Identification of Anaerobes in Clinical Specimens Comparison between the RapID ANA II System and the Bruker MALDI-TOF MS System utilized in the Clinical Laboratory

Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption and Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has been revealed as an invaluable platform for identifying anaerobic bacteria in the clinical laboratory over traditional methods such as the RapID ANA II System. A qualitative comparison is made, through the analysis of methodologies and specifications, to determine whether the RapID ANA II system or Bruker MALDI-TOF MS is more suitable for identifying anaerobic organism in the clinical laboratory. Based on the data reviewed, the MALDI-TOF MS is a more intuitive platform within the clinical laboratory due to its increased specificity, cost-effectiveness, and shorten turnaround time for the identification of anaerobes

Rapid prototyping for multi-application sensor networking

Jorge Portilla, Teresa Riesgo, Ana Abril, and Angel De Castro, “Rapid prototyping for multi-application sensor networking,” Spie Newsroom, Spie, (2007). Copyright © 2015 SPIE Society of Photo‑Optical Instrumentation Engineers. One print or electronic copy may be made for personal use only. Systematic reproduction and distribution, duplication of any material in this paper for a fee or for commercial purposes, or modification of the content of the paper are prohibited.Developing integrated hardware interfaces for different actuators allows rapid and easy integration into existing wireless network

Seroprevalence of Specific SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies during Omicron BA.5 Wave, Portugal, April-June 2022

Members of ISN4COVID-19 Group: Paulo Gonçalves, Rita Matos, Inês Costa, Nuno Verdasca, Fátima Martins, Jorge Machado, Raquel Guiomar, Ana Rita Torres, Carlos Matias Dias, Ana Loureiro, Filomena Caldeira, Adriana Coutinho, M. Paula Falcão, Alzira Louro, Igor Filipciuc, Marisa Isabel da Conceição Belchior, Claudia Sofia Barão Ferreira, Ingrid Villanueva, Sara Moura, Marlene Silva, Rita Paulino, Conceição Cardoso, Ana Margarida Casaca, Maria Vitória Antunes de Matos, Lúcia Coimbra, Nazaré Boavida, Paula Cristina Justino Gama, Afonso Tavares Leite Barros dos Santos, Ana Maria Cabrita Frota Fernandes, Bela Jerónima Nogueira, Rui Pedro Vieira Ferreira, Rui Manuel Borges Vassal, Paula Barbeiro, Aurora Direito, Ana Paula Peleta Marques, Margarida Freitas, Gil Sequeira, Sandra Vieira, Gil Ferreira, Teresa Reis, Lucilia Araujo, Teresa Rodrigues, Lurdes Correia, Susana Gomes, Sílvia Campos, Maira João Cardoso, Angélica Ramos, Carlos Caldas, Eliana Costa, Joana Costa, José Alves, Jácome Bruges Armas, Ana Rita Couto, Paula Genuína de la Cerda Sarmento Escobar, Sónia Oliveira Dias Ávila, Luís Silva, Patricia Vargas, Maria Noia, Vanessa Cordeiro, Teresa Damião, Rita Pinto, Helena Rodrigues, Filomena Reis, André Ferreira Pinto, Fátima Vale, Ricardo Rodrigues, Ricardo Castro, Bernardo Silva, Jesuína Duarte, Isabel Santos, Ana Miranda Rosa, Adilia Vicente, José Alves, Raquel Sebastião, Patrícia Pereira, Gizela Ferreira Alves dos Santos, Ana Catarina Faria Guerreiro, Armindo Miguel Rosado Gonçalves, Maria de Fátima Narciso Rolo Raimundo, Manuel Cirne Carvalho, Mário João Santos, Nuno Aguiar, Rui Campaínha, Ana Margarida Godinho, João Pedro Freitas, Rita Batista Coelho, Maria Conceição Miranda Senra Furtado, Miguel Eduardo Magalhães Gouveia, Laura Brum, Ana Paula Farto, Susana Agostinho, Luísa Ponte, Maria Beatriz Tomaz, Joana Ramos, Alexandra Santos, Isabel Forjaz Sampaio, Ana Abreu, Paulo Aguiar, Rita Ribeiro, Ana Guia Pereira, Sandra Vieira, Jorge Nunes Oliveira, Inês Stilwell, Sandra Nóbrega, Iolanda Rodrigues, Marco Marques, Sofia Jorge, Jorge Queiroz, Mavilde Vargues, Carlos Cardoso, Rui Pinto, Ana Filipa Alves, João Fernandes.After the rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2 BA.5 Omicron lineage in Portugal, we developed a seroepidemiologic survey based on a sample of 3,825 residents. Results indicated that from April 27 through June 8, 2022, the estimated seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid or spike IgG was 95.8%, which indicates a high level of protection.Acesso de acordo com política editorial da revista.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Original Approach for Automated Quantification of Antinuclear Autoantibodies by Indirect Immunofluorescence

International audienceIntroduction. Indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) is the gold standard method for the detection of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) which are essential markers for the diagnosis of systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases. For the discrimination of positive and negative samples, we propose here an original approach named Immunofluorescence for Computed Antinuclear antibody Rational Evaluation (ICARE) based on the calculation of a fluorescence index (FI). Methods. We made comparison between FI and visual evaluations on 237 consecutive samples and on a cohort of 25 patients with SLE. Results. We obtained very good technical performance of FI (95% sensitivity, 98% specificity, and a kappa of 0.92), even in a subgroup of weakly positive samples. A significant correlation between quantification of FI and IIF ANA titers was found (Spearman's = 0.80, < 0.0001). Clinical performance of ICARE was validated on a cohort of patients with SLE corroborating the fact that FI could represent an attractive alternative for the evaluation of antibody titer. Conclusion. Our results represent a major step for automated quantification of IIF ANA, opening attractive perspectives such as rapid sample screening and laboratory standardization

Aquatic macroinvertebrates of Rio Grande delta ponds

The purpose of this study was to identify aquatic macroinvertebrates living in the vegetated margins of local ponds, to determine their relative abundances, and to construct a rapid bioassessment model. I collected macroinvertebrates seasonally from seven ponds in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. Collection sites included: Moore Airfield, Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, and Olmito Fish Hatchery. Twenty-eight samples were sampled and preserved at the University of Texas-Pan American. Seventy-six taxa were identified and were stored as a reference collection. Cluster analysis of the taxa and their relative abundances showed three distinct geographic patterns or regions. These patterns were verified using two additional collections, which formed a distinct primary cluster. A Lower Rio Grande Rapid Bioassessment (RBA) model was constructed using Plafkin\u27s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Rapid Bioassessment Protocol m, a reference site, and eight community measures. The Rio Grande RBA can be applied across the region. Results showed eight sampling units as moderately/slightly impaired sites

Development and Emplacement of Ana Slide, Eivissa Channel, Western Mediterranean Sea

Submarine landslides can destroy seafloor infrastructures and generate devastating tsunamis. In spite of decades of research into the functioning of submarine landslides there are still numerous open questions, in particular how different phases of sliding influence each other. Here, we re-analyze Ana Slide—a relatively small (<1 km3) landslide offshore the Balearic Islands, which is unique in the published literature because it is completely imaged by high-resolution 3D reflection seismic data. Ana Slide comprises three domains: (a) a source area that is almost completely evacuated with evidence of headscarp retrogression, (b) an adjacent downslope translational domain representing a by-pass zone for the material that was mobilized in the source area, and (c) the deposit formed by the mobilized material, which accumulated downslope in a sink area and deformed slope sediment. Isochron maps show deep chaotic seismic units underneath the thickest deposits. We infer that the rapid deposition of the landslide material deformed the underlying sediments. A thin stratified sediment unit between three lobes suggests that Ana Slide evolved in two failure stages separated by several tens of thousands of years. This illustrates the problem of over-estimating the volume of mobilized material and under-estimating the complexity even of relatively simple slope failures without high-quality 3D reflection seismic data

Sustained exocytosis after action potential-like stimulation at low frequencies in mouse chromaffin cells depends on a dynamin-dependent fast endocytotic process

Under basal conditions the action potential firing rate of adrenal chromaffin cells is lower than 0.5 Hz. The maintenance of the secretory response at such frequencies requires a continuous replenishment of releasable vesicles. However, the mechanism that allows such vesicle replenishment remains unclear. Here, using membrane capacitance measurements on mouse chromaffin cells, we studied the mechanism of replenishment of a group of vesicles released by a single action potential-like stimulus (APls). The exocytosis triggered by APls (ETAP) represents a fraction (40%) of the immediately releasable pool, a group of vesicles highly coupled to voltage dependent calcium channels. ETAP was replenished with a time constant of 0.73 � 0.11 s, fast enough to maintain synchronous exocytosis at 0.2-0.5 Hz stimulation. Regarding the mechanism involved in rapid ETAP replenishment, we found that it depends on the ready releasable pool; indeed depletion of this vesicle pool significantly delays ETAP replenishment. On the other hand, ETAP replenishment also correlates with a dynamin-dependent fast endocytosis process (τ = 0.53 � 0.01 s). In this regard, disruption of dynamin function markedly inhibits the fast endocytosis and delays ETAP replenishment, but also significantly decreases the synchronous exocytosis during repetitive APls stimulation at low frequencies (0.2 and 0.5 Hz). Considering these findings, we propose a model in where both the transfer of vesicles from ready releasable pool and fast endocytosis allow rapid ETAP replenishment during low stimulation frequencies.Fil: Moya Diaz, José Abelino. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución. Buenos Aires; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Alvarez, Yanina Daniela. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución. Buenos Aires; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Montenegro, Mauricio Norman. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución. Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Bayonés, Lucas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución. Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Belingheri, Ana Verónica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución. Buenos Aires; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: González-Jamett, Arlek M.. Universidad de Valparaiso; ChileFil: Cárdenas, Ana M.. Universidad de Valparaiso; ChileFil: Marengo, Fernando Diego. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución. Buenos Aires; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires; Argentin

The Language Maintenance of Mother Tongue in Tourism Area, Ubud

This study entitled "The Language Maintenance of Mother Tongue in Tourism Area, Ubud". The background of this study is departed from having seen the phenomenon of a rapid tourism development in Ubud. The arrival of tourists, both domestics and foreigners, would have an impact on the interaction be-tween tourists and local communities. The interaction is not merely the culture, but also in terms of commu-nication of how the language is being used. The use of language in daily communication is definitely become an interesting aspect to be discussed because Ubud is known as a multicultural region; some people may think that Ubud is a bule village similar to Kuta. The objective of this study is to determine whether mother tongue is still being used in Ubud, Gian-yar or had it replaced by the foreign language. In addition, this research conducted to find out the strategies used by the people of Ubud to maintain the sustainability of mother-tongue language in the region. The method used for this research is a field research. The research conducted by a non-participatory observation; researchers act to make observations and not directly involved in the interaction at the time of the study. Research techniques that used are documentations, records and depth interviews. The results ana-lyzed by approach which was proposed by Fasold (1972). It is also supported by Fishman's approach; both concern with language maintenance. The interview results are expected to answer strategies used by speakers of the local community in preserving the language. The presentation of the data described in qualitative de-scriptive method. Keywords: Language Maintenance, mother tongue, Tourism area, Ubu

Visoka produkcija dvostrukih haploida pšenice korišćenjem kulture antera

Androgenous and regeneration abilities of 14 randomly selected F1 hybrids of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) were analyzed. Anthers were grown in vitro on a modified Potato-2 inductive medium. The hybrid NS111-95/Ana had the highest average values for androgenous capacity (33%) and callus yield (119%), while the hybrid NS 92-250/Tiha had the lowest values for these traits (9 and 21%, respectively). Seven genotypes (50%) had a frequency of green plants relative to the number of isolated anthers of over 10%, with the highest frequency of 21.3% (NS111-95/Sremica). This hybrid produced 12.8 doubled haploid (DH) lines per spike used for isolation. In the other genotypes, the number of produced DH lines per spike ranged from 1 (30­Sc.Smoc.88-89/Hays-2) to 11.2 (NS111-95/Ana). As half of the randomly selected genotypes exhibited high green plant regeneration ability and a high production of DH lines per spike, it can be concluded that in vitro anther culture can be successfully used in breeding programs for rapid production of homozygous wheat lines.Analizirana je androgena i regeneraciona sposobnost 14 slučajno odabranih F1 hibrida pšenice (Triticum aestivum L.). Antere su gajene u in vitro uslovima na modifikovanoj Potatao-2 podlozi. Hibrid NS111-95/Ana imao je najviše prosečne vrednosti za androgeni kapacitet (33%) i prinos kalusa (119%), dok je hibrid NS 92-250/Tiha imao najniže vrednosti za ove osobine (9% i 21%). Sedam genotipova (50%) imalo je frekvenciju zelenih biljaka u odnosu na broj izolovanih antera preko 10%, sa najvišom vrednošću od 21.3% (NS11­95/Sremica). Kod istog hibrida (NS11-95/Sremica) proizvedeno je 12.8 linija dvostrukih haploida (DH) po klasu, korišćenom za izolaciju. Kod drugih genotipova, broj proizvedenih DH linija po klasu varirao je od 1 (30-Sc.Smoc.88­89/Hays-2) do 11.2 (NS111-95/Ana). S obzirom na to da je polovina slučajno odabranih genotipova ispoljila visoku sposobnost za regeneraciju zelenih biljaka i visoku produkciju DH linija po klasu, in vitro kultura antera može se uspešno koristiti u oplemenjivačkim programima za brzu proizvodnju homozigotnih linija pšenice