Utilization of electronic information resources by academic staff at ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The study investigated the utilization of Electronic Information resources by the academic staff of Makerere University in Uganda. It examined the academic staff awareness of the resources available, the types of resources provided by the Makerere University Library, the factors affecting resource utilization. The study was ...

Characterization of human septic sera induced gene expression modulation in human myocytes

Science.gov (United States)

Hussein, Shaimaa; Michael, Paul; Brabant, Danielle; Omri, Abdelwahab; Narain, Ravin; Passi, Kalpdrum; Ramana, Chilakamarti V.; Parrillo, Joseph E.; Kumar, Anand; Parissenti, Amadeo; Kumar, Aseem

2009-01-01

To gain a better understanding of the gene expression changes that occurs during sepsis, we have performed a cDNA microarray study utilizing a tissue culture model that mimics human sepsis. This study utilized an in vitro model of cultured human fetal cardiac myocytes treated with 10% sera from septic patients or 10% sera from healthy volunteers. A 1700 cDNA expression microarray was used to compare the transcription profile from human cardiac myocytes treated with septic sera vs normal sera. Septic sera treatment of myocytes resulted in the down-regulation of 178 genes and the up-regulation of 4 genes. Our data indicate that septic sera induced cell cycle, metabolic, transcription factor and apoptotic gene expression changes in human myocytes. Identification and characterization of gene expression changes that occur during sepsis may lead to the development of novel therapeutics and diagnostics. PMID:19684886

Electronic Resources Management Project Presentation 2012

KAUST Repository

Ramli, Rindra M.

2012-01-01

This presentation describes the electronic resources management project undertaken by the KAUST library. The objectives of this project is to migrate information from MS Sharepoint to Millennium ERM module. One of the advantages of this migration

Characterization of human septic sera induced gene expression modulation in human myocytes

OpenAIRE

Hussein, Shaimaa; Michael, Paul; Brabant, Danielle; Omri, Abdelwahab; Narain, Ravin; Passi, Kalpdrum; Ramana, Chilakamarti V.; Parrillo, Joseph E.; Kumar, Anand; Parissenti, Amadeo; Kumar, Aseem

2009-01-01

To gain a better understanding of the gene expression changes that occurs during sepsis, we have performed a cDNA microarray study utilizing a tissue culture model that mimics human sepsis. This study utilized an in vitro model of cultured human fetal cardiac myocytes treated with 10% sera from septic patients or 10% sera from healthy volunteers. A 1700 cDNA expression microarray was used to compare the transcription profile from human cardiac myocytes treated with septic sera vs normal sera....

Practical guide to electronic resources in the humanities

CERN Document Server

Dubnjakovic, Ana

2010-01-01

From full-text article databases to digitized collections of primary source materials, newly emerging electronic resources have radically impacted how research in the humanities is conducted and discovered. This book, covering high-quality, up-to-date electronic resources for the humanities, is an easy-to-use annotated guide for the librarian, student, and scholar alike. It covers online databases, indexes, archives, and many other critical tools in key humanities disciplines including philosophy, religion, languages and literature, and performing and visual arts. Succinct overviews of key eme

Changes in adipose tissue stromal-vascular cells in primary culture due to porcine sera

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jewell, D.E.; Hausman, G.J.

1986-01-01

This study was conducted to determine the response of rat stromal-vascular cells to pig sea. Sera were collected from unselected contemporary (lean) and high backfat thickness selected (obese) pigs. Sera from obese pigs were collected either by exsanguination or cannulation. sera from lean pigs during the growing phase (45 kg) and the fattening phase (100-110 kg) were collected. Stromal-vascular cells derived rom rat inguinal tissue were cultured on either 25 cm 2 flasks, collagen-coated coverslips or petri dishes. Cell proliferation was measured by [ 3 H]-thymidine incorporation during the fourth day of culture. Coverslip cultures were used for histochemical analysis. Petri dish cultures were used for analysis of Sn-glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) activity. All cells were plated for 24 hours in media containing 10 fetal bovine sera. Test media contained 2.5, 5.0, 10.0% sera. Sera from obese pigs increased GPDH activity and fat cell production when compared to the lean controls. The increased concentration of sera increased esterase activity and lipid as measured with oil red O. The sera from obese pigs collected at slaughter stimulated more fat cell production than obese sera collected by cannulation. These studies show there are adipogenic factors in obese pigs sera which promote fat cell development in primary cell culture

Utilisation of Electronic Information Resources By Lecturers in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study assesses the use of information resources, specifically, electronic databases by lecturers/teachers in Universities and Colleges of Education in South Western Nigeria. Information resources are central to teachers' education. It provides lecturers/teachers access to information that enhances research and ...

Thyroglobulin recovery test of sera containing elevated levels of anti-thyroglobulin antibodies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hervas, I.; Gonzalez-Cabezas, P.; Flores, D.; Perez-Pastor, J.L.; Bello, P.; Rivas, A.; Alonso, J.; Olivas, C.; Mateo, A.

2002-01-01

Aim: Thyroglobulin (Tg) is a macro-molecule synthesized exclusively in the thyroid gland for the synthesis of thyroid hormones. In differentiated thyroid carcinoma, after radical thyroidectomy, the discovering of measurable quantities of Tg can be indicator of relapse y/or spread of disease but Thyroglobulin antibodies can alter the determination of Tg. The aim of this study is to assess and measure the interference of Tg antibodies on the Tg determination. Methods: We have selected 50 consecutive serum whose Tg-antibodies levels were higher than the normality values (0-100 UI/mL). Tg-antibodies were measured using a 'sandwich' radioimmunometric assay on solid phase. We have performed a recovery test on these sera. This test consists on adding a known quantity (50 UI) of Tg on that sera and then measure the Tg values to find out the percentage of Tg that is recuperated. Tg was measured using a radioimmunometric assay on solid phase. Results: Sera were divided in two groups: A.- 15 sera with Tg-antibodies levels between 100-250 UI/mL: 85% of them presented a Tg recovery percentage higher than 90% (Tg-antibodies did not interfere on Tg values due to Tg was recovered almost in its totality). B.- 53 sera with Tg-antibodies levels higher than 250 UI/mL: Only 10% of them presented a Tg recovery percentage higher than >90% . (90% of sera interfered on Tg values). 70% of that sera presented percentages under 50%. The Pearson's correlation coefficient between Tg-antibodies and Tg recovery percentage was -0.34. Conclusions: The majority (90%)of sera with Tg-antibodies higher than 250 UI/mL presented an high interference on Tg determination. However the majority of sera with Tg-antibodies between 100-250 did not show any interference on Tg determination. There are not linear correlation between highest values and lowest percentages of Tg recovered. We recommend the realization of Tg recovery test on sera with elevated Tg antibodies specially when are higher than 250 UI/mL

Discipline, availability of electronic resources and the use of Finnish National Electronic Library - FinELib

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sanna Torma

2004-01-01

Full Text Available This study elaborated relations between digital library use by university faculty, users' discipline and the availability of key resources in the Finnish National Electronic Library (FinELib, Finnish national digital library, by using nationwide representative survey data. The results show that the perceived availability of key electronic resources by researchers in FinELib was a stronger predictor of the frequency and purpose of use of its services than users' discipline. Regardless of discipline a good perceived provision of central resources led to a more frequent use of FinELib. The satisfaction with the services did not vary with the discipline, but with the perceived availability of resources.

The Role of the Acquisitions Librarian in Electronic Resources Management

Science.gov (United States)

Pomerantz, Sarah B.

2010-01-01

With the ongoing shift to electronic formats for library resources, acquisitions librarians, like the rest of the profession, must adapt to the rapidly changing landscape of electronic resources by keeping up with trends and mastering new skills related to digital publishing, technology, and licensing. The author sought to know what roles…

Analysis of Pedagogic Potential of Electronic Educational Resources with Elements of Autodidactics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Igor A.

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction: in recent years didactic properties of electronic educational resources undergo considerable changes, nevertheless, the question of studying of such complete phenomenon as “an electronic educational resource with autodidactics elements” remains open, despite sufficient scientific base of researches of the terms making this concept. Article purpose – determination of essence of electronic educational resources with autodidactics elements. Materials and Methods: the main method of research was the theoretical analysis of the pedagogical and psychological literature on the problem under study. We used the theoretical (analysis, synthesis, comparison and generalization methods, the method of interpretation, pedagogical modeling, and empirical methods (observation, testing, conversation, interview, analysis of students’ performance, pedagogical experiment, peer review. Results: we detected the advantages of electronic educational resources in comparison with traditional ones. The concept of autodidactics as applied to the subject of research is considered. Properties of electronic educational resources with a linear and nonlinear principle of construction are studied.The influence of the principle of construction on the development of the learners’ qualities is shown. We formulated an integral definition of electronic educational resources with elements of autodidactics, namely, the variability, adaptivity and cyclicity of training. A model of the teaching-learning process with electronic educational resources is developed. Discussion and Conclusions: further development of a problem will allow to define whether electronic educational resources with autodidactics elements pedagogical potential for realization of educational and self-educational activity of teachers have, to modify technological procedures taking into account age features of students, their specialties and features of the organization of process of training of

Preservation and conservation of electronic information resources of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The major holdings of the broadcast libraries of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) are electronic information resources; therefore, providing safe places for general management of these resources have aroused interest in the industry in Nigeria for sometimes. The need to study the preservation and conservation of ...

Building an electronic resource collection a practical guide

CERN Document Server

Lee, Stuart D

2004-01-01

This practical book guides information professionals step-by-step through building and managing an electronic resource collection. It outlines the range of electronic products currently available in abstracting and indexing, bibliographic, and other services and then describes how to effectively select, evaluate and purchase them.

Analysis of Human Resources Management Strategy in China Electronic Commerce Enterprises

Science.gov (United States)

Shao, Fang

The paper discussed electronic-commerce's influence on enterprise human resources management, proposed and proved the human resources management strategy which electronic commerce enterprise should adopt from recruitment strategy to training strategy, keeping talent strategy and other ways.

Using XML Technologies to Organize Electronic Reference Resources

OpenAIRE

Huser, Vojtech; Del Fiol, Guilherme; Rocha, Roberto A.

2005-01-01

Provision of access to reference electronic resources to clinicians is becoming increasingly important. We have created a framework for librarians to manage access to these resources at an enterprise level, rather than at the individual hospital libraries. We describe initial project requirements, implementation details, and some preliminary results.

Electronic Resources and Mission Creep: Reorganizing the Library for the Twenty-First Century

Science.gov (United States)

Stachokas, George

2009-01-01

The position of electronic resources librarian was created to serve as a specialist in the negotiation of license agreements for electronic resources, but mission creep has added more functions to the routine work of electronic resources such as cataloging, gathering information for collection development, and technical support. As electronic…

Effects of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis sera on cultured cholinergic neurons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Touzeau, G.; Kato, A.C.

1983-01-01

Dissociated monolayer cultures of chick ciliary ganglion neurons have been used to study the effects of control and ALS sera. The cultured neurons survive and extend neurites for a minimum of 2 weeks in a standard tissue culture medium that contains 10% heat-inactivated human serum. Three parameters of the neurons have been examined when cultured in control and ALS sera for 8 to 12 days: (1) neuronal survival, (2) activity of the enzyme choline acetyltransferase, and (3) synthesis of 3 H-acetylcholine using 3 H-choline as precursor. ALS sera cause a small decrease in these three parameters, but this difference is not significant

Electronic Resources Management System: Recommendation Report 2017

KAUST Repository

Ramli, Rindra M.

2017-01-01

This recommendation report provides an overview of the selection process for the new Electronic Resources Management System. The library has decided to move away from Innovative Interfaces Millennium ERM module. The library reviewed 3 system

Effects of proposed adipogenic factors in fetal swine sera upon preadipocyte development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramsay, T.G.; Hausman, G.J.; Martin, R.J.

1986-01-01

Genetic obesity has been detected in fetal pigs which suggests primary factors that cause the obesity develop prenatally. Growth hormone and thyroid hormones have been implicated as regulatory factors in fetal serum for preadipocyte differentiation. This experiment examined effects of growth hormone (GH) and thyroxine (T4) addition upon preadipocyte proliferation and differentiation when supplemented to deficient fetal pig sea. Hormones were added to decapitated fetal pig (Decap) sera to concentrations present in intact littermate (Reference) sera. Primary stromal-vascular cell cultures were prepared from rat inguinal adipose tissue. Cells were incubated with 5% decap or reference sera and hormones in media 199 during: days 1 to 5 for a 3 H-thymidine incorporation assay; days 1 to 15 for assay of α-glycerol phosphate dehydrogenase; days 5 to 14 for a complete differentiation assay. Decap sera promoted less proliferation and enzyme differentiation than reference sera with no effect of GH addition. GH reduced detection of lipid accumulating cells on percol density gradients by 81%. T4 addition stimulated preadipocyte multiplication and produced a 30% increase in completely differentiated preadipocytes. These results indicate thyroid hormones are important components of fetal sera for regulation of preadipocyte development, whereas GH may only affect cellular metabolism

Sera of patients with celiac disease and neurologic disorders evoke a mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis in vitro.

Science.gov (United States)

Cervio, Elisabetta; Volta, Umberto; Verri, Manuela; Boschi, Federica; Pastoris, Ornella; Granito, Alessandro; Barbara, Giovanni; Parisi, Claudia; Felicani, Cristina; Tonini, Marcello; De Giorgio, Roberto

2007-07-01

The mechanisms underlying neurologic impairment in celiac disease remain unknown. We tested whether antineuronal antibody-positive sera of patients with celiac disease evoke neurodegeneration via apoptosis in vitro. SH-Sy5Y cells were exposed to crude sera, isolated immunoglobulin (Ig) G and IgG-depleted sera of patients with and without celiac disease with and without neurologic disorders, and antineuronal antibodies. Adsorption studies with gliadin and tissue transglutaminase (tTG) were performed in celiac disease sera. Apoptosis activated caspase-3, apaf-1, Bax, cytochrome c, cleaved caspase-8 and caspase-9 and mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes were evaluated with different methods. SH-Sy5Y cells exposed to antineuronal antibody-positive sera and isolated IgG from the same sera exhibited a greater percentage of TUNEL-positive nuclei than that of antineuronal antibody-negative sera. Neuroblasts exposed to antineuronal antibody-negative celiac disease sera also showed greater TUNEL positivity and apaf-1 immunolabeled cells than controls. Antigliadin- and anti-tTG-depleted celiac disease sera had an apoptotic effect similar to controls. Anti-caspase-3 immunostained cells were greater than controls when exposed to positive sera. The mitochondrial respiratory chain complex was reduced by positive sera. Western blot demonstrated only caspase-9 cleavage in positive sera. Cytochrome c and Bax showed reciprocal translocation (from mitochondria to cytoplasm and vice versa) after treatment with positive sera. Antineuronal antibodies and, to a lower extent, combined antigliadin and anti-tTG antibodies in celiac disease sera contribute to neurologic impairment via apoptosis. Apaf-1 activation with Bax and cytochrome c translocation suggest a mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis.

The influence of antisperm Ig G and Ig A antibodies from cows sera and cervical mucus on bull sperm motility

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lazarević Miodrag

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of antisperm Ig G and Ig A antibodies (ASA from the sera and cervical mucus of cows on bulls sperm motility. A total of 64 cows was included in the study and samples of sera and cervical mucus were collected on the day of artificial insemination. Cows were of Busha breed or mix breed with Simmental. The presence of antisperm Ig G and Ig A antibodies was determined by indirect immunofluorescence method and according to these results, cows were divided in groups as follows: cows with high or low ASA titer in their sera and cows with high or low ASA titer in the cervical mucus. Influence of antisperm antibodies on sperm motility was further estimated by Computer Assisted Semen Analysis (CASA. Results demonstrated a significant difference in the influence of antisperm antibodies depending on their origin and titer. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. III 46002: Molecular genetic and ecophysiological researches on the protection of autochthonous animal resources, sustaining domestic animals’ welfare, health and reproduction, and safe food production

The Internet School of Medicine: use of electronic resources by medical trainees and the reliability of those resources.

Science.gov (United States)

Egle, Jonathan P; Smeenge, David M; Kassem, Kamal M; Mittal, Vijay K

2015-01-01

Electronic sources of medical information are plentiful, and numerous studies have demonstrated the use of the Internet by patients and the variable reliability of these sources. Studies have investigated neither the use of web-based resources by residents, nor the reliability of the information available on these websites. A web-based survey was distributed to surgical residents in Michigan and third- and fourth-year medical students at an American allopathic and osteopathic medical school and a Caribbean allopathic school regarding their preferred sources of medical information in various situations. A set of 254 queries simulating those faced by medical trainees on rounds, on a written examination, or during patient care was developed. The top 5 electronic resources cited by the trainees were evaluated for their ability to answer these questions accurately, using standard textbooks as the point of reference. The respondents reported a wide variety of overall preferred resources. Most of the 73 responding medical trainees favored textbooks or board review books for prolonged studying, but electronic resources are frequently used for quick studying, clinical decision-making questions, and medication queries. The most commonly used electronic resources were UpToDate, Google, Medscape, Wikipedia, and Epocrates. UpToDate and Epocrates had the highest percentage of correct answers (47%) and Wikipedia had the lowest (26%). Epocrates also had the highest percentage of wrong answers (30%), whereas Google had the lowest percentage (18%). All resources had a significant number of questions that they were unable to answer. Though hardcopy books have not been completely replaced by electronic resources, more than half of medical students and nearly half of residents prefer web-based sources of information. For quick questions and studying, both groups prefer Internet sources. However, the most commonly used electronic resources fail to answer clinical queries more than half

ANALYTICAL REVIEW OF ELECTRONIC RESOURCES FOR THE STUDY OF LATIN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olena Yu. Balalaieva

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The article investigates the current state of development of e-learning content in the Latin language. It is noted that the introduction of ICT in the educational space has expanded the possibility of studying Latin, opened access to digital libraries resources, made it possible to use scientific and educational potential and teaching Latin best practices of world's leading universities. A review of foreign and Ukrainian information resources and electronic editions for the study of Latin is given. Much attention was paid to the didactic potential of local and online multimedia courses of Latin, electronic textbooks, workbooks of interactive tests and exercises, various dictionaries and software translators, databases and digital libraries. Based on analysis of the world market of educational services and products the main trends in the development of information resources and electronic books are examined. It was found that multimedia courses with interactive exercises or workbooks with interactive tests, online dictionaries and translators are the most widely represented and demanded. The noticeable lagging of Ukrainian education and computer linguistics in quantitative and qualitative measures in this industry is established. The obvious drawback of existing Ukrainian resources and electronic editions for the study of Latin is their noninteractive nature. The prospects of e-learning content in Latin in Ukraine are outlined.

Sterilization of sera and vaccines by cobalt gamma radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guidolin, R.; Morais, J.F.; Higashi, H.G.; Correa, A.; Cicarelli, R.M.B.; Previde, E.

1988-01-01

Diphtheria, tetanus, anti-snake venom sera and Diphtheria-Pertussis-Tetanus vaccine were submitted to different intensities of gamma radiation, in order to: verify the resistance of their specific activities to the action of gamma rays; evaluate the possibility of using this type of energy to sterilize some heterogeneous hyper immune sera and vaccines commonly utilized in Public Health. The results, according to the range employed, show the possibility of sterilizing the products tested, without any alteration to specific biological and chemical properties. (author)

Elektronik Bilgi Kaynaklarının Seçimi / Selection of Electronic Information Resources

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pınar Al

2003-04-01

Full Text Available For many years, library users have used only from the printed media in order to get the information that they have needed. Today with the widespread use of the Web and the addition of electronic information resources to library collections, the use of information in the electronic environment as well as in printed media is started to be used. In time, such types of information resources as, electronic journals, electronic books, electronic encyclopedias, electronic dictionaries and electronic theses have been added to library collections. In this study, selection criteria that can be used for electronic information resources are discussed and suggestions are provided for libraries that try to select electronic information resources for their collections.

Access to electronic resources by visually impaired people

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jenny Craven

2003-01-01

Full Text Available Research into access to electronic resources by visually impaired people undertaken by the Centre for Research in Library and Information Management has not only explored the accessibility of websites and levels of awareness in providing websites that adhere to design for all principles, but has sought to enhance understanding of information seeking behaviour of blind and visually impaired people when using digital resources.

BACTERICIDAL ACTIVITY OF HUMAN SERA AGAINST ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

hi-tech

East African Medical Journal Vol. 77 No. 12 December 2000. BACTERICIDAL ACTIVITY OF HUMAN SERA AGAINST SALMONELLA TYPHI AND SALMONELLA PARATYPHI A, B, C. E.O. Igumbor, BSc, MSc, PhD, Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of Zimbabwe P.O. Box Al78, Avondale, ...

Complement-mediated killing of Borrelia burgdorferi by nonimmune sera from sika deer.

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, D R; Rooney, S; Miller, N J; Mather, T N

2000-12-01

Various species of cervid deer are the preferred hosts for adult, black-legged ticks (Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes pacificus) in the United States. Although frequently exposed to the agent of Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi), these animals, for the most part, are incompetent as transmission reservoirs. We examined the borreliacidal activity of normal and B. burgdorferi-immune sera from sika deer (Cervus nippon) maintained in a laboratory setting and compared it to that of similar sera from reservoir-competent mice and rabbits. All normal deer sera (NDS) tested killed > 90% of B. burgdorferi cells. In contrast, normal mouse and rabbit sera killed feeding exhibited IFA titers of 1:256, whereas sera from mice and rabbits similarly exposed had titers of > 1:1,024. Heat treatment (56 C, 30 min) of NDS reduced borreliacidal activity, with complement-mediated killing. The chelators EGTA and EDTA were used to block the classical or both the classical and alternative complement pathways, respectively. Addition of 10 mM EGTA to NDS had a negligible effect on borreliacidal activity, with > 90% of the cells killed. Addition of 10 mM EDTA reduced the killing to approximately 30%, whereas the addition of Mg2+ (10 mM) restored borreliacidal activity to NDS. The addition of zymosan A, an activator of the alternative pathway, increased the survival of B. burgdorferi cells to approximately 80% in NDS. These data suggest that the alternative complement activation pathway plays a major role in the borreliacidal activity of NDS. Additionally, 10 mM EGTA had almost no effect on the killing activity of B. burgdorferi-exposed deer sera, suggesting that the classical pathway is not involved in Borrelia killing, even in sera from B. burgdorferi-exposed deer.

Library training to promote electronic resource usage

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frandsen, Tove Faber; Tibyampansha, Dativa; Ibrahim, Glory

2017-01-01

Purpose: Increasing the usage of electronic resources is an issue of concern for many libraries all over the world. Several studies stress the importance of information literacy and instruction in order to increase the usage. Design/methodology/approach: The present article presents the results...

Why and How to Measure the Use of Electronic Resources

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jean Bernon

2008-11-01

Full Text Available A complete overview of library activity implies a complete and reliable measurement of the use of both electronic resources and printed materials. This measurement is based on three sets of definitions: document types, use types and user types. There is a common model of definitions for printed materials, but a lot of questions and technical issues remain for electronic resources. In 2006 a French national working group studied these questions. It relied on the COUNTER standard, but found it insufficient and pointed out the need for local tools such as web markers and deep analysis of proxy logs. Within the French national consortium COUPERIN, a new working group is testing ERMS, SUSHI standards, Shibboleth authentication, along with COUNTER standards, to improve the counting of the electronic resources use. At this stage this counting is insufficient and its improvement will be a European challenge for the future.

Antinuclear antibodies in the sera of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Takimoto, T.; Ishikawa, S.; Masuda, K.; Tanaka, S.; Yoshizaki, T.; Umeda, R. (Kanazawa Univ. (Japan))

1989-11-01

We studied the production of heterophile antinuclear antibodies (ANAs) in the sera of 50 patients, 20 with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and 30 with other head and neck cancers (laryngeal cancer and maxillary cancer), before and after radiation therapy. A higher incidence of ANAs was found in the sera of patients with NPC and ANA production in these patients was higher after radiation therapy. We therefore performed in vitro experiments to explore the mechanisms of ANA production in the serum of postirradiated NPC patients. X-ray-irradiated NPC-derived cells (NPC-KT) produced a large amount of Epstein-Barr virus (NPC EBV) compared with non-irradiated NPC-KT cells. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma EBV-infected lymphocytes produced high levels of ANAs. These data suggest that lymphocytes infected by EBV from NPC cells may produce ANAs in the sera of NPC patients.

Comparison of the antibacterial activity and synergistic activity towards antibiotics of different mammalian sera.

Science.gov (United States)

Miglioli, P A; Pea, F; Mazzo, M; Berti, T

1993-02-01

The antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli ATCC 10798 and Staphylococcus aureus Mag 90 of normal sera from nine species of mammals was investigated by Avantage (Abbott). Human and rat sera showed the highest antibacterial activity against E. coli ATCC 10798, while all investigated sera did not exhibit, till the maximum concentration tested (20%), spontaneous antibacterial activity against S. aureus Mag 90. Heat inactivated sera (56 degrees C for 30 min) of all investigated species lost their antibacterial activity, but maintained their synergistic effect with sub-MICs of some antibacterial drugs, principally against E. coli ATCC 10798.

Identification of Lactobacillus proteins with different recognition patterns between immune rabbit sera and nonimmune mice or human sera.

Science.gov (United States)

Górska, Sabina; Buda, Barbara; Brzozowska, Ewa; Schwarzer, Martin; Srutkova, Dagmar; Kozakova, Hana; Gamian, Andrzej

2016-02-09

The genus Lactobacillus belongs to a large heterogeneous group of low G + C Gram-positive anaerobic bacteria, which are frequently used as probiotics. The health-beneficial effects, in particular the immunomodulation effect, of probiotics depend on the strain and dose used. Strain variations may be related to diversity of the cell surface architecture of bacteria and the ability to express specific antigens or secrete compounds. The use of Lactobacillus as probiotic requires a comprehensive understanding of its effect on host immune system. To evaluate the potential immunoreactive properties of proteins isolated from four Lactobacillus strains: L. johnsonii 142 and L. johnsonii 151, L. rhamnosus LOCK 0900 and L. casei LOCK 0919, the polyclonal sera obtained from mouse and human have been tested as well as with sera from rabbits immunized with whole lactobacilli cells. The reactivity of isolated proteins detected by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting was heterogeneous and varied between different serum samples. The proteins with the highest immunoreactivity were isolated, purified and sequenced, in particular the fractions were identified as phosphoglycerate kinase (L. johnsonii 142), glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (L. johnosnii 142, L. rhamnosus LOCK 0900), hypothetic protein JDM1_1307 (L. johnsonii 151) and fructose/tagatose-bisphosphate-aldolase (L. casei LOCK 0919). The different prevalence of reactions against tested antigens in rabbit, mouse and human sera may indicate significant differences in immune system and commensal cross-talk in these groups. The identification of immunoreactive lactobacilli proteins opens the possibility to use them as an antigens for development of vaccines.

Euler European Libraries and Electronic Resources in Mathematical Sciences

CERN Document Server

The Euler Project. Karlsruhe

The European Libraries and Electronic Resources (EULER) Project in Mathematical Sciences provides the EulerService site for searching out "mathematical resources such as books, pre-prints, web-pages, abstracts, proceedings, serials, technical reports preprints) and NetLab (for Internet resources), this outstanding engine is capable of simple, full, and refined searches. It also offers a browse option, which responds to entries in the author, keyword, and title fields. Further information about the Project is provided at the EULER homepage.

[Evaluation of angiogenic activity in sera from patients with interstitial lung diseases].

Science.gov (United States)

Zielonka, T M; Demkow, U; Kowalski, J; Kuś, J; Krychniak-Soszka, A; Radzikowska, E; Skopińska-Rózewska, E; Rowińska-Zakrzewska, E

1997-01-01

Angiogenesis is a process of new blood vessels' formation occurring in many physiological and pathological conditions. Neovascularisation is the principal vascular response in chronic inflammation and concomitant fibrotic process. Microvascular changes in various organ sites in sarcoidosis (BBS) and some of the symptoms of the disease may be related to microangiopathy. Moreover, vascular alterations were also observed in lung specimens from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and avian fanciers lung (AFL) patients. The present study was aimed at testing the effects of serum from 43 patients with ILD (24 BBS, 8 AFL, 8 IPF, 3 DIPF--drug induced pulmonary fibrosis) and 11 healthy controls on angiogenic capability of normal blood peripheral mononuclear cells (PBMC) in the murine intradermal angiogenesis assay (according to Sidky and Auerbach). The data demonstrated that sera from ILD patients significantly enhanced angiogenic capacity of normal PBMC as compared to control sera (p < 0.001). The effect was more pronounced for AFL patients than for BBS and IPF ones (p < 0.05). Sera from DIPF did not stimulate angiogenesis compared to control sera. The data showed that sera from ILD patients constitute sources of mediators participating in angiogenesis. This phenomenon may play role in pathogenesis of chronic immunological processes in lung.

Effects of Electronic Information Resources Skills Training for Lecturers on Pedagogical Practices and Research Productivity

Science.gov (United States)

Bhukuvhani, Crispen; Chiparausha, Blessing; Zuvalinyenga, Dorcas

2012-01-01

Lecturers use various electronic resources at different frequencies. The university library's information literacy skills workshops and seminars are the main sources of knowledge of accessing electronic resources. The use of electronic resources can be said to have positively affected lecturers' pedagogical practices and their work in general. The…

Sera from remitting and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis patients disrupt the blood-brain barrier.

Science.gov (United States)

Shimizu, Fumitaka; Tasaki, Ayako; Sano, Yasuteru; Ju, Mihua; Nishihara, Hideaki; Oishi, Mariko; Koga, Michiaki; Kawai, Motoharu; Kanda, Takashi

2014-01-01

Pathological destruction of blood-brain barrier (BBB) has been thought to be the initial key event in the process of developing multiple sclerosis (MS). The purpose of the present study was to clarify the possible molecular mechanisms responsible for the malfunction of BBB by sera from relapse-remitting MS (RRMS) and secondary progressive MS (SPMS) patients. We evaluated the effects of sera from the patients in the relapse phase of RRMS (RRMS-R), stable phase of RRMS (RRMS-S) and SPMS on the expression of tight junction proteins and vascular cell adhesion protein-1 (VCAM-1), and on the transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER) in human brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs). Sera from the RRMS-R or SPMS patients decreased the claudin-5 protein expression and the TEER in BMECs. In RRMS-R, this effect was restored after adding an MMP inhibitor, and the MMP-2/9 secretion by BMECs was significantly increased after the application of patients' sera. In SPMS, the immunoglobulin G (IgG) purified from patients' sera also decreased the claudin-5 protein expression and the TEER in BMECs. The sera and purified IgG from all MS patients increased the VCAM-1 protein expression in BMECs. The up-regulation of autocrine MMP-2/9 by BMECs after exposure to sera from RRMS-R patients or the autoantibodies against BMECs from SPMS patients can compromise the BBB. Both RRMS-S and SPMS sera increased the VCAM-1 expression in the BBB, thus indicating that targeting the VCAM-1 in the BBB could represent a possible therapeutic strategy for even the stable phase of MS and SPMS.

Sera from remitting and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis patients disrupt the blood-brain barrier.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fumitaka Shimizu

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Pathological destruction of blood-brain barrier (BBB has been thought to be the initial key event in the process of developing multiple sclerosis (MS. The purpose of the present study was to clarify the possible molecular mechanisms responsible for the malfunction of BBB by sera from relapse-remitting MS (RRMS and secondary progressive MS (SPMS patients. METHODS: We evaluated the effects of sera from the patients in the relapse phase of RRMS (RRMS-R, stable phase of RRMS (RRMS-S and SPMS on the expression of tight junction proteins and vascular cell adhesion protein-1 (VCAM-1, and on the transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER in human brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs. RESULTS: Sera from the RRMS-R or SPMS patients decreased the claudin-5 protein expression and the TEER in BMECs. In RRMS-R, this effect was restored after adding an MMP inhibitor, and the MMP-2/9 secretion by BMECs was significantly increased after the application of patients' sera. In SPMS, the immunoglobulin G (IgG purified from patients' sera also decreased the claudin-5 protein expression and the TEER in BMECs. The sera and purified IgG from all MS patients increased the VCAM-1 protein expression in BMECs. CONCLUSIONS: The up-regulation of autocrine MMP-2/9 by BMECs after exposure to sera from RRMS-R patients or the autoantibodies against BMECs from SPMS patients can compromise the BBB. Both RRMS-S and SPMS sera increased the VCAM-1 expression in the BBB, thus indicating that targeting the VCAM-1 in the BBB could represent a possible therapeutic strategy for even the stable phase of MS and SPMS.

Antibody reaction of human anti-Toxoplasma gondii positive and negative sera with Neospora caninum antigens

OpenAIRE

Nam, Ho-Woo; Kang, Seung-Won; Choi, Won-Young

1998-01-01

Anti-Neospora caninum antibody was detected in anti-Toxoplasma gondii positive and negative human sera by ELISA, western blot and immunofluorescence assay (IFA). Twelve cases out of 172 (6.7%) Toxoplasma-positive sera cross-reacted with both T. gondii and N. caninum antigens, and one out of 110 Toxoplasma-negative sera reacted with N. caninum antigen by ELISA. By western blot, all 12 sera reacted with T. gondii antigens with various banding patterns but specifically at 30 kDa (SAG1) and 22 kD...

The Plasmodium falciparum pseudoprotease SERA5 regulates the kinetics and efficiency of malaria parasite egress from host erythrocytes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christine R Collins

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Egress of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum from its host red blood cell is a rapid, highly regulated event that is essential for maintenance and completion of the parasite life cycle. Egress is protease-dependent and is temporally associated with extensive proteolytic modification of parasite proteins, including a family of papain-like proteins called SERA that are expressed in the parasite parasitophorous vacuole. Previous work has shown that the most abundant SERA, SERA5, plays an important but non-enzymatic role in asexual blood stages. SERA5 is extensively proteolytically processed by a parasite serine protease called SUB1 as well as an unidentified cysteine protease just prior to egress. However, neither the function of SERA5 nor the role of its processing is known. Here we show that conditional disruption of the SERA5 gene, or of both the SERA5 and related SERA4 genes simultaneously, results in a dramatic egress and replication defect characterised by premature host cell rupture and the failure of daughter merozoites to efficiently disseminate, instead being transiently retained within residual bounding membranes. SERA5 is not required for poration (permeabilization or vesiculation of the host cell membrane at egress, but the premature rupture phenotype requires the activity of a parasite or host cell cysteine protease. Complementation of SERA5 null parasites by ectopic expression of wild-type SERA5 reversed the egress defect, whereas expression of a SERA5 mutant refractory to processing failed to rescue the phenotype. Our findings implicate SERA5 as an important regulator of the kinetics and efficiency of egress and suggest that proteolytic modification is required for SERA5 function. In addition, our study reveals that efficient egress requires tight control of the timing of membrane rupture.

Electronic Commerce Resource Centers. An Industry--University Partnership.

Science.gov (United States)

Gulledge, Thomas R.; Sommer, Rainer; Tarimcilar, M. Murat

1999-01-01

Electronic Commerce Resource Centers focus on transferring emerging technologies to small businesses through university/industry partnerships. Successful implementation hinges on a strategic operating plan, creation of measurable value for customers, investment in customer-targeted training, and measurement of performance outputs. (SK)

Analysis of Cl and Na in Hyperimmune Sera by NAA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baptista, T. S.; Zamboni, C. B.; Marcelino, J. R.

2011-01-01

The Cl and Na concentration values in four types of hyperimmune sera (anti-Bothrops, anti-Diphtheria, anti-Rabies and anti-Tetanus) used for immunological therapy were determined using Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA). These data were compatible with the specifications established by the Word Health Organization (WHO-OMS) and with the Brazilian Official Pharmacopea (Pharmaceutical Code Official of the Country). These data are an important support for quality control of hyperimmune sera production at Butantan Institute (Sao Paulo city, Brazil), responsible for supplying the Brazilian market.

Effects Of Amitryptilin Administration on Rat Sera and Brain Beta-endorphins

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Radivoj Jadrić

2006-11-01

Full Text Available The aim of our study was to establish the influence of antidepressive drugs on serum and brain beta-endorphins in experimental animals. Experiment was performed on albino Wistar rats. Antidepressant amitryptiline was used, and for quantification of sera and brain beta-endorphins RIA technique. Our results showed difference between sera and brain beta-endorphins concentration in amitryptiline pretreated animals, vs. those in serum and brain of control group treated with 0.95% NaCl. This study shows that use of psychoactive drugs have influence on sera and brain beta-endorphins concentration. Beta-endorphins could be of great importance, used as markers for evaluation of antidepressant drug effects.

Correlation between chemical components of billary calculi and bile & sera and bile of gallstone patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Chandran, Prasheeda; Garg, Pradeep; Pundir, Chandra S

2005-07-01

Total cholesterol, total bilirubin, calcium, oxalate, inorganic phosphate, magnesium, iron, copper, sodium and potassium were analyzed quantitatively in gallstones, bile of gall bladder and sera of 200 patients of cholelithiasis (52 cholesterol, 76 mixed and 72 pigment stone patients) and their contents were correlated between calculi and bile and sera and bile in these three type of stone patients. A significant positive correlation was observed between total cholesterol, total bilirubin of calculi and bile, copper of bile and sera of cholesterol stone patients, copper of calculi and bile, total bilirubin, oxalate, magnesium, potassium of sera and bile of pigment stone patients and oxalate and iron of stone and bile, total bilirubin, oxalate, sodium of sera and bile of mixed stone patients. A significant negative correlation was found between magnesium of serum and bile of cholesterol stone patients, oxalate of calculi and bile of pigment stone patients and magnesium of serum and bile of mixed stone patients.

Characterization of sequence diversity in Plasmodium falciparum SERA5 from Indian isolates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rahul C.N

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Objective: To characterize the sequence diversity of blood-stage Plasmodium falciparum serine repeat antigen-5 (PfSERA5 which is lacking in a malaria-endemic country like India. Methods: In this study, parasitic DNA was obtained from field isolates collected from various geographic regions. Subsequently, PfSERA5 gene sequence was PCR amplified and DNA sequenced. Results: We reported the existence of unique repeat polymorphisms and novel haplotypes for both the octamer repeat (OR and serine repeat (SR regions of the N-terminal fragment of PfSERA5 from Indian isolates. Several isolates from India were identical to low-frequency African haplotypes. Unique finding of our study was an Indian isolate showing deletion in a perfectly conserved 14 mer sequence within octamer repeat. Indian haplotypes reported in this study were found to be distributed into the three earlier classified allelic clusters of FCR3, K1 and Honduras showcasing broad diversity as compared to worldwide haplotypes. Conclusions: This study is the first report on genetic diversity of PfSERA5 antigen from India. Further evaluation of these haplotypes by serotyping would provide useful information for investigating variant-specific immunity and aid in malaria vaccine research.

Allergen analysis of sea urchin roe using sera from five patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Tanaka, Kenichi; Kondo, Yasuto; Inuo, Chisato; Nakajima, Yoichi; Tsuge, Ikuya; Doi, Satoru; Yanagihara, Shigeto; Yoshikawa, Tetsushi; Urisu, Atsuo

2014-01-01

Sea urchin roe can cause anaphylactic reactions the first time they are consumed; therefore, careful clinical attention should be paid to their effects. However, no previous study has examined the allergens in sea urchin roe using sera from more than one patient. We attempted to identify sea urchin allergens using sera from 5 patients with sea urchin allergies. We enrolled 5 patients with relevant medical histories, positive results on a skin prick test and/or a food challenge test, and high levels of sea urchin-specific IgE in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We performed SDS-PAGE, immunoblotting, immunoblot inhibition, and N-terminal amino acid sequence detection. Ten protein bands ranging from 18 to 170 kDa were detected in more than 2 patients' sera. In immunoblotting, the protein band for the 170-kDa major yolk protein was recognized by 4 of the 5 sera. Furthermore, the reaction between IgE and the protein band for egg cortical vesicle protein (18 kDa) was inhibited by the addition of salmon roe extract. Major yolk protein was confirmed to be one of the main allergens in sea urchin roe. In addition, egg cortical vesicle protein (18 kDa) was demonstrated to be an important protein for cross-reactivity with salmon roe. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Long-term sera storage does not significantly modify the interpretation of toxoplasmosis serologies.

Science.gov (United States)

Dard, C; Bailly, S; Drouet, T; Fricker-Hidalgo, H; Brenier-Pinchart, M P; Pelloux, H

2017-03-01

Serological investigation of Toxoplasma gondii can answer many questions about toxoplasmosis in human pathology. Along these lines, studies on serum storage in biobanks need to be performed especially in terms of determining the impact of storage on relevance of sera analysis after freezing. This study assessed the impact of long-term sera storage on the stability of anti-Toxoplasma immunoglobulins. The stability of anti-Toxoplasma IgG and IgM was studied in 244 and 242 sera respectively, stored at -20°C from one month to ten years. ELISA-immunoassay (Vidas®, bioMérieux) was used for initial and post-storage analyses. Linear models for repeated measures and subgroup analyses were performed to assess the effect of storage duration and sample characteristics on immunoglobulins stability. Until ten years, the variability attributed to storage (maximum 8.07% for IgG, 13.17% for IgM) was below the variations inherent to the serological technique and allowed by quality assurance systems (15%). Subgroup analysis reported no variation attributed to sera storage. Serological interpretation was modified for 3 sera (1.2%) tested for IgM, all stored more than seven years. Anti-Toxoplasma immunoglobulins can reliably be measured for at least up to six years of storage with no modification of interpretation of toxoplasmosis serologies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characterization of anti-liver-kidney microsome antibody (anti-LKM1) from hepatitis C virus-positive and -negative sera.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamamoto, A M; Cresteil, D; Homberg, J C; Alvarez, F

1993-06-01

Hepatitis C virus-related antibodies were found in sera positive for antibodies to liver/kidney microsome antibody, usually considered a marker of autoimmune hepatitis. The aim of this study was to analyze the specificity of this autoantibody in sera from patients with and without hepatitis C virus infection. Fifteen anti-hepatitis C virus- and anti-liver kidney microsome-positive sera were compared with 11 sera from patients with autoimmune hepatitis, for reactivity against rat and human liver microsomal proteins, P450IID6 recombinant proteins, and various synthetic peptides spanning the 241-429 amino acids sequence of the P450IID6. Ten of 11 sera from patients with autoimmune hepatitis bound to recombinant proteins spanning the P450IID6 region between amino acids 72 and 458. These sera bound to the 254-271 peptide, and some also recognized the 321-351, 373-389 and 410-429 peptides. Four of 15 antihepatitis C virus recognized the fusion protein coded by the full-length P450IID6 complementary DNA; 3 of them also reacted with the P450IID6 region between amino acids 72-456. Only 1 sera recognized the 321-351 peptide. P450IID6 antigenic sites recognized by anti-hepatitis C virus-positive sera were different from those recognized by sera from patients with autoimmune hepatitis.

Testing for myositis specific autoantibodies: Comparison between line blot and immunoprecipitation assays in 57 myositis sera.

Science.gov (United States)

Cavazzana, Ilaria; Fredi, Micaela; Ceribelli, Angela; Mordenti, Cristina; Ferrari, Fabio; Carabellese, Nice; Tincani, Angela; Satoh, Minoru; Franceschini, Franco

2016-06-01

To analyze the performance of a line blot assay for the identification of autoantibodies in sera of patients affected by myositis, compared with immunoprecipitation (IP) as gold standard. 66 sera of patients with myositis (23 polymyositis, 8 anti-synthetase syndromes, 29 dermatomyositis and 6 overlap syndromes) were tested by commercial LB (Euroimmun, Lubeck, Germany); 57 sera were analyzed also by IP of K562 cell extract radiolabeled with (35)S-methionine. Inter-rater agreement was calculated with Cohen's k coefficient. Myositis-specific antibodies (MSA) were detected in 36/57 sera (63%) by IP and in 39/66 sera (59%) by LB. The most frequent MSA found by LB were anti-Jo1 and anti-Mi2 found in 15% (10/66) of sera, followed by anti-NXP2 and anti-SRP detected in 106% (7/66) of sera. Anti-TIF1gamma and anti-MDA5 were found in 6 (9%) and 5 sera (7.6%), respectively. A good agreement between methods was found only for anti-TIF1γ, anti-MDA5 and anti-NXP-2 antibodies, while a moderate agreement was estimated for anti-Mi2 and anti-EJ. By contrast, a high discordance rate for the detection of anti-Jo1 antibodies was evident (k: 0.3). Multiple positivity for MSA were found in 11/66 (17%) by LB and 0/57 by IP (p: 0001). Comparing the clinical features of these 11 sera, we found total discrepancies between assays in 3 sera (27.3%), a relative discrepancy due to the occurrence of one discordant autoantibody (not confirmed by IP) in 5 cases (45.5%) and a total discrepancy between LB and IP results, but with a relative concordance with clinical features were found in other 3 sera (27.3%). The semiquantitative results do not support the interpretation of the data. The use of LB assay allowed the detection of new MSA, such as anti-MDA5, anti-MJ and anti-TIF1gamma antibodies, previously not found with routine methods. However, the high prevalence of multiple positivities and the high discondant rate of anti-Jo1 antibodies could create some misinterpretation of the results from the

USE OF ELECTRONIC EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES WHEN TRAINING IN WORK WITH SPREADSHEETS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Х А Гербеков

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Today the tools for maintaining training courses based on opportunities of information and communication technologies are developed. Practically in all directions of preparation and on all subject matters electronic textbook and self-instruction manuals are created. Nevertheless the industry of computer educational and methodical materials actively develops and gets more and more areas of development and introduction. In this regard more and more urgent is a problem of development of the electronic educational resources adequate to modern educational requirements. Creation and the organization of training courses with use of electronic educational resources in particular on the basis of Internet technologies remains a difficult methodical task.In article the questions connected with development of electronic educational resources for use when studying the substantial line “Information technologies” of a school course of informatics in particular for studying of spreadsheets are considered. Also the analysis of maintenance of a school course and the unified state examination from the point of view of representation of task in him corresponding to the substantial line of studying “Information technologies” on mastering technology of information processing in spreadsheets and the methods of visualization given by means of charts and schedules is carried out.

Interlaboratory testing of porcine sera for antibodies to porcine circovirus type 2

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

McNair, I.; Marshall, M.; McNeilly, F.

2004-01-01

A panel of 20 porcine sera was distributed to 5 laboratories across Europe and Canada. Each center was requested to test the sera for the presence of porcine circovirus type 2 antibodies using the routine assays, indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and indirect immunoperoxidase monolayer assa...... than did IFA, and paraformaldehyde gave higher titers than did acetone or ethyl alcohol. This report highlights the need for standardized procedures and biologicals for this virus....

Detection of anti-aquaporin-4 autoantibodies in the sera of Chinese neuromyelitis optica patients

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Miao Li; Weiheng Su; Jie Wang; Francesco Pisani; Antonio Frigeri; Tonghui Ma

2013-01-01

In this study, we recruited 10 neuromyelitis optica patients, two multiple sclerosis patients and two myelitis patients. Chinese hamster lung fibroblast (V79) cells transfected with a human aquaporin-4-mCherry fusion protein gene were used to detect anti-aquaporin-4 antibody in neuromyelitis optica patient sera by immunofluorescence. Anti-aquaporin-4 autoantibody was stably detected by immunofluorescence in neuromyelitis optica patient sera exclusively. The sensitivity of the assay for neuromyelitis optica was 90% and the specificity for neuromyelitis optica was 100%. The anti-aquaporin-4 antibody titers in sera were tested with serial dilutions until the signal disappeared. A positive correlation was detected between Expanded Disability Status Scale scores and serum anti-aquaporin-4 antibody titers. The anti-aquaporin-4 antibody assay is highly sensitive and specific in the sera of Chinese neuromyelitis optica patients. Detection of aquaporin-4 autoantibody is important for the diagnosis and treatment of neuromyelitis optica.

Detection of anti-aquaporin-4 autoantibodies in the sera of Chinese neuromyelitis optica patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Miao; Su, Weiheng; Wang, Jie; Pisani, Francesco; Frigeri, Antonio; Ma, Tonghui

2013-03-15

In this study, we recruited 10 neuromyelitis optica patients, two multiple sclerosis patients and two myelitis patients. Chinese hamster lung fibroblast (V79) cells transfected with a human aquaporin-4-mCherry fusion protein gene were used to detect anti-aquaporin-4 antibody in neuromyelitis optica patient sera by immunofluorescence. Anti-aquaporin-4 autoantibody was stably detected by immunofluorescence in neuromyelitis optica patient sera exclusively. The sensitivity of the assay for neuromyelitis optica was 90% and the specificity for neuromyelitis optica was 100%. The anti-aquaporin-4 antibody titers in sera were tested with serial dilutions until the signal disappeared. A positive correlation was detected between Expanded Disability Status Scale scores and serum anti-aquaporin-4 antibody titers. The anti-aquaporin-4 antibody assay is highly sensitive and specific in the sera of Chinese neuromyelitis optica patients. Detection of aquaporin-4 autoantibody is important for the diagnosis and treatment of neuromyelitis optica.

Detection of anti-aquaporin-4 autoantibodies in the sera of Chinese neuromyelitis optica patients★

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Miao; Su, Weiheng; Wang, Jie; Pisani, Francesco; Frigeri, Antonio; Ma, Tonghui

2013-01-01

In this study, we recruited 10 neuromyelitis optica patients, two multiple sclerosis patients and two myelitis patients. Chinese hamster lung fibroblast (V79) cells transfected with a human aquaporin-4-mCherry fusion protein gene were used to detect anti-aquaporin-4 antibody in neuromyelitis optica patient sera by immunofluorescence. Anti-aquaporin-4 autoantibody was stably detected by immunofluorescence in neuromyelitis optica patient sera exclusively. The sensitivity of the assay for neuromyelitis optica was 90% and the specificity for neuromyelitis optica was 100%. The anti-aquaporin-4 antibody titers in sera were tested with serial dilutions until the signal disappeared. A positive correlation was detected between Expanded Disability Status Scale scores and serum anti-aquaporin-4 antibody titers. The anti-aquaporin-4 antibody assay is highly sensitive and specific in the sera of Chinese neuromyelitis optica patients. Detection of aquaporin-4 autoantibody is important for the diagnosis and treatment of neuromyelitis optica. PMID:25206717

Analytical Study of Usage of Electronic Information Resources at Pharmacopoeial Libraries in India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sunil Tyagi

2014-02-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study is to know the rate and purpose of the use of e-resource by the scientists at pharmacopoeial libraries in India. Among other things, this study examined the preferences of the scientists toward printed books and journals, electronic information resources, and pattern of using e-resources. Non-probability sampling specially accidental and purposive technique was applied in the collection of primary data through administration of user questionnaire. The sample respondents chosen for the study consists of principle scientific officer, senior scientific officer, scientific officer, and scientific assistant of different division of the laboratories, namely, research and development, pharmaceutical chemistry, pharmacovigilance, pharmacology, pharmacogonosy, and microbiology. The findings of the study reveal the personal experiences and perceptions they have had on practice and research activity using e-resource. The major findings indicate that of the total anticipated participants, 78% indicated that they perceived the ability to use computer for electronic information resources. The data analysis shows that all the scientists belonging to the pharmacopoeial libraries used electronic information resources to address issues relating to drug indexes and compendia, monographs, drugs obtained through online databases, e-journals, and the Internet sources—especially polices by regulatory agencies, contacts, drug promotional literature, and standards.

Page 170 Use of Electronic Resources by Undergraduates in Two ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

undergraduate students use electronic resources such as NUC virtual library, HINARI, ... web pages articles from magazines, encyclopedias, pamphlets and other .... of Nigerian university libraries have Internet connectivity, some of the system.

SERA: Simulation Environment for Radiotherapy Applications - Users Manual Version 1CO

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Venhuizen, James Robert; Wessol, Daniel Edward; Wemple, Charles Alan; Wheeler, Floyd J; Harkin, G. J.; Frandsen, M. W.; Albright, C. L.; Cohen, M.T.; Rossmeier, M.; Cogliati, J.J.

2002-01-01

This document is the user manual for the Simulation Environment for Radiotherapy Applications (SERA) software program developed for boron-neutron capture therapy (BNCT) patient treatment planning by researchers at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) and students and faculty at Montana State University (MSU) Computer Science Department. This manual corresponds to the final release of the program, Version 1C0, developed to run under the RedHat Linux Operating System (version 7.2 or newer) or the Solaris Operating System (version 2.6 or newer). SERA is a suite of command line or interactively launched software modules, including graphical, geometric reconstruction, and execution interface modules for developing BNCT treatment plans. The program allows the user to develop geometric models of the patient as derived from Computed Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) images, perform dose computation for these geometric models, and display the computed doses on overlays of the original images as three dimensional representations. This manual provides a guide to the practical use of SERA, but is not an exhaustive treatment of each feature of the code

SERA: Simulation Environment for Radiotherapy Applications - Users Manual Version 1CO

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Venhuizen, James Robert; Wessol, Daniel Edward; Wemple, Charles Alan; Wheeler, Floyd J; Harkin, G. J.; Frandsen, M. W.; Albright, C. L.; Cohen, M.T.; Rossmeier, M.; Cogliati, J.J.

2002-06-01

This document is the user manual for the Simulation Environment for Radiotherapy Applications (SERA) software program developed for boron-neutron capture therapy (BNCT) patient treatment planning by researchers at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) and students and faculty at Montana State University (MSU) Computer Science Department. This manual corresponds to the final release of the program, Version 1C0, developed to run under the RedHat Linux Operating System (version 7.2 or newer) or the Solaris™ Operating System (version 2.6 or newer). SERA is a suite of command line or interactively launched software modules, including graphical, geometric reconstruction, and execution interface modules for developing BNCT treatment plans. The program allows the user to develop geometric models of the patient as derived from Computed Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) images, perform dose computation for these geometric models, and display the computed doses on overlays of the original images as three dimensional representations. This manual provides a guide to the practical use of SERA, but is not an exhaustive treatment of each feature of the code.

Model of e-learning with electronic educational resources of new generation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. V. Loban

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose of the article: improving of scientific and methodical base of the theory of the е-learning of variability. Methods used: conceptual and logical modeling of the е-learning of variability process with electronic educational resource of new generation and system analysis of the interconnection of the studied subject area, methods, didactics approaches and information and communication technologies means. Results: the formalization complex model of the е-learning of variability with electronic educational resource of new generation is developed, conditionally decomposed into three basic components: the formalization model of the course in the form of the thesaurusclassifier (“Author of e-resource”, the model of learning as management (“Coordination. Consultation. Control”, the learning model with the thesaurus-classifier (“Student”. Model “Author of e-resource” allows the student to achieve completeness, high degree of didactic elaboration and structuring of the studied material in triples of variants: modules of education information, practical task and control tasks; the result of the student’s (author’s of e-resource activity is the thesaurus-classifier. Model of learning as management is based on the principle of personal orientation of learning in computer environment and determines the logic of interaction between the lecturer and the student when determining the triple of variants individually for each student; organization of a dialogue between the lecturer and the student for consulting purposes; personal control of the student’s success (report generation and iterative search for the concept of the class assignment in the thesaurus-classifier before acquiring the required level of training. Model “Student” makes it possible to concretize the learning tasks in relation to the personality of the student and to the training level achieved; the assumption of the lecturer about the level of training of a

A survey of the use of electronic scientific information resources among medical and dental students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aarnio Matti

2006-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background To evaluate medical and dental students' utilization of electronic information resources. Methods A web survey sent to 837 students (49.9% responded. Results Twenty-four per cent of medical students and ninteen per cent of dental students searched MEDLINE 2+ times/month for study purposes, and thiry-two per cent and twenty-four per cent respectively for research. Full-text articles were used 2+ times/month by thirty-three per cent of medical and ten per cent of dental students. Twelve per cent of respondents never utilized either MEDLINE or full-text articles. In multivariate models, the information-searching skills among students were significantly associated with use of MEDLINE and full-text articles. Conclusion Use of electronic resources differs among students. Forty percent were non-users of full-text articles. Information-searching skills are correlated with the use of electronic resources, but the level of basic PC skills plays not a major role in using these resources. The student data shows that adequate training in information-searching skills will increase the use of electronic information resources.

Antibodies from the sera of HIV-infected patients efficiently hydrolyze all human histones.

Science.gov (United States)

Baranova, Svetlana V; Buneva, Valentina N; Nevinsky, Georgy A

2016-08-01

Histones and their post-translational modifications have key roles in chromatin remodeling and gene transcription. Besides intranuclear functions, histones act as damage-associated molecular pattern molecules when they are released into the extracellular space. Administration of exogenous histones to animals leads to systemic inflammatory and toxic responses through activating Toll-like receptors and inflammasome pathways. Here, using ELISA it was shown that sera of HIV-infected patients and healthy donors contain autoantibodies against histones. Autoantibodies with enzymic activities (abzymes) are a distinctive feature of autoimmune diseases. It was interesting whether antibodies from sera of HIV-infected patients can hydrolyze human histones. Electrophoretically and immunologically homogeneous IgGs were isolated from sera of HIV-infected patients by chromatography on several affinity sorbents. We present first evidence showing that 100% of IgGs purified from the sera of 32 HIV-infected patients efficiently hydrolyze from one to five human histones. Several rigid criteria have been applied to show that the histone-hydrolyzing activity is an intrinsic property of IgGs of HIV-infected patients. The relative efficiency of hydrolysis of histones (H1, H2a, H2b, H3, and H4) significantly varied for IgGs of different patients. IgGs from the sera of 40% of healthy donors also hydrolyze histones but with an average efficiency approximately 16-fold lower than that of HIV-infected patients. Similar to proteolytic abzymes from the sera of patients with several autoimmune diseases, histone-hydrolyzing IgGs from HIV-infected patients were inhibited by specific inhibitors of serine and of metal-dependent proteases, but an unexpected significant inhibition of the activity by specific inhibitor of thiol-like proteases was also observed. Because IgGs can efficiently hydrolyze histones, a negative role of abzymes in development of acquired immune deficiency syndrome cannot be

21 CFR 864.2800 - Animal and human sera.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Animal and human sera. 864.2800 Section 864.2800 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES HEMATOLOGY AND PATHOLOGY DEVICES Cell And Tissue Culture Products § 864.2800 Animal and...

Access to electronic information resources by students of federal ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The paper discusses access to electronic information resources by students of Federal Colleges of Education in Eha-Amufu and Umunze. Descriptive survey design was used to investigate sample of 526 students. Sampling technique used was a Multi sampling technique. Data for the study were generated using ...

Adoption and use of electronic information resources by medical ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study investigated the adoption and use of electronic information resources by medical science students of the University of Benin. The descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study and 390 students provided the data. Data collected were analysed with descriptive Statistics(Simple percentage and ...

Where Do Electronic Books Fit in the College Research Arsenal of Resources?

Science.gov (United States)

Barbier, Patricia

2007-01-01

Student use of electronic books has become an accepted supplement to traditional resources. Student use and satisfaction was monitored through an online course discussion board. Increased use of electronic books indicate this service is an accepted supplement to the print book collection.

A monoclonal antibody to pestviruses in bovine and ovine sera

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mweene, A.S.

1991-01-01

An enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA) has been developed to defeat antibodies to pestviruses in bovine and ovine sera. Single sera from 211 cattle and 22 sheep from 7 different farms were tested using ELISA and Serum Neutralisation Test (SNT). 17 Monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) directed against P80, gp48 and gp53 were tested for ability to coat ELISA plates and capture the bovine viral diarrhea antigen. 5 mabs(WB 103, WB, 105, WB 112 against P80 kDa protein, WB 210 and WB 214 directed against gp48 and gp 53 kDa protein. Specific antibody to BVDV was detected by rabbit anti-bovine and anti-ovine IgG antisera. The quantitative correlation between two tests was good

Strategic Planning for Electronic Resources Management: A Case Study at Gustavus Adolphus College

Science.gov (United States)

Hulseberg, Anna; Monson, Sarah

2009-01-01

Electronic resources, the tools we use to manage them, and the needs and expectations of our users are constantly evolving; at the same time, the roles, responsibilities, and workflow of the library staff who manage e-resources are also in flux. Recognizing a need to be more intentional and proactive about how we manage e-resources, the…

REVIEW OF MOODLE PLUGINS FOR DESIGNING MULTIMEDIA ELECTRONIC EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES FROM LANGUAGE DISCIPLINES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anton M. Avramchuk

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Today the problem of designing multimedia electronic educational resources from language disciplines in Moodle is very important. This system has a lot of different, powerful resources, plugins to facilitate the learning of students with language disciplines. This article presents an overview and comparative analysis of the five Moodle plugins for designing multimedia electronic educational resources from language disciplines. There have been considered their key features and functionality in order to choose the best for studying language disciplines in the Moodle. Plugins are compared by a group of experts according to the criteria: efficiency, functionality and easy use. For a comparative analysis of the plugins it is used the analytic hierarchy process.

Modern ICT Tools: Online Electronic Resources Sharing Using Web ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Modern ICT Tools: Online Electronic Resources Sharing Using Web 2.0 and Its Implications For Library And Information Practice In Nigeria. ... 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 ...

THE MODEL OF LINGUISTIC TEACHERS’ COMPETENCY DEVELOPMENT ON DESIGNING MULTIMEDIA ELECTRONIC EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES IN THE MOODLE SYSTEM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anton M. Avramchuk

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The article is devoted to the problem of developing the competency of teachers of language disciplines on designing multimedia electronic educational resources in the Moodle system. The concept of "the competence of teachers of language disciplines on designing multimedia electronic educational resources in the Moodle system" is justified and defined. Identified and characterized the components by which the levels of the competency development of teachers of language disciplines on designing multimedia electronic educational resources in the Moodle system should be assessed. Developed a model for the development of the competency of teachers of language disciplines on designing multimedia electronic educational resources in the Moodle system, which is based on the main scientific approaches, used in adult education, and consists of five blocks: target, informative, technological, diagnostic and effective.

Developing Humanities Collections in the Digital Age: Exploring Humanities Faculty Engagement with Electronic and Print Resources

Science.gov (United States)

Kachaluba, Sarah Buck; Brady, Jessica Evans; Critten, Jessica

2014-01-01

This article is based on quantitative and qualitative research examining humanities scholars' understandings of the advantages and disadvantages of print versus electronic information resources. It explores how humanities' faculty members at Florida State University (FSU) use print and electronic resources, as well as how they perceive these…

Cassava leaves in combination with sera onggok and rice bran as supplements in buffaloes ration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hendratno, C.; Sofian, L.A.; Abidin, Z.; Bahaudin, R.; Suharyono.

1988-01-01

Two experiments have been undertaken to evaluate the utilization of cassava leaves in combination with sera onggok or rice bran as supplements in buffalo ration under traditional village condition. In experiment 1, 16 buffaloes were divided in four groups, each receiving a different ration ranging from mixed forage alone to mixed forage supplemented with a combination of cassava leaves and sera onggok or rice bran. Changes in dry metter consumption, daily weight gain, feed convertion ratio and incom over feed cost were assesed. Experiments 2 covered an in vitro study on the changes in rumen fermentation as affected by different rations. The results of experiment 1 indicated the lack of differences in dry matter consumption. However, the daily weight gain, feed convertion ratio and income over feed cost (IOFC) higher in animal receiving mixed forage suplement with cassava leaves in combination with either sera onggok or rice bran as compared to those of animal receiving mixed forage or mixed forage supplemented with cassava leaves. Experiment 2 revealed that amonia concentration and volatile fatty acid production were able to support a higher microbil activity supplemented with cassava leaves in combination with either sera onggok or rice bran as compared to those receiving the other two rations. In conclusion it is obvious that cassava leaves in combination with either sera onggok or rice bran used as supplements could promote a better production in animal in the villages. (author). 7 refs, 1 fig, 5 tabs

Identification of streptococcal proteins reacting with sera from Behçet's disease and rheumatic disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Sung Bin; Lee, Ju Hee; Ahn, Keun Jae; Cho, Suhyun; Park, Yong-Beom; Lee, Soo-Kon; Bang, Dongsik; Lee, Kwang Hoon

2010-01-01

We evaluated the reactivity of sera from Behçet's disease (BD), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), dermatomyositis (DM), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and Takayasu's arteritis (TA) patients against human α-enolase and streptococcal α-enolase, and identified additional streptococcal antigens. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunoblotting were performed using sera from patients with BD, SLE, DM, RA, and TA and healthy volunteers (control) against human α-enolase and streptococcal α-enolase. Immunoblot analysis and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation-time-of-flight mass spectrometry were used to identify and recombine other streptococcal antigens. Specific positive signals against recombinant human α-enolase were detected by IgM ELISA of serum samples from 50% of BD, 14.3% of SLE, 57.1% of DM, 42.9% of RA, and 57.1% of TA patients. Specific positive signals against streptococcal α-enolase were detected from 42.9% of BD, 14.3% of DM, and 14.3% of TA patients. No SLE and RA sera reacted against streptococcal α-enolase antigen. Streptococcal proteins reacting with sera were identified as hypothetical protein (HP) for SLE and DM patients, acid phosphatase (AP) for RA patients, and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) for TA patients. We observed that RA patients did not present serum reactivity against either HP or GAPDH though BD, SLE, DM, and TA patients did. Also, AP reacted with sera from BD, SLE, DM, RA, and TA patients.

Electronic resource management systems a workflow approach

CERN Document Server

Anderson, Elsa K

2014-01-01

To get to the bottom of a successful approach to Electronic Resource Management (ERM), Anderson interviewed staff at 11 institutions about their ERM implementations. Among her conclusions, presented in this issue of Library Technology Reports, is that grasping the intricacies of your workflow-analyzing each step to reveal the gaps and problems-at the beginning is crucial to selecting and implementing an ERM. Whether the system will be used to fill a gap, aggregate critical data, or replace a tedious manual process, the best solution for your library depends on factors such as your current soft

Electronic Resource Management System. Vernetzung von Lizenzinformationen

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michaela Selbach

2014-12-01

Full Text Available In den letzten zehn Jahren spielen elektronische Ressourcen im Bereich der Erwerbung eine zunehmend wichtige Rolle: Eindeutig lässt sich hier ein Wandel in den Bibliotheken (fort vom reinen Printbestand zu immer größeren E-Only-Beständen feststellen. Die stetig wachsende Menge an E-Ressourcen und deren Heterogenität stellt Bibliotheken vor die Herausforderung, die E-Ressourcen effizient zu verwalten. Nicht nur Bibliotheken, sondern auch verhandlungsführende Institutionen von Konsortial- und Allianzlizenzen benötigen ein geeignetes Instrument zur Verwaltung von Lizenzinformationen, welches den komplexen Anforderungen moderner E-Ressourcen gerecht wird. Die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG unterstützt ein Projekt des Hochschulbibliothekszentrums des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen (hbz, der Universitätsbibliothek Freiburg, der Verbundzentrale des Gemeinsamen Bibliotheksverbundes (GBV und der Universitätsbibliothek Frankfurt, in dem ein bundesweit verfügbares Electronic Ressource Managementsystem (ERMS aufgebaut werden soll. Ein solches ERMS soll auf Basis einer zentralen Knowledge Base eine einheitliche Nutzung von Daten zur Lizenzverwaltung elektronischer Ressourcen auf lokaler, regionaler und nationaler Ebene ermöglichen. Statistische Auswertungen, Rechteverwaltung für alle angeschlossenen Bibliotheken, kooperative Datenpflege sowie ein über standardisierte Schnittstellen geführter Datenaustausch stehen bei der Erarbeitung der Anforderungen ebenso im Fokus wie die Entwicklung eines Daten- und Funktionsmodells. In the last few years the importance of electronic resources in library acquisitions has increased significantly. There has been a shift from mere print holdings to both e- and print combinations and even e-only subscriptions. This shift poses a double challenge for libraries: On the one hand they have to provide their e-resource collections to library users in an appealing way, on the other hand they have to manage these

The Electron Microscopy Outreach Program: A Web-based resource for research and education.

Science.gov (United States)

Sosinsky, G E; Baker, T S; Hand, G; Ellisman, M H

1999-01-01

We have developed a centralized World Wide Web (WWW)-based environment that serves as a resource of software tools and expertise for biological electron microscopy. A major focus is molecular electron microscopy, but the site also includes information and links on structural biology at all levels of resolution. This site serves to help integrate or link structural biology techniques in accordance with user needs. The WWW site, called the Electron Microscopy (EM) Outreach Program (URL: http://emoutreach.sdsc.edu), provides scientists with computational and educational tools for their research and edification. In particular, we have set up a centralized resource containing course notes, references, and links to image analysis and three-dimensional reconstruction software for investigators wanting to learn about EM techniques either within or outside of their fields of expertise. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

Sample handling for mass spectrometric proteomic investigations of human sera.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

West-Nielsen, M.; Hogdall, E.V.; Marchiori, E.; Hogdall, C.K.; Schou, C.; Heegaard, N.H.H.

2005-01-01

Proteomic investigations of sera are potentially of value for diagnosis, prognosis, choice of therapy, and disease activity assessment by virtue of discovering new biomarkers and biomarker patterns. Much debate focuses on the biological relevance and the need for identification of such biomarkers

Protein array profiling of tic patient sera reveals a broad range and enhanced immune response against Group A Streptococcus antigens.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mauro Bombaci

Full Text Available The human pathogen Group A Streptococcus (Streptococcus pyogenes, GAS is widely recognized as a major cause of common pharyngitis as well as of severe invasive diseases and non-suppurative sequelae associated with the existence of GAS antigens eliciting host autoantibodies. It has been proposed that a subset of paediatric disorders characterized by tics and obsessive-compulsive symptoms would exacerbate in association with relapses of GAS-associated pharyngitis. This hypothesis is however still controversial. In the attempt to shed light on the contribution of GAS infections to the onset of neuropsychiatric or behavioral disorders affecting as many as 3% of children and adolescents, we tested the antibody response of tic patient sera to a representative panel of GAS antigens. In particular, 102 recombinant proteins were spotted on nitrocellulose-coated glass slides and probed against 61 sera collected from young patients with typical tic neuropsychiatric symptoms but with no overt GAS infection. Sera from 35 children with neither tic disorder nor overt GAS infection were also analyzed. The protein recognition patterns of these two sera groups were compared with those obtained using 239 sera from children with GAS-associated pharyngitis. This comparative analysis identified 25 antigens recognized by sera of the three patient groups and 21 antigens recognized by tic and pharyngitis sera, but poorly or not recognized by sera from children without tic. Interestingly, these antigens appeared to be, in quantitative terms, more immunogenic in tic than in pharyngitis patients. Additionally, a third group of antigens appeared to be preferentially and specifically recognized by tic sera. These findings provide the first evidence that tic patient sera exhibit immunological profiles typical of individuals who elicited a broad, specific and strong immune response against GAS. This may be relevant in the context of one of the hypothesis proposing that GAS

Technical Communicator: A New Model for the Electronic Resources Librarian?

Science.gov (United States)

Hulseberg, Anna

2016-01-01

This article explores whether technical communicator is a useful model for electronic resources (ER) librarians. The fields of ER librarianship and technical communication (TC) originated and continue to develop in relation to evolving technologies. A review of the literature reveals four common themes for ER librarianship and TC. While the…

Detection of toxoplasma gondii antigens in sera from experimentally infected mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shojaee, S.; Keshavarz, H.; Rezaian, M.; Mohebali, M.

2007-01-01

Detection of Toxoplasma antigen in serum of mice by Immunoblotting. strain. IgG isolated from rabbits that were immunized with T. gondii Immunoblotting was performed to detect T. gondii antigens in sera of mice. Serum samples from mice experimentally infected with T. gondii RH strain. The value of Immunoblotting in diagnosis of toxoplasmosis in acute stage of infection. The antigen bands detected in serum sample of mice were experimentally infected with T. gondii tachyzoite in immunoblotting. Six bands demonstrated on seventh post infection day six bands were identified. Similarly on sixth day four bands, on day five three bands and on fourth post infection day two bands were identified. No band was detected in control group sera. Immunoblotting is a sensitive method for diagnosis of acute stage of toxoplasmosis. (author)

Correlation between chemical components of billary calculi and bile & sera and bile of gallstone patients

OpenAIRE

Chandran, Prasheeda; Garg, Pradeep; Pundir, Chandra S.

2005-01-01

Total cholesterol, total bilirubin, calcium, oxalate, inorganic phosphate, magnesium, iron, copper, sodium and potassium were analyzed quantitatively in gallstones, bile of gall bladder and sera of 200 patients of cholelithiasis (52 cholesterol, 76 mixed and 72 pigment stone patients) and their contents were correlated between calculi and bile and sera and bile in these three type of stone patients. A significant positive correlation was observed between total cholesterol, total bilirubin of ...

MODEL OF AN ELECTRONIC EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE OF NEW GENERATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anatoliy V. Loban

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The mathematical structure of the modular architecture of an electronic educational resource (EER of new generation, which allows to decompose the process of studying the subjects of the course at a hierarchically ordered set of data (knowledge and procedures for manipulating them, to determine the roles of participants of process of training of and technology the development and use of EOR in the study procrate.

Improving a Complement-fixation Test for Equine Herpesvirus Type-1 by Pretreating Sera with Potassium Periodate to Reduce Non-specific Hemolysis

Science.gov (United States)

BANNAI, Hiroshi; NEMOTO, Manabu; TSUJIMURA, Koji; YAMANAKA, Takashi; KONDO, Takashi; MATSUMURA, Tomio

2013-01-01

Non-specific hemolysis has often been observed during complement-fixation (CF) tests for equine herpesvirus type-1 (EHV-1), even when the sera have virus-specific CF antibodies. This phenomenon has also been reported in CF tests for various infectious diseases of swine. We found that the sera from 22 of 85 field horses (25.9%) showed non-specific hemolysis during conventional CF testing for EHV-1. Because pretreatment of swine sera with potassium periodate (KIO4) improves the CF test for swine influenza, we applied this method to horse sera. As we expected, horse sera treated with KIO4 did not show non-specific hemolysis in the EHV-1 CF test, and precise determination of titers was achieved. PMID:24834005

9th International Conference on Software Engineering Research, Management and Applications(SERA 2011)

CERN Document Server

Software Engineering Research, Management and Applications 2011

2012-01-01

The purpose of the 9th International Conference on Software Engineering Research, Management and Applications(SERA 2011) held on August 10-12, 2011 in Baltimore, Maryland was to bring together scientists, engineers, computer users, and students to share their experiences and exchange new ideas and research results about all aspects (theory, applications and tools) of computer and information sciences, and to discuss the practical challenges encountered along the way and the solutions adopted to solve them.   The conference organizers selected 12 outstanding papers from SERA 2011, all of which you will find in this volume of Springer’s Studies in Computational Intelligence.

14C-Metampicillin stability in several physiological sera

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jimeno de Osso, F.; Casas Medica, F.; Carriazo Tovar, D.

1981-01-01

Degradation of 14 C -metampicillin incorporated to several physiological sera for medical uses has been studied. Influence of environmental conditions as well as possible interaction with the solvent have been specially analyzed. Degradation level of the labelled multiplication has been determined and its degradation products have been separated by using chromatographic and radiochemical methods. Likewise, the 14 C -metam picill synthesis has been described. Finally, the results obtained have been discussed and evaluated. (Author) 9 refs

Trypanosoma brucei gambiense adaptation to different mammalian sera is associated with VSG expression site plasticity.

Science.gov (United States)

Cordon-Obras, Carlos; Cano, Jorge; González-Pacanowska, Dolores; Benito, Agustin; Navarro, Miguel; Bart, Jean-Mathieu

2013-01-01

Trypanosoma brucei gambiense infection is widely considered an anthroponosis, although it has also been found in wild and domestic animals. Thus, fauna could act as reservoir, constraining the elimination of the parasite in hypo-endemic foci. To better understand the possible maintenance of T. b. gambiense in local fauna and investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying adaptation, we generated adapted cells lines (ACLs) by in vitro culture of the parasites in different mammalian sera. Using specific antibodies against the Variant Surface Glycoproteins (VSGs) we found that serum ACLs exhibited different VSG variants when maintained in pig, goat or human sera. Although newly detected VSGs were independent of the sera used, the consistent appearance of different VSGs suggested remodelling of the co-transcribed genes at the telomeric Expression Site (VSG-ES). Thus, Expression Site Associated Genes (ESAGs) sequences were analysed to investigate possible polymorphism selection. ESAGs 6 and 7 genotypes, encoding the transferrin receptor (TfR), expressed in different ACLs were characterised. In addition, we quantified the ESAG6/7 mRNA levels and analysed transferrin (Tf) uptake. Interestingly, the best growth occurred in pig and human serum ACLs, which consistently exhibited a predominant ESAG7 genotype and higher Tf uptake than those obtained in calf and goat sera. We also detected an apparent selection of specific ESAG3 genotypes in the pig and human serum ACLs, suggesting that other ESAGs could be involved in the host adaptation processes. Altogether, these results suggest a model whereby VSG-ES remodelling allows the parasite to express a specific set of ESAGs to provide selective advantages in different hosts. Finally, pig serum ACLs display phenotypic adaptation parameters closely related to human serum ACLs but distinct to parasites grown in calf and goat sera. These results suggest a better suitability of swine to maintain T. b. gambiense infection supporting

SERA Scenarios of Early Market Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Introductions: Modeling Framework, Regional Markets, and Station Clustering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bush, B. [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Melaina, M. [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Penev, M. [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Daniel, W. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2013-09-01

This report describes the development and analysis of detailed temporal and spatial scenarios for early market hydrogen fueling infrastructure clustering and fuel cell electric vehicle rollout using the Scenario Evaluation, Regionalization and Analysis (SERA) model. The report provides an overview of the SERA scenario development framework and discusses the approach used to develop the nationwidescenario.

A paper radioimmunosorbent test (PRIST) for the detection of larva-specific antibodies to Toxocara canis in human sera

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, H.V.; Quinn, R.; Bruce, R.G.; Girdwood, R.W.A.

1980-01-01

A paper radioimmunosorbent test (PRIST) was shown to be sensitive and reproducible when used with excretory/secretory antigen of Toxocara canis second stage larvae. Whatman No. 50 filter paper (5 mm discs) gave the most consistent and clear results with antigen at a concentration of 100 μg/ml, and could be stored for up to 3 weeks in vacuo at -70 0 C. Antigen coated discs were incubated with test sera at 1 : 10 dilution for 3 h at room temperature (21 0 C), reacted with [ 125 I]anti-human IgG for 1 h and counts determined in a gamma counter. Sera from patients with fascioliasis, taeniasis, schistosomiasis, oxyuriasis, trichinellosis and ancyclostomiasis gave counts similar to cord serum controls. Sera from patients with ascariasis gave counts of up to twice as great as controls, but sera from patients with toxicariasis produced counts of 7,000-13,000, a 4-6 fold increase. (Auth.)

The Plasmodium serine-type SERA proteases display distinct expression patterns and non-essential in vivo roles during life cycle progression of the malaria parasite.

Science.gov (United States)

Putrianti, Elyzana D; Schmidt-Christensen, Anja; Arnold, Iris; Heussler, Volker T; Matuschewski, Kai; Silvie, Olivier

2010-06-01

Parasite proteases play key roles in several fundamental steps of the Plasmodium life cycle, including haemoglobin degradation, host cell invasion and parasite egress. Plasmodium exit from infected host cells appears to be mediated by a class of papain-like cysteine proteases called 'serine repeat antigens' (SERAs). A SERA subfamily, represented by Plasmodium falciparum SERA5, contains an atypical active site serine residue instead of a catalytic cysteine. Members of this SERAser subfamily are abundantly expressed in asexual blood stages, rendering them attractive drug and vaccine targets. In this study, we show by antibody localization and in vivo fluorescent tagging with the red fluorescent protein mCherry that the two P. berghei serine-type family members, PbSERA1 and PbSERA2, display differential expression towards the final stages of merozoite formation. Via targeted gene replacement, we generated single and double gene knockouts of the P. berghei SERAser genes. These loss-of-function lines progressed normally through the parasite life cycle, suggesting a specialized, non-vital role for serine-type SERAs in vivo. Parasites lacking PbSERAser showed increased expression of the cysteine-type PbSERA3. Compensatory mechanisms between distinct SERA subfamilies may thus explain the absence of phenotypical defect in SERAser disruptants, and challenge the suitability to develop potent antimalarial drugs based on specific inhibitors of Plasmodium serine-type SERAs.

GUIDELINES FOR EVALUATION OF PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PEDAGOGICAL QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS OF ELECTRONIC EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Galina P. Lavrentieva

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The article highlights the causes of insufficient effective use of electronic learning resources and sets out the guidelines on ways to solve the aforementioned problems. The set of didactic, methodical, psychological, pedagogical, design and ergonomic quality requirements is considered for evaluation, selection and application of information and communication technologies in the educational process. The most appropriate mechanisms for the ICT introduction into the learning process are disclosed as it should meet the specific learning needs of the student and the objectives of the educational process. The guidance for psycho-educational assessment of quality of electronic educational resources is provided. It is argued that the effectiveness of the ICT use is to be improved by means of quality evaluation mechanisms involved into the educational process.

Availability, Use and Constraints to Use of Electronic Information Resources by Postgraduates Students at the University of Ibadan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dare Samuel Adeleke

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Availability, awareness and use of electronic resources provide access to authoritative, reliable, accurate and timely access to information. The use of electronic information resources (EIRs can enable innovation in teaching and increase timeliness in research of postgraduate students which will eventual result into encouragement of the expected research-led enquiry in this digital age. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. Samples of 300 of postgraduate students within seven out 13 Faculties were randomly selected. Data were collected using questionnaire designed to elicit response from respondents and data were analyzed using descriptive statistics methods percentages, mean, and standard deviation. Results indicated that internet was ranked most available and used in the university. Low level of usage of electronic resources, in particular, full texts data bases is linked to a number of constraints: Interrupted power supply was ranked highest among other factors as speed and capacity of computers, retrieval of records with high recall and low precision, retrieving records relevant to information need, lack of knowledge of search techniques to retrieve information effectively, non possession of requisite IT skills and problems accessing the internet. The study recommended that usage of electronic resources be made compulsory, intensifying awareness campaigns concerning the availability, training on use of electronic resources and the problem of power outage be addressed.

Reactivity of some mammalian sera with the bovine leukaemia virus env gene polypeptide expressed in Escherichia coli

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Slavikova, K.; Zajac, V.

1989-01-01

Sera from bovine leukaemia virus (BLV)-infected cattle and sheep were tested by radioimmunoassay and Western blot for their reactivity with 60,000 protein coded by the env gene of BLV and expressed in Escherichia coli. This protein, antigenically similar to BLV protein, reacted with antibodies against BLV antigens in the sera tested. (author). 3 figs., 1 tab., 13 refs

A Study on Developing Evaluation Criteria for Electronic Resources in Evaluation Indicators of Libraries

Science.gov (United States)

Noh, Younghee

2010-01-01

This study aimed to improve the current state of electronic resource evaluation in libraries. While the use of Web DB, e-book, e-journal, and other e-resources such as CD-ROM, DVD, and micro materials is increasing in libraries, their use is not comprehensively factored into the general evaluation of libraries and may diminish the reliability of…

Autoantibodies in breast cancer sera are not epiphenomena and may participate in carcinogenesis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fernández Madrid, Félix; Maroun, Marie-Claire; Olivero, Ofelia A; Long, Michael; Stark, Azadeh; Grossman, Lawrence I; Binder, Walter; Dong, Jingsheng; Burke, Matthew; Nathanson, S David; Zarbo, Richard; Chitale, Dhananjay; Zeballos-Chávez, Rocío; Peebles, Carol

2015-01-01

The objective of this work was to demonstrate that autoantibodies in breast cancer sera are not epiphenomena, and exhibit unique immunologic features resembling the rheumatic autoimmune diseases. We performed a comprehensive study of autoantibodies on a collection of sera from women with breast cancer or benign breast disease, undergoing annual screening mammography. All women in this study had suspicious mammography assessment and underwent a breast biopsy. We used indirect immunofluorescence, the crithidia assay for anti-dsDNA antibodies, and multiple ELISAs for extractable nuclear antigens. Autoantibodies were detected in virtually all patients with breast cancer, predominantly of the IgG1 and IgG3 isotypes. The profile detected in breast cancer sera showed distinctive features, such as antibodies targeting mitochondria, centrosomes, centromeres, nucleoli, cytoskeleton, and multiple nuclear dots. The majority of sera showing anti-mitochondrial antibodies did not react with the M2 component of pyruvate dehydrogenase, characteristic of primary biliary cirrhosis. Anti-centromere antibodies were mainly anti-CENP-B. ELISAs for extractable nuclear antigens and the assays for dsDNA were negative. The distinctive autoantibody profile detected in BC sera is the expression of tumor immunogenicity. Although some of these features resemble those in the rheumatic autoimmune diseases and primary biliary cirrhosis, the data suggest the involvement of an entirely different set of epithelial antigens in breast cancer. High titer autoantibodies targeting centrosomes, centromeres, and mitochondria were detected in a small group of healthy women with suspicious mammography assessment and no cancer by biopsy; this suggests that the process triggering autoantibody formation starts in the pre-malignant phase and that future studies using validated autoantibody panels may allow detection of breast cancer risk in asymptomatic women. Autoantibodies developing in breast cancer are not

Effects of sera obtained from electrically charged human body on action potential of giant axon of squid and its relationship to the therapy of the atomic bomb sequela, (2)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirofuji, Michio; Hatashita, Toshiyuki; Takemura, Hideyuki; Oda, Nobuo.

1984-01-01

The giant axon of squid was perfused for 20 min with sea water and four kinds of mixture of sera and sea water (1:2), and spike potential of the axon was compared by using a computer. Perfusates used were sea water, sera obtained before electric charge to the human body (pre-sera), sera obtained from the human body electrically charged with -300 volt (negative sera), and sera obtained from the human body electrically charged with +300 volt (positive sera). Negative sera increased action potential of the axon, and positive sera decreased action potential of the axon. These results revealed that negative sera have a greater deal of e - , and positive sera have less quantity of e - than pre-sera, suggesting the involvement of e - in the action potential of the axon. Microtubules in the inner part of the axonal membrane and cell membrane seem to be most greatly related to e - ; however, changes in the other axons, cell membrane and protoplasm should also be taken into account. These experimental results seem to be of great value, particularly providing useful information on the treatment for late effects (cell damage) of atomic bombing or burn. (Namekawa, K.)

Direct assessment of cumulative aryl hydrocarbon receptor agonist activity in sera from experimentally exposed mice and environmentally exposed humans

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schlezinger, Jennifer J; Bernard, Pamela L; Haas, Amelia

2010-01-01

(PCB)-exposed Faroe Islanders using an AhR-driven reporter cell line. To validate relationships between serum AhR agonist levels and biological outcomes, AhR agonist activity in mouse sera correlated with toxic end points. AhR agonist activity in unmanipulated ("neat") human sera was compared......, was associated with the frequency of recent pilot whale dinners, but did not correlate with levels of PCBs quantified by GC/MS. Surprisingly, significant "baseline" AhR activity was found in commercial human sera. CONCLUSIONS: An AhR reporter assay revealed cumulative levels of AhR activation potential in neat...

THE MODEL OF LINGUISTIC TEACHERS’ COMPETENCY DEVELOPMENT ON DESIGNING MULTIMEDIA ELECTRONIC EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES IN THE MOODLE SYSTEM

OpenAIRE

Anton M. Avramchuk

2017-01-01

The article is devoted to the problem of developing the competency of teachers of language disciplines on designing multimedia electronic educational resources in the Moodle system. The concept of "the competence of teachers of language disciplines on designing multimedia electronic educational resources in the Moodle system" is justified and defined. Identified and characterized the components by which the levels of the competency development of teachers of language disciplines on designing ...

Determining the level of awareness of the physicians in using the variety of electronic information resources and the effecting factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Papi, Ahmad; Ghazavi, Roghayeh; Moradi, Salimeh

2015-01-01

Understanding of the medical society's from the types of information resources for quick and easy access to information is an imperative task in medical researches and management of the treatment. The present study was aimed to determine the level of awareness of the physicians in using various electronic information resources and the factors affecting it. This study was a descriptive survey. The data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire. The study population included all the physicians and specialty physicians of the teaching hospitals affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical Sciences and numbered 350. The sample size based on Morgan's formula was set at 180. The content validity of the tool was confirmed by the library and information professionals and the reliability was 95%. Descriptive statistics were used including the SPSS software version 19. On reviewing the need of the physicians to obtain the information on several occasions, the need for information in conducting the researches was reported by the maximum number of physicians (91.9%) and the usage of information resources, especially the electronic resources, formed 65.4% as the highest rate with regard to meeting the information needs of the physicians. Among the electronic information databases, the maximum awareness was related to Medline with 86.5%. Among the various electronic information resources, the highest awareness (43.3%) was related to the E-journals. The highest usage (36%) was also from the same source. The studied physicians considered the most effective deterrent in the use of electronic information resources as being too busy and lack of time. Despite the importance of electronic information resources for the physician's community, there was no comprehensive knowledge of these resources. This can lead to less usage of these resources. Therefore, careful planning is necessary in the hospital libraries in order to introduce the facilities and full capabilities of the

Managing Selection for Electronic Resources: Kent State University Develops a New System to Automate Selection

Science.gov (United States)

Downey, Kay

2012-01-01

Kent State University has developed a centralized system that manages the communication and work related to the review and selection of commercially available electronic resources. It is an automated system that tracks the review process, provides selectors with price and trial information, and compiles reviewers' feedback about the resource. It…

LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHIC / MASS SPECTROMETRIC DETERMINATION OF MORPHINE, CODEINE AND COCAINE IN HUMAN SERA USING A NEW INTERNAL SURFACE REVERSED PHASE COLUMN

OpenAIRE

Hattori, Hideki; Arinobu, Tetsuya; Iwai, Masae; Suzuki, Osamu; Seno, Hiroshi

2003-01-01

A new internal surface reversed phase column (Shim-pack MAYI-ODS) was used for analysis of morphine, codeine and cocaine in human sera by LC/MS/MS. The column enabled direct injection of crude biological samples without pretreatment realizing a rapid analytical procedure. Therecoveries of morphine, codeine and cocaine spiked into human sera were 50-60 %. The regression equations for morphine, codeine and cocaine in sera, using atropine as internal standard, showed good linearity in the ranges...

End-of-life resource recovery from emerging electronic products

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Parajuly, Keshav; Habib, Komal; Cimpan, Ciprian

2016-01-01

Integrating product design with appropriate end-of-life (EoL) processing is widely recognized to have huge potentials in improving resource recovery from electronic products. In this study, we investigate both the product characteristics and EoL processing of robotic vacuum cleaner (RVC), as a case...... of emerging electronic product, in order to understand the recovery fate of different materials and its linkage to product design. Ten different brands of RVC were dismantled and their material composition and design profiles were studied. Another 125 RVCs (349 kg) were used for an experimental trial...... at a conventional ‘shred-and-separate’ type preprocessing plant in Denmark. A detailed material flow analysis was performed throughout the recycling chain. The results show a mismatch between product design and EoL processing, and the lack of practical implementation of ‘Design for EoL’ thinking. In the best...

Reactions of chicken sera to recombinant Campylobacter jejuni flagellar proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Yeh, Hung-Yueh; Hiett, Kelli L; Line, John E

2015-03-01

Campylobacter jejuni is a Gram-negative spiral rod bacterium and is the leading but underreported bacterial food-borne pathogen that causes human campylobacteriosis worldwide. Raw or undercooked poultry products are regarded as a major source for human infection. C. jejuni flagella have been implicated in colonization and adhesion to the mucosal surface of chicken gastrointestinal tracts. Therefore, flagellar proteins would be the excellent targets for further investigation. In this report, we used the recombinant technology to generate a battery of C. jejuni flagellar proteins, which were purified by His tag affinity chromatography and determined antigenic profiles of these recombinant flagellar proteins using sera from chickens older than 6 weeks of age. The immunoblot results demonstrate that each chicken serum reacted to various numbers of recombinant flagellar proteins. Among these recombinant proteins, chicken sera reacted predominantly to the FlgE1, FlgK, FlhF, FliG and FliY proteins. These antibody screening results provide a rationale for further evaluation of these recombinant flagellar proteins as potential vaccines for chickens to improve food safety as well as investigation of host immune response to C. jejuni.

Use of electronic sales data to tailor nutrition education resources for an ethnically diverse population.

Science.gov (United States)

Eyles, H; Rodgers, A; Ni Mhurchu, C

2010-02-01

Nutrition education may be most effective when personally tailored. Individualised electronic supermarket sales data offer opportunities to tailor nutrition education using shopper's usual food purchases. The present study aimed to use individualised electronic supermarket sales data to tailor nutrition resources for an ethnically diverse population in a large supermarket intervention trial in New Zealand. Culturally appropriate nutrition education resources (i.e. messages and shopping lists) were developed with the target population (through two sets of focus groups) and ethnic researchers. A nutrient database of supermarket products was developed using retrospective sales data and linked to participant sales to allow tailoring by usual food purchases. Modified Heart Foundation Tick criteria were used to identify 'healthier' products in the database suitable for promotion in the resources. Rules were developed to create a monthly report listing the tailored and culturally targeted messages to be sent to each participant, and to produce automated, tailored shopping lists. Culturally targeted nutrition messages (n = 864) and shopping lists (n = 3 formats) were developed. The food and nutrient database (n = 3000 top-selling products) was created using 12 months of retrospective sales data, and comprised 60%'healthier' products. Three months of baseline sales data were used to determine usual food purchases. Tailored resources were successfully mailed to 123 Māori, 52 Pacific and 346 non-Māori non-Pacific participants over the 6-month trial intervention period. Electronic supermarket sales data can be used to tailor nutrition education resources for a large number of ethnically diverse supermarket shoppers.

The need for a sufficient number of low level sera in comparisons of different serum vitamin B12 assays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gijzen, A.H.J.; Kock, H.W. de; Meulendijk, P.N.; Schmidt, N.A.; Schopman, W.; Tertoolen, J.F.W.; Voogd, C.E.

1983-01-01

Eight radiochemical methods for the assay of vitamin B 12 in serum were compared with the microbiological assay with Lactobacillus leichmannii ATCC 7830 using 198 individual sera of patients. There was a good agreement between the results of most samples with some kits and the microbiological assay. However, especially in the sera of vitamin B 12 -deficient patients large discrepancies between the results could occur. These variations were due to both the kits used and the performance of the assays in different laboratories. A sufficient number of non-pooled sera of vitamin B 12 -deficient patients should be included in investigations to validate radiochemical methods. (Auth.)

Trace elements in sera of patients with hepatitis B: Determination and analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Saod, Wahran M.; Darwish, Nadiya T.; Zaidan, Tahseen A.; Alfalujie, Abdul Wahab A.

2018-04-01

Chronic Hepatitis B (HBV) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide with about 248 million people having HBV infection. Trace elements e.g. copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), selenium (Se) and iron (Fe) are constituent components of many metal proteins and metalloenzymes in human sera. Therefore, the ratios of these trace elements in human sera are often stated to be a good marker for diagnosing various diseases including HBV. The aims of this study are: to compare the level of trace elements in sera of patients infected with HBV and healthy participants, and to evaluate the efficiency of analytical techniques (e.g. Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (hydride generation) (AAS) and Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (GFAAS) that are currently used to detect Fe and Se elements in Patients' human sera. The findings of this study show that the concentration range of copper element between (132.80±28.64 µg/dl) to (105.66±23.20 µg/dl) was significantly higher in HBV infected patients as compared to those in healthy controls (91.27±9.20 µg/dl). Iron concentration range between (206.64±61.60 µg/l) to (170.00±36.71 µg/l) was significantly higher in HBV infected patients as compared to those in healthy controls (158.00±15.13 µg/l). However, patients with HBV had significantly lower serum concentrations of zinc with a concentration range between (111.64±20.90 µg/dl) to (99.25±24.06 µg/dl) as compared to those in healthy controls (113.44±16.38 µg/dl). While selenium concentration range between (64.39±7.39 µg/l) to (51.10±4.96 µg/l) was significantly lower in HBV infected patients as compared to those in healthy controls (67.68±7.60) (μg/l). Moreover, the results of this study suggest that (AAS) technique was the most accurate method to measure the concentration of selenium element, while (UV and ICP-MS) analytical techniques have the same efficiency in measuring the iron concentration.

Availability, Level of Use and Constraints to Use of Electronic Resources by Law Lecturers in Public Universities in Nigeria

Science.gov (United States)

Amusa, Oyintola Isiaka; Atinmo, Morayo

2016-01-01

(Purpose) This study surveyed the level of availability, use and constraints to use of electronic resources among law lecturers in Nigeria. (Methodology) Five hundred and fifty-two law lecturers were surveyed and four hundred and forty-two responded. (Results) Data analysis revealed that the level of availability of electronic resources for the…

A systematic review of portable electronic technology for health education in resource-limited settings.

Science.gov (United States)

McHenry, Megan S; Fischer, Lydia J; Chun, Yeona; Vreeman, Rachel C

2017-08-01

The objective of this study is to conduct a systematic review of the literature of how portable electronic technologies with offline functionality are perceived and used to provide health education in resource-limited settings. Three reviewers evaluated articles and performed a bibliography search to identify studies describing health education delivered by portable electronic device with offline functionality in low- or middle-income countries. Data extracted included: study population; study design and type of analysis; type of technology used; method of use; setting of technology use; impact on caregivers, patients, or overall health outcomes; and reported limitations. Searches yielded 5514 unique titles. Out of 75 critically reviewed full-text articles, 10 met inclusion criteria. Study locations included Botswana, Peru, Kenya, Thailand, Nigeria, India, Ghana, and Tanzania. Topics addressed included: development of healthcare worker training modules, clinical decision support tools, patient education tools, perceptions and usability of portable electronic technology, and comparisons of technologies and/or mobile applications. Studies primarily looked at the assessment of developed educational modules on trainee health knowledge, perceptions and usability of technology, and comparisons of technologies. Overall, studies reported positive results for portable electronic device-based health education, frequently reporting increased provider/patient knowledge, improved patient outcomes in both quality of care and management, increased provider comfort level with technology, and an environment characterized by increased levels of technology-based, informal learning situations. Negative assessments included high investment costs, lack of technical support, and fear of device theft. While the research is limited, portable electronic educational resources present promising avenues to increase access to effective health education in resource-limited settings, contingent

Local production of donkey anti-rabbit's sera for human prolactin radioimmunoassay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hassan, Ammar Mohamed Elamin

2001-11-01

Pure Rabbit's IgG was used in this study to raise donkey anti rabbit's sera to be used as separating agent in radioimmunoassay. Two healthy donkeys have been immunized. The anti rabbit's sera have been titrated as (i) crude, (ii) purified and dialysed coupled to magnetic particles. Then this antibody was used as separating agent in a radioimmunoassay for measurement of human prolactin (PRL). Coupled Sudanese donkey and rabbit's sera (Sud-DARS) was used as 1/8 titre using chelsea RIA kit for human prolactin while 1/200 of liquid Sud-DARS was found to be the best titre using the Chinese kit. The best condition for estimation of the prolactin were optimized by determining the suitable incubation time and temperature. The assay can be done at room temperature but it should be incubated for 6 hours as recommended by the Chinese kit. Validity tests were done. The regression coefficients were 0.994 and 0.999 for linearity and recovery tests respectively. Measurement of human PRL wa found to be reproducible using Sud-DARS as separating agent since the coefficient of variation (C.V. %) was found to be less than 15% for both within batch and between assays. Comparing Sud D ARS to the Chinese kit, separating agent as reference agent, regression coefficient was found to be 0.977 which indicate that Sud-DARS can be used as separating agent. Prolactin in Sudanese subject was determined using the Chinese kit the Sud-DARS as separating agent. The ranges were 74-398 mIU/L in males and 102-414 mI/L in the preovulatory phase for the females while in the post ovulatory phase it was 114-442 mIU/L. Ovulation was confirmed by measurement of progesterone level 7 days before the next suspected mensuration. (Author)

Sera of patients with recurrent miscarriages containing anti-trophoblast antibodies (ATAB) reduce hCG and progesterone production in trophoblast cells in vitro.

Science.gov (United States)

von Schönfeldt, Viktoria; Rogenhofer, Nina; Ruf, Katharina; Thaler, Christian J; Jeschke, Udo

2016-09-01

Reproductive failure including RM has been suggested to correlate with antibodies that cross react with HLA-negative syncytiotrophoblasts and we have reported that 17% of women with 2 or more miscarriages and 34% of women with 3 or more miscarriages express anti-trophoblast antibodies (ATAB). Until now, the mechanism, how ATAB interfere with pregnancy success is not known. HCG and progesterone both play fundamental roles in supporting human pregnancy. Therefore we investigated the effects of sera of RM patients containing ATAB on the hCG and progesterone production of cells of the choriocarcinoma cell line JEG-3. In vitro study to investigate effects of patient sera with and without ATAB on hCG and progesterone secretion of JEG-3 cells. The presence of ATAB was detected as described earlier. Effects of sera from ATAB positive and ATAB negative RM patients on hCG and progesterone secretion by JEG-3 cells were analysed 12 and 24h after plating. Sera of women without pregnancy pathologies served as controls. Sera of ATAB-positive RM patients significantly inhibit hCG secretion of JEG-3 cells for 12h after plating compared to sera of healthy controls (p=0.019) and significantly reduce progesterone production for 12h (p=0.046) and 24h (p=0.027) of co-culture. Sera of ATAB-negative RM patient show no significant effect on progesterone secretion. Inhibition of hCG and progesterone production might point to a mechanism, how ATAB interfere with early pregnancies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

SAGES: a suite of freely-available software tools for electronic disease surveillance in resource-limited settings.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sheri L Lewis

Full Text Available Public health surveillance is undergoing a revolution driven by advances in the field of information technology. Many countries have experienced vast improvements in the collection, ingestion, analysis, visualization, and dissemination of public health data. Resource-limited countries have lagged behind due to challenges in information technology infrastructure, public health resources, and the costs of proprietary software. The Suite for Automated Global Electronic bioSurveillance (SAGES is a collection of modular, flexible, freely-available software tools for electronic disease surveillance in resource-limited settings. One or more SAGES tools may be used in concert with existing surveillance applications or the SAGES tools may be used en masse for an end-to-end biosurveillance capability. This flexibility allows for the development of an inexpensive, customized, and sustainable disease surveillance system. The ability to rapidly assess anomalous disease activity may lead to more efficient use of limited resources and better compliance with World Health Organization International Health Regulations.

Use and Cost of Electronic Resources in Central Library of Ferdowsi University Based on E-metrics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Reza Davarpanah

2012-07-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to investigate the usage of electronic journals in Ferdowsi University, Iran based on e-metrics. The paper also aimed to emphasize the analysis of cost-benefit and the correlation between the journal impact factors and the usage data. In this study experiences of Ferdowsi University library on licensing and usage of electronic resources was evaluated by providing a cost-benefit analysis based on the cost and usage statistics of electronic resources. Vendor-provided data were also compared with local usage data. The usage data were collected by tracking web-based access locally, and by collecting vender-provided usage data. The data sources were one-year of vendor-supplied e-resource usage data such as Ebsco, Elsevier, Proquest, Emerald, Oxford and Springer and local usage data collected from the Ferdowsi university web server. The study found that actual usage values differ for vendor-provided data and local usage data. Elsevier has got the highest usage degree in searches, sessions and downloads. Statistics also showed that a small number of journals satisfy significant amount of use while the majority of journals were used less frequent and some were never used at all. The users preferred the PDF rather than HTML format. The data in subject profile suggested that the provided e-resources were best suited to certain subjects. There was no correlation between IF and electronic journal use. Monitoring the usage of e-resources gained increasing importance for acquisition policy and budget decisions. The article provided information about local metrics for the six surveyed vendors/publishers, e.g. usage trends, requests per package, cost per use as related to the scientific specialty of the university.

Fingolimod prevents blood-brain barrier disruption induced by the sera from patients with multiple sclerosis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hideaki Nishihara

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: Effect of fingolimod in multiple sclerosis (MS is thought to involve the prevention of lymphocyte egress from lymphoid tissues, thereby reducing autoaggressive lymphocyte infiltration into the central nervous system across blood-brain barrier (BBB. However, brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs represent a possible additional target for fingolimod in MS patients by directly repairing the function of BBB, as S1P receptors are also expressed by BMECs. In this study, we evaluated the effects of fingolimod on BMECs and clarified whether fingolimod-phosphate restores the BBB function after exposure to MS sera. METHODS: Changes in tight junction proteins, adhesion molecules and transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER in BMECs were evaluated following incubation in conditioned medium with or without fingolimod/fingolimod-phosphate. In addition, the effects of sera derived from MS patients, including those in the relapse phase of relapse-remitting (RR MS, stable phase of RRMS and secondary progressive MS (SPMS, on the function of BBB in the presence of fingolimod-phosphate were assessed. RESULTS: Incubation with fingolimod-phosphate increased the claudin-5 protein levels and TEER values in BMECs, although it did not change the amount of occludin, ICAM-1 or MelCAM proteins. Pretreatment with fingolimod-phosphate restored the changes in the claudin-5 and VCAM-1 protein/mRNA levels and TEER values in BMECs after exposure to MS sera. CONCLUSIONS: Pretreatment with fingolimod-phosphate prevents BBB disruption caused by both RRMS and SPMS sera via the upregulation of claudin-5 and downregulation of VCAM-1 in BMECs, suggesting that fingolimod-phosphate is capable of directly modifying the BBB. BMECs represent a possible therapeutic target for fingolimod in MS patients.

Detection of Toxoplasma gondii DNA in sera samples of mice experimentally infected

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. Langoni

2006-04-01

Full Text Available Detection of Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii DNA in blood can help to diagnose the disease in its acute phase; however, it must be considered that hemoglobin, present in blood, can inhibit polymerase activity, making impracticable the detection of DNA in samples. Mice were experimentally infected via oral route with ME49 and BTU2 strains cysts and RH strain tachyzoites; polymerase chain reaction was used to detect T. gondii DNA in mice sera 18, 24, 48, 96, and 192 hours post infection (PI. Toxoplama gondii DNA was detected in only one animal infected with BTU2 strain, genotype III (isolated from a dog with neurological signs 18 hours PI. The agent's DNA was not detected in any sample of the other experimental groups. New studies must be carried out to verify the technique sensitivity in researches on this agent's genetic material using sera samples of acute-phase toxoplasmosis patients, especially in cases of immunosuppression.

Detection of immune complexes in sera of dogs with rheumatic and neoplastic diseases by 125I-Clq binding test

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Terman, D.S.; Moore, D.; Collins, J.; Johnston, B.; Person, D.; Templeton, J.; Poser, R.; Quinby, F.

1979-01-01

Some canine rheumatic and neoplastic diseases bear a striking clinical and serological resemblance to their counterparts in man. In the present study, human 125 I-Clq was employed in a radioimmunoassay for detection of immune complexes in sera of normal dogs and those with rheumatic and neoplastic diseases. Human 125 I-Clq showed binding of 16.7 +- 5.73% in a group of normal dog sera with binding of 32.5 +- 17.3% and 43.0 +- 16.0% in sera of dogs with rheumatic and neoplastic diseases. respectively. Human 125 I-Clq bound similar quantities of heat-aggregated canine and human gamma-globulin over a broad range of concentrations and human 125 I-Clq binding in canine sera was effectively inhibited by similar quantities of heat aggregated canine and human gamma-globulin. Seven of 12 dogs with elevated levels of Clq binding had active clinical and serological rheumatic disease (SLE or rheumatoid arthritis), while none of 7 dogs with values within the normal range had active clinical disease. All 5 dogs with widespread osteogenic sarcoma and all 4 dogs with high grade adenocarcinoma of the mammary gland had elevated Clq binding values while 2 animals with low grade malignancies without evident metastases did not. Thus, it appears that human 125 I-Clq may be employed to assay immune complexes in canine sera and may be a valuable technique for the study of dogs with various rheumatic and neoplastic diseases. (author)

Building and Managing Electronic Resources in Digital Era in India with Special Reference to IUCAA and NIV, Pune: A Comparative Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Sahu, H. K.; Singh, S. N.

2015-04-01

This paper discusses and presents a comparative case study of two libraries in Pune, India, Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics and Information Centre and Library of National Institute of Virology (Indian Council of Medical Research). It compares how both libraries have managed their e-resource collections, including acquisitions, subscriptions, and consortia arrangements, while also developing a collection of their own resources, including pre-prints and publications, video lectures, and other materials in an institutional repository. This study illustrates how difficult it is to manage electronic resources in a developing country like India, even though electronic resources are used more than print resources. Electronic resource management can be daunting, but with a systematic approach, various problems can be solved, and use of the materials will be enhanced.

Assessing the clinical utility of measuring Insulin-like Growth Factor Binding Proteins in tissues and sera of melanoma patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Buckley Michael T

2008-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Different Insulin-like Growth Factor Binding Proteins (IGFBPs have been investigated as potential biomarkers in several types of tumors. In this study, we examined both IGFBP-3 and -4 levels in tissues and sera of melanoma patients representing different stages of melanoma progression. Methods The study cohort consisted of 132 melanoma patients (primary, n = 72; metastatic, n = 60; 64 Male, 68 Female; Median Age = 56 prospectively enrolled in the New York University School of Medicine Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group (NYU IMCG between August 2002 and December 2006. We assessed tumor-expression and circulating sera levels of IGFBP-3 and -4 using immunohistochemistry and ELISA assays. Correlations with clinicopathologic parameters were examined using Wilcoxon rank-sum tests and Spearman-rank correlation coefficients. Results Median IGFBP-4 tumor expression was significantly greater in primary versus metastatic patients (70% versus 10%, p = 0.01 A trend for greater median IGFBP-3 sera concentration was observed in metastatic versus primary patients (4.9 μg/ml vs. 3.4 μg/ml, respectively, p = 0.09. However, sera levels fell within a normal range for IGFBP-3. Neither IGFBP-3 nor -4 correlated with survival in this subset of patients. Conclusion Decreased IGFBP-4 tumor expression might be a step in the progression from primary to metastatic melanoma. Our data lend support to a recently-described novel tumor suppressor role of secreting IGFBPs in melanoma. However, data do not support the clinical utility of measuring levels of IGFBP-3 and -4 in sera of melanoma patients.

Detection of antibodies to bacterial cell wall peptidoglycan in human sera

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heymer, B.; Schleifer, K.H.; Read, S.; Zabriskie, J.B.; Krause, R.M.

1976-01-01

A radioimmunoassay has been developed for the measurement of antibodies to peptidoglycan in human sera including patients with rheumatic feaver and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. The assay is based on the percentage of binding of the hapten 125 I-L-Ala-γ-D-Glu-L-Lys-D-Ala-D-Ala, the major peptide determinant of peptidoglycan. Because of differences in the avidity of the antibodies in different sera, the amount of antibody was expressed as pentapeptide hapten-binding capacity (pentapeptide-HBC in ng/ml of serum). Fourteen out of 105 normal blood donors had a pentapeptide-HBC value greater than or equal to 75 ng/ml serum. Values in healthy children 5 to 18 years of age were less than or equal to 50 ng/ml. Sixty-eight percent of the individuals with rheumatic fever had values greater than or equal to 75 ng/ml, an indication that streptococcal infections can stimulate an immune response to peptidoglycan. Thirty-five percent of the patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis had values greater than or equal to 75 ng/ml. Such a finding points to a possible association between bacterial infections and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

[Use of internet and electronic resources among Spanish intensivist physicians. First national survey].

Science.gov (United States)

Gómez-Tello, V; Latour-Pérez, J; Añón Elizalde, J M; Palencia-Herrejón, E; Díaz-Alersi, R; De Lucas-García, N

2006-01-01

Estimate knowledge and use habits of different electronic resources in a sample of Spanish intensivists: Internet, E-mail, distribution lists, and use of portable electronic devices. Self-applied questionnaire. A 50-question questionnaire was distributed among Spanish intensivists through the hospital marketing delegates of a pharmaceutical company and of electronic forums. A total of 682 questionnaires were analyzed (participation: 74%). Ninety six percent of those surveyed used Internet individually: 67% admitted training gap. Internet was the second source of clinical consultations most used (61%), slightly behind consultation to colleagues (65%). The pages consulted most were bibliographic databases (65%) and electronic professional journals (63%), with limited use of Evidence Based Medicine pages (19%). Ninety percent of those surveyed used e-mail regularly in the practice of their profession, although 25% admitted that were not aware of its possibilities. The use of E-mail decreased significantly with increase in age. A total of 62% of the intensivists used distribution lists. Of the rest, 42% were not aware of its existence and 32% admitted they had insufficient training to handle them. Twenty percent of those surveyed had portable electronic devices and 64% considered it useful, basically due to its rapid consultation at bedside. Female gender was a negative predictive factor of its use (OR 0.35; 95% CI 0.2-0.63; p=0.0002). A large majority of the Spanish intensivists use Internet and E-mail. E-mail lists and use of portable devices are still underused resources. There are important gaps in training and infrequent use of essential pages. There are specific groups that require directed educational policies.

Model of e-learning with electronic educational resources of new generation

OpenAIRE

A. V. Loban; D. A. Lovtsov

2017-01-01

Purpose of the article: improving of scientific and methodical base of the theory of the е-learning of variability. Methods used: conceptual and logical modeling of the е-learning of variability process with electronic educational resource of new generation and system analysis of the interconnection of the studied subject area, methods, didactics approaches and information and communication technologies means. Results: the formalization complex model of the е-learning of variability with elec...

Impact of Knowledge Resources Linked to an Electronic Health Record on Frequency of Unnecessary Tests and Treatments

Science.gov (United States)

Goodman, Kenneth; Grad, Roland; Pluye, Pierre; Nowacki, Amy; Hickner, John

2012-01-01

Introduction: Electronic knowledge resources have the potential to rapidly provide answers to clinicians' questions. We sought to determine clinicians' reasons for searching these resources, the rate of finding relevant information, and the perceived clinical impact of the information they retrieved. Methods: We asked general internists, family…

Electronic Document Management: A Human Resource Management Case Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas Groenewald

2004-11-01

Full Text Available This case study serve as exemplar regarding what can go wrong with the implementation of an electronic document management system. Knowledge agility and knowledge as capital, is outlined against the backdrop of the information society and knowledge economy. The importance of electronic document management and control is sketched thereafter. The literature review is concluded with the impact of human resource management on knowledge agility, which includes references to the learning organisation and complexity theory. The intervention methodology, comprising three phases, follows next. The results of the three phases are presented thereafter. Partial success has been achieved with improving the human efficacy of electronic document management, however the client opted to discontinue the system in use. Opsomming Die gevalle studie dien as voorbeeld van wat kan verkeerd loop met die implementering van ’n elektroniese dokumentbestuur sisteem. Teen die agtergrond van die inligtingsgemeenskap en kennishuishouding word kennissoepelheid en kennis as kapitaal bespreek. Die literatuurstudie word afgesluit met die inpak van menslikehulpbronbestuur op kennissoepelheid, wat ook die verwysings na die leerorganisasie en kompleksietydsteorie insluit. Die metodologie van die intervensie, wat uit drie fases bestaan, volg daarna. Die resultate van die drie fases word vervolgens aangebied. Slegs gedeelte welslae is behaal met die verbetering van die menslike doeltreffendheid ten opsigte van elektroniese dokumentbestuur. Die klient besluit egter om nie voort te gaan om die huidige sisteem te gebruik nie.

IgG autoantibodies against interleukin 1 alpha in sera of normal individuals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Svenson, M; Poulsen, L K; Fomsgaard, A

1989-01-01

A pool of human sera from healthy blood donors was found to interfere competitively with the binding of 125I-labelled human recombinant interleukin 1 alpha (rIL-1 alpha) to the murine T-cell line EL4. The interference was reversible at the cellular level, and direct binding of the ligand to serum...

Testing UK blood donors for exposure to human parvovirus 4 using a time-resolved fluorescence immunoassay to screen sera and Western blot to confirm reactive samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Maple, Peter A C; Beard, Stuart; Parry, Ruth P; Brown, Kevin E

2013-10-01

Human parvovirus 4 (ParV4), a newly described member of the family Parvoviridae, like B19V, has been found in pooled plasma preparations. The extent, and significance, of ParV4 exposure in UK blood donors remain to be determined and reliable detection of ParV4 immunoglobulin (Ig)G, using validated methods, is needed. With ParV4 virus-like particles a ParV4 IgG time-resolved fluorescence immunoassay (TRFIA) was developed. There is no gold standard or reference assay for measuring ParV4 IgG and the utility of the TRFIA was first examined using a panel of sera from people who inject drugs (PWIDS)--a high-prevalence population for ParV4 infection. Western blotting was used to confirm the specificity of TRFIA-reactive sera. Two cohorts of UK blood donor sera comprising 452 sera collected in 1999 and 156 sera collected in 2009 were tested for ParV4 IgG. Additional testing for B19V IgG, hepatitis C virus antibodies (anti-HCV), and ParV4 DNA was also undertaken. The rate of ParV4 IgG seroprevalence in PWIDS was 20.7% and ParV4 IgG was positively associated with the presence of anti-HCV with 68.4% ParV4 IgG-positive sera testing anti-HCV-positive versus 17.1% ParV4 IgG-negative sera. Overall seropositivity for ParV4 IgG, in 608 UK blood donors was 4.76%. The ParV4 IgG seropositivity for sera collected in 1999 was 5.08%, compared to 3.84% for sera collected in 2009. No ParV4 IgG-positive blood donor sera had detectable ParV4 DNA. ParV4 IgG has been found in UK blood donors and this finding needs further investigation. © 2013 American Association of Blood Banks.

Challenges in the implementation of an electronic surveillance system in a resource-limited setting: Alerta, in Peru

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Soto Giselle

2008-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Infectious disease surveillance is a primary public health function in resource-limited settings. In 2003, an electronic disease surveillance system (Alerta was established in the Peruvian Navy with support from the U.S. Naval Medical Research Center Detachment (NMRCD. Many challenges arose during the implementation process, and a variety of solutions were applied. The purpose of this paper is to identify and discuss these issues. Methods This is a retrospective description of the Alerta implementation. After a thoughtful evaluation according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC guidelines, the main challenges to implementation were identified and solutions were devised in the context of a resource-limited setting, Peru. Results After four years of operation, we have identified a number of challenges in implementing and operating this electronic disease surveillance system. These can be divided into the following categories: (1 issues with personnel and stakeholders; (2 issues with resources in a developing setting; (3 issues with processes involved in the collection of data and operation of the system; and (4 issues with organization at the central hub. Some of the challenges are unique to resource-limited settings, but many are applicable for any surveillance system. For each of these challenges, we developed feasible solutions that are discussed. Conclusion There are many challenges to overcome when implementing an electronic disease surveillance system, not only related to technology issues. A comprehensive approach is required for success, including: technical support, personnel management, effective training, and cultural sensitivity in order to assure the effective deployment of an electronic disease surveillance system.

A macroecological analysis of SERA derived forest heights and implications for forest volume remote sensing.

Science.gov (United States)

Brolly, Matthew; Woodhouse, Iain H; Niklas, Karl J; Hammond, Sean T

2012-01-01

Individual trees have been shown to exhibit strong relationships between DBH, height and volume. Often such studies are cited as justification for forest volume or standing biomass estimation through remote sensing. With resolution of common satellite remote sensing systems generally too low to resolve individuals, and a need for larger coverage, these systems rely on descriptive heights, which account for tree collections in forests. For remote sensing and allometric applications, this height is not entirely understood in terms of its location. Here, a forest growth model (SERA) analyzes forest canopy height relationships with forest wood volume. Maximum height, mean, H₁₀₀, and Lorey's height are examined for variability under plant number density, resource and species. Our findings, shown to be allometrically consistent with empirical measurements for forested communities world-wide, are analyzed for implications to forest remote sensing techniques such as LiDAR and RADAR. Traditional forestry measures of maximum height, and to a lesser extent H₁₀₀ and Lorey's, exhibit little consistent correlation with forest volume across modeled conditions. The implication is that using forest height to infer volume or biomass from remote sensing requires species and community behavioral information to infer accurate estimates using height alone. SERA predicts mean height to provide the most consistent relationship with volume of the height classifications studied and overall across forest variations. This prediction agrees with empirical data collected from conifer and angiosperm forests with plant densities ranging between 10²-10⁶ plants/hectare and heights 6-49 m. Height classifications investigated are potentially linked to radar scattering centers with implications for allometry. These findings may be used to advance forest biomass estimation accuracy through remote sensing. Furthermore, Lorey's height with its specific relationship to remote sensing

Microbial transglutaminase treatment in pasta-production does not affect the immunoreactivity of gliadin with celiac disease patients' sera.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruh, Tobias; Ohsam, Jürgen; Pasternack, Ralf; Yokoyama, Keiichi; Kumazawa, Yoshiyuki; Hils, Martin

2014-07-30

The effect of microbial transglutaminase (MTG)-treatment of pasta-dough on the immunoreactivity with celiac disease patient's sera has been investigated. Modification by MTG has been proven by determination of the MTG reaction product ε-(γ-glutamyl)lysine (3.63 μmol/g protein), which was not detectable in non-MTG-treated pasta. Antigenicity has been analyzed by immunoblotting and ELISA using gliadin-extracts from pasta and MTG-treated pasta. Immunoblotting showed that the antibody-population (antigliadin antibodies and antideamidated gliadin antibodies) of the sera is specific for every individual patient. Immunoblotting and ELISA showed that there is no difference in immunoreactivity of gliadin extracted from pasta and MTG-pasta. Recognition pattern and intensity in Western blot as well as antibody titer has also been identical even for sera with a high antideamidated gliadin antibody titer. These results indicate no difference between pasta-gliadin and MTG-pasta-gliadin and especially no increased deamidation in pasta-gliadin by MTG-treatment.

Congenital heart block maternal sera autoantibodies target an extracellular epitope on the α1G T-type calcium channel in human fetal hearts.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Linn S Strandberg

Full Text Available Congenital heart block (CHB is a transplacentally acquired autoimmune disease associated with anti-Ro/SSA and anti-La/SSB maternal autoantibodies and is characterized primarily by atrioventricular (AV block of the fetal heart. This study aims to investigate whether the T-type calcium channel subunit α1G may be a fetal target of maternal sera autoantibodies in CHB.We demonstrate differential mRNA expression of the T-type calcium channel CACNA1G (α1G gene in the AV junction of human fetal hearts compared to the apex (18-22.6 weeks gestation. Using human fetal hearts (20-22 wks gestation, our immunoprecipitation (IP, Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence (IF staining results, taken together, demonstrate accessibility of the α1G epitope on the surfaces of cardiomyocytes as well as reactivity of maternal serum from CHB affected pregnancies to the α1G protein. By ELISA we demonstrated maternal sera reactivity to α1G was significantly higher in CHB maternal sera compared to controls, and reactivity was epitope mapped to a peptide designated as p305 (corresponding to aa305-319 of the extracellular loop linking transmembrane segments S5-S6 in α1G repeat I. Maternal sera from CHB affected pregnancies also reacted more weakly to the homologous region (7/15 amino acids conserved of the α1H channel. Electrophysiology experiments with single-cell patch-clamp also demonstrated effects of CHB maternal sera on T-type current in mouse sinoatrial node (SAN cells.Taken together, these results indicate that CHB maternal sera antibodies readily target an extracellular epitope of α1G T-type calcium channels in human fetal cardiomyocytes. CHB maternal sera also show reactivity for α1H suggesting that autoantibodies can target multiple fetal targets.

Considering Point-of-Care Electronic Medical Resources in Lieu of Traditional Textbooks for Medical Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Hale, LaDonna S; Wallace, Michelle M; Adams, Courtney R; Kaufman, Michelle L; Snyder, Courtney L

2015-09-01

Selecting resources to support didactic courses is a critical decision, and the advantages and disadvantages must be carefully considered. During clinical rotations, students not only need to possess strong background knowledge but also are expected to be proficient with the same evidence-based POC resources used by clinicians. Students place high value on “real world” learning and therefore may place more value on POC resources that they know practicing clinicians use as compared with medical textbooks. The condensed nature of PA education requires students to develop background knowledge and information literacy skills over a short period. One way to build that knowledge and those skills simultaneously is to use POC resources in lieu of traditional medical textbooks during didactic training. Electronic POC resources offer several advantages over traditional textbooks and should be considered as viable options in PA education.

Resource conservation approached with an appropriate collection and upgrade-remanufacturing for used electronic products.

Science.gov (United States)

Zlamparet, Gabriel I; Tan, Quanyin; Stevels, A B; Li, Jinhui

2018-03-01

This comparative research represents an example for a better conservation of resources by reducing the amount of waste (kg) and providing it more value under the umbrella of remanufacturing. The three discussed cases will expose three issues already addressed separately in the literature. The generation of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) interacts with the environmental depletion. In this article, we gave the examples of addressed issues under the concept of remanufacturing. Online collection opportunity eliminating classical collection, a business to business (B2B) implementation for remanufactured servers and medical devices. The material reuse (recycling), component sustainability, reuse (part harvesting), product reuse (after repair/remanufacturing) indicates the recovery potential using remanufacturing tool for a better conservation of resources adding more value to the products. Our findings can provide an overview of new system organization for the general collection, market potential and the technological advantages using remanufacturing instead of recycling of WEEE or used electrical and electronic equipment. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Effects of the Use of Electronic Human Resource Management (EHRM Within Human Resource Management (HRM Functions at Universities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chux Gervase Iwu

2016-09-01

Full Text Available This study set out to examine the effect of e-hrm systems in assisting human resource practitioners to execute their duties and responsibilities. In comparison to developed economies of the world, information technology adoption in sub-Saharan Africa has not been without certain glitches. Some of the factors that are responsible for these include poor need identification, sustainable funding, and insufficient skills. Besides these factors, there is also the issue of change management and users sticking to what they already know. Although, the above factors seem negative, there is strong evidence that information systems such as electronic human resource management present benefits to an organization. To achieve this, a dual research approach was utilized. Literature assisted immensely in both the development of the conceptual framework upon which the study hinged as well as in the development of the questionnaire items. The study also made use of an interview checklist to guide the participants. The findings reveal a mix of responses that indicate that while there are gains in adopting e-hrm systems, it is wiser to consider supporting resources as well as articulate the needs of the university better before any investment is made.

Electronic human resource management: Enhancing or entrancing?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul Poisat

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Orientation: This article provides an investigation into the current level of development of the body of knowledge related to electronic human resource management (e-HRM by means of a qualitative content analysis. Several aspects of e-HRM, namely definitions of e-HRM, the theoretical perspectives around e-HRM, the role of e-HRM, the various types of e-HRM and the requirements for successful e-HRM, are examined. Research purpose: The purpose of the article was to determine the status of e-HRM and examine the studies that report on the link between e-HRM and organisational productivity. Motivation for the study: e-HRM has the capacity to improve organisational efficiency and leverage the role of human resources (HR as a strategic business partner. Main findings: The notion that the implementation of e-HRM will lead to improved organisational productivity is commonly assumed; however, empirical evidence in this regard was found to be limited. Practical/managerial implications: From the results of this investigation it is evident that more research is required to gain a greater understanding of the influence of e-HRM on organisational productivity, as well as to develop measures for assessing this influence. Contribution: This article proposes additional areas to research and measure when investigating the effectiveness of e-HRM. It provides a different lens from which to view e-HRM assessment whilst keeping it within recognised HR measurement parameters (the HR value chain. In addition, it not only provides areas for measuring e-HRM’s influence but also provides important clues as to how the measurements may be approached.

Evaluation of an Immunochromatographic Test for Rapid and Reliable Serodiagnosis of Human Tularemia and Detection of Francisella tularensis-Specific Antibodies in Sera from Different Mammalian Species ▿

Science.gov (United States)

Splettstoesser, W.; Guglielmo-Viret, V.; Seibold, E.; Thullier, P.

2010-01-01

Tularemia is a highly contagious infectious zoonosis caused by the bacterial agent Francisella tularensis. Serology is still considered to be a cornerstone in tularemia diagnosis due to the low sensitivity of bacterial culture and the lack of standardization in PCR methodology for the direct identification of the pathogen. We developed a novel immunochromatographic test (ICT) to efficiently detect F. tularensis-specific antibodies in sera from humans and other mammalian species (nonhuman primate, pig, and rabbit). This new tool requires none or minimal laboratory equipment, and the results are obtained within 15 min. When compared to the method of microagglutination, which was shown to be more specific than the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, the ICT had a sensitivity of 98.3% (58 positive sera were tested) and a specificity of 96.5% (58 negative sera were tested) on human sera. On animal sera, the overall sensitivity was 100% (22 positive sera were tested) and specificity was also 100% (70 negative sera were tested). This rapid test preferentially detects IgG antibodies that may occur early in the course of human tularemia, but further evaluation with human sera is important to prove that the ICT can be a valuable field test to support a presumptive diagnosis of tularemia. The ICT can also be a useful tool to monitor successful vaccination with subunit vaccines or live vaccine strains containing lipopolysaccharide (e.g., LVS) and to detect seropositive individuals or animals in outbreak situations or in the context of epidemiologic surveillance programs in areas of endemicity as recently recommended by the World Health Organization. PMID:20220165

Detection of toxoplasma-specific immunoglobulin G in human sera: performance comparison of in house Dot-ELISA with ECLIA and ELISA.

Science.gov (United States)

Teimouri, Aref; Modarressi, Mohammad Hossein; Shojaee, Saeedeh; Mohebali, Mehdi; Zouei, Nima; Rezaian, Mostafa; Keshavarz, Hossein

2018-05-08

In the current study, performance of electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA) in detection of anti-toxoplasma IgG in human sera was compared with that of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Furthermore, performance of an in house Dot-ELISA in detection of anti-toxoplasma IgG was compared with that of ECLIA and ELISA. In total, 219 human sera were tested to detect anti-toxoplasma IgG using Dynex DS2® and Roche Cobas® e411 Automated Analyzers. Discordant results rechecked using immunofluorescence assay (IFA). Then, sera were used in an in house Dot-ELISA to assess toxoplasma-specific IgG. Of the 219 samples, two samples were found undetermined using ECLIA but reactive using ELISA. Using IFA, the two sera were reported unreactive. Furthermore, two samples were found reactive using ECLIA and unreactive using ELISA. These samples were reported reactive using IFA. The overall agreement for the two former methods was 98% (rZ0.98.1; P house Dot-ELISA included sensitivity of 79.5, specificity of 78.2, and accuracy of 78.9%, compared to ECLIA and ELISA. Positive and negative predictive values included 82.9 and 74.2%, respectively. A 100% sensitivity was found in in house Dot-ELISA for highly reactive sera in ECLIA and ELISA. ECLIA is appropriate for the first-line serological screening tests and can replace ELISA due to high speed, sensitivity, and specificity, particularly in large laboratories. Dot-ELISA is a rapid, sensitive, specific, cost-effective, user-friendly, and field-portable technique and hence can be used for screening toxoplasmosis, especially in rural fields or less equipped laboratories.

Immunodetection of Fasciola gigantica circulating antigen in sera of infected individuals for laboratory diagnosis of human fascioliasis.

Science.gov (United States)

Attallah, Abdelfattah M; Bughdadi, Faisal A; El-Shazly, Atef M; Ismail, Hisham

2013-10-01

Currently, the laboratory diagnosis of human fascioliasis is based on the parasitological examination of parasite eggs in stool specimens and serological detection of specific antibodies in serum samples, which are often unreliable diagnostic approaches. Ideally, a sensitive and specific diagnostic test for Fasciola infection should be based on the detection of circulating Fasciola antigen, which implies active infection. Here, a 27-kDa-molecular-mass antigen was identified in a Fasciola gigantica adult worm antigen preparation, excretory-secretory products, and sera from F. gigantica-infected individuals, and it was not detected in antigenic extracts of other parasites and sera from noninfected individuals. The target antigen was isolated and partially characterized as a protein. Immunoperoxidase staining located the target epitope within teguments and guts of F. gigantica adult worms. The performance characteristics of a newly developed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based on F. gigantica circulating antigen detection in serum (FgCA-27 ELISA) were investigated using sera of 120 parasitologically diagnosed F. gigantica-infected individuals and 80 noninfected individuals. The area under the receiving operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) for ELISA was significantly high (AUC = 0.961, P 93%), and a significant correlation (r = 0.715, P fascioliasis.

Detection and measurement of antioxidant capacity in human sera

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bognar, G.; Koeteles, G.J.; Otos, M.

1998-01-01

The total antioxidant capacity of human sera was measured by the Randox TAS assay and an average value of 1.55 mmol/L was found from 87 healthy adult persons. Exogenous antioxidant added to the blood could be measured additively. Upon X-irradiation of whole blood samples, the antioxidant value decreased down to 1 Gy linearly. Further decrease after higher doses, however, could not be detected. Reductions of radiation-induced human lymphocyte micronucleus frequency as a cytogenetic end-point were observed upon increasing the exogenous antioxidant level in serum with a water-soluble form of alpha-tocopherol, or a plant extract from Sylibum marianum L. in vitro. (author)

Sera from children with autism induce autistic features which can be rescued with a CNTF small peptide mimetic in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Kazim, Syed Faraz; Cardenas-Aguayo, Maria Del Carmen; Arif, Mohammad; Blanchard, Julie; Fayyaz, Fatima; Grundke-Iqbal, Inge; Iqbal, Khalid

2015-01-01

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized clinically by impairments in social interaction and verbal and non-verbal communication skills as well as restricted interests and repetitive behavior. It has been hypothesized that altered brain environment including an imbalance in neurotrophic support during early development contributes to the pathophysiology of autism. Here we report that sera from children with autism which exhibited abnormal levels of various neurotrophic factors induced cell death and oxidative stress in mouse primary cultured cortical neurons. The effects of sera from autistic children were rescued by pre-treatment with a ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) small peptide mimetic, Peptide 6 (P6), which was previously shown to exert its neuroprotective effect by modulating CNTF/JAK/STAT pathway and LIF signaling and by enhancing brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression. Similar neurotoxic effects and neuroinflammation were observed in young Wistar rats injected intracerebroventricularly with autism sera within hours after birth. The autism sera injected rats demonstrated developmental delay and deficits in social communication, interaction, and novelty. Both the neurobiological changes and the behavioral autistic phenotype were ameliorated by P6 treatment. These findings implicate the involvement of neurotrophic imbalance during early brain development in the pathophysiology of autism and a proof of principle of P6 as a potential therapeutic strategy for autism.

Identifying and evaluating electronic learning resources for use in adult-gerontology nurse practitioner education.

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Hilaire J; Belza, Basia; Baker, Margaret; Christianson, Phyllis; Doorenbos, Ardith; Nguyen, Huong

2014-01-01

Enhancing existing curricula to meet newly published adult-gerontology advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) competencies in an efficient manner presents a challenge to nurse educators. Incorporating shared, published electronic learning resources (ELRs) in existing or new courses may be appropriate in order to assist students in achieving competencies. The purposes of this project were to (a) identify relevant available ELR for use in enhancing geriatric APRN education and (b) to evaluate the educational utility of identified ELRs based on established criteria. A multilevel search strategy was used. Two independent team members reviewed identified ELR against established criteria to ensure utility. Only resources meeting all criteria were retained. Resources were found for each of the competency areas and included formats such as podcasts, Web casts, case studies, and teaching videos. In many cases, resources were identified using supplemental strategies and not through traditional search or search of existing geriatric repositories. Resources identified have been useful to advanced practice educators in improving lecture and seminar content in a particular topic area and providing students and preceptors with additional self-learning resources. Addressing sustainability within geriatric APRN education is critical for sharing of best practices among educators and for sustainability of teaching and related resources. © 2014.

Systematic review of electronic surveillance of infectious diseases with emphasis on antimicrobial resistance surveillance in resource-limited settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Rattanaumpawan, Pinyo; Boonyasiri, Adhiratha; Vong, Sirenda; Thamlikitkul, Visanu

2018-02-01

Electronic surveillance of infectious diseases involves rapidly collecting, collating, and analyzing vast amounts of data from interrelated multiple databases. Although many developed countries have invested in electronic surveillance for infectious diseases, the system still presents a challenge for resource-limited health care settings. We conducted a systematic review by performing a comprehensive literature search on MEDLINE (January 2000-December 2015) to identify studies relevant to electronic surveillance of infectious diseases. Study characteristics and results were extracted and systematically reviewed by 3 infectious disease physicians. A total of 110 studies were included. Most surveillance systems were developed and implemented in high-income countries; less than one-quarter were conducted in low-or middle-income countries. Information technologies can be used to facilitate the process of obtaining laboratory, clinical, and pharmacologic data for the surveillance of infectious diseases, including antimicrobial resistance (AMR) infections. These novel systems require greater resources; however, we found that using electronic surveillance systems could result in shorter times to detect targeted infectious diseases and improvement of data collection. This study highlights a lack of resources in areas where an effective, rapid surveillance system is most needed. The availability of information technology for the electronic surveillance of infectious diseases, including AMR infections, will facilitate the prevention and containment of such emerging infectious diseases. Copyright © 2018 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Investigation of the Antiasthmatic Properties of Ethanol Extract of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Resources Research Department, Korea Ocean Research and Development ... investigated using an electron spin resonance (ESR) system. ... Journal Citation Reports/Science Edition, Directory of Open Access Journals ... The red seaweed C. japonica was collected .... and was then treated with mouse sera, followed.

From Millennium ERM to Proquest 360 Resource Manager: Implementing a new Electronic Resources Management System ERMS in an International Graduate Research University in Saudi Arabia

KAUST Repository

Ramli, Rindra M.

2017-01-01

An overview of the Recommendation Study and the subsequent Implementation of a new Electronic Resources Management system ERMS in an international graduate research university in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It covers the timeline, deliverables

Total pepsin activity and gastrin in sera as markers of eradication of Helicobacter pylori

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Khoshkholgh, M.; Saberi-Firoozi, M.; Fattahi, M.; Siavoshi, F.; Khatibian, M.; Vahedi, H.; Mikaeli, J.; Ansari, R.; Alizadeh, B.; Malekzadeh, R.; Massarrat, S.

1994-01-01

The measurement of total pepsin activity by colorimetry, and gastrin by radioimmunoassay method was performed on the sera of 100 patients (80 with duodenal ulcer and 20 with non-ulcer dyspepsia) before and 4 weeks after the end of antibacterial treatment for eradication of Helicobacter pylori. While

Open-Source Electronic Health Record Systems for Low-Resource Settings: Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Syzdykova, Assel; Malta, André; Zolfo, Maria; Diro, Ermias; Oliveira, José Luis

2017-11-13

Despite the great impact of information and communication technologies on clinical practice and on the quality of health services, this trend has been almost exclusive to developed countries, whereas countries with poor resources suffer from many economic and social issues that have hindered the real benefits of electronic health (eHealth) tools. As a component of eHealth systems, electronic health records (EHRs) play a fundamental role in patient management and effective medical care services. Thus, the adoption of EHRs in regions with a lack of infrastructure, untrained staff, and ill-equipped health care providers is an important task. However, the main barrier to adopting EHR software in low- and middle-income countries is the cost of its purchase and maintenance, which highlights the open-source approach as a good solution for these underserved areas. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review of open-source EHR systems based on the requirements and limitations of low-resource settings. First, we reviewed existing literature on the comparison of available open-source solutions. In close collaboration with the University of Gondar Hospital, Ethiopia, we identified common limitations in poor resource environments and also the main requirements that EHRs should support. Then, we extensively evaluated the current open-source EHR solutions, discussing their strengths and weaknesses, and their appropriateness to fulfill a predefined set of features relevant for low-resource settings. The evaluation methodology allowed assessment of several key aspects of available solutions that are as follows: (1) integrated applications, (2) configurable reports, (3) custom reports, (4) custom forms, (5) interoperability, (6) coding systems, (7) authentication methods, (8) patient portal, (9) access control model, (10) cryptographic features, (11) flexible data model, (12) offline support, (13) native client, (14) Web client,(15) other clients, (16) code

In Vitro Endothelial Cell Proliferation Assay Reveals Distinct Levels of Proangiogenic Cytokines Characterizing Sera of Healthy Subjects and of Patients with Heart Failure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rebecca Voltan

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Although myocardial angiogenesis is thought to play an important role in heart failure (HF, the involvement of circulating proinflammatory and proangiogenic cytokines in the pathogenesis and/or prognosis of HF has not been deeply investigated. By using a highly standardized proliferation assay with human endothelial cells, we first demonstrated that sera from older (mean age 52±7.6 years; n=46 healthy donors promoted endothelial cell proliferation to a significantly higher extent compared to sera obtained from younger healthy donors (mean age 29±8.6 years; n=20. The promotion of endothelial cell proliferation was accompanied by high serum levels of several proangiogenic cytokines. When we assessed endothelial cell proliferation in response to HF patients’ sera, we observed that a subset of sera (n=11 promoted cell proliferation to a significantly lesser extent compared to the majority of sera (n=18. Also, in this case, the difference between the patient groups in the ability to induce endothelial cell proliferation correlated to significant (P<0.05 differences in serum proangiogenic cytokine levels. Unexpectedly, HF patients associated to the highest endothelial proliferation index showed the worst prognosis as evaluated in terms of subsequent cardiovascular events in the follow-up, suggesting that high levels of circulating proangiogenic cytokines might be related to a worse prognosis.

Sera from Children with Autism Induce Autistic Features Which Can Be Rescued with a CNTF Small Peptide Mimetic in Rats

Science.gov (United States)

Kazim, Syed Faraz; Cardenas-Aguayo, Maria del Carmen; Arif, Mohammad; Blanchard, Julie; Fayyaz, Fatima; Grundke-Iqbal, Inge; Iqbal, Khalid

2015-01-01

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized clinically by impairments in social interaction and verbal and non-verbal communication skills as well as restricted interests and repetitive behavior. It has been hypothesized that altered brain environment including an imbalance in neurotrophic support during early development contributes to the pathophysiology of autism. Here we report that sera from children with autism which exhibited abnormal levels of various neurotrophic factors induced cell death and oxidative stress in mouse primary cultured cortical neurons. The effects of sera from autistic children were rescued by pre-treatment with a ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) small peptide mimetic, Peptide 6 (P6), which was previously shown to exert its neuroprotective effect by modulating CNTF/JAK/STAT pathway and LIF signaling and by enhancing brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression. Similar neurotoxic effects and neuroinflammation were observed in young Wistar rats injected intracerebroventricularly with autism sera within hours after birth. The autism sera injected rats demonstrated developmental delay and deficits in social communication, interaction, and novelty. Both the neurobiological changes and the behavioral autistic phenotype were ameliorated by P6 treatment. These findings implicate the involvement of neurotrophic imbalance during early brain development in the pathophysiology of autism and a proof of principle of P6 as a potential therapeutic strategy for autism. PMID:25769033

Antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and neutralizing activity in sera of HIV-1-infected mothers and their children.

Science.gov (United States)

Broliden, K; Sievers, E; Tovo, P A; Moschese, V; Scarlatti, G; Broliden, P A; Fundaro, C; Rossi, P

1993-01-01

The prognostic and protective role of antibodies mediating cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and neutralization was evaluated in sera of HIV-1-infected mothers and their consecutively followed children. The presence and titres of ADCC mediating and/or neutralizing antibodies in maternal sera did not predict HIV-1 infection in their respective children. No significant difference in the sera from the children was seen when comparing the presence of neutralizing antibodies between the uninfected and infected children. Stratification of the infected group according to clinical status revealed differences. Only one of 24 AIDS patients had a high neutralizing titre against IIIB. Four patients had a very low titre and the remaining had no detectable neutralizing antibodies at all. In contrast, 10/17 infected non-AIDS children had neutralizing antibodies. Similarly, no significant difference was seen when comparing the presence of ADCC-mediating antibodies between the uninfected and the infected group of children. However, a significantly higher frequency of ADCC was seen in the seropositive non-AIDS children compared with the AIDS children. This study clearly shows that the presence of antibodies mediating ADCC and neutralization in infected children, 0-2 years old, is associated with a better clinical status and delayed disease progression. PMID:8324904

Immunodetection of Fasciola gigantica Circulating Antigen in Sera of Infected Individuals for Laboratory Diagnosis of Human Fascioliasis

Science.gov (United States)

Attallah, Abdelfattah M.; Bughdadi, Faisal A.; El-Shazly, Atef M.

2013-01-01

Currently, the laboratory diagnosis of human fascioliasis is based on the parasitological examination of parasite eggs in stool specimens and serological detection of specific antibodies in serum samples, which are often unreliable diagnostic approaches. Ideally, a sensitive and specific diagnostic test for Fasciola infection should be based on the detection of circulating Fasciola antigen, which implies active infection. Here, a 27-kDa-molecular-mass antigen was identified in a Fasciola gigantica adult worm antigen preparation, excretory-secretory products, and sera from F. gigantica-infected individuals, and it was not detected in antigenic extracts of other parasites and sera from noninfected individuals. The target antigen was isolated and partially characterized as a protein. Immunoperoxidase staining located the target epitope within teguments and guts of F. gigantica adult worms. The performance characteristics of a newly developed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based on F. gigantica circulating antigen detection in serum (FgCA-27 ELISA) were investigated using sera of 120 parasitologically diagnosed F. gigantica-infected individuals and 80 noninfected individuals. The area under the receiving operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) for ELISA was significantly high (AUC = 0.961, P 93%), and a significant correlation (r = 0.715, P fascioliasis. PMID:23945158

Evaluation of three electronic report processing systems for preparing hydrologic reports of the U.S Geological Survey, Water Resources Division

Science.gov (United States)

Stiltner, G.J.

1990-01-01

In 1987, the Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey undertook three pilot projects to evaluate electronic report processing systems as a means to improve the quality and timeliness of reports pertaining to water resources investigations. The three projects selected for study included the use of the following configuration of software and hardware: Ventura Publisher software on an IBM model AT personal computer, PageMaker software on a Macintosh computer, and FrameMaker software on a Sun Microsystems workstation. The following assessment criteria were to be addressed in the pilot studies: The combined use of text, tables, and graphics; analysis of time; ease of learning; compatibility with the existing minicomputer system; and technical limitations. It was considered essential that the camera-ready copy produced be in a format suitable for publication. Visual improvement alone was not a consideration. This report consolidates and summarizes the findings of the electronic report processing pilot projects. Text and table files originating on the existing minicomputer system were successfully transformed to the electronic report processing systems in American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) format. Graphics prepared using a proprietary graphics software package were transferred to all the electronic report processing software through the use of Computer Graphic Metafiles. Graphics from other sources were entered into the systems by scanning paper images. Comparative analysis of time needed to process text and tables by the electronic report processing systems and by conventional methods indicated that, although more time is invested in creating the original page composition for an electronically processed report , substantial time is saved in producing subsequent reports because the format can be stored and re-used by electronic means as a template. Because of the more compact page layouts, costs of printing the reports were 15% to 25

Detection of Potentially Diagnostic Leishmania Antigens with Western Blot Analysis of Sera from Patients with Cutaneous and Visceral Leishmaniases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seyyed Javad SEYYEDTABAEI

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Background: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL and cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL are important public health problems in Iran. We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic potential of Western blot (WB compared with indirect immunofluorescence test (IFAT to serodiagnosis of leishmaniasis.Methods: This study was performed from 2010-2014 and participants were different parts of Iran. Serum samples were obtained from 43 patients with proven CL, 33 patients with proven VL, 39 patients with other parasitic diseases and 23 healthy individuals. Results: WB sensitivity for CL and VL was 100% and 91%, compared to IFA 4.6% and 87.8%, respectively. Sera from patients with CL and VL recognized numerous antigens with molecular weights ranging from 14 to 68 kDa and 12 to 94 kDa, respectively. The most sensitive antigens were 14 and 16 kDa for CL recognized by 100% of the sera from patients with proven CL and 12, 14 and 16 kDa for VL, recognized by 63.6%, 100% and 63.6% of the sera from patients with proven VL respectively. WB analysis is more sensitive than IFAT for the diagnosis of leishmaniasis particularly in cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis. The 12, 14 and 16 kDa can be valuable diagnostic molecules for serodiagnosis of leishmaniasis because at least two immunogenic molecules were simultaneously detected by all patient sera, as well as produced antibodies against these antigens have no cross-reactivity with other control groups.Conclusion: WB could be useful for screening and serodiagnosis of CL and VL in epidemiologic studies in endemic areas.

Use and User Perception of Electronic Information Resources: A Case Study of Siva Institute of Frontier Technology, India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Velmurugan Chandran

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The present study aims to explore the use and user perception of electronic resources in Siva Institute of Frontier Technology, India. A total number of 123 users were taken into account for the study through a questionnaire-based survey method. A well-structured questionnaire was designed and distributed to the selected 200 students and staff members. 123 copies of the questionnaires were returned dully filled in and the overall response rate was 61.50 percent. The questionnaire contained both open- and close-ended questions. The collected data were classified, analyzed, and tabulated by using simple statistical methods. This study covers the impact of electronic resources on students and faculty in their academic pursuit.

A preliminary categorization of end-of-life electrical and electronic equipment as secondary metal resources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oguchi, Masahiro; Murakami, Shinsuke; Sakanakura, Hirofumi; Kida, Akiko; Kameya, Takashi

2011-01-01

Highlights: → End-of-life electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) as secondary metal resources. → The content and the total amount of metals in specific equipment are both important. → We categorized 21 EEE types from contents and total amounts of various metals. → Important equipment types as secondary resources were listed for each metal kind. → Collectability and possible collection systems of various EEE types were discussed. - Abstract: End-of-life electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) has recently received attention as a secondary source of metals. This study examined characteristics of end-of-life EEE as secondary metal resources to consider efficient collection and metal recovery systems according to the specific metals and types of EEE. We constructed an analogy between natural resource development and metal recovery from end-of-life EEE and found that metal content and total annual amount of metal contained in each type of end-of-life EEE should be considered in secondary resource development, as well as the collectability of the end-of-life products. We then categorized 21 EEE types into five groups and discussed their potential as secondary metal resources. Refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners, and CRT TVs were evaluated as the most important sources of common metals, and personal computers, mobile phones, and video games were evaluated as the most important sources of precious metals. Several types of small digital equipment were also identified as important sources of precious metals; however, mid-size information and communication technology (ICT) equipment (e.g., printers and fax machines) and audio/video equipment were shown to be more important as a source of a variety of less common metals. The physical collectability of each type of EEE was roughly characterized by unit size and number of end-of-life products generated annually. Current collection systems in Japan were examined and potentially appropriate collection

Parvovirus B19 infections in state of Rio de Janeiro, Brasil: 526 sera analyzed by IgM-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and polymerase chain reaction

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MCL Mendonça

2005-12-01

Full Text Available In this study were analyzed 526 sera; the patients aged from two days to 65 years old presenting exanthema, which was the most frequent symptom observed, besides fever, adenomegaly, and arthralgia. These sera were negative by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (IgM-ELISA for either rubella (495, toxoplasma (41, cytomegalovirus (12, measles (40, dengue (56, and they were submitted to nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR for B19 DNA and commercial IgM-ELISA for B19. In 39 abortion cases, IgM or DNA were not detected, therefore they were not took into account for analysis. Specific DNA and IgM were detected respectively in 71 (14.5% and IgM in 62 (12.7% sera from 487 sera analyzed. IgM and DNA were simultaneously detected in 43 (8.8%, while agreement among the results by PCR and IgM-ELISA was observed in 440 (90.4%. The sera were collected from January 1999 to December 2000, most of them in 1999 (325, during winter and spring. The major number of clinical cases was observed in the age group from one to ten years old. IgM or DNA were detected in 23 from 51 municipal districts of the state of Rio de Janeiro, where the samples were collected.

Immunoreactive proteins of Bifidobacterium longum ssp. longum CCM 7952 and Bifidobacterium longum ssp. longum CCDM 372 identified by gnotobiotic mono-colonized mice sera, immune rabbit sera and nonimmune human sera.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sabina Górska

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The Bifidobacteria show great diversity in the cell surface architecture which may influence the physicochemical properties of the bacterial cell and strain specific properties. The immunomodulatory role of bifidobacteria has been extensively studied, however studies on the immunoreactivity of their protein molecules are very limited. Here, we compared six different methods of protein isolation and purification and we report identification of immunogenic and immunoreactive protein of two human Bifidobacterium longum ssp. longum strains. We evaluated potential immunoreactive properties of proteins employing polyclonal sera obtained from germ free mouse, rabbit and human. The protein yield was isolation method-dependent and the reactivity of proteins detected by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting was heterogeneous and varied between different serum samples. The proteins with the highest immunoreactivity were isolated, purified and have them sequenced. Among the immunoreactive proteins we identified enolase, aspartokinase, pyruvate kinase, DnaK (B. longum ssp. longum CCM 7952 and sugar ABC transporter ATP-binding protein, phosphoglycerate kinase, peptidoglycan synthethase penicillin-binding protein 3, transaldolase, ribosomal proteins and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (B. longum ssp. longum CCDM 372.

Principles of formation of the content of an educational electronic resource on the basis of general and didactic patterns of learning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ольга Юрьевна Заславская

2018-12-01

Full Text Available The article considers the influence of the development of technical means of teaching on the effectiveness of educational and methodical resources. Modern opportunities of information and communication technologies allow creating electronic educational resources that represent educational information that automates the learning process, provide information assistance, if necessary, collect and process statistical information on the degree of development of the content of the school material by schoolchildren, set an individual trajectory of learning, and so on. The main principle of data organization is the division of the training course into separate sections on the thematic elements and components of the learning process. General regularities include laws that encompass the entire didactic system, and in specific (particular cases, those whose actions extend to a separate component (aspect of the system. From the standpoint of the existence of three types of electronic training modules in the aggregate content of the electronic learning resource - information, control and module of practical classes - the principles of the formation of the electronic learning resource, in our opinion, should regulate all these components. Each of the certain principles is considered in the groups: scientific orientation, methodological orientation, systemic nature, accounting of interdisciplinary connections, fundamentalization, systematic and dosage sequence, rational use of study time, accessibility, minimization, operationalization of goals, unified identification diagnosis.

Food allergy: a clinician's criteria for including sera in a serum bank.

Science.gov (United States)

Ballmer-Weber, B K; Fernández-Rivas, M

2008-10-01

Safety assessment for genetically-engineered crop plants includes assessment for allergic responses. To facilitate this assessment, serum banks should contain well-characterised sera from patients with confirmed food allergies. A serum is defined as well-characterised if it is taken from a patient who has a convincing history of allergic responses to a known allergen or an allergen-containing food, a positive skin prick test (or elevated IgE response), and a positive response in a clinical food challenge.

Profile of NF-κBp(65/NFκBp50) among prostate specific antigen sera levels in prostatic pathologies.

Science.gov (United States)

Bouraoui, Y; Ben Jemaa, A; Rodriguez, G; Ben Rais, N; Fraile, B; Paniagua, R; Sellemi, S; Royuela, M; Oueslati, R

2012-10-01

The aim of this work was to characterise the immunoexpression of NF-κB (p50/p65) in human prostatic pathologies and to study its profiles of activation among sera prostate specific antigen antigen (PSA) according the three groups: 0-4ng/mL, 4-20ng/mL and >20ng/mL. Twenty-four men with benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH); 19 men with prostate cancer (PC) and five men with normal prostates (NP). Immunohistochemical and western blot analysis was performed. Serum levels of PSA were assayed by immulite autoanalyser. In BPH and PC samples, immunoexpressions were observed for NF-κBp65 and NF-κBp50; while in NP samples, only were detected NF-κBp50. PC samples showed immunoreactions to NF-κBp65 and NF-κBp50 more intense (respectively 24.18±0.67 and 28.23±2.01) than that observed in BPH samples (respectively18.46±2.04 and 18.66±1.59) with special localisation in the nucleus. Different profiles of NF-κBp65 immunoexpressions were observed and BPH patients with sera PSA levels between 0-4ng/mL presented a significant weak percentage compared to BPH patients with sera PSA levels between 4-20ng/mL and >20ng/mL. No immunoreactions to NF-κBp65 were observed in PC patients with sera PSA levels between 4-20ng/mL. The sensibility of both NF-κB and PSA to inflammation allowed confirming the relationship between these two molecules and its involvement in prostatic diseases progression (inflammatory and neoplasic). Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Libérer le double, la beauté sera convulsive…

OpenAIRE

Beauvoir-Dominique, Rachel

2008-01-01

Rachel Beauvoir-Dominique, Libérer le double, la beauté sera convulsive... À propos d’une collection d’art vodou. — De 1980 à ce jour, grâce au dévouement de Madame Marianne Lehmann, une collection unique de trésors du répertoire plastique vodou et « Makaya » a été rassemblée. Dotée de plusieurs milliers d’objets de culte, cette impressionnante collection n’a pas encore été exposée publiquement de manière permanente ; elle a cependant déjà attiré l’attention de nombreuses institutions nationa...

The effect of parenteral alimentation fluid, undiluted with saline or fresh sera, on the growth of Candida albicans in vitro at 37 degrees C.

Science.gov (United States)

Lederer, T; Rippon, J; Baldwin, S; Pachman, L M

1975-02-28

Parenteral alimentation is often complicated by Candida albicans infection which may be fatal. This study investigated the effect of alimentation fluid (Aminosol) on C. albicans' growth in vitro. It was found that concentrated Aminosol (1400 millisomoles) maintained C. albicans in a viable state but inhibited replication. Dilution of alimentation fluid to physiological concentrations (300 milliosmoles) with either saline or aged pooled normal sera promoted in vitro growth of C. albicans which was equivalent to that obtained in BHI broth and was slightly less than that obtained in Sabouraud's broth. The effects of fresh sera with full complement activity were also investigated. In fresh sera appropriately diluted with physiological saline, some clumping of the yeasts was observed and all formed germ tubes. Growth as defined by budding or the formation of hyphae was inhibited. When Aminosol was diluted to 300 milliosomoles with fresh sera, all yeasts were noted to be in clumps with germ tubes as well as continually growing hyphae. Growth was approximately equal to that seen in Aminosol similarly diluted with saline.

From Millennium ERM to Proquest 360 Resource Manager: Implementing a new Electronic Resources Management System ERMS in an International Graduate Research University in Saudi Arabia

KAUST Repository

Ramli, Rindra M.

2017-05-17

An overview of the Recommendation Study and the subsequent Implementation of a new Electronic Resources Management system ERMS in an international graduate research university in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It covers the timeline, deliverables and challenges as well as lessons learnt by the Project Team.

The Synthesis of the Hierarchical Structure of Information Resources for Management of Electronic Commerce Entities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Krutova Anzhelika S.

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of the article is to develop the theoretical bases for the classification and coding of economic information and the scientific justification of the content of information resources of an electronic commerce enterprise. The essence of information resources for management of electronic business entities is investigated. It is proved that the organization of accounting in e-commerce systems is advisable to be built on the basis of two circuits: accounting for financial flows and accounting associated with transformation of business factors in products and services as a result of production activities. There presented a sequence of accounting organization that allows to combine the both circuits in a single information system, which provides a possibility for the integrated replenishment and distributed simultaneous use of the e-commerce system by all groups of users. It is proved that the guarantee of efficient activity of the information management system of electronic commerce entities is a proper systematization of the aggregate of information resources on economic facts and operations of an enterprise in accordance with the management tasks by building the hierarchy of accounting nomenclatures. It is suggested to understand nomenclature as an objective, primary information aggregate concerning a certain fact of the economic activity of an enterprise, which is characterized by minimum requisites, is entered into the database of the information system and is to be reflected in the accounting system. It is proposed to build a database of e-commerce systems as a part of directories (constants, personnel, goods / products, suppliers, buyers and the hierarchy of accounting nomenclatures. The package of documents regulating the organization of accounting at an enterprise should include: the provision on the accounting services, the order on the accounting policy, the job descriptions, the schedules of information exchange, the report card and

Preparation of anti-CEA and anti-goat γ-globulin sera for radioimmunologic assay of carcinoembryonic antigen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kusnierczyk-Glazman, H.; Breborowicz, J.

1977-01-01

Goats were immunized with purified carcinoembryonic antigen, and the suitability of the antisera for clinical assays of carcinoembryonic antigen was characterized. Reactivity of equine sera to goat γ-globulin as a precipitating factor in the radioimmunologic double antibody technique was also evaluated. (author)

Immunoreactive Proteins of Bifidobacterium longum ssp. longum CCM 7952 and Bifidobacterium longum ssp. longum CCDM 372 Identified by Gnotobiotic Mono-Colonized Mice Sera, Immune Rabbit Sera and Non-immune Human Sera.

Science.gov (United States)

Górska, Sabina; Dylus, Ewa; Rudawska, Angelika; Brzozowska, Ewa; Srutkova, Dagmar; Schwarzer, Martin; Razim, Agnieszka; Kozakova, Hana; Gamian, Andrzej

2016-01-01

The Bifidobacteria show great diversity in the cell surface architecture which may influence the physicochemical properties of the bacterial cell and strain specific properties. The immunomodulatory role of bifidobacteria has been extensively studied, however studies on the immunoreactivity of their protein molecules are very limited. Here, we compared six different methods of protein isolation and purification and we report identification of immunogenic and immunoreactive protein of two human Bifidobacterium longum ssp. longum strains. We evaluated potential immunoreactive properties of proteins employing polyclonal sera obtained from germ free mouse, rabbit and human. The protein yield was isolation method-dependent and the reactivity of proteins detected by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting was heterogeneous and varied between different serum samples. The proteins with the highest immunoreactivity were isolated, purified and have them sequenced. Among the immunoreactive proteins we identified enolase, aspartokinase, pyruvate kinase, DnaK ( B. longum ssp. longum CCM 7952) and sugar ABC transporter ATP-binding protein, phosphoglycerate kinase, peptidoglycan synthethase penicillin-binding protein 3, transaldolase, ribosomal proteins and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase ( B. longum ssp. longum CCDM 372).

Controlling user access to electronic resources without password

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Fred Hewitt

2015-06-16

Described herein are devices and techniques for remotely controlling user access to a restricted computer resource. The process includes pre-determining an association of the restricted computer resource and computer-resource-proximal environmental information. Indicia of user-proximal environmental information are received from a user requesting access to the restricted computer resource. Received indicia of user-proximal environmental information are compared to associated computer-resource-proximal environmental information. User access to the restricted computer resource is selectively granted responsive to a favorable comparison in which the user-proximal environmental information is sufficiently similar to the computer-resource proximal environmental information. In at least some embodiments, the process further includes comparing user-supplied biometric measure and comparing it with a predetermined association of at least one biometric measure of an authorized user. Access to the restricted computer resource is granted in response to a favorable comparison.

Electronic theses and dissertations: a review of this valuable resource for nurse scholars worldwide.

Science.gov (United States)

Goodfellow, L M

2009-06-01

A worldwide repository of electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs) could provide worldwide access to the most up-to-date research generated by masters and doctoral students. Until that international repository is established, it is possible to access some of these valuable knowledge resources. ETDs provide a technologically advanced medium with endless multimedia capabilities that far exceed the print and bound copies of theses and dissertations housed traditionally in individual university libraries. CURRENT USE: A growing trend exists for universities worldwide to require graduate students to submit theses or dissertations as electronic documents. However, nurse scholars underutilize ETDs, as evidenced by perusing bibliographic citation lists in many of the research journals. ETDs can be searched for and retrieved through several digital resources such as the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (http://www.ndltd.org), ProQuest Dissertations and Theses (http://www.umi.com), the Australasian Digital Theses Program (http://adt.caul.edu.au/) and through individual university web sites and online catalogues. An international repository of ETDs benefits the community of nurse scholars in many ways. The ability to access recent graduate students' research electronically from anywhere in the world is advantageous. For scholars residing in developing countries, access to these ETDs may prove to be even more valuable. In some cases, ETDs are not available for worldwide access and can only be accessed through the university library from which the student graduated. Public access to university library ETD collections is not always permitted. Nurse scholars from both developing and developed countries could benefit from ETDs.

Application of neutron activation analysis and spectrophotometry for the determination of copper level in sera and cerebrospinal fluids of schizophrenic patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lipcsey, A.; Fekete, J.; Oerdoegh, M.; Szabo, E.

1985-01-01

Neutron activation analysis and spectrophotometry were used for the determination of copper content in sera and cerebrospinal fluids of schizophrenic patients against control persons. Comparison of the results of copper determination by both methods is tabulated. From the data the following conclusions can be drawn: for copper determinations in sera the results of the two methods agree excellently. At small copper concentrations in the cerebrospinal fluids the deviations are rather high. It can also be seen that the copper contents determined from cerebrospinal fluids taken at different times are nearly equal. (author)

Library resources on the Internet

Science.gov (United States)

Buchanan, Nancy L.

1995-07-01

Library resources are prevalent on the Internet. Library catalogs, electronic books, electronic periodicals, periodical indexes, reference sources, and U.S. Government documents are available by telnet, Gopher, World Wide Web, and FTP. Comparatively few copyrighted library resources are available freely on the Internet. Internet implementations of library resources can add useful features, such as full-text searching. There are discussion lists, Gophers, and World Wide Web pages to help users keep up with new resources and changes to existing ones. The future will bring more library resources, more types of library resources, and more integrated implementations of such resources to the Internet.

[Comparative study of immunoglobulins and specific antibodies in the sera of chronic brucellosis patients].

Science.gov (United States)

Kichieva, B N; Chernysheva, M I; Zheludkov, M M; Musaeva, N B

1982-04-01

The data on the IgA, IgM and IgG levels in the sera of 89 patients with chronic brucellosis lasting for 1-10 years and longer are presented. The chronic form of brucellosis is characterized by the normal or low level of immunoglobulins. No correlation between the levels of IgG, IgM and the titer of specific antibodies has been established.

ELECTRONIC EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES FOR ONLINE SUPPORT OF MODERN CHEMISTRY CLASSES IN SPECIALIZED SCHOOL

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Maria D. Tukalo

2013-09-01

Full Text Available This article contains material of some modern electronic educational resources that can be used via the Internet to support the modern chemistry classes in specialized school. It was drawn attention to the educational chemical experiments as means of knowledge; simulated key motivational characteristics to enhance students interest for learning subjects, their cognitive and practical activity in the formation of self-reliance and self-creative; commented forecasts for creating of conditions to enhance the creative potential of students in a modern learning environment.

Selection and Evaluation of Electronic Resources

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Doğan Atılgan

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Publication boom and issues related to controlling and accession of printed sources have created some problems after World War II. Consequently, publishing industry has encountered the problem of finding possible solution for emerged situation. Industry of electronic publishing has started to improve with the rapid increase of the price of printed sources as well as the problem of publication boom. The first effects of electronic publishing were appeared on the academic and scholarly publications then electronic publishing became a crucial part of all types of publications. As a result of these developments, collection developments and service policies of information centers were also significantly changed. In this article, after a general introduction about selection and evaluation processes of electronic publications, the subscribed databases by a state and a privately owned university in Turkey and their usage were examined.

An Exploratory study on the use of LibAnswers to Resolve, Track and Monitor Electronic Resources Issues: The KAUST Library experience

KAUST Repository

Ramli, Rindra M.

2017-01-01

An Exploratory study on KAUST library use of LibAnswers in resolving electronic resources questions received in LibAnswers. It describes the findings of the questions received in LibAnswers. The author made suggestions based on the findings to improve the reference services in responding to e-resources questions.

An Exploratory study on the use of LibAnswers to Resolve, Track and Monitor Electronic Resources Issues: The KAUST Library experience

KAUST Repository

Ramli, Rindra M.

2017-05-03

An Exploratory study on KAUST library use of LibAnswers in resolving electronic resources questions received in LibAnswers. It describes the findings of the questions received in LibAnswers. The author made suggestions based on the findings to improve the reference services in responding to e-resources questions.

Precision of glucose measurements in control sera by isotope dilution/mass spectrometry: proposed definitive method compared with a reference method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pelletier, O.; Arratoon, C.

1987-01-01

This improved isotope-dilution gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric (GC/MS) method, in which [ 13 C]glucose is the internal standard, meets the requirements of a Definitive Method. In a first study with five reconstituted lyophilized sera, a nested analysis of variance of GC/MS values indicated considerable among-vial variation. The CV for 32 measurements per serum ranged from 0.5 to 0.9%. However, concentration and uncertainty values (mmol/L per gram of serum) assigned to one serum by the NBS Definitive Method (7.56 +/- 0.28) were practically identical to those obtained with the proposed method (7.57 +/- 0.20). In the second study, we used twice more [ 13 C]glucose diluent to assay four serum pools and two lyophilized sera. The CV ranged from 0.26 to 0.5% for the serum pools and from 0.28 to 0.59% for the lyophilized sera. In comparison, results by the hexokinase/glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase reference method agreed within acceptable limits with those by the Definitive Method but tended to be slightly higher (up to 3%) for lyophilized serum samples or slightly lower (up to 2.5%) for serum pools

The level of the usage of the human resource information system and electronic recruitment in Croatian companies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Snježana Pivac

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Performing business according to contemporary requirements influences companies for continuous usage of modern managerial tools, such as a human resource information system (HRIS and electronic recruitment (ER. Human resources have been recognised as curtail resources and the main source of a competitive advantage in creation of successful business performance. In order to attract and select the top employees, companies use quality information software for attracting internal ones, and electronic recruitment for attracting the best possible external candidates. The main aim of this paper is to research the level of the usage of HRIS and ER within medium-size and large Croatian companies. Moreover, the additional aim of this paper is to evaluate the relationship among the usage of these modern managerial tools and the overall success of human resource management within these companies. For the purpose of this paper, primary and secondary research has been conducted in order to reveal the level of the usage of HRIS and ER as well as the overall success of human resource management in Croatian companies. The companies’ classification (HRIS and ER is done by using the non-hierarchical k-means cluster method as well as the nonparametric Kruskal Wallis test. Further, the companies are ranked by the multicriteria PROMETHEE method. Relevant nonparametric tests are used for testing the overall companies’ HRM. Finally, binary logistic regression is estimated, relating binary variable HRM and HRIS development. After detailed research, it can be concluded that large Croatian companies apply HRIS in majority (with a positive relation to HRM performance, but still require certain degrees of its development.

The electronic encapsulation of knowledge in hydraulics, hydrology and water resources

Science.gov (United States)

Abbott, Michael B.

The rapidly developing practice of encapsulating knowledge in electronic media is shown to lead necessarily to the restructuring of the knowledge itself. The consequences of this for hydraulics, hydrology and more general water-resources management are investigated in particular relation to current process-simulation, real-time control and advice-serving systems. The generic properties of the electronic knowledge encapsulator are described, and attention is drawn to the manner in which knowledge 'goes into hiding' through encapsulation. This property is traced in the simple situations of pure mathesis and in the more complex situations of taxinomia using one example each from hydraulics and hydrology. The consequences for systems architectures are explained, pointing to the need for multi-agent architectures for ecological modelling and for more general hydroinformatics systems also. The relevance of these developments is indicated by reference to ongoing projects in which they are currently being realised. In conclusion, some more general epistemological aspects are considered within the same context. As this contribution is so much concerned with the processes of signification and communication, it has been partly shaped by the theory of semiotics, as popularised by Eco ( A Theory of Semiotics, Indiana University, Bloomington, 1977).

RESEARCH OF INFLUENCE OF QUALITY OF ELECTRONIC EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES ON QUALITY OF TRAINING WITH USE OF DISTANCE TECHNOLOGIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. M. Kravtsov

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Communication improving of educational processes requires today new approaches to the management arrangements and forming of educational policy in the field of distance learning, which is based on the use of modern information and communication technologies. An important step in this process is the continuous monitoring of the development and implementation of information technology and, in particular, the distance learning systems in higher educational establishments. The main objective of the monitoring is the impact assessment on the development of distance learning following the state educational standards, curricula, methodical and technical equipment and other factors; factors revelation that influence the implementation and outcomes of distance learning; results comparison of educational institution functioning and distance education systems in order to determine the most efficient ways of its development. The paper presents the analysis results of the dependence of the quality of educational services on the electronic educational resources. Trends in educational services development was studied by comparing the quality influence of electronic educational resources on the quality of educational services of higher pedagogical educational institutions of Ukraine as of 2009-2010 and 2012-2013. Generally, the analysis of the survey results allows evaluating quality of the modern education services as satisfactory and it can be said that almost 70% of the success of their future development depends on the quality of the used electronic educational resources and distance learning systems in particular.

Evaluation of commercial antiglobulin sera over a two-year period. Part I. Anti-beta 1A, anti-alpha 2D, and anti-beta 1E levels.

Science.gov (United States)

Issitt, P D; Issitt, C H; Wilkinson, S L

1974-01-01

Antiglobulin sera from nine different manufacturers have been tested, over a two-year period, for their ability to detect the complement components beta 1A, alpha 2D, and beta 1E. The results demontrate considerable variation in the abilities of sera from different manufacturers to detect these components and indicate that not all sera on the market are suitable reagents for diagnostic use and compatibility tests. The results also show that there is considerable variation between different lots of serum from some of the manufacturers. In general, the anti-complement levels of these reagents have increased during the two-year period of study but not all companies produce suitable reagents for routine use.

Tracking the Flow of Resources in Electronic Waste - The Case of End-of-Life Computer Hard Disk Drives.

Science.gov (United States)

Habib, Komal; Parajuly, Keshav; Wenzel, Henrik

2015-10-20

Recovery of resources, in particular, metals, from waste flows is widely seen as a prioritized option to reduce their potential supply constraints in the future. The current waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) treatment system is more focused on bulk metals, where the recycling rate of specialty metals, such as rare earths, is negligible compared to their increasing use in modern products, such as electronics. This study investigates the challenges in recovering these resources in the existing WEEE treatment system. It is illustrated by following the material flows of resources in a conventional WEEE treatment plant in Denmark. Computer hard disk drives (HDDs) containing neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) magnets were selected as the case product for this experiment. The resulting output fractions were tracked until their final treatment in order to estimate the recovery potential of rare earth elements (REEs) and other resources contained in HDDs. The results further show that out of the 244 kg of HDDs treated, 212 kg comprising mainly of aluminum and steel can be finally recovered from the metallurgic process. The results further demonstrate the complete loss of REEs in the existing shredding-based WEEE treatment processes. Dismantling and separate processing of NdFeB magnets from their end-use products can be a more preferred option over shredding. However, it remains a technological and logistic challenge for the existing system.

Immunochemical characterization of Mycobacterium leprae antigens by the SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis immunoperoxidase technique (SGIP) using patients' sera

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Klatser, P. R.; van Rens, M. M.; Eggelte, T. A.

1984-01-01

In this study the SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis immunoperoxidase (SGIP) assay was used for characterizing the antigenic components of Mycobacterium leprae using patients' sera. This technique involved the separation of mycobacterial sonicates on SDS-polyacrylamide gels, longitudinal

Exosomes isolated from cancer patients' sera transfer malignant traits and confer the same phenotype of primary tumors to oncosuppressor-mutated cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Abdouh, Mohamed; Hamam, Dana; Gao, Zu-Hua; Arena, Vincenzo; Arena, Manuel; Arena, Goffredo Orazio

2017-08-30

Horizontal transfer of malignant traits from the primary tumor to distant organs, through blood circulating factors, has recently become a thoroughly studied metastatic pathway to explain cancer dissemination. Recently, we reported that oncosuppressor gene-mutated human cells undergo malignant transformation when exposed to cancer patients' sera. We also observed that oncosuppressor mutated cells would show an increased uptake of cancer-derived exosomes and we suggested that oncosuppressor genes might protect the integrity of the cell genome by blocking integration of cancer-derived exosomes. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that cancer patients' sera-derived exosomes might be responsible for the malignant transformation of target cells and that oncosuppressor mutation would promote their increased uptake. We also sought to unveil the mechanisms behind the hypothesized phenomena. We used human BRCA1 knockout (BRCA1-KO) fibroblasts as target cells. Cells were treated in vitro with cancer patients' sera or cancer patients' sera-derived exosomes. Treated cells were injected into NOD-SCID mice. Immunohistochemical analyses were performed to determine the differentiation state of the xenotransplants. Mass spectrometry analyses of proteins from cancer exosomes and the BRCA1-KO fibroblasts' membrane were performed to investigate possible de novo expression of molecules involved in vesicles uptake. Blocking of the identified molecules in vitro was performed and in vivo experiments were conducted to confirm the role of these molecules in the malignant transformation carried out by cancer-derived exosomes. Cells treated with exosomes isolated from cancer patients' sera underwent malignant transformation and formed tumors when transplanted into immunodeficient mice. Histological analyses showed that the tumors were carcinomas that differentiated into the same lineage of the primary tumors of blood donors. Oncosuppressor mutation promoted the de novo expression

Radioimmunoassay of creatine kinase-B isoenzyme in human sera: results in patients with acute myocardial infarction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Willerson, J.T.; Stone, M.J.; Ting, R.; Mukherjee, A.; Gomez-Sanchez, C.E.; Lewis, P.; Hersh, L.B.

1977-01-01

A radiommunoassay was developed to measure serum levels of the B isoenzyme of creatine kinase (ATP: creatine N-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.3.2) (CPK) in order to evaluate the time course and frequency of MB isoenzyme elevation in patients with acute myocardial infarction. The method can identify as little as 0.2 ng of the B portion of the CPK-MB isoenzyme, does not significantly crossreact with CPK-MM isoenzyme, and is not affected by storage of serum at -20 0 . CPK isoenzyme containing B subunits was detected in 48 out of 51 sera from normal adults; serum levels in these individuals ranged between 1.2 and 12.5 ng/ml[mean +- SEM was 2.7 +- 0.30 ng/ml]. The mean serum level of CPK-B isoenzyme in a pool of sera obtained from 100 normal subjects was 2.9 +- 0.35 ng/ml; two patients with rhabdomyolysis that were studied had serum CPK-B isoenzyme levels of 2.5 and 3.5 ng/ml, respectively. In contrast, serum levels of the CPK-B isoenzyme were markedly elevated in sera from 18 patients with acute myocardial infarcts when obtained within 12 hr after hospital admission; the mean +- SEM concentration was 56 +- 7.8 ng/ml. We performed serial determinations on 14 patients with acute myocardial infarcts and demonstrated that maximal serum CPK-B levels occurred within the first 12 hr after admission and were lower thereafter. The serum concentration of B-containing CPK isoenzyme in 19 additional patients admitted with chest pain but without acute myocardial infarction was 3.4 +- 0.50 ng/ml. Thus, radioimmunoassay measurement of CPK-B isoenzyme appears to be a useful and sensitive test for the detection of acute myocardial infarcts in patients

Electrophoretic pattern of sera from lambs and kids vaccinated with irradiated Amphistome metacercariae (Cercariae indicae XXVI)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hafeez, Md.; Rao, B.V.

1986-01-01

Preliminary work has been done to study certain responses induced by irradiated amphistome metacercariae used as a vaccine to immunise lambs, kids and calves. The electrophoretic pattern of the sera collected from lambs and kids vaccinated with gamma irradiated amphistome matacercariae (C.I. XXVI) has been reported in this study. (author). 10 refs., 1 table

SERA -- An advanced treatment planning system for neutron therapy and BNCT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nigg, D.W.; Wemple, C.A.; Wessol, D.E.; Wheeler, F.J.; Albright, C.; Cohen, M.; Frandsen, M.; Harkin, G.; Rossmeier, M.

1999-01-01

Detailed treatment planning calculations on a patient-specific basis are required for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT). Two integrated treatment planning systems developed specifically for BNCT have been in clinical use in the United States over the past few years. The MacNCTPLAN BNCT treatment planning system is used in the clinical BNCT trials that are underway at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. A second system, BNCT rtpe (BNCT radiation therapy planning environment), developed independently by the Idaho national Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) in collaboration with Montana State University (MSU), is used for treatment planning in the current series of BNCT clinical trials for glioblastoma at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL). This latter system is also licensed for use at several other BNCT research facilities worldwide. Although the currently available BNCT planning systems have served their purpose well, they suffer from somewhat long computation times (2 to 3 CPU-hours or more per field) relative to standard photon therapy planning software. This is largely due to the need for explicit three-dimensional solutions to the relevant transport equations. The simplifying approximations that work well for photon transport computations are not generally applicable to neutron transport computations. Greater computational speeds for BNCT treatment planning must therefore generally be achieved through the application of improved numerical techniques rather than by simplification of the governing equations. Recent efforts at INEEL and MSU have been directed toward this goal. This has resulted in a new paradigm for this type of calculation and the subsequent creation of the new simulation environment for radiotherapy applications (SERA) treatment planning system for BNCT. SERA is currently in initial clinical testing in connection with the trials at BNL, and it is expected to replace the present BNCT rtpe system upon general release

Demonstration of carbohydrate-specific immunoglobulin G4 antibodies in sera of patients receiving grass pollen immunotherapy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Ree, R.; Aalberse, R. C.

1995-01-01

From a group of 92 patients receiving grass pollen immunotherapy, and selected on grounds of high IgG4 titers against Lol p I, sera were tested for IgG4 antibodies against the glycosylated grass pollen allergen Lol p XI. In 72 of 92 cases IgG4 antibodies were demonstrated. The N-glycan of Lol p XI

Using mobile electronic devices to deliver educational resources in developing countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Mazal, Jonathan Robert; Ludwig, Rebecca

2015-01-01

Developing countries have far fewer trained radiography professionals than developed countries, which exacerbates the limited access to imaging services. The lack of trained radiographers reflects, in part, limited availability of radiographer-specific educational resources. Historically, organizations that provided such resources in the developing world faced challenges related to the limited stock of current materials as well as expenses associated with shipping and delivery. Four mobile electronic devices (MEDs) were loaded with educational content (e-books, PDFs, and digital applications) spanning major radiography topics. The MEDs were distributed to 4 imaging departments in Ghana, India, Nepal, and Nigeria based on evidence of need for radiography-specific resources, as revealed by survey responses. A cost comparison of postal delivery vs digital delivery of educational content was performed. The effectiveness of delivering additional content via Wi-Fi transmission also was evaluated. Feedback was solicited on users' experience with the MEDs as a delivery tool for educational content. An initial average per e-book expense of $30.05, which included the cost of the device, was calculated for the MED delivery method compared with $15.56 for postal delivery of printed materials. The cost of the MED delivery method was reduced to an average of $10.05 for subsequent e-book deliveries. Additional content was successfully delivered via Wi-Fi transmission to all recipients during the 3-month follow-up period. Overall user feedback on the experience was positive, and ideas for enhancing the MED-based method were identified. Using MEDs to deliver radiography-specific educational content appears to be more cost effective than postal delivery of printed materials on a long-term basis. MEDs are more efficient for providing updates to educational materials. Customization of content to department needs, and using projector devices could enhance the usefulness of MEDs for

Humoral response of paracoccidioidomycosis sera in hamsters with different Venezuelan isolates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lilian M Spencer

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Humoral response of paracoccidioidomycosis sera in hamsters with different Venezuelan isolates. Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM is a progressive systemic mycosis caused by the fungus Paraccocidioides brasiliensis (Pb, endemic to Venezuela and Latin America. In this study, eight different Venezuelan isolates obtained from patients with PCM, were inoculated intraperitoneally in Syrian hamsters (Cricetus auratus and studied by immune-serum. Each strain was collected by gently scraping the surface of the culture medium (Sabouraud Dextrose Agar and suspended in 3ml of 0.15 M phosphate-buffered saline. The antigen obtained was called Paraccocidioides brasiliensis Crude Antigen (CAP. Immunoblotting results showed that the immune-sera from hamsters recognized at least 3 bands: one over 200 kDa, and two of 80 and 15-20 kDa. This study suggests that IgG anti-CAP can reveal a significant variability in the eight Venezuelan isolates. Sera from 88 infected hamsters were evaluated by ELISA with eight different CAPs and Western blot with CAP 37383. ELISA results showed that, the antigen of the virulent isolate 37383 had the highest percentage (38% of positivity, while the non-virulent isolate 1458 had the lowest one (13.6%. Furthermore, scanning densitometry revealed that the isolate 37383 had less bands than the non-virulent isolates. These results suggest that the ELISA test with CAP 37383 can detect circulating antibodies, and that this virulent isolate may be useful for the diagnosis of PCM, and to monitor disease responses to treatments. Rev. Biol. Trop. 57 (3: 505-513. Epub 2009 September 30.La Paracoccidioidomicosis (PCM, es una micosis sistémica causada por el hongo Paraccocidioides brasiliensis (Pb, endémica en Venezuela y Latino América. En este estudio ocho diferentes aislados venezolanos, obtenidos de pacientes con PCM, fueron inoculados intraperitonealmente en hámsteres y fueron estudiados por ELISA e inmunoblotting. Los antígenos obtenidos de P

Mass spectrometry data from proteomics-based screening of immunoreactive proteins of fully virulent Brucella strains using sera from naturally infected animals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gamal Wareth

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Here, we provide the dataset associated with our research article on comprehensive screening of Brucella immunoreactive proteins using sera of naturally infected hosts published in Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications Wareth et al., 2015 [1]. Whole-cell protein extracts were prepared from Brucella abortus and Brucella melitensis, separated using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE and subsequently western blotting was carried out using sera from bovines (cows and buffaloes and small ruminants (goats and sheep. The mass spectrometry proteomics data have been deposited to the ProteomeXchange Consortium (http://proteomecentral.proteomexchange.org via the PRIDE partner repository [2] with the dataset identifiers PXD001270 and DOI:10.6019/PXD001270.

Success criteria for electronic medical record implementations in low-resource settings: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Fritz, Fleur; Tilahun, Binyam; Dugas, Martin

2015-03-01

Electronic medical record (EMR) systems have the potential of supporting clinical work by providing the right information at the right time to the right people and thus make efficient use of resources. This is especially important in low-resource settings where reliable data are also needed to support public health and local supporting organizations. In this systematic literature review, our objectives are to identify and collect literature about success criteria of EMR implementations in low-resource settings and to summarize them into recommendations. Our search strategy relied on PubMed queries and manual bibliography reviews. Studies were included if EMR implementations in low-resource settings were described. The extracted success criteria and measurements were summarized into 7 categories: ethical, financial, functionality, organizational, political, technical, and training. We collected 381 success criteria with 229 measurements from 47 articles out of 223 articles. Most papers were evaluations or lessons learned from African countries, published from 1999 to 2013. Almost half of the EMR systems served a specific disease area like human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The majority of criteria that were reported dealt with the functionality, followed by organizational issues, and technical infrastructures. Sufficient training and skilled personnel were mentioned in roughly 10%. Political, ethical, and financial considerations did not play a predominant role. More evaluations based on reliable frameworks are needed. Highly reliable data handling methods, human resources and effective project management, as well as technical architecture and infrastructure are all key factors for successful EMR implementation. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Recombinant major outer membrane protein (MOMP) of Chlamydophila abortus, Chlamydophila pecorum, and Chlamydia suis as antigens to distinguish chlamydial species-specific antibodies in animal sera.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoelzle, Ludwig E; Hoelzle, Katharina; Wittenbrink, Max M

2004-10-05

Recombinant major outer membrane proteins (rMOMP) of Chlamydophila (Ch.) abortus, Ch. pecorum, and Chlamydia (C.) suis were used as antigens to distinguish chlamydial species-specific antibodies in (i) immune sera from six rabbits and three pigs raised against native purified elementary bodies, (ii) serum samples from 25 sows vaccinated with Ch. abortus, and (iii) 40 serum samples from four heifers experimentally infected with Ch. abortus. All post-exposition sera contained chlamydial antibodies as confirmed by strong ELISA seroreactivities against the chlamydial LPS. For the rMOMP ELISA mean IgG antibody levels were at least 5.8-fold higher with the particular rMOMP homologous to the chlamydial species used for immunisation or infection than with heterologous rMOMPs (P <0.001). Preferential rMOMP ELISA reactivities of sera were confirmed by Western blotting. The results suggest that the entire chlamydial rMOMP could provide a species-specific serodiagnostic antigen.

Persistence of atovaquone in human sera following treatment: inhibition of Plasmodium falciparum development in vivo and in vitro.

Science.gov (United States)

Butcher, Geoff A; Sinden, Robert E

2003-01-01

Published pharmacokinetic data indicate that after treatment of patients with therapeutic doses of atovaquone/proguanil hydrochloride (Malarone, GlaxoSmithKline Research Triangle Park, NC), the plasma half-lives of these drugs are 70h and 15h, respectively. However, using two biologic assays (mosquito transmission and in vitro asexual stage development), we demonstrate here that sera from volunteers treated with atovaquone/proguanil retained activity against Plasmodium falciparum up to 6 weeks after such treatment. This activity was due to atovaquone, as administration of this drug alone replicated the data obtained with the combination. Most notably, asexual stage development of an atovaquone-resistant strain (NGATV01) of P. falciparum was not inhibited by sera taken after atovaquone treatment. These data indicate that for atovaquone, biologic assays, though not quantitative, are more sensitive than the usual physicochemical assays. Also, persistence of atovaquone in plasma at low concentrations for long periods may increase the risk of resistant parasites arising.

Immunoreactivity of protein tyrosine phosphatase A (PtpA) in sera from sheep infected with Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Gurung, Ratna B; Begg, Douglas J; Purdie, Auriol C; Bach, Horacio; Whittington, Richard J

2014-07-15

Evasion of host defense mechanisms and survival inside infected host macrophages are features of pathogenic mycobacteria including Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis, the causative agent of Johne's disease in ruminants. Protein tyrosine phosphatase A (PtpA) has been identified as a secreted protein critical for survival of mycobacteria within infected macrophages. The host may mount an immune response to such secreted proteins. In this study, the humoral immune response to purified recombinant M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis PtpA was investigated using sera from a cohort of sheep infected with M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis and compared with uninfected healthy controls. A significantly higher level of reactivity to PtpA was observed in sera collected from M. avium subspecies paratuberculosis infected sheep when compared to those from uninfected healthy controls. PtpA could be a potential candidate antigen for detection of humoral immune responses in sheep infected with M. avium subspecies paratuberculosis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Increased Expression of Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte-Associated Protein 4 by T Cells, Induced by B7 in Sera, Reduces Adaptive Immunity in Patients With Acute Liver Failure

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Khamri, Wafa; Abeles, Robin D; Hou, Tie Zheng

2017-01-01

, hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cells, and biliary epithelial cells from healthy or diseased liver tissues. We also measured levels of soluble B7 serum samples from patients and controls, and mice with acetaminophen-induced liver injury using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. RESULTS: Peripheral blood...... were found to have increased concentrations of soluble B7 compared to sera from controls. Necrotic human primary hepatocytes exposed to acetaminophen, but not hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cells and biliary epithelial cells from patients with ALF, secreted high levels of soluble B7. Sera from mice...... with acetaminophen-induced liver injury contained high levels of soluble B7 compared to sera from mice without liver injury. Plasma exchange reduced circulating levels of soluble B7 in patients with ALF and expression of CTLA4 on T cells. CONCLUSIONS: Peripheral CD4+T cells from patients with ALF have increased...

Electronic Human Resources Management (e-HRM Adoption Studies: Past and Future Research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Winarto Winarto

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Electronic human resource management (e-HRM systems become more widely used by profit and non-profit organization. However, the field currently lacks sound theoretical frameworks that can be useful in addressing a key issue concerning the implementation of e-HRM systems, in particular to obtain a better understanding of the factors influencing the adoption of e-HRM systems. The objective of this paper is to provide a foundation towards the development of a theoretical framework for the implementation of e-HRM systems and develop a conceptual model that would reflect the nature of e-HRM systems’ adoption through systematic literature review. Adopting Crossan and Apaydin’s procedure of systematic review, this paper investigated 21 empirical papers of electronics human resources management, then categorized them into 4 characteristics which influence the adoption; System and technology characteristics; Organizational characteristics; User/individual characteristics, and Environmental and contextual characteristics. Finally, the e-HRM adoption research framework is drawn and based on the framework; avenues for future research are discussed.   Bahasa Indonesia Abstrak: Manajemen sumber daya manusia elektronik (selanjutnya disebut dengan e-HRM semakin banyak digunakan oleh organisasi profit dan nonprofit. Namun, bidang dan topik ini belum memiliki kerangka teori yang mapan, yang dapat digunakan untuk menganalisis isu-isu terkait penerapan e-HRM, terutama mengenai faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhi adopsi sistem e-HRM. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk memberikan landasan bagi pengembangan kerangka teoritis untuk implementasi sistem e-HRM dan mengembangkan model konseptual yang akan menggambarkan adopsi sistem e-HRM melalui tinjauan literatur sistematis. Mengadopsi prosedur dan metode Crossan dan Apaydin untuk melakukan telaah literatur secara sistematis, paper ini menyelidiki 21 publikasi empiris manajemen sumber daya manusia elektronik dari 2

A survey on the occurrence of ochratoxin A in feeds and sera collected in conventional and organic poultry farms in Northern Italy

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Laura Cavallarin

2010-01-01

Full Text Available A survey has been conducted on conventional and organic poultry farms located in northern Italy in order to investigate the occurrence of ochratoxin A (OTA in feeds and sera in 2006. Ten poultry farms were monitored by taking 20 samples of feed and 94 samples of blood. OTA was assessed through immunoaffinity column purification and HPLC analysis. For in-house validation, recovery experiments, carried out on the spiked samples in the range of 1.0-10.0 μg OTA kg-1 and 0.3-3.0 ng OTA ml-1 for the feed and serum samples, respectively, led to overall recovery averages of 80.6% (RDS=7.3%, n=9 and 83.3% (RDS=3.1%, n=9, respectively. All the feed samples were contaminated by OTA with values ranging from 0.04 to 6.50 μg kg-1. Fiftythree percent of the sera samples were positive, with values ranging from 0.003- 0.165 ng ml-1. None of the feed samples was above the limits set by the European Union on OTA contamination in poultry feeds. No statistically significant differences in OTA contamination of feed or sera were observed either between the organic vs conventional group or between the laying hens vs broiler group.

Solubilization of immune complexes in complement factor deficient sera and the influence of temperature, ionic strength and divalent cations on the solubilization reaction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Baatrup, Gunnar; Petersen, Ivan; Svehag, Svend-Erik

1984-01-01

The complement-mediated solubilization (CMS) of immune complexes (IC) and the initial kinetics (IKS) of this reaction in human sera depleted of or deficient in C2, C3, C8, factors B, P and I were investigated. Sera depleted of B or P and those lacking native C3 or factor I showed virtually no CMS......M. Chelation of Ca2+ in serum by Mg2+-ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid reduced the CMS capacity by up to 50% and the IKS was markedly retarded. Varying the Zn2+ or Mn2+ ion concentrations in serum influenced neither the IKS nor the CMS capacity....

Variant surface glycoproteins from Venezuelan trypanosome isolates are recognized by sera from animals infected with either Trypanosoma evansi or Trypanosoma vivax.

Science.gov (United States)

Camargo, Rocío; Izquier, Adriana; Uzcanga, Graciela L; Perrone, Trina; Acosta-Serrano, Alvaro; Carrasquel, Liomary; Arias, Laura P; Escalona, José L; Cardozo, Vanessa; Bubis, José

2015-01-15

Salivarian trypanosomes sequentially express only one variant surface glycoprotein (VSG) on their cell surface from a large repertoire of VSG genes. Seven cryopreserved animal trypanosome isolates known as TeAp-ElFrio01, TEVA1 (or TeAp-N/D1), TeGu-N/D1, TeAp-Mantecal01, TeGu-TerecayTrino, TeGu-Terecay03 and TeGu-Terecay323, which had been isolated from different hosts identified in several geographical areas of Venezuela were expanded using adult albino rats. Soluble forms of predominant VSGs expressed during the early infection stages were purified and corresponded to concanavalin A-binding proteins with molecular masses of 48-67 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electropohoresis, and pI values between 6.1 and 7.5. The biochemical characterization of all purified soluble VSGs revealed that they were dimers in their native form and represented different gene products. Sequencing of some of these proteins yielded peptides homologous to VSGs from Trypanosoma (Trypanozoon) brucei and Trypanosoma (Trypanozoon) evansi and established that they most likely are mosaics generated by homologous recombination. Western blot analysis showed that all purified VSGs were cross-reacting antigens that were recognized by sera from animals infected with either T. evansi or Trypanosoma (Dutonella) vivax. The VSG glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol cross-reacting determinant epitope was only partially responsible for the cross-reactivity of the purified proteins, and antibodies appeared to recognize cross-reacting conformational epitopes from the various soluble VSGs. ELISA experiments were performed using infected bovine sera collected from cattle in a Venezuelan trypanosome-endemic area. In particular, soluble VSGs from two trypanosome isolates, TeGu-N/D1 and TeGu-TeracayTrino, were recognized by 93.38% and 73.55% of naturally T. vivax-infected bovine sera, respectively. However, approximately 70% of the sera samples did not recognize all seven purified proteins. Hence, the

Improving Electronic Resources through Holistic Budgeting

Science.gov (United States)

Kusik, James P.; Vargas, Mark A.

2009-01-01

To establish a more direct link between its collections and the educational goals of Saint Xavier University, the Byrne Memorial Library has adopted a "holistic" approach to collection development. This article examines how traditional budget practices influenced the library's selection of resources and describes how holistic collection…

Clinician‐selected Electronic Information Resources do not Guarantee Accuracy in Answering Primary Care Physicians’ Information Needs. A review of: McKibbon, K. Ann, and Douglas B. Fridsma. “Effectiveness of Clinician‐selected Electronic Information Resources for Answering Primary Care Physicians’ Information Needs.” Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association 13.6 (2006: 653‐9.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martha Ingrid Preddie

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Objective – To determine if electronic information resources selected by primary care physicians improve their ability to answer simulated clinical questions.Design – An observational study utilizing hour‐long interviews and think‐aloud protocols.Setting – The offices and clinics of primary care physicians in Canada and the United States.Subjects – Twenty‐five primary care physicians of whom 4 were women, 17 were from Canada, 22 were family physicians,and 24 were board certified.Methods – Participants provided responses to 23 multiple‐choice questions. Each physician then chose two questions and looked for the answers utilizing information resources of their own choice. The search processes, chosen resources and search times were noted. These were analyzed along with data on the accuracy of the answers and certainties related to the answer to each clinical question prior to the search.Main results – Twenty‐three physicians sought answers to 46 simulated clinical questions. Utilizing only electronic information resources, physicians spent a mean of 13.0 (SD 5.5 minutes searching for answers to the questions, an average of 7.3(SD 4.0 minutes for the first question and 5.8 (SD 2.2 minutes to answer the second question. On average, 1.8 resources were utilized per question. Resources that summarized information, such as the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, UpToDate and Clinical Evidence, were favored 39.2% of the time, MEDLINE (Ovid and PubMed 35.7%, and Internet resources including Google 22.6%. Almost 50% of the search and retrieval strategies were keyword‐based, while MeSH, subheadings and limiting were used less frequently. On average, before searching physicians answered 10 of 23 (43.5% questions accurately. For questions that were searched using clinician‐selected electronic resources, 18 (39.1% of the 46 answers were accurate before searching, while 19 (42.1% were accurate after searching. The difference of

Review of material recovery from used electric and electronic equipment-alternative options for resource conservation.

Science.gov (United States)

Friege, Henning

2012-09-01

For waste from electric and electronic equipment, the WEEE Directive stipulates the separate collection of electric and electronic waste. As to new electric and electronic devices, the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive bans the use of certain chemicals dangerous for man and environment. From the implementation of the WEEE directive, many unsolved problems have been documented: poor collection success, emission of dangerous substances during collection and recycling, irretrievable loss of valuable metals among others. As to RoHS, data from the literature show a satisfying success. The problems identified in the process can be reduced to some basic dilemmas at the borders between waste management, product policy and chemical safety. The objectives of the WEEE Directive and the specific targets for use and recycling of appliances are not consistent. There is no focus on scarce resources. Extended producer responsibility is not sufficient to guarantee sustainable waste management. Waste management reaches its limits due to problems of implementation but also due to physical laws. A holistic approach is necessary looking at all branch points and sinks in the stream of used products and waste from electric and electronic equipment. This may be done with respect to the general rules for sustainable management of material streams covering the three dimensions of sustainable policy. The relationships between the players in the field of electric and electronic devices have to be taken into account. Most of the problems identified in the implementation process will not be solved by the current amendment of the WEEE Directive.

Anti-leptospirose agglutinins in equine sera, from São Paulo, Goias, and Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, 1996-2001

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. Langoni

2004-01-01

Full Text Available Equine leptospirosis can present a non-symptomatic form, an acute clinical form, or even develop chronically, causing reproductive alterations, such as abortion and recurrent uveitis. Since the prevalence of leptospirosis in several countries and regions is widely reported, the objective of this study was to verify the prevailing equine leptospirosis in different regions of Brazil. Sera from 1402 blood samples from horses of different age, sex, breed, and purpose were examined. These samples came from southeastern and central west states of Brazil. The method utilized was the Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT, with 12 different Leptospira serovars. From the sera tested, 754 (54% were positive for one (385 or more (372 serovars. These results were higher when compared to national and international levels. The most commonly found serovars were icterohaemorrhagiae (37.01%, suggesting exposure to rodents, castellonis (16.97%, and djasiman (15.19%. There were significant differences of reagents between sexes, and a tendency toward higher positivity with age. Distribution of sera-reagents related to aptitude showed a markedly higher value for work animals than for sporting ones. Higher rates were found for animals with undefined breed. There were no significant differences related to regional origin. As an indication of multiple exposure, significant associations were observed between the following serovars: castellonis and djasiman; castellonis and grippotyphosa; castellonis and copenhageni; castellonis and icterohaemorrhagiae; castellonis and pomona; canicola and pomona; canicola and djasiman; djasiman and copenhageni; icterohaemorrhagiae and djasiman; icterohaemorrhagiae and pyrogenes; copenhageni and pomona. These results showed the necessity of further studies on the epidemiology of this disease in equines and its relationship to human illness.

Charting a Course through CORAL: Texas A&M University Libraries' Experience Implementing an Open-Source Electronic Resources Management System

Science.gov (United States)

Hartnett, Eric; Beh, Eugenia; Resnick, Taryn; Ugaz, Ana; Tabacaru, Simona

2013-01-01

In 2010, after two previous unsuccessful attempts at electronic resources management system (ERMS) implementation, Texas A&M University (TAMU) Libraries set out once again to find an ERMS that would fit its needs. After surveying the field, TAMU Libraries selected the University of Notre Dame Hesburgh Libraries-developed, open-source ERMS,…

Comprehensive Identification of Immunodominant Proteins of Brucella abortus and Brucella melitensis Using Antibodies in the Sera from Naturally Infected Hosts.

Science.gov (United States)

Wareth, Gamal; Eravci, Murat; Weise, Christoph; Roesler, Uwe; Melzer, Falk; Sprague, Lisa D; Neubauer, Heinrich; Murugaiyan, Jayaseelan

2016-04-30

Brucellosis is a debilitating zoonotic disease that affects humans and animals. The diagnosis of brucellosis is challenging, as accurate species level identification is not possible with any of the currently available serology-based diagnostic methods. The present study aimed at identifying Brucella (B.) species-specific proteins from the closely related species B. abortus and B. melitensis using sera collected from naturally infected host species. Unlike earlier reported investigations with either laboratory-grown species or vaccine strains, in the present study, field strains were utilized for analysis. The label-free quantitative proteomic analysis of the naturally isolated strains of these two closely related species revealed 402 differentially expressed proteins, among which 63 and 103 proteins were found exclusively in the whole cell extracts of B. abortus and B. melitensis field strains, respectively. The sera from four different naturally infected host species, i.e., cattle, buffalo, sheep, and goat were applied to identify the immune-binding protein spots present in the whole protein extracts from the isolated B. abortus and B. melitensis field strains and resolved on two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Comprehensive analysis revealed that 25 proteins of B. abortus and 20 proteins of B. melitensis were distinctly immunoreactive. Dihydrodipicolinate synthase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and lactate/malate dehydrogenase from B. abortus, amino acid ABC transporter substrate-binding protein from B. melitensis and fumarylacetoacetate hydrolase from both species were reactive with the sera of all the tested naturally infected host species. The identified proteins could be used for the design of serological assays capable of detecting pan-Brucella, B. abortus- and B. melitensis-specific antibodies.

Designing a model of electronic human resource management’s implementation at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mirali Seyednaghavi

2017-06-01

Full Text Available : In the first phase of this study a model for electronic human resource management in government agencies based on new public services was explored by using software MAXQDA, then in the second phase, relationship between the elements of the theory were tested using software Smart PLS2. So the aim of this study is to design a model of electronic human resource management’s implementation at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. In this regard, according to Strauss and Corbin’s structured plan, five hypotheses were tested. Quantitative data analysis indicates that the pressures of the policies and global perspectives cause to move toward e-HRM. Among the contextual conditions macro structural mechanisms, considerations of actors, governance considerations have a significant impact on the strategy of new public services and therefore lead to the consequences of its implementation in public organizations. The findings suggest that e-HRM does not have a positive and meaningful impact on new public services, and in our country, although the recent political developments have somehow removed the gap between public policy makers, administrators, and the public, but there is still a long way to go.

Contribution to diagnostics/prognostics of tuberculosis in children. I. New methods of assaying zinc and simultaneously copper and zinc in diluted sera by flame atomic-absorption spectrometry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luterotti Svjetlana

2015-09-01

Full Text Available In an attempt to provide a reliable status of metal ions in children, new methods of analysis of children’s sera are proposed. New flame atomic-absorption spectrometric (FAAS methods are simple, cost- and time-effective and, above all, labor-, reagent- and sample-saving. Two methods were suggested: method A for simultaneous determination of Cu and Zn from 5-fold diluted sera, and method B, for assaying zinc alone in 10-fold diluted samples. Both methods are based on a single-step sample pretreatment (deproteinization with 3 mol dm–3 HCl. Method A uses a single-step calibration with a mixed standard. The main advantage of method B is an additional reduction in sample consumption. Both methods were fully validated against reference methods. Accuracy, sensitivity and precision have proven them to be comparable to the reference methods in terms of analytical performance, and applicable to analyses of children’s sera.

Neutron activation analysis of Cl, K and Na content in whole blood of horses used in hyperimmune sera production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baptista, T.S.; Zamboni, C.B.; Medeiros, J.A.G.; Freitas, M.G.; Higashi, H.G.; Marcelino, J.R.

2009-01-01

Using neutron activation analysis technique Cl, K and Na concentration were obtained in whole blood of equines used for antivenom production at Butantan Institute (Sao Paulo, Brazil). These data were compared with the human whole blood estimation. No significant difference was observed suggesting that this model animal is adequate sera production. (author)

The module of methodical support in system of electronic educational resources as the innovative element of the modern maintenance of formation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ольга Николаевна Крылова

2009-06-01

Full Text Available The article introduces some results of research, which were devoted to evaluation of tearches' mobility to introduce innovations in the contents of education. The author considers innovative potential of modules of the methodical support for system of electronic educational resources.

İlköğretim Öğretmen Adaylarının Sera Etkisi İle İlgili Kavram Yanılgıları

OpenAIRE

Arsal, Zeki

2010-01-01

Bu çalışmanın amacı ilköğretim fen bilgisi ve sınıf öğretmenliği kavram yanılgılarını döndürmek. Araştırma eğitim fakültesi ilköğretim fen bilgisi ve sınıf öğretmenliği bölümler öğrenim gören 171 öğretmen adayı ile yapılmış. Çalışmada sera etkisinin nedenleri, sonuçları ve sera açısından önleme yollarıyla ilgili kavram yanılgıları araştırılmıştır. Araştırmanın anlamı toplanması "Sera Etkisi le lgili Düşünceler Anketi" Anket üç alt boyuttan ve yirmi üç maddeden. Deneme hakkı hem fen ...

Standardization and application of the solid phase C1q radioimmunoassay using soluble tetanus toxoid-antitetanus immune complexes in sera of patients with chronic polyarthritis and Lupus erythematodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Menzel, E.J.; Steffen, C.; Smolen, J.

1982-01-01

Soluble tetanus-antitetanus immune complexes were prepared with affinity-chromatography and gel chromatography. Serial dilutions of these immune complex preparations were tested in a solid phase C1q radioimmunoassay. Soluble immune complexes as well as aggregated human gamma globulin of identical protein concentrations were comparatively investigated. Soluble immune complexes rendered a more sensitive standardization of RIA. According to these observations a relation between μg/ml equivalents of defined tetanus-antitetanus complexes and ng second antibody obtained in C1q-RIA was calculated. Upper limit of mean values and two standard deviations of ng second antibody obtained in investigations of 55 normal sera was designated as 1 unit immune complexes and regarded as border line of negative results. Multiplication of μg/ml immune complex equivalents of 1 unit led to a scale of 1 to 15 units, showing the area of positive results. According to these values a standardization curve was constructed allowing a conversion of ng-second antibody obtained in serum investigations into immune complex units equivalent to defined standard immune complexes. With this curve investigation results of 56 RA sera and 21 SLE sera were expressed in the range of units, making a distinct gradation of positive results and a clear cut separation of positive and negative results possible. SLE sera of patients in acute stage showed highly positive results. (orig.) [de

Standardization and application of the solid phase C1q radioimmunoassay using soluble tetanus toxoid-antitetanus immune complexes in sera of patients with chronic polyarthritis and Lupus erythematodes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Menzel, E J; Steffen, C; Smolen, J

1982-11-22

Soluble tetanus-antitetanus immune complexes were prepared with affinity-chromatography and gel chromatography. Serial dilutions of these immune complex preparations were tested in a solid phase C1q radioimmunoassay. Soluble immune complexes as well as aggregated human gamma globulin of identical protein concentrations were comparatively investigated. Soluble immune complexes rendered a more sensitive standardization of RIA. According to these observations a relation between ..mu..g/ml equivalents of defined tetanus-antitetanus complexes and ng second antibody obtained in C1q-RIA was calculated. Upper limit of mean values and two standard deviations of ng second antibody obtained in investigations of 55 normal sera was designated as 1 unit immune complexes and regarded as border line of negative results. Multiplication of ..mu..g/ml immune complex equivalents of 1 unit led to a scale of 1 to 15 units, showing the area of positive results. According to these values a standardization curve was constructed allowing a conversion of ng-second antibody obtained in serum investigations into immune complex units equivalent to defined standard immune complexes. With this curve investigation results of 56 RA sera and 21 SLE sera were expressed in the range of units, making a distinct gradation of positive results and a clear cut separation of positive and negative results possible. SLE sera of patients in acute stage showed highly positive results.

Impact of Electronic Resources and Usage in Academic Libraries in Ghana: Evidence from Koforidua Polytechnic & All Nations University College, Ghana

Science.gov (United States)

Akussah, Maxwell; Asante, Edward; Adu-Sarkodee, Rosemary

2015-01-01

The study investigates the relationship between impact of electronic resources and its usage in academic libraries in Ghana: evidence from Koforidua Polytechnic & All Nations University College, Ghana. The study was a quantitative approach using questionnaire to gather data and information. A valid response rate of 58.5% was assumed. SPSS…

Coronative antibody tires in sera of healthy adults and experimentally infected volunteers.

Science.gov (United States)

Bradburne, A F; Somerset, B A

1972-06-01

Six coronaviruses isolated in the U.S.A. have been inoculated into volunteers and all produced colds. Between 10 and 20% of infected volunteers developed heterologous antibody responses after these and other experimental infections with coronaviruses. The haemagglutination-inhibition test with the OC43 virus strain was found to detect antibody rises after infection with a variety of strains.Studies on normal adult sera taken between 1965 and 1970 revealed a high frequency of neutralizing antibody to one strain (229 E) and a frequency of HI antibody to strain OC43 which fluctuated from year to year. Complement-fixing antibodies to these two viruses were also found, revealing an apparent increase in the activity of coronaviruses in the general population of the U.K., during the winter of 1968-9.

Comprehensive Identification of Immunodominant Proteins of Brucella abortus and Brucella melitensis Using Antibodies in the Sera from Naturally Infected Hosts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gamal Wareth

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Brucellosis is a debilitating zoonotic disease that affects humans and animals. The diagnosis of brucellosis is challenging, as accurate species level identification is not possible with any of the currently available serology-based diagnostic methods. The present study aimed at identifying Brucella (B. species-specific proteins from the closely related species B. abortus and B. melitensis using sera collected from naturally infected host species. Unlike earlier reported investigations with either laboratory-grown species or vaccine strains, in the present study, field strains were utilized for analysis. The label-free quantitative proteomic analysis of the naturally isolated strains of these two closely related species revealed 402 differentially expressed proteins, among which 63 and 103 proteins were found exclusively in the whole cell extracts of B. abortus and B. melitensis field strains, respectively. The sera from four different naturally infected host species, i.e., cattle, buffalo, sheep, and goat were applied to identify the immune-binding protein spots present in the whole protein extracts from the isolated B. abortus and B. melitensis field strains and resolved on two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Comprehensive analysis revealed that 25 proteins of B. abortus and 20 proteins of B. melitensis were distinctly immunoreactive. Dihydrodipicolinate synthase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and lactate/malate dehydrogenase from B. abortus, amino acid ABC transporter substrate-binding protein from B. melitensis and fumarylacetoacetate hydrolase from both species were reactive with the sera of all the tested naturally infected host species. The identified proteins could be used for the design of serological assays capable of detecting pan-Brucella, B. abortus- and B. melitensis-specific antibodies.

Diagnostic potential of Western blot analysis of sera from dogs with leishmaniasis in endemic areas and significance of the pattern.

Science.gov (United States)

Aisa, M J; Castillejo, S; Gallego, M; Fisa, R; Riera, M C; de Colmenares, M; Torras, S; Roura, X; Sentis, J; Portus, M

1998-02-01

Serum samples collected from 237 dogs in Catalonia (northeastern Spain) were screened by Western blot analysis to detect the presence of antibodies specific to different Leishmania infantum polypeptide fractions. Leishmaniasis was confirmed in 72 of these dogs by direct examination and/or culture. Another 165 animals from the Priorat region were studied periodically for 2-8 years between 1987 and 1995, giving a total of 565 determinations. A control group of 93 dogs from nonendemic areas was also studied. Sera from dogs with leishmaniasis recognized antigens with molecular weights ranging from 12 to 85 kD. The most sensitive antigens were those of 70, 65, 46, 30, 28, 14, and 12 kD, which were recognized by 75%, 75%, 78%, 75%, 81%, 79%, and 75%, respectively, of the sera from dogs with positive parasitologic examination results. Antigens of 70 and 65 kD were also recognized by two dogs from nonendemic areas. Antigens of 14 and 12 kD were the first to be recognized by sera of asymptomatic dogs with titers less than the cut-off value of the dot-ELISA that increased during the longitudinal study, and the presence of antibodies specific for these fractions was observed for up to six years before seroconversion observed by dot-ELISA. These antibodies were also the first to disappear in dogs in which the disease was self-limited. The study corroborates the high sensitivity and specificity of Western blots in the diagnosis of canine leishmaniasis when the bands of low molecular weight (less than 46 kD) are considered, and indicates that fractions of 14 and 12 kD are useful in detecting early forms of the disease.

Utilization of Electronic Information Resources by Undergraduate Students of University of Ibadan: A Case Study of Social Sciences and Education

Science.gov (United States)

Owolabi, Sola; Idowu, Oluwafemi A.; Okocha, Foluke; Ogundare, Atinuke Omotayo

2016-01-01

The study evaluated utilization of electronic information resources by undergraduates in the Faculties of Education and the Social Sciences in University of Ibadan. The study adopted a descriptive survey design with a study population of 1872 undergraduates in the Faculties of Education and the Social Sciences in University of Ibadan, from which a…

Shaping the Electronic Library--The UW-Madison Approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Dean, Charles W., Ed.; Frazier, Ken; Pope, Nolan F.; Gorman, Peter C.; Dentinger, Sue; Boston, Jeanne; Phillips, Hugh; Daggett, Steven C.; Lundquist, Mitch; McClung, Mark; Riley, Curran; Allan, Craig; Waugh, David

1998-01-01

This special theme section describes the University of Wisconsin-Madison's experience building its Electronic Library. Highlights include integrating resources and services; the administrative framework; the public electronic library, including electronic publishing capability and access to World Wide Web-based and other electronic resources;…

Detection of IgE in the sera of rodents: comparison of the applicability of ELISA and RIA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reiner, G; Zahner, H [Institut fuer Parasitologie der Justus-Liebig-Universitaet Giessen, Germany, F.R.; Haque, A [Institut Pasteur, 59 - Lille (France). Centre d' Immunologie et de Biologie Parasitaire

1984-04-13

RIA and ELISA were compared for their ability to detect IgE in different rodent species. With a sheep anti-rat IgE antibody good correlation (P < 0.001) between the 2 assay methods for IgE was found in rats. RIA failed to detect the IgE of Mastomys natalensis while ELISA proved to be a suitable test. However, both tests failed to measure IgE in sera of Nile rats.

Autoantibodies to IL-1 alpha in sera from umbilical cords, children, and adults, and from patients with juvenile chronic arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Müller, K; Hansen, M B; Zak, M

1996-01-01

umbilical cords (n = 11), children (n = 45), and adults (n = 20), as well as in 51 patients with juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA) of pauciarticular (n = 34), polyarticular (n = 8), or systemic onset type (n = 9). RESULTS. The frequency of positive sera was significantly lower in children than in cord blood...

Levels of inhibitors of tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 1beta in urine and sera of patients with urosepsis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Olszyna, D. P.; Prins, J. M.; Buis, B.; van Deventer, S. J.; Speelman, P.; van der Poll, T.

1998-01-01

The antiinflammatory cytokine response during urosepsis was determined by measurement of concentrations of soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor (sTNFR) types I and II, interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra), soluble IL-1 receptor type II (sIL-1RII), and interleukin 10 in sera and urine of 30

Controlling user access to electronic resources without password

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Fred Hewitt

2017-08-22

Described herein are devices and techniques for remotely controlling user access to a restricted computer resource. The process includes obtaining an image from a communication device of a user. An individual and a landmark are identified within the image. Determinations are made that the individual is the user and that the landmark is a predetermined landmark. Access to a restricted computing resource is granted based on the determining that the individual is the user and that the landmark is the predetermined landmark. Other embodiments are disclosed.

The use of quality benchmarking in assessing web resources for the dermatology virtual branch library of the National electronic Library for Health (NeLH).

Science.gov (United States)

Kamel Boulos, M N; Roudsari, A V; Gordon, C; Muir Gray, J A

2001-01-01

In 1998, the U.K. National Health Service Information for Health Strategy proposed the implementation of a National electronic Library for Health to provide clinicians, healthcare managers and planners, patients and the public with easy, round the clock access to high quality, up-to-date electronic information on health and healthcare. The Virtual Branch Libraries are among the most important components of the National electronic Library for Health. They aim at creating online knowledge based communities, each concerned with some specific clinical and other health-related topics. This study is about the envisaged Dermatology Virtual Branch Libraries of the National electronic Library for Health. It aims at selecting suitable dermatology Web resources for inclusion in the forthcoming Virtual Branch Libraries after establishing preliminary quality benchmarking rules for this task. Psoriasis, being a common dermatological condition, has been chosen as a starting point. Because quality is a principal concern of the National electronic Library for Health, the study includes a review of the major quality benchmarking systems available today for assessing health-related Web sites. The methodology of developing a quality benchmarking system has been also reviewed. Aided by metasearch Web tools, candidate resources were hand-selected in light of the reviewed benchmarking systems and specific criteria set by the authors. Over 90 professional and patient-oriented Web resources on psoriasis and dermatology in general are suggested for inclusion in the forthcoming Dermatology Virtual Branch Libraries. The idea of an all-in knowledge-hallmarking instrument for the National electronic Library for Health is also proposed based on the reviewed quality benchmarking systems. Skilled, methodical, organized human reviewing, selection and filtering based on well-defined quality appraisal criteria seems likely to be the key ingredient in the envisaged National electronic Library for

There is a Relationship between Resource Expenditures and Reference Transactions in Academic Libraries. A Review of: Dubnjakovic, A. (2012. Electronic resource expenditure and the decline in reference transaction statistics in academic libraries. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 38(2, 94-100. doi:10.1016/j.acalib.2012.01.001

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Annie M. Hughes

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Objective – To provide an analysis of the impact of expenditures on electronic resourcesand gate counts on the increase or decrease in reference transactions.Design – Analysis of results of existing survey data from the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES 2006 Academic Library Survey(ALS.Setting – Academic libraries in the United States.Subjects – 3925 academic library respondents.Methods – The author chose to use survey data collected from the 2006 ALS conducted bythe NCES. The survey included data on various topics related to academic libraries, but in the case of this study, the author chose to analyze three of the 193 variables included. The three variables: electronic books expenditure, computer hardware and software, and expenditures on bibliographic utilities, were combined into one variable called electronic resource expenditure. Gate counts were also considered as a variable. Electronic resource expenditure was also split as a variable into three groups: low, medium, and high. Multiple regression analysis and general linear modeling, along with tests of reliability, were employed. Main Results – The author determined that low, medium, and high spenders with regard to electronic resources exhibited differences in gate counts, and gate counts have an effect on reference transactions in any given week. Gate counts tend to not have much of an effect on reference transactions for the higher spenders, and higher spenders tend to have a higher number of reference transactions overall. Low spenders have lower gate counts and also a lower amount of reference transactions.Conclusion – The findings from this study show that academic libraries spending more on electronic resources also tend to have an increase with regard to reference transactions. The author also concludes that library spaces are no longer the determining factor with regard to number of reference transactions. Spending more on electronic resources is

Electronic resources access and usage among the postgraduates of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... and usage among the postgraduates of a Nigerian University of Technology. ... faced by postgraduates in using e-resources include takes too much time to find, ... Resources, Access, Use, Postgraduat, Students, University, Technology, Nigeria ... By Country · List All Titles · Free To Read Titles This Journal is Open Access.

Comparative 1H NMR-based metabonomic analysis of HIV-1 sera

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Philippeos, C.; Steffens, F. E.; Meyer, D.

2009-01-01

1 H NMR spectroscopy of sera from HIV-1 infected and uninfected individuals was performed on 300 and 600 MHz instruments. The resultant spectra were automatically data reduced to 90 and 180 integral segments of equal length. Analysis of variance identified significant differences between the sample groups, especially for the samples analyzed on 600 MHz and reduced to fewer segments. Linear discriminant analysis correctly classified 100% of the samples analyzed on the 300 MHz NMR (reduced to 180 segments); an increase in instrument sensitivity resulted in lower percentages of correctly classified samples. Multinomial logistic regression (MLR) resulted in 100% correct classification of all samples from both instruments. Thus 1 H-NMR metabonomics on either instrument distinguishes HIV-positive individuals using or not using anti retroviral therapy, but the sensitivity of the instrument impacts on data reduction. Furthermore, MLR is a novel multivariate statistical technique for improved classification of biological data analyzed in NMR

Circadian rhythms of cysteine proteinases and cystatins, potential tumour markers, in normal sera

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cimerman, N.; Krasovec, M.; Mesko-Brguljan, P.; Suskovic, S.; Kos, J.

2002-01-01

Circadian day/night variations have been evidenced in all major groups of organisms and at all levels of organisation of the organism. Circadian intra-individual variations are known for a number of analyses in serum including tumour-associated markers. It was suggested that the serum levels of cysteine proteinases and their inhibitors may be of clinical importance for prognosis and diagnosis in cancer. Since known circadian rhythms are important for choosing the best sampling time, interpretation of the results of a diagnostic test, patient monitoring, and timing of a therapy, our objective was to establish 24-h variations of cysteine proteinases, cathepsins B, H, L, and their low molecular weight inhibitors, stefin A, stefin B, and cystatin C, in sera from healthy subjects. (author)

Proteomic data show an increase in autoantibodies and alpha-fetoprotein and a decrease in apolipoprotein A-II with time in sera from senescence-accelerated mice

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guo, S.J. [Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing (China); Shanghai Key Laboratory of Hypertension, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai (China); Qi, C.H.; Zhou, W.X.; Zhang, Y.X. [Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing (China); Zhang, X.M.; Wang, J.; Wang, H.X. [National Center of Biomedical Analysis, Beijing (China)

2013-04-12

We evaluated changes in levels by comparing serum proteins in senescence-accelerated mouse-prone 8 (SAMP8) mice at 2, 6, 12, and 15 months of age (SAMP8-2 m, -6 m, -12 m, -15 m) to age-matched SAM-resistant 1 (SAMR1) mice. Mice were sacrificed, and blood was analyzed by 2-dimensional electrophoresis combined with mass spectrometry. Five protein spots were present in all SAMP8 serum samples, but only appeared in SAMR1 samples at 15 months of age except for spot 3, which also showed a slight expression in SAMR1-12 m sera. Two proteins decreased in the sera from SAMP8-2 m, -6 m, and -12 m mice, and divided into 2 spots each in SAMP8-15 m sera. Thus, the total number of altered spots in SAMP8 sera was 7; of these, 4 were identified as Ig kappa chain V region (M-T413), chain A of an activity suppressing Fab fragment to cytochrome P450 aromatase (32C2-A), alpha-fetoprotein, and apolipoprotein A-II. M-T413 is a monoclonal CD4 antibody, which inhibits T cell proliferation. We found that M-T413 RNA level was significantly enhanced in splenocytes from SAMP8-2 m mice. This agreed with serum M-T413 protein alterations and a strikingly lower blood CD4{sup +} T cell count in SAMP8 mice when compared to the age-matched SAMR1 mice, with the latter negatively correlating with serum M-T413 protein volume. Age-related changes in serum proteins favored an increase in autoantibodies and alpha-fetoprotein and a decrease of apolipoprotein A-II, which occurred in SAMP8 mice at 2 months of age and onwards. These proteins may serve as candidate biomarkers for early aging.

Proteomic data show an increase in autoantibodies and alpha-fetoprotein and a decrease in apolipoprotein A-II with time in sera from senescence-accelerated mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo, S.J.; Qi, C.H.; Zhou, W.X.; Zhang, Y.X.; Zhang, X.M.; Wang, J.; Wang, H.X.

2013-01-01

We evaluated changes in levels by comparing serum proteins in senescence-accelerated mouse-prone 8 (SAMP8) mice at 2, 6, 12, and 15 months of age (SAMP8-2 m, -6 m, -12 m, -15 m) to age-matched SAM-resistant 1 (SAMR1) mice. Mice were sacrificed, and blood was analyzed by 2-dimensional electrophoresis combined with mass spectrometry. Five protein spots were present in all SAMP8 serum samples, but only appeared in SAMR1 samples at 15 months of age except for spot 3, which also showed a slight expression in SAMR1-12 m sera. Two proteins decreased in the sera from SAMP8-2 m, -6 m, and -12 m mice, and divided into 2 spots each in SAMP8-15 m sera. Thus, the total number of altered spots in SAMP8 sera was 7; of these, 4 were identified as Ig kappa chain V region (M-T413), chain A of an activity suppressing Fab fragment to cytochrome P450 aromatase (32C2-A), alpha-fetoprotein, and apolipoprotein A-II. M-T413 is a monoclonal CD4 antibody, which inhibits T cell proliferation. We found that M-T413 RNA level was significantly enhanced in splenocytes from SAMP8-2 m mice. This agreed with serum M-T413 protein alterations and a strikingly lower blood CD4 + T cell count in SAMP8 mice when compared to the age-matched SAMR1 mice, with the latter negatively correlating with serum M-T413 protein volume. Age-related changes in serum proteins favored an increase in autoantibodies and alpha-fetoprotein and a decrease of apolipoprotein A-II, which occurred in SAMP8 mice at 2 months of age and onwards. These proteins may serve as candidate biomarkers for early aging

Electronic Safety Resource Tools -- Supporting Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Commercialization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barilo, Nick F.

2014-09-29

The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) Hydrogen Safety Program conducted a planning session in Los Angeles, CA on April 1, 2014 to consider what electronic safety tools would benefit the next phase of hydrogen and fuel cell commercialization. A diverse, 20-person team led by an experienced facilitator considered the question as it applied to the eight most relevant user groups. The results and subsequent evaluation activities revealed several possible resource tools that could greatly benefit users. The tool identified as having the greatest potential for impact is a hydrogen safety portal, which can be the central location for integrating and disseminating safety information (including most of the tools identified in this report). Such a tool can provide credible and reliable information from a trustworthy source. Other impactful tools identified include a codes and standards wizard to guide users through a series of questions relating to application and specific features of the requirements; a scenario-based virtual reality training for first responders; peer networking tools to bring users from focused groups together to discuss and collaborate on hydrogen safety issues; and a focused tool for training inspectors. Table ES.1 provides results of the planning session, including proposed new tools and changes to existing tools.

EFFECTIVE ELECTRONIC TUTORIAL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrei A. Fedoseev

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The article analyzes effective electronic tutorials creation and application based on the theory of pedagogy. Herewith the issues of necessary electronic tutorial functional, ways of the educational process organization with the use of information and communication technologies and the logistics of electronic educational resources are touched upon. 

Determination and application of immunodominant regions of SARS coronavirus spike and nucleocapsid proteins recognized by sera from different animal species.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Meng; Stevens, Vicky; Berry, Jody D; Crameri, Gary; McEachern, Jennifer; Tu, Changchun; Shi, Zhengli; Liang, Guodong; Weingartl, Hana; Cardosa, Jane; Eaton, Bryan T; Wang, Lin-Fa

2008-02-29

Knowledge of immunodominant regions in major viral antigens is important for rational design of effective vaccines and diagnostic tests. Although there have been many reports of such work done for SARS-CoV, these were mainly focused on the immune responses of humans and mice. In this study, we aim to search for and compare immunodominant regions of the spike (S) and nucleocapsid (N) proteins which are recognized by sera from different animal species, including mouse, rat, rabbit, civet, pig and horse. Twelve overlapping recombinant protein fragments were produced in Escherichia coli, six each for the S and N proteins, which covered the entire coding region of the two proteins. Using a membrane-strip based Western blot approach, the reactivity of each antigen fragment against a panel of animal sera was determined. Immunodominant regions containing linear epitopes, which reacted with sera from all the species tested, were identified for both proteins. The S3 fragment (aa 402-622) and the N4 fragment (aa 220-336) were the most immunodominant among the six S and N fragments, respectively. Antibodies raised against the S3 fragment were able to block the binding of a panel of S-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAb) to SARS-CoV in ELISA, further demonstrating the immunodominance of this region. Based on these findings, one-step competition ELISAs were established which were able to detect SARS-CoV antibodies from human and at least seven different animal species. Considering that a large number of animal species are known to be susceptible to SARS-CoV, these assays will be a useful tool to trace the origin and transmission of SARS-CoV and to minimise the risk of animal-to-human transmission.

Cross-reactive anti-PfCLAG9 antibodies in the sera of asymptomatic parasite carriers of Plasmodium vivax

Science.gov (United States)

Costa, Joana D'Arc Neves; Zanchi, Fernando Berton; Rodrigues, Francisco Lurdevanhe da Silva; Honda, Eduardo Rezende; Katsuragawa, Tony Hiroschi; Pereira, Dhélio Batista; Taborda, Roger Lafontaine Mesquita; Tada, Mauro Shugiro; Ferreira, Ricardo de Godoi Mattos; Pereira-da-Silva, Luiz Hildebrando

2013-01-01

The PfCLAG9 has been extensively studied because their immunogenicity. Thereby, the gene product is important for therapeutics interventions and a potential vaccine candidate. Antibodies against synthetic peptides corresponding to selected sequences of the Plasmodium falciparum antigen PfCLAG9 were found in sera of falciparum malaria patients from Rondônia, in the Brazilian Amazon. Much higher antibody titres were found in semi-immune and immune asymptomatic parasite carriers than in subjects suffering clinical infections, corroborating original findings in Papua Guinea. However, sera of Plasmodium vivax patients from the same Amazon area, in particular from asymptomatic vivax parasite carriers, reacted strongly with the same peptides. Bioinformatic analyses revealed regions of similarity between P. falciparum Pfclag9 and the P. vivax ortholog Pvclag7. Indirect fluorescent microscopy analysis showed that antibodies against PfCLAG9 peptides elicited in BALB/c mice react with human red blood cells (RBCs) infected with both P. falciparum and P. vivax parasites. The patterns of reactivity on the surface of the parasitised RBCs are very similar. The present observations support previous findings that PfCLAG9 may be a target of protective immune responses and raises the possibility that the cross reactive antibodies to PvCLAG7 in mixed infections play a role in regulate the fate of Plasmodium mixed infections. PMID:23440122

Renewable energy resources

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ellabban, Omar S.; Abu-Rub, Haitham A.; Blaabjerg, Frede

2014-01-01

Electric energy security is essential, yet the high cost and limited sources of fossil fuels, in addition to the need to reduce greenhouse gasses emission, have made renewable resources attractive in world energy-based economies. The potential for renewable energy resources is enormous because...... they can, in principle, exponentially exceed the world's energy demand; therefore, these types of resources will have a significant share in the future global energy portfolio, much of which is now concentrating on advancing their pool of renewable energy resources. Accordingly, this paper presents how...... renewable energy resources are currently being used, scientific developments to improve their use, their future prospects, and their deployment. Additionally, the paper represents the impact of power electronics and smart grid technologies that can enable the proportionate share of renewable energy...

Preference and Use of Electronic Information and Resources by Blind/Visually Impaired in NCR Libraries in India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shailendra Kumar

2013-06-01

Full Text Available This paper aims to determine the preference and use of electronic information and resources by blind/visually impaired users in the leading National Capital Region (NCR libraries of India. Survey methodology has been used as the basic research tool for data collection with the help of questionnaires. The 125 in total users surveyed in all the five libraries were selected randomly on the basis of willingness of the users with experience of working in digital environments to participate in the survey. The survey results were tabulated and analyzed with descriptive statistics methods using Excel software and 'Stata version 11'. The findings reveal that ICT have a positive impact in the lives of people with disabilities as it helps them to work independently and increases the level of confidence among them. The Internet is the most preferred medium of access to information among the majority of blind/visually impaired users. The 'Complexity of content available on the net' is found as the major challenge faced during Internet use by blind users of NCR libraries. 'Audio books on CDs/DVDs and DAISY books' are the most preferred electronic resources among the majority of blind/visually impaired users. This study will help the library professionals and organizations/institutions serving people with disabilities to develop effective library services for blind/visually impaired users in the digital environment on the basis of findings on information usage behavior in the study.

SERA Scenarios of Early Market Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Introductions: Modeling Framework, Regional Markets, and Station Clustering; NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Melaina, M.

2015-03-23

This presentation provides an overview of the Scenario Evaluation and Regionalization Analysis (SERA) model, describes the methodology for developing scenarios for hydrogen infrastructure development, outlines an example "Hydrogen Success" scenario, and discusses detailed scenario metrics for a particular case study region, the Northeast Corridor.

Immunological reactive rate to Zika virus in canine sera: A report from a tropical area and concern on pet, zoonosis and reservoir host

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Beuy Joob; Viroj Wiwanitkit

2017-01-01

This letter to editor discusses and describes Zika virus IgG seropositivity rate in canine sera from endemic area. This is the first world report and it raises an urgent concern on pet, zoonosis and reservoir host regarding Zika virus.

Library usage patterns in the electronic information environment. Electronic journals, Use studies, Libraries, Medical libraries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. Franklin

2004-01-01

Full Text Available This paper examines the methodology and results from Web-based surveys of more than 15,000 networked electronic services users in the United States between July 1998 and June 2003 at four academic health sciences libraries and two large main campus libraries serving a variety of disciplines. A statistically valid methodology for administering simultaneous Web-based and print-based surveys using the random moments sampling technique is discussed and implemented. Results from the Web-based surveys showed that at the four academic health sciences libraries, there were approximately four remote networked electronic services users for each in-house user. This ratio was even higher for faculty, staff, and research fellows at the academic health sciences libraries, where more than five remote users for each in-house user were recorded. At the two main libraries, there were approximately 1.3 remote users for each in-house user of electronic information. Sponsored research (grant funded research accounted for approximately 32% of the networked electronic services activity at the health sciences libraries and 16% at the main campus libraries. Sponsored researchers at the health sciences libraries appeared to use networked electronic services most intensively from on-campus, but not from in the library. The purpose of use for networked electronic resources by patrons within the library is different from the purpose of use of those resources by patrons using the resources remotely. The implications of these results on how librarians reach decisions about networked electronic resources and services are discussed.

Electronic resources of the rare books and valuable editions department of the Central Scientific Library of the V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University: open access for research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

І. К. Журавльова

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The article describes tasks that electronic collections of rare books fulfill: broad access for readers to rare and valuable editions providing, preservation of ensuring of the original. On the example of the electronic collection of the Central Scientific Library of the V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University – «eScriptorium: electronic archive of rare books and manuscripts for research and education» the possibility of the full-text resources of the valuable editions using is shown. The principles of creation, structure, chronological frameworks, directions of adding the documents to the archive are represented. The perspectives of the project development are outlined as well as examples of the digital libraries of the European countries and Ukraine are provided, the actual task of preserving the originals of the rare books of the country is raised, the innovative approaches to serving users with electronic resources are considered. The evidences of cooperation of the Central Scientific Library of the V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University with the largest world digital libraries: World Digital Library and Europeana are provided.

Reactivity of human sera in a sensitive, high-throughput pseudovirus-based papillomavirus neutralization assay for HPV16 and HPV18

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pastrana, Diana V.; Buck, Christopher B.; Pang, Y.-Y. S.; Thompson, Cynthia D.; Castle, Philip E.; FitzGerald, Peter C.; Krueger Kjaer, Susanne; Lowy, Douglas R.; Schiller, John T.

2004-01-01

Sensitive high-throughput neutralization assays, based upon pseudoviruses carrying a secreted alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) reporter gene, were developed and validated for human papillomavirus (HPV)16, HPV18, and bovine papillomavirus 1 (BPV1). SEAP pseudoviruses were produced by transient transfection of codon-modified papillomavirus structural genes into an SV40 T antigen expressing line derived from 293 cells, yielding sufficient pseudovirus from one flask for thousands of titrations. In a 96-well plate format, in this initial characterization, the assay was reproducible and appears to be as sensitive as, but more specific than, a standard papillomavirus-like particle (VLP)-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The neutralization assay detected type-specific HPV16 or HPV18 neutralizing antibodies (titers of 160-10240) in sera of the majority of a group of women infected with the corresponding HPV type, but not in virgin women. Sera from HPV16 VLP vaccinees had high anti-HPV16 neutralizing titers (mean: 45000; range: 5120-163840), but no anti-HPV18 neutralizing activity. The SEAP pseudovirus-based neutralization assay should be a practical method for quantifying potentially protective antibody responses in HPV natural history and prophylactic vaccine studies

Comparative {sup 1}H NMR-based metabonomic analysis of HIV-1 sera

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Philippeos, C. [University of Johannesburg, Department of Biochemistry (South Africa); Steffens, F. E. [University of Pretoria, Department of Statistics (South Africa); Meyer, D. [University of Pretoria, Department of Biochemistry (South Africa)], E-mail: debra.meyer@up.ac.za

2009-07-15

{sup 1}H NMR spectroscopy of sera from HIV-1 infected and uninfected individuals was performed on 300 and 600 MHz instruments. The resultant spectra were automatically data reduced to 90 and 180 integral segments of equal length. Analysis of variance identified significant differences between the sample groups, especially for the samples analyzed on 600 MHz and reduced to fewer segments. Linear discriminant analysis correctly classified 100% of the samples analyzed on the 300 MHz NMR (reduced to 180 segments); an increase in instrument sensitivity resulted in lower percentages of correctly classified samples. Multinomial logistic regression (MLR) resulted in 100% correct classification of all samples from both instruments. Thus {sup 1}H-NMR metabonomics on either instrument distinguishes HIV-positive individuals using or not using anti retroviral therapy, but the sensitivity of the instrument impacts on data reduction. Furthermore, MLR is a novel multivariate statistical technique for improved classification of biological data analyzed in NMR.

A novel assay for discovery and characterization of pro-apoptotic drugs and for monitoring apoptosis in patient sera.

Science.gov (United States)

Bivén, K; Erdal, H; Hägg, M; Ueno, T; Zhou, R; Lynch, M; Rowley, B; Wood, J; Zhang, C; Toi, M; Shoshan, M C; Linder, S

2003-06-01

We have developed an apoptosis assay based on measurement of a neoepitope of cytokeratin-18 (CK18-Asp396) exposed after caspase-cleavage and detected by the monoclonal antibody M30. The total amount of caspase-cleaved CK18 which has accumulated in cells and tissue culture media during apoptosis is measured by ELISA. The sensitivity is sufficient for use in the 96-well format to allow high-through-put screening of drug libraries. We here describe strategies allowing classification of pro-apoptotic compounds according to their profiles of induction of apoptosis in the presence of pharmacological inhibitors. The time course of induction of CK18 cleavage can furthermore be used to distinguish structurally similar compounds. We propose that compounds that induce rapid CK18 cleavage have mechanisms of actions distinct from conventional genotoxic and microtubuli-targeting agents, and we present one example of an agent that induces almost immediate mitochondrial depolarization and cytochrome c release. Finally, CK18-Asp396 cleavage products are released from cells in tissue culture, and presumably from tumor cells in vivo. These products can be measured in sera from cancer patients. We present evidence suggesting that it will be possible to use the M30-ELISA assay for measuring chemotherapy-induced apoptosis in patient sera, opening possibilities for monitoring therapy.

A three-layer immunoradiometric assay for determination of IgG subclass antibodies in Human Sera (''IgG subclass RAST'')

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Djurup, R.; Soendergaard, I.; Weeke, B.; University of Copenhagen, Denmark); Magnusson, C.G.M.

1984-01-01

We report the development of a three-layer immunoradiometric assay (TIRA) for measurement of IgG antibodies of all four subclasses in human sera. The first layer consists of diluted human serum, the second layer is monoclonal mouse antibodies to human IgG subclasses, and the third layer is 125 I-labelled rabbit anti-mouse IgG. Monoclonal anti-IgGI, anti-IgG3 and anti-IgG4 reacted only with their complementary IgG subclass, whereas the anti-IgG2 showed slight cross-reactivity to immunoglobins of other subclasses and classes and to light chain proteins. The observed cross-reactivity was found to be without importance, when the TIRA was applied to measurement of IgG subclass antibodies. Equipotency was established by use of appropriate dilutions of the monoclonal antibodies, and the assay was calibrated by use of human reference serum. The TIRA therefore permits reliable inter-individual and intra-individual comparisons of the IgG antibody response in all four subclasses. Non-specific binding obtained with pooled normal human serum was below 0.33%. Inter-assay coefficient of variation was between 18 and 27%. The TIRA was applied to measurement of IgG subclass antibodies to timothy grass pollen in sera from grass pollen allergies undergoing immunotherapy. (author)

Electronic tracking of human resource skills and knowledge, just in time training, manageable due diligence

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kolodziej, M.A. [Quick Test International Inc., (Canada). Canadian Technology Human Resource Board; Baker, O. [KeySpan Energy Canada, Calgary, AB (Canada)

2001-06-01

KeySpan Energy Canada is in the process of obtaining recognition of various occupational profiles including pipeline operators, inspectors, and field and plant operators from various certifying organizations. The process of allowing individuals to obtain certification is recognized by Canadian Technology Human Resources Board as a step towards national standards for technologists and technicians. Proven competency is a must for workers in todays oil industry in response to increasingly stringent government safety regulations, environmental concerns and high public scrutiny. Quick Test international Inc. has developed a management tool in collaboration with end users at KeySpan Energy Canada. It is an electronic, Internet based competency tool for tracking personal competencies and maintaining continued competency. Response to the tool has been favourable. 2 refs., 4 figs.

Discordant results obtained on testing sera from immunocompromised patients for cytomegalovirus IgG by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and radioimmunoassay

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Booth, J C; El Mohandes, L; Tryhorn, Y S [London University (United Kingdom). St. George' s Hospital Medical School, Department of Medical Microbiology; Kangro, H O; Liu, K M [Saint Bartholomew' s Hospital, London (UK)

1989-10-01

The investigation of sera from immunocompromised patients for antibody to CMV by ELISA, RIA, immunofluorescence (IF) and complement-fixation (CF) revealed discrepancies that reflected differences in test specificity rather than sensitivity and suggested that for the long-term serological follow-up of such patients it would be advisable not to rely on only a single assay procedure. (author). 12 refs.; 8 figs.; 1 tab.

The Biomedical Resource Ontology (BRO) to enable resource discovery in clinical and translational research.

Science.gov (United States)

Tenenbaum, Jessica D; Whetzel, Patricia L; Anderson, Kent; Borromeo, Charles D; Dinov, Ivo D; Gabriel, Davera; Kirschner, Beth; Mirel, Barbara; Morris, Tim; Noy, Natasha; Nyulas, Csongor; Rubenson, David; Saxman, Paul R; Singh, Harpreet; Whelan, Nancy; Wright, Zach; Athey, Brian D; Becich, Michael J; Ginsburg, Geoffrey S; Musen, Mark A; Smith, Kevin A; Tarantal, Alice F; Rubin, Daniel L; Lyster, Peter

2011-02-01

The biomedical research community relies on a diverse set of resources, both within their own institutions and at other research centers. In addition, an increasing number of shared electronic resources have been developed. Without effective means to locate and query these resources, it is challenging, if not impossible, for investigators to be aware of the myriad resources available, or to effectively perform resource discovery when the need arises. In this paper, we describe the development and use of the Biomedical Resource Ontology (BRO) to enable semantic annotation and discovery of biomedical resources. We also describe the Resource Discovery System (RDS) which is a federated, inter-institutional pilot project that uses the BRO to facilitate resource discovery on the Internet. Through the RDS framework and its associated Biositemaps infrastructure, the BRO facilitates semantic search and discovery of biomedical resources, breaking down barriers and streamlining scientific research that will improve human health. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Electronic Recruitment at CERN

CERN Multimedia

2004-01-01

The Human Resources Department switches to electronic recruitment. From now on whenever you are involved in a recruitment action you will receive an e-mail giving you access to a Web folder. Inside you will find a shortlist of applications drawn up by the Human Resources Department. This will allow you to consult the folder, at the same time as everyone else involved in the recruitment process, for the vacancy you are interested in. This new electronic recruitment system, known as e-RT, will be introduced in a presentation given at 10 a.m. on 11 February in the Main Auditorium. Implemented by AIS (Administrative Information Services) and the Human Resources Department, e-RT will cover vacancies open in all of CERN's recruitment programmes. The electronic application system was initially made available to technical students in July 2003. By December it was extended to summer students, fellows, associates and Local Staff. Geraldine Ballet from the Recruitment Service prefers e-RT to mountains of paper! The Hu...

Plastics disassembly versus bulk recycling: engineering design for end-of-life electronics resource recovery.

Science.gov (United States)

Rios, Pedro; Stuart, Julie Ann; Grant, Ed

2003-12-01

Annual plastic flows through the business and consumer electronics manufacturing supply chain include nearly 3 billion lb of high-value engineering plastics derived from petroleum. The recovery of resource value from this stream presents critical challenges in areas of materials identification and recycling process design that demand new green engineering technologies applied together with life cycle assessment and ecological supply chain analysis to create viable plastics-to-plastics supply cycles. The sustainable recovery of potentially high-value engineering plastics streams requires that recyclers either avoid mixing plastic parts or purify later by separating smaller plastic pieces created in volume reduction (shredding) steps. Identification and separation constitute significant barriers in the plastics-to-plastics recycling value proposition. In the present work, we develop a model that accepts randomly arriving electronic products to study scenarios by which a recycler might identify and separate high-value engineering plastics as well as metals. Using discrete eventsimulation,we compare current mixed plastics recovery with spectrochemical plastic resin identification and subsequent sorting. Our results show that limited disassembly with whole-part identification can produce substantial yields in separated streams of recovered engineering thermoplastics. We find that disassembly with identification does not constitute a bottleneck, but rather, with relatively few workers, can be configured to pull the process and thus decrease maximum staging space requirements.

Differential reactivity of immune sera from human vaccinees with field strains of eastern equine encephalitis virus.

Science.gov (United States)

Strizki, J M; Repik, P M

1995-11-01

Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus is a mosquito-borne alphavirus that can produce a severe and often fatal acute encephalitis in humans, with significant neurologic sequelae in survivors. Due to the serious nature of the disease, an investigational inactivated EEE vaccine (PE-6) is available to individuals at risk for infection. Both serologic and recent molecular analyses of EEE viruses have demonstrated marked differences between the two antigenic varieties of EEE virus, designated North American (NA) and South American (SA). In view of these findings, we have examined the reactivity of sera from three individuals immunized with the EEE vaccine, derived from an NA isolate, with field strains of EEE virus. Anti-EEE serum antibodies from vaccinees reacted strongly in Western blot assays with both of the envelope (E1 and E2) glycoproteins of each NA strain examined, while reactivities with the glycoproteins of SA strains were substantially weaker and variable and dependent upon both the immune response of the vaccinee and the virus isolate assayed. Most striking was the modest to virtual lack of reactivity with the E2 protein of SA strains. Antigenic differences among the glycoproteins of EEE viruses were not as pronounced in immunoprecipitation analysis. Most significantly, although human immune sera displayed high neutralizing titers against each of the NA isolates examined, only negligible neutralizing titers were obtained against SA isolates. These data suggest that immunized individuals would mount an effective antibody response against infection with NA strains of EEE virus, but that further investigation is clearly warranted to fully assess the protective capability of the vaccine against infection with SA strains.

Immunoreactivity of the AAA+ chaperone ClpB from Leptospira interrogans with sera from Leptospira-infected animals.

Science.gov (United States)

Krajewska, Joanna; Arent, Zbigniew; Więckowski, Daniel; Zolkiewski, Michal; Kędzierska-Mieszkowska, Sabina

2016-07-16

Leptospira interrogans is a spirochaete responsible for leptospirosis in mammals. The molecular mechanisms of the Leptospira virulence remain mostly unknown. Recently, it has been demonstrated that L. interrogans ClpB (ClpBLi) is essential for bacterial survival under stressful conditions and also during infection. The aim of this study was to provide further insight into the role of ClpB in L. interrogans and answer the question whether ClpBLi as a potential virulence factor may be a target of the humoral immune response during leptospiral infections in mammals. ClpBLi consists of 860 amino acid residues with a predicted molecular mass of 96.3 kDa and shows multi-domain organization similar to that of the well-characterized ClpB from Escherichia coli. The amino acid sequence identity between ClpBLi and E. coli ClpB is 52 %. The coding sequence of the clpB Li gene was cloned and expressed in E. coli BL21(DE3) strain. Immunoreactivity of the recombinant ClpBLi protein was assessed with the sera collected from Leptospira-infected animals and uninfected healthy controls. Western blotting and ELISA analysis demonstrated that ClpBLi activates the host immune system, as evidenced by an increased level of antibodies against ClpBLi in the sera from infected animals, as compared to the control group. Additionally, ClpBLi was found in kidney tissues of Leptospira-infected hamsters. ClpBLi is both synthesized and immunogenic during the infectious process, further supporting its involvement in the pathogenicity of Leptospira. In addition, the immunological properties of ClpBLi point to its potential value as a diagnostic antigen for the detection of leptospirosis.

Expression of Recombinant Streptokinase from Streptococcus Pyogenes and its Reaction with Infected Human and Murine Sera

Science.gov (United States)

Molaee, Neda; Abtahi, Hamid; Mosayebi, Ghasem

2013-01-01

Objective(s): Streptokinase (SKa) is an antigenic protein which is secreted by Streptococcus pyogenes. Streptokinase induces inflammation by complement activation, which may play a role in post infectious diseases. In the present study, recombinant streptokinase from S. pyogenes was produced and showed that recombinant SKa protein was recognized by infected human sera using Western blot analysis. Materials and Methods: In this study, the ska gene from S. pyogenes was amplified and cloned into pET32a which is a prokaryotic expression vector. pET32a-ska was transformed to Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) pLysS and gene expression was induced by IPTG. Protein production was improved by modification of composition of the bacterial culture media and altering the induction time by IPTG. The expressed protein was purified by affinity chromatography using the Ni-NTA resin. The integrity of the product was confirmed by Westernblot analysis using infected mice. Serum reactivity of five infected individuals was further analyzed against the recombinant SKa protein. Results: Data indicated that recombinant SKa protein from S. pyogenes can be recognized by patient and mice sera. The concentration of the purified recombinant protein was 3.2 mg/L of initial culture. The highest amount of the expressed protein after addition of IPTG was obtained in a bacterial culture without glucose with the culture optical density of 0.8 (OD600 = 0.8). Conclusion : Present data shows, recombinant SKa protein has same epitopes with natural form of this antigen. Recombinant SKa also seemed to be a promising antigen for the serologic diagnosis of S. pyogenes infections. PMID:24171077

Expression of Recombinant Streptokinase from Streptococcus Pyogenes and Its Reaction with Infected Human and Murine Sera

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Neda Molaee

2013-09-01

Full Text Available   Objective(s: Streptokinase (SKa is an antigenic protein which is secreted by Streptococcus pyogenes. Streptokinase induces inflammation by complement activation, which may play a role in post infectious diseases. In the present study, recombinant streptokinase from S. pyogenes was produced and showed that recombinant SKa protein was recognized by infected human sera using Western blot analysis.   Materials and Methods: In this study, the ska gene from S. pyogenes was amplified and cloned into pET32a which is a prokaryotic expression vector. pET32a-ska was transformed to Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3 pLysS and gene expression was induced by IPTG. Protein production was improved by modification of composition of the bacterial culture media and altering the induction time by IPTG. The expressed protein was purified by affinity chromatography using the Ni-NTA resin. The integrity of the product was confirmed by Westernblot analysis using infected mice. Serum reactivity of five infected individuals was further analyzed against the recombinant SKa protein. Results: Data indicated that recombinant SKa protein from S. pyogenes can be recognized by patient and mice sera. The concentration of the purified recombinant protein was 3.2 mg/L of initial culture. The highest amount of the expressed protein after addition of IPTG was obtained in a bacterial culture without glucose with the culture optical density of 0.8 (OD600 = 0.8. Conclusion : Present data shows, recombinant SKa protein has same epitopes with natural form of this antigen. Recombinant SKa also seemed to be a promising antigen for the serologic diagnosis of S. pyogenes infections.

Diagnostic performances of two rapid tests for detection of feline leukemia virus antigen in sera of experimentally feline leukemia virus-infected cats

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthew R Krecic

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Objectives The objective of this study was to compare the diagnostic sensitivities and specificities of WITNESS FeLV-FIV (Zoetis and SNAP FIV/FeLV Combo Test (IDEXX for the detection of FeLV p27 antigen in the sera of experimentally feline leukemia virus (FeLV-infected cats. Methods Diagnostic sensitivities of WITNESS and SNAP were determined through testing of 47 serum samples collected from cats day 56 post-experimental infection with a virulent FeLV Rickard strain. Successful experimental infection was confirmed based on observation of FeLV antigen and proviral DNA in anti-coagulated (EDTA whole-blood samples by immunofluorescent antibody (IFA test and PCR, respectively. Diagnostic specificities of both tests were determined through testing of sera of 92 laboratory-housed, non-FeLV-exposed specific pathogen-free (SPF cats. Results Forty-one of 47 blood samples were IFA positive, whereas all 47 samples were PCR positive. All 92 non-FeLV-infected SPF cats were IFA and PCR negative. In comparison to IFA as the reference method, both WITNESS and SNAP tests yielded equivalent sensitivities and specificities of 100% and 97.8%, respectively. In comparison to PCR as the reference method, both WITNESS and SNAP tests likewise performed equivalently, with sensitivities and specificities of 91.5% and 100%, respectively. Conclusions and relevance Sensitivity and specificity of WITNESS FeLV-FIV for identifying FeLV p27 antigen in the sera of these experimentally FeLV-infected and non-FeLV-exposed SPF cats equaled those of the SNAP FIV/FeLV Combo Test. However, all positive results, regardless of the point-of-care test used, should be confirmed before making clinical decisions such as segregation from other cats or euthanasia.

Merge of terminological resources

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Henriksen, Lina; Braasch, Anna

2012-01-01

In our globalized world, the amount of cross-national communication increases rapidly, which also calls for easy access to multi-lingual high quality terminological resources. Sharing of terminology resources is currently becoming common practice, and efficient strategies for integration...... – or merging – of terminology resources are strongly needed. This paper discusses prerequisites for successful merging with the focus on identification of candidate duplicates of a subject domain found in the resources to be merged, and it describes automatic merging strategies to be applied to such duplicates...... in electronic terminology resources. Further, some perspectives of manual, supplementary assessment methods supporting the automatic procedures are sketched. Our considerations are primarily based on experience gained in the IATE and EuroTermBank projects, as merging was a much discussed issue in both projects....

Complete electronics self-teaching guide with projects

CERN Document Server

Boysen, Earl

2012-01-01

An all-in-one resource on everything electronics-related! For almost 30 years, this book has been a classic text for electronics enthusiasts. Now completely updated for today's technology, this latest version combines concepts, self-tests, and hands-on projects to offer you a completely repackaged and revised resource. This unique self-teaching guide features easy-to-understand explanations that are presented in a user-friendly format to help you learn the essentials you need to work with electronic circuits. All you need is a general understanding of electronics concepts such as Oh

Oscillator clustering in a resource distribution chain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Postnov, D.; Sosnovtseva, Olga; Mosekilde, Erik

2005-01-01

separate the inherent dynamics of the individual oscillator from the properties of the coupling network. Illustrated by examples from microbiological population dynamics, renal physiology, and electronic oscillator theory, we show how competition for primary resources in a resource distribution chain leads...

Determination of IgE antibodies to Polistes dominulus, Vespula germanica and Vespa crabro in sera of patients allergic to vespids.

Science.gov (United States)

Blanca, M; Garcia, F; Miranda, A; Carmona, M J; Garcia, J; Fernandez, J; Terrados, S; Vega, J M; Juarez, C

1991-02-01

The study was undertaken to investigate the presence of IgE antibodies to Polistes dominulus (PD), Vespula germanica (VG) and Vespa crabro (VC) in a large group of sera belonging to patients sensitized to Vespids in Spain. RAST values showed that although the majority of patients had IgE antibodies to PD, VG and VC, there was a marked predominance of PD. These results were related to the distribution of the insect in the areas where the sera were obtained. Due to geographical and insect distribution differences, the whole area was divided into three zones: Central, East and South. Comparison of the positive RAST values obtained indicated that, although the positivity to PD predominated over VG and this over VC, there were significant differences in percentage positivities to each vespid in the different regions studied. The results of the RAST absorption studies indicated that in most instances patients were originally sensitized to one vespid and were RAST positive to the other venoms due to cross-reactivity. Only in a minority of cases were coexisting antibodies to two insects present. These results show that PD and VG are the important vespids followed to a lesser extent by VC. This study provides relevant information concerning insect distribution sensitivity in a European country.

Power Electronics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Iov, Florin; Ciobotaru, Mihai; Blaabjerg, Frede

2008-01-01

is to change the electrical power production sources from the conventional, fossil (and short term) based energy sources to renewable energy resources. The other is to use high efficient power electronics in power generation, power transmission/distribution and end-user application. This paper discuss the most...... emerging renewable energy sources, wind energy, which by means of power electronics are changing from being a minor energy source to be acting as an important power source in the energy system. Power electronics is the enabling technology and the presentation will cover the development in wind turbine...... technology from kW to MW, discuss which power electronic solutions are most feasible and used today....

Alpha subunit of glycoprotein hormones in the sera of acromegalic patients and its mRNA in the tumors.

Science.gov (United States)

Machiavelli, G A; Artese, R; Benencia, H; Bruno, O; Guerra, L; Basso, A; Burdman, J A

1999-04-01

Within a population of 16 pituitary adenomas we found high levels of glycoprotein alpha subunits in the sera of patients with somatotrophic tumors. This finding was correlated with the presence of mRNA alpha subunit in these tumors indicating the adenomas themselves as the origin of the circulating alpha-subunit. Synthesis of these two hormones, which are chemically very different, by the same tumor cells indicates a high degree of differentiation of these cells. We are unable at this time to conclusively correlate differentiation of these tumors aggressively.

Colostral whey concentrate supplement increases complement activity in the sera of neonatal calves.

Science.gov (United States)

Rokka, S; Korhonen, B H; Nousiainen, J; Marnila, P

2001-08-01

We evaluated the effect of a commercial bovine colostral whey on the complement-mediated immune responses of calves. Two groups of neonatal calves were fed, in addition to whole milk (WM) and pooled colostrum (PC), different amounts of a commercial immunoglobulin concentrate made from pooled colostral whey (Ig-C) for the first two feedings post natum. The control group was fed WM and PC only. Serum samples were obtained at the ages of 2, 7, 14 and 30 d. Bacteriolytic activity against complement-sensitive Escherichia coli JM103 and opsonic activity against complement-lysis-resistant E. coli IH3080 strains were studied, as well as the levels of C3 complement component and E. coli JM103 specific antibodies in the sera. Groups fed Ig-C had 2-3 times higher bacteriolytic activity than the control group of both the classic (P complement activities of serum can be increased substantially by feeding colostral whey concentrate to calves during their first days of life.

Catalase activity of IgG antibodies from the sera of healthy donors and patients with schizophrenia.

Science.gov (United States)

Ermakov, Evgeny A; Smirnova, Ludmila P; Bokhan, Nikolay A; Semke, Arkadiy V; Ivanova, Svetlana A; Buneva, Valentina N; Nevinsky, Georgy A

2017-01-01

We present first evidence showing that some electrophoretically homogeneous IgGs from the sera of patients with schizophrenia (36.4%) and their Fab and F(ab)2 fragments as well as from healthy donors (33.3%) possess catalase activity. The relative catalase activity of IgGs from the sera of individual schizophrenia patients (and healthy donors) significantly varied from patient to patient, but the activity of IgGs from healthy donors is on average 15.8-fold lower than that for schizophrenia patients. After extensive dialysis of purified IgGs against EDTA chelating metal ions, the relative catalase activity of IgGs decreases on average approximately 2.5-3.7-fold; all IgGs possess metal-dependent and independent catalase activity. The addition of external Me2+ ions to dialyzed and non-dialyzed IgGs leads to a significant increase in their activity. The best activator of dialyzed and non-dialyzed IgGs is Co2+, the activation by Cu2+, Mn2+, and Ni2+ ions were rare and always lower than by Co2+. Every IgG preparation demonstrates several individual sets of very well expressed pH optima in the pH range from 4.0 to 9.5. These data speak for the individual repertoire of catalase IgGs in every person and an extreme diversity of abzymes in their pH optima and activation by different metal ions. It is known that antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutases, catalases, and glutathione peroxidases represent critical defense mechanisms preventing oxidative modifications of DNA, proteins, and lipids. Catalase activity of human IgGs could probably also play a major role in the protection of organisms from oxidative stress and toxic compounds.

In-gel detection of esterase-like albumin activity: Characterization of esterase-free sera albumin and its putative role as non-invasive biomarker of hepatic fibrosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Areeba Ahmad

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Albumin is a globular and un-glycosylated multifunctional plasma protein and thus correlated with several human diseases. Owing to esterase contamination, albumin levels are usually misleading. In this study, we propose methodical accuracy for albumin estimation taking healthy and fibrotic rats. Liver fibrosis in rats was generated by N′-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA (10 mg/kg body weight within three weeks followed by its confirmation through H&E and immunohistochemical staining for α-SMA expression. Animal sera were screened by native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (native-PAGE (7.5%. In-gel esterase-like albumin activity was detected using α- and β-naphthyl acetate (5.58 × 10−3 mM; pH 7.5 as substrate. Sera albumin was purified from unstained PA gel-slices through electroelution. Subsequent to conformation of albumin purity by its molecular weight determination using SDS–PAGE (10% and peptide mass fingerprinting by MALDI-TOF-MS, samples were treated with different concentrations of urea. Urea-treated albumins were screened for esterase activity, conformational change and, albumin levels by immunoblotting. Our results demonstrate that esterase-like albumin activity in rat sera albumin is located in domain-III. The esterase-like activity remains detectable up to 4 M urea, which diminishes with increasing urea concentrations. Further, immunoblotting of urea-treated albumin samples displays a significant decline in purified protein bands, indicating hypoalbuminemia during hepatic fibrosis in rats. In conclusion, the present approach of albumin separation and estimation is of potential interest and may be recommended for diagnostic purposes.

Electronic conferencing for continuing medical education: a resource survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Sternberg, R J

1986-10-01

The use of electronic technologies to link participants for education conferences is an option for providers of Continuing Medical Education. In order to profile the kinds of electronic networks currently offering audio- or videoteleconferences for physician audiences, a survey was done during late 1985. The information collected included range of services, fees, and geographic areas served. The results show a broad diversity of providers providing both interactive and didactic programming to both physicians and other health care professionals.

Isolation, purification and partial characterization of early pregnancy factor (EPF) from sera of pregnant women.

Science.gov (United States)

Haq, A; Mothi, B A; Al-Hussein, K; Al-Tufail, M; Hollanders, J; Jaroudi, K; Al-Waili, N; Shabani, M

2001-05-29

Early pregnancy factor (EPF) is a pregnancy protein, which is secreted into the maternal serum 12-16 hours after fertilization. It is thought to be an immunosuppressive molecule. EPF is detected in pregnant woman's serum by the rosette inhibition assay (RIA). In this study, EPF was purified from the pregnant woman's sera by using ion exchange chromatography and analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The proteins which showed a positive result with the RIA, were found to be 35 kDa and 17 kDa molecular weights. The biological activities of these proteins were stable upon heat treatment at 56 degrees C for 30 min. Proteins isolated and purified in this study might be of great significance to the field of human reproduction with particular reference to pregnancy and recurrent abortion.

Multiple antibody targets on herpes B glycoproteins B and D identified by screening sera of infected rhesus macaques with peptide microarrays.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sven-Kevin Hotop

Full Text Available Herpes B virus (or Herpesvirus simiae or Macacine herpesvirus 1 is endemic in many populations of macaques, both in the wild and in captivity. The virus elicits only mild clinical symptoms (if any in monkeys, but can be transmitted by various routes, most commonly via bites, to humans where it causes viral encephalitis with a high mortality rate. Hence, herpes B constitutes a considerable occupational hazard for animal caretakers, veterinarians and laboratory personnel. Efforts are therefore being made to reduce the risk of zoonotic infection and to improve prognosis after accidental exposure. Among the measures envisaged are serological surveillance of monkey colonies and specific diagnosis of herpes B zoonosis against a background of antibodies recognizing the closely related human herpes simplex virus (HSV. 422 pentadecapeptides covering, in an overlapping fashion, the entire amino acid sequences of herpes B proteins gB and gD were synthesized and immobilized on glass slides. Antibodies present in monkey sera that bind to subsets of the peptide collection were detected by microserological techniques. With 42 different rhesus macaque sera, 114 individual responses to 18 different antibody target regions (ATRs were recorded, 17 of which had not been described earlier. This finding may pave the way for a peptide-based, herpes B specific serological diagnostic test.

Immunoproteome of Aspergillus fumigatus Using Sera of Patients with Invasive Aspergillosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emylli D. Virginio

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Invasive aspergillosis is a life-threatening lung or systemic infection caused by the opportunistic mold Aspergillus fumigatus. The disease affects mainly immunocompromised hosts, and patients with hematological malignances or who have been submitted to stem cell transplantation are at high risk. Despite the current use of Platelia™ Aspergillus as a diagnostic test, the early diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis remains a major challenge in improving the prognosis of the disease. In this study, we used an immunoproteomic approach to identify proteins that could be putative candidates for the early diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis. Antigenic proteins expressed in the first steps of A. fumigatus germination occurring in a human host were revealed using 2-D Western immunoblots with the serum of patients who had previously been classified as probable and proven for invasive aspergillosis. Forty antigenic proteins were identified using mass spectrometry (MS/MS. A BLAST analysis revealed that two of these proteins showed low homology with proteins of either the human host or etiological agents of other invasive fungal infections. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing specific antigenic proteins of A. fumigatus germlings that are recognized by sera of patients with confirmed invasive aspergillosis who were from two separate hospital units.

Detection of antibodies to hepatitis B core antigen using the Abbott ARCHITECT anti-HBc assay: analysis of borderline reactive sera.

Science.gov (United States)

Ollier, Laurence; Laffont, Catherine; Kechkekian, Aurore; Doglio, Alain; Giordanengo, Valérie

2008-12-01

Routine use of the automated chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay Abbott ARCHITECT anti-HBc for diagnosis of hepatitis B is limited in case of borderline reactive sera with low signal close to the cut-off index. In order to determine the significance of anti-HBc detection when borderline reactivity occurs using the ARCHITECT anti-HBc assay, a comparative study was designed. 3540 serum samples collected over a 2-month period in the hospital of Nice were examined for markers of HBV infection (HBsAg, anti-HBs and anti-HBc). One hundred seven samples with sufficient volume and with borderline reactivity by the ARCHITECT assay were tested by two other anti-HBc assays, a microparticle enzyme immunoassay (MEIA, AxSYM Core, Abbott Laboratories, IL, USA) and an enzyme linked fluorescent assay (ELFA, VIDAS Anti-HBc Total II, bioMérieux, Lyon, France). Only 46 samples were confirmed by the AxSYM and the VIDAS assays. Additional serological information linked to patient history showed that the remaining samples (61) were false positives (11), had low titer of anti-HBc antibodies (13), or were inconclusive (37). This comparative study highlighted the existence of a grey zone around the cut-off index. Confirmative results through a different immunoassay are needed to confirm the diagnosis of HBV on borderline reactive sera using the ARCHITECT anti-HBc assay.

Deficiency of the Chemotactic Factor Inactivator in Human Sera with α1-Antitrypsin Deficiency

Science.gov (United States)

Ward, Peter A.; Talamo, Richard C.

1973-01-01

As revealed by appropriate fractionation procedures, human serum deficient in α1-antitrypsin (α1-AT) is also deficient in the naturally occurring chemotactic factor inactivator. These serum donors had severe pulmonary emphysema. Serum from patients with clinically similar pulmonary disease, but with presence of α1-AT in the serum, showed no such deficiency of the chemotactic factor inactivator. When normal human serum and α1-AT-deficient human sera are chemotactically activated by incubation with immune precipitates, substantially more chemotactic activity is generated in α1-AT-deficient serum. These data indicate that in α1-AT-deficient serum there is an imbalance in the generation and control of chemotactic factors. It is suggested that the theory regarding development of pulmonary emphysema in patients lacking the α1-antitrypsin in their serum should be modified to take into account a deficiency of the chemotactic factor inactivator. PMID:4683887

Utilization of bio-resources by low energy electron beam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kume, Tamikazu

2003-01-01

Utilization of bio-resources by radiation has been investigated for recycling the natural resources and reducing the environmental pollution. Polysaccharides such as chitosan and sodium alginate were easily degraded by irradiation and induced various kinds of biological activities, i.g. anti-microbial activity, promotion of plant growth, suppression of heavy metal stress, phytoalexins induction. Radiation degraded chitosan was effective to enhance the growth of plants in tissue culture. It was demonstrated that the liquid sample irradiation system using low energy EB was effective for the preparation of degraded polysaccharides. Methylcellulose (MC) can be crosslinked under certain radiation condition as same as carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and produced the biodegradable hydrogel for medical and agricultural use. Treatment of soybean seeds by low energy EB enhanced the growth and the number of rhizobia on the root. (author)

Sera from Preeclampsia Patients Elicit Symptoms of Human Disease in Mice and Provide a Basis for an in Vitro Predictive Assay

OpenAIRE

Kalkunte, Satyan; Boij, Roland; Norris, Wendy; Friedman, Jennifer; Lai, Zhongbin; Kurtis, Jonathan; Lim, Kee-Hak; Padbury, James F.; Matthiesen, Leif; Sharma, Surendra

2010-01-01

Early diagnosis and treatment of preeclampsia would significantly reduce maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. However, its etiology and prediction have remained elusive. Based on the hypothesis that sera from patients with preeclampsia could function as a “blueprint” of causative factors, we describe a serum-based pregnancy-specific mouse model that closely mirrors the human condition as well as an in vitro predictive assay. We show that a single administration of human preeclampsia se...

Antibodies to a novel leptospiral protein, LruC, in the eye fluids and sera of horses with Leptospira-associated uveitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Verma, Ashutosh; Matsunaga, James; Artiushin, Sergey; Pinne, Marija; Houwers, Dirk J; Haake, David A; Stevenson, Brian; Timoney, John F

2012-03-01

Screening of an expression library of Leptospira interrogans with eye fluids from uveitic horses resulted in identification of a novel protein, LruC. LruC is located in the inner leaflet of the leptospiral outer membrane, and an lruC gene was detected in all tested pathogenic L. interrogans strains. LruC-specific antibody levels were significantly higher in eye fluids and sera of uveitic horses than healthy horses. These findings suggest that LruC may play a role in equine leptospiral uveitis.

Adaptation of mathematical educational content in e-learning resources

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuliya V. Vainshtein

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Modern trends in the world electronic educational system development determine the necessity of adaptive learning intellectual environments and resources’ development and implementation. An upcoming trend in improvement the quality of studying mathematical disciplines is the development and application of adaptive electronic educational resources. However, the development and application experience of adaptive technologies in higher education is currently extremely limited and does not imply the usage flexibility. Adaptive educational resources in the electronic environment are electronic educational resources that provide the student with a personal educational space, filled with educational content that “adapts” to the individual characteristics of the students and provides them with the necessary information.This article focuses on the mathematical educational content adaptation algorithms development and their implementation in the e-learning system. The peculiarity of the proposed algorithms is the possibility of their application and distribution for adaptive e-learning resources construction. The novelty of the proposed approach is the three-step content organization of the adaptive algorithms for the educational content: “introductory adaptation of content”, “the current adaptation of content”, “estimative and a corrective adaptation”. For each stage of the proposed system, mathematical algorithms for educational content adaptation in adaptive e-learning resources are presented.Due to the high level of abstraction and complexity perception of mathematical disciplines, educational content is represented in the various editions of presentation that correspond to the levels of assimilation of the course material. Adaptation consists in the selection of the optimal edition of the material that best matches the individual characteristics of the student. The introduction of a three-step content organization of the adaptive

Internet and Electronic Information Management

Science.gov (United States)

2004-12-01

centers to form consortia and share electronic information sources. Although traditional resource sharing arrangements encouraged competition rather...outside world, through public relations and through marketing information products or services, to its own competitive advantage (Davenport 1997: 193-217... electronic information sources are a challenge for electronic information managers. Libraries and information centers are no longer “the only game in town

Simultaneous determination of dihydrotestosterone and its metabolites in mouse sera by LC-MS/MS with chemical derivatization.

Science.gov (United States)

Gorityala, Shashank; Yang, Shuming; Montano, Monica M; Xu, Yan

2018-07-15

Androgens play a vital role in prostate cancer development, and their elimination and blockade are essential in the disease management. DHT is the key ligand for androgen receptor (AR) in the prostate. It is locally synthesized from testosterone. In the prostate, DHT is predominantly metabolized to α-diol and β-diol. Recent studies indicate that impaired DHT catabolism is associated with prostate cancer, signifying the necessity of a sensitive quantitative method for the determination of DHT and its metabolites. In this work, an LC-MS/MS method for the simultaneous quantification of DHT and its metabolites was developed and validated. Steroid-free sera were prepared and used for the preparation of sera calibrators and quality controls (QCs). DHT and its metabolites along with their respective stable heavy isotope labeled analytes representing internal standards were first extracted with methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) and derivatized with picolinic acid (PA). The derivatized analytes were then extracted again with MTBE, dried under nitrogen and reconstituted in the mobile phase (80% methanol and 0.2% formic acid in water). Baseline chromatographic separation of the derivatized analytes was achieved isocratically on XTerra C18 column (2.1 × 100 mm) using the mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.25 mL/min. Quantitation was performed using multiple-reaction-monitoring mode with positive electrospray ionization. The method has calibration ranges from 0.0500 ng/mL to 50.0 ng/mL for DHT and its two metabolites with acceptable assay precision, accuracy, recovery, and matrix factor. It was applied to the determination of DHT and its metabolites in an animal study. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electronic Information Access and Utilization by Makerere University Students in Uganda

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elisam Magara

2008-09-01

Full Text Available Objectives – The objectives of this study were to establish the level of computer utilization skills of Makerere University (Uganda Library and Information Science (LIS students; to determine the use of electronic information resources by LIS students; to determine the attitudes of LIS students towards electronic information resources; and to establish the problems faced by LIS students in accessing electronic information resources.Methods – A questionnaire survey was used for data collection.Results – The majority of Library and Information Science students at Makerere University depend on university computers for their work, and very few of them access the library’s e-resources. The few who access e-resources are self-taught. The majority of students surveyed were unaware of Emerald and EBSCO databases relevant to Library and Information Science students, and they found accessing eresources time-consuming. Conclusion – The study concluded that a concerted effort is needed by both LIS lecturers and university librarians in promoting use of the library’s electronic resources.

Dynamic models for distributed generation resources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Morched, A.S. [BPR Energie, Sherbrooke, PQ (Canada)

2010-07-01

Distributed resources can impact the performance of host power systems during both normal and abnormal system conditions. This PowerPoint presentation discussed the use of dynamic models for identifying potential interaction problems between interconnected systems. The models were designed to simulate steady state behaviour as well as transient responses to system disturbances. The distributed generators included directly coupled and electronically coupled generators. The directly coupled generator was driven by wind turbines. Simplified models of grid-side inverters, electronically coupled wind generators and doubly-fed induction generators (DFIGs) were presented. The responses of DFIGs to wind variations were evaluated. Synchronous machine and electronically coupled generator responses were compared. The system model components included load models, generators, protection systems, and system equivalents. Frequency responses to islanding events were reviewed. The study demonstrated that accurate simulations are needed to predict the impact of distributed generation resources on the performance of host systems. Advances in distributed generation technology have outpaced the development of models needed for integration studies. tabs., figs.

Availability of Electronic Resources for Service Provision in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The study also revealed that majority of the University libraries have adequate basic infrastructure for effective electronic information services. ... acquired by the library are put into maximal use by the library clientele, thereby ensuring the achievement of the library's objective which is satisfying the users, information needs.

Emotional Intelligence Research within Human Resource Development Scholarship

Science.gov (United States)

Farnia, Forouzan; Nafukho, Fredrick Muyia

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to review and synthesize pertinent emotional intelligence (EI) research within the human resource development (HRD) scholarship. Design/methodology/approach: An integrative review of literature was conducted and multiple electronic databases were searched to find the relevant resources. Using the content…

Purification of a Fe-SOD excreted by Leishmania braziliensis for specific antibodies detection in Mexican human sera: Cutting-edge the knowledge

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silvia Stefania Longoni

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Clinical diagnosis of leishmaniasis is highly complex, presenting a wide range of clinical manifestations, sometimes non-specific, and thus the epidemiological study and diagnostic need specific molecular markers for each Leishmania species. Leishmania spp. posses different Fe-SOD isoforms, one of which is excreted into the external milieu and, presenting immunogenic characteristics, is a very reliable molecular marker. Superoxide dismutases (SODs are antioxidant metal-enzymes responsible for the dismutation of superoxide ion into hydrogen peroxide and molecular oxygen, and it is considered an important virulence factor. In this manuscript we have purified the iron(Fe-SOD excreted by Leishmania braziliensis using ion-exchange and molecular-sieve chromatography and we have studied it as an antigen in serodiagnostic analyses in ELISA and Western blot techniques, testing 213 human sera from Mexico. Indeed, L. braziliensis Fe-SODe has been purified 123.26 times with a specific activity of about 893.66 U/mg of protein. Applying the purified enzymes in serological tests we found 17.84% sera positive. We have demonstrated that the purified enzyme is more sensitive than the non-purified ones and we also demonstrated, for the first time, the presence of antibodies against L. braziliensis, not the main species in the country, in human population from Hidalgo and Nuevo Leon States.

To get or not to get: the KAUST library e-resources acquisition experience

KAUST Repository

Ramli, Rindra M.

2014-06-01

In the challenging times of budget cuts and reviews, libraries are faced with issues, among others, such as justifying acquisition, negotiating deals and reviewing current subscriptions (pertaining to electronic resources). With the rapid increase in growth of electronic resources, libraries have to continuously assess their acquisition models and policies to constantly ensure that they are balancing their budget and users’ needs as well. This paper highlights the role played by Technical and IT department of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) library (Saudi Arabia) in acquiring the electronic resources (electronic books, electronic journals, databases, image and reference) for the community. It will describe the processes during the early days when KAUST library was inaugurated; how electronic resources were acquired and what went through during those days. The paper will elaborate further how the acquisition model has evolved and the various important roles played by the library staff in ensuring that acquisitions/subscriptions are justified, within the budget and provides ROI for the library. King Abdullah University is a graduate research university which opened in September 2009 with its first cohort of 800 graduate students (25% female) taught by 100 faculties. The focus of study and research in the university are: Mathematics and Computer Science, Physical Sciences and Life Sciences. The university library started with 10 staff. The library has a “state-of-the-art learning and information resource center supporting graduate education and advanced scientific research” (KAUST, 2010).

Utilisation of Online Resources among Undergraduates in Nigerian ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Electronic book (e-book) was mostly utilized as against Ejournals and E-thesis, while mobile phones and cybercafés remain the channels used in accessing online resources. it was discovered that incessant power supply, slow Internet connectivity and lack of time to access the information resources are constraints to ...

Automotive electronics design fundamentals

CERN Document Server

Zaman, Najamuz

2015-01-01

This book explains the topology behind automotive electronics architectures and examines how they can be profoundly augmented with embedded controllers. These controllers serve as the core building blocks of today’s vehicle electronics. Rather than simply teaching electrical basics, this unique resource focuses on the fundamental concepts of vehicle electronics architecture, and details the wide variety of Electronic Control Modules (ECMs) that enable the increasingly sophisticated "bells & whistles" of modern designs.  A must-have for automotive design engineers, technicians working in automotive electronics repair centers and students taking automotive electronics courses, this guide bridges the gap between academic instruction and industry practice with clear, concise advice on how to design and optimize automotive electronics with embedded controllers.

Gaseous Electronics Tables, Atoms, and Molecules

CERN Document Server

Raju, Gorur Govinda

2011-01-01

With the constant emergence of new research and application possibilities, gaseous electronics is more important than ever in disciplines including engineering (electrical, power, mechanical, electronics, and environmental), physics, and electronics. The first resource of its kind, Gaseous Electronics: Tables, Atoms, and Molecules fulfills the author's vision of a stand-alone reference to condense 100 years of research on electron-neutral collision data into one easily searchable volume. It presents most--if not all--of the properly classified experimental results that scientists, researchers,

12th International Conference on Software Engineering, Arti fi cial Intelligence Research, Management and Applications (SERA 2014)

CERN Document Server

Software Engineering Research, Management and Applications

2015-01-01

This edited book presents scientific results of the 12th International Conference on Software Engineering, Artificial Intelligence Research, Management and Applications (SERA 2014) held on August 31 – September 4, 2014 in Kitakyushu, Japan.  The aim of this conference was to bring together researchers and scientists, businessmen and entrepreneurs, teachers, engineers, computer users, and students to discuss the numerous fields of computer science and to share their experiences and exchange new ideas and information in a meaningful way. Research results about all aspects (theory, applications and tools) of computer and information science, and to discuss the practical challenges encountered along the way and the solutions adopted to solve them. This publication captures 17 of the conference’s most promising papers.

The Frustrated Nerds Project--Resources for Systems Administrators in Higher Education: A Resource Webliography

Science.gov (United States)

Henninger, Jessamyn; Aber, Susan Ward

2010-01-01

Systems Architects and Information Technology administrators working in higher education help faculty, staff, and student computer users. Yet, who helps them? What resources do these professionals value? A case study was conducted using purposeful sampling and data collection through electronic interview to gather the preferred information-seeking…

Human Resource Development in Hybrid Libraries

OpenAIRE

Prakasan, E. R.; Swarna, T.; Vijai Kumar, *

2000-01-01

This paper explores the human resources and development implications in hybrid libraries. Due to technological changes in libraries, which is a result of the proliferation of electronic resources, there has been a shift in workloads and workflow, requiring staff with different skills and educational backgrounds. Training of staff at all levels in information technology is the key to manage change, alleviate anxiety in the workplace and assure quality service in the libraries. Staff developmen...

Detection of a novel specificity (CTLA-4) in ATG/TMG globulins and sera from ATG-treated leukemic patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Pistillo, Maria Pia; Tazzari, Pier Luigi; Bonifazi, Francesca; Bandini, Giuseppe; Kato, Tomohiro; Matsui, Toshihiro; Nishioka, Kusuki; Conte, Roberto; Ferrara, Giovanni Battista

2002-04-27

T-cell costimulation has been shown to provide positive signals for T-cell activation and generation of effector activity. In this study, we analyzed the presence of antibodies (Abs) against the T-lymphocyte costimulatory molecules CD28, CTLA-4, CD80, and CD86 in anti-T-lymphocyte (ATG) and antithymocyte (TMG) globulin preparations to address their mechanism of action. We focused our attention on the role of CTLA-4-specific Abs in the immunosuppressive effect of ATG/TMG, because anti-CTLA-4 agonistic Abs may suppress T-cell proliferation and nonagonistic Abs may lead to T-cell depletion through an Ab-dependent cell cytotoxicity mechanism. ATG/TMG and patients' sera were tested for binding to recombinant human costimulatory molecules by ELISA techniques. CTLA-4 specificity was also analyzed by cytoplasmic immunofluorescence staining of a CTLA-4 transfectant by competitive inhibition immunofluorescence and by cell proliferation assay in allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR). Either ATG or TMG predominantly contained anti-CTLA-4 Abs, with higher reactivity in ATG followed by anti-CD86 and -CD28 Abs, whereas anti-CD80 Abs were found only in ATG. Anti-CTLA-4 Abs present in ATG/TMG recognized the native form of CTLA-4 molecule, and their removal reduced the effect of ATG in an allogeneic MLR. Kinetic studies indicated that such Abs were present in the sera of 12 ATG-treated leukemic patients up to 21 days after ATG administration. These data suggest that the novel anti-CTLA-4 Abs found in ATG may greatly contribute to its immunosuppressive effect, thus accounting for the absence of rejection and exceptionally low incidence of graft-versus-host disease in the group of patients analyzed.

Preservation of and Permanent Access to Electronic Information Resources

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Hodge, Gail

2004-01-01

The rapid growth in the creation and dissemination of electronic information has emphasized the digital environment's speed and ease of dissemination with little regard for its long-term preservation and access...

Implementating Information Technology in E-Human Resource Management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristina-Dana Popescu (Mitu

2016-01-01

More and more organizations have been replacing face-to-face human resource managementactivities with electronic human resource management, which is considered as one of the keyfactors that every organization needs to focus. Considering that human resource management isone of the necessary needs of today’s business, the goal of this article is to establish the importanceof human resource management (HRM, to examine recent research in e-HRM in order to evaluatethe cumulated evidence on the relationship between HRM and e-HRM and to outline the impact ofe-HRM on human resource. Many specialists underlined the fact that human resource requiresmore attention and careful management than any other resource of an organization. This paperalso deals with the influence of Internet and information technology on work and human resourcemanagement.

Allergy to fish collagen: Thermostability of collagen and IgE reactivity of patients' sera with extracts of 11 species of bony and cartilaginous fish

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yukihiro Kobayashi

2016-10-01

Conclusions: The IgE reactivity of patients' sera to fish collagen in extracts was retained even when fish meat was treated by a high heating load. As for the fish collagen, the IgE reactivities to cartilaginous fish were lower than that to bony fish. Reducing IgE reactivity to fish meat using heat is difficult, and other modalities will be required to produce hypoallergenic fish meat.

Incorporating Resilience into Transportation Planning

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Connelly, Elizabeth; Melaina, Marc

2017-06-03

To aid decision making for developing transportation infrastructure, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory has developed the Scenario Evaluation, Regionalization and Analysis (SERA) model. The SERA model is a geospatially and temporally oriented model that has been applied to determine optimal production and delivery scenarios for hydrogen, given resource availability and technology cost and performance, for use in fuel cell vehicles. In addition, the SERA model has been applied to plug-in electric vehicles.

The cytotoxic effect of neonatal lupus erythematosus and maternal sera on keratinocyte cultures is complement-dependent and can be augmented by ultraviolet irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yu, H.-S.; Chang, C.-H.; Kang, J.-W. [Kaohsiung Medical College (Taiwan). Dept. of Dermatology; Chiang, L.-C. [Kaohsiung Medical College (Taiwan). Dept. of Microbiology and Immunology; Yu, C.-L. [National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine (Taiwan). Veterans General Hospital-Taipei

1996-08-01

To elucidate the role of autoantibodies and ultraviolet (UV) exposure in the pathogenesis of the skin lesions in neonatal lupus erythematosus (NLE), keratinocytes were cultured, as the target cells, from a patient with NLE and from a normal neonate. We demonstrated that the expression of nuclear/cytoplasma Ro/SSA and La/SSB molecules on to the surface of NLE keratinocytes occurred to a much greater extent than that on normal keratinocytes. A dose of 200 mJ/cm{sup 2} UVB irradiation on NLE keratinocytes induced a 2.5-3-fold increase in Ro/SSA and La/SSB expression compared to non-irradiated cells. Sera derived from both the NLE patient and from his mother exhibited a cytotoxic effect on NLE keratinocytes, but not on control cells, in the presence of complement. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity of the sera was enhanced in UVB-irradiated NLE keratinocytes, whereas it had no cytotoxic effects on UVB-irradiated control cells. This suggests that the abnormal expression of both Ro/SSA and La/SSB on the surface membrane of NLE keratinocytes induces the autoantibodies and complements to injure the cells. This complement-mediated cytotoxic effect can be augmented by UV irradiation, a concept not incompatible with the exacerbation of the skin eruption in sun-exposed skin sites. (author).

The cytotoxic effect of neonatal lupus erythematosus and maternal sera on keratinocyte cultures is complement-dependent and can be augmented by ultraviolet irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu, H.-S.; Chang, C.-H.; Kang, J.-W.; Chiang, L.-C.; Yu, C.-L.

1996-01-01

To elucidate the role of autoantibodies and ultraviolet (UV) exposure in the pathogenesis of the skin lesions in neonatal lupus erythematosus (NLE), keratinocytes were cultured, as the target cells, from a patient with NLE and from a normal neonate. We demonstrated that the expression of nuclear/cytoplasma Ro/SSA and La/SSB molecules on to the surface of NLE keratinocytes occurred to a much greater extent than that on normal keratinocytes. A dose of 200 mJ/cm 2 UVB irradiation on NLE keratinocytes induced a 2.5-3-fold increase in Ro/SSA and La/SSB expression compared to non-irradiated cells. Sera derived from both the NLE patient and from his mother exhibited a cytotoxic effect on NLE keratinocytes, but not on control cells, in the presence of complement. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity of the sera was enhanced in UVB-irradiated NLE keratinocytes, whereas it had no cytotoxic effects on UVB-irradiated control cells. This suggests that the abnormal expression of both Ro/SSA and La/SSB on the surface membrane of NLE keratinocytes induces the autoantibodies and complements to injure the cells. This complement-mediated cytotoxic effect can be augmented by UV irradiation, a concept not incompatible with the exacerbation of the skin eruption in sun-exposed skin sites. (author)

A large portion of meningococcal antigen typing system-negative meningococcal strains from spain is killed by sera from adolescents and infants immunized with 4CMenB.

Science.gov (United States)

Abad, R; Biolchi, A; Moschioni, M; Giuliani, M M; Pizza, M; Vázquez, J A

2015-04-01

A new vaccine (the 4CMenB 4-component protein vaccine [Bexsero], which includes PorA, factor H-binding protein [fHbp], neisserial heparin-binding antigen [NHBA], and Neisseria adhesin A [NadA]) against serogroup B meningococci has recently been approved for use in people older than age 2 months in Europe, Australia, and Canada. Preapproval clinical efficacy studies are not feasible for invasive meningococcal disease because its incidence is low/very low, and the serum bactericidal antibody (SBA) titer (or the human SBA [hSBA] titer when human complement is used in the assay) has been used as a surrogate marker of protection. However, the hSBA assay cannot be used on a large scale, and therefore, a meningococcal antigen typing system (MATS) was developed. MATS combines conventional PorA genotyping with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) that quantifies both the expression and the cross-reactivity of antigenic variants. The assay has been used to evaluate the potential of the 4CMenB meningococcal group B vaccine to cover group B strains in several countries. Some recent data suggest that MATS is a conservative predictor of strain coverage. We used pooled sera from adolescents and infants to test by the hSBA assay 10 meningococcal group B strains isolated in Spain that were negative for the 3 antigens (n = 9) or that had very low levels of the 3 antigens (n = 1) by MATS. We found that all strains were killed by sera from adolescents and that 5 of the 10 strains were also killed, although at a low titer, by sera from infants. Our data confirm that MATS underestimates vaccine coverage. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Antibodies to adult T-cell leukemia-virus-associated antigen (ATLA) in sera from patients with ATL and controls in Japan: a nation-wide sero-epidemiologic study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hinuma, Y; Komoda, H; Chosa, T; Kondo, T; Kohakura, M; Takenaka, T; Kikuchi, M; Ichimaru, M; Yunoki, K; Sato, I; Matsuo, R; Takiuchi, Y; Uchino, H; Hanaoka, M

1982-06-15

A nation-wide sero-epidemiologic survey of adult T-cell leukemia virus (ATLV), detected es anti-ATLA (ATLV-associated antigen), was made in Japan. Sera from adult donors in 15 different locations were screened for anti-ATLA. High incidences (6 to 37%) of antibody-positive donors were found in seven regions, one in northern Japan, and the others in southwestern regions. These areas are ATLV-endemic areas corresponding to ATL-endemic areas. Examination of sera from healthy donors aged 6 to 80 years in ATL-endemic areas showed an age-dependent increase of seropositive donors with a maximum of about 30% at 40 years of age. Anti-ATLA was found in all but two of 142 patients with ATL. Anti-ATLA-positive patients with ATL were mainly found in ATLV-endemic areas, and only a few in ATL-nonendemic areas. Six patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma in ATLV-nonendemic areas gave a negative reaction for anti-ATLA. The geometric mean titer of anti-ATLA of patients with ATL was higher than that of healthy donors.

One-shot flow injection spectrophotometric simultaneous determination of copper, iron and zinc in patients' sera with newly developed multi-compartment flow cell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teshima, Norio; Gotoh, Shingo; Ida, Kazunori; Sakai, Tadao

2006-01-01

We propose here an affordable flow injection method for simultaneous spectrophotometric determination of copper, iron and zinc in patients' sera. The use of a newly designed multi-compartment flow cell allowed the simultaneous determination of the three metals with a single injection ('one-shot') and a double beam spectrophotometer. The chemistry relied on the reactions of these metals with 2-(5-nitro-2-pyridylazo)-5-[N-propyl-N-(3-sulfopropyl)amino]phenol (nitro-PAPS) to form corresponding colored complexes. At pH 3.8, only copper-nitro-PAPS complex was formed in the presence of pyrophosphate as a masking agent for iron, and then the copper and iron(II) complexes were formed in the presence of reductant (ascorbic acid) at the same pH, and finally all three metals reacted with nitro-PAPS at pH 8.6. The characteristics were introduced into the flow system to determine each metal selectively and sensitively. Under the optimum conditions, linear calibration curves for the three metals were obtained in the range of 0.01-1 mg L -1 with a sample throughput rate of 20 h -1 . The limits of detection (3σ) were 3.9 μg L -1 for copper, 4.1 μg L -1 for iron and 4.0 μg L -1 for zinc. The proposed method was applied to analysis of some patients' sera

Looking for Guidelines for the Production of Electronic Textbooks.

Science.gov (United States)

Landoni, M.; Wilson, R.; Gibb, F.

2001-01-01

Reports the results of two studies of electronic book production, including production on the World Wide Web, and explains EBONI (Electronic Books On-screen Interface) that focuses on the evaluation of electronic resources and compiling guidelines for publishing electronic materials on the Internet for the United Kingdom higher education…

impact of the use of electronic resources on research output

African Journals Online (AJOL)

manda

... Julita Nawe. University of Dar Es Salaam Library, P.O. Box 35092, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania .... significantly, while 28.3% observed that quality of service to the community had improved .... resources and evaluate them is an important area.

Social Studies Online Resources. Media Corner.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Jeri, Ed.

1995-01-01

Maintains that three types of social studies activities are found on the information highway: (1) electronic mail; (2) information; and (3) conferencing. Describes examples of each. Discusses commercial services and resource materials and provides references to online services. (CFR)

Green Supply Chain Collaboration for Fashionable Consumer Electronics Products under Third-Party Power Intervention—A Resource Dependence Perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiuh-Biing Sheu

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Under third-party power intervention (TPPI, which increases uncertainty in task environments, complex channel power interplays and restructuring are indispensable among green supply chain members as they move toward sustainable collaborative relationships for increased viability and competitive advantage. From the resource dependence perspective, this work presents a novel conceptual model to investigate the influence of political and social power on channel power restructuring and induced green supply chain collaboration in brander-retailer bidirectional green supply chains of fashionable consumer electronics products (FCEPs. An FCEP refers to the consumer electronics product (e.g., personal computers, mobile phones, computer notebooks, and game consoles with the features of a well-known brand associated, a short product lifecycle, timely and fashionable design fit for market trends, and quick responsiveness to the variations of market demands. The proposed model is tested empirically using questionnaire data obtained from retailers in the FCEP brander-retailer distribution channels. Analytical results reveal that as an extension of political and social power, TPPI positively affects the reciprocal interdependence of dyadic members and reduces power asymmetry, thereby enhancing the collaborative relationship of dyadic members and leading to improved green supply chain performance. Therein, reciprocal interdependence underlying collaborative relationship is the key to reducing the external environmental uncertainties in the TPPI context.

Electron beam pasteurised oil palm waste: a potential feed resource

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mat Rasol Awang; Hassan Hamdani Mutaat; Tamikazu Kume; Tachibana, H.

2002-01-01

Pasteurization of oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB) was performed using electron beam single sided irradiation. The dose profiles of oil palm EFB samples for different thickness in both directions X and Y were established. The results showed the usual characteristics dose uniformity as sample thickness decreased. The mean average absorbed dose on both sides at the surface and bottom of the samples for different thickness samples lead to establishing depth dose curve. Based on depth dose curve and operation conditions of electron beam machine, the process throughput for pasteurized oil palm EFB were estimated. (Author)

The Use of Electronic Resources by Academic Staff at the University of Ilorin, Nigeria

Science.gov (United States)

Tella, Adeyinka; Orim, Faith; Ibrahim, Dauda Morenikeji; Memudu, Suleiman Ajala

2018-01-01

The use of e-resources is now commonplace among academics in tertiary educational institutions the world over. Many academics including those in the universities are exploring the opportunities of e-resources to facilitate teaching and research. As the use of e-resources is increasing particularly among academics at the University of Ilorin,…

Building the electronic industry's roadmaps

Science.gov (United States)

Boulton, William R.

1995-02-01

JTEC panelists found a strong consistency among the electronics firms they visited: all the firms had clear visions or roadmaps for their research and development activities and had committed resources to ensure that they achieve targeted results. The overarching vision driving Japan's electronics industry is that of achieving market success through developing appealing, high-quality, low-cost consumer goods - ahead of the competition. Specifics of the vision include improving performance, quality, and portability of consumer electronics products. Such visions help Japanese companies define in detail the roadmaps they will follow to develop new and improved electronic packaging technologies.

Correlation analysis of trace elemental data obtained from blood sera of ovarian cancer patients using PIXE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naidu, B.G.; Sarita, P.; Naga Raju, G.J.

2017-01-01

Proton induced X-ray emission (PIXE) technique is used for analysis of trace elements present in the blood sera of ovarian cancer patients and healthy controls. This work is also intended to establish the role played by trace elements in carcinogenic process. It is observed that the concentrations of elements Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Rb and Sr are lower and the concentration of Cu is higher in the cancer patients when compared to controls. However, no change in concentration is found in the elements Co, Zn, As, Se and Br. Correlation analysis of the data using SPSS 16.0 has revealed a strong positive correlation between Ti-V, Ni-Co, Cu-Fe, As-Ti, Br-Ti, Br-V and Sr-Fe while strong negative correlations are observed for Cu-Ti, As-Cu and Br-Cu. Changes in trace elemental content are probably associated with ovarian carcinogenesis. (author)

Low maternal vitamin D as a risk factor for schizophrenia: a pilot study using banked sera.

Science.gov (United States)

McGrath, John; Eyles, Darryl; Mowry, Bryan; Yolken, Robert; Buka, Stephen

2003-09-01

Evidence from epidemiology suggests that low maternal vitamin D may be a risk factor for schizophrenia. Based on sera taken during the third trimester, we compared the level of 25 hydroxyvitamin D3 in mothers of individuals with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorders versus mothers of unaffected controls. For each case, we selected two controls matched on race, gender and date of birth of the offspring. There was no significant difference in third trimester maternal vitamin D in the entire sample (cases = 26, controls = 51). Within the subgroup of black individuals (n = 21), there was a trend level difference in the predicted direction. Maternal vitamin D does not operate as a continuous graded risk factor for schizophrenia, however, the results in the black subgroup raise the possibility that below a certain critical threshold, low levels of maternal vitamin D may be associated with an increased risk of schizophrenia.

Resources to Manage a Private Practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Aigner, John; Cheek, Fredricka; Donati, Georgia; Zuravicky, Dori

1997-01-01

Includes four theme articles: "The Digital Toolkit: Electronic Necessities for Private Practice" (John Aigner); "Organizing a Private Practice: Forms, Fees, and Physical Set-up (Fredricka Cheek); "Career Development Resources: Guidelines for Setting Up a Private Practice Library" (Georgia Donati); and "Books to…

Biofilm and planktonic pneumococci demonstrate disparate immunoreactivity to human convalescent sera

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shivshankar Pooja

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Streptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumococcus is the leading cause of otitis media, community-acquired pneumonia (CAP, sepsis, and meningitis. It is now evident that S. pneumoniae forms biofilms during nasopharyngeal colonization; the former which facilitates persistence, the latter, a prerequisite for subsequent development of invasive disease. Proteomic evaluation of S. pneumoniae suggests the antigen profile available for host-recognition is altered as a consequence of biofilm growth. This has potentially meaningful implications in regards to adaptive immunity and protection from disseminated disease. We therefore examined the antigen profile of biofilm and planktonic pneumococcal cell lysates, tested their reactivity with human convalescent sera and that generated against biofilm pneumococci, and examined whether immunization with biofilm pneumococci protected mice against infectious challenge. Results Biofilm pneumococci have dramatically altered protein profiles versus their planktonic counterparts. During invasive disease the humoral immune response is skewed towards the planktonic protein profile. Immunization with biofilm bacteria does not elicit a strong-cross-reactive humoral response against planktonic bacteria nor confer resistance against challenge with a virulent isolate from another serotype. We identified numerous proteins, including Pneumococcal serine-rich repeat protein (PsrP, which may serve as a protective antigens against both colonization and invasive disease. Conclusion Differential protein production by planktonic and biofilm pneumococci provides a potential explanation for why individuals remain susceptible to invasive disease despite previous colonization events. These findings also strongly suggest that differential protein production during colonization and disease be considered during the selection of antigens for any future protein vaccine.

An assessment of radioimmunoassay procedures for determination of anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies in the sera of patients with myasthenia gravis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carter, B.; Harrison, R.; Lunt, G.G.; Morris, H.; Savage-Marengo, T.; Stephenson, F.A.

1981-01-01

A reproducible radioimmunoassay procedure for the determination of anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies in the sera of patients with myasthenia gravis is described and examined in detail. The assay combines features of a number of methods previously outlined and allows repeat determinations of antibody titre in a given myasthenic serum sample with coefficient of variation 6%. The mean +- standard deviation for normal human serum anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies was found by this procedure to be 0.024 +- 0.033 nmol/l α-bungarotoxin binding sites whereas the range for myasthenic patients was 0-139.14 nmol/l with a mean value of 7.55 nmol/l α-bungarotoxin binding sites. (author)

Current status of electron beam treatment of flue gas in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Zhiguang

2006-01-01

Fossil resource especially coal will remain the main energy resource in China over the next 3 ∼4 decades. Pollution of flue gas from fossil power station is one problem being desiderated to solve since 1990's. Electron beam treatment of flue gas as an advanced technique has been developed and used by some institutes and industries in China. The current status of flue gas treatment using electron beam and the development of electron accelerator in China are reviewed. (author)

SYNTHESIS OF 25-HYDROXYVITAMIN D3 CONJUGATE WITH KEYHOLE LIMPET HEMOCYANIN AND OBTAINING OF IMMUNE SERA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

А. O. Mazanova

2015-08-01

Full Text Available The study was aimed at obtaining polyclonal antibodies that recognize 25-Hydroxyvitamin D3, for their further specifications and applications in immunochemical test systems of 25-Hydroxyvitamin D3, determination in blood serum. We used the methods of chemical synthesis of immunoconjugates (modified carbodiimide method using N´-ethyl carbodiimide, thin layer chromatography, gel filtration and indirect immunoenzyme analysis ELISA. The work describes the stages of the synthesis of 25-Hydroxyvitamin D3, immunoconjugate with keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH, which was used for receiving immune sera. As a result of mouse and rabbit immunization antisera were obtained and antibody titers against 25-Hydroxyvitamin D3, were tested by immunoenzyme assay. It was demonstrated that the titer of specific antibodies was higher in rabbits compared with mice. The resulting polyclonal antibodies can be used for the development of immunochemical test systems for screening studies of 25-Hydroxyvitamin D3, content in human blood serum as a marker of vitamin D3 availability.

Where Doctors Read Health Information Resources and Their ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Resources Media Preferences. Obianuju E. ... The survey research design was adopted for the study. ... media of assessing health information are the internet, electronic databases, textbooks, journals and .... for Social Sciences (SPSS).

eLearning resources to supplement postgraduate neurosurgery training.

OpenAIRE

Stienen, MN; Schaller, K; Cock, H; Lisnic, V; Regli, L; Thomson, S

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: In an increasingly complex and competitive professional environment, improving methods to educate neurosurgical residents is key to ensure high-quality patient care. Electronic (e)Learning resources promise interactive knowledge acquisition. We set out to give a comprehensive overview on available eLearning resources that aim to improve postgraduate neurosurgical training and review the available literature. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A MEDLINE query was performed, using the search ter...

Electronic Commerce: Government Services in the New Millennium.

Science.gov (United States)

Maxwell, Terrence A., Ed.

1998-01-01

This newsletter features innovations in resource management and information technology to support New York State government. The newsletter contains the following six sections: (1) "Electronic Commerce: Government Services in the New Millennium" -- examining the need for government involvement in electronic commerce policy and…

Quantitation of parasite-specific human IgG and IgE in sera: evaluation of solid-phase RIA and ELISA methodology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hamilton, R G [Johns Hopkins Univ., Baltimore, MD (USA). Dept. of Medicine; Hussain, R; Ottesen, E A [National Inst. of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD (USA); Adkinson, Jr, N F [Johns Hopkins Univ., Baltimore, MD (USA). School of Medicine

1981-07-17

The authors have developed a non-competitive solid-phase radioimmunoassay (SPRIA) to quantitate both human IgE and IgG antibodies against soluble adult antigens of Brugia malayi (B.m.), a filarial parasite causing extensive infection throughout the tropics. Previously enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) had been used to detect ..mu..g/ml levels of IgG anti-B.m., but IgE antibodies were difficult to detect in this system. Since the SPRIA successfully quantitates both IgG and IgE anti-B.m., they sought to examine the reasons for the SPRIA's apparent superiority in detecting IgE anti-B.m. by extracting specific IgG from sera with high levels of IgE and IgG anti-B.m. antibodies. IgE anti-B.m. was then quantitated in these sera using both the SPRIA and ELISA methods. Results indicate that IgG anti-B.m. does not interfere with detection of specific IgE antibody in the SPRIA but does interfere in the ELISA. While ELISA permits detection of IgE anti-B.m. in the absence of competing IgG anti-B.m., as levels of specific IgG increase, the IgE is no longer detectable. These differences between SPRIA and ELISA can be explained by the SPRIA's antigen excess conditions which assure that there are sufficient antigens both to detect all anti-B.m. antibodies present in the serum and to adequately represent all antigen specificities in the crude B.m. extract. Their findings commend the use of SPRIA methods over ELISA in assessment of B.m.-specific IgE antibody in filariasis and indicate a potential role for SPRIA methods in absolute quantitation of specific serum antibodies.

Electronic Publishing Approaches to Curriculum: Videotex, Teletext and Databases.

Science.gov (United States)

Aumente, Jerome

1986-01-01

Describes the Journalism Resources Institute (JRI) of Rutgers University in terms of its administrative organization, computer resources, computer facilities use, involvement in electronic publishing, use of the Dow Jones News/Retrieval Database, curricular options, and professional continuing education. (AYC)

PERii electronic journals: Assessing access and use by ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Peter G. Underwood

institutional subscription to electronic journals through the Programme for Enhancement of .... These strategies include the promotion and marketing of these .... assist students and other library users to access PERii electronic journals resources. ..... Smith, H. Bukirwa, H. Mukasa, O. Snell, P. Adeh-Nsoh, S. Mbuyita, ...

Express immunochromatographic detection of antibodies against Brucella abortus in cattle sera based on quantitative photometric registration and modulated cut-off level.

Science.gov (United States)

Sotnikov, Dmitriy V; Byzova, Nadezhda A; Zherdev, Anatoly V; Eskendirova, Saule Z; Baltin, Kairat K; Mukanov, Kasim K; Ramankulov, Erlan M; Sadykhov, Elchin G; Dzantiev, Boris B

2015-01-01

An immunochromatographic test system was developed for rapid detection of the levels of specific IgG antibodies to Brucella abortus lipopolysaccharide, as a tool for diagnosis of brucellosis in cattle. The pilot test strips were examined using blood sera from sick (78 samples) and healthy (35 samples) cows. The results obtained by immunochromatographic assay, using a portable optical densitometer for digital video detection, correlate well with the results obtained by immunoenzyme assay and are in agreement with the results of the disease diagnosis. The new test system allows detection of antibodies within 10 min and can be proposed as an alternative to the methods available for serodiagnosis of brucellosis.

Comparison of RPR 'teardrop' card test, VDRL and FTA-ABS tests results on sera from persons with suspected yaws in Columbia.

Science.gov (United States)

Hopkins, D R; Florez, D

1977-08-01

A small study comparing results of the rapid plasma reagin (RPR) teardrop card test performed in the field, with results of Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) and fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption (FTA-ABS) tests performed in the laboratory on venous blood specimens from the same suspected yaws patients was undertaken in Columbia in July 1975. The results suggest that the RPR teardrop card test may be used to screen for infectious, or potentially infectious, yaws patients under field conditions, but that it will not reliably detect patients with VDRL titres of 1:2 or less, or all patients in whom sera are reactive in the FTA-ABS test.

Electronic Information – Threat or Challenge to Librarians and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Electronic Information – Threat or Challenge to Librarians and Library Buildings. ... electronic resources because as new things and methods emerge, they exist ... that world trends in the paper industry and Internet use do not justify the fears ...

Success factors for implementing and sustaining a mature electronic medical record in a low-resource setting: a case study of iSanté in Haiti.

Science.gov (United States)

deRiel, E; Puttkammer, N; Hyppolite, N; Diallo, J; Wagner, S; Honoré, J G; Balan, J G; Celestin, N; Vallès, J S; Duval, N; Thimothé, G; Boncy, J; Coq, N R L; Barnhart, S

2018-03-01

Electronic health information systems, including electronic medical records (EMRs), have the potential to improve access to information and quality of care, among other things. Success factors and challenges for novel EMR implementations in low-resource settings have increasingly been studied, although less is known about maturing systems and sustainability. One systematic review identified seven categories of implementation success factors: ethical, financial, functionality, organizational, political, technical and training. This case study applies this framework to iSanté, Haiti's national EMR in use in more than 100 sites and housing records for more than 750 000 patients. The author group, consisting of representatives of different agencies within the Haitian Ministry of Health (MSPP), funding partner the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Haiti, and implementing partner the International Training and Education Center for Health (I-TECH), identify successes and lessons learned according to the seven identified categories, and propose an additional cross-cutting category, sustainability. Factors important for long-term implementation success of complex information systems are balancing investments in hardware and software infrastructure upkeep, user capacity and data quality control; designing and building a system within the context of the greater eHealth ecosystem with a plan for interoperability and data exchange; establishing system governance and strong leadership to support local system ownership and planning for system financing to ensure sustainability. Lessons learned from 10 years of implementation of the iSanté EMR system are relevant to sustainability of a full range of increasingly interrelated information systems (e.g. for laboratory, supply chain, pharmacy and human resources) in the health sector in low-resource settings. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene

A study on the utilization of serial resources in selected tertiary ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A study on the utilization of serial resources in selected tertiary institutions in Ogun State. ... Lagos Journal of Library and Information Science ... Serial resources are publications either in printed form or electronic format issued in successive parts usually having numerical or chronological designations and intended to be ...

Modeling antecedents of electronic medical record system implementation success in low-resource setting hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Tilahun, Binyam; Fritz, Fleur

2015-08-01

With the increasing implementation of Electronic Medical Record Systems (EMR) in developing countries, there is a growing need to identify antecedents of EMR success to measure and predict the level of adoption before costly implementation. However, less evidence is available about EMR success in the context of low-resource setting implementations. Therefore, this study aims to fill this gap by examining the constructs and relationships of the widely used DeLone and MacLean (D&M) information system success model to determine whether it can be applied to measure EMR success in those settings. A quantitative cross sectional study design using self-administered questionnaires was used to collect data from 384 health professionals working in five governmental hospitals in Ethiopia. The hospitals use a comprehensive EMR system since three years. Descriptive and structural equation modeling methods were applied to describe and validate the extent of relationship of constructs and mediating effects. The findings of the structural equation modeling shows that system quality has significant influence on EMR use (β = 0.32, P quality has significant influence on EMR use (β = 0.44, P service quality has strong significant influence on EMR use (β = 0.36, P effect of EMR use on user satisfaction was not significant. Both EMR use and user satisfaction have significant influence on perceived net-benefit (β = 0.31, P mediating factor in the relationship between service quality and EMR use (P effect on perceived net-benefit of health professionals. EMR implementers and managers in developing countries are in urgent need of implementation models to design proper implementation strategies. In this study, the constructs and relationships depicted in the updated D&M model were found to be applicable to assess the success of EMR in low resource settings. Additionally, computer literacy was found to be a mediating factor in EMR use and user satisfaction of

Application of ICT-based Learning Resources for University Inorganic Chemistry Course Training

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tatyana M. Derkach

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The article studies expediency and efficiency of various ICT-based learning resources use in university inorganic chemistry course training, detects difference of attitudes toward electronic resources between students and faculty members, which create the background for their efficiency loss

Innovation and development of exhibition electronic-commerce based on the properties of electronic-commerce

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jiankang

2017-06-01

There are two roadmaps of accomplishing exhibition electronic-commerce innovation and development. The first roadmap is that the exhibition organizers should seek mutual benefit cooperation with professional electronic-commerce platform of correspondent area with exhibition projects, thus help exhibitors realize their market object. The second roadmap is to promote innovation and development of electronic-commerce (Business-to-Customer) between both exhibitors and purchasers. Exhibition electronic-commerce must focus on innovative development in the following functions: market research and information service; advertising and business negotiation; online trading and online payment. With the aid of electronic-commerce, exhibition enterprise could have distinctive strengths such as transactions with virtualization, transparency, high efficiency and low cost, enhancing market link during enterprise research and development, promoting the efficiency of internal team collaboration and the individuation of external service, and optimizing resource allocation.

Aspects pertinent to the usefulness of a solid phase radio-immuno-sorbent assay for the detection of spermatozoa antibodies in sera of infertility patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hinrichs-Reiche, I.

1987-01-01

The solid phase Radio-Immuno-Sorbent Assay (RISA) is a highly sensitive and valid test to detect 125-iodinetagged antibodies to spermatozoa that allows qualitative and quantitative evaluations of sperm-incapacitating immunglobulin Ig G in sera from patients believed to be infertile for immunological reasons. The study failed to reveal any correlations between the results of RISA and those of micro-sperm-agglutination or micro-sperm-immobilisation tests. There was a major body of evidence pointing to possible links between female isoimmunity and male autoimmunity. (TRV) [de

大學圖書館電子資源之需求分析與行銷策略之研究 A Study of Demands Analysis and Marketing Strategy of Electronic Resources in University Library

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huang-Yu Liu

2008-03-01

Full Text Available 電子資源的出現，使得知識載體有了新的突破，提高了使用者的便利性與即時性。對於圖書館而言，如何使電子資源的使用效益達到最高，必須思考一套有效的行銷策略。電子資源行銷概念應以讀者為導向，尊重讀者的資訊需求，並利用各種宣傳技巧，行銷電子資源，使圖書館能提供更完善的服務。本研究之目的旨在探討讀者的使用需求及電子資源的推廣策略，以獲致最有效益的行銷方式。研究對象以開南大學日間部四學院（商學院、運輸觀光學院、資訊學院、人文社會學院）學生為樣本，佐以缺口分析模型為分析架構，藉以找出個案中讀者/學生對於電子資源使用的真實需求，並進而歸納出提供服務的大學圖書館在其推廣或行銷服務上可有的因應策略。The emergence of electronic resources has made new breakthrough in knowledge carriers because of their ease of use, instant availability, and the characteristic of no time and space constraints. For public libraries to achieve maximum efficiency in its electronic resources, it is necessary to seek the most effective marketing strategies. Therefore, the marketing concept of the electronic resources should be reader oriented, such as respecting and understanding library user’s information needs. Libraries also need to utilize various media and techniques to market the electronic resources, so that more comprehensive services and experiences can be provided to readers. The purpose of this study is to investigate library user’s needs and promotion strategies of electronic resources in order to identify the most effective ways of marketing. This study focuses on the students of the four colleges (College of Business, College of Tourism, College of Information, and College of Humanities and Social Science in Kainan University as subjects in the survey questionnaire. It uses the Gap Analysis

GENDER ANALYSIS OF ELECTRONIC INFORMATION

African Journals Online (AJOL)

use of internet Search engines such as google, yahoo and other free internet resources was found ... empirical studies are undertaken to examine the influence of gender ... H3: Perceived ease of use is positively related to the use of electronic.

Electronics all-in-one for dummies

CERN Document Server

Lowe, Doug

2011-01-01

Take your electronics skills to the next level! If you're looking for a solitary resource that covers everything you need to know about electronics, then look no further. This friendly-and-straightforward guide introduces the basics of electronics and enhances your learning experience by debunking and explaining concepts such as circuits, analog and digital, schematics, voltage, safety concerns, and more. Packed with nearly 900 pages of detailed information, this book shows you how to develop your own breadboard, design your own circuit, and get savvy with schematics. Cover

Point-of-care testing for Toxoplasma gondii IgG/IgM using Toxoplasma ICT IgG-IgM test with sera from the United States and implications for developing countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Begeman, Ian J; Lykins, Joseph; Zhou, Ying; Lai, Bo Shiun; Levigne, Pauline; El Bissati, Kamal; Boyer, Kenneth; Withers, Shawn; Clouser, Fatima; Noble, A Gwendolyn; Rabiah, Peter; Swisher, Charles N; Heydemann, Peter T; Contopoulos-Ioannidis, Despina G; Montoya, Jose G; Maldonado, Yvonne; Ramirez, Raymund; Press, Cindy; Stillwaggon, Eileen; Peyron, François; McLeod, Rima

2017-06-01

Congenital toxoplasmosis is a serious but preventable and treatable disease. Gestational screening facilitates early detection and treatment of primary acquisition. Thus, fetal infection can be promptly diagnosed and treated and outcomes can be improved. We tested 180 sera with the Toxoplasma ICT IgG-IgM point-of-care (POC) test. Sera were from 116 chronically infected persons (48 serotype II; 14 serotype I-III; 25 serotype I-IIIa; 28 serotype Atypical, haplogroup 12; 1 not typed). These represent strains of parasites infecting mothers of congenitally infected children in the U.S. 51 seronegative samples and 13 samples from recently infected persons known to be IgG/IgM positive within the prior 2.7 months also were tested. Interpretation was confirmed by two blinded observers. A comparison of costs for POC vs. commercial laboratory testing methods was performed. We found that this new Toxoplasma ICT IgG-IgM POC test was highly sensitive (100%) and specific (100%) for distinguishing IgG/IgM-positive from negative sera. Use of such reliable POC tests can be cost-saving and benefit patients. Our work demonstrates that the Toxoplasma ICT IgG-IgM test can function reliably as a point-of-care test to diagnose Toxoplasma gondii infection in the U.S. This provides an opportunity to improve maternal-fetal care by using approaches, diagnostic tools, and medicines already available. This infection has serious, lifelong consequences for infected persons and their families. From the present study, it appears a simple, low-cost POC test is now available to help prevent morbidity/disability, decrease cost, and make gestational screening feasible. It also offers new options for improved prenatal care in low- and middle-income countries.

Electronic U.S. Government Information: Policy Issues and Directions.

Science.gov (United States)

Hernon, Peter; McClure, Charles R.

1993-01-01

Provides an overview of U.S. federal information policy and its treatment of electronic information resources. Highlights include government publications; electronic government information; main providers of government information, including the Government Printing Office; the Freedom of Information Act; public access and use; information…

Raman spectroscopy based screening of IgG positive and negative sera for dengue virus infection

Science.gov (United States)

Bilal, M.; Saleem, M.; Bial, Maria; Khan, Saranjam; Ullah, Rahat; Ali, Hina; Ahmed, M.; Ikram, Masroor

2017-11-01

A quantitative analysis for the screening of immunoglobulin-G (IgG) positive human sera samples is presented for the dengue virus infection. The regression model was developed using 79 samples while 20 samples were used to test the performance of the model. The R-square (r 2) value of 0.91 was found through a leave-one-sample-out cross validation method, which shows the validity of this model. This model incorporates the molecular changes associated with IgG. Molecular analysis based on regression coefficients revealed that myristic acid, coenzyme-A, alanine, arabinose, arginine, vitamin C, carotene, fumarate, galactosamine, glutamate, lactic acid, stearic acid, tryptophan and vaccenic acid are positively correlated with IgG; while amide III, collagen, proteins, fatty acids, phospholipids and fucose are negatively correlated. For blindly tested samples, an excellent agreement has been found between the model predicted, and the clinical values of IgG. The parameters, which include sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and the area under the receiver operator characteristic curve, are found to be 100%, 83.3%, 95% and 0.99, respectively, which confirms the high quality of the model.

Connecting Print and Electronic Titles: An Integrated Approach at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Science.gov (United States)

Wolfe, Judith; Konecky, Joan Latta; Boden, Dana W. R.

2011-01-01

Libraries make heavy investments in electronic resources, with many of these resources reflecting title changes, bundled subsets, or content changes of formerly print material. These changes can distance the electronic format from its print origins, creating discovery and access issues. A task force was formed to explore the enhancement of catalog…

Determine Multiple Elements Simultaneously in the Sera of Umbilical Cord Blood Samples-a Very Simple Method.

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Chunmei; Li, Zhijuan; Xia, Xun; Wang, Qunan; Tao, Ruiwen; Tao, Yiran; Xiang, Haiyun; Tong, Shilu; Tao, Fangbiao

2017-05-01

Analyzing the concentrations of heavy metals in the sera of umbilical cord blood samples can provide useful information about prenatal exposure to environmental agents. An analytical method based on ICP-MS to simultaneously determine multiple elements in umbilical cord blood samples was developed for assessing the in utero exposure to metallic and metalloid elements. The method only required as little as 100 μL of serum diluted 1:25 for direct analysis. Matrix-matched protocol was used to eliminate mass matrix interference and kinetic energy discrimination mode was used to eliminate the polyatomic ion interference. The assay was completed on average within 4 min with the detection limits ranging from 0.0002 to 44.4 μg/L for all the targeted elements. The detection rates for most of elements were 100 % other than cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and mercury (Hg). The testing results of the certified reference materials were ideal. The method is simple and sensitive, so it is suitable for the monitoring of large quantities of samples.

The electronic Rothamsted Archive (e-RA), an online resource for data from the Rothamsted long-term experiments.

Science.gov (United States)

Perryman, Sarah A M; Castells-Brooke, Nathalie I D; Glendining, Margaret J; Goulding, Keith W T; Hawkesford, Malcolm J; Macdonald, Andy J; Ostler, Richard J; Poulton, Paul R; Rawlings, Christopher J; Scott, Tony; Verrier, Paul J

2018-05-15

The electronic Rothamsted Archive, e-RA (www.era.rothamsted.ac.uk) provides a permanent managed database to both securely store and disseminate data from Rothamsted Research's long-term field experiments (since 1843) and meteorological stations (since 1853). Both historical and contemporary data are made available via this online database which provides the scientific community with access to a unique continuous record of agricultural experiments and weather measured since the mid-19 th century. Qualitative information, such as treatment and management practices, plans and soil information, accompanies the data and are made available on the e-RA website. e-RA was released externally to the wider scientific community in 2013 and this paper describes its development, content, curation and the access process for data users. Case studies illustrate the diverse applications of the data, including its original intended purposes and recent unforeseen applications. Usage monitoring demonstrates the data are of increasing interest. Future developments, including adopting FAIR data principles, are proposed as the resource is increasingly recognised as a unique archive of data relevant to sustainable agriculture, agroecology and the environment.

Internet resources and web pages for pediatric surgeons.

Science.gov (United States)

Lugo-Vicente, H

2000-02-01

The Internet, the largest network of connected computers, provides immediate, dynamic, and downloadable information. By re-architecturing the work place and becoming familiar with Internet resources, pediatric surgeons have anticipated the informatics capabilities of this computer-based technology creating a new vision of work and organization in such areas as patient care, teaching, and research. This review aims to highlight how Internet navigational technology can be a useful educational resource in pediatric surgery, examines web pages of interest, and defines ideas of network communication. Basic Internet resources are electronic mail, discussion groups, file transfer, and the Worldwide Web (WWW). Electronic mailing is the most useful resource extending the avenue of learning to an international audience through news or list-servers groups. Pediatric Surgery List Server, the most popular discussion group, is a constant forum for exchange of ideas, difficult cases, consensus on management, and development of our specialty. The WWW provides an all-in-one medium of text, image, sound, and video. Associations, departments, educational sites, organizations, peer-reviewed scientific journals and Medline database web pages of prime interest to pediatric surgeons have been developing at an amazing pace. Future developments of technological advance nurturing our specialty will consist of online journals, telemedicine, international chatting, computer-based training for surgical education, and centralization of cyberspace information into database search sites.

Cytolytic tests with hyperimmune patient sera is a good prognostic tool in racotumomab immunotherapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Necdet Uskent

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Aberrant accumulation of a specific sialic acid has been shown to exist in many human malignant cell membranes termed as N-glycolyl neuraminic acid (NeuGc. This particular ganglioside do not normally exist in normal human cells, due to the lack of an enzyme (cytidine monophospho-N-acetyl-neuraminic acid which is responsible for the synthesis of N—glycolyl neurominic acid. The aberrant expression of NeuGcGM3 ganglioside in the cell surface of certain human tumors, made this molecule an attractive target for immunotherapy. By using 14 F7 monoclonal antibody directed to identify NeuGcGM3 in the tumor tissue, it is possible to select patients for anti-NeuGcGM3 immunotherapy. Racotumomab is an anti-idiotype vaccine, being a mirror image of NeuGcGm3 mimics this ganglioside and triggers an immune response. Antibodies reactive to NeuGcGM3 ganglioside in the vaccinated patient’s sera have cytotoxic anti-tumor properties which can be assessed in L1210 cell line, expressing this ganglioside.In this study, we monitored 12 patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC who are on racotumomab vaccine maintenance following chemotherapy. Cytotoxic tests with vaccinated patients’ sera were performed using L1210 cell lines at the 3rd, 6th, 9th, and 12th months of vaccination and the results were compared with clinical outcomes. Serum antibodies to NeuGcGm3 ganglioside were also checked before initiation and thereafter with the same intervals. The aim of the study was to investigate the value of antibodies and cytotoxic test as biomarkers for treatment outcome. Our observation confirmed that consistently higher cytotoxicity rates in the cell culture correlated with better progression free survivals of the patients who are on racotumomab maintenance.

The quantitation of parasite-specific human IgG and IgE in sera: evaluation of solid-phase RIA and ELISA methodology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamilton, R.G.; Adkinson, N.F. Jr.

1981-01-01

The authors have developed a non-competitive solid-phase radioimmunoassay (SPRIA) to quantitate both human IgE and IgG antibodies against soluble adult antigens of Brugia malayi (B.m.), a filarial parasite causing extensive infection throughout the tropics. Previously enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) had been used to detect μg/ml levels of IgG anti-B.m., but IgE antibodies were difficult to detect in this system. Since the SPRIA successfully quantitates both IgG and IgE anti-B.m., they sought to examine the reasons for the SPRIA's apparent superiority in detecting IgE anti-B.m. by extracting specific IgG from sera with high levels of IgE and IgG anti-B.m. antibodies. IgE anti-B.m. was then quantitated in these sera using both the SPRIA and ELISA methods. Results indicate that IgG anti-B.m. does not interfere with detection of specific IgE antibody in the SPRIA but does interfere in the ELISA. While ELISA permits detection of IgE anti-B.m. in the absence of competing IgG anti-B.m., as levels of specific IgG increase, the IgE is no longer detectable. These differences between SPRIA and ELISA can be explained by the SPRIA's antigen excess conditions which assure that there are sufficient antigens both to detect all anti-B.m. antibodies present in the serum and to adequately represent all antigen specificities in the crude B.m. extract. Their findings commend the use of SPRIA methods over ELISA in assessment of B.m.-specific IgE antibody in filariasis and indicate a potential role for SPRIA methods in absolute quantitation of specific serum antibodies. (Auth.)

Gauging User Interest in Non-Traditional Library Resources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sandberg, Tami; Abbott, Jennifer

2015-06-23

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is a government funded research laboratory based in Golden, Colorado. In addition to collecting traditional library resources such as journals, conference proceedings, and print and electronic books, the library also spends a significant portion of its collection development funds on resources not often found in many libraries: technical industry standards (e.g., ISO, IEC, ASTM, IEEE) and energy-related market reports. Assessing user needs for these resources is difficult for a number of reasons, particularly because standardized usage statistics are lacking or non-existent. Standards and market reports are generally costly and include fairly restrictive license agreements, which increase the importance of making informed collection development decisions. This presentation will discuss the NREL Library's current collection assessment and development practices as they relate to these unique resources.

Una nueva tésera de hospitalidad en territorio cántabro: el oso del castro de Las Rabas (Cervatos, Cantabria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernández Vega, Pedro Ángel

2011-12-01

Full Text Available We present a new tessera hospitalis from the hillfort of Las Rabas (Cervatos, Cantabria. Anepigraphic and with extended bearskin form, its finding reinforces the existence of hospitium among the Cantabrian people and the maintaining of fluid relations with the Plateau and Celtiberia, where we find its closest parallel.Presentamos una nueva tésera de hospitalidad procedente del castro de Las Rabas (Cervatos, Cantabria. Anepígrafa y con forma de piel de oso extendida, su hallazgo refuerza la existencia del hospitium dentro del pueblo cántabro así como el mantenimiento de unas fluidas relaciones con la Meseta y la Celtiberia, en donde encontramos su paralelo más cercano.

MendelWeb: An Electronic Science/Math/History Resource for the WWW.

Science.gov (United States)

Blumberg, Roger B.

This paper describes a hypermedia resource, called MendelWeb that integrates elementary biology, discrete mathematics, and the history of science. MendelWeb is constructed from Gregor Menders 1865 paper, "Experiments in Plant Hybridization". An English translation of Mendel's paper, which is considered to mark the birth of classical and…

Helping Patrons Find Locally Held Electronic Resources: An Interlibrary Loan Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Johnston, Pamela

2016-01-01

The University of North Texas Libraries provide extensive online access to academic journals through major vendor databases. As illustrated by interlibrary loan borrowing requests for items held in our databases, patrons often have difficulty navigating the available resources. In this study, the Interlibrary Loan staff used data gathered from the…

Usability Testing for e-Resource Discovery: How Students Find and Choose e-Resources Using Library Web Sites

Science.gov (United States)

Fry, Amy; Rich, Linda

2011-01-01

In early 2010, library staff at Bowling Green State University (BGSU) in Ohio designed and conducted a usability study of key parts of the library web site, focusing on the web pages generated by the library's electronic resources management system (ERM) that list and describe the library's databases. The goal was to discover how users find and…

EDUCATIONAL NETWORK RESOURCES IN JOURNALISM AND PUBLISHING: FEATURES OF THE SITES' CONTENT AND DESIGN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hanna A. Zenzina

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The article deals with the concept of electronic educational resource, its importance for the orientation of students in cyberspace, the basic requirements for the design and content of educational resources eligibility criteria standards. Filed benefits of having their own educational resource for high school. Singled out the importance of the interaction of educational resources with social networks. Detected differences and similarities of design and content of educational resources of Kyiv Universities in journalism and publishing.

Detection of IgG against Toxocara in Sera of Employees of Meat Industry

Science.gov (United States)

Alvarado-Esquivel, Cosme; Hernández-Tinoco, Jesús; Sánchez-Anguiano, Luis Francisco; Ramos-Nevárez, Agar; Cerrillo-Soto, Sandra Margarita; Guido-Arreola, Carlos Alberto; Saenz-Soto, Leandro

2015-01-01

Contact with raw meat could represent a risk for Toxocara infection. We assessed the association of Toxocara infection with an occupation of meat worker though a case-control seroprevalence study of 124 meat workers and 248 subjects without this occupation. Sera of participants was analyzed for the presence of anti-Toxocara IgG antibodies. One (0.8%) of the 124 meat workers, and 5 (2.0%) of the 248 controls were positive for anti-Toxocara IgG antibodies (OR=0.39; 95% CI: 0.04-3.41; P=0.66). The seropositive meat worker was a male aged 28 years old, without vision impairment. None of the work characteristics i.e. frequency of contact with raw meat, use of safety practices, history of splashes at face with blood or raw meat, and injuries with sharp material at work was associated with Toxocara exposure. Seroprevalence of Toxocara infection was significantly higher (P=0.04) in meat workers with consumption of boar meat (1/6: 16.7%) than in those without this consumption (0/117: 0%). We conclude that meat workers do not have a higher risk for Toxocara infection than subjects without this occupation do. The 2% seroprevalence of Toxocara infection found in control subjects might suggest a low seroprevalence of this infection among people with other occupations in Durango City. However, additional case-control studies with larger sample sizes to confirm our results are needed. PMID:26508909

Reliability criteria selection for integrated resource planning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruiu, D.; Ye, C.; Billinton, R.; Lakhanpal, D.

1993-01-01

A study was conducted on the selection of a generating system reliability criterion that ensures a reasonable continuity of supply while minimizing the total costs to utility customers. The study was conducted using the Institute for Electronic and Electrical Engineers (IEEE) reliability test system as the study system. The study inputs and results for conditions and load forecast data, new supply resources data, demand-side management resource data, resource planning criterion, criterion value selection, supply side development, integrated resource development, and best criterion values, are tabulated and discussed. Preliminary conclusions are drawn as follows. In the case of integrated resource planning, the selection of the best value for a given type of reliability criterion can be done using methods similar to those used for supply side planning. The reliability criteria values previously used for supply side planning may not be economically justified when integrated resource planning is used. Utilities may have to revise and adopt new, and perhaps lower supply reliability criteria for integrated resource planning. More complex reliability criteria, such as energy related indices, which take into account the magnitude, frequency and duration of the expected interruptions are better adapted than the simpler capacity-based reliability criteria such as loss of load expectation. 7 refs., 5 figs., 10 tabs

Power electronics for renewable energy systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Iov, Florin; Blaabjerg, Frede

2009-01-01

sources from the conventional, fossil (and short term) based energy sources to renewable energy resources. Another is to use high efficient power electronics in power generation, power transmission/distribution and end-user application. This paper discuss some of the most emerging renewable energy sources......, wind energy and photovoltaics, which by means of power electronics are changing from being minor energy sources to be acting as important power sources in the energy system....

Trade union policy and nuclear power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elliot, D.

1981-01-01

The subject is discussed under the headings: introduction; energy policy; the beginning of doubt; SERA's role [SERA = Socialist Environment and Resources Association]; the 1980 nuclear debate [within the trade union movement]; the 1981 nuclear debate [within the trade union movement]; the issues reviewed (supply and demand; safety and employment; security); review of policy trends; conclusions. Appendix: a review of union policy statements. (U.K.)

School Building Design and Audio-Visual Resources.

Science.gov (United States)

National Committee for Audio-Visual Aids in Education, London (England).

The design of new schools should facilitate the use of audiovisual resources by ensuring that the materials used in the construction of the buildings provide adequate sound insulation and acoustical and viewing conditions in all learning spaces. The facilities to be considered are: electrical services; electronic services; light control and…

Free and Innovative Teaching Resources for STEM Educators

Science.gov (United States)

Weber, W. J.; McWhirter, J.; Dirks, D.

2014-12-01

The Unidata Program Center has implemented a teaching resource facility that allows educators to create, access, and share collections of resource material related to atmospheric, oceanic, and other earth system phenomena. While the facility can manage almost any type of electronic resource, it is designed with scientific data and products, teaching tools such as lesson plans and guided exercises, and tools for displaying data in mind. In addition to being very easy for educators and students to access, the facility makes it simple for other educators and scientists to contribute content related to their own areas of expertise to the collection. This allows existing teaching resources to grow in depth and breadth over time, enhancing their relevance and providing insights from multiple disciplines. Based on the open-source RAMADDA content/data management framework, the teaching resource facility provides a variety of built-in services to analyze and display data, as well as support for Unidata's rich 3D client, the Interactive Data Viewer (IDV).

HELP (INFORMATION ELECTRONIC RESOURCE "CHRONICLE OF ONU: DATES, FACTS, EVENTS": HISTORY OF UNIVERSITY IN INFORMATION SPACE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

А. М. Гавриленко

2016-03-01

Object of research is the help information resource "The chronicle of the Odessa national university of I. I. Mechnikov: dates, facts, events". The main objective of our article – to state the main methodological bases of creation of information resource. One of advantages of information resource is possibility of continuous updating and replenishment by new information. Main objective of creation of this information resource is systematization of material on stories of the Odessa national university of I. I. Mechnikov from the date of his basis to the present, ensuring interactive access to information on the main dates, the most significant events in life of university. The base of research are sources on the history of university, chronology of historical development, formation of infrastructure, cadres and scientific researches. In information resource the main stages of development, functioning and transformation of the Odessa University are analyzed, information on its divisions is collected. For creation of this information resource in Scientific library the method of work was developed, the main selection criteria of data are allocated. This information resource have practical value for all who is interested in history of university, historians, scientists-researchers of history of science and the city of Odessa.

Electronic Journals in Academic Libraries: A Comparison of ARL and Non-ARL Libraries.

Science.gov (United States)

Shemberg, Marian; Grossman, Cheryl

1999-01-01

Describes a survey dealing with academic library provision of electronic journals and other electronic resources that compared ARL (Association of Research Libraries) members to non-ARL members. Highlights include full-text electronic journals; computers in libraries; online public access catalogs; interlibrary loan and electronic reserves; access…

Particles and waves in electron optics and microscopy

CERN Document Server

Pozzi, Giulio

2016-01-01

Advances in Imaging and Electron Physics merges two long-running serials, Advances in Electronics and Electron Physics and Advances in Optical and Electron Microscopy. The series features extended articles on the physics of electron devices (especially semiconductor devices), particle optics at high and low energies, microlithography, image science, digital image processing, electromagnetic wave propagation, electron microscopy, and the computing methods used in all these domains. * Contains contributions from leading authorities on the subject matter* Informs and updates all the latest developments in the field of imaging and electron physics* Provides practitioners interested in microscopy, optics, image processing, mathematical morphology, electromagnetic fields, electron, and ion emission with a valuable resource* Features extended articles on the physics of electron devices (especially semiconductor devices), particle optics at high and low energies, microlithography, image science, and digital image pro...

CLOUD EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES FOR PHYSICS LEARNING RESEARCHES SUPPORT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oleksandr V. Merzlykin

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The definition of cloud educational resource is given in paper. Its program and information components are characterized. The virtualization as the technological ground of transforming from traditional electronic educational resources to cloud ones is reviewed. Such levels of virtualization are described: data storage device virtualization (Data as Service, hardware virtualization (Hardware as Service, computer virtualization (Infrastructure as Service, software system virtualization (Platform as Service, «desktop» virtualization (Desktop as Service, software user interface virtualization (Software as Service. Possibilities of designing the cloud educational resources system for physics learning researches support taking into account standards of learning objects metadata (accessing via OAI-PMH protocol and standards of learning tools interoperability (LTI are shown. The example of integration cloud educational resources into Moodle learning management system with use of OAI-PMH and LTI is given.

QR Codes as Finding Aides: Linking Electronic and Print Library Resources

Science.gov (United States)

Kane, Danielle; Schneidewind, Jeff

2011-01-01

As part of a focused, methodical, and evaluative approach to emerging technologies, QR codes are one of many new technologies being used by the UC Irvine Libraries. QR codes provide simple connections between print and virtual resources. In summer 2010, a small task force began to investigate how QR codes could be used to provide information and…

Power electronics basics operating principles, design, formulas, and applications

CERN Document Server

Rozanov, Yuriy; Chaplygin, Evgeny; Voronin, Pavel

2015-01-01

Power Electronics Basics: Operating Principles, Design, Formulas, and Applications provides fundamental knowledge for the analysis and design of modern power electronic devices. This concise and user-friendly resource:Explains the basic concepts and most important terms of power electronicsDescribes the power assemblies, control, and passive components of semiconductor power switchesCovers the control of power electronic devices, from mathematical modeling to the analysis of the electrical processesAddresses pulse-width modulation, power quality control, and multilevel, modular, and multicell

Print and Electronic Resources: Usage Statistics at Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University Library

Science.gov (United States)

Kapoor, Kanta

2010-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to quantify the use of electronic journals in comparison with the print collections in the Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University Library. Design/methodology/approach: A detailed analysis was made of the use of lending services, the Xerox facility and usage of electronic journals such as Science Direct,…

Sphero-echinocytosis of human red blood cells caused by snake, red-back spider, bee and blue-ringed octopus venoms and its inhibition by snake sera.

Science.gov (United States)

Flachsenberger, W; Leigh, C M; Mirtschin, P J

1995-06-01

It was found that bee (Apis mellifera) venom, red-back spider (Latrodectus mactans) venom, blue-ringed octopus (Hapalochlaena maculosa) venom, ten different snake venoms, phospholipase A2 and four snake toxins caused sphero-echinocytosis of human red blood cells at 200 ng/ml. Most venoms and toxins lost the ability to deform human red blood cells when their components of less than mol. wt 10,000 were applied. In a number of cases the sphero-echinocytotic effect was also inhibited by blood sera of Notechis scutatus and Pseudonaja textilis.

Preliminary Radiation Analysis of the Total Ionizing Dose for the Resource Prospector Mission

Science.gov (United States)

Rojdev, Kristina; Tylka, Allan J.; Atwell, William

2015-01-01

NASA's Resource Prospector (RP) is a collaborative project between multiple centers and institutions to search for volatiles at the polar regions of the Moon as a potential resource for oxygen and propellant production. The mission is rated Class D and will be the first In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) demonstration on the lunar surface and at the lunar poles. Given that this mission is rated Class D, the project is considering using commercial off the shelf (COTS) electronics parts to reduce cost. However, COTS parts can be more susceptible to space radiation than typical aerospace electronic parts and carry some additional risk. Thus, prior to parts selection, having a better understanding of the radiation environment can assist designers in the parts selection process. The focus of this paper is to provide a preliminary analysis of the radiation environment from launch, through landing on the surface, and some surface stay as an initial step in determining worst case mission doses to assist designers in screening out electronic parts that would not meet the potential dose levels experienced on this mission.

Global application of disorders of sex development-related electronic resources: e-learning, e-consultation and e-information sharing.

Science.gov (United States)

Muscarella, Miriam; Kranenburg-van Koppen, Laura; Grijpink-van den Biggelaar, Kalinka; Drop, Stenvert L S

2014-01-01

The past 20 years have seen proliferation of electronic (e) resources that promote improved understanding of disorders of sex development (DSD): e-learning for physicians and trainees, e-consultation between clinicians, and e-information for families and affected individuals. Recent e-learning advances have emerged from the European Society for Pediatric Endocrinology's online learning portal for current physicians and trainees. Developed with attention to developing clinical competencies incorporating learning theory, and presenting material that represents international best practice, this e-learning portal offers advances in training, making information more accessible for clinicians and trainees. Multiple levels of instruction, authentic case examples, collaborative forums for physicians and trainees, individualized feedback and user-friendly tools represent advances in trainee and physician learning that can take place in any location. e-consultation is an emerging tool that aims to connect physicians with specialists experienced in DSD care. Although it faces logistical challenges, e-consultation carries the potential to improve DSD care, especially in remote areas with limited access to DSD specialists. e-information for families and patients of all ages is widely accessible online, often with focus on DSD biology, medical care, and psychological and social support. e-information tools aid self-management and support of those affected by DSD. Efforts to improve these resources should aim to map information to individual users, incorporate optimally clear nomenclature, and continue as a 'shared enterprise' of clinicians, affected individuals, families and researchers. Improving the quality of DSD-related e-learning and e-information and developing e-consultation carries the potential to transform DSD care and support for patients, families and physicians worldwide. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Common antigenic determinants of haemoglobin as basis of immunological cross-reactivity between chironomid species (Diptera, Chironomidae): studies with human and animal sera.

Science.gov (United States)

Baur, X; Dewair, M; Haegele, K; Prelicz, H; Scholl, A; Tichy, H

1983-01-01

Chironomids, of which approximately 10,000 species exist, are reported to cause severe immediate type allergic diseases in man. In the present study, immunological cross-reactivity between 14 chironomid species from different continents was proven by RAST inhibition, double immunodiffusion and a new allergoprint technique, based upon PAGE separation of insect crude extracts. Using isolated chironomid haemoglobins and sera of sensitized persons, as well as rabbit antibodies against larval crude extract or against the haemoglobin fraction of Chironomus thummi, it could be proven that cross-reactivity derives at least predominantly from haemoglobin components with common antigenic determinants in the different species. Images Fig. 2 Fig. 7 Fig. 8 Fig. 9 PMID:6197219

Improving the Status of Human and Material Resources in Public ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Improving the Status of Human and Material Resources in Public Primary School in Oyo States ... the Millennium Development Goals project in the State. ... libraries, well-equipped first aid centres, adequate electronically projected instructional ...

Innovations in electronic services

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dagmara Wach

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Summarry Existence in electronic business has become increasingly difficult. High competition and considerable financial resources needed to enter electronic market are the problems of most micro and small sized enterprises, starting or developing their business. Nevertheless, there is a market niche for them, which can ensure success and grant partial financing of the business. This niche are small web projects, providing the customer with personalized service, hitting his tastes and meeting immediate needs. A projects that large websites are unable to perform. Financial sourcing of those projects comes from EU subsidies, in the framework of the Działanie 8.1. PO IG, 2007-2013.

Power Electronics in Wind Turbine Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Blaabjerg, Frede; Chen, Zhe; Teodorescu, Remus

2006-01-01

the conventional, fossil (and short term) based energy sources to renewable energy resources. The other is to use high efficient power electronics in power systems, power production and end-user application. This paper discuss the most emerging renewable energy source, wind energy, which by means of power...... electronics is changing from being a minor energy source to be acting as an important power source in the energy system. By that wind power is also getting an added value in the power system operation....

A rapid microtiter plate serum bactericidal assay method for determining serum complement-mediated killing of Mannheimia haemolytica.

Science.gov (United States)

Ayalew, Sahlu; Confer, Anthony W; Shrestha, Binu; Payton, Mark E

2012-05-01

In this study, we describe a rapid microtiter serum bactericidal assay (RMSBA) that can be used to measure the functionality of immune sera. It quantifies bactericidal activity of immune sera in the presence of complement against a homologous bacterium, M. haemolytica in this case. There is high correlation between data from RMSBA and standard complement-mediated bacterial killing assay (r=0.756; p<0.0001). The RMSBA activity of sera can be generated in less than 5 h instead of overnight incubation. RMSBA costs substantially less in terms of time, labor, and resources and is highly reproducible. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Multimedia presentation as a form of E-learning resources in the educational process

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bizyaev АА

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The article describes the features of the use of multimedia presentations as an electronic learning resource in the educational process, reflecting resource requirements; pedagogical goals that may be achieved. Currently one of the main directions in the educational process is the effective use of teaching computers. Pressing issue implementation of information and communication technologies in education is to develop educational resources with the aim to increase the level and quality of education.

Sustainable Steel Carburization by Using Snack Packaging Plastic Waste as Carbon Resources

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Songyan Yin

2018-01-01

Full Text Available In recent years, the research regarding waste conversion to resources technology has attracted growing attention with the continued increase of waste accumulation issues and rapid depletion of natural resources. However, the study, with respect to utilizing plastics waste as carbon resources in the metals industry, is still limited. In this work, an environmentally friendly approach to utilize snack packaging plastic waste as a valuable carbon resources for steel carburization is investigated. At high temperature, plastic waste could be subject to pyrolytic gasification and decompose into small molecular hydrocarbon gaseous products which have the potential to be used as carburization agents for steel. When heating some snack packaging plastic waste and a steel sample together at the carburization temperature, a considerable amount of carbon-rich reducing gases, like methane, could be liberated from the plastic waste and absorbed by the steel sample as a carbon precursor for carburization. The resulting carburization effect on steel was investigated by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, electron probe microanalyzer, and X-ray photoelectron spectrometer techniques. These investigation results all showed that snack packaging plastic waste could work effectively as a valuable carbon resource for steel carburization leading to a significant increase of surface carbon content and the corresponding microstructure evolution in steel.

Numerical simulation of transient moisture and temperature distribution in polycarbonate and aluminum electronic enclosures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Shojaee Nasirabadi, Parizad; Jabbaribehnam, Mirmasoud; Hattel, Jesper Henri

2016-01-01

The challenge of developing a reliable electronic product requires huge amounts of resources and knowledge. Temperature and thermal features directly affect the life of electronic products. Furthermore, moisture can be damaging for electronic components. Nowadays, computational fluid dynamics (CF...

Students developing resources for students.

Science.gov (United States)

Pearce, Michael; Evans, Darrell

2012-06-01

The development of new technologies has provided medical education with the ability to enhance the student learning experience and meet the needs of changing curricula. Students quickly adapt to using multimedia learning resources, but these need to be well designed, learner-centred and interactive for students to become significantly engaged. One way to ensure that students become committed users and that resources become distinct elements of the learning cycle is to involve students in resource design and production. Such an approach enables resources to accommodate student needs and preferences, but also provides opportunities for them to develop their own teaching and training skills. The aim of the medical student research project was to design and produce an electronic resource that was focused on a particular anatomical region. The views of other medical students were used to decide what features were suitable for inclusion and the resulting package contained basic principles and clinical relevance, and used a variety of approaches such as images of cadaveric material, living anatomy movies and quizzes. The completed package was assessed using a survey matrix and found to compare well with commercially available products. Given the ever-diversifying arena of multimedia instruction and the ability of students to be fully conversant with technology, this project demonstrates that students are ideal participants and creators of multimedia resources. It is hoped that such an approach will help to further develop the skill base of students, but will also provide an avenue of developing packages that are student user friendly, and that are focused towards particular curricula requirements. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2012.

eLearning resources to supplement postgraduate neurosurgery training.

Science.gov (United States)

Stienen, Martin N; Schaller, Karl; Cock, Hannah; Lisnic, Vitalie; Regli, Luca; Thomson, Simon

2017-02-01

In an increasingly complex and competitive professional environment, improving methods to educate neurosurgical residents is key to ensure high-quality patient care. Electronic (e)Learning resources promise interactive knowledge acquisition. We set out to give a comprehensive overview on available eLearning resources that aim to improve postgraduate neurosurgical training and review the available literature. A MEDLINE query was performed, using the search term "electronic AND learning AND neurosurgery". Only peer-reviewed English-language articles on the use of any means of eLearning to improve theoretical knowledge in postgraduate neurosurgical training were included. Reference lists were crosschecked for further relevant articles. Captured parameters were the year, country of origin, method of eLearning reported, and type of article, as well as its conclusion. eLearning resources were additionally searched for using Google. Of n = 301 identified articles by the MEDLINE search, n = 43 articles were analysed in detail. Applying defined criteria, n = 28 articles were excluded and n = 15 included. Most articles were generated within this decade, with groups from the USA, the UK and India having a leadership role. The majority of articles reviewed existing eLearning resources, others reported on the concept, development and use of generated eLearning resources. There was no article that scientifically assessed the effectiveness of eLearning resources (against traditional learning methods) in terms of efficacy or costs. Only one article reported on satisfaction rates with an eLearning tool. All authors of articles dealing with eLearning and the use of new media in neurosurgery uniformly agreed on its great potential and increasing future use, but most also highlighted some weaknesses and possible dangers. This review found only a few articles dealing with the modern aspects of eLearning as an adjunct to postgraduate neurosurgery training. Comprehensive

The impact of an electronic clinical decision support for pulmonary ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

State-of-the-art electronic radiology workflow can provide clinical decision support (CDS) for specialised imaging requests, but there has been limited work on the clinical impact of CDS in PE, particularly in resource-constrained environments. Objective. To determine the impact of an electronic CDS for PE on the efficiency ...

Multiple free-radical scavenging (MULTIS) capacity in cattle serum.

Science.gov (United States)

Sueishi, Yoshimi; Kamogawa, Erisa; Kimura, Anna; Kitahara, Go; Satoh, Hiroyuki; Asanuma, Taketoshi; Oowada, Shigeru

2017-01-01

Multiple free-radical scavenging (MULTIS) activity in cattle and human sera was evaluated with electron spin resonance spectroscopy. Scavenging rates against six active species, namely hydroxyl radical, superoxide anion, alkoxyl radical, alkylperoxyl radical, methyl radical, and singlet oxygen were quantified. The difference in the electron spin resonance signal intensity in the presence and absence of the serum was converted into the scavenging rates. Comparative MULTIS measurements were made in sera from eight beef cattle, three fetal calves and fifteen healthy human volunteers. Further, we determined the MULTIS value of albumin, the most abundant component in serum. MULTIS values in cattle sera indicated higher scavenging activity against most free radical species tested than human sera. In particular, cattle serum scavenging activities against superoxide and methyl radical were higher than human serum by 2.6 and 3.7 fold, respectively. In cattle serum, albumin appears to play a dominant role in MULTIS activity, but in human serum that is not the case. Previous data indicated that the abundance of uric acid in bovine blood is nearly 80% less than humans; however, this difference does not explain the deviation in MULTIS profile.

The tryptic cleavage product of the mature form of the bovine desmoglein 1 ectodomain is one of the antigen moieties immunoprecipitated by all sera from symptomatic patients affected by a new variant of endemic pemphigus.

Science.gov (United States)

Abréu-Vélez, Ana María; Javier Patiño, Pablo; Montoya, Fernando; Bollag, Wendy B

2003-01-01

Multiple antigens are recognized by sera from patients with pemphigus foliaceus (PF). Several have been identified including keratin 59, desmocollins, envoplakin, periplakin, and desmogleins 1 and 3 (Dsg1 and Dsg3). In addition, an 80 kDa antigen was identified as the N-terminal fragment of Dsg1 using as antigen source an insoluble epidermal cell envelope preparation. However, still unsolved was the identity of the most important antigenic moiety, a 45 kDa tryptic fragment which is recognized by all sera from patients with fogo selvagem, pemphigus foliaceus, by half of pemphigus vulgaris sera and by a new variant of endemic pemphigus in E1 Bagre, Colombia that resembles Senear-Usher syndrome. Here, we report the identification of the 45 kDa conformational epitope of a soluble tryptic cleavage product from viable bovine epidermis. To elucidate the nature of this peptide, viable bovine epidermis was trypsin-digested, and glycosylated peptides were partially purified on a concanavalin A (Con-A) affinity column. This column fraction was then used as an antigen source for further immunoaffinity purification. A PF patient's serum covalently coupled to a Staphylococcus aureus protein A column was incubated with the Con-A eluted products and the immuno-isolated antigen was separated by SDS-PAGE, transferred to a membrane, and visualized with Coomassie blue, silver and amido black stains. The 45 kD band was subjected to amino acid sequence analysis revealing the sequence, EXIKFAAAXREGED, which matched the mature form of the extracellular domain of bovine Dsg1. This study confirms the biological importance of the ectodomain of Dsg1 as well as the relevance of conformational epitopes in various types of pemphigus.

Eavesdropping on Electronic Guidebooks: Observing Learning Resources in Shared Listening Environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Woodruff, Allison; Aoki, Paul M.; Grinter, Rebecca E.; Hurst, Amy; Szymanski, Margaret H.; Thornton, James D.

This paper describes an electronic guidebook, "Sotto Voce," that enables visitors to share audio information by eavesdropping on each others guidebook activity. The first section discusses the design and implementation of the guidebook device, key aspects of its user interface, the design goals for the audio environment, the eavesdropping…

Understanding intention to use electronic information resources: A theoretical extension of the technology acceptance model (TAM).

Science.gov (United States)

Tao, Donghua

2008-11-06

This study extended the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) by examining the roles of two aspects of e-resource characteristics, namely, information quality and system quality, in predicting public health students' intention to use e-resources for completing research paper assignments. Both focus groups and a questionnaire were used to collect data. Descriptive analysis, data screening, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) techniques were used for data analysis. The study found that perceived usefulness played a major role in determining students' intention to use e-resources. Perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use fully mediated the impact that information quality and system quality had on behavior intention. The research model enriches the existing technology acceptance literature by extending TAM. Representing two aspects of e-resource characteristics provides greater explanatory information for diagnosing problems of system design, development, and implementation.

Development and evaluation of a competitive ELISA using a monoclonal antibody for antibody detection after goose parvovirus virus-like particles (VLPs) and vaccine immunization in goose sera.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Qian; Ju, Huanyu; Li, Yanwei; Jing, Zhiqiang; Guo, Lu; Zhao, Yu; Ma, Bo; Gao, Mingchun; Zhang, Wenlong; Wang, Junwei

2014-12-01

An assay protocol based on a monoclonal antibody-based competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (MAb-based C-ELISA) for detecting antibodies against goose parvovirus (GPV) and its virus-like particles (VLPs) is described. The assay was developed using baculovirus-expressed recombinant VP2 virus-like particles (rVP2-VLPs) as antigens and a monoclonal antibody against GPV as the competitive antibody. Of the four anti-GPV MAbs that were screened, MAb 1G3 was selected as it was blocked by the GPV positive serum. Based on the distribution of percent inhibition (PI) of the known negative sera (n=225), a cut-off value was set at 36% inhibition. Using this cut-off value, the sensitivity of the assay was 93.3% and the specificity was 95.8%, as compared with the gold standard (virus neutralization assay). The rVP2-VLPs did not react with anti-sera to other goose pathogens, indicating that it is specific for the recognization of goose parvovirus antibodies. The assay was then validated with serum samples from goslings vaccinated with several VLPs (rVP1-VLPs, rVP2-VLPs, rVP3-VLPs, and rCGV-VLPs) and other vaccines (inactivated and attenuated). The C-ELISA described in this study is a sensitive and specific diagnostic test and should have wide applications for the sero-diagnosis and immunologic surveillance of GPV. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mediated learning in the workplace: student perspectives on knowledge resources.

Science.gov (United States)

Shanahan, Madeleine

2015-01-01

In contemporary clinical practice, student radiographers can use many types of knowledge resources to support their learning. These include workplace experts, digital and nondigital information sources (eg, journals, textbooks, and the Internet), and electronic communication tools such as e-mail and social media. Despite the range of knowledge tools available, there is little available data about radiography students' use of these resources during clinical placement. A 68-item questionnaire was distributed to 62 students enrolled in an Australian university undergraduate radiography program after they completed a clinical placement. Researchers used descriptive statistics to analyze student access to workplace experts and their use of digital and nondigital information sources and electronic communication tools. A 5-point Likert scale (1 = very important; 5 = not important) was used to assess the present importance and perceived future value of knowledge tools for workplace learning. Of the 53 students who completed and returned the questionnaire anonymously, most rely on the knowledge of practicing technologists and on print and electronic information sources to support their learning; some students also use electronic communication tools. Students perceive that these knowledge resources also will be important tools for their future learning as qualified health professionals. The findings from this study present baseline data regarding the value students attribute to multiple knowledge tools and regarding student access to and use of these tools during clinical placement. In addition, most students have access to multiple knowledge tools in the workplace and incorporate these tools simultaneously into their overall learning practice during clinical placement. Although a range of knowledge tools is used in the workplace to support learning among student radiographers, the quality of each tool should be critically analyzed before it is adopted in practice

Realizing what's essential: a case study on integrating electronic journal management into a print-centric technical services department.

Science.gov (United States)

Dollar, Daniel M; Gallagher, John; Glover, Janis; Marone, Regina Kenny; Crooker, Cynthia

2007-04-01

To support migration from print to electronic resources, the Cushing/Whitney Medical Library at Yale University reorganized its Technical Services Department to focus on managing electronic resources. The library hired consultants to help plan the changes and to present recommendations for integrating electronic resource management into every position. The library task force decided to focus initial efforts on the periodical collection. To free staff time to devote to electronic journals, most of the print subscriptions were switched to online only and new workflows were developed for e-journals. Staff learned new responsibilities such as activating e-journals, maintaining accurate holdings information in the online public access catalog and e-journals database ("electronic shelf reading"), updating the link resolver knowledgebase, and troubleshooting. All of the serials team members now spend significant amounts of time managing e-journals. The serials staff now spends its time managing the materials most important to the library's clientele (e-journals and databases). The team's proactive approach to maintenance work and rapid response to reported problems should improve patrons' experiences using e-journals. The library is taking advantage of new technologies such as an electronic resource management system, and library workflows and procedures will continue to evolve as technology changes.

Power Electronics for Renewable Energy Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Choi, U. M.; Lee, K. B.; Blaabjerg, Frede

2012-01-01

The use of renewable energy sources are increased because of the depletion of natural resources and the increasing pollution level from energy production. The wind energy and the solar energy are most widely used among the renewable energy sources. Power electronics is needed in almost all kinds...... of renewable energy system. It controls the renewable source and interfaces with the load effectively, which can be grid-connected or van work in stand-alone mode. In this presentation, overview of wind and photovoltaic energy systems are introduced. Next, the power electronic circuits behind the most common...

Near-infrared Raman spectroscopy to detect anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in blood sera of domestic cats

Science.gov (United States)

Duarte, Janaina; Pacheco, Marcos T. T.; Silveira, Landulfo, Jr.; Machado, Rosangela Z.; Martins, Rodrigo A. L.; Zangaro, Renato A.; Villaverde, Antonio G. J. B.

2001-05-01

Near-infrared (NIR) Raman spectroscopy has been studied for the last years for many biomedical applications. It is a powerful tool for biological materials analysis. Toxoplasmosis is an important zoonosis in public health, cats being the principal responsible for the transmission of the disease in Brazil. The objective of this work is to investigate a new method of diagnosis of this disease. NIR Raman spectroscopy was used to detect anti Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in blood sera from domestic cats, without sample preparation. In all, six blood serum samples were used for this study. A previous serological test was done by the Indirect Immunoenzymatic Assay (ELISA) to permit a comparative study between both techniques and it showed that three serum samples were positive and the other three were negative to toxoplasmosis. Raman spectra were taken for all the samples and analyzed by using the principal components analysis (PCA). A diagnosis parameter was defined from the analysis of the second and third principal components of the Raman spectra. It was found that this parameter can detect the infection level of the animal. The results have indicated that NIR Raman spectroscopy, associated to the PCA can be a promising technique for serological analysis, such as toxoplasmosis, allowing a fast and sensitive method of diagnosis.

A novel synthetic peptide microarray assay detects Chlamydia species-specific antibodies in animal and human sera.

Science.gov (United States)

Sachse, Konrad; Rahman, Kh Shamsur; Schnee, Christiane; Müller, Elke; Peisker, Madlen; Schumacher, Thomas; Schubert, Evelyn; Ruettger, Anke; Kaltenboeck, Bernhard; Ehricht, Ralf

2018-03-16

Serological analysis of Chlamydia (C.) spp. infections is still mainly based on micro-immunofluorescence and ELISA. To overcome the limitations of conventional serology, we have designed a novel microarray carrying 52 synthetic peptides representing B-cell epitopes from immunodominant proteins of all 11 chlamydial species. The new assay has been validated using monospecific mouse hyperimmune sera. Subsequently, serum samples from cattle, sheep and humans with a known history of chlamydial infection were examined. For instance, the specific humoral response of sheep to treatment with a C. abortus vaccine has been visualized against a background of C. pecorum carriership. In samples from humans, dual infection with C. trachomatis and C. pneumoniae could be demonstrated. The experiments revealed that the peptide microarray assay was capable of simultaneously identifying specific antibodies to each Chlamydia spp. The actual assay represents an open platform test that can be complemented through future advances in Chlamydia proteome research. The concept of the highly parallel multi-antigen microarray proven in this study has the potential to enhance our understanding of antibody responses by defining not only a single quantitative response, but also the pattern of this response. The added value of using peptide antigens will consist in unprecedented serodiagnostic specificity.

Performance of the Epstein-Barr Virus and Herpes Simplex Virus Immunoglobulin M Assays on the Liaison Platform with Sera from Patients Displaying Acute Parvovirus B19 Infection▿

Science.gov (United States)

Costa, Elisa; Tormo, Nuria; Clari, María Ángeles; Bravo, Dayana; Muñoz-Cobo, Beatriz; Navarro, David

2009-01-01

Acute parvovirus B19 infection has been reported to cause false-positive results frequently in the Epstein-Barr (EBV) and herpes simplex virus (HSV) immunoglobulin M (IgM) assays from DiaSorin performed on the Liaison platform. We tested 65 sera from patients with a presumptive or conclusive diagnosis of acute parvovirus B19 infection in both assays and obtained no false-positive results in the EBV IgM test and 10.4% nonspecific reactivities in the HSV IgM assay. Our data support the specificity of both assays in this clinical setting. PMID:19571110

Rare earth metals-primary resources and prospects of processing secondary resources in India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pandey, B.D.

2015-01-01

The importance of Rare earth metals (REMs) in modern technological applications is associated with their spectroscopic and magnetic properties. The occurrence of rare earths in mixed form is commonly reported and their separation to the individual metal is a challenging task because of the similar chemical properties. The economical processing of the primary ores of rare earths is limited to a few countries and their supply at the international level is currently dominated by China. Hence assessing the present scenario of the primary resources of rare earths vis-à-vis their applications and demand is crucial at this stage, besides looking at the alternate resources to ensure availability of REMs; such aspects are covered in the manuscript. In view of the environmental concerns in the processing of ores such as monazite, xenotime, bastnasite, etc, and increasing demand of REMs, corresponding increase in demand of the raw materials has been recorded. It is therefore, necessary to utilize the end-of the-life rare earth containing materials as a rich resource by developing an appropriate recycling technology, which is emerging as a high priority area. To recover the REMs, major secondary resources such as electronic wastes, industrial wastes, spent catalysts and magnets, and phosphors powder, etc, have been considered for now. This will not only open the prospects of utilizing the wastes containing REMs, but will also limit the imports while lowering the production cost and decreasing the load on the primary reserves. The paper also examines the efficient recycling methods to recover a fairly good amount of rare earths which are relevant to India in view of the limited exploitation of the ores. Recovery of REMs from secondary resources using mechanical treatment followed by hydrometallurgical methods is prevalent and the same is reviewed in some detail. The recent R and D work pursued at CSIR-NML to extract (leaching and metal separation using some phosphatic reagents

Guide to state-of-the-art electron devices

CERN Document Server

2013-01-01

Concise, high quality and comparative overview of state-of-the-art electron device development, manufacturing technologies and applications Guide to State-of-the-Art Electron Devices marks the 60th anniversary of the IEEE Electron Devices Committee and the 35th anniversary of the IEEE Electron Devices Society, as such it defines the state-of-the-art of electron devices, as well as future directions across the entire field. Spans full range of electron device types such as photovoltaic devices, semiconductor manufacturing and VLSI technology and circuits, covered by IEEE Electron and Devices Society Contributed by internationally respected members of the electron devices community A timely desk reference with fully-integrated colour and a unique lay-out with sidebars to highlight the key terms Discusses the historical developments and speculates on future trends to give a more rounded picture of the topics covered A valuable resource R&D managers; engineers in the semiconductor industry; applied scientists...

The Evolution of Electronic Marketplaces: an exploratory study of internet-based electronic within the American Independent Insurance Agency system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew Burton

1998-11-01

Full Text Available Evolving competitive, organisational and technology environments drive organisations to continually evaluate how information technology resources can be exploited for competitive value. The emergence of a global information infrastructure has spawned an entirely new area for competitive exploitation, electronic marketplaces. This paper first presents a review and synthesis of the conceptual and empirical literature on electronic marketplaces. Drawing upon multiple theoretical perspectives, we develop a framework for analysing their potential influences on market and industry structure. This conceptual framework is then applied to an empirical assessment of the potential of the Internet as an electronic marketplace for the American Independent Insurance Agency System.

Amarillo National Resource Center for Plutonium 1999 plan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1999-01-30

The purpose of the Amarillo National Resource Center for Plutonium is to serve the Texas Panhandle, the State of Texas and the US Department of Energy by: conducting scientific and technical research; advising decision makers; and providing information on nuclear weapons materials and related environment, safety, health, and nonproliferation issues while building academic excellence in science and technology. This paper describes the electronic resource library which provides the national archives of technical, policy, historical, and educational information on plutonium. Research projects related to the following topics are described: Environmental restoration and protection; Safety and health; Waste management; Education; Training; Instrumentation development; Materials science; Plutonium processing and handling; and Storage.

Amarillo National Resource Center for Plutonium 1999 plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-01-01

The purpose of the Amarillo National Resource Center for Plutonium is to serve the Texas Panhandle, the State of Texas and the US Department of Energy by: conducting scientific and technical research; advising decision makers; and providing information on nuclear weapons materials and related environment, safety, health, and nonproliferation issues while building academic excellence in science and technology. This paper describes the electronic resource library which provides the national archives of technical, policy, historical, and educational information on plutonium. Research projects related to the following topics are described: Environmental restoration and protection; Safety and health; Waste management; Education; Training; Instrumentation development; Materials science; Plutonium processing and handling; and Storage

Allergy to fish collagen: Thermostability of collagen and IgE reactivity of patients' sera with extracts of 11 species of bony and cartilaginous fish.

Science.gov (United States)

Kobayashi, Yukihiro; Kuriyama, Takuma; Nakagawara, Ryoko; Aihara, Michiko; Hamada-Sato, Naoko

2016-10-01

Parvalbumin was identified as a major fish allergen, and has been well investigated. Collagen was identified as a second allergen; however, its allergenic properties remain uncharacterized. Although fish is an important staple in coastal countries, its thermostability is unknown. Therefore, we aimed to determine the thermostability of fish collagen as an allergen. Meat of seven bony and four cartilaginous fishes was heated at various temperatures and times, and extracts were analyzed using SDS-PAGE, IgE-ELISA, and SPTs. Collagen was dissolved from heated meat of Pacific mackerel into a crude extract. Collagen in the extracts was degraded at a high heating load-140 °C (10 min) or 100 °C (320 min). However, ELISA revealed the IgE reactivities of patients' sera with the extracts were unchanged even after heating the samples. Patients strongly reacted to extract proteins of other bony fish, which were detected by patients' IgE even after heating at 100 °C (320 min). In contrast, reactivities of the extracts of cartilaginous fish were lower than those of bony fish. SPTs in one patient revealed that all bony and cartilaginous fish extracts prepared from heated meat elicited allergic reactions. The IgE reactivity of patients' sera to fish collagen in extracts was retained even when fish meat was treated by a high heating load. As for the fish collagen, the IgE reactivities to cartilaginous fish were lower than that to bony fish. Reducing IgE reactivity to fish meat using heat is difficult, and other modalities will be required to produce hypoallergenic fish meat. Copyright © 2016 Japanese Society of Allergology. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development and evolution of The Knowledge Hub for Pathology and related electronic resources.

Science.gov (United States)

Hardwick, David F; Sinard, John; Silva, Fred

2011-06-01

The Knowledge Hub for Pathology was created to provide authenticated and validated knowledge for United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology members and pathologists worldwide with access to the Web. Using the material presented at the annual meeting of the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology with existing selection and review procedures ensured that these criteria were met without added costly procedures. Further submissions for courses and research papers are provided in electronic format and funded by universities and hospitals for their creation; thus, the principal costs borne by the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology are Web site-posting costs. Use has escalated rapidly from 2 million hits in 2002 to 51 million in 2009 with use by 35,000 pathologists from now a total of 180 countries. This true "freemium" model is a successful process as are more traditional continuing professional development course structures such as Anatomic Pathology Electronic Case Series, a "premium" model for learning electronically also sponsored by the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Randomized Controlled Trial of Electronic Care Plan Alerts and Resource Utilization by High Frequency Emergency Department Users with Opioid Use Disorder

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Niels Rathlev, MD

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: There is a paucity of literature supporting the use of electronic alerts for patients with high frequency emergency department (ED use. We sought to measure changes in opioid prescribing and administration practices, total charges and other resource utilization using electronic alerts to notify providers of an opioid-use care plan for high frequency ED patients. Methods: This was a randomized, non-blinded, two-group parallel design study of patients who had 1 opioid use disorder and 2 high frequency ED use. Three affiliated hospitals with identical electronic health records participated. Patients were randomized into “Care Plan” versus “Usual Care groups”. Between the years before and after randomization, we compared as primary outcomes the following: 1 opioids (morphine mg equivalents prescribed to patients upon discharge and administered to ED and inpatients; 2 total medical charges, and the numbers of; 3 ED visits, 4 ED visits with advanced radiologic imaging (computed tomography [CT] or magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] studies, and 5 inpatient admissions. Results: A total of 40 patients were enrolled. For ED and inpatients in the “Usual Care” group, the proportion of morphine mg equivalents received in the post-period compared with the pre-period was 15.7%, while in the “Care Plan” group the proportion received in the post-period compared with the pre-period was 4.5% (ratio=0.29, 95% CI [0.07-1.12]; p=0.07. For discharged patients in the “Usual Care” group, the proportion of morphine mg equivalents prescribed in the post-period compared with the pre-period was 25.7% while in the “Care Plan” group, the proportion prescribed in the post-period compared to the pre-period was 2.9%. The “Care Plan” group showed an 89% greater proportional change over the periods compared with the “Usual Care” group (ratio=0.11, 95% CI [0.01-0.092]; p=0.04. Care plans did not change the total charges, or, the numbers

Effects of Different Sera Conditions on Olfactory Ensheathing Cells in Vitro

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meng Lu

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Transplantation of olfactory ensheathing cells (OEC is a promising therapy in spinal cord injury (SCI treatment. However, the therapeutic efficacy of this method is unstable due to unknown reasons. Considering the alterations in the culture environment that occur during OEC preparation for transplantation, we hypothesize that these changes may cause variations in the curative effects of this method. In this study, we compared OEC cultured in medium containing different types and concentrations of serum. After purification and passage, the OEC were cultured for 7 days in different media containing 5%, 10%, 15% or 20% fetal bovine serum (FBS or rat serum (RS, or the cells were cultured in FBS-containing medium first, followed by medium containing RS. In another group, the OEC were first cultured in 10% FBS for 3 days and then cultured with rat spinal cord explants with 10% RS for another 4 days. An MTT assay and P75 neurotrophin receptor immunofluorescence staining were used to examine cell viability and OEC numbers, respectively. The concentration of neurotrophin-3 (NT-3, which is secreted by OEC into the culture supernatant, was detected using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA. RT-PCR was applied to investigate the NT-3 gene expression in OEC according to different groups. Compared with FBS, RS reduced OEC proliferation in relation to OEC counts (χ2 = 166.279, df = 1, p < 0.01, the optical density (OD value in the MTT assay (χ2 = 34.730, df = 1, p < 0.01, and NT-3 concentration in the supernatant (χ2 = 242.997, df = 1, p < 0.01. OEC cultured with spinal cord explants secreted less NT-3 than OEC cultured alone (F = 9.611, df = 5.139, p < 0.01. Meanwhile, the order of application of different sera was not influential. There was statistically significant difference in NT-3 gene expression among different groups when the serum concentration was 15% (χ2 = 64.347, df = 1, p < 0.01. In conclusion, different serum conditions may be

Development of an Electronic Medical Record Based Alert for Risk of HIV Treatment Failure in a Low-Resource Setting

Science.gov (United States)

Puttkammer, Nancy; Zeliadt, Steven; Balan, Jean Gabriel; Baseman, Janet; Destiné, Rodney; Domerçant, Jean Wysler; France, Garilus; Hyppolite, Nathaelf; Pelletier, Valérie; Raphael, Nernst Atwood; Sherr, Kenneth; Yuhas, Krista; Barnhart, Scott

2014-01-01

Background The adoption of electronic medical record systems in resource-limited settings can help clinicians monitor patients' adherence to HIV antiretroviral therapy (ART) and identify patients at risk of future ART failure, allowing resources to be targeted to those most at risk. Methods Among adult patients enrolled on ART from 2005–2013 at two large, public-sector hospitals in Haiti, ART failure was assessed after 6–12 months on treatment, based on the World Health Organization's immunologic and clinical criteria. We identified models for predicting ART failure based on ART adherence measures and other patient characteristics. We assessed performance of candidate models using area under the receiver operating curve, and validated results using a randomly-split data sample. The selected prediction model was used to generate a risk score, and its ability to differentiate ART failure risk over a 42-month follow-up period was tested using stratified Kaplan Meier survival curves. Results Among 923 patients with CD4 results available during the period 6–12 months after ART initiation, 196 (21.2%) met ART failure criteria. The pharmacy-based proportion of days covered (PDC) measure performed best among five possible ART adherence measures at predicting ART failure. Average PDC during the first 6 months on ART was 79.0% among cases of ART failure and 88.6% among cases of non-failure (pART initiation were added to PDC, the risk score differentiated between those who did and did not meet failure criteria over 42 months following ART initiation. Conclusions Pharmacy data are most useful for new ART adherence alerts within iSanté. Such alerts offer potential to help clinicians identify patients at high risk of ART failure so that they can be targeted with adherence support interventions, before ART failure occurs. PMID:25390044

Yellow fever virus envelope protein expressed in insect cells is capable of syncytium formation in lepidopteran cells and could be used for immunodetection of YFV in human sera

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nagata Tatsuya

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Yellow fever is an haemorrhagic disease caused by a virus that belongs to the genus Flavivirus (Flaviviridae family and is transmitted by mosquitoes. Among the viral proteins, the envelope protein (E is the most studied one, due to its high antigenic potencial. Baculovirus are one of the most popular and efficient eukaryotic expression system. In this study a recombinant baculovirus (vSynYFE containing the envelope gene (env of the 17D vaccine strain of yellow fever virus was constructed and the recombinant protein antigenicity was tested. Results Insect cells infected with vSynYFE showed syncytium formation, which is a cytopathic effect characteristic of flavivirus infection and expressed a polypeptide of around 54 kDa, which corresponds to the expected size of the recombinant E protein. Furthermore, the recombinant E protein expression was also confirmed by fluorescence microscopy of vSynYFE-infected insect cells. Total vSynYFE-infected insect extracts used as antigens detected the presence of antibodies for yellow fever virus in human sera derived from yellow fever-infected patients in an immunoassay and did not cross react with sera from dengue virus-infected patients. Conclusions The E protein expressed by the recombinant baculovirus in insect cells is antigenically similar to the wild protein and it may be useful for different medical applications, from improved diagnosis of the disease to source of antigens for the development of a subunit vaccine.

Quality control of the documentation process in electronic economic activities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Krutova A.S.

2017-06-01

Full Text Available It is proved that the main tool that will provide adequate information resources e economic activities of social and economic relations are documenting quality control processes as the basis of global information space. Directions problems as formation evaluation information resources in the process of documentation, namely development tools assess the efficiency of the system components – qualitative assessment; development of mathematical modeling tools – quantitative evaluation. A qualitative assessment of electronic documentation of economic activity through exercise performance, efficiency of communication; document management efficiency; effectiveness of flow control operations; relationship management effectiveness. The concept of quality control process documents electronically economic activity to components which include: the level of workflow; forms adequacy of information; consumer quality documents; quality attributes; type of income data; condition monitoring systems; organizational level process documentation; attributes of quality, performance quality consumer; type of management system; type of income data; condition monitoring systems. Grounded components of the control system electronic document subjects of economic activity. Detected components IT-audit management system economic activity: compliance audit; audit of internal control; detailed multilevel analysis; corporate risk assessment methodology. The stages and methods of processing electronic transactions economic activity during condition monitoring of electronic economic activity.

E-HRM: innovation or irritation? An exploration of web-based human resource management in large companies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ruel, Hubertus Johannes Maria; Bondarouk, Tatiana; Looise, Jan C.

2004-01-01

Human Resource Management (HRM of HR) executives are feeling pressured by the threat of a new development in recent years: Electronic Human Resource Management systems, also known as E-HRM. Consultants and other experts purport that this phenomenon will decrease the number of HRM employees, reduce

Rare earths as a future resource

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cornell, D.H.

1988-01-01

The fourteen rare earth or lanthanide elements have recently emerged as an important natural resource because of the rapidly growing demand in the electronic, chemical and metallurgical industries. The Symposium on rare earth elements as a future resource presented a multidisciplinary review of rare earth chemistry, geology, beneficiation, industrial applications and marketing. Papers by experts in many fields were presented on the following topics: chemical properties of the rare earth elements; the analysis of rare earth elements and minerals; beneficiation and extraction of rare earth elements; economic geochemistry and mineralogy of rare earths; present industrial uses of rare earth elements; the role of rare earth elements in high-temperature superconductors; the technical application of high-temperature superconductors; supply and demand for rare earth products - now and in the future, and the geology of rare earth deposits

Lithium Resources for the 21st Century

Science.gov (United States)

Kesler, S.; Gruber, P.; Medina, P.; Keolian, G.; Everson, M. P.; Wallington, T.

2011-12-01

Lithium is an important industrial compound and the principal component of high energy-density batteries. Because it is the lightest solid element, these batteries are widely used in consumer electronics and are expected to be the basis for battery electric vehicles (BEVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) for the 21st century. In view of the large incremental demand for lithium that will result from expanded use of various types of EVs, long-term estimates of lithium demand and supply are advisable. For GDP growth rates of 2 to 3% and battery recycling rates of 90 to 100%, total demand for lithium for all markets is expected to be a maximum of 19.6 million tonnes through 2100. This includes 3.2 million tonnes for industrial compounds, 3.6 million tonnes for consumer electronics, and 12.8 million tonnes for EVs. Lithium-bearing mineral deposits that might supply this demand contain an estimated resource of approximately 39 million tonnes, although many of these deposits have not been adequately evaluated. These lithium-bearing mineral deposits are of two main types, non-marine playa-brine deposits and igneous deposits. Playa-brine deposits have the greatest immediate resource potential (estimated at 66% of global resources) and include the Salar de Atacama (Chile), the source of almost half of current world lithium production, as well as Zabuye (China/Tibet) and Hombre Muerto (Argentina). Additional important playa-brine lithium resources include Rincon (Argentina), Qaidam (China), Silver Peak (USA) and Uyuni (Bolivia), which together account for about 35% of the estimated global lithium resource. Information on the size and continuity of brine-bearing aquifers in many of these deposits is limited, and differences in chemical composition of brines from deposit to deposit require different extraction processes and yield different product mixes of lithium, boron, potassium and other elements. Numerous other brines in playas

MULTICRITERIA METHODS IN PERFORMING COMPANIES’ RESULTS USING ELECTRONIC RECRUITING, CORPORATE COMMUNICATION AND FINANCIAL RATIOS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivana Bilić

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Human resources represent one of the most important companies’ resources responsible in creation of companies’ competitive advantage. In search for the most valuable resources, companies use different methods. Lately, one of the growing methods is electronic recruiting, not only as a recruitment tool, but also as a mean of external communication. Additionally, in the process of corporate communication, companies nowadays use the electronic corporate communication as the easiest, the cheapest and the simplest form of business communication. The aim of this paper is to investigate relationship between three groups of different criteria; including main characteristics of performed electronic recruiting, corporate communication and selected financial performances. Selected companies were ranked separately by each group of criteria by usage of multicriteria decision making method PROMETHEE II. The main idea is to research whether companies which are the highest performers by certain group of criteria obtain the similar results regarding other group of criteria or performing results.

Resource Abundance and Resource Dependence in China

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ji, K.; Magnus, J.R.; Wang, W.

2010-01-01

This paper reconsiders the ‘curse of resources’ hypothesis for the case of China, and distinguishes between resource abundance, resource rents, and resource dependence. Resource abundance and resource rents are shown to be approximately equivalent, and their association with resource dependence

Resource-based interdependencies in value networks for mobile Internet services

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Montalvo, U.W. de; Kar, E. van de; Maitland, C.

2004-01-01

The advent of new electronic platforms, such as fixed and mobile Internet, is forcing firms from a range of industries to come together in so-called 'value networks' for the provision of innovative services. Firms from different industries have widely varying resources. Our analysis is aimed at

Positive Perceptions of Access to Online Library Resources Correlates with Quality and Quantity of Scholarly Publications among Finnish Academics. A Review of: Vakkari, Pertti. “Perceived Influence of the Use of Electronic Information Resources on Scholarly Work and Publication Productivity.” Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology 59.4 (Feb. 15, 2008: 602-12.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Scott Marsalis

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Objective – To investigate the relationship between academics’ use of library electronic resources and their opinions regarding how these resources have impacted their work, and to investigate the association between this perceived influence and publication productivity during the previous two years.Design – Two specific questions added to an annual online user-survey questionnaire; additional data mined from surveySetting – Twenty-two Finnish Universities served by FinELib, the Finnish Electronic Library.Subjects – Seven hundred and sixty seven academic staff and full-time doctoral students.Methods – A questionnaire was posted in April 2007 on FinELib’s homepage and advertised on each university library’s mainpage, and focused on respondents’ experience in the previous two years. Participants selected answers either from a list of category choices, or, when measuring perceptions, by rating agreement with statements along a four-point scale. Controlled variables measured were the respondents’ academic position, their discipline, membership in a research group, whether their literature use was discipline-specific or interdisciplinary, and their perception of the availability online of the relevant core literature. The independent variable measured was the scholars’ perception of the impact of the use of electronic library resources on their work. The dependent variable measured was the scholars’ self-reported publications in the two years preceding the survey.Main Results – Participants reported a positive impact on the efficiency of their work, most strongly in areas of ease of access, with lesser impacts in the range of materials available to them and the ease with which they can keep up-to-date in their field. To a lesser extent, the scholars perceived a positive impact on the quality of their work. Upon analysis, the study found that access to online library resources improved scholars’ work by the interconnected

Cloning of a cDNA encoding a surface antigen of Schistosoma mansoni schistosomula recognized by sera of vassinated mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dalton, J.P.; Tom, T.D.; Strand, M.

1987-01-01

Spleen cells of mice vaccinated with radiation-attenuated Schistosoma mansoni cercariae were used to produce monoclonal antibodies directed against newly transformed schistosomular surface antigens. One of these monoclonal antibodies recognized a polypeptide of 18 kDa. Binding was measured by radioimmunoassay. This glycoprotein was purified by monoclonal antibody immunoaffinity chromatography and a polyclonal antiserum was prepared against it. Immunofluorescence assays showed that the polyclonal antiserum bound to the surface of newly transformed schistosomula and lung-stage organisms but not to the surface of liver-stage and adult worms. Using this polyclonal antiserum we isolated recombinant clones from an adult worm cDNA expression library constructed in λgt11. Clone 654.2 contained an insert of 0.52 kilobase and hybridized to a 1.2-kilobase mRNA species from adult worms. Most importantly, clone 654.2 produced a fusion protein of 125 kDa that was reactive with sera of vaccinated mice that are capable of transferring resistance. This result encourages future vaccination trials with the fusion protein

78 FR 72878 - Integration of Variable Energy Resources; Notice Of Filing Procedures for Order No. 764...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-12-04

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. RM10-11-000] Integration of Variable Energy Resources; Notice Of Filing Procedures for Order No. 764 Electronic Compliance Filings Take... Variable Energy Resources, Order No. 764, FERC Stats. & Regs. ] 31,331, order on reh'g, Order No. 764-A...

Undergraduate students' perception and Utilization of electronic ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

An evaluation of undergraduate students' perception and utilization of electronic information resources and services was carried out. The population of the study consisted of all registered library users in the 2014/2015 academic session. The total population of the study was 4, 211 registered users. Accidental sampling ...

Influence of Vitamins on Secondary Reactive Oxygen Species Production in Sera of Patients with Resectable NSCLC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thierry Patrice

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Background: Singlet oxygen (1O2 oxidizes targets through the production of secondary reactive oxygen species (SOS. Cancers induce oxidative stress changing with progression, the resulting antioxidant status differing from one patient to the other. The aim of this study was to determine the oxidative status of patients with resectable Non-Small cell lung cancers (NSCLC and the potential influence of antioxidants, compared to sera from healthy donors. Materials and Methods: Serum samples from 10 women and 28 men, 19 adenocarcinomas (ADK, 15 patients N1 or M1 were submitted to a photoreaction producing 1O2. Then, samples were supplemented with vitamins (Vit C, Vit E, or glutathione (GSH. Results: Squamous cell carcinomas (SCC and metastatic SCCs induced a lower SOS rate. While Vit C increased SOS in controls as in patients with metastases, Vit E or the combination of Vit E and C strongly reduced SOS. GSH alone lightly decreased SOS in controls but had no effect in patients either alone or combined with Vit C. Conclusion: In “early” lung cancers, SOS are comparable or lower than for healthy persons. The role of Vitamins varies with gender, cancer type, and metastases. This suggests that an eventual supplementation should be performed on a per-patient basis to evidence any effect.

Study of the mass of the electron neutrino in Japan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yasumi, Shinjiro; Maezawa, Hideki [eds.

1996-02-01

This report describes a study of the mass of the electron neutrino using electron capture in {sup 163}Ho in Japan for the period from 1981 to 1994. This monograph has two purposes, one is to supplement the papers on the mass of the electron neutrino already published by us and another is to make a record on some details of our experiments for future. Electron capture in a nucleus takes place in a rather small space inside an atom, where atomic physics, nuclear physics and particle physics work closely together. Therefore, this study needed an intimate collaboration of atomic physicists, nuclear physicists and particle physicists. In addition, it was necessary for this study to use various fine techniques, including metallurgy, production of {sup 163}Ho activity, micro-analysis by wet chemistry, isotope-dilution mass spectrometry, undulator radiation source technology, the soft X-ray monochromator technology, a counting technique for very intense soft X-rays and so on. As a result, our collaboration consisted of many researchers from various fields as follows; M. Ando, H. Arai, M. Fujioka, N. Hashimoto, H. Ikeda, Y. Inagaki, K. Ishii, K. Itoh, G. Izawa, O. Kawakami, S. Kishimoto, H. Kitamura, H. Maezawa, M. Maruyama, A. Masuda, K. Masumoto, A. Mikuni, T. Mizogawa, T. Mukoyama, F. Ochiai, T. Ohta, T. Omori, G. Rajasekaran, K. Sera, K. Shima, T. Shinozuka, P.M. Stefan, I. Sugai, H. Taketani, M. Yagi, and S. Yasumi. Without such an excellent collaboration, this study would not have been completed. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Professor T. Sasaki for supporting this study and recommending the undulator beam line of 2.5 GeV Photon Factory Storage Ring as a light source to be used in the experiment. We also would like to thank Dr. A. Yagishita and Dr. Y. Kitajima who are responsible for the BL-2 beamline. Finally we are grateful to Ms. M. Noji for her patient typewriting of manuscripts written by hand. (author).

Study of the mass of the electron neutrino in Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yasumi, Shinjiro; Maezawa, Hideki

1996-02-01

This report describes a study of the mass of the electron neutrino using electron capture in 163 Ho in Japan for the period from 1981 to 1994. This monograph has two purposes, one is to supplement the papers on the mass of the electron neutrino already published by us and another is to make a record on some details of our experiments for future. Electron capture in a nucleus takes place in a rather small space inside an atom, where atomic physics, nuclear physics and particle physics work closely together. Therefore, this study needed an intimate collaboration of atomic physicists, nuclear physicists and particle physicists. In addition, it was necessary for this study to use various fine techniques, including metallurgy, production of 163 Ho activity, micro-analysis by wet chemistry, isotope-dilution mass spectrometry, undulator radiation source technology, the soft X-ray monochromator technology, a counting technique for very intense soft X-rays and so on. As a result, our collaboration consisted of many researchers from various fields as follows; M. Ando, H. Arai, M. Fujioka, N. Hashimoto, H. Ikeda, Y. Inagaki, K. Ishii, K. Itoh, G. Izawa, O. Kawakami, S. Kishimoto, H. Kitamura, H. Maezawa, M. Maruyama, A. Masuda, K. Masumoto, A. Mikuni, T. Mizogawa, T. Mukoyama, F. Ochiai, T. Ohta, T. Omori, G. Rajasekaran, K. Sera, K. Shima, T. Shinozuka, P.M. Stefan, I. Sugai, H. Taketani, M. Yagi, and S. Yasumi. Without such an excellent collaboration, this study would not have been completed. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Professor T. Sasaki for supporting this study and recommending the undulator beam line of 2.5 GeV Photon Factory Storage Ring as a light source to be used in the experiment. We also would like to thank Dr. A. Yagishita and Dr. Y. Kitajima who are responsible for the BL-2 beamline. Finally we are grateful to Ms. M. Noji for her patient typewriting of manuscripts written by hand. (author)

Brucella sero-prevalence and modifiable risk factors among ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda ... Sera samples were tested using Rapid Plate Agglutination Test, Standard Tube Agglutination Test ... their laboratory identification numbers for purposes of.

Study of the titers of Anti-Epstein-Barr virus antibodies in the sera of atomic bomb survivors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Akiyama, Mitoshi; Kusunoki, Yoichiro; Kyoizumi, Seishi; Ozaki, Kyoko; Mizuno, Shoichi; Cologne, J.B.

1993-12-31

Antibody titers to Epstein-Barr virus antigens were determined in the sera of 372 atomic bomb survivors to evaluate the effect of the previous radiation exposure on immune competence against the latent infection of the virus. The proportion of persons with high titers ({>=} 1:40) of IgG antibodies to the early antigen was significantly elevated in the exposed survivors. Furthermore, the distribution of IgM titers against the viral capsid antigen was significantly affected by radiation dose with an increased occurrence of titers of 1:5 and 1:10 in the exposed persons, although the dose effect was only marginally suggestive when persons with rheumatoid factor were eliminated from the analysis. These results suggest that reactivation of Epstein-Barr virus in the latent stage occurs more frequently in the survivors, even though this might not be affected by the radiation dose. Otherwise, there was neither an increased trend in the prevalence of high titers ({>=} 1:640) of IgG antibodies to the viral capsid antigen among the exposed people nor a correlation between the radiation exposure and distributions of titers of IgA antibodies to the viral capsid antigen or antibodies to the anti-Epstein-Barr virus-associated nuclear antigen. (author).

Study of the titers of Anti-Epstein-Barr virus antibodies in the sera of atomic bomb survivors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akiyama, Mitoshi; Kusunoki, Yoichiro; Kyoizumi, Seishi; Ozaki, Kyoko; Mizuno, Shoichi; Cologne, J.B.

1993-01-01

Antibody titers to Epstein-Barr virus antigens were determined in the sera of 372 atomic bomb survivors to evaluate the effect of the previous radiation exposure on immune competence against the latent infection of the virus. The proportion of persons with high titers (≥ 1:40) of IgG antibodies to the early antigen was significantly elevated in the exposed survivors. Furthermore, the distribution of IgM titers against the viral capsid antigen was significantly affected by radiation dose with an increased occurrence of titers of 1:5 and 1:10 in the exposed persons, although the dose effect was only marginally suggestive when persons with rheumatoid factor were eliminated from the analysis. These results suggest that reactivation of Epstein-Barr virus in the latent stage occurs more frequently in the survivors, even though this might not be affected by the radiation dose. Otherwise, there was neither an increased trend in the prevalence of high titers (≥ 1:640) of IgG antibodies to the viral capsid antigen among the exposed people nor a correlation between the radiation exposure and distributions of titers of IgA antibodies to the viral capsid antigen or antibodies to the anti-Epstein-Barr virus-associated nuclear antigen. (author)

Daylighting simulation: methods, algorithms, and resources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carroll, William L.

1999-12-01

This document presents work conducted as part of Subtask C, ''Daylighting Design Tools'', Subgroup C2, ''New Daylight Algorithms'', of the IEA SHC Task 21 and the ECBCS Program Annex 29 ''Daylight in Buildings''. The search for and collection of daylighting analysis methods and algorithms led to two important observations. First, there is a wide range of needs for different types of methods to produce a complete analysis tool. These include: Geometry; Light modeling; Characterization of the natural illumination resource; Materials and components properties, representations; and Usability issues (interfaces, interoperability, representation of analysis results, etc). Second, very advantageously, there have been rapid advances in many basic methods in these areas, due to other forces. They are in part driven by: The commercial computer graphics community (commerce, entertainment); The lighting industry; Architectural rendering and visualization for projects; and Academia: Course materials, research. This has led to a very rich set of information resources that have direct applicability to the small daylighting analysis community. Furthermore, much of this information is in fact available online. Because much of the information about methods and algorithms is now online, an innovative reporting strategy was used: the core formats are electronic, and used to produce a printed form only secondarily. The electronic forms include both online WWW pages and a downloadable .PDF file with the same appearance and content. Both electronic forms include live primary and indirect links to actual information sources on the WWW. In most cases, little additional commentary is provided regarding the information links or citations that are provided. This in turn allows the report to be very concise. The links are expected speak for themselves. The report consists of only about 10+ pages, with about 100+ primary links, but

DESIGNING OF ELECTRONIC LIBRARIES SYSTEM OF SCIENTIFIC AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS OF APS OF UKRAINE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oleg M. Spirin

2010-08-01

Full Text Available In the article the concept of electronic library is considered, preconditions of its designing for the institutions of APS of Ukraine are investigated. The basic components, base services of electronic library and kinds of corresponding resources are defined. It is proved typical decisions for working out of electronic scientifically-educational library of APS of Ukraine.

The management of online resources and long-term saving of electronic documents by transfer into the digital space

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marius Daniel MAREŞ

2011-12-01

The electronic archive refers to the electronic storage system, along with the totality of electronic-type stored documents, while using as storage support any environment that can support storing and from which an electronic document can be presented.

Gender differences in students' utilization of electronic information ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The study determined gender differences among students in the utilization of electronic information resources in Ramat Library, University of Maiduguri. One objective,with corresponding hypotheses guided the study. The survey research method was used. The population for the study comprised 13,995 (thirteen thousand, ...

Le LEP sera encore là en l'an 2000

CERN Multimedia

CERN Press Office. Geneva

1998-01-01

CERN's Large Electron-Positron collider got the green light today to achieve its full potential by running for an additional year in the year 2000. Delegates attending the 110th meeting of the Laboratory's governing body, Council, approved the move after a careful presentation of the proposal's scientific merits and financial aspects by CERN's Director General Chris Llewellyn Smith.

Power Electronics Control of Wind Energy in Distributed Power System

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Iov, Florin; Ciobotaru, Mihai; Blaabjerg, Frede

2008-01-01

is to change the electrical power production sources from the conventional, fossil (and short term) based energy sources to renewable energy resources. The other is to use high efficient power electronics in power generation, power transmission/distribution and end-user application. This paper discuss the most...... emerging renewable energy sources, wind energy, which by means of power electronics are changing from being a minor energy source to be acting as an important power source in the energy system. Power electronics is the enabling technology and the presentation will cover the development in wind turbine...... technology from kW to MW, discuss which power electronic solutions are most feasible and used today....

Sustainable polymers from renewable resources.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Yunqing; Romain, Charles; Williams, Charlotte K

2016-12-14

Renewable resources are used increasingly in the production of polymers. In particular, monomers such as carbon dioxide, terpenes, vegetable oils and carbohydrates can be used as feedstocks for the manufacture of a variety of sustainable materials and products, including elastomers, plastics, hydrogels, flexible electronics, resins, engineering polymers and composites. Efficient catalysis is required to produce monomers, to facilitate selective polymerizations and to enable recycling or upcycling of waste materials. There are opportunities to use such sustainable polymers in both high-value areas and in basic applications such as packaging. Life-cycle assessment can be used to quantify the environmental benefits of sustainable polymers.

To get or not to get: the KAUST library e-resources acquisition experience

KAUST Repository

Ramli, Rindra M.; Kabli, Ola

2014-01-01

In the challenging times of budget cuts and reviews, libraries are faced with issues, among others, such as justifying acquisition, negotiating deals and reviewing current subscriptions (pertaining to electronic resources). With the rapid increase

Sandwich immunoassay for alpha-fetoprotein in human sera using gold nanoparticle and magnetic bead labels along with resonance Rayleigh scattering readout

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu, Yao; Huang, Xiangyi; Ren, Jicun

2013-01-01

We describe a sensitive sandwich immunoassay for alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). It is making use of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) and magnetic beads (MBs) as labels, and of resonance Rayleigh scattering for detection. Two antibodies were labeled with GNPs and MBs, respectively, and MB-antigen-GNP complexes were formed in the presence of antigens. The MB labels also serve as solid phase carriers that can be used to magnetically separate the immuno complex. The GNP labels are used as optical probes, and Rayleigh scattering was used to determine the concentration of free GNPs-antibody after separation of the MB-antigen-GNP complexes. The concentration of AFP is related to the intensity of light scattered by free GNPs in the 13.6 pM to 436 pM concentration range, and the limit of detection is 13.6 pM. The method was applied to the determination of AFP in sera of cancer patients, and the results agree well with those obtained by conventional ELISA. (author)

Access to IEEE Electronic Library

CERN Multimedia

2007-01-01

From 2007, the CERN Library now offers readers online access to the complete IEEE Electronic Library (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers). This new licence gives unlimited online access to all IEEE and IET (previously IEE) journals and proceedings as well as all current IEEE standards and selected archived ones. Some of the titles offer volumes back to 1913. This service currently represents more than 1,400,000 full-text articles! This leading engineering information resource replaces the previous service, a sub-product of the IEEE database called 'IEEE Enterprise', which offered online access to the complete collection of IEEE journals and proceedings, but with limited features. The service had become so popular that the CERN Working Group for Acquisitions recommended that the Library subscribe to the complete IEEE Electronic Library for 2007. Usage statistics for recent months showed there was a demand for the service from a large community of CERN users and we were aware that many users h...

Tumor Necrosis Factors, Interferons and Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 in Sera of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdel Malak, C.A.; Karawya, E.M.; Hammouda, G.A.; Zakhary, N.I.

2003-01-01

In the present study, the serum levels of some cytokines and the matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) were studied in an attempt to find suitable markers for early diagnosis of non- Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and to assess their role in differentiating between disseminated and non disseminated cases. The present study was conducted on 60 patients with non disseminated NHL, 14 patients with disseminated NHL, in addition to 10 healthy controls. Their sera were used to determine tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF--α), tumor necrosis factor--β (TNF-β), interferon---α), (IFN--α), interferon-γ (IFN--γ) and Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) using the ELISA technique. The results showed that the serum level of TNF---α), and IFN---α), can be used to differentiate between the control group and the group of NHL patients. However, they could not differentiate between non disseminated NHL (nd- NHL) and disseminated NHL (d- NHL). On the other hand, the serum level of TNF-β) can be used to differentiate between nd- NHL and d- NHL, but not between the control group and nd-NHL. Each of [FN--γ and MMP-9 were not useful in discrimination between the control group and the diseased ones. Our data revealed no correlation between serum level of the parameters investigated and the gender of the patients. The present results revealed that TNF-α) and INF-α), can be used as diagnostic tools for NHL. On the other hand, TNF-β) is useful in the differentiation between nd-NHL and d-NHL

Sample Development on Java Smart-Card Electronic Wallet Application

OpenAIRE

Toma Cristian

2009-01-01

In this paper, are highlighted concepts as: complete Java card application, life cycle of an applet, and a practical electronic wallet sample implemented in Java card technology. As a practical approach it would be interesting building applets for ID, Driving License, Health-Insurance smart cards, for encrypt and digitally sign documents, for E-Commerce and for accessing critical resources in government and military field. The end of this article it is presented a java card electronic wallet ...

Multiple choice questions in electronics and electrical engineering

CERN Document Server

DAVIES, T J

2013-01-01

A unique compendium of over 2000 multiple choice questions for students of electronics and electrical engineering. This book is designed for the following City and Guilds courses: 2010, 2240, 2320, 2360. It can also be used as a resource for practice questions for any vocational course.

Completion milestones

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Westbury, G.D.

1995-01-01

The Southeastern Environmental Resources Alliance (SERA) is a joint effort between the US Department of Energy, the states of Georgia and South Carolina, and Westinghouse US Department of Energy, the states of Georgia Savannah River Company (WSRC). The original proposal for SERA, submitted under the Technology Reinvestment Project (TRP), is based on improving the competitiveness of manufacturers within Georgia and South Carolina by addressing the costs associated with environmental and waste management issues. By using the many technologies available through the national laboratories, universities, the Savannah River Site, and the commercial sector, SERA will improve the competitive position of companies that would otherwise have no access to those technologies. This Start-Up Plan details the steps SERA will take to begin effective operations by June 1, 1995, and will focus on the short-term needs of the program. This plan will serve as a supplement to the original SERA proposal, and will address the major milestones included in the Department of Energy's Cooperative Agreement. Also documented are the planning processes that SERA will use to ensure the long-term viability of the program. The planning process will include additional work elements that are referenced by the original proposal, but, for the purposes of program start-up, are not immediately addressed. The major milestones and schedules are provided for each goal

Online Resources

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Journal of Genetics; Online Resources. Journal of Genetics. Online Resources. Volume 97. 2018 | Online resources. Volume 96. 2017 | Online resources. Volume 95. 2016 | Online resources. Volume 94. 2015 | Online resources. Volume 93. 2014 | Online resources. Volume 92. 2013 | Online resources ...

77 FR 5581 - Submission for Review: Financial Resources Questionnaire (RI 34-1, RI 34-17) and Notice of Amount...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-02-03

... OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT Submission for Review: Financial Resources Questionnaire (RI 34- 1... opportunity to comment on a revised information collection request (ICR) 3206-0167, Financial Resources... collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submissions of...

Caracterização bioquímica de soros de bezerros utilizados na manutenção de culturas celulares usadas em virologia Biochemical characterization of calf sera used for the growth of cell cultures used in virology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elisabeth Christina Nunes Tenório

1989-04-01

Full Text Available Oito lotes de soros de bezerros com idade maior ou menor de seis meses, usados para suplementar meios de cultivo de linhagens de células de uso difundido em virologia, foram testados quanto à sua capacidade promotora de crescimento (CPC e classificados como bons promotores ou promotores pobres. Foram pesquisados parâmetros relacionados com macronutrientes para estabelecer o perfil bioquímico daqueles lotes. Os resultados obtidos podem ser considerados valores normais para animais aparentemente sadios. As variações que ocorreram para um mesmo parâmetro bioquímico, entre os resultados da pesquisa e os de alguns estudos existentes na literatura, podem ser atribuídas à metodologia utilizada, à raça e idade dos animais, ou mesmo à própria dieta regional. A análise estatística, realizada pela aplicação do teste "t" de Student aos valores das médias e dos desvios padrão, demonstrou que, com relação às frações séricas, não ocorreram diferenças significantes entre soros de CPC celular boa ou pobre, considerando-se t c=2,45, enquanto que, para soros animais maiores ou menores de seis meses, apenas os resultados relativos às frações alfa e beta (t=2,68 e 2,61, respectivamente apresentaram significância, sendo superiores ao t crítico. Ficou evidenciado que a avaliação do conjunto de parâmetros bioquímicos pesquisados não permite diferenciar soros pertencentes aos dois grupos de animais, isto é, identificar soros de boa ou de pobre CPC, ou soros de bezerros maiores ou menores de seis meses de idadeEight lots of the calf sera employed to supplement culture media for the cultivation of animal cells, of widespread use in virology obtained from calves above and below six months of age were rated as good or as poor cell growth promoters according to their growth promoting capacity (GPC. Parameters related to macronutrients contained in these serum lots were then evaluated with the purpose of establishing their biochemical

High levels of inactive thymidine kinase 1 polypeptide detected in sera from dogs with solid tumours by immunoaffinity methods: implications for in vitro diagnostics.

Science.gov (United States)

Kiran Kumar, J; Sharif, H; Westberg, S; von Euler, H; Eriksson, S

2013-09-01

Determination of serum thymidine kinase 1 (STK1) activity has been used as a proliferation marker for neoplastic diseases in both human and veterinary medicine. The purpose of this study was to determine STK1 activity and enzyme levels in different dog tumours. Serum samples from three dogs with leukaemia, five with lymphoma, 21 with solid tumours and 18 healthy dogs were analyzed for STK1 activity, using an optimized [(3)H]-deoxythymidine (dThd) phosphorylation assay, and for STK1 protein levels using an immunoaffinity/western blot assay. STK1 activity in dogs with haematological tumours was significantly higher than in the solid tumour and healthy dog groups (mean ± standard deviation [SD] = 65 ± 79, 1.1 ± 0.5, and 1.0 ± 0.4 pmol/min/mL, respectively). Serum samples were analyzed after immunoaffinity isolation by western blot and the TK1 26 kDa band intensities quantified revealing that concentrations were significantly higher in dogs with haematological tumours and solid tumours compared to healthy dogs (mean ± SD=33 ± 12, 30 ± 13, and 10 ± 5 ng/mL, respectively). Pre-incubation with the reducing agent dithioerythritol (DTE) showed a decrease in STK1 activity and protein levels in most samples, but an increase of about 20% in sera from healthy dogs and from those with haematological malignancies. Compared to animals with solid tumours, the specific STK1 activity (nmol [(3)H]-deoxythymidine monophosphate (dTMP)/min/mg of TK1 protein of 26 kDa) was 30-fold higher in haematological malignancies and 2.5-fold higher in healthy dogs, respectively. The results demonstrate that there is a large fraction of inactive TK1 protein, particularly in sera from dogs with solid tumours. The findings are important in the use of STK1 as a biomarker. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using a Metro Map Metaphor for organizing Web-based learning resources

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grønbæk, Kaj; Bang, Tove; Hansen, Per Steen

2002-01-01

This paper briefly describes the WebNize system and how it applies a Metro Map metaphor for organizing guided tours in Web based resources. Then, experiences in using the Metro Map based tours in a Knowledge Sharing project at the library at Aarhus School of Business (ASB) in Denmark, are discussed...... is to create models for Intelligent Knowledge Solutions that can contribute to form the learning environments of the School in the 21st century. The WebNize system is used for sharing of knowledge through metro maps for specific subject areas made available in the Learning Resource Centre at ASB. The metro....... The Library has been involved in establishing a Learning Resource Center (LRC). The LRC serves as an exploratorium for the development and the testing of new forms of communication and learning, at the same time as it integrates the information resources of the electronic research library. The objective...

Amarillo National Resource Center for Plutonium quarterly technical progress report, August 1, 1997--October 31, 1997

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-12-31

This report summarizes activities of the Amarillo National Resource Center for Plutonium during the quarter. The report describes the Electronic Resource Library; DOE support activities; current and future environmental health and safety programs; pollution prevention and pollution avoidance; communication, education, training, and community involvement programs; and nuclear and other material studies, including plutonium storage and disposition studies.

Students' access usage and awareness of electronic information ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Students' access usage and awareness of electronic information resources at the University College Hospital, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. RA Ojo, SO Akande. Abstract. No Abstract. Lagos Journal of Library and Information Science Vol. 3(1) 2005: 16-24. Full Text: EMAIL FULL TEXT EMAIL FULL TEXT · DOWNLOAD ...

Development of an electronic medical record based alert for risk of HIV treatment failure in a low-resource setting.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nancy Puttkammer

Full Text Available The adoption of electronic medical record systems in resource-limited settings can help clinicians monitor patients' adherence to HIV antiretroviral therapy (ART and identify patients at risk of future ART failure, allowing resources to be targeted to those most at risk.Among adult patients enrolled on ART from 2005-2013 at two large, public-sector hospitals in Haiti, ART failure was assessed after 6-12 months on treatment, based on the World Health Organization's immunologic and clinical criteria. We identified models for predicting ART failure based on ART adherence measures and other patient characteristics. We assessed performance of candidate models using area under the receiver operating curve, and validated results using a randomly-split data sample. The selected prediction model was used to generate a risk score, and its ability to differentiate ART failure risk over a 42-month follow-up period was tested using stratified Kaplan Meier survival curves.Among 923 patients with CD4 results available during the period 6-12 months after ART initiation, 196 (21.2% met ART failure criteria. The pharmacy-based proportion of days covered (PDC measure performed best among five possible ART adherence measures at predicting ART failure. Average PDC during the first 6 months on ART was 79.0% among cases of ART failure and 88.6% among cases of non-failure (p<0.01. When additional information including sex, baseline CD4, and duration of enrollment in HIV care prior to ART initiation were added to PDC, the risk score differentiated between those who did and did not meet failure criteria over 42 months following ART initiation.Pharmacy data are most useful for new ART adherence alerts within iSanté. Such alerts offer potential to help clinicians identify patients at high risk of ART failure so that they can be targeted with adherence support interventions, before ART failure occurs.

Antibodies to elastin peptides in sera of Belgian Draught horses with chronic progressive lymphoedema.

Science.gov (United States)

van Brantegem, L; de Cock, H E V; Affolter, V K; Duchateau, L; Hoogewijs, M K; Govaere, J; Ferraro, G L; Ducatelle, R

2007-09-01

Chronic progressive lymphoedema (CPL) is a recently recognised disease of the lymphatic system characterised by lesions in the skin of the lower legs in several draught horse breeds, including the Belgian Draught hourse. Clinical signs slowly progress and result in severe disfigurement of the limbs. Ideally, supportive treatment should be started early in the disease process. However early diagnosis and monitoring progression of CPL is still a challenge. Elastin changes, characterised by morphological alterations as well as increased desmosine levels, in the skin of the distal limbs of horses affected with CPL are probably associated with a marked release of elastin degradation products, which elicit production of circulating anti-elastin antibodies (AEAbs) in the serum. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detection of serum AEAbs may document elastin breakdown. An ELISA technique was used to evaluate levels of AEAbs in sera of 97 affected Belgian Draught horses that were clinically healthy except for possible skin lesions, associated with CPL in their distal limbs. The horses were divided into 5 groups according to the severity of these skin lesions: normal horses (Group 1, n = 36), horses with mild lesions (Group 2, n = 43), horses with moderate lesions (Group 3, n = 8), horses with severe lesions (Group 4, n = 10) and, as a control, healthy Warmblood horses, unaffected by the disease (Group 5, n = 83). Horses with clinical signs of CPL had significantly higher AEAb levels compared to clinically normal Belgian Draught horses and to healthy Warmblood horses. These levels correlated with severity of lesions. CPL in draught horses is associated with an increase of serum AEAbs. Evaluation of serum levels of AEAbs by ELISA might be a useful diagnostic aid for CPL. Pathological degradation of elastic fibres, resulting in deficient support of the distal lymphatics, is proposed as a contributing factor for CPL in Belgian Draught horses.

eCD4-Ig promotes ADCC activity of sera from HIV-1-infected patients.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meredith E Davis-Gardner

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxity (ADCC can eliminate HIV-1 infected cells, and may help reduce the reservoir of latent virus in infected patients. Sera of HIV-1 positive individuals include a number of antibodies that recognize epitopes usually occluded on HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein (Env trimers. We have recently described eCD4-Ig, a potent and exceptionally broad inhibitor of HIV-1 entry that can be used to protect rhesus macaques from multiple high-dose challenges with simian-human immunodeficiency virus AD8 (SHIV-AD8. Here we show that eCD4-Ig bearing an IgG1 Fc domain (eCD4-IgG1 can mediate efficient ADCC activity against HIV-1 isolates with differing tropisms, and that it does so at least 10-fold more efficiently than CD4-Ig, even when more CD4-Ig molecules bound cell surface-expressed Env. An ADCC-inactive IgG2 form of eCD4-Ig (eCD4-IgG2 exposes V3-loop and CD4-induced epitopes on cell-expressed trimers, and renders HIV-1-infected cells susceptible to ADCC mediated by antibodies of these classes. Moreover, eCD4-IgG2, but not IgG2 forms of the broadly neutralizing antibodies VRC01 and 10-1074, enhances the ADCC activities of serum antibodies from patients by 100-fold, and significantly enhanced killing of two latently infected T-cell lines reactivated by vorinostat or TNFα. Thus eCD4-Ig is qualitatively different from CD4-Ig or neutralizing antibodies in its ability to mediate ADCC, and it may be uniquely useful in treating HIV-1 infection or reducing the reservoir of latently infected cells.

Innovative technologies in course Electrical engineering and electronics

Science.gov (United States)

Kuznetsov, E. V.; Kiselev, V. I.; Kulikova, E. A.

2017-11-01

Department of Electrical Engineering and Nondestructive Testing, NRU “MPEI”, has been working on development Electronic Learning Resources (ELRs) in course Electrical Engineering and Electronics for several years. This work have been focused on education intensification and effectiveness while training bachelors in nonelectrical specializations including students from Thermal and Atomic Power Engineering Institute. The developed ELRs are united in a tutorial module consisting of three parts (Electrical Circuits, Electrical Machines, Basics of Electronics): electronic textbook and workbook (ETW); virtual laboratory sessions (VLS); training sessions (ETS); personal tasks (PT); testing system that contains electronic tests in all course subjects and built-in verification of a student’s work results in ETW, VLS, ETS, PT. The report presents samples of different ELRs in html format and MathCAD, MatLAB Simulink applications, copyrighted programs in Java2, Delphi, VB6, C++. The report also contains the experience description, advantages and disadvantages of the new technologies. It is mentioned that ELRs provide new opportunities in course studying.

Power Electronics for Renewable Energy Systems - Status and Trends

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Blaabjerg, Frede; Ma, Ke; Yang, Yongheng

2014-01-01

electronics in generation, transmission/distribution and end-user application, together with advanced controls, can pave the way for renewable energy resources. In view of this, some of the most promising renewable candidates like wind power and photovoltaic, which are becoming a significant part...... in the electricity production, are explored in this paper. Issues like technology demands, power converter topologies, and control structures are addressed. Some special focuses are also paid on the emerging trends in power electronics development for those systems....

An evaluation of learning resources in the teaching of formal philosophical methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susan A.J. Stuart

2003-12-01

Full Text Available In any discipline, across a wide variety of subjects, there are numerous learning resources available to students. For many students the resources that will be most beneficial to them are quickly apparent but, because of the nature of philosophy and the philosophical method, it is not immediately clear which resources will be most valuable to students for whom the development of critical thinking skills is crucial. If we are to support these students effectively in their learning we must establish what these resources are how we can continue to maintain and improve them, and how we can encourage students to make good use of them. In this paper we describe and assess our evaluation of the use made by students of learning resources in the context of learning logic and in developing their critical thinking skills. We also assess the use of a new resource, electronic handsets, the purpose of which is to encourage students to respond to questions in lectures and to gain feedback about how they are progressing with the material.

Immune response to a mammary adenocarcinoma. V. Sera from tumor-bearing rats contain multiple factors blocking cell-mediated cytotoxicity.

Science.gov (United States)

Huber, S A; Lucas, Z J

1978-12-01

Sera from Fischer rats 3 to 13 days after i.p. injection of syngeneic 13762A mammary adenocarcinoma contain three factors specifically blocking cell-mediated cytotoxicity (CMC). The major blocking factor is a 160,000-dalton IgG that combines specifically to cytolytic lymphocytes but not to tumor cells or tumor antigen, and that is not dissociated after treatment with 8 M urea. The other factors have been putatively identified as tumor antigen (less than 70,000 daltons) and as soluble antigen-antibody complexes (greater than 200,000 daltons). Injecting the tumor antigen into tumor-free rats induced spleen cells specifically cytotoxic to the 13762A tumor and provided partial protection to challenge with live tumor cells. Treating soluble antigen-antibody complexes with 8 M urea decreased the size of the blocking activity from greater than 200,000 to less than 70,000 daltons. Although the IgG fraction dissociated from the complex did not block CMC, it did recombine with the tumor antigen fraction to transfer activity to the greater than 200,000-dalton fraction. In contrast, mixing tumor antigen with the IgG fraction that did block CMC did not alter the size of the blocking activities.

Advanced Power Electronics Interfaces for Distributed Energy Workshop Summary: August 24, 2006, Sacramento, California

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Treanton, B.; Palomo, J.; Kroposki, B.; Thomas, H.

2006-10-01

The Advanced Power Electronics Interfaces for Distributed Energy Workshop, sponsored by the California Energy Commission Public Interest Energy Research program and organized by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, was held Aug. 24, 2006, in Sacramento, Calif. The workshop provided a forum for industry stakeholders to share their knowledge and experience about technologies, manufacturing approaches, markets, and issues in power electronics for a range of distributed energy resources. It focused on the development of advanced power electronic interfaces for distributed energy applications and included discussions of modular power electronics, component manufacturing, and power electronic applications.

PERii electronic journals: Assessing access and use by ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This paper is based on the findings of a study that assessed the awareness of Programme for Enhancement of Resources Initiative (PERii) electronic journals, their use and challenges encountered by postgraduate students. The study was carried out at the University of Dar es Salaam and involved postgraduate students in ...

76 FR 50770 - Submission for Review: Financial Resources Questionnaire (RI 34-1, RI 34-17, and RI 34-18) and...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-16

... OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT Submission for Review: Financial Resources Questionnaire (RI 34- 1...) 3206-0167, Financial Resources Questionnaire and Notice of Amount Due Because of Annuity Overpayment... techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submissions of responses...

Current Solutions: Recent Experience in Interconnecting Distributed Energy Resources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Johnson, M.

2003-09-01

This report catalogues selected real-world technical experiences of utilities and customers that have interconnected distributed energy assets with the electric grid. This study was initiated to assess the actual technical practices for interconnecting distributed generation and had a particular focus on the technical issues covered under the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 1547(TM) Standard for Interconnecting Distributed Resources With Electric Power Systems.

Environmental scan and evaluation of best practices for online systematic review resources.

Science.gov (United States)

Parker, Robin M N; Boulos, Leah M; Visintini, Sarah; Ritchie, Krista; Hayden, Jill

2018-04-01

Online training for systematic review methodology is an attractive option due to flexibility and limited availability of in-person instruction. Librarians often direct new reviewers to these online resources, so they should be knowledgeable about the variety of available resources. The objective for this project was to conduct an environmental scan of online systematic review training resources and evaluate those identified resources. The authors systematically searched for electronic learning resources pertaining to systematic review methods. After screening for inclusion, we collected data about characteristics of training resources and assigned scores in the domains of (1) content, (2) design, (3) interactivity, and (4) usability by applying a previously published evaluation rubric for online instruction modules. We described the characteristics and scores for each training resource and compared performance across the domains. Twenty training resources were evaluated. Average overall score of online instructional resources was 61%. Online courses (n=7) averaged 73%, web modules (n=5) 64%, and videos (n=8) 48%. The top 5 highest scoring resources were in course or web module format, featured high interactivity, and required a longer (>5hrs) time commitment from users. This study revealed that resources include appropriate content but are less likely to adhere to principles of online training design and interactivity. Awareness of these resources will allow librarians to make informed recommendations for training based on patrons' needs. Future online systematic review training resources should use established best practices for e-learning to provide high-quality resources, regardless of format or user time commitment.

Barriers in communication and available resources to facilitate conversation about infertility with girls diagnosed with Turner syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

King, Jessica E; Plamondon, Jenna; Counts, Debra; Laney, Dawn; Dixon, Shannan DeLany

2016-02-01

Delayed discussion about infertility with individuals affected by Turner syndrome (TS) has been found to result in psychological and social harm. The aim of this study was to identify barriers experienced when discussing infertility and determine resource types that may facilitate this conversation. An electronic survey, given to caregivers of girls with TS diagnosed at barriers in having the conversation. Although most individuals did not use resources to facilitate the conversation, they did express interest in additional resources.

Resource selection for an interdisciplinary field: a methodology.

Science.gov (United States)

Jacoby, Beth E; Murray, Jane; Alterman, Ina; Welbourne, Penny

2002-10-01

The Health Sciences and Human Services Library of the University of Maryland developed and implemented a methodology to evaluate print and digital resources for social work. Although this methodology was devised for the interdisciplinary field of social work, the authors believe it may lend itself to resource selection in other interdisciplinary fields. The methodology was developed in response to the results of two separate surveys conducted in late 1999, which indicated improvement was needed in the library's graduate-level social work collections. Library liaisons evaluated the print collection by identifying forty-five locally relevant Library of Congress subject headings and then using these subjects or synonymous terms to compare the library's titles to collections of peer institutions, publisher catalogs, and Amazon.com. The collection also was compared to social work association bibliographies, ISI Journal Citation Reports, and major social work citation databases. An approval plan for social work books was set up to assist in identifying newly published titles. The library acquired new print and digital social work resources as a result of the evaluation, thus improving both print and digital collections for its social work constituents. Visibility of digital resources was increased by cataloging individual titles in aggregated electronic journal packages and listing each title on the library Web page.

Front Range Infrastructure Resources Project: water-resources activities

Science.gov (United States)

Robson, Stanley G.; Heiny, Janet S.

1998-01-01

Infrastructure, such as roads, buildings, airports, and dams, is built and maintained by use of large quantities of natural resources such as aggregate (sand and gravel), energy, and water. As urban area expand, local sources of these resource are becoming inaccessible (gravel cannot be mined from under a subdivision, for example), or the cost of recovery of the resource becomes prohibitive (oil and gas drilling in urban areas is costly), or the resources may become unfit for some use (pollution of ground water may preclude its use as a water supply). Governmental land-use decision and environmental mandates can further preclude development of natural resources. If infrastructure resources are to remain economically available. current resource information must be available for use in well-reasoned decisions bout future land use. Ground water is an infrastructure resource that is present in shallow aquifers and deeper bedrock aquifers that underlie much of the 2,450-square-mile demonstration area of the Colorado Front Range Infrastructure Resources Project. In 1996, mapping of the area's ground-water resources was undertaken as a U.S. Geological Survey project in cooperation with the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water Resources, and the Colorado Water Conservation Board.

Application of electron accelerator for thin film in Indonesia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Danu, Sugiarto; Darsono, Dadang

2004-01-01

Electron accelerator is widely used for the crosslinking of wire and cable insulation, the treatment of heat shrinkable products, precuring of tire components, and the sterilization of medical products. Research and development the use of electron accelerator for thin film in Indonesia covered radiation curing of surface coating, crosslinking of poly (butylenes succinate), crosslinking of wire, cable and heat shrinkable, sterilization of wound dressing, and prevulcanization of tire. In general, comparing with conventional method, electron beam processing have some advantages, such as, less energy consumption, much higher production rate, processing ability at ambient temperature and environmental friendly. Indonesia has a great potential to develop the application of electron accelerator, due to the remarkable growth industrial sector, the abundant of natural resources and the increasing demand of the high quality products. This paper describes the activities concerning with R and D, and application of electron accelerator for processing of thin film. (author)

Electronic Rubrics to Assess Competences in ICT Subjects

Science.gov (United States)

Rivas, Manuela Raposo; De La Serna, Manuel Cebrian; Martinez-Figueira, Esther

2014-01-01

Helping students to acquire specific competences is nowadays one of the basic pillars of university teaching; therefore its evaluation and accreditation is of key importance. As of late, rubrics and in particular electronic rubrics (e-rubrics) have become an important resource to assess competences and guide students in their learning processes.…

Concierge: Personal database software for managing digital research resources

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hiroyuki Sakai

2007-11-01

Full Text Available This article introduces a desktop application, named Concierge, for managing personal digital research resources. Using simple operations, it enables storage of various types of files and indexes them based on content descriptions. A key feature of the software is a high level of extensibility. By installing optional plug-ins, users can customize and extend the usability of the software based on their needs. In this paper, we also introduce a few optional plug-ins: literaturemanagement, electronic laboratory notebook, and XooNlps client plug-ins. XooNIps is a content management system developed to share digital research resources among neuroscience communities. It has been adopted as the standard database system in Japanese neuroinformatics projects. Concierge, therefore, offers comprehensive support from management of personal digital research resources to their sharing in open-access neuroinformatics databases such as XooNIps. This interaction between personal and open-access neuroinformatics databases is expected to enhance the dissemination of digital research resources. Concierge is developed as an open source project; Mac OS X and Windows XP versions have been released at the official site (http://concierge.sourceforge.jp.

Awareness and use of the Essential Electronic Agricultural Library ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The study investigated the extent of awareness and use of The Essential Electronic Agricultural Library (TEEAL) resources by faculty members of Federal University, Kashere and Federal College of Education (Technical) Gombe. A survey design was adopted for the study. The questionnaire was used as data collection ...

Developing and managing electronic collections the essentials

CERN Document Server

Johnson, Peggy

2014-01-01

The complex issues associated with developing and managing electronic collections deserve special treatment, and library collection authority Peggy Johnson rises to the challenge with a book sure to become a benchmark for excellence. Providing comprehensive coverage of key issues and decision points, she offers advice on best practices for developing and managing these important resources for libraries of all types and sizes.

Free Access to Point of Care Resource Results in Increased Use and Satisfaction by Rural Healthcare Providers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lindsay Alcock

2016-12-01

Full Text Available A Review of: Eldredge, J. D., Hall, L. J., McElfresh, K. R., Warner, T. D., Stromberg, T. L., Trost, J. T., & Jelinek, D. A. (2016. Rural providers’ access to online resources: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of the Medical Library Association, 104(1, 33-41. http://dx.doi.org/10.3163/1536-5050.104.1.005 Objective – To determine whether free access to the point of care (PoC resource Dynamed or the electronic book collection AccessMedicine was more useful to rural health care providers in answering clinical questions in terms of usage and satisfaction. Design – Randomized controlled trial. Setting – Rural New Mexico. Subjects – Twenty-eight health care providers (physicians, nurses, physician assistants, and pharmacists with no reported access to PoC resources, (specifically Dynamed and AccessMedicine or electronic textbook collections prior to enrollment.

Power electronics for renewable and distributed energy systems a sourcebook of topologies, control and integration

CERN Document Server

Chakraborty, Sudipta; Kramer, William E

2013-01-01

While most books approach power electronics and renewable energy as two separate subjects, Power Electronics for Renewable and Distributed Energy Systems takes an integrative approach; discussing power electronic converters topologies, controls and integration that are specific to the renewable and distributed energy system applications. An overview of power electronic technologies is followed by the introduction of various renewable and distributed energy resources that includes photovoltaics, wind, small hydroelectric, fuel cells, microturbines and variable speed generation. Energy storage s

Electronic Grey Literature in Accelerator Science and Its Allied Subjects : Selected Web Resources for Scientists and Engineers

CERN Document Server

Rajendiran, P

2006-01-01

Grey literature Web resources in the field of accelerator science and its allied subjects are collected for the scientists and engineers of RRCAT (Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology). For definition purposes the different types of grey literature are described. The Web resources collected and compiled in this article (with an overview and link for each) specifically focus on technical reports, preprints or e-prints, which meet the main information needs of RRCAT users.

Ranking Medical Terms to Support Expansion of Lay Language Resources for Patient Comprehension of Electronic Health Record Notes: Adapted Distant Supervision Approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jinying; Jagannatha, Abhyuday N; Fodeh, Samah J; Yu, Hong

2017-10-31

Medical terms are a major obstacle for patients to comprehend their electronic health record (EHR) notes. Clinical natural language processing (NLP) systems that link EHR terms to lay terms or definitions allow patients to easily access helpful information when reading through their EHR notes, and have shown to improve patient EHR comprehension. However, high-quality lay language resources for EHR terms are very limited in the public domain. Because expanding and curating such a resource is a costly process, it is beneficial and even necessary to identify terms important for patient EHR comprehension first. We aimed to develop an NLP system, called adapted distant supervision (ADS), to rank candidate terms mined from EHR corpora. We will give EHR terms ranked as high by ADS a higher priority for lay language annotation-that is, creating lay definitions for these terms. Adapted distant supervision uses distant supervision from consumer health vocabulary and transfer learning to adapt itself to solve the problem of ranking EHR terms in the target domain. We investigated 2 state-of-the-art transfer learning algorithms (ie, feature space augmentation and supervised distant supervision) and designed 5 types of learning features, including distributed word representations learned from large EHR data for ADS. For evaluating ADS, we asked domain experts to annotate 6038 candidate terms as important or nonimportant for EHR comprehension. We then randomly divided these data into the target-domain training data (1000 examples) and the evaluation data (5038 examples). We compared ADS with 2 strong baselines, including standard supervised learning, on the evaluation data. The ADS system using feature space augmentation achieved the best average precision, 0.850, on the evaluation set when using 1000 target-domain training examples. The ADS system using supervised distant supervision achieved the best average precision, 0.819, on the evaluation set when using only 100 target

An assessment of student experiences and learning based on a novel undergraduate e-learning resource.

Science.gov (United States)

Mehta, S; Clarke, F; Fleming, P S

2016-08-12

Purpose/objectives The aims of this study were to describe the development of a novel e-learning resource and to assess its impact on student learning experiences and orthodontic knowledge.Methods Thirty-two 4th year dental undergraduate students at Queen Mary University of London were randomly allocated to receive electronic access to e-learning material covering various undergraduate orthodontic topics over a 6-week period. Thirty-one control students were not given access during the study period. All students were asked to complete electronic quizzes both before (T0) and after (T1) the study period and a general questionnaire concerning familiarity with e-learning. The test group also completed a user satisfaction questionnaire at T1. Two focus groups were also undertaken to explore learners' experiences and suggestions in relation to the resource.Results The mean quiz result improved by 3.9% and 4.5% in the control and test groups, respectively. An independent t-test, however, demonstrated a lack of statistical significance in knowledge gain between control and test groups (P = 0.941). The qualitative feedback indicated that students believed that use of the resource enhanced knowledge and basic understanding with students expressing a wish to ingrain similar resources in other areas of undergraduate teaching.Conclusions Use of the novel orthodontic e-resource by 4th year undergraduate students over a 6-week period did not result in a significant improvement in subject knowledge. However, the e-learning has proven popular among undergraduates and the resources will continue to be refined.

Electronic Health Record Implementation: A SWOT Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Shahmoradi, Leila; Darrudi, Alireza; Arji, Goli; Farzaneh Nejad, Ahmadreza

2017-10-01

Electronic Health Record (EHR) is one of the most important achievements of information technology in healthcare domain, and if deployed effectively, it can yield predominant results. The aim of this study was a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis in electronic health record implementation. This is a descriptive, analytical study conducted with the participation of a 90-member work force from Hospitals affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS). The data were collected by using a self-structured questionnaire and analyzed by SPSS software. Based on the results, the highest priority in strength analysis was related to timely and quick access to information. However, lack of hardware and infrastructures was the most important weakness. Having the potential to share information between different sectors and access to a variety of health statistics was the significant opportunity of EHR. Finally, the most substantial threats were the lack of strategic planning in the field of electronic health records together with physicians' and other clinical staff's resistance in the use of electronic health records. To facilitate successful adoption of electronic health record, some organizational, technical and resource elements contribute; moreover, the consideration of these factors is essential for HER implementation.

Internet and electronic resources for inflammatory bowel disease: a primer for providers and patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Fortinsky, Kyle J; Fournier, Marc R; Benchimol, Eric I

2012-06-01

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are increasingly turning to the Internet to research their condition and engage in discourse on their experiences. This has resulted in new dynamics in the relationship between providers and their patients, with misinformation and advertising potentially presenting barriers to the cooperative patient-provider partnership. This article addresses important issues of online IBD-related health information and social media activity, such as quality, reliability, objectivity, and privacy. We reviewed the medical literature on the quality of online information provided to IBD patients, and summarized the most commonly accessed Websites related to IBD. We also assessed the activity on popular social media sites (such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube), and evaluated currently available applications for use by IBD patients and providers on mobile phones and tablets. Through our review of the literature and currently available resources, we developed a list of recommended online resources to strengthen patient participation in their care by providing reliable, comprehensive educational material. Copyright © 2011 Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America, Inc.

Apoptosis induction in Jurkat cells and sCD95 levels in women's sera are related with the risk of developing cervical cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bravo-Cuellar Alejandro

2008-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Currently, there is clear evidence that apoptosis plays an important role in the development and progression of tumors. One of the best characterized apoptosis triggering systems is the CD95/Fas/APO-1 pathway; previous reports have demonstrated high levels of soluble CD95 (sCD95 in serum of patients with some types of cancer. Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women worldwide. As a first step in an attempt to design a minimally invasive test to predict the risk of developing cervical cancer in patients with precancerous lesions, we used a simple assay based on the capacity of human serum to induce apoptosis in Jurkat cells. We evaluated the relationship between sCD95 levels and the ability to induce apoptosis in Jurkat cells in cervical cancer patients and controls. Methods Jurkat cells were exposed to serum from 63 women (20 healthy volunteers, 21 with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade I [CIN 1] and 22 with cervical-uterine carcinoma. The apoptotic rate was measured by flow cytometry using Annexin-V-Fluos and Propidium Iodide as markers. Serum levels of sCD95 and soluble CD95 ligand (sCD95L were measured by ELISA kits. Results We found that serum from almost all healthy women induced apoptosis in Jurkat cells, while only fifty percent of the sera from women with CIN 1 induced cell death in Jurkat cells. Interestingly, only one serum sample from a patient with cervical-uterine cancer was able to induce apoptosis, the rest of the sera protected Jurkat cells from this killing. We were able to demonstrate that elimination of Jurkat cells was mediated by the CD95/Fas/Apo-1 apoptotic pathway. Furthermore, the serum levels of sCD95 measured by ELISA were significantly higher in women with cervical cancer. Conclusion Our results demonstrate that there is a strong correlation between low levels of sCD95 in serum of normal women and higher apoptosis induction in Jurkat cells. We suggest that an analysis of

On-line monitoring of food fermentation processes using electronic noses and electronic tongues: A review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peris, Miguel; Escuder-Gilabert, Laura

2013-01-01

Graphical abstract: -- Highlights: •This review paper deals with the applications of electronic noses and electronic tongues to the monitoring of fermentation processes. •Positive and negative aspects of the different approaches reviewed are analyzed. •Current and future endeavors in this field are also commented. -- Abstract: Fermentation processes are often sensitive to even slight changes of conditions that may result in unacceptable end-product quality. Thus, close follow-up of this type of processes is critical for detecting unfavorable deviations as early as possible in order to save downtime, materials and resources. Nevertheless the use of traditional analytical techniques is often hindered by the need for expensive instrumentation and experienced operators and complex sample preparation. In this sense, one of the most promising ways of developing rapid and relatively inexpensive methods for quality control in fermentation processes is the use of chemical multisensor systems. In this work we present an overview of the most important contributions dealing with the monitoring of fermentation processes using electronic noses and electronic tongues. After a brief description of the fundamentals of both types of devices, the different approaches are critically commented, their strengths and weaknesses being highlighted. Finally, future trends in this field are also mentioned in the last section of the article

On-line monitoring of food fermentation processes using electronic noses and electronic tongues: A review

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Peris, Miguel, E-mail: mperist@qim.upv.es [Departamento de Química, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, 46071 Valencia (Spain); Escuder-Gilabert, Laura [Departamento de Química Analítica, Universitat de Valencia, C/ Vicente Andrés Estellés s/n, E-46100 Burjasot, Valencia (Spain)

2013-12-04

Graphical abstract: -- Highlights: •This review paper deals with the applications of electronic noses and electronic tongues to the monitoring of fermentation processes. •Positive and negative aspects of the different approaches reviewed are analyzed. •Current and future endeavors in this field are also commented. -- Abstract: Fermentation processes are often sensitive to even slight changes of conditions that may result in unacceptable end-product quality. Thus, close follow-up of this type of processes is critical for detecting unfavorable deviations as early as possible in order to save downtime, materials and resources. Nevertheless the use of traditional analytical techniques is often hindered by the need for expensive instrumentation and experienced operators and complex sample preparation. In this sense, one of the most promising ways of developing rapid and relatively inexpensive methods for quality control in fermentation processes is the use of chemical multisensor systems. In this work we present an overview of the most important contributions dealing with the monitoring of fermentation processes using electronic noses and electronic tongues. After a brief description of the fundamentals of both types of devices, the different approaches are critically commented, their strengths and weaknesses being highlighted. Finally, future trends in this field are also mentioned in the last section of the article.

Main Issues on Electronic Commerce and Policy Recommendations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chongwha Lee

1998-03-01

Full Text Available "Electronic Commerce" means that people sell and buy commodity, labor service and information through internet and now is mainly be used in commercial intercourse. The core of the international research related to Electronic Commerce is a tax-exemption, land tax, liberalization of encrypted technology and privacy protection policy, etc. Meanwhile, intellectual property, consumer protection and limitation of packing specification are also researched together with the business activeness. The reason why questions related to Electronic Commerce are in the back of the spotlight is that US and major countries in EU lead the international research to maximize their own benefits. These researches are related to rectify legal system framework for protecting development of Electronic Commerce and to work out international standards. Also, enlarging Electronic Commerce on online resources is also regarded as the core issue by OECD, APEC and other international organization and it is inevitable to have multilateral negotiation regarding this issue. Based on the opinion above mentioned, we collect all the problems brought by Electronic Commerce Activeness in each area in this paper and try to find out corresponding solutions to face these problems.

Phospholipids in sera of horses with summer eczema: lipid analysis of the autoserum preparation used in therapy.

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Hallamaa, R E; Batchu, K C; Tallberg, T

2014-05-01

Equine summer eczema, also known as insect bite hypersensitivity, affects horses recurrently during summer months. The treatment of this allergic pruritus is difficult and therefore there is a need for efficacious treatments. Autoserum therapy, based on the use of autogenous serum that is specifically prepared for oral administration and given when the animal shows clinical signs has been introduced recently. Lipids are thought to be responsible for the effect of this therapy. The main aim of this study was to analyse the phospholipid content of autogenous serum preparations and to further assess whether these preparations have different lipid profiles depending on the clinical status of the horse. The hypothesis is that the major serum phospholipids typical of the horse are present in the autoserum preparation. Descriptive controlled clinical study. Sera were collected from 10 affected and 6 healthy horses, prepared in a similar fashion and the lipids contained in the resulting autoserum preparations were analysed by electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry. The major phospholipid classes detected were phosphatidylcholine, sphingomyelin, phosphatidic acid and traces of lysophosphatidylcholine. Horses with summer eczema had significantly abundant concentrations of phosphatidylcholine (P = 0.042) and sphingomyelin (P = 0.0017) in comparison with healthy horses, while the concentration of phosphatidic acid was significantly higher in healthy horses (P = 0.0075). The autoserum preparation contains minute amounts of the main serum phospholipids in differing concentrations in healthy horses and horses with an allergic skin disease. © 2013 EVJ Ltd.

New York State Forum for Information Resource Management: 1998-1999 Annual Report.

Science.gov (United States)

New York State Forum for Information Resource Management.

This annual report of the New York State Forum for Information Resource Management begins with a section that summarizes key activities for 1998-99, including partnerships with other organizations, sessions on the use of information in government and information security, programs on the challenges of electronic commerce for government,…

Gambling revenues as a public administration issue: electronic gaming machines in Victoria.

Science.gov (United States)

Pickernell, David; Keast, Robyn; Brown, Kerry; Yousefpour, Nina; Miller, Chris

2013-12-01

Gambling activities and the revenues derived have been seen as a way to increase economic development in deprived areas. There are also, however, concerns about the effects of gambling in general and electronic gaming machines (EGMs) in particular, on the resources available to the localities in which they are situated. This paper focuses on the factors that determine the extent and spending of community benefit-related EGM-generated resources within Victoria, Australia, focusing in particular on the relationships between EGM activity and socio-economic and social capital indicators, and how this relates to the community benefit resources generated by gaming.

Differential recognition of terminal extracellular Plasmodium falciparum VAR2CSA domains by sera from multigravid, malaria-exposed Malian women.

Science.gov (United States)

Travassos, Mark A; Coulibaly, Drissa; Bailey, Jason A; Niangaly, Amadou; Adams, Matthew; Nyunt, Myaing M; Ouattara, Amed; Lyke, Kirsten E; Laurens, Matthew B; Pablo, Jozelyn; Jasinskas, Algis; Nakajima, Rie; Berry, Andrea A; Takala-Harrison, Shannon; Kone, Abdoulaye K; Kouriba, Bourema; Rowe, J Alexandra; Doumbo, Ogobara K; Thera, Mahamadou A; Laufer, Miriam K; Felgner, Philip L; Plowe, Christopher V

2015-06-01

The Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1) family mediates parasite sequestration in small capillaries through tissue-specific cytoadherence. The best characterized of these proteins is VAR2CSA, which is expressed on the surface of infected erythrocytes that bind to chondroitin sulfate in the placental matrix. Antibodies to VAR2CSA prevent placental cytoadherence and protect against placental malaria. The size and complexity of the VAR2CSA protein pose challenges for vaccine development, but smaller constitutive domains may be suitable for subunit vaccine development. A protein microarray was printed to include five overlapping fragments of the 3D7 VAR2CSA extracellular region. Malian women with a history of at least one pregnancy had antibody recognition of four of these fragments and had stronger reactivity against the two distal fragments than did nulliparous women, children, and men from Mali, suggesting that the C-terminal extracellular VAR2CSA domains are a potential focus of protective immunity. With carefully chosen sera from longitudinal studies of pregnant women, this approach has the potential to identify seroreactive VAR2CSA domains associated with protective immunity against pregnancy-associated malaria. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

A putative serine protease, SpSsp1, from Saprolegnia parasitica is recognised by sera of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss

Science.gov (United States)

Minor, Kirsty L.; Anderson, Victoria L.; Davis, Katie S.; Van Den Berg, Albert H.; Christie, James S.; Löbach, Lars; Faruk, Ali Reza; Wawra, Stephan; Secombes, Chris J.; Van West, Pieter

2014-01-01

Saprolegniosis, the disease caused by Saprolegnia sp., results in considerable economic losses in aquaculture. Current control methods are inadequate, as they are either largely ineffective or present environmental and fish health concerns. Vaccination of fish presents an attractive alternative to these control methods. Therefore we set out to identify suitable antigens that could help generate a fish vaccine against Saprolegnia parasitica. Unexpectedly, antibodies against S. parasitica were found in serum from healthy rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss. The antibodies detected a single band in secreted proteins that were run on a one-dimensional SDS-polyacrylamide gel, which corresponded to two protein spots on a two-dimensional gel. The proteins were analysed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Mascot and bioinformatic analysis resulted in the identification of a single secreted protein, SpSsp1, of 481 amino acid residues, containing a subtilisin domain. Expression analysis demonstrated that SpSsp1 is highly expressed in all tested mycelial stages of S. parasitica. Investigation of other non-infected trout from several fish farms in the United Kingdom showed similar activity in their sera towards SpSsp1. Several fish that had no visible saprolegniosis showed an antibody response towards SpSsp1 suggesting that SpSsp1 might be a useful candidate for future vaccination trial experiments. PMID:25088077

Innovative direct energy conversion systems using electronic adiabatic processes of electron fluid in solid conductors: new plants of electrical power and hydrogen gas resources without environmental pollutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kondoh, Y.; Kondo, M.; Shimoda, K.; Takahashi, T.

2001-07-01

It is shown that using a novel recycling process of the environmental thermal energy, innovative permanent auto-working direct energy converter systems (PA-DEC systems) from the environmental thermal to electrical and/or chemical potential (TE/CP) energies, abbreviated as PA-TE/CP-DEC systems, can be used for new auto-working electrical power plants and the plants of the compressible and conveyable hydrogen gas resources at various regions in the whole world, with contributions to the world peace and the economical development in the south part of the world. It is shown that the same physical mechanism by free electrons and electrical potential determined by temperature in conductors, which include semiconductors, leads to the Peltier effect and the Seebeck one. It is experimentally clarified that the long distance separation between two π type elements of the heat absorption (HAS) and the production one (HPS) of the Peltier effect circuit system or between the higher temperature side (HTS) and the lower one (LTS) of the Seebeck effect circuit one does not change in the whole for the both effects. By using present systems, we do not need to use petrified fuels such as coals, oils, and natural gases in order to decrease the greenhouse effect by the CO 2 surrounding the earth. Furthermore, we do not need plats of nuclear fissions that left radiating wastes, i.e., with no environmental pollutions. The PA-TE/CP-DEC systems can be applicable for several km scale systems to the micro ones, such as the plants of the electrical power, the compact transportable hydrogen gas resources, a large heat energy container, which can be settled at far place from thermal energy absorbing area, the refrigerators, the air conditioners, home electrical apparatuses, and further the computer elements. It is shown that the simplest PA-TE/CP-DEC system can be established by using only the Seebeck effect components and the resolving water ones. It is clarified that the externally applied

Apoptosis induction in Jurkat cells and sCD95 levels in women's sera are related with the risk of developing cervical cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aguilar-Lemarroy, Adriana; Jave-Suarez, Luis F; Romero-Ramos, Jose E; Olimon-Andalon, Vicente; Hernandez-Flores, Georgina; Lerma-Diaz, Jose M; Ortiz-Lazareno, Pablo C; Morgan-Villela, Gilberto; Toro-Arreola, Susana del; Bravo-Cuellar, Alejandro

2008-01-01

Currently, there is clear evidence that apoptosis plays an important role in the development and progression of tumors. One of the best characterized apoptosis triggering systems is the CD95/Fas/APO-1 pathway; previous reports have demonstrated high levels of soluble CD95 (sCD95) in serum of patients with some types of cancer. Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women worldwide. As a first step in an attempt to design a minimally invasive test to predict the risk of developing cervical cancer in patients with precancerous lesions, we used a simple assay based on the capacity of human serum to induce apoptosis in Jurkat cells. We evaluated the relationship between sCD95 levels and the ability to induce apoptosis in Jurkat cells in cervical cancer patients and controls. Jurkat cells were exposed to serum from 63 women (20 healthy volunteers, 21 with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade I [CIN 1] and 22 with cervical-uterine carcinoma). The apoptotic rate was measured by flow cytometry using Annexin-V-Fluos and Propidium Iodide as markers. Serum levels of sCD95 and soluble CD95 ligand (sCD95L) were measured by ELISA kits. We found that serum from almost all healthy women induced apoptosis in Jurkat cells, while only fifty percent of the sera from women with CIN 1 induced cell death in Jurkat cells. Interestingly, only one serum sample from a patient with cervical-uterine cancer was able to induce apoptosis, the rest of the sera protected Jurkat cells from this killing. We were able to demonstrate that elimination of Jurkat cells was mediated by the CD95/Fas/Apo-1 apoptotic pathway. Furthermore, the serum levels of sCD95 measured by ELISA were significantly higher in women with cervical cancer. Our results demonstrate that there is a strong correlation between low levels of sCD95 in serum of normal women and higher apoptosis induction in Jurkat cells. We suggest that an analysis of the apoptotic rate induced by serum in Jurkat cells and the

Use of online knowledge resources by prominent South African researchers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Reinhold Treptow

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The growth in online knowledge resources has transformed information securing practices and effects have been especially pronounced for scientific journals. It has therefore become increasingly necessary to understand researchers’ information search and securing preferences. Leading South African researchers were indentified and invited to participate in a web- based survey to this end. Results indicate that electronic resources are favoured for journal articles, but not for books, and researchers commonly employ chaining and browsing behaviour to locate relevant journal articles. Full-text journals are favoured by researchers to undertake searches. These are favoured over other bibliographic databases and other federated searches (Google, Google Scholar and MetaLib. Analyses of the coverage of top rated journals by the two top rated full- text databases EBSCOhost and ScienceDirect reveals significantly lower coverage when compared with the coverage of top journals by the citation databases Scopus and Web of Science. Researchers should therefore make greater use of these resources to effectively locate relevant material.

[Autoantibody formation against the antigens of the synaptonemal complex in the syngeneic immunization of male Mus musculus].

Science.gov (United States)

Dadashev, S Ia; Gorach, G G; Kolomiets, O L

1994-01-01

Male mice were immunized with the suspension of synaptonemal complexes (SC) isolated from mouse spermatocytes nuclei. The indirect immunofluorescent analysis showed the active binding of sera obtained from immunized mice to SC of mouse spermatocyte spreads. At early and mid-pachytene, SC can be clearly identified in 19 autosome bivalents and in sex chromosome bivalent. According to the electron microscopic analysis, all structural elements of SC bind antibodies. Metaphase chromosomes were not stained with the immune sera. Specificity of interaction between SC components and antibodies was confirmed in a series of control experiments. Analysis of sera obtained from mice after their syngeneic immunization with isolated SC fraction suggested that certain mouse SC components induce the formation of autoantibodies. This, in turn, suggests that these SC components are meiosis-specific.

研究／電子資源使用統計標準與規範之探討／陳雪華；許嘉珍；朱雅琦 | Study of the Electronic Resources Usage Statistics Standards and Guidelines/ Hsueh-Hua Chen;Chia-Chen Hsu;Ya-Chi Chu

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

陳雪華、許嘉珍、朱雅琦

2007-04-01

Full Text Available

近年來，由於資訊科技的進步，圖書館中的電子資源數量快速增加，所佔預算金額比例也大幅增長。圖書館希望能夠透過評鑑電子資源的使用，以便能夠在電 子資源館藏發展等方面做出正確的決策。由於體認到電子資源使用統計之重要性，圖書館界與相關組織紛紛發展或修訂圖書館統計標準，增列電子資源使用統計的項 目以充分反映圖書館電子資源使用之狀況。本文主要採用文獻分析法以及內容分析法，收集探討並比較近軍來國內外電子資源使用統計之相關規範及標準，包含 ISO 2789、 ICOLC Guidelines、州ANSI/NISO Z39.7、CNS13151、ARL E-Metrlcs、E-Measures Project、以及Project COUNTER等。

Recently, due to the advances of information technology, electronic resources are gradually replacing print resources as the largest consumer of library acquisition budgets. Logically, libraries want to evaluate the usage of electronic resources and incorporate the results into their decision making regarding electronic resource acquisition. Over these years, there is a general awareness among libraries to develop statistics standards and guidelines for library electronic resources usage. In this paper, literature review and content analysis methods are used to compare several library statistics standards, including: ISO 2789 、ICOLC Guidelines、ANSI/NISO Z39.7、CNS13151、ARL E-Metrics、E-Measures Project、and Project COUNTER etc.

頁次：89-102

Improving CASINO performance for models with large number of electrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anton, L.; Alfe, D.; Hood, R.Q.; Tanqueray, D.

2009-01-01

Quantum Monte Carlo calculations have at their core algorithms based on statistical ensembles of multidimensional random walkers which are straightforward to use on parallel computers. Nevertheless some computations have reached the limit of the memory resources for models with more than 1000 electrons because of the need to store a large amount of electronic orbitals related data. Besides that, for systems with large number of electrons, it is interesting to study if the evolution of one configuration of random walkers can be done faster in parallel. We present a comparative study of two ways to solve these problems: (1) distributed orbital data done with MPI or Unix inter-process communication tools, (2) second level parallelism for configuration computation

Resource programs: Draft Environmental Impact Statement Resource Programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-03-01

Every two years, Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) prepares a Resource Program which identifies the resource actions BPA will take to meet its obligation to serve the forecasted power requirements of its customers. The Resource Program's Environmental Impact Statement (RPEIS) is a programmatic environmental document which will support decisions made in several future Resource Programs. Environmental documents tiered to the EIS may be prepared on a site-specific basis. The RPEIS includes a description of the environmental effects and mitigation for the various resource types available in order to evaluate the trade-offs among them. It also assesses the environmental impacts of adding thirteen alternative combinations of resources to the existing power system. This report contains the appendices to the RPEIS

Prevalence of IgE antibodies to an extract from rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis latex and recombinant pollen allergens (Phl P 1, Phl P 2, Phl P 5, Bet v 1 and Bet v 2 in the sera of Italian atopic patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Renato E. Rossi

2001-01-01

Conclusions: The findings of the present study may support the concept that a high proportion of sera containing IgE to rBet v 2, rPhl p 1 and rPhl p 5 simultaneously contain antilatex IgE. Therefore, patients with specific IgE to these recombinant allergens with no history of current latex exposure may need additional evaluation.

Utilization and impact of electronic and print media on the patients’ health status: Physicians’ perspectives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sadia Shakeel

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Aims: Despite an increased popularity of print and electronic media applications, there is a paucity of data reflecting doctors’ opinions regarding efficient utilization of these resources for the betterment of public health. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the perception of physicians toward the effect of electronic and print media on the health status of patients. Setting and Design: The current research is a cross-sectional study conducted from January 2015 to July 2015. The study population comprised physicians rendering their services in different hospitals of Karachi, Pakistan, selected by the nonprobability convenience sampling technique. In this study, 500 questionnaires were distributed through email or direct correspondence. Methods and Materials: Physicians’ perception toward the impact of electronic and print media on the health status of patients was assessed with a 20-item questionnaire. Different demographic characteristics, such as age, gender, institution, position, and experience of respondents, were recorded. Quantitative data were analyzed with the use of Statistical Package for Social Sciences, version 20.0 (SPSS, Chicago, IL. The association of the demographic characteristics of the responses of physicians was determined by one-way ANOVA using 0.05 level of significance. Results: In this study, 254 physicians provided consent to show their responses for research purposes. A response rate of 50.8% was obtained. Nearly one-third of the respondents negated that patients get health benefit using electronic and print media. The majority did not consider electronic and print media as lifestyle-modifying factors. Physicians thought that patients particularly do not rely on mass media for acquiring health information and consider healthcare professionals as unswerving information resource. Conclusions: Mass media can be productive resources to augment awareness among patients, although physicians seem unconvinced about

Utilization and Impact of Electronic and Print Media on the Patients' Health Status: Physicians' Perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Shakeel, Sadia; Nesar, Shagufta; Rahim, Najia; Iffat, Wajiha; Ahmed, Hafiza Fouzia; Rizvi, Mehwish; Jamshed, Shazia

2017-01-01

Despite an increased popularity of print and electronic media applications, there is a paucity of data reflecting doctors' opinions regarding efficient utilization of these resources for the betterment of public health. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the perception of physicians toward the effect of electronic and print media on the health status of patients. The current research is a cross-sectional study conducted from January 2015 to July 2015. The study population comprised physicians rendering their services in different hospitals of Karachi, Pakistan, selected by the nonprobability convenience sampling technique. In this study, 500 questionnaires were distributed through email or direct correspondence. Physicians' perception toward the impact of electronic and print media on the health status of patients was assessed with a 20-item questionnaire. Different demographic characteristics, such as age, gender, institution, position, and experience of respondents, were recorded. Quantitative data were analyzed with the use of Statistical Package for Social Sciences, version 20.0 (SPSS, Chicago, IL). The association of the demographic characteristics of the responses of physicians was determined by one-way ANOVA using 0.05 level of significance. In this study, 254 physicians provided consent to show their responses for research purposes. A response rate of 50.8% was obtained. Nearly one-third of the respondents negated that patients get health benefit using electronic and print media. The majority did not consider electronic and print media as lifestyle-modifying factors. Physicians thought that patients particularly do not rely on mass media for acquiring health information and consider healthcare professionals as unswerving information resource. Mass media can be productive resources to augment awareness among patients, although physicians seem unconvinced about the extended usage of print/electronic media.