On the use of clustering and the MeSH controlled vocabulary to improve MEDLINE abstract search

Databases of genomic documents contain substantial amounts of structured information in addition to the texts of titles and abstracts. Unstructured information retrieval techniques fail to take advantage of the structured information available. This paper describes a technique to improve upon traditional retrieval methods by clustering the retrieval result set into two distinct clusters using additional structural information. Our hypothesis is that the relevant documents are to be found in the tightest cluster of the two, as suggested by van Rijsbergen's cluster hypothesis. We present an experimental evaluation of these ideas based on the relevance judgments of the 2004 TREC workshop Genomics track, and the CLUTO software clustering package

The Anisotropic and isotropic strength behavior of an illitic clay

The cause and the nature of anisotropy in a cohesive soil was investigated by direct shear and triaxial compression tests. Laboratory techniques and procedures used to prepare isotropic clay samples are given where consolidation was accomplished under hydrostatic pressure. Direct shear tests were performed on these specimens trimmed at different inclinations to the physical horizontal from the block samples. The ratio of undrained shear strengths in any direction to shear strength in the vertical direction was found to be equal to one, proving isotropy existed. Similar tests were performed on specimens trimmed from the same clay consolidated one-dimensionally. Results from these tests showed the shear strength ratio to be maximum for specimens trimmed at 90° to the horizontal plane. In this case, the aniso- tropic characteristics were directly attributed to the sample stress history. These samples indicated preferred particle orientation. Undrained triaxial compression tests were performed on both hydrostatic and one-dimensionally consolidated samples. Triaxial test results confirmed the results of the direct shear tests and more accurately defined the stress/strength parameters. The angle between the failure plane and the test specimens axis was essentially constant and the ratio between pore water pressure at failure and the mean consolidation stress remained a constant.For each maximum consolidation stress, pore pressure was isotropic, but in all cases was higher for hydrostatically prepared samples. The hydrostatic method of preparing isotropic test specimens was effective and produced reliable results

Sediment Analysis of Sediment Core from Montague Cave, Jackson County, Alabama

The Fluviokarst system in Jackson County, Alabama is extensive. In order to increase our understanding of the region we have analyzed a cave sediment core taken from Montague Cave in Jackson County, Alabama. To do this have dried, driven off the organics, and ran it through a set of sieves. This allowed for Loss of Ignition, and grain size analysis to be done. Through doing this we have found that there is a significant correlation between the residual water and the organics. More recently there has been a change in flow conditions to bring in more organic and deposited coarser sediments

Regional Patterns of Vascularity within the Limb Bones of Small and Large-bodied Bats

Bats have humeri and femora that are poorly vascularized or avascular compared to birds, with only larger bats typically displaying vascular canals. Vascular canals provide passageways for blood vessels and nerves, which help maintain bone homeostasis, and support bones by resisting torsional stresses placed on them. The presence of a greater number of canals in large bats suggests that they may have a larger need for the support of nutrient and waste exchange than their dense lacunar-canalicular system can provide on its own. The focus of the current project will be to analyze SR micro-CT data from various bat humeri and femora obtained by Pratt in order to examine differences between the patterns of vascularity within bones of small and large bodied bats.The potential benefit of this project is an increased understanding of the vascular networks of bats and how it may support bone homeostasis. The primary research objective is to determine whether small bodied bats and large bodied bats have similar regional patterns of vascularity in their humeri and/or femora. It is hypothesized that: 1) large bodied bats will possess greater vascularity than small bodied bats, and 2) humeri will be more highly vascularized than femora

A Look at Veterinary Technicians

Veterinary technicians should actually be termed animal technicians, although the paraprofessional vocation is most generally associated with the veterinary profession. Other situations where animal technicians are employed include biological research at various laboratories, drug and feed companies, animal production facilities, and others. It should be emphasized that the animal technician serves primarily as an assistant to senior biological workers, technologists, and other scientists as well as to veterinarians

Easing the transition from secondary school to higher education through recognition of the skills of our students

This short communication discusses research, which has investigated students‟ self-perception of their skills. This was to identify which skills they felt most and least confident in upon starting university. General and scientific and practical skills as well as skills related to improving learning were explored. The results suggested that students felt most confident in working in groups, interacting with people to obtain the necessary information and assistance, and observing chemical events and changes among others. In contrast students felt least confident in planning and presenting an oral presentation, analysing and evaluating experimental data, and using the internet and other resources to gain information. Details of how the findings were used to make effective changes to an existing module will be discussed. Furthermore, the relevance of this in terms of supporting our first year students in their transition to university-level work and subsequently planning appropriate modules will be discussed in relation to the recently published results from the UK Physical Sciences Centre Review of the Student Learning Experience in Chemistry and in light of the Department for Business Innovation and Skills Higher Ambitions and Skills for Growth papers

Differences in Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (APTT) measures depending on the device used in blood samples drawn (direct Vacutainer® versus Butterfly needle): A Randomized Comparative Study

 Background. Most laboratory errors occur during the pre-analytical phase and are often related to the blood drawn equipment. No studies have evaluated yet the influence of the most common vein puncture devices on activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT). We aimed to compare APTT when venous blood samples are drawn with two different needle devices (direct Vacutainer® versus butterfly needle). Methods. Consecutive adult healthy volunteers were prospectively enrolled and assigned to receive two antecubital peripheral blood punctures from both arms, using the two devices. The blood drawn sequence (i.e. right or left arm first) and the first device to be used (i.e. direct vacuntainer® or butterfly needle first) were randomly established.Results. Forty healthy volunteers (mean age 42.9 years; SD 7.5; range 27-58), comprising 25 (62.5%) women, were recruited. APTT obtained with the two blood drawn devices significantly and positive correlated (Spearman rho=0.943; p<0.001). However, mean APTT was significantly more prolonged in blood samples drawn with butterfly needles than in those obtained with direct vacutainer® (34.01 ± 4.4 vs. 33.63 ± 3.8 seconds, respectively; p=0.013). No differences in APTT were found when samples obtained from right and left arms were compared.Discussion. The type of blood drawn equipment significantly influences APTT, which is prolonged when a butterfly needle is used. An increased contact time between blood and butterfly tube plastic material would favor a premature consumption of plasma coagulation factors before mixing with anticoagulants in the collection tube. The appropriately chosen blood drawn device is thus essential to avoid pre-analytical errors.KEY WORDS: Activated partial thromboplastin time, Phlebotomy; Quality control; Blood Specimen Collection; Pre-analytical quality; Laboratory techniques and procedure

Diagnóstico de anemia por deficiência de ferro em crianças do Nordeste do Brasil

OBJECTIVE: To diagnose iron deficiency anemia in children. METHODS: The study was conducted with a sample of 301 children aged six to 30 months attending public daycare centers in the city of Recife, Northeast Brazil, in 2004. The diagnoses of anemia were based on a combination of different hematological and biochemical parameters: hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, ferritin, C-reactive protein, transferrin saturation and transferrin receptor. The chi-square test and ANOVA were used in the statistical analysis. RESULTS: Of all children studied, 92.4% had anemia (HbOBJETIVO: Diagnosticar anemia por deficiencia de hierro en niños. MÉTODOS: El estudio fue desarrollado con una muestra de 301 niños con edades entre seis y 30 meses, usuarios de guarderías públicas de Recife, Noreste de Brasil, en 2004. Para el diagnóstico de la anemia se utilizó la combinación de diferentes parámetros hematológicos y bioquímicos: hemoglobina, volumen corpuscular promedio, ferritina, proteína C-reactiva, saturación de la transferrina y receptor de la transferrina. Para el análisis estadístico se empleó la prueba de chi-cuadrado y ANOVA. RESULTADOS: Del total de niños, 92,4% tenían anemia (HbOBJETIVO: Diagnosticar anemia por deficiência de ferro em crianças. MÉTODOS: O estudo foi desenvolvido com uma amostra de 301 crianças com idade entre seis e 30 meses, usuárias de creches públicas de Recife, PE, em 2004. Para o diagnóstico da anemia utilizou-se a combinação de diferentes parâmetros hematológicos e bioquímicos: hemoglobina, volume corpuscular médio, ferritina, proteína C-reativa, saturação da transferrina e receptor da transferrina. Para a análise estatística empregou-se o teste do qui-quadrado e ANOVA. RESULTADOS: Do total de crianças, 92,4% tinha anemia (Hb < 110g/L) e 28,9% apresentou anemia moderada/grave (H

Lactic Acid Fermentation of Radish and Cucumber in Rice Bran Bed

The Lactobacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) strain XK1.4 isolated from pickled vegetables was applied for cucumber and radish fermentation using rice bran. Fermented radish and cucumber pickles are the lactic acid fermentation products formed through the influence of microorganisms present in the environment. The main objective of the study is to select the appropriate rice bran type (white/yellow rice bran) and treatment methods (roasting time), and also choose suitable fermentation conditions (initial microbial population and added salt content) for traditional pickled cucumber and white radish with appropriate lactic acid content and high acceptability by consumers. The results showed that the quality of white bran was better than yellow bran and less oxidized, the total free fatty acid was also much lower than that of yellow bran. It was found that the lactic acid content analyses provided significant different results for the samples, compared to the control (without inoculant addition). The pickled samples for which L. plantarum strain XK 1.4 was used displayed a better fermentation process. The lower concentration of bacteria added in the initial stage, the lower the acid content of the rice bran medium and the fermented products where L. plantarum strains were added. L. plantarum grew rapidly in rice bran fermenting bed of 10 CFU g at 25-26 °C and 3% NaCl. With the appropriate selection of fermentation parameters, it only takes about 4 days for the fermentation process (2 days of preparing rice bran medium and 2 days of fermenting white radish and cucumber) with high lactic acid content and consumer’s acceptability