G.; Rivoire, V.; L'hullier, N.

2000-01-01

This manual presents an ensemble of examples related to the use of the Miro code. It can be used for leaning how to perform simulations with Miro. Furthermore the presented examples are used for checking that new routines added in Miro do not perturb the efficiency of the older ones. In that purpose most of the capabilities of Miro are covered by the examples. (authors)

Code query by example

Science.gov (United States)

Vaucouleur, Sebastien

2011-02-01

We introduce code query by example for customisation of evolvable software products in general and of enterprise resource planning systems (ERPs) in particular. The concept is based on an initial empirical study on practices around ERP systems. We motivate our design choices based on those empirical results, and we show how the proposed solution helps with respect to the infamous upgrade problem: the conflict between the need for customisation and the need for upgrade of ERP systems. We further show how code query by example can be used as a form of lightweight static analysis, to detect automatically potential defects in large software products. Code query by example as a form of lightweight static analysis is particularly interesting in the context of ERP systems: it is often the case that programmers working in this field are not computer science specialists but more of domain experts. Hence, they require a simple language to express custom rules.

Rent Seeking: A Textbook Example

Science.gov (United States)

Pecorino, Paul

2007-01-01

The author argues that the college textbook market provides a clear example of monopoly seeking as described by Tullock (1967, 1980). This behavior is also known as rent seeking. Because this market is important to students, this example of rent seeking will be of particular interest to them. (Contains 24 notes.)

The basic science and mathematics of random mutation and natural selection.

Science.gov (United States)

Kleinman, Alan

2014-12-20

The mutation and natural selection phenomenon can and often does cause the failure of antimicrobial, herbicidal, pesticide and cancer treatments selection pressures. This phenomenon operates in a mathematically predictable behavior, which when understood leads to approaches to reduce and prevent the failure of the use of these selection pressures. The mathematical behavior of mutation and selection is derived using the principles given by probability theory. The derivation of the equations describing the mutation and selection phenomenon is carried out in the context of an empirical example. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Rickettsia infection in five areas of the state of São Paulo, Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maurício C Horta

2007-11-01

Full Text Available This study investigated rickettsial infection in animals, humans, ticks, and fleas collected in five areas of the state of São Paulo. Eight flea species (Adoratopsylla antiquorum antiquorum, Ctenocephalides felis felis, Polygenis atopus, Polygenis rimatus, Polygenis roberti roberti, Polygenis tripus, Rhopalopsyllus lugubris, and Rhopalopsyllus lutzi lutzi, and five tick species (Amblyomma aureolatum, Amblyomma cajennense, Amblyomma dubitatum, Ixodes loricatus, and Rhipicephalus sanguineus were collected from dogs, cats, and opossums. Rickettsia felis was the only rickettsia found infecting fleas, whereas Rickettsia bellii was the only agent infecting ticks, but no animal or human blood was shown to contain rickettsial DNA. Testing animal and human sera by indirect immunofluorescence assay against four rickettsia antigens (R. rickettsii, R. parkeri, R. felis, and R. bellii, some opossum, dog, horse, and human sera reacted to R. rickettsii with titers at least four-fold higher than to the other three rickettsial antigens. These sera were considered to have a predominant antibody response to R. rickettsii. Using the same criteria, opossum, dog, and horse sera showed predominant antibody response to R. parkeri or a very closely related genotype. Our serological results suggest that both R. rickettsii and R. parkeri infected animals and/or humans in the studied areas.

Parasites of domestic and wild canids in the region of Serra do Cipó National Park, Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Santos, Juliana Lúcia Costa; Magalhães, Noele Borges; Dos Santos, Hudson Andrade; Ribeiro, Raul Rio; Guimarães, Marcos Pezzi

2012-01-01

Over recent decades, diseases have been shown to be important causes of extinctions among wild species. Greater emphasis has been given to diseases transmitted by domestic animals, which have been increasing in numbers in natural areas, along with human populations. This study had the aim of investigating the presence of intestinal helminths in wild canids (maned wolf, Chrysocyon brachyurus, and crab-eating fox, Cerdocyon thous) in the Serra do Cipó National Park (43-44º W and 19-20º S) and endo and ectoparasites of domestic dogs in the Morro da Pedreira Environmental Protection Area (an area surrounding the National Park). The Serra do Cipó is located in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Among the enteroparasites found in domestic and wild canids, the following taxons were identified: Ancylostomidae, Trichuridae, Toxocara sp., Spirocerca sp., Physaloptera sp., Strongyloides sp., Cestoda, Dipylidium caninum, Diphyllobothriidae, Hymenolepidae, Anoplocephalidae, Trematoda, Acanthocephala and Isospora sp. Domestic dogs were positive for leishmaniasis and Babesia canis in serological tests. Among the ectoparasites, Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Amblyomma cajennense and Ctenocephalides felis felis were observed in domestic dogs. Variations in the chaetotaxy of the meta-episternum and posterior tibia were observed in some specimens of C. felis felis.

Parasites of domestic and wild animals in South Africa. XLVIII . Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae infesting domestic cats and wild felids in southern Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivan G. Horak

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Ticks collected from domestic cats (Felis catus, cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus,caracals (Caracal caracal, African wild cats (Felis lybica, black-footed cats (Felis nigripes, a serval (Leptailurus serval, lions(Panthera leo, and leopards (Panthera pardus were identified and counted. Thirteen species of ixodid ticks and one argasid tick were identified from domestic cats and 17 species of ixodid ticks from wild felids. The domestic cats and wild felids harboured 11 ixodid species in common. The adults of Haemaphysalis elliptica, the most abundant tick species infesting cats and wild felids, were most numerous on a domestic cat in late winter and in mid-summer, during 2 consecutive years. The recorded geographic distribution of the recently described Haemaphysalis colesbergensis, a parasite of cats and caracals, was extended by 2 new locality records in the Northern Cape Province,South Africa.

Isolation and identification of Helicobacter spp, from canine and feline gastric mucosa

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jalava, K.; On, Stephen L.W.; VanDamme, P.A.R.

1998-01-01

It is known that virtually all healthy adult dogs and cats harbor spiral helicobacters in their gastric mucosa, Three species, Helicobacter felis, Helicobacter bizzozeronii, and Helicobacter salomonis have been isolated in vitro from the gastric mucosa of these animals. The aims of this study were...... conventional phenotypic tests, whole-cell protein profiling, and ultrastructural analysis in identifying the different species isolated from canine and feline gastric mucose. We cultured 95 and 22 gastric mucosal biopsies from dogs and cats, respectively. Twenty-one H. bizzozeronii strains, 8 H. felis strains......, 8 H. salomonis strains, 3 mixed cultures, 2 "Flexispira rappini"-like organisms, and 3 as get uncharacterized strains were isolated from the dogs, and 3 H. felis strains were isolated from the cats. The methods used here yielded Helicobacter isolation rates of 51% from dogs and 13.6% from cats...

Selection/extraction of spectral regions for autofluorescence spectra measured in the oral cavity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Skurichina, M; Paclik, P; Duin, RPW; de Veld, D; Sterenborg, HJCM; Witjes, MJH; Roodenburg, JLN; Fred, A; Caelli, T; Duin, RPW; Campilho, A; DeRidder, D

2004-01-01

Recently a number of successful algorithms to select/extract discriminative spectral regions was introduced. These methods may be more beneficial than the standard feature selection/extraction methods for spectral classification. In this paper, on the example of autofluorescence spectra measured in

Understanding Linear Function: A Comparison of Selected Textbooks from England and Shanghai

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yuqian; Barmby, Patrick; Bolden, David

2017-01-01

This study describes a comparison of how worked examples in selected textbooks from England and Shanghai presented possible learning trajectories towards understanding linear function. Six selected English textbooks and one Shanghai compulsory textbook were analysed with regards to the understanding required for pure mathematics knowledge in…

Selective pathology fellowships: diverse, innovative, and valuable subspecialty training.

Science.gov (United States)

Iezzoni, Julia C; Ewton, April; Chévez-Barrios, Patricia; Moore, Stephen; Thorsen, Linda M; Naritoku, Wesley Y

2014-04-01

Although selective pathology fellowships have a long-standing history of developing trainees with advanced expertise in specific areas of pathology other than those of the American Board of Pathology-certified subspecialties, the widespread interest in this training continues to grow. To describe the historical background and current status of selective pathology fellowships, and to provide examples of 3 programs. In addition, Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-accredited programs and nonaccredited programs in Selective Pathology are compared. ACGME data banks and publicly available online materials were used. Program directors of the fellowships examples in this paper provided program-specific information. Additionally, an online survey of the program directors and program coordinators of ACGME-accredited programs and nonaccredited programs in selective pathology was performed. There are currently 76 ACGME-accredited selective pathology programs. The programs are distributed between 3 major categories: surgical pathology, focused anatomic pathology, and focused clinical pathology. Although the vast majority of programs are concerned that their funding source may be cut in the next 3 years, most programs will not change the number of fellowship positions in their programs. Program requirements devoted specifically and solely to selective pathology have been developed and are in effect. The value of this training is recognized not only by pathologists, but by clinicians as well, in both academia and private practice. Importantly, the diversity and innovation inherent in selective pathology allow these programs to adeptly address new subspecialty areas and technologic advances in the current and evolving practice of pathology.

A Classroom Note on Generating Examples for the Laws of Sines and Cosines from Pythagorean Triangles

Science.gov (United States)

Sher, Lawrence; Sher, David

2007-01-01

By selecting certain special triangles, students can learn about the laws of sines and cosines without wrestling with long decimal representations or irrational numbers. Since the law of cosines requires only one of the three angles of a triangle, there are many examples of triangles with integral sides and a cosine that can be represented exactly…

The MCDM Model for Personnel Selection Based on SWARA and ARAS Methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Darjan Karabasevic

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Competent employees are the key resource in an organization for achieving success and, therefore, competitiveness on the market. The aim of the recruitment and selection process is to acquire personnel with certain competencies required for a particular position, i.e.,a position within the company. Bearing in mind the fact that in the process of decision making decision-makers have underused the methods of making decisions, this paper aims to establish an MCDM model for the evaluation and selection of candidates in the process of the recruitment and selection of personnel based on the SWARA and the ARAS methods. Apart from providing an MCDM model, the paper will additionally provide a set of evaluation criteria for the position of a sales manager (the middle management in the telecommunication industry which will also be used in the numerical example. On the basis of a numerical example, in the process of employment, theproposed MCDMmodel can be successfully usedin selecting candidates.

The effect of friend selection on social influences in obesity.

Science.gov (United States)

Trogdon, Justin G; Allaire, Benjamin T

2014-12-01

We present an agent-based model of weight choice and peer selection that simulates the effect of peer selection on social multipliers for weight loss interventions. The model generates social clustering around weight through two mechanisms: a causal link from others' weight to an individual's weight and the propensity to select peers based on weight. We simulated weight loss interventions and tried to identify intervention targets that maximized the spillover of weight loss from intervention participants to nonparticipants. Social multipliers increase with the number of intervention participants' friends. For example, when friend selection was based on a variable exogenous to weight, the weight lost among non-participants increased by 23% (14.3lb vs. 11.6lb) when targeting the most popular obese. Holding constant the number of participants' friends, multipliers increase with increased weight clustering due to selection, up to a point. For example, among the most popular obese, social multipliers when matching on a characteristic correlated with weight (1.189) were higher than when matching on the exogenous characteristic (1.168) and when matching on weight (1.180). Increased weight clustering also implies more obese "friends of friends" of participants, who reduce social multipliers. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Internalizing social costs in power plant siting: some examples for coal and nuclear plants in the United States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peelle, E.

1976-01-01

Selected aspects of the United States experience in one particular type of energy development project, the siting of nuclear and fossil fueled power generating facilities, are examined in terms of how well community-level impacts are internalized. New institutional arrangements being devised and new requirements being made at local, state, regional, and federal levels in response to these dissociations of cost and benefits from large energy development projects are discussed. Selected examples of these new institutional responses are analyzed for adequacy and significance

A simple bias correction in linear regression for quantitative trait association under two-tail extreme selection.

Science.gov (United States)

Kwan, Johnny S H; Kung, Annie W C; Sham, Pak C

2011-09-01

Selective genotyping can increase power in quantitative trait association. One example of selective genotyping is two-tail extreme selection, but simple linear regression analysis gives a biased genetic effect estimate. Here, we present a simple correction for the bias.

Mouse ENU Mutagenesis to Understand Immunity to Infection: Methods, Selected Examples, and Perspectives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grégory Caignard

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Infectious diseases are responsible for over 25% of deaths globally, but many more individuals are exposed to deadly pathogens. The outcome of infection results from a set of diverse factors including pathogen virulence factors, the environment, and the genetic make-up of the host. The completion of the human reference genome sequence in 2004 along with technological advances have tremendously accelerated and renovated the tools to study the genetic etiology of infectious diseases in humans and its best characterized mammalian model, the mouse. Advancements in mouse genomic resources have accelerated genome-wide functional approaches, such as gene-driven and phenotype-driven mutagenesis, bringing to the fore the use of mouse models that reproduce accurately many aspects of the pathogenesis of human infectious diseases. Treatment with the mutagen N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU has become the most popular phenotype-driven approach. Our team and others have employed mouse ENU mutagenesis to identify host genes that directly impact susceptibility to pathogens of global significance. In this review, we first describe the strategies and tools used in mouse genetics to understand immunity to infection with special emphasis on chemical mutagenesis of the mouse germ-line together with current strategies to efficiently identify functional mutations using next generation sequencing. Then, we highlight illustrative examples of genes, proteins, and cellular signatures that have been revealed by ENU screens and have been shown to be involved in susceptibility or resistance to infectious diseases caused by parasites, bacteria, and viruses.

The role of selective attention in short-term memory and goal-directed behavior

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vissers, M.E.

2018-01-01

Selective attention enables the prioritization of goal-relevant aspects of our sensory environment in order to guide our actions, or to store goal-relevant information in short-term memory. Yet, it remains largely unclear how attention prioritizes goal-relevant information. For example, selective

Inductive learning of thyroid functional states using the ID3 algorithm. The effect of poor examples on the learning result.

Science.gov (United States)

Forsström, J

1992-01-01

The ID3 algorithm for inductive learning was tested using preclassified material for patients suspected to have a thyroid illness. Classification followed a rule-based expert system for the diagnosis of thyroid function. Thus, the knowledge to be learned was limited to the rules existing in the knowledge base of that expert system. The learning capability of the ID3 algorithm was tested with an unselected learning material (with some inherent missing data) and with a selected learning material (no missing data). The selected learning material was a subgroup which formed a part of the unselected learning material. When the number of learning cases was increased, the accuracy of the program improved. When the learning material was large enough, an increase in the learning material did not improve the results further. A better learning result was achieved with the selected learning material not including missing data as compared to unselected learning material. With this material we demonstrate a weakness in the ID3 algorithm: it can not find available information from good example cases if we add poor examples to the data.

Selective decay by Casimir dissipation in inviscid fluids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gay-Balmaz, François; Holm, Darryl D

2013-01-01

The problem of parameterizing the interactions of larger scales and smaller scales in fluid flows is addressed by considering a property of two-dimensional (2D) incompressible turbulence. The property we consider is selective decay, in which a Casimir of the ideal formulation (enstrophy in 2D flows, helicity in three-dimensional flows) decays in time, while the energy stays essentially constant. This paper introduces a mechanism that produces selective decay by enforcing Casimir dissipation in fluid dynamics. This mechanism turns out to be related in certain cases to the numerical method of anticipated vorticity discussed in Sadourny and Basdevant (1981 C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris 292 1061–4, 1985 J. Atm. Sci. 42 1353–63). Several examples are given and a general theory of selective decay is developed that uses the Lie–Poisson structure of the ideal theory. A scale-selection operator allows the resulting modifications of the fluid motion equations to be interpreted in several examples as parametrizing the nonlinear, dynamical interactions between disparate scales. The type of modified fluid equation systems derived here may be useful in modelling turbulent geophysical flows where it is computationally prohibitive to rely on the slower, indirect effects of a realistic viscosity, such as in large-scale, coherent, oceanic flows interacting with much smaller eddies. (paper)

14 CFR Appendix - Example of SIFL Adjustment

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Example of SIFL Adjustment Aeronautics and Space OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (AVIATION PROCEEDINGS) POLICY STATEMENTS... taxes for rate purposes. Pt. 399, Subpt. C, Example Example of SIFL Adjustment [Methodology for...

Fundamental Travel Demand Model Example

Science.gov (United States)

Hanssen, Joel

2010-01-01

Instances of transportation models are abundant and detailed "how to" instruction is available in the form of transportation software help documentation. The purpose of this paper is to look at the fundamental inputs required to build a transportation model by developing an example passenger travel demand model. The example model reduces the scale to a manageable size for the purpose of illustrating the data collection and analysis required before the first step of the model begins. This aspect of the model development would not reasonably be discussed in software help documentation (it is assumed the model developer comes prepared). Recommendations are derived from the example passenger travel demand model to suggest future work regarding the data collection and analysis required for a freight travel demand model.

A Bayesian random effects discrete-choice model for resource selection: Population-level selection inference

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, D.L.; Johnson, D.; Griffith, B.

2006-01-01

Modeling the probability of use of land units characterized by discrete and continuous measures, we present a Bayesian random-effects model to assess resource selection. This model provides simultaneous estimation of both individual- and population-level selection. Deviance information criterion (DIC), a Bayesian alternative to AIC that is sample-size specific, is used for model selection. Aerial radiolocation data from 76 adult female caribou (Rangifer tarandus) and calf pairs during 1 year on an Arctic coastal plain calving ground were used to illustrate models and assess population-level selection of landscape attributes, as well as individual heterogeneity of selection. Landscape attributes included elevation, NDVI (a measure of forage greenness), and land cover-type classification. Results from the first of a 2-stage model-selection procedure indicated that there is substantial heterogeneity among cow-calf pairs with respect to selection of the landscape attributes. In the second stage, selection of models with heterogeneity included indicated that at the population-level, NDVI and land cover class were significant attributes for selection of different landscapes by pairs on the calving ground. Population-level selection coefficients indicate that the pairs generally select landscapes with higher levels of NDVI, but the relationship is quadratic. The highest rate of selection occurs at values of NDVI less than the maximum observed. Results for land cover-class selections coefficients indicate that wet sedge, moist sedge, herbaceous tussock tundra, and shrub tussock tundra are selected at approximately the same rate, while alpine and sparsely vegetated landscapes are selected at a lower rate. Furthermore, the variability in selection by individual caribou for moist sedge and sparsely vegetated landscapes is large relative to the variability in selection of other land cover types. The example analysis illustrates that, while sometimes computationally intense, a

Clutches and brakes design and selection

CERN Document Server

Orthwein, William C

2004-01-01

Conveniently gathering formulas, analytical methods, and graphs for the design and selection of a wide variety of brakes and clutches in the automotive, aircraft, farming, and manufacturing industries, Clutches and Brakes: Design and Selection, Second Edition simplifies calculations, acquaints engineers with an expansive range of application, and assists in the selection of parameters for specific design challenges. Contains an abundance of examples, 550 display equations, and more than 200 figures for clear presentation of various design strategies Thoroughly revised throughout, the second edition offers… Additional chapters on friction drives and fluid clutches and retarders An extended discussion on cone brakes and clutches A simpler formulation of the torque from a centrifugal clutch Updated sections on automatic braking systems An analysis of variable-speed friction drives with clutch capability Analytical and computer-assisted design techniques.

Estimating uncertainty in multivariate responses to selection.

Science.gov (United States)

Stinchcombe, John R; Simonsen, Anna K; Blows, Mark W

2014-04-01

Predicting the responses to natural selection is one of the key goals of evolutionary biology. Two of the challenges in fulfilling this goal have been the realization that many estimates of natural selection might be highly biased by environmentally induced covariances between traits and fitness, and that many estimated responses to selection do not incorporate or report uncertainty in the estimates. Here we describe the application of a framework that blends the merits of the Robertson-Price Identity approach and the multivariate breeder's equation to address these challenges. The approach allows genetic covariance matrices, selection differentials, selection gradients, and responses to selection to be estimated without environmentally induced bias, direct and indirect selection and responses to selection to be distinguished, and if implemented in a Bayesian-MCMC framework, statistically robust estimates of uncertainty on all of these parameters to be made. We illustrate our approach with a worked example of previously published data. More generally, we suggest that applying both the Robertson-Price Identity and the multivariate breeder's equation will facilitate hypothesis testing about natural selection, genetic constraints, and evolutionary responses. © 2013 The Author(s). Evolution © 2013 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Frequency selective surfaces integrated with phased array antennas

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Monni, S.

2005-01-01

Frequency Selective Surfaces (FSS's) are periodic arrays of patches and/or slots etched on a metal plate, having frequency and angular ??ltering properties. The FSS response to an excitation (for example a plane wave) is characterized in terms of its re ection and transmission coe??cient, and

Detection of Toxolasma gondii in captive wild felids.

Science.gov (United States)

Buddhirongawatr, Ruangrat; Tungsudjai, Siriporn; Chaichoune, Kridsada; Sangloung, Charoonluk; Tantawiwattananon, Nitipan; Phonaknguen, Rassameepen; Sukthana, Yaowalark

2006-01-01

Toxoplasma gondii can infect all species of warm-blooded animals, including humans, and causes serious diseases in immunocompromized hosts. Live tachyzoites derived from serial passage in HeLa culture were used in the Sabin-Feldman dye test for detection of Toxoplasma gondii antibody in serum samples of 21 captive wild felids including one fishing cat (Prion nailurus viverrina), one leopard (Panthera pardus), two flat-headed cats (Prion nailurus planiceps), 6 tigers (Panthera tigris), two leopard cats (Felis bengalensis), two clouded leopards (Felis nebulosa), 3 pumas (Puma concolor), and 4 jungle cats (Felis chaus). Antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii were founded in 9 of 21 felids (42.8%). This study revealed that cell culture-derived tachyzoites can be used successfully as a source of live organisms in a gold standard Sabin-Feldman dye test, which is simpler, cheaper and less ethically sensitive than in vivo inoculation.

Lunar recession encoded in tidal rhythmites: a selective overview with examples from Argentina

Science.gov (United States)

de Azarevich, Vanina L. López; Azarevich, Miguel B.

2017-08-01

The study of tides from the sedimentary record of tidal rhythmites, applying fast Fourier transform analysis, contributes to the understanding of the surficial evolution of our highly dynamic planet, and of the astronomical cycles that influenced the ancient tidal systems. This overview of lunar retreat rates, which includes examples from Argentina, displays a generalized pattern of nonlinear, progressively extended lunar cycles up to the present day. The lunar retreat calculated at different stages of the Earth's history identifies three time spans of extremely high recession rates, amounting to almost twice that of the present day: Archean-Paleoproterozoic (6.93 cm/year), Neoproterozoic I-Ediacaran (7.01 cm/year) and Ediacaran-early Cambrian (6.48 cm/year). Older comparable recession rates are difficult to recognize because of the lack of tidal rhythmic sequences. The maximum lunar retreat rate is registered after the Copernican meteor bombardment event on the Moon at 900 Ma, and the time span coincides with the continental dispersal of Rodinia. Every acceleration of the lunar retreat rate coincides with two main processes: (1) meteorite impacts on the Earth or Moon, and (2) reconfiguration of landmasses accompanied by earthquakes that generated changes in the rotational axis of the Earth, inundation surfaces, and glaciation/deglaciation processes. The simultaneous occurrence of such processes makes it difficult to distinguish the causes and effects of each individual process, but its conjunction would have promoted the destabilization of the Earth-Moon system in terms of moment of inertia that was transferred to the Moon rotation.

The Biology and Ecology of Cat Fleas and Advancements in Their Pest Management: A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael K. Rust

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The cat flea Ctenocephalides felis felis (Bouché is the most important ectoparasite of domestic cats and dogs worldwide. It has been two decades since the last comprehensive review concerning the biology and ecology of C. f. felis and its management. Since then there have been major advances in our understanding of the diseases associated with C. f. felis and their implications for humans and their pets. Two rickettsial diseases, flea-borne spotted fever and murine typhus, have been identified in domestic animal populations and cat fleas. Cat fleas are the primary vector of Bartonella henselae (cat scratch fever with the spread of the bacteria when flea feces are scratched in to bites or wounds. Flea allergic dermatitis (FAD common in dogs and cats has been successfully treated and tapeworm infestations prevented with a number of new products being used to control fleas. There has been a continuous development of new products with novel chemistries that have focused on increased convenience and the control of fleas and other arthropod ectoparasites. The possibility of feral animals serving as potential reservoirs for flea infestations has taken on additional importance because of the lack of effective environmental controls in recent years. Physiological insecticide resistance in C. f. felis continues to be of concern, especially because pyrethroid resistance now appears to be more widespread. In spite of their broad use since 1994, there is little evidence that resistance has developed to many of the on-animal or oral treatments such as fipronil, imidacloprid or lufenuron. Reports of the perceived lack of performance of some of the new on-animal therapies have been attributed to compliance issues and their misuse. Consequentially, there is a continuing need for consumer awareness of products registered for cats and dogs and their safety.

Rickettsia Species in African Anopheles Mosquitoes

Science.gov (United States)

Socolovschi, Cristina; Pages, Frédéric; Ndiath, Mamadou O.; Ratmanov, Pavel; Raoult, Didier

2012-01-01

Background There is higher rate of R. felis infection among febrile patients than in healthy people in Sub-Saharan Africa, predominantly in the rainy season. Mosquitoes possess a high vectorial capacity and, because of their abundance and aggressiveness, likely play a role in rickettsial epidemiology. Methodology/Principal Findings Quantitative and traditional PCR assays specific for Rickettsia genes detected rickettsial DNA in 13 of 848 (1.5%) Anopheles mosquitoes collected from Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, and Senegal. R. felis was detected in one An. gambiae molecular form S mosquito collected from Kahin, Côte d’Ivoire (1/77, 1.3%). Additionally, a new Rickettsia genotype was detected in five An. gambiae molecular form S mosquitoes collected from Côte d’Ivoire (5/77, 6.5%) and one mosquito from Libreville, Gabon (1/88, 1.1%), as well as six An. melas (6/67, 9%) mosquitoes collected from Port Gentil, Gabon. A sequence analysis of the gltA, ompB, ompA and sca4 genes indicated that this new Rickettsia sp. is closely related to R. felis. No rickettsial DNA was detected from An. funestus, An. arabiensis, or An. gambiae molecular form M mosquitoes. Additionally, a BLAST analysis of the gltA sequence from the new Rickettsia sp. resulted in a 99.71% sequence similarity to a species (JQ674485) previously detected in a blood sample of a Senegalese patient with a fever from the Bandafassi village, Kedougou region. Conclusion R. felis was detected for the first time in An. gambiae molecular form S, which represents the major African malaria vector. The discovery of R. felis, as well as a new Rickettsia species, in mosquitoes raises new issues with respect to African rickettsial epidemiology that need to be investigated, such as bacterial isolation, the degree of the vectorial capacity of mosquitoes, the animal reservoirs, and human pathogenicity. PMID:23118963

A Molecular Survey for Francisella tularensis and Rickettsia spp. in Haemaphysalis leporispalustris (Acari: Ixodidae) in Northern California.

Science.gov (United States)

Roth, Tara; Lane, Robert S; Foley, Janet

2017-03-01

Francisella tularensis and Rickettsia spp. have been cultured from Haemaphysalis leporispalustris Packard, but their prevalence in this tick has not been determined using modern molecular methods. We collected H. leporispalustris by flagging vegetation and leaf litter and from lagomorphs (Lepus californicus Gray and Sylvilagus bachmani (Waterhouse)) in northern California. Francisella tularensis DNA was not detected in any of 1,030 ticks tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), whereas 0.4% of larvae tested in pools, 0 of 117 individual nymphs, and 2.3% of 164 adult ticks were PCR-positive for Rickettsia spp. Positive sites were Laurel Canyon Trail in Tilden Regional Park in Alameda Contra Costa County, with a Rickettsia spp. prevalence of 0.6% in 2009, and Hopland Research and Extension Center in Mendocino County, with a prevalence of 4.2% in 1988. DNA sequencing revealed R. felis, the agent of cat-flea typhus, in two larval pools from shaded California bay and live oak leaf litter in Contra Costa County and one adult tick from a L. californicus in chaparral in Mendocino County. The R. felis in unfed, questing larvae demonstrates that H. leporispalustris can transmit this rickettsia transovarially. Although R. felis is increasingly found in diverse arthropods and geographical regions, prior literature suggests a typical epidemiological cycle involving mesocarnivores and the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis. To our knowledge, this is the first report of R. felis in H. leporispalustris. Natural infection and transovarial transmission of this pathogen in the tick indicate the existence of a previously undocumented wild-lands transmission cycle that may intersect mesocarnivore-reservoired cycles and collectively affect human health risk. © The Authors 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The Biology and Ecology of Cat Fleas and Advancements in Their Pest Management: A Review

Science.gov (United States)

2017-01-01

The cat flea Ctenocephalides felis felis (Bouché) is the most important ectoparasite of domestic cats and dogs worldwide. It has been two decades since the last comprehensive review concerning the biology and ecology of C. f. felis and its management. Since then there have been major advances in our understanding of the diseases associated with C. f. felis and their implications for humans and their pets. Two rickettsial diseases, flea-borne spotted fever and murine typhus, have been identified in domestic animal populations and cat fleas. Cat fleas are the primary vector of Bartonella henselae (cat scratch fever) with the spread of the bacteria when flea feces are scratched in to bites or wounds. Flea allergic dermatitis (FAD) common in dogs and cats has been successfully treated and tapeworm infestations prevented with a number of new products being used to control fleas. There has been a continuous development of new products with novel chemistries that have focused on increased convenience and the control of fleas and other arthropod ectoparasites. The possibility of feral animals serving as potential reservoirs for flea infestations has taken on additional importance because of the lack of effective environmental controls in recent years. Physiological insecticide resistance in C. f. felis continues to be of concern, especially because pyrethroid resistance now appears to be more widespread. In spite of their broad use since 1994, there is little evidence that resistance has developed to many of the on-animal or oral treatments such as fipronil, imidacloprid or lufenuron. Reports of the perceived lack of performance of some of the new on-animal therapies have been attributed to compliance issues and their misuse. Consequentially, there is a continuing need for consumer awareness of products registered for cats and dogs and their safety. PMID:29077073

Variable Selection via Partial Correlation.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Runze; Liu, Jingyuan; Lou, Lejia

2017-07-01

Partial correlation based variable selection method was proposed for normal linear regression models by Bühlmann, Kalisch and Maathuis (2010) as a comparable alternative method to regularization methods for variable selection. This paper addresses two important issues related to partial correlation based variable selection method: (a) whether this method is sensitive to normality assumption, and (b) whether this method is valid when the dimension of predictor increases in an exponential rate of the sample size. To address issue (a), we systematically study this method for elliptical linear regression models. Our finding indicates that the original proposal may lead to inferior performance when the marginal kurtosis of predictor is not close to that of normal distribution. Our simulation results further confirm this finding. To ensure the superior performance of partial correlation based variable selection procedure, we propose a thresholded partial correlation (TPC) approach to select significant variables in linear regression models. We establish the selection consistency of the TPC in the presence of ultrahigh dimensional predictors. Since the TPC procedure includes the original proposal as a special case, our theoretical results address the issue (b) directly. As a by-product, the sure screening property of the first step of TPC was obtained. The numerical examples also illustrate that the TPC is competitively comparable to the commonly-used regularization methods for variable selection.

Personnel Selection Based on Fuzzy Methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lourdes Cañós

2011-03-01

Full Text Available The decisions of managers regarding the selection of staff strongly determine the success of the company. A correct choice of employees is a source of competitive advantage. We propose a fuzzy method for staff selection, based on competence management and the comparison with the valuation that the company considers the best in each competence (ideal candidate. Our method is based on the Hamming distance and a Matching Level Index. The algorithms, implemented in the software StaffDesigner, allow us to rank the candidates, even when the competences of the ideal candidate have been evaluated only in part. Our approach is applied in a numerical example.

Selection Of Employees In The Metal Industry Based On Competences, On The Example Of A Designer Position

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Skrzypek Katarzyna

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The selection of an effective team of employees is crucial to proper management of the company. The success of the project often depends on the competencies of employees who carry out those projects. Therefore, the selection of the workers, whose competences complement each other in terms of subject matter, in terms of personality, and also in practical terms, is very important. This article presents the proposal of applying the FAHP (fuzzy analytic hierarchy process and TOPSIS (technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution methods as a tool to facilitate the management of human resources in the metal production factories based on the skills of employees.

A simple bias correction in linear regression for quantitative trait association under two-tail extreme selection

OpenAIRE

Kwan, Johnny S. H.; Kung, Annie W. C.; Sham, Pak C.

2011-01-01

Selective genotyping can increase power in quantitative trait association. One example of selective genotyping is two-tail extreme selection, but simple linear regression analysis gives a biased genetic effect estimate. Here, we present a simple correction for the bias. © The Author(s) 2011.

Examples and problems in mathematical statistics

CERN Document Server

Zacks, Shelemyahu

2013-01-01

This book presents examples that illustrate the theory of mathematical statistics and details how to apply the methods for solving problems.  While other books on the topic contain problems and exercises, they do not focus on problem solving. This book fills an important niche in the statistical theory literature by providing a theory/example/problem approach.  Each chapter is divided into four parts: Part I provides the needed theory so readers can become familiar with the concepts, notations, and proven results; Part II presents examples from a variety of fields including engineering, mathem

Simple Perturbation Example for Quantum Chemistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Goodfriend, P. L.

1985-01-01

Presents a simple example that illustrates various aspects of the Rayleigh-Schrodinger perturbation theory. The example is a particularly good one because it is straightforward and can be compared with both the exact solution and with experimental data. (JN)

The Radamon radon detector and an example of application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Csige, I.; Csegzi, S.

2001-01-01

The etched track type Radamon radon detector is presented. As an example of application representative indoor radon survey was performed in Gyergyoremete (Romania) to pilot a study that can be done in other places of the country. Gyergyoremete was selected, because it was built on volcanic rock, where a number of aligning mineral water springs indicates the existence of geological faulting, and therefore, it was suspected that the village could be on a radon prone area. Measurements were done in sleeping rooms at pillow level. Representativity of the sample was ensured by random pull of 120 houses from the stock (hypergeometric statistical model). From the results it can be stated that the percentages of houses expected to have annual average 222 Rn activity concentration higher than 400 Bq m -3 is less than 1%

Online feature selection with streaming features.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Xindong; Yu, Kui; Ding, Wei; Wang, Hao; Zhu, Xingquan

2013-05-01

We propose a new online feature selection framework for applications with streaming features where the knowledge of the full feature space is unknown in advance. We define streaming features as features that flow in one by one over time whereas the number of training examples remains fixed. This is in contrast with traditional online learning methods that only deal with sequentially added observations, with little attention being paid to streaming features. The critical challenges for Online Streaming Feature Selection (OSFS) include 1) the continuous growth of feature volumes over time, 2) a large feature space, possibly of unknown or infinite size, and 3) the unavailability of the entire feature set before learning starts. In the paper, we present a novel Online Streaming Feature Selection method to select strongly relevant and nonredundant features on the fly. An efficient Fast-OSFS algorithm is proposed to improve feature selection performance. The proposed algorithms are evaluated extensively on high-dimensional datasets and also with a real-world case study on impact crater detection. Experimental results demonstrate that the algorithms achieve better compactness and higher prediction accuracy than existing streaming feature selection algorithms.

ADAPTIVE SELECTION OF AUXILIARY OBJECTIVES IN MULTIOBJECTIVE EVOLUTIONARY ALGORITHMS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. A. Petrova

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Subject of Research.We propose to modify the EA+RL method, which increases efficiency of evolutionary algorithms by means of auxiliary objectives. The proposed modification is compared to the existing objective selection methods on the example of travelling salesman problem. Method. In the EA+RL method a reinforcement learning algorithm is used to select an objective – the target objective or one of the auxiliary objectives – at each iteration of the single-objective evolutionary algorithm.The proposed modification of the EA+RL method adopts this approach for the usage with a multiobjective evolutionary algorithm. As opposed to theEA+RL method, in this modification one of the auxiliary objectives is selected by reinforcement learning and optimized together with the target objective at each step of the multiobjective evolutionary algorithm. Main Results.The proposed modification of the EA+RL method was compared to the existing objective selection methods on the example of travelling salesman problem. In the EA+RL method and its proposed modification reinforcement learning algorithms for stationary and non-stationary environment were used. The proposed modification of the EA+RL method applied with reinforcement learning for non-stationary environment outperformed the considered objective selection algorithms on the most problem instances. Practical Significance. The proposed approach increases efficiency of evolutionary algorithms, which may be used for solving discrete NP-hard optimization problems. They are, in particular, combinatorial path search problems and scheduling problems.

Positron emission tomography probe to monitor selected sugar metabolism in vivo

Science.gov (United States)

Witte, Owen; Clark, Peter M.; Castillo, Blanca Graciela Flores; Jung, Michael E.; Evdokimov, Nikolai M.

2017-03-14

The invention disclosed herein discloses selected ribose isomers that are useful as PET probes (e.g. [18F]-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-arabinose). These PET probes are useful, for example, in methods designed to monitor physiological processes including ribose metabolism and/or to selectively observe certain tissue/organs in vivo. The invention disclosed herein further provides methods for making and using such probes.

RFID Malware: Design Principles and Examples

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rieback, M.R.; Simpson, P.N.D.; Crispo, B.; Tanenbaum, A.S.

2006-01-01

This paper explores the concept of malware for Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) systems - including RFID exploits, RFID worms, and RFID viruses. We present RFID malware design principles together with concrete examples; the highlight is a fully illustrated example of a self-replicating RFID

The signature of positive selection at randomly chosen loci.

OpenAIRE

Przeworski, Molly

2002-01-01

In Drosophila and humans, there are accumulating examples of loci with a significant excess of high-frequency-derived alleles or high levels of linkage disequilibrium, relative to a neutral model of a random-mating population of constant size. These are features expected after a recent selective sweep. Their prevalence suggests that positive directional selection may be widespread in both species. However, as I show here, these features do not persist long after the sweep ends: The high-frequ...

When Does an Argument Use a Generic Example?

Science.gov (United States)

Yopp, David A.; Ely, Rob

2016-01-01

We offer criteria that an observer can use to determine whether an argument that uses an example to argue for a general claim appeals to that example generically. We review existing literature on generic example and note the strengths of each contribution, as well as inconsistencies among uses of the term. We offer several examples from the…

26 CFR 1.181-5T - Examples (temporary).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Examples (temporary). 1.181-5T Section 1.181-5T...) INCOME TAXES Itemized Deductions for Individuals and Corporations (continued) § 1.181-5T Examples (temporary). The following examples illustrate the application of §§ 1.181-1T through 1.181-4T: Example 1. X...

Site selection: Past and present

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tilford, N.R.

1994-01-01

Site selection has been going on since the earliest times. The process has evolved through the Industrial Revolution to the present period of exploding population and environmental awareness. Now the work must be done both with increasing sophistication and greater transparency. Modern techniques for site selection have been developed during the last two decades or so, utilizing a teachable body of knowledge and a growing literature. Many firms and individuals have contributed to this growing field. The driving force has been the need for such a process in siting and licensing of critical facilities such as nuclear power plants. A list of crucial, documented steps for identifying social impacts and acceptability are provided. A recent innovation is the self-selection method developed by government. The Superconducting Supercollider serves as an example of this approach. Geological or geologically dependent factors often dominate the process. The role as engineering and environmental geoscientists is to provide responsible leadership, consultation, and communication to the effort

Acoustic radiation force on an air bubble and soft fluid spheres in ideal liquids: example of a high-order Bessel beam of quasi-standing waves.

Science.gov (United States)

Mitri, F G

2009-04-01

The partial wave series for the scattering of a high-order Bessel beam (HOBB) of acoustic quasi-standing waves by an air bubble and fluid spheres immersed in water and centered on the axis of the beam is applied to the calculation of the acoustic radiation force. A HOBB refers to a type of beam having an axial amplitude null and an azimuthal phase gradient. Radiation force examples obtained through numerical evaluation of the radiation force function are computed for an air bubble, a hexane, a red blood and mercury fluid spheres in water. The examples were selected to illustrate conditions having progressive, standing and quasi-standing waves with appropriate selection of the waves' amplitude ratio. An especially noteworthy result is the lack of a specific vibrational mode contribution to the radiation force determined by appropriate selection of the HOBB parameters.

Comparing Examples: WebAssign versus Textbook

Science.gov (United States)

Richards, Evan; Polak, Jeff; Hardin, Ashley; Risley, John, , Dr.

2005-11-01

Research shows students can learn from worked examples.^1 This pilot study compared two groups of students' performance (10 each) in solving physics problems. One group had access to interactive examples^2 released in WebAssign^3, while the other group had access to the counterpart textbook examples. Verbal data from students in problem solving sessions was collected using a think aloud protocol^4 and the data was analyzed using Chi's procedures.^5 An explanation of the methodology and results will be presented. Future phases of this pilot study based upon these results will also be discussed. ^1Atkinson, R.K., Derry, S.J., Renkl A., Wortham, D. (2000). ``Learning from Examples: Instructional Principles from the Worked Examples Research'', Review of Educational Research, vol. 70, n. 2, pp. 181-214. ^2Serway, R.A. & Faughn, J.S. (2006). College Physics (7^th ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson Brooks/Cole. ^3 see www.webassign.net ^4 Ericsson, K.A. & Simon, H.A. (1984). Protocol Analysis: Verbal Reports as Data. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press. ^5 Chi, Michelene T.H. (1997). ``Quantifying Qualitative Analyses of Verbal Data: A Practical Guide,'' The Journal of the Learning Sciences, vol. 6, n. 3, pp. 271-315.

Selective population rate coding: a possible computational role of gamma oscillations in selective attention.

Science.gov (United States)

Masuda, Naoki

2009-12-01

Selective attention is often accompanied by gamma oscillations in local field potentials and spike field coherence in brain areas related to visual, motor, and cognitive information processing. Gamma oscillations are implicated to play an important role in, for example, visual tasks including object search, shape perception, and speed detection. However, the mechanism by which gamma oscillations enhance cognitive and behavioral performance of attentive subjects is still elusive. Using feedforward fan-in networks composed of spiking neurons, we examine a possible role for gamma oscillations in selective attention and population rate coding of external stimuli. We implement the concept proposed by Fries ( 2005 ) that under dynamic stimuli, neural populations effectively communicate with each other only when there is a good phase relationship among associated gamma oscillations. We show that the downstream neural population selects a specific dynamic stimulus received by an upstream population and represents it by population rate coding. The encoded stimulus is the one for which gamma rhythm in the corresponding upstream population is resonant with the downstream gamma rhythm. The proposed role for gamma oscillations in stimulus selection is to enable top-down control, a neural version of time division multiple access used in communication engineering.

The Fisher Information Matrix as a Relevant Tool for Sensor Selection in Engine Health Monitoring

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Borguet

2008-01-01

the essential elements of the sensor selection problem is defined from the Fisher information matrix. An example application consisting in a commercial turbofan engine illustrates the enhancement that can be expected from a wise selection of the sensor set.

Introduction: The Power of Example

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Højer, Lars; Bandak, Andreas

2015-01-01

It is the contention of this introduction that examples are important prisms through which both reality and anthropological analysis are thought and, equally importantly, reconfigured. The aim of the introduction is to redress the theoretical disregard for exemplification by exploring the persuas....... The introduction further proposes that the example serves to confuse ontological divides, such as the one between theory and ethnography, and also draws attention to the fact that theory is as much suggestive as descriptive....

Large-scale control site selection for population monitoring: an example assessing Sage-grouse trends

Science.gov (United States)

Fedy, Bradley C.; O'Donnell, Michael; Bowen, Zachary H.

2015-01-01

Human impacts on wildlife populations are widespread and prolific and understanding wildlife responses to human impacts is a fundamental component of wildlife management. The first step to understanding wildlife responses is the documentation of changes in wildlife population parameters, such as population size. Meaningful assessment of population changes in potentially impacted sites requires the establishment of monitoring at similar, nonimpacted, control sites. However, it is often difficult to identify appropriate control sites in wildlife populations. We demonstrated use of Geographic Information System (GIS) data across large spatial scales to select biologically relevant control sites for population monitoring. Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hearafter, sage-grouse) are negatively affected by energy development, and monitoring of sage-grouse population within energy development areas is necessary to detect population-level responses. Weused population data (1995–2012) from an energy development area in Wyoming, USA, the Atlantic Rim Project Area (ARPA), and GIS data to identify control sites that were not impacted by energy development for population monitoring. Control sites were surrounded by similar habitat and were within similar climate areas to the ARPA. We developed nonlinear trend models for both the ARPA and control sites and compared long-term trends from the 2 areas. We found little difference between the ARPA and control sites trends over time. This research demonstrated an approach for control site selection across large landscapes and can be used as a template for similar impact-monitoring studies. It is important to note that identification of changes in population parameters between control and treatment sites is only the first step in understanding the mechanisms that underlie those changes. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Selecting groups of covariates in the elastic net

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Clemmensen, Line Katrine Harder

This paper introduces a novel method to select groups of variables in sparse regression and classication settings. The groups are formed based on the correlations between covariates and ensure that for example spatial or spectral relations are preserved without explicitly coding for these....... The preservation of relations gives increased interpretability. The method is based on the elastic net and adaptively selects highly correlated groups of variables and does therefore not waste time in grouping irrelevant variables for the problem at hand. The method is illustrated on a simulated data set...

Five Guidelines for Selecting Hydrological Signatures

Science.gov (United States)

McMillan, H. K.; Westerberg, I.; Branger, F.

2017-12-01

Hydrological signatures are index values derived from observed or modeled series of hydrological data such as rainfall, flow or soil moisture. They are designed to extract relevant information about hydrological behavior, such as to identify dominant processes, and to determine the strength, speed and spatiotemporal variability of the rainfall-runoff response. Hydrological signatures play an important role in model evaluation. They allow us to test whether particular model structures or parameter sets accurately reproduce the runoff generation processes within the watershed of interest. Most modeling studies use a selection of different signatures to capture different aspects of the catchment response, for example evaluating overall flow distribution as well as high and low flow extremes and flow timing. Such studies often choose their own set of signatures, or may borrow subsets of signatures used in multiple other works. The link between signature values and hydrological processes is not always straightforward, leading to uncertainty and variability in hydrologists' signature choices. In this presentation, we aim to encourage a more rigorous approach to hydrological signature selection, which considers the ability of signatures to represent hydrological behavior and underlying processes for the catchment and application in question. To this end, we propose a set of guidelines for selecting hydrological signatures. We describe five criteria that any hydrological signature should conform to: Identifiability, Robustness, Consistency, Representativeness, and Discriminatory Power. We describe an example of the design process for a signature, assessing possible signature designs against the guidelines above. Due to their ubiquity, we chose a signature related to the Flow Duration Curve, selecting the FDC mid-section slope as a proposed signature to quantify catchment overall behavior and flashiness. We demonstrate how assessment against each guideline could be used to

Materials Selection for Aerospace Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Arnold, Steven M.; Cebon, David; Ashby, Mike

2012-01-01

A systematic design-oriented, five-step approach to material selection is described: 1) establishing design requirements, 2) material screening, 3) ranking, 4) researching specific candidates and 5) applying specific cultural constraints to the selection process. At the core of this approach is the definition performance indices (i.e., particular combinations of material properties that embody the performance of a given component) in conjunction with material property charts. These material selection charts, which plot one property against another, are introduced and shown to provide a powerful graphical environment wherein one can apply and analyze quantitative selection criteria, such as those captured in performance indices, and make trade-offs between conflicting objectives. Finding a material with a high value of these indices maximizes the performance of the component. Two specific examples pertaining to aerospace (engine blades and pressure vessels) are examined, both at room temperature and elevated temperature (where time-dependent effects are important) to demonstrate the methodology. The discussion then turns to engineered/hybrid materials and how these can be effectively tailored to fill in holes in the material property space, so as to enable innovation and increases in performance as compared to monolithic materials. Finally, a brief discussion is presented on managing the data needed for materials selection, including collection, analysis, deployment, and maintenance issues.

Extrapolating Weak Selection in Evolutionary Games

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Bin; García, Julián; Hauert, Christoph; Traulsen, Arne

2013-01-01

In evolutionary games, reproductive success is determined by payoffs. Weak selection means that even large differences in game outcomes translate into small fitness differences. Many results have been derived using weak selection approximations, in which perturbation analysis facilitates the derivation of analytical results. Here, we ask whether results derived under weak selection are also qualitatively valid for intermediate and strong selection. By “qualitatively valid” we mean that the ranking of strategies induced by an evolutionary process does not change when the intensity of selection increases. For two-strategy games, we show that the ranking obtained under weak selection cannot be carried over to higher selection intensity if the number of players exceeds two. For games with three (or more) strategies, previous examples for multiplayer games have shown that the ranking of strategies can change with the intensity of selection. In particular, rank changes imply that the most abundant strategy at one intensity of selection can become the least abundant for another. We show that this applies already to pairwise interactions for a broad class of evolutionary processes. Even when both weak and strong selection limits lead to consistent predictions, rank changes can occur for intermediate intensities of selection. To analyze how common such games are, we show numerically that for randomly drawn two-player games with three or more strategies, rank changes frequently occur and their likelihood increases rapidly with the number of strategies . In particular, rank changes are almost certain for , which jeopardizes the predictive power of results derived for weak selection. PMID:24339769

Thermodynamic modelling of shape memory behaviour: some examples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stalmans, R.; Humbeeck, J. van; Delaey, L.

1995-01-01

This paper gives a general view of a recently developed thermodynamic model of the thermoelastic martensitic transformation. Unlike existing empirical, mathematical or thermodynamic models, this generalised thermodynamic model can be used to understand and describe quantitatively the overall thermomechanical behaviour of polycrystalline shape memory alloys. Important points of difference between this and previous thermodynamic models are that the contributions of the stored elastic energy and of the crystal defects are also included. In addition, the mathematical approach and the assumptions in this model are selected in such a way that the calculations yield close approximations of the real behaviour and that the final mathematical equations are relatively simple. Several illustrations indicate that this model, in contrast to other models, can be used to understand the shape memory behaviour of complex cases. As an example of quantitative calculations, it is shown that this modelling can be an effective tool in the ''design'' of multifunctional materials consisting of shape memory elements embedded in matrix materials. (orig.)

Decommissioning strategy selection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Warnecke, E.

2005-01-01

At the end of their useful life nuclear facilities have to be decommissioned. The strategy selection on how to decommission a facility is a highly important decision at the very beginning of decommissioning planning. Basically, a facility may be subject to (a) immediate dismantling; (b) deferred dismantling after a period of ''safe enclosure'' or (c) entombment where a facility is turned into a near surface disposal facility. The first two strategies are normally applied. The third one may be accepted in countries without significant nuclear activities and hence without disposal facilities for radioactive waste. A large number of factors has to be taken into account when a decision on the decommissioning strategy is being made. Many of the factors cannot be quantified. They may be qualitative or subject to public opinion which may change with time. At present, a trend can be observed towards immediate dismantling of nuclear facilities, mainly because it is associated with less uncertainty, less local impact, a better public acceptance, and the availability of operational expertise and know how. A detailed evaluation of the various factors relevant to strategy selection and a few examples showing the situation regarding decommissioning strategy in a number of selected countries are presented in the following article. (orig.)

Characteristics and possibilities of software tool for metal-oxide surge arresters selection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Đorđević Dragan

2012-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a procedure for the selection of metal-oxide surge arresters based on the instructions given in the Siemens and ABB catalogues, respecting their differences and the characteristics and possibilities of the software tool. The software tool was developed during the preparation of a Master's thesis titled, 'Automation of Metal-Oxide Surge Arresters Selection'. An example is presented of the selection of metal-oxide surge arresters using the developed software tool.

Selecting a summation base in diffraction transformation of seismic recordings (in an example of Northern Sakhalin)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bulatov, M.G.; Telegin, A.N.

1984-01-01

The effect of the dimensions of a processing base on the results of diffraction transformation of seismic recordings is examined. A formula is cited for rating the optimal summation base on the basis of a proposed range of slant angles of the reflecting boundaries. The recommendations for selecting a processing base are confirmed by factual material.

Dynamic Programming: An Introduction by Example

Science.gov (United States)

Zietz, Joachim

2007-01-01

The author introduces some basic dynamic programming techniques, using examples, with the help of the computer algebra system "Maple". The emphasis is on building confidence and intuition for the solution of dynamic problems in economics. To integrate the material better, the same examples are used to introduce different techniques. One covers the…

Do traditional sheep breeders perform conscious selection? An example from a participatory breeding program of Morada Nova sheep.

Science.gov (United States)

Arandas, Janaina Kelli Gomes; Alves, Ângelo Giuseppe Chaves; Facó, Olivardo; Belchior, Ernandes Barboza; Shiotsuki, Luciana; de Arruda Leite, Paulo Márcio Barbosa; Ribeiro, Maria Norma

2017-10-01

The implementation of sustainable breeding programs requires genetic breeding strategies that are appropriate for the reality production systems. It is also essential that the choice of animal selection criteria be based on breeders' knowledge and objectives. This work is an ethno-zootechnical study of the Morada Nova sheep breed and its crossbreeds. The goals of this study were to register and analyze indigenous breeders' knowledge and practices regarding animal selection criteria and to generate technical information to support a participatory breeding program of the breed. This study was conducted in the Morada Nova municipality in the state of Ceará, Brazil. Semi-structured interviews were evaluated using two groups of individuals, purebred Morada Nova sheep breeders (RMN, n = 13) and breeders of Morada Nova crossbreeds (MMN, n = 48). Interview questions were used to identify local selection criteria adopted by each group in the choice of animals for breeding. Data from the interviews were submitted to frequency distribution analysis and the Shapiro-Wilk test to verify their distribution. Later, the Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare the two groups of farmers based on that information, in addition to multivariate statistical analysis and evaluation of Smith salience index. Breeders in the RMN group used selection criteria related to breed standards, such as pelage color. In contrast, breeders of the MMN group used criteria related to productivity, such as body conformation and milk production. Breeders should be engaged in the development of breeding programs, and it is important to consider their preferences and objectives when evaluating breeding animals.

Example-Based Learning: Effects of Different Types of Examples on Student Performance, Cognitive Load and Self-Efficacy in a Statistical Learning Task

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Xiaoxia

2017-01-01

Previous research has indicated the disconnect between example-based research focusing on worked examples (WEs) and that focusing on modeling examples. The purpose of this study was to examine and compare the effect of four different types of examples from the two separate lines of research, including standard WEs, erroneous WEs, expert (masterly)…

Safety at work due to staff qualification and selection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brandt, W.

1980-01-01

An outline of basic requirements enabling the selection of employees for responsible staff in nuclear power stations. Illustrated further by the example of a model development from skilled worker to head of shift. A short reference will be made to the maintenance of high standards of training. (orig.) [de

Feature Selection with the Boruta Package

OpenAIRE

Kursa, Miron B.; Rudnicki, Witold R.

2010-01-01

This article describes a R package Boruta, implementing a novel feature selection algorithm for finding emph{all relevant variables}. The algorithm is designed as a wrapper around a Random Forest classification algorithm. It iteratively removes the features which are proved by a statistical test to be less relevant than random probes. The Boruta package provides a convenient interface to the algorithm. The short description of the algorithm and examples of its application are presented.

Reserve selection with land market feedbacks.

Science.gov (United States)

Butsic, Van; Lewis, David J; Radeloff, Volker C

2013-01-15

How to best site reserves is a leading question for conservation biologists. Recently, reserve selection has emphasized efficient conservation: maximizing conservation goals given the reality of limited conservation budgets, and this work indicates that land market can potentially undermine the conservation benefits of reserves by increasing property values and development probabilities near reserves. Here we propose a reserve selection methodology which optimizes conservation given both a budget constraint and land market feedbacks by using a combination of econometric models along with stochastic dynamic programming. We show that amenity based feedbacks can be accounted for in optimal reserve selection by choosing property price and land development models which exogenously estimate the effects of reserve establishment. In our empirical example, we use previously estimated models of land development and property prices to select parcels to maximize coarse woody debris along 16 lakes in Vilas County, WI, USA. Using each lake as an independent experiment, we find that including land market feedbacks in the reserve selection algorithm has only small effects on conservation efficacy. Likewise, we find that in our setting heuristic (minloss and maxgain) algorithms perform nearly as well as the optimal selection strategy. We emphasize that land market feedbacks can be included in optimal reserve selection; the extent to which this improves reserve placement will likely vary across landscapes. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Selective Redundancy Removal: A Framework for Data Hiding

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ugo Fiore

2010-02-01

Full Text Available Data hiding techniques have so far concentrated on adding or modifying irrelevant information in order to hide a message. However, files in widespread use, such as HTML documents, usually exhibit high redundancy levels, caused by code-generation programs. Such redundancy may be removed by means of optimization software. Redundancy removal, if applied selectively, enables information hiding. This work introduces Selective Redundancy Removal (SRR as a framework for hiding data. An example application of the framework is given in terms of hiding information in HTML documents. Non-uniformity across documents may raise alarms. Nevertheless, selective application of optimization techniques might be due to the legitimate use of optimization software not supporting all the optimization methods, or configured to not use all of them.

Neutrosophic Examples in Physics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fu Yuhua

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Neutrosophy can be widely applied in physics and the like. For example, one of the reasons for 2011 Nobel Prize for physics is "for the discovery of the accelerating expansion of the universe through observations of distant supernovae", but according to neutrosophy, there exist seven or nine states of accelerating expansion and contraction and the neutrosophic state in the universe. Another two examples are "a revision to Gödel's incompleteness theorem by neutrosophy" and "six neutral (neutrosophic fundamental interactions". In addition, the "partial and temporary unified theory so far" is discussed (including "partial and temporary unified electromagnetic theory so far", "partial and temporary unified gravitational theory so far", "partial and temporary unified theory of four fundamental interactions so far", and "partial and temporary unified theory of natural science so far".

32 CFR 644.102 - Examples of involuntary acquisitions.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 32 National Defense 4 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Examples of involuntary acquisitions. 644.102... PROPERTY REAL ESTATE HANDBOOK Acquisition Involuntary Acquisition by the United States § 644.102 Examples... property, as prescribed by Pub. L. 91-646. Examples of involuntary acquisition are: (a) Damage to real...

Some examples of the use of radioactive tracers in pharmacodynamic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cohen, Y.

1960-01-01

The study of absorption, of distribution in the organism and of the elimination of a medicament has been greatly facilitated by the development of nuclear applications. In effect, the introduction into the molecule of one or several radioactive atoms makes it possible to follow the path and destination of minute quantities of the drug and to thus carry out analyses on the animal within limits of posology close to those of therapeutics. However the qualitative or quantitative methods used have certain limits and they must be compared amongst themselves and with others. Some examples will show : - the importance of the way of administering the drug on the changes in the distribution; - the quite relative selectivity of this latter; - and lastly, the different process involved in the elimination mechanisms. (author) [fr

A critical review of selective absorbers for radioactive and hazardous species

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Elder, G R; Simpson, K [Bradtec Ltd., Bristol (United Kingdom)

1997-02-01

Selective removal of radioactive and hazardous species has been a fertile research area for several years. However, for commercial application sorbers need to possess satisfactory properties beyond selectivity and these are reviewed. The benefits of selectivity itself need to be set against the limits for liquid discharges and categorization of solid wastes. Two examples are given to illustrate the aspects described. Many current and potential applications of selective adsorbers are to process streams which were not designed for waste management, but consideration of this at the planning stage as now occurs in the nuclear industry can lead to economic benefit. (author). 10 refs, 1 fig., 2 tabs.

A critical review of selective absorbers for radioactive and hazardous species

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elder, G.R.; Simpson, K.

1997-01-01

Selective removal of radioactive and hazardous species has been a fertile research area for several years. However, for commercial application sorbers need to possess satisfactory properties beyond selectivity and these are reviewed. The benefits of selectivity itself need to be set against the limits for liquid discharges and categorization of solid wastes. Two examples are given to illustrate the aspects described. Many current and potential applications of selective adsorbers are to process streams which were not designed for waste management, but consideration of this at the planning stage as now occurs in the nuclear industry can lead to economic benefit. (author). 10 refs, 1 fig., 2 tabs

Killer "Killer Examples" for Design Patterns

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Caspersen, Michael Edelgaard; Alphonce, Carl; Decker, Adrienne

2007-01-01

Giving students an appreciation of the benefits of using design patterns and an ability to use them effectively in developing code presents several interesting pedagogical challenges. This paper discusses pedagogical lessons learned at the "Killer Examples" for Design Patterns and Objects First s...... series of workshops held at the Object Oriented Programming, Systems, Languages and Applications (OOPSLA) conference over the past four years. It also showcases three "killer examples" which can be used to support the teaching of design patterns.......Giving students an appreciation of the benefits of using design patterns and an ability to use them effectively in developing code presents several interesting pedagogical challenges. This paper discusses pedagogical lessons learned at the "Killer Examples" for Design Patterns and Objects First...

The usage of African languages in three selected contemporary ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The word 'contemporary' refers to approximately the last ten years and 'German' to novels written in the German language, i.e. novels from Switzerland (for example) are also included. The nature, quantity and function of utterances from three selected contemporary German novels will be presented, in order to show how ...

The Mechanisms and Quantification of the Selective Permeability in Transport Across Biological Barriers : the Example of Kyotorphin

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Serrano, Isa D.; Freire, Joao M.; Carvalho, Miguel V.; Neves, Mafalda; Melo, Manuel N.; Castanho, Miguel A. R. B.

2014-01-01

This paper addresses the mechanisms behind selective endothelial permeability and their regulations. The singular properties of each of the seven blood-tissues barriers. Then, it further revisits the physical, quantitative meaning of permeability, and the way it should be measured based on sound

17 CFR 160.2 - Model privacy form and examples.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... examples. 160.2 Section 160.2 Commodity and Securities Exchanges COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION PRIVACY OF CONSUMER FINANCIAL INFORMATION § 160.2 Model privacy form and examples. (a) Model privacy form..., although use of the model privacy form is not required. (b) Examples. The examples in this part are not...

Examples of algebrae with equal dynamic entropy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Narnhofer, H.

1988-01-01

For given dynamical entropy we construct uncountably many examples of corresponding algebras, some of them are quantum K systems, whereas at least one explicit example is not. Consequences for cluster properties are studied. 12 refs. (Author)

Data Visualization and Feature Selection Methods in Gel-based Proteomics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Silva, Tomé Santos; Richard, Nadege; Dias, Jorge P.

2014-01-01

-based proteomics, summarizing the current state of research within this field. Particular focus is given on discussing the usefulness of available multivariate analysis tools both for data visualization and feature selection purposes. Visual examples are given using a real gel-based proteomic dataset as basis....

Inter-Governmental E-Government Processes:Comparison of Different Solution Approaches- Based on Examples from Switzerland / Europe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frank Zimmermann

2006-12-01

Full Text Available The main objective of this article is to describe different solution approaches for e-Government processes across different institutions at different levels of public administrations: a phased approach for specific e-Government solutions and a platform approach for cross-organisational public services. We discuss selection criteria for the different approaches considering several examples and indicate a relationship between the expected return-on-investment and the complexity of the solution.

Overview and Example Test Results of Modern Pilot Schemes for Coordination of Line Distance Protection Relays

OpenAIRE

Emil Bartosiewicz; Ryszard Kowalik; Marcin Januszewski

2014-01-01

The paper presents a short review of pilot schemes which are available in modern line distance protection relays, and example results of common pilot scheme tests with the testing methods description. Some differences in implementations of selected pilot schemes have been shown for comparison reasons. Distance protection coordination functions have been tested for GE Multilin UR series devices. Every type of available pilot scheme has been checked in synthetic tests and during the real ...

Analysis of mechanism of complex chemical reaction taking radiation chemical purification of gases from impurities as an example

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gerasimov, G.Ya.; Makarov, V.N.

1997-01-01

Algorithm of selecting optimal mechanism of complex chemical reaction, enabling to reduce the number of its stages, is suggested. Main steps of constructing the kinetic model of the medium are considered, taking the radiation chemical purification (using fast electron radiation) of gases (N 2 , CO 2 , O 2 and others) from impurities as an example. 17 refs., 3 figs., 2 tabs

Social engineering attack examples, templates and scenarios

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Mouton, Francois

2016-06-01

Full Text Available that are representative of real-world examples, whilst still being general enough to encompass several different real-world examples. The proposed social engineering attack templates cover all three types of communication, namely bidirectional communication...

Examples from Astronomy for High School Physics

Science.gov (United States)

Dieterich, Sergio

2016-01-01

A formal course in physics is increasingly becoming a standard requirement in the high school curriculum. With that dissemination comes the challenge of reaching and motivating a population that is more diverse in their academic abilities and intrinsic motivation. The abstract nature of pure physics is often made more accessible when motivated by examples from everyday life, and providing copious mathematical as well as conceptual examples has become standard practice in high school physics textbooks. Astronomy is a naturally captivating subject and astronomical examples are often successful in capturing the curiosity of high school students as well as the general population. This project seeks to diversify the range of pedagogical materials available to the high school physics instructor by compiling and publishing specific examples where an astronomical concept can be used to motivate the physics curriculum. This collection of examples will consist of both short problems suitable for daily homework assignments as well as longer project style activities. Collaborations are encouraged and inquiries should be directed to sdieterich at carnegiescience dot edu.This work is funded by the NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowship Program through NSF grant AST-1400680.

Learning Probabilistic Logic Models from Probabilistic Examples.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jianzhong; Muggleton, Stephen; Santos, José

2008-10-01

We revisit an application developed originally using abductive Inductive Logic Programming (ILP) for modeling inhibition in metabolic networks. The example data was derived from studies of the effects of toxins on rats using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) time-trace analysis of their biofluids together with background knowledge representing a subset of the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). We now apply two Probabilistic ILP (PILP) approaches - abductive Stochastic Logic Programs (SLPs) and PRogramming In Statistical modeling (PRISM) to the application. Both approaches support abductive learning and probability predictions. Abductive SLPs are a PILP framework that provides possible worlds semantics to SLPs through abduction. Instead of learning logic models from non-probabilistic examples as done in ILP, the PILP approach applied in this paper is based on a general technique for introducing probability labels within a standard scientific experimental setting involving control and treated data. Our results demonstrate that the PILP approach provides a way of learning probabilistic logic models from probabilistic examples, and the PILP models learned from probabilistic examples lead to a significant decrease in error accompanied by improved insight from the learned results compared with the PILP models learned from non-probabilistic examples.

12 CFR 573.2 - Model privacy form and examples.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Model privacy form and examples. 573.2 Section... FINANCIAL INFORMATION § 573.2 Model privacy form and examples. (a) Model privacy form. Use of the model... privacy form is not required. (b) Examples. The examples in this part are not exclusive. Compliance with...

12 CFR 332.2 - Model privacy form and examples.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Model privacy form and examples. 332.2 Section... POLICY PRIVACY OF CONSUMER FINANCIAL INFORMATION § 332.2 Model privacy form and examples. (a) Model... this part, although use of the model privacy form is not required. (b) Examples. The examples in this...

31 CFR Appendix A to Subpart C of... - Examples

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Examples A Appendix A to Subpart C of... A to Subpart C of Part 29—Examples This appendix contains sample calculations of Federal Benefit Payments in a variety of situations. Optional Retirement Examples Example 1: No Unused Sick Leave A. In...

12 CFR 216.2 - Model privacy form and examples.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Model privacy form and examples. 216.2 Section... PRIVACY OF CONSUMER FINANCIAL INFORMATION (REGULATION P) § 216.2 Model privacy form and examples. (a... of this part, although use of the model privacy form is not required. (b) Examples. The examples in...

16 CFR 313.2 - Model privacy form and examples.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Model privacy form and examples. 313.2... PRIVACY OF CONSUMER FINANCIAL INFORMATION § 313.2 Model privacy form and examples. (a) Model privacy form..., although use of the model privacy form is not required. (b) Examples. The examples in this part are not...

"Thinking is a Thing: Hegel's use of Examples"

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Brian Benjamin

” connected to the example, even a retroactive force, so that good examples backwardly change and recast the ideas and concepts they were merely supposed to exemplify? In my talk, I am going to trace what could be called the roots of the materialist use of examples in classical philosophy, maybe at the very...

Tunable graphene antennas for selective enhancement of THz-emission

KAUST Repository

Filter, Robert; Farhat, Mohamed; Steglich, Mathias; Alaee, Rasoul; Rockstuhl, Carsten; Lederer, Falk L.

2013-01-01

In this paper, we will introduce THz graphene antennas that strongly enhance the emission rate of quantum systems at specific frequencies. The tunability of these antennas can be used to selectively enhance individual spectral features. We will show as an example that any weak transition in the spectrum of coronene can become the dominant contribution. This selective and tunable enhancement establishes a new class of graphene-based THz devices, which will find applications in sensors, novel light sources, spectroscopy, and quantum communication devices. © 2013 Optical Society of America.

HTML5 web application development by example

CERN Document Server

Gustafson, JM

2013-01-01

The best way to learn anything is by doing. The author uses a friendly tone and fun examples to ensure that you learn the basics of application development. Once you have read this book, you should have the necessary skills to build your own applications.If you have no experience but want to learn how to create applications in HTML5, this book is the only help you'll need. Using practical examples, HTML5 Web Application Development by Example will develop your knowledge and confidence in application development.

12 CFR 716.2 - Model privacy form and examples.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Model privacy form and examples. 716.2 Section... PRIVACY OF CONSUMER FINANCIAL INFORMATION § 716.2 Model privacy form and examples. (a) Model privacy form..., although use of the model privacy form is not required. (b) Examples. The examples in this part are not...

Feature Selection with the Boruta Package

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miron B. Kursa

2010-10-01

Full Text Available This article describes a R package Boruta, implementing a novel feature selection algorithm for finding emph{all relevant variables}. The algorithm is designed as a wrapper around a Random Forest classification algorithm. It iteratively removes the features which are proved by a statistical test to be less relevant than random probes. The Boruta package provides a convenient interface to the algorithm. The short description of the algorithm and examples of its application are presented.

The impact of feature selection on one and two-class classification performance for plant microRNAs.

Science.gov (United States)

Khalifa, Waleed; Yousef, Malik; Saçar Demirci, Müşerref Duygu; Allmer, Jens

2016-01-01

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short nucleotide sequences that form a typical hairpin structure which is recognized by a complex enzyme machinery. It ultimately leads to the incorporation of 18-24 nt long mature miRNAs into RISC where they act as recognition keys to aid in regulation of target mRNAs. It is involved to determine miRNAs experimentally and, therefore, machine learning is used to complement such endeavors. The success of machine learning mostly depends on proper input data and appropriate features for parameterization of the data. Although, in general, two-class classification (TCC) is used in the field; because negative examples are hard to come by, one-class classification (OCC) has been tried for pre-miRNA detection. Since both positive and negative examples are currently somewhat limited, feature selection can prove to be vital for furthering the field of pre-miRNA detection. In this study, we compare the performance of OCC and TCC using eight feature selection methods and seven different plant species providing positive pre-miRNA examples. Feature selection was very successful for OCC where the best feature selection method achieved an average accuracy of 95.6%, thereby being ∼29% better than the worst method which achieved 66.9% accuracy. While the performance is comparable to TCC, which performs up to 3% better than OCC, TCC is much less affected by feature selection and its largest performance gap is ∼13% which only occurs for two of the feature selection methodologies. We conclude that feature selection is crucially important for OCC and that it can perform on par with TCC given the proper set of features.

The impact of feature selection on one and two-class classification performance for plant microRNAs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Waleed Khalifa

2016-06-01

Full Text Available MicroRNAs (miRNAs are short nucleotide sequences that form a typical hairpin structure which is recognized by a complex enzyme machinery. It ultimately leads to the incorporation of 18–24 nt long mature miRNAs into RISC where they act as recognition keys to aid in regulation of target mRNAs. It is involved to determine miRNAs experimentally and, therefore, machine learning is used to complement such endeavors. The success of machine learning mostly depends on proper input data and appropriate features for parameterization of the data. Although, in general, two-class classification (TCC is used in the field; because negative examples are hard to come by, one-class classification (OCC has been tried for pre-miRNA detection. Since both positive and negative examples are currently somewhat limited, feature selection can prove to be vital for furthering the field of pre-miRNA detection. In this study, we compare the performance of OCC and TCC using eight feature selection methods and seven different plant species providing positive pre-miRNA examples. Feature selection was very successful for OCC where the best feature selection method achieved an average accuracy of 95.6%, thereby being ∼29% better than the worst method which achieved 66.9% accuracy. While the performance is comparable to TCC, which performs up to 3% better than OCC, TCC is much less affected by feature selection and its largest performance gap is ∼13% which only occurs for two of the feature selection methodologies. We conclude that feature selection is crucially important for OCC and that it can perform on par with TCC given the proper set of features.

Choice and Application of Marketing Strategies of Selected Book ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The PDF file you selected should load here if your Web browser has a PDF reader plug-in installed (for example, a recent version of Adobe Acrobat Reader). If you would like more information about how to print, save, and work with PDFs, Highwire Press provides a helpful Frequently Asked Questions about PDFs.

Marketing strategy and product performance: a study of selected ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The PDF file you selected should load here if your Web browser has a PDF reader plug-in installed (for example, a recent version of Adobe Acrobat Reader). If you would like more information about how to print, save, and work with PDFs, Highwire Press provides a helpful Frequently Asked Questions about PDFs.

Child-Specific Exposure Scenarios Examples (Final Report)

Science.gov (United States)

EPA announced the availability of the final report, Child-Specific Exposure Scenarios Examples. This report is intended to be a companion document to the Exposure Factors Handbook (U.S. EPA 2011). The example scenarios were compiled from questions and inquiries r...

Example process hazard analysis of a Department of Energy water chlorination process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1993-09-01

On February 24, 1992, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released a revised version of Section 29 Code of Federal Regulations CFR Part 1910 that added Section 1910.119, entitled ``Process Safety Management of Highly Hazardous Chemicals`` (the PSM Rule). Because US Department of Energy (DOE) Orders 5480.4 and 5483.1A prescribe OSHA 29 CFR 1910 as a standard in DOE, the PSM Rule is mandatory in the DOE complex. A major element in the PSM Rule is the process hazard analysis (PrHA), which is required for all chemical processes covered by the PSM Rule. The PrHA element of the PSM Rule requires the selection and application of appropriate hazard analysis methods to systematically identify hazards and potential accident scenarios associated with processes involving highly hazardous chemicals (HHCs). The analysis in this report is an example PrHA performed to meet the requirements of the PSM Rule. The PrHA method used in this example is the hazard and operability (HAZOP) study, and the process studied is the new Hanford 300-Area Water Treatment Facility chlorination process, which is currently in the design stage. The HAZOP study was conducted on May 18--21, 1993, by a team from the Westinghouse Hanford Company (WHC), Battelle-Columbus, the DOE, and Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL). The chlorination process was chosen as the example process because it is common to many DOE sites, and because quantities of chlorine at those sites generally exceed the OSHA threshold quantities (TQs).

Selective and low temperature transition metal intercalation in layered tellurides

Science.gov (United States)

Yajima, Takeshi; Koshiko, Masaki; Zhang, Yaoqing; Oguchi, Tamio; Yu, Wen; Kato, Daichi; Kobayashi, Yoji; Orikasa, Yuki; Yamamoto, Takafumi; Uchimoto, Yoshiharu; Green, Mark A.; Kageyama, Hiroshi

2016-01-01

Layered materials embrace rich intercalation reactions to accommodate high concentrations of foreign species within their structures, and find many applications spanning from energy storage, ion exchange to secondary batteries. Light alkali metals are generally most easily intercalated due to their light mass, high charge/volume ratio and in many cases strong reducing properties. An evolving area of materials chemistry, however, is to capture metals selectively, which is of technological and environmental significance but rather unexplored. Here we show that the layered telluride T2PTe2 (T=Ti, Zr) displays exclusive insertion of transition metals (for example, Cd, Zn) as opposed to alkali cations, with tetrahedral coordination preference to tellurium. Interestingly, the intercalation reactions proceed in solid state and at surprisingly low temperatures (for example, 80 °C for cadmium in Ti2PTe2). The current method of controlling selectivity provides opportunities in the search for new materials for various applications that used to be possible only in a liquid. PMID:27966540

Influence of Feature Selection Methods on Classification Sensitivity Based on the Example of A Study of Polish Voivodship Tourist Attractiveness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bąk Iwona

2014-07-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this article is to determine the influence of various methods of selection of diagnostic features on the sensitivity of classification. Three options of feature selection are presented: a parametric feature selection method with a sum (option I, a median of the correlation coefficients matrix column elements (option II and the method of a reversed matrix (option III. Efficiency of the groupings was verified by the indicators of homogeneity, heterogeneity and the correctness of grouping. In the assessment of group efficiency the approach with the Weber median was used. The undertaken problem was illustrated with a research into the tourist attractiveness of voivodships in Poland in 2011.

Selection of the battery pack parameters for an electric vehicle based on performance requirements

Science.gov (United States)

Koniak, M.; Czerepicki, A.

2017-06-01

Each type of vehicle has specific power requirements. Some require a rapid charging, other make long distances between charges, but a common feature is the longest battery life time. Additionally, the battery is influenced by factors such as temperature, depth of discharge and the operation current. The article contain the parameters of chemical cells that should be taken into account during the design of the battery for a specific application. This is particularly important because the batteries are not properly matched and can wear prematurely and cause an additional costs. The method of selecting the correct cell type should take previously discussed features and operating characteristics of the vehicle into account. The authors present methods of obtaining such characteristics along with their assessment and examples. Also there has been described an example of the battery parameters selection based on design assumptions of the vehicle and the expected performance characteristics. Selecting proper battery operating parameters is important due to its impact on the economic result of investments in electric vehicles. For example, for some Li-Ion technologies, the earlier worn out of batteries in a fleet of cruise boats or buses having estimated lifetime of 10 years is not acceptable, because this will cause substantial financial losses for the owner of the rolling stock. The presented method of choosing the right cell technology in the selected application, can be the basis for making the decision on future battery technical parameters.

The selection criteria for Slovenian bibliography: with special emphasis on the articles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marjeta Šušteričič

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Selection principles are an important stage in the creation of a national bibliography.The article outlines the selection of the national output to be included in Slovenian bibliography. It also presents theoretical basis for selection in general, with the emphasis on international guidelines and on the development of national principles and professional outlines. Statistical data and examples give more detailed analysis of selection criteria of articles regarding different types of serial publications. Results of the study show that selection criteria for Slovenian bibliography are to be constantly verified due to the dynamics of the national publishing industry. Nevertheless, the main features of selection criteria remain unchanged: lasting value of subject matter with the emphasis on scientific research and expert knowledge.

Directional Darwinian Selection in proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

McClellan, David A

2013-01-01

Molecular evolution is a very active field of research, with several complementary approaches, including dN/dS, HON90, MM01, and others. Each has documented strengths and weaknesses, and no one approach provides a clear picture of how natural selection works at the molecular level. The purpose of this work is to present a simple new method that uses quantitative amino acid properties to identify and characterize directional selection in proteins. Inferred amino acid replacements are viewed through the prism of a single physicochemical property to determine the amount and direction of change caused by each replacement. This allows the calculation of the probability that the mean change in the single property associated with the amino acid replacements is equal to zero (H0: μ = 0; i.e., no net change) using a simple two-tailed t-test. Example data from calanoid and cyclopoid copepod cytochrome oxidase subunit I sequence pairs are presented to demonstrate how directional selection may be linked to major shifts in adaptive zones, and that convergent evolution at the whole organism level may be the result of convergent protein adaptations. Rather than replace previous methods, this new method further complements existing methods to provide a holistic glimpse of how natural selection shapes protein structure and function over evolutionary time.

The mathematics of random mutation and natural selection for multiple simultaneous selection pressures and the evolution of antimicrobial drug resistance.

Science.gov (United States)

Kleinman, Alan

2016-12-20

The random mutation and natural selection phenomenon act in a mathematically predictable behavior, which when understood leads to approaches to reduce and prevent the failure of the use of these selection pressures when treating infections and cancers. The underlying principle to impair the random mutation and natural selection phenomenon is to use combination therapy, which forces the population to evolve to multiple selection pressures simultaneously that invoke the multiplication rule of probabilities simultaneously as well. Recently, it has been seen that combination therapy for the treatment of malaria has failed to prevent the emergence of drug-resistant variants. Using this empirical example and the principles of probability theory, the derivation of the equations describing this treatment failure is carried out. These equations give guidance as to how to use combination therapy for the treatment of cancers and infectious diseases and prevent the emergence of drug resistance. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Fecundity selection does not vary along a large geographical cline of trait means in a passerine bird

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sirkiae, Paeivi M.; Adamik, Peter; Artemyev, Alexandr V.; Belskii, Eugen; Both, Christiaan; Bures, Stanislav; Burgess, Malcolm; Bushuev, Andrey V.; Forsman, Jukka T.; Grinkov, Vladimir; Hoffmann, Dieter; Jaervinen, Antero; Kral, Miroslav; Krams, Indrikis; Lampe, Helene M.; Moreno, Juan; Maegi, Marko; Nord, Andreas; Potti, Jaime; Ravussin, Pierre-Alain; Sokolov, Leonid; Laaksonen, Toni

Local environmental and ecological conditions are commonly expected to result in local adaptation, although there are few examples of variation in phenotypic selection across continent-wide spatial scales. We collected standardized data on selection with respect to the highly variable plumage

How do we select multiple features? Transient costs for selecting two colors rather than one, persistent costs for color-location conjunctions.

Science.gov (United States)

Lo, Shih-Yu; Holcombe, Alex O

2014-02-01

In a previous study Lo, Howard, & Holcombe (Vision Research 63:20-33, 2012), selecting two colors did not induce a performance cost, relative to selecting one color. For example, requiring possible report of both a green and a red target did not yield a worse performance than when both targets were green. Yet a cost of selecting multiple colors was observed when selection needed be contingent on both color and location. When selecting a red target to the left and a green target to the right, superimposing a green distractor to the left and a red distractor to the right impeded performance. Possibly, participants cannot confine attention to a color at a particular location. As a result, distractors that share the target colors disrupt attentional selection of the targets. The attempt to select the targets must then be repeated, which increases the likelihood that the trial terminates when selection is not effective, even for long trials. Consistent with this, here we find a persistent cost of selecting two colors when the conjunction of color and location is needed, but the cost is confined to short exposure durations when the observer just has to monitor red and green stimuli without the need to use the location information. These results suggest that selecting two colors is time-consuming but effective, whereas selection of simultaneous conjunctions is never entirely successful.

De Novo generation of molecular structures using optimization to select graphs on a given lattice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bywater, R.P.; Poulsen, Thomas Agersten; Røgen, Peter

2004-01-01

A recurrent problem in organic chemistry is the generation of new molecular structures that conform to some predetermined set of structural constraints that are imposed in an endeavor to build certain required properties into the newly generated structure. An example of this is the pharmacophore...... model, used in medicinal chemistry to guide de novo design or selection of suitable structures from compound databases. We propose here a method that efficiently links up a selected number of required atom positions while at the same time directing the emergent molecular skeleton to avoid forbidden...... positions. The linkage process takes place on a lattice whose unit step length and overall geometry is designed to match typical architectures of organic molecules. We use an optimization method to select from the many different graphs possible. The approach is demonstrated in an example where crystal...

Marker-assisted selection for improving quantitative traits of forage crops

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dolstra, O.; Denneboom, C.; Vos, Ab L.F. de; Loo, E.N. van

2007-01-01

This chapter provides an example of using marker-assisted selection (MAS) for breeding perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne), a pasture species. A mapping study had shown the presence of quantitative trait loci (QTL) for seven component traits of nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). The NUE-related QTL clustered in five chromosomal regions. These QTL were validated through divergent marker selection in an F 2 population. The criterion used for plant selection was a summation index based on the number of positive QTL alleles. The evaluation studies showed a strong indirect response of marker selection on NUE. Marker selection using a summation index such as applied here proved to be very effective for difficult and complex quantitative traits such as NUE. The strategy is easily applicable in outbreeding crops to raise the frequency of several desirable alleles simultaneously. (author)

Essentials in clinical application of p53 for tumors intervention-example of liver cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guan Yongsong; He Qing

2008-01-01

Recombinant human adenovirus p53 (Ad-p53)injection has been used for treating tumors in combination with several local therapeutic methods. Taking liver cancer as an example, this article introduces the combination of Ad-p53 in procedures of interventional therapy. Mechanisms of their effects are emphasized to pursue an optimal synergism in killing tumors. Intratumoral injection is suggested as the first choice of Ad- p53 administration with the least recommended dosage for a single tumor. The optimal time for intervention of liver cancer is supposed to be 2 to 5 days after the administration of Ad-p53. There are several theories on the therapeutic method taking p53 as a target, some of them are contradictional; therefore one has to select either activating or inhibiting the p53 pathway beforehand. For advanced malignancies, the selection should be cautious for appropriater cases from the proper candidates. (authors)

Statistical Redundancy Testing for Improved Gene Selection in Cancer Classification Using Microarray Data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Sunil Rao

2007-01-01

Full Text Available In gene selection for cancer classifi cation using microarray data, we define an eigenvalue-ratio statistic to measure a gene’s contribution to the joint discriminability when this gene is included into a set of genes. Based on this eigenvalueratio statistic, we define a novel hypothesis testing for gene statistical redundancy and propose two gene selection methods. Simulation studies illustrate the agreement between statistical redundancy testing and gene selection methods. Real data examples show the proposed gene selection methods can select a compact gene subset which can not only be used to build high quality cancer classifiers but also show biological relevance.

Bell-shaped size selection in a bottom trawl: A case study for Nephrops directed fishery with reduced catches of cod

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lövgren, Johan; Herrmann, Bent; Feekings, Jordan P.

2016-01-01

and size selectivity have motivated the development of selective systems in trawl fisheries that utilize more than one selective device simultaneously. An example can be found in the Swedish demersal trawl fishery targeting Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus), which simultaneously aims at avoiding catches...

Pure-Phase Selective Excitation in Fast-Relaxing Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Zangger, Klaus; Oberer, Monika; Sterk, Heinz

2001-09-01

Selective pulses have been used frequently for small molecules. However, their application to proteins and other macromolecules has been limited. The long duration of shaped-selective pulses and the short T2 relaxation times in proteins often prohibited the use of highly selective pulses especially on larger biomolecules. A very selective excitation can be obtained within a short time by using the selective excitation sequence presented in this paper. Instead of using a shaped low-intensity radiofrequency pulse, a cluster of hard 90° pulses, delays of free precession, and pulsed field gradients can be used to selectively excite a narrow chemical shift range within a relatively short time. Thereby, off-resonance magnetization, which is allowed to evolve freely during the free precession intervals, is destroyed by the gradient pulses. Off-resonance excitation artifacts can be removed by random variation of the interpulse delays. This leads to an excitation profile with selectivity as well as phase and relaxation behavior superior to that of commonly used shaped-selective pulses. Since the evolution of scalar coupling is inherently suppressed during the double-selective excitation of two different scalar-coupled nuclei, the presented pulse cluster is especially suited for simultaneous highly selective excitation of N-H and C-H fragments. Experimental examples are demonstrated on hen egg white lysozyme (14 kD) and the bacterial antidote ParD (19 kD).

Proposed system for the use of evaluation factors in the source selection of service contractors

OpenAIRE

Pingel, Richard Douglas

1981-01-01

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited Technical personnel are increasingly being required to perform vital functions as proposal evaluators in the source selection process for which they have not been properly trained. This research effort provides a comprehensive system for source selection using price and other factors in a form aimed at the technical professionals that support field acquisition activities. All examples selected are from the general acquisition area of...

A Framework for Selection of Intermediary in Marketing Channel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gholamreza Jandaghi

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Purpose – This study seeks to examine how company can select the best intermediary for its Marketing channels with minimum of criteria and time. Design/methodology/approach – A theoretical framework is proposed based on the mostimportance tasks of intermediary and criteria for measuring them. There are four basic tasks and 30 criteria in three independent levels. Subsequently, an exploratory case study in Iranian Food industry is described that illustrates the value of the framework. Findings – It is possible, for example, to apply the theoretical framework to select the intermediary for any industry or any country. Research limitations/implications – The study has possible location- and industry-specific limitations.Originality/value – Moreover, the framework has proven to be useful in improving the selection of the intermediary in marketing channel. This is a notable and promising side-effect of the exploratory study, at least from a managerial point of view.Keywords: Marketing channel, Distribution channel, Channel design, Selection criteria, channel members, Intermediary selection

Surface Estimation, Variable Selection, and the Nonparametric Oracle Property.

Science.gov (United States)

Storlie, Curtis B; Bondell, Howard D; Reich, Brian J; Zhang, Hao Helen

2011-04-01

Variable selection for multivariate nonparametric regression is an important, yet challenging, problem due, in part, to the infinite dimensionality of the function space. An ideal selection procedure should be automatic, stable, easy to use, and have desirable asymptotic properties. In particular, we define a selection procedure to be nonparametric oracle (np-oracle) if it consistently selects the correct subset of predictors and at the same time estimates the smooth surface at the optimal nonparametric rate, as the sample size goes to infinity. In this paper, we propose a model selection procedure for nonparametric models, and explore the conditions under which the new method enjoys the aforementioned properties. Developed in the framework of smoothing spline ANOVA, our estimator is obtained via solving a regularization problem with a novel adaptive penalty on the sum of functional component norms. Theoretical properties of the new estimator are established. Additionally, numerous simulated and real examples further demonstrate that the new approach substantially outperforms other existing methods in the finite sample setting.

Selection-Mutation Dynamics of Signaling Games

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Josef Hofbauer

2015-01-01

Full Text Available We study the structure of the rest points of signaling games and their dynamic behavior under selection-mutation dynamics by taking the case of three signals as our canonical example. Many rest points of the replicator dynamics of signaling games are not isolated and, therefore, not robust under perturbations. However, some of them attract open sets of initial conditions. We prove the existence of certain rest points of the selection-mutation dynamics close to Nash equilibria of the signaling game and show that all but the perturbed rest points close to strict Nash equilibria are dynamically unstable. This is an important result for the evolution of signaling behavior, since it shows that the second-order forces that are governed by mutation can increase the chances of successful signaling.

From Target Selection to Post-Stimulation Analysis: Example of an Unconventional Faulted Reservoir

Science.gov (United States)

LeCalvez, J. H.; Williams, M.; Xu, W.; Stokes, J.; Moros, H.; Maxwell, S. C.; Conners, S.

2011-12-01

As the global balance of supply and demand forces the hydrocarbon industry toward unconventional resources, technology- and economics-driven shale oil and gas production is gaining momentum throughout many basins worldwide. Production from such unconventional plays is facilitated by massive hydraulic fracturing treatments aimed at increasing permeability and reactivating natural fractures. Large-scale faulting and fracturing partly control stress distribution, hence stimulation-derived hydraulically-induced fracture systems development. Therefore, careful integrated approaches to target selection, treatment staging, and stimulation methods need to be used to economically maximize ultimate hydrocarbon recovery. We present a case study of a multistage, multilateral stimulation project in the Fort Worth Basin, Texas. Wells had to be drilled within city limits in a commercially developing building area. Well locations and trajectories were determined in and around large-scale faults using 3D surface seismic with throws varying from seven to thirty meters. As a result, three horizontal wells were drilled in the Lower Barnett Shale section, 150 m apart with the central well landed about 25 m shallower than the outside laterals. Surface seismic indicates that the surface locations are on top of a major fault complex with the lateral sections drilling away from the major fault system and through a smaller fault. Modeling of the borehole-based microseismic monitoring options led to the selection of an optimum set of configurations given the operational restrictions faced: monitoring would mainly take place using a horizontal array to be tractored downhole and moved according to the well and stage to be monitored. Wells were completed using a perf-and-plug approach allowing for each stimulation stage to obtain a precise orientation of the various three-component accelerometers of the monitoring array as well as the calibration of the velocity model used to process the

Two-pulse laser control of bond-selective fragmentation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Amstrup, Bjarne; Henriksen, Niels Engholm

1996-01-01

We elaborate on a two-pulse (pump-pump) laser control scheme for selective bond-breaking in molecules [Amstrup and Henriksen, J. Chem. Phys. 97, 8285 (1992)]. We show, in particular, that with this scheme one can overcome the obstacle of intramolecular vibrational relaxation. As an example, we...... consider an ozone molecule with isotopic substitution, that is, (OOO)-O-16-O-16-O-18. It is shown that asymmetric bond stretching can be created in simple (intense) laser fields. We predict that an alternating high selectivity between the channels O-16+(OO)-O-16-O-18 and (OO)-O-16-O-16+ O-18 can...

Sensor Selection method for IoT systems – focusing on embedded system requirements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hirayama Masayuki

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Recently, various types of sensors have been developed. Using these sensors, IoT systems have become hot topics in embedded system domain. However, sensor selections for embedded systems are not well discussed up to now. This paper focuses on embedded system’s features and architecture, and proposes a sensor selection method which is composed seven steps. In addition, we applied the proposed method to a simple example – a sensor selection for computer scored answer sheet reader unit. From this case study, an idea to use FTA in sensor selection is also discussed.

Monitoring global change: a selection of examples

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

CSIR, Natural Resources and Environment

2008-02-01

Full Text Available The reality of global change (including climate change) has gripped the imaginations of movie moguls, graced the agendas of international organisations such as the United Nations, and now also receives prominent attention from the international...

Precision density measuring equipment: Design, selected examples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karasinski, T.; Patzelt, K.; Dieker, C.; Hansen, H.; Wenzl, H.; Schober, T.

1987-06-01

The report deals with solids density measurement using the pyknometer, the hydrostatic balance, or the floating specimen method. The mathematical relations are derived, and error sources are shown. A detailed description is given of a measuring set-up for measuring the density of solids and liquids. An error calculation is presented. After explaining the determination of density of a standard solid body, the report describes the density measurement of monocrystalline germanium, of niobium-tritide, Ni 3 Al, Ge-Si, and gallium arsenide, the determination of space-lattice expansion by hydrogen isotopes, and of the purity of H-D mixtures. (GG) [de

A project-based geoscience curriculum: select examples

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, L. M.; Kelso, P. R.; White, R. J.; Rexroad, C. B.

2007-12-01

Principles of constructivist educational philosophy serve as a foundation for the recently completed National Science Foundation sponsored undergraduate curricular revision undertaken by the Geology Department of Lake Superior State University. We integrate lecture and laboratory sessions utilizing active learning strategies that focus on real-world geoscience experiences and problems. In this presentation, we discuss details of three research-like projects that require students to access original data, process and model the data using appropriate geological software, interpret and defend results, and disseminate results in reports, posters, and class presentations. The projects are from three upper division courses, Carbonate Systems, Sequence Stratigraphy, and Geophysical Systems, where teams of two to four students are presented with defined problems of durations ranging from a few weeks to an entire semester. Project goals and location, some background information, and specified dates and expectations for interim and final written and oral reports are provided to students. Some projects require the entire class to work on one data set, some require each team to be initially responsible for a portion of the project with teams ultimately merging data for interpretation and to arrive at final conclusions. Some projects require students to utilize data from appropriate geological web sites such as state geological surveys. Others require students to design surveys and utilize appropriate instruments of their choice for field data collection. Students learn usage and applications of appropriate geological software in compiling, processing, modeling, and interpreting data and preparing formal reports and presentations. Students uniformly report heightened interest and motivation when engaged in these projects. Our new curriculum has resulted in an increase in students" quantitative and interpretive skills along with dramatic improvement in communication and interpersonal skills related to group dynamics.

Nominal group technique to select attributes for discrete choice experiments: an example for drug treatment choice in osteoporosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hiligsmann M

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Mickael Hiligsmann,1-3 Caroline van Durme,2 Piet Geusens,2 Benedict GC Dellaert,4 Carmen D Dirksen,3 Trudy van der Weijden,5 Jean-Yves Reginster,6 Annelies Boonen21Department of Health Services Research, School for Public Health and Primary Care (CAPHRI, Maastricht University, The Netherlands, 2Department of Internal Medicine, CAPHRI, Maastricht University, The Netherlands, 3Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Medical Technology Assessment, CAPHRI, Maastricht University, The Netherlands, 4Department of Business Economics, Erasmus Rotterdam University, The Netherlands, 5Department of General Practice, CAPHRI, Maastricht University, The Netherlands, 6Department of Public Health, Epidemiology and Health Economics, University of Liege, BelgiumBackground: Attribute selection represents an important step in the development of discrete-choice experiments (DCEs, but is often poorly reported. In some situations, the number of attributes identified may exceed what one may find possible to pilot in a DCE. Hence, there is a need to gain insight into methods to select attributes in order to construct the final list of attributes. This study aims to test the feasibility of using the nominal group technique (NGT to select attributes for DCEs.Methods: Patient group discussions (4–8 participants were convened to prioritize a list of 12 potentially important attributes for osteoporosis drug therapy. The NGT consisted of three steps: an individual ranking of the 12 attributes by importance from 1 to 12, a group discussion on each of the attributes, including a group review of the aggregate score of the initial rankings, and a second ranking task of the same attributes.Results: Twenty-six osteoporotic patients participated in five NGT sessions. Most (80% of the patients changed their ranking after the discussion. However, the average initial and final ranking did not differ markedly. In the final ranking, the most important medication attributes were

Some examples of geomorphodiversity in Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Panizza, Mario

2014-05-01

The concept of geomorphodiversity (Panizza, 2009) is presented: "the critical and specific assessment of the geomorphological features of a territory, by comparing them in a way both extrinsic (comparison of the geomorphological characteristics with those from other territories) and intrinsic (comparison of the geomorphological characteristics with other areas within the territory itself) and taking into account the level of their scientific quality, the scale of investigation and the purpose of the research". A first example concerns the Dolomites: they have been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List because of their exceptional beauty and unique landscape, together with their scientific importance from the geological and geomorphological point of view. They are of international significance for geomorphodiversity, as the classic site for the development of mountains in dolomite limestone and present a wide range of landforms related to erosion, tectonics and glaciation. They represent a kind of high altitude, open air laboratory of geomorphological heritage of exceptional global value, among the most extraordinary and accessible in the world and ideal for researching, teaching, understanding and developing Earth Science theories. The second example concerns the Emilia-Romagna Apennines, candidate for enrolment in the List of European Geoparks: they show a multifaceted and complex image from the international and regional geomorphological (extrinsic and intrinsic geomorphodiversity) point of view and are an educational example for illustrating morphotectonic evolution, stratigraphic and sedimentological sequences and morpholithological peculiarities connected with gypsum karst and clay mass wasting phenomena. The third example concerns the Vesuvius, one of the National Italian Parks: it shows an extrinsic geomorphodiversity mainly referred to the type of eruptions, with some exemplary processes inserted in international volcanic nomenclature; it makes up an

A Quality Function Deployment-Based Model for Cutting Fluid Selection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kanika Prasad

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Cutting fluid is applied for numerous reasons while machining a workpiece, like increasing tool life, minimizing workpiece thermal deformation, enhancing surface finish, flushing away chips from cutting surface, and so on. Hence, choosing a proper cutting fluid for a specific machining application becomes important for enhanced efficiency and effectiveness of a manufacturing process. Cutting fluid selection is a complex procedure as the decision depends on many complicated interactions, including work material’s machinability, rigorousness of operation, cutting tool material, metallurgical, chemical, and human compatibility, reliability and stability of fluid, and cost. In this paper, a decision making model is developed based on quality function deployment technique with a view to respond to the complex character of cutting fluid selection problem and facilitate judicious selection of cutting fluid from a comprehensive list of available alternatives. In the first example, HD-CUTSOL is recognized as the most suitable cutting fluid for drilling holes in titanium alloy with tungsten carbide tool and in the second example, for performing honing operation on stainless steel alloy with cubic boron nitride tool, CF5 emerges out as the best honing fluid. Implementation of this model would result in cost reduction through decreased manpower requirement, enhanced workforce efficiency, and efficient information exploitation.

Metallogenic geologic prerequisites of sandstone-type uranium deposits and target area selection. Taking Erlian and Ordos basins as examples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Fazheng

2002-01-01

Sandstone-type uranium deposit is the main target of recent uranium prospecting and exploration. According to the metallogenic characteristics, sandstone-type uranium deposits are divided into three groups: paleo-channel type, interlayer oxidation zone type and phreatic interlayer oxidation type. The author makes an analysis on the geologic prerequisites of the three types of uranium deposits, the similarities and difference, and preliminarily summarizes genetic models of different types of uranium deposits. Finally, taking Erlian and Ordos basins as examples, the author makes an evaluation and a strategic analysis on the uranium metallogenic prospect of the above two basins

Ecological dynamics of age selective harvesting of fish population: Maximum sustainable yield and its control strategy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jana, Debaldev; Agrawal, Rashmi; Upadhyay, Ranjit Kumar; Samanta, G.P.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Age-selective harvesting of prey and predator are considered by multi-delayed prey-predator system. • System experiences stable coexistence to oscillatory mode and vice versa via Hopf-bifurcation depending upon the parametric restrictions. • MSY, bionomic equilibrium and optimal harvesting policy are also depending upon the age-selection of prey and predator. • All the analytic results are delay dependent. • Numerical examples support the analytical findings. - Abstract: Life history of ecological resource management and empirical studies are increasingly documenting the impact of selective harvesting process on the evolutionary stable strategy of both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. In the present study, the interaction between population and their independent and combined selective harvesting are framed by a multi-delayed prey-predator system. Depending upon the age selection strategy, system experiences stable coexistence to oscillatory mode and vice versa via Hopf-bifurcation. Economic evolution of the system which is mainly featured by maximum sustainable yield (MSY), bionomic equilibrium and optimal harvesting vary largely with the commensurate age selections of both population because equilibrium population abundance becomes age-selection dependent. Our study indicates that balance between harvesting delays and harvesting intensities should be maintained for better ecosystem management. Numerical examples support the analytical findings.

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus Vif N-Terminal Residues Selectively Counteract Feline APOBEC3s.

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, Qinyong; Zhang, Zeli; Cano Ortiz, Lucía; Franco, Ana Cláudia; Häussinger, Dieter; Münk, Carsten

2016-12-01

Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) Vif protein counteracts feline APOBEC3s (FcaA3s) restriction factors by inducing their proteasomal degradation. The functional domains in FIV Vif for interaction with FcaA3s are poorly understood. Here, we have identified several motifs in FIV Vif that are important for selective degradation of different FcaA3s. Cats (Felis catus) express three types of A3s: single-domain A3Z2, single-domain A3Z3, and double-domain A3Z2Z3. We proposed that FIV Vif would selectively interact with the Z2 and the Z3 A3s. Indeed, we identified two N-terminal Vif motifs (12LF13 and 18GG19) that specifically interacted with the FcaA3Z2 protein but not with A3Z3. In contrast, the exclusive degradation of FcaA3Z3 was regulated by a region of three residues (M24, L25, and I27). Only a FIV Vif carrying a combination of mutations from both interaction sites lost the capacity to degrade and counteract FcaA3Z2Z3. However, alterations in the specific A3s interaction sites did not affect the cellular localization of the FIV Vif protein and binding to feline A3s. Pulldown experiments demonstrated that the A3 binding region localized to FIV Vif residues 50 to 80, outside the specific A3 interaction domain. Finally, we found that the Vif sites specific to individual A3s are conserved in several FIV lineages of domestic cat and nondomestic cats, while being absent in the FIV Vif of pumas. Our data support a complex model of multiple Vif-A3 interactions in which the specific region for selective A3 counteraction is discrete from a general A3 binding domain. Both human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) Vif proteins counteract their host's APOBEC3 restriction factors. However, these two Vif proteins have limited sequence homology. The molecular interaction between FIV Vif and feline APOBEC3s are not well understood. Here, we identified N-terminal FIV Vif sites that regulate the selective interaction of Vif with either feline APOBEC3Z

Using David Lack's Observations of Finch Beak Size to Teach Natural Selection & the Nature of Science

Science.gov (United States)

Bierema, Andrea M.-K.; Rudge, David W.

2014-01-01

One of the key aspects of natural selection is competition, yet the concept of competition is not necessarily emphasized in explanations of natural selection. Because of this, we developed an activity for our class that focuses on competition and provides an example of the effects of competition on natural selection. This hands-on activity models…

CONTENT MARKETING – THE CONCEPT OF ALTERNAIVE FORM OF MARKETING ON EXAMPLE OF COURIER SERVICE COMPANIES

OpenAIRE

Katarzyna TUROŃ; Michał JUZEK

2015-01-01

In the thesis there was presented one of alternative form of marketing – content marketing. The concept was related to examples available on market and analyzed on courier companies services. There were presented methods of using content marketing to B2C areaby selected foreign courier companies. It was also mentioned about form of using content marketing to B2B area. Then were shown benefits and risks of content marketing. Finally,the concept of content marketing was related also to Polish c...

Selecting an Architecture for a Safety-Critical Distributed Computer System with Power, Weight and Cost Considerations

Science.gov (United States)

Torres-Pomales, Wilfredo

2014-01-01

This report presents an example of the application of multi-criteria decision analysis to the selection of an architecture for a safety-critical distributed computer system. The design problem includes constraints on minimum system availability and integrity, and the decision is based on the optimal balance of power, weight and cost. The analysis process includes the generation of alternative architectures, evaluation of individual decision criteria, and the selection of an alternative based on overall value. In this example presented here, iterative application of the quantitative evaluation process made it possible to deliberately generate an alternative architecture that is superior to all others regardless of the relative importance of cost.

Some illustrative examples of model uncertainty

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bier, V.M.

1994-01-01

In this paper, we first discuss the view of model uncertainty proposed by Apostolakis. We then present several illustrative examples related to model uncertainty, some of which are not well handled by this formalism. Thus, Apostolakis' approach seems to be well suited to describing some types of model uncertainty, but not all. Since a comprehensive approach for characterizing and quantifying model uncertainty is not yet available, it is hoped that the examples presented here will service as a springboard for further discussion

Epidemiology of Sarcocystis neurona infections in domestic cats (Felis domesticus) and its association with equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) case farms and feral cats from a mobile spay and neuter clinic.

Science.gov (United States)

Stanek, J F; Stich, R W; Dubey, J P; Reed, S M; Njoku, C J; Lindsay, D S; Schmall, L M; Johnson, G K; LaFave, B M; Saville, W J A

2003-11-28

Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) is a serious neurologic disease in the horse most commonly caused by Sarcocystis neurona. The domestic cat (Felis domesticus) is an intermediate host for S. neurona. In the present study, nine farms, known to have prior clinically diagnosed cases of EPM and a resident cat population were identified and sampled accordingly. In addition to the farm cats sampled, samples were also collected from a mobile spay and neuter clinic. Overall, serum samples were collected in 2001 from 310 cats, with samples including barn, feral and inside/outside cats. Of these 310 samples, 35 were from nine horse farms. Horse serum samples were also collected and traps were set for opossums at each of the farms. The S. neurona direct agglutination test (SAT) was used for both the horse and cat serum samples (1:25 dilution). Fourteen of 35 (40%) cats sampled from horse farms had circulating S. neurona agglutinating antibodies. Twenty-seven of the 275 (10%) cats from the spay/neuter clinic also had detectable S. neurona antibodies. Overall, 115 of 123 (93%) horses tested positive for anti-S. neurona antibodies, with each farm having greater than a 75% exposure rate among sampled horses. Twenty-one opossums were trapped on seven of the nine farms. Eleven opossums had Sarcocystis sp. sporocysts, six of them were identified as S. neurona sporocysts based on bioassays in gamma-interferon gene knockout mice with each opossum representing a different farm. Demonstration of S. neurona agglutinating antibodies in domestic and feral cats corroborates previous research demonstrating feral cats to be naturally infected, and also suggests that cats can be frequently infected with S. neurona and serve as one of several natural intermediate hosts for S. neurona.

Arts-related activities in prison: contexts, functions and examples of application

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Przemysław Piotrowski

2013-06-01

Full Text Available During the last twenty years one can observe the intensification of research on the influence of art on prisoners. The results of studies conducted show, that artistic activities in penitentiaries have therapeutic, educational and recreational value. Artistic activity can also improve prisoner’s chances of successfully adapting to their social environment. In the first part of the paper specific problems associated with prison isolation, including prisoners adaptation strategies, have been described. Then selected examples of prison art programs, their meaning and functions are characterized. The aim of third part of the article is to present„Labyrinth of Freedom” project conducted in 2012 in Nowy Wiśnicz prison. The project described creates an opportunity to use means of expression offered by art, and so develop the inmate’s consciousness.

Cognitive Load Theory and the Use of Worked Examples as an Instructional Strategy in Physics for Distance Learners: A Preliminary Study

Science.gov (United States)

Saw, Kim Guan

2017-01-01

This article revisits the cognitive load theory to explore the use of worked examples to teach a selected topic in a higher level undergraduate physics course for distance learners at the School of Distance Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia. With a break of several years from receiving formal education and having only minimum science…

Curve fitting and modeling with splines using statistical variable selection techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, P. L.

1982-01-01

The successful application of statistical variable selection techniques to fit splines is demonstrated. Major emphasis is given to knot selection, but order determination is also discussed. Two FORTRAN backward elimination programs, using the B-spline basis, were developed. The program for knot elimination is compared in detail with two other spline-fitting methods and several statistical software packages. An example is also given for the two-variable case using a tensor product basis, with a theoretical discussion of the difficulties of their use.

Method for selection of optimal road safety composite index with examples from DEA and TOPSIS method.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosić, Miroslav; Pešić, Dalibor; Kukić, Dragoslav; Antić, Boris; Božović, Milan

2017-01-01

Concept of composite road safety index is a popular and relatively new concept among road safety experts around the world. As there is a constant need for comparison among different units (countries, municipalities, roads, etc.) there is need to choose an adequate method which will make comparison fair to all compared units. Usually comparisons using one specific indicator (parameter which describes safety or unsafety) can end up with totally different ranking of compared units which is quite complicated for decision maker to determine "real best performers". Need for composite road safety index is becoming dominant since road safety presents a complex system where more and more indicators are constantly being developed to describe it. Among wide variety of models and developed composite indexes, a decision maker can come to even bigger dilemma than choosing one adequate risk measure. As DEA and TOPSIS are well-known mathematical models and have recently been increasingly used for risk evaluation in road safety, we used efficiencies (composite indexes) obtained by different models, based on DEA and TOPSIS, to present PROMETHEE-RS model for selection of optimal method for composite index. Method for selection of optimal composite index is based on three parameters (average correlation, average rank variation and average cluster variation) inserted into a PROMETHEE MCDM method in order to choose the optimal one. The model is tested by comparing 27 police departments in Serbia. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An Evaluation Instrument for Object-Oriented Example Programs for Novices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Henrik Bærbak; Börstler, Jürgen; Nordström,, Marie

objectively and consistently requires some kind of measurement instrument. In this paper, we describe the development and initial validation of an evaluation instrument for example programs, based on three aspects of quality; technical quality, object-oriented quality, and didactical quality. Validation......Examples are important tools for programming education. In this paper, we investigate desirable properties of programming examples from a cognitive and a measurement point of view. We argue that some cognitive aspects of example programs are "caught" by common software measures......, but they are not sufficient to capture all important aspects of understandability. We propose a framework for measuring the understandability of example programs that also considers factors related to the usage context of examples. Research shows that examples play an important role for cognitive skill acquisition. Students...

Approaches taken by South African advertisers to select and appoint ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The PDF file you selected should load here if your Web browser has a PDF reader plug-in installed (for example, a recent version of Adobe Acrobat Reader). If you would like more information about how to print, save, and work with PDFs, Highwire Press provides a helpful Frequently Asked Questions about PDFs.

Automated Selection Of Pictures In Sequences

Science.gov (United States)

Rorvig, Mark E.; Shelton, Robert O.

1995-01-01

Method of automated selection of film or video motion-picture frames for storage or examination developed. Beneficial in situations in which quantity of visual information available exceeds amount stored or examined by humans in reasonable amount of time, and/or necessary to reduce large number of motion-picture frames to few conveying significantly different information in manner intermediate between movie and comic book or storyboard. For example, computerized vision system monitoring industrial process programmed to sound alarm when changes in scene exceed normal limits.

24 CFR 35.925 - Examples of determining applicable requirements.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Examples of determining applicable requirements. 35.925 Section 35.925 Housing and Urban Development Office of the Secretary, Department of... Rehabilitation § 35.925 Examples of determining applicable requirements. The following examples illustrate how to...

Categorising Example Sentences in Dictionaries for Research ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ers the grammatical support that they provide is more important. While there is ... The goal of this research is to present characteristics of examples in a way that makes them easier to .... the headword is simple or inflected in the example. The final .... I have also included whether the sentence is a command as some teachers.

Dimensional analysis examples of the use of symmetry

CERN Document Server

Hornung, Hans G

2006-01-01

Derived from a course in fluid mechanics, this text for advanced undergraduates and beginning graduate students employs symmetry arguments to demonstrate the principles of dimensional analysis. The examples provided illustrate the effectiveness of symmetry arguments in obtaining the mathematical form of the functions yielded by dimensional analysis. Students will find these methods applicable to a wide field of interests.After discussing several examples of method, the text examines pipe flow, material properties, gasdynamical examples, body in nonuniform flow, and turbulent flow. Additional t

Personnel Selection Using Fuzzy Axiomatic Design Principles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anant V. Khandekar

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Overall competency of the working personnel is often observed to ultimately affect the productivity of an organization. The globalised competitive atmosphere coupled with technological improvements demands for efficient and specialized manpower for the industrial operations. A set of typical technological skills and attitudes is thus demanded for every job profile. Most often, these skills and attitudes are expressed imprecisely and hence, necessitating the support of fuzzy sets for their effective understanding and further processing. In this paper, a method based on fuzzy axiomatic design principles is applied for solving the personnel selection problems. Selecting a middle management staff of a service department for a large scale organization is demonstrated here as a real life example. Five shortlisted candidates are assessed with respect to a set of 18 evaluation criteria, and the selection committee with experts from the related fields also realizes the outcome of the adopted approach to be quite appropriate, befitting and in agreement with their expectations.

The role of selective attention in short-term memory and goal-directed behavior

OpenAIRE

Vissers, M.E.

2018-01-01

Selective attention enables the prioritization of goal-relevant aspects of our sensory environment in order to guide our actions, or to store goal-relevant information in short-term memory. Yet, it remains largely unclear how attention prioritizes goal-relevant information. For example, selective attention may enhance processing of goal-relevant information, suppress processing of distracting information, or both. The research presented in this dissertation examined the neurophysiological mec...

46 CFR 280.11 - Example of calculation and sample report.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 8 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Example of calculation and sample report. 280.11 Section... OPERATORS § 280.11 Example of calculation and sample report. (a) Example of calculation. The provisions of this part may be illustrated by the following example: Company A operates several vessels engaged in...

Selection of refractory materials for pyrochemical processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Axler, K.M.; DePoorter, G.L.; Bagaasen, L.M.

1991-01-01

Several pyrochemical processing operations require containment materials that exhibit minimal chemical interactions with the system, good thermal shock resistance, and reusability. One example is Direct Oxide Reduction (DOR). DOR involves the conversion of PuO 2 to metal by an oxidation/reduction reaction with Ca metal. The reaction proceeds within a molten salt flux at temperatures above 800C. A combination of thermodynamics, system thermodynamic modeling, and experimental investigations are in use to select and evaluate potential containment materials

Model Selection in Data Analysis Competitions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wind, David Kofoed; Winther, Ole

2014-01-01

The use of data analysis competitions for selecting the most appropriate model for a problem is a recent innovation in the field of predictive machine learning. Two of the most well-known examples of this trend was the Netflix Competition and recently the competitions hosted on the online platform...... performers from Kaggle and use previous personal experiences from competing in Kaggle competitions. The stated hypotheses about feature engineering, ensembling, overfitting, model complexity and evaluation metrics give indications and guidelines on how to select a proper model for performing well...... Kaggle. In this paper, we will state and try to verify a set of qualitative hypotheses about predictive modelling, both in general and in the scope of data analysis competitions. To verify our hypotheses we will look at previous competitions and their outcomes, use qualitative interviews with top...

Kin Selection in the RNA World.

Science.gov (United States)

Levin, Samuel R; West, Stuart A

2017-12-05

Various steps in the RNA world required cooperation. Why did life's first inhabitants, from polymerases to synthetases, cooperate? We develop kin selection models of the RNA world to answer these questions. We develop a very simple model of RNA cooperation and then elaborate it to model three relevant issues in RNA biology: (1) whether cooperative RNAs receive the benefits of cooperation; (2) the scale of competition in RNA populations; and (3) explicit replicator diffusion and survival. We show: (1) that RNAs are likely to express partial cooperation; (2) that RNAs will need mechanisms for overcoming local competition; and (3) in a specific example of RNA cooperation, persistence after replication and offspring diffusion allow for cooperation to overcome competition. More generally, we show how kin selection can unify previously disparate answers to the question of RNA world cooperation.

Example book; Miro V3.0: fiche de cas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Donnat, Ph; Treimany, C; Gouedard, C; Morice, O

1998-06-01

This document presents some examples which were used for debugging the code. It seemed useful to write these examples onto a book to be sure the code would not regret; to give warranties for the code`s functionality; to propose some examples to illustrate the possibilities and the limits of Miro. (author) 26 refs.

Giving Personal Examples and Telling Stories in Academic Essays.

Science.gov (United States)

Hinkel, Eli

2001-01-01

Analyzes the extensive use of personal examples and stories in the academic essays of students who are nonnative speakers of English. Draws on a large database of college examination essays to compare the use of personal examples in essays written by native and nonnative speakers. Finds nonnative students not only use examples more often than…

Demonstrating the utility of boron based precursor molecules for selective area deposition in a scanning tunneling microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perkins, F.K.; Onellion, M.; Lee, S.; Bowben, T.A.

1992-01-01

The scanning tunneling microscope (STM) can be used to selectively deposit material from a gaseous precursor compound. Ultrasmall (less than a 100 nm across) spatial dimensions for selective area deposition may be achieved by this means. In this paper the authors outline a scheme foreselecting and designing main group cluster compounds and organometallics for this type of selective area deposition using nido-decaborane(14) as an example

On the Quality of Examples in Introductory Java Textbooks

Science.gov (United States)

Borstler, Jurgen; Nordstrom, Marie; Paterson, James H.

2011-01-01

Example programs play an important role in the teaching and learning of programming. Students as well as teachers rank examples as the most important resources for learning to program. Example programs work as role models and must therefore always be consistent with the principles and rules we are teaching. However, it is difficult to find or…

A Guidebook for Evaluating Organizations in the Nuclear Industry - an example of safety culture evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oedewald, Pia; Pietikaeinen, Elina; Reiman, Teemu

2011-06-01

Organizations in the nuclear industry need to maintain an overview on their vulnerabilities and strengths with respect to safety. Systematic periodical self assessments are necessary to achieve this overview. This guidebook provides suggestions and examples to assist power companies but also external evaluators and regulators in carrying out organizational evaluations. Organizational evaluation process is divided into five main steps. These are: 1) planning the evaluation framework and the practicalities of the evaluation process, 2) selecting data collection methods and conducting the data acquisition, 3) structuring and analysing the data, 4) interpreting the findings and 5) reporting the evaluation results with possible recommendations. The guidebook emphasises the importance of a solid background framework when dealing with multifaceted phenomena like organisational activities and system safety. The validity and credibility of the evaluation stem largely from the evaluation team's ability to crystallize what they mean by organization and safety when they conduct organisational safety evaluations - and thus, what are the criteria for the evaluation. Another important and often under-considered phase in organizational evaluation is interpretation of the findings. In this guidebook a safety culture evaluation in a Nordic nuclear power plant is presented as an example of organizational evaluation. With the help of the example, challenges of each step in the organizational evaluation process are described. Suggestions for dealing with them are presented. In the case example, the DISC (Design for Integrated Safety culture) model is used as the evaluation framework. The DISC model describes the criteria for a good safety culture and the organizational functions necessary to develop a good safety culture in the organization

Evaluation and comparison of a flumethrin-imidacloprid collar and repeated monthly treatments of fipronil/(s)-methoprene to control flea, Ctenocephalides f. felis, infestations on cats for eight months.

Science.gov (United States)

Dryden, Michael W; Smith, Vicki; Davis, Wendell L; Settje, Terry; Hostetler, Joe

2016-05-17

This controlled laboratory study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of the 10 % imidacloprid/4.5 % flumethrin collar (Seresto®, Bayer Animal Health) against fleas (Ctenocephalides f. felis) on cats, when compared to fipronil (9.8 %w/w)/(s)-methoprene (11.8 % w/w) topical spot-on formulation (Frontline® Plus for Cats and Kittens, Merial). Thirty cats were randomized into three groups of ten animals based on pre-treatment flea counts: Group 1: imidacloprid/flumethrin collar; Group 2: fipronil/(s)-methoprene topical spot-on and Group 3: non-treated controls. The imidacloprid/flumethrin collars were applied one time on Day 0, while the fipronil/(s)-methoprene spot-on was administered every 30 days from Day 0 through Day 210. Cats were infested with 100 fleas on study days 0, 7, 14, 29, 59, 89, 119, 149, 179, 209 and 239. All flea counts were conducted by combing to remove fleas on post-treatment days 2, 8, 15, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, 210 and 240. The efficacy of the imidacloprid/flumethrin collar ranged from 98.2 to 100 % for eight months. The efficacy of fipronil/(s)-methoprene spot-on ranged from 68.2 to 99.9 %. Efficacy was imidacloprid/flumethrin collar group when compared to the fipronil/(s)-methoprene group on Days 90, 150 and 210 (P imidacloprid/flumethrin collar (Seresto®, Bayer Animal Health) maintained excellent ( > 98.2 %) efficacy against fleas on cats for the entire 8 month study. Monthly applications of fipronil/(s)-methoprene (Frontline® Plus for Cats and Kittens, Merial) generally had high, but variable (68.2 to 99.9 %) efficacy over the course of the eight month study. Based on the very high residual efficacy achieved by the imidacloprid/flumethrin collar in this study, veterinarians should expect that this collar will control and eliminate existing flea infestations on cats and in their in-home premises as long as every flea infested host is treated.

A robust optimisation approach to the problem of supplier selection and allocation in outsourcing

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Yelin; Keung Lai, Kin; Liang, Liang

2016-03-01

We formulate the supplier selection and allocation problem in outsourcing under an uncertain environment as a stochastic programming problem. Both the decision-maker's attitude towards risk and the penalty parameters for demand deviation are considered in the objective function. A service level agreement, upper bound for each selected supplier's allocation and the number of selected suppliers are considered as constraints. A novel robust optimisation approach is employed to solve this problem under different economic situations. Illustrative examples are presented with managerial implications highlighted to support decision-making.

An Integrated Model of Material Supplier Selection and Order Allocation Using Fuzzy Extended AHP and Multiobjective Programming

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhi Li

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a supplier selection and order allocation (SSOA model to solve the problem of a multiperiod supplier selection and then order allocation in the environment of short product life cycle and frequent material purchasing, for example, fast fashion environment in apparel industry. At the first stage, with consideration of multiple decision criteria and the fuzziness of the data involved in deciding the preferences of multiple decision variables in supplier selection, the fuzzy extent analytic hierarchy process (FEAHP is adopted. In the second stage, supplier ranks are inputted into an order allocation model that aims at minimizing the risk of material purchasing and minimizing the total material purchasing costs using a dynamic programming approach, subject to constraints on deterministic customer demand and deterministic supplier capacity. Numerical examples are presented, and computational results are reported.

NEGOTIATION AND INCORPORATION ON THE MARGINS OF WORLD-SYSTEMS:EXAMPLES FROM CYPRUS AND NORTH AMERICA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Nick Kardulias

2015-08-01

Full Text Available As originally formulated, the world-systems model postulated a relationship in which core states exploited peripheries for raw materials and made the latter into dependent satellites. This approach views indigenous people in peripheries as passive recipients at the mercy of political and economic forces beyond their control. While in many cases the impetus for change was from cores to peripheries, there were certainly instances in which the margins actively (and occasionally successfully resisted incorporation. At times, they also had the ability to select the precise form of their incorporation. While in many cases this did not alter the consequences for indigenous people, there were occasions when natives not only reacted successfully, but also outlined the terms of the encounter. This is a process that I call negotiated peripherality. Underlying this perspective is a biological analogy: just as biological populations experience the greatest change at the borders of their territories where the effects of gene flow are felt first and most dramatically, so too do cultural changes occur at an accelerated rate in contact zones. This paper explores the nature of negotiated change through two case studies. The archaeological example examines how ancient inhabitants of Cyprus selectively adopted features from the Near Eastern and Greek cultures for whose worldsystems the island served as a marginal periphery. The second example is anethnohistoric study of how Native Americans managed the terms of their involvement in the fur trade with Europeans. Both cases demonstrate the active role of peripheral people as decision-makers.

Multi-task feature selection in microarray data by binary integer programming.

Science.gov (United States)

Lan, Liang; Vucetic, Slobodan

2013-12-20

A major challenge in microarray classification is that the number of features is typically orders of magnitude larger than the number of examples. In this paper, we propose a novel feature filter algorithm to select the feature subset with maximal discriminative power and minimal redundancy by solving a quadratic objective function with binary integer constraints. To improve the computational efficiency, the binary integer constraints are relaxed and a low-rank approximation to the quadratic term is applied. The proposed feature selection algorithm was extended to solve multi-task microarray classification problems. We compared the single-task version of the proposed feature selection algorithm with 9 existing feature selection methods on 4 benchmark microarray data sets. The empirical results show that the proposed method achieved the most accurate predictions overall. We also evaluated the multi-task version of the proposed algorithm on 8 multi-task microarray datasets. The multi-task feature selection algorithm resulted in significantly higher accuracy than when using the single-task feature selection methods.

The Role and Significance of Public-Private Partnerships in the Republic of Croatia: Selected Examples

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivana Barković

2010-07-01

Full Text Available A public-private partnership is a long-term contractual partner relationship between the public and private sector which may involve financing, design, construction, operation and/or maintenance of infrastructure and/or provision of services by the private sector which is traditionally procured and provided by the public sector. This model is gaining popularity in our modern age when governments are facing the challenge of protecting the public interest on one hand and meeting different (individualized needs of the citizens on the other. Citizens´ expectations are rising together with the demand for better quality and more affordable public services. Moreover, the confidence citizens have in their government and leaders depends to a large extent on the quality of the services they provide. Therefore, the role and significance of public-private partnership is becoming increasingly important, as can be seen from contemporary academic works dealing with law and economics that discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this public policy model. The purpose of this paper is to offer a short theoretical insight into the role and significance of the publicprivate partnership, especially in Croatia. In this paper several examples of the applied models of public-private partnership in the Republic of Croatia will be presented. There are also suggestions based on theoretical and practical analysis, especially from a legal and institutional point of view, of how to improve the application of this model in order to ensure a more efficient and effective way of providing public products and services.

Selection of Minerals properties using service oriented architecture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pavel Horovčák

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Continually and impressive amplification of internet technologies development and implementation enables the creationof productive, efficient, useful and interactive web applications. The contribution briefly characterizes SOA (Service OrientedArchitecture, WS (Web Service and AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript And XML technology and illustrates advantages of AJAX and WSintegration on application example for interactive selection of one or more minerals according to actually chosen selection criteria.Contribution presents three created web services (service for creating of web page’s select list based on given database table content,service for selection of one or a group of minerals according to specified criteria from the group of database tables, and service forcorrect depiction of chemical formulas on web page. The application makes use of two web services on the server side and one webservice plus Ajax technology on the client’s side. Application’s client’s side presents integration of these web services in a dynamic wayby means of Ajax technology and at the same time it is a mashup demonstration.

Evaluation and selection of hot channel (peaking) factors for research reactor applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woodruff, W.L.

1987-01-01

A proposed method for selecting and applying hot channel factors is presented along with some justification for these selections. The method is illustrated by example, and the sensitivity to some of the choices is examined. The uncertainty in the heat transfer coefficient is a major contributor to the reduction in thermal-hydraulic safety margins. The uncertainty introduced by the heterogeneity in the fuel is another important contributor and an area where more information may be useful in reducing this uncertainty. (Author)

CONTENT MARKETING – THE CONCEPT OF ALTERNAIVE FORM OF MARKETING ON EXAMPLE OF COURIER SERVICE COMPANIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katarzyna TUROŃ

2015-06-01

Full Text Available In the thesis there was presented one of alternative form of marketing – content marketing. The concept was related to examples available on market and analyzed on courier companies services. There were presented methods of using content marketing to B2C areaby selected foreign courier companies. It was also mentioned about form of using content marketing to B2B area. Then were shown benefits and risks of content marketing. Finally,the concept of content marketing was related also to Polish courier service companies.

Fecundity selection does not vary along a large geographical cline of trait means in a passerine bird

OpenAIRE

Sarkiä, P.M.; Adamík, P.; Atemyev, A. V.; Belskii, E.; Both, Christiaan; Burês, S.; Burgess, M.D.; Bushuev, A.V.; Forsman, JT; Grinkov, V.; Hoffmann, D.; Järvinen, A.; Král, M.; Krams, I.; Lampe, H.M.

2015-01-01

Local environmental and ecological conditions are commonly expected to result in local adaptation, although there are few examples of variation in phenotypic selection across continent-wide spatial scales. We collected standardized data on selection with respect to the highly variable plumage coloration of pied flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleucaPall.) males from 17 populations across the species' breeding range. The observed selection on multiple male coloration traits via the annual number of fl...

Cognitive Load Theory and the Use of Worked Examples as an Instructional Strategy in Physics for Distance Learners: A Preliminary Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kim Guan SAW

2017-10-01

Full Text Available This article revisits the cognitive load theory to explore the use of worked examples to teach a selected topic in a higher level undergraduate physics course for distance learners at the School of Distance Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia. With a break of several years from receiving formal education and having only minimum science background, distance learners need an appropriate instructional strategy for courses that require complex conceptualization and mathematical manipulations. As the working memory is limited, distance learners need to acquire domain specific knowledge in stages to lessen cognitive load. This article charts a learning task with a lower cognitive load to teach Fermi-Dirac distribution and demonstrates the use of sequential worked examples. Content taught in stages using worked examples can be presented as a form of didactic conversation to reduce transactional distance. This instructional strategy can be applied to similar challenging topics in other well-structured domains in a distance learning environment.

Rickettsia species in fleas collected from small mammals in Slovakia.

Science.gov (United States)

Špitalská, Eva; Boldiš, Vojtech; Mošanský, Ladislav; Sparagano, Olivier; Stanko, Michal

2015-11-01

Epidemiological and epizootiological studies of Rickettsia felis and other Rickettsia spp. are very important, because their natural cycle has not yet been established completely. In total, 315 fleas (Siphonaptera) of 11 species of Ceratophyllidae, Hystrichopsyllidae and Leptopsyllidae families were tested for the presence of Rickettsia species and Coxiella burnetii with conventional and specific quantitative real-time PCR assays. Fleas were collected from five rodent hosts (Myodes glareolus, Apodemus flavicollis, Apodemus agrarius, Microtus subterraneus, Microtus arvalis) and three shrew species (Sorex araneus, Neomys fodiens, Crocidura suaveolens) captured in Eastern and Southern Slovakia. Overall, Rickettsia spp. was found in 10.8% (34/315) of the tested fleas of Ctenophthalmus agyrtes, Ctenophthalmus solutus, Ctenophthalmus uncinatus and Nosopsyllus fasciatus species. Infected fleas were coming from A. flavicollis, A. agrarius, and M. glareolus captured in Eastern Slovakia. C. burnetii was not found in any fleas. R. felis, Rickettsia helvetica, unidentified Rickettsia, and rickettsial endosymbionts were identified in fleas infesting small mammals in the Košice region, Eastern Slovakia. This study is the first report of R. felis infection in C. solutus male flea collected from A. agrarius in Slovakia.

Adaptive tracking control of nonholonomic systems: an example

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lefeber, A.A.J.; Nijmeijer, Henk

1999-01-01

We study an example of an adaptive (state) tracking control problem for a four-wheel mobile robot, as it is an illustrative example of the general adaptive state-feedback tracking control problem. It turns out that formulating the adaptive state-feedback tracking control problem is not

Selecting reasonable future land use scenarios

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Allred, W.E.; Smith, R.W. [Idaho National Engineering Lab., Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

1995-12-31

This paper examines a process to help select the most reasonable future land use scenarios for hazardous waste and/or low-level radioactive waste disposal sites. The process involves evaluating future land use scenarios by applying selected criteria currently used by commercial mortgage companies to determine the feasibility of obtaining a loan for purchasing such land. The basis for the process is that only land use activities for which a loan can be obtained will be considered. To examine the process, a low-level radioactive waste site, the Radioactive Waste Management Complex at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, is used as an example. The authors suggest that the process is a very precise, comprehensive, and systematic (common sense) approach for determining reasonable future use of land. Implementing such a process will help enhance the planning, decisionmaking, safe management, and cleanup of present and future disposal facilities.

Selecting reasonable future land use scenarios

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allred, W.E.; Smith, R.W.

1995-01-01

This paper examines a process to help select the most reasonable future land use scenario for hazardous waste and/or low-level radioactive waste disposal sites. The process involves evaluating future land use scenarios ab applying selected criteria currently used by commercial mortgage companies to determine the feasibility of obtaining a loan for purchasing such land. The basis for the process is that only land use activities for which a loan can be obtained well be considered. To examine the process, a low-level radioactive waste site, the Radioactive Waste Management Complex at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, is used as an example. The authors suggest that the process is a very precise, comprehensive, and systematic approach for determining reasonable future use of land. Implementing such a process will help enhance the planning, decisionmaking, safe management, and cleanup of present and future disposal facilities

Selecting reasonable future land use scenarios

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allred, W.E.; Smith, R.W.

1995-01-01

This paper examines a process to help select the most reasonable future land use scenarios for hazardous waste and/or low-level radioactive waste disposal sites. The process involves evaluating future land use scenarios by applying selected criteria currently used by commercial mortgage companies to determine the feasibility of obtaining a loan for purchasing such land. The basis for the process is that only land use activities for which a loan can be obtained will be considered. To examine the process, a low-level radioactive waste site, the Radioactive Waste Management Complex at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, is used as an example. The authors suggest that the process is a very precise, comprehensive, and systematic (common sense) approach for determining reasonable future use of land. Implementing such a process will help enhance the planning, decisionmaking, safe management, and cleanup of present and future disposal facilities

Direction selective structural-acoustic coupled radiator

Science.gov (United States)

Seo, Hee-Seon; Kim, Yang-Hann

2005-04-01

This paper presents a method of designing a structural-acoustic coupled radiator that can emit sound in the desired direction. The structural-acoustic coupled system is consisted of acoustic spaces and wall. The wall composes two plates and an opening, and the wall separates one space that is highly reverberant and the other that is unbounded without any reflection. An equation is developed that predicts energy distribution and energy flow in the two spaces separated by the wall, and its computational examples are presented including near field acoustic characteristics. To design the directional coupled radiator, Pareto optimization method is adapted. An objective is selected to maximize radiation power on a main axis and minimize a side lobe level and a subjective is selected direction of the main axis and dimensions of the walls geometry. Pressure and intensity distribution of the designed radiator is also presented.

Novel Chemokine-Based Immunotoxins for Potent and Selective Targeting of Cytomegalovirus Infected Cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Spiess, Katja; Jeppesen, Mads G.; Malmgaard-Clausen, Mikkel

2017-01-01

Immunotoxins as antiviral therapeutics are largely unexplored but have promising prospective due to their high selectivity potential and their unparalleled efficiency. One recent example targeted the virus-encoded G protein-coupled receptor US28 as a strategy for specific and efficient treatment ...

AHP-Based Optimal Selection of Garment Sizes for Online Shopping

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2007-01-01

Garment online shopping has been accepted by more and more consumers in recent years. In online shopping, a buyer only chooses the garment size judged by his own experience without trying-on, so the selected garment may not be the fittest one for the buyer due to the variety of body's figures. Thus, we propose a method of optimal selection of garment sizes for online shopping based on Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The hierarchical structure model for optimal selection of garment sizes is structured and the fittest garment for a buyer is found by calculating the matching degrees between individual's measurements and the corresponding key-part values of ready-to-wear clothing sizes. In order to demonstrate its feasibility, we provide an example of selecting the fittest sizes of men's bottom. The result shows that the proposed method is useful in online clothing sales application.

The admissible portfolio selection problem with transaction costs and an improved PSO algorithm

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Wei; Zhang, Wei-Guo

2010-05-01

In this paper, we discuss the portfolio selection problem with transaction costs under the assumption that there exist admissible errors on expected returns and risks of assets. We propose a new admissible efficient portfolio selection model and design an improved particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm because traditional optimization algorithms fail to work efficiently for our proposed problem. Finally, we offer a numerical example to illustrate the proposed effective approaches and compare the admissible portfolio efficient frontiers under different constraints.

Semantic reasoning in zero example video event retrieval

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boer, M.H.T. de; Lu, Y.J.; Zhang, H.; Schutte, K.; Ngo, C.W.; Kraaij, W.

2017-01-01

Searching in digital video data for high-level events, such as a parade or a car accident, is challenging when the query is textual and lacks visual example images or videos. Current research in deep neural networks is highly beneficial for the retrieval of high-level events using visual examples,

Selection based on the size of the black tie of the great tit may be reversed in urban habitats

OpenAIRE

Senar, Juan Carlos; Conroy, Michael J; Quesada, Javier; Mateos-Gonzalez, Fernando

2014-01-01

A standard approach to model how selection shapes phenotypic traits is the analysis of capture-recapture data relating trait variation to survival. Divergent selection, however, has never been analyzed by the capture-recapture approach. Most reported examples of differences between urban and nonurban animals reflect behavioral plasticity rather than divergent selection. The aim of this paper was to use a capture-recapture approach to test the hypothesis that divergent selection can also drive...

Answers to selected problems in multivariable calculus with linear algebra and series

CERN Document Server

Trench, William F

1972-01-01

Answers to Selected Problems in Multivariable Calculus with Linear Algebra and Series contains the answers to selected problems in linear algebra, the calculus of several variables, and series. Topics covered range from vectors and vector spaces to linear matrices and analytic geometry, as well as differential calculus of real-valued functions. Theorems and definitions are included, most of which are followed by worked-out illustrative examples.The problems and corresponding solutions deal with linear equations and matrices, including determinants; vector spaces and linear transformations; eig

An integrated MCDM approach to green supplier selection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Morteza Yazdani

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Supplier selection management has been considered as an important subject for industrial organizations. In order to remain on the market, to gain profitability and to retain competitive advantage, business units need to establish an integrated and structured supplier selection system. In addition, environmental protection problems have been big solicitudes for organizations to consider green approach in supplier selection problem. However, finding proper suppliers involves several variables and it is critically a complex process. In this paper, the main attention is focused on finding the right supplier based on fuzzy multi criteria decision making (MCDM process. The weights of criteria are calculated by analytical hierarchical process (AHP and the final ranking is achieved by fuzzy technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution (TOPSIS. TOPSIS advantage among the other similar methods is to obtain the best solution close to ideal solution. The paper attempts to express better understanding by an example of an automobile manufacturing supply chain.

Adversarial Feature Selection Against Evasion Attacks.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Fei; Chan, Patrick P K; Biggio, Battista; Yeung, Daniel S; Roli, Fabio

2016-03-01

Pattern recognition and machine learning techniques have been increasingly adopted in adversarial settings such as spam, intrusion, and malware detection, although their security against well-crafted attacks that aim to evade detection by manipulating data at test time has not yet been thoroughly assessed. While previous work has been mainly focused on devising adversary-aware classification algorithms to counter evasion attempts, only few authors have considered the impact of using reduced feature sets on classifier security against the same attacks. An interesting, preliminary result is that classifier security to evasion may be even worsened by the application of feature selection. In this paper, we provide a more detailed investigation of this aspect, shedding some light on the security properties of feature selection against evasion attacks. Inspired by previous work on adversary-aware classifiers, we propose a novel adversary-aware feature selection model that can improve classifier security against evasion attacks, by incorporating specific assumptions on the adversary's data manipulation strategy. We focus on an efficient, wrapper-based implementation of our approach, and experimentally validate its soundness on different application examples, including spam and malware detection.

Encouraging Example Generation: A Teaching Experiment in First-Semester Calculus

Science.gov (United States)

Wagner, Elaine Rumsey; Orme, Susan Marla; Turner, Heidi Jean; Yopp, David

2017-01-01

Mathematicians use example generation to test and verify mathematical ideas; however, the processes through which undergraduates learn to productively generate examples are not well understood. We engaged calculus students in a teaching experiment designed to develop skills in productively generating examples to learn novel concepts. This article…

Biomechanical reconstructions and selective advantages of neck poses and feeding strategies of Sauropods with the example of Mamenchisaurus youngi.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andreas Christian

Full Text Available A very long neck is a characteristic feature of most sauropod dinosaurs. In the genus Mamenchisaurus, neck length is extreme, greater than 40 percent of total body length. However, the posture, utilization, and selective advantage of very long necks in sauropods are still controversial. An excellently preserved skeleton of Mamenchisaurus youngi, including a complete neck, provides an opportunity for a comprehensive biomechanical analysis of neck posture and mobility. The biomechanical evidence indicates that Mamenchisaurus youngi had a nearly straight, near horizontal neck posture and browsed at low or medium heights. The results differ from the findings for some other sauropod species, like Euhelopus, Diplodocus, and Giraffatitan (Brachiosaurus that had been analyzed in previous studies with similar methods. The selective advantage of extreme neck length in sauropods is likely advantageous for different feeding strategies.

Potential of Genomic Selection in Mass Selection Breeding of an Allogamous Crop: An Empirical Study to Increase Yield of Common Buckwheat.

Science.gov (United States)

Yabe, Shiori; Hara, Takashi; Ueno, Mariko; Enoki, Hiroyuki; Kimura, Tatsuro; Nishimura, Satoru; Yasui, Yasuo; Ohsawa, Ryo; Iwata, Hiroyoshi

2018-01-01

To evaluate the potential of genomic selection (GS), a selection experiment with GS and phenotypic selection (PS) was performed in an allogamous crop, common buckwheat ( Fagopyrum esculentum Moench). To indirectly select for seed yield per unit area, which cannot be measured on a single-plant basis, a selection index was constructed from seven agro-morphological traits measurable on a single plant basis. Over 3 years, we performed two GS and one PS cycles per year for improvement in the selection index. In GS, a prediction model was updated every year on the basis of genotypes of 14,598-50,000 markers and phenotypes. Plants grown from seeds derived from a series of generations of GS and PS populations were evaluated for the traits in the selection index and other yield-related traits. GS resulted in a 20.9% increase and PS in a 15.0% increase in the selection index in comparison with the initial population. Although the level of linkage disequilibrium in the breeding population was low, the target trait was improved with GS. Traits with higher weights in the selection index were improved more than those with lower weights, especially when prediction accuracy was high. No trait changed in an unintended direction in either GS or PS. The accuracy of genomic prediction models built in the first cycle decreased in the later cycles because the genetic bottleneck through the selection cycles changed linkage disequilibrium patterns in the breeding population. The present study emphasizes the importance of updating models in GS and demonstrates the potential of GS in mass selection of allogamous crop species, and provided a pilot example of successful application of GS to plant breeding.