Analog CMOS implementation of cellular neural networks

Cataloged from PDF version of article.The analog CMOS circuit realization of cellular neural networks with transconductance elements is presented. This realization can be easily adapted to various types of applications in image processing just by choosing the appropriate transconductance parameters according to the predetermined coefficients. The effectiveness of the designed circuits for connected component detection is shown by HSPICE simulations. For 'fixed function' cellular neural network circuits the number of transistors are reduced further by using multi-input transconductance elements

Synergistic effect of commercial mangosteen extract (Garcinia mangostana L.) and amoxicillin against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)

Antibiotic resistance occurs worldwide and has become a threat to humankind. Previous data have shown that antimicrobial resistance is a global issue demanding immediate resolution because it threatens the environment and society. The present work thus investigated the synergistic effects of commercial Garcinia mangostana L. (GML) extract and amoxicillin on the growth of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacterial cells. A commercial GML extract was screened for phytochemical properties, and the presence of α-mangostin was detected using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The antibacterial activity of the commercial GML extract with amoxicillin was analysed by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and checkerboard assays. The morphology ultrastructure of bacteria was observed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), after treatment with commercial GML extract, either single or in combination with amoxicillin. The MICs of amoxicillin and commercial GML extract against MRSA bacteria were 250.00 and 137.50 μg/mL, respectively. The checkerboard assay showed synergistic activity in the combination of commercial GML extract (34.38 µg/mL) and amoxicillin (62.50 µg/mL) at fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) index of < 0.5. Damage to the structure of bacteria occurred due to the commercial GML extract plus amoxicillin. It was observed that the loss of bacterial cell membranes led to an irregular bacterial structure. These findings provided evidence that the combination of commercial GML extract and amoxicillin could reverse bacterial resistance in order to determine the susceptibility of traditional drugs

Verifiable Delay Functions

We study the problem of building a verifiable delay function (VDF). A VDF requires a specified number of sequential steps to evaluate, yet produces a unique output that can be efficiently and publicly verified. VDFs have many applications in decentralized systems, including public randomness beacons, leader election in consensus protocols, and proofs of replication. We formalize the requirements for VDFs and present new candidate constructions that are the first to achieve an exponential gap between evaluation and verification time

Antimicrobial Activity of Ethanol Extract of Abrus precatorius L. Roots against Planktonic Cells and Biofilm of Urine and Blood Methicillin Sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) Isolate

The purpose of this study was to to compare the antibiofim activity of ethanol extract of Abrus precatorius L. roots at various concentrations of the Indonesian isolate of Staphylococcus aureus biofilm. The method used included inhibition test of planktonic bacteria and inhibition test of bacterial biofilm. The variable measured is the optical density (OD) of biofilm formation tested by ELISA reader. Inhibition test of biofilm formation is carried out using the microtiter plate method. The results showed that ethanol extract of A. precatorius L. roots had a significant differences in the inhibitory effect on biofilm formation between treatment group and positive control. The linear regression test showed that antibiofilm activity of ethanol extract of A. precatorius L. roots was slightly stronger on blood MSSA isolate. Therefore, the ethanol extract of A. precatorius L. roots have antibiofilm activity for MSSA isolate

Kinerja Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Rekombinan [Glo1] Dalam Proses Simultan Hidrolisis Pati Dan Fermentasi Untuk Produksi Bioetanol [the Performance of Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Recombinant [Glo1] in the Producing Bioethanol From Starch by Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation (Ssf) Conditions]

Recent development in fermentations for bioethanol production were focused three factors, i.e. abundance and cheap substrates,superior yeast fermenting the substrates, and simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) technology.Nowadays national and world bioethanol production still depend on sugar cane and starchy materials.This research aims to determinate the optimum simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) conditions to identify the performance of local strain Saccharomyces cerevisiae recombinant [GLO1] in the producing bioethanol from starch.The optimum conditions for SSF process are in a media composition containing glucose 2% (w/v), starch 5% and at aeration rate 50 rpm.At these optimum conditions Saccharomyces cerevisiae recombinant [GLO1] produce 25.36% (v/v) bioethanol at day-20 of the fermentation process design

COMPARISON OF STS-PCR, RAPD-PCR, DAMD-PCR FOR PHOLOMIS, MELISSA, ORIGANUM, ROSMARINUS AND SIDERITIS SPECIES

A large number of medicinal and aromatic plant species naturally grown in the Mediterranean basin of Turkey are endemic to this region. Genetic studies of these species; however, fall behind the other cultivated species. The last three decades witnessed the development of tremendous number of molecular approaches such as DNA techniques to be used in germplasm evaluation and plant genetic analysis. DNA markers have been used in plant molecular ecology, taxonomy and plant breeding studies. The use of these DNA techniques are extremely important for those difficult plant species with limited reliable taxonomic characters. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD-PCR), directed amplification of minisatellite region DNA (DAMD-PCR) and Sequence Tagged Sites (STS-PCR) were used to determine which of these markers provide repeatable and higher level polymorphism information content values on five different genus; Pholomis, Melissa, Origanum, Rosmarinus and Sideritis. Genomic, chloroplast and mitochondrial DNAs of two species of Sideritis, Origanum, and one species of Pholomis, Melissa, Rosmarinus and Teacrium were extracted and analyzed. Studies clearly indicated that STS–PCR markers of mitochondria and chloroplast were less polymorphic based on their PIC values. On the other hand the PIC values of DAMD-PCR and RAPD techniques were equally similar. The numbers of amplicons were lower in DAMD-PCR than that of the RAPD-PCR. In conclusion the results of the present study indicated that DAMD-PCR and RAPD-PCR were equally effective in differentiation of the species of Lamiaceae. Although STS showed lower polymorphism, they are extremely valuable in identification of naturally occurring inter-specific hybrid

Gemfibrozil and its oxidative metabolites: quantification of aglycones, acyl glucuronides, and covalent adducts in samples from preclinical and clinical kinetic studies

A gradient reversed-phase HPLC analysis for the direct measurement of gemfibrozil (GEM) and four oxidative metabolites in plasma and urine of humans and in tissue homogenates of rats was developed. The corresponding acyl glucuronides and the covalently bound protein adducts (in protein precipitates) were determined after liberation from the respective conjugates via alkaline hydrolysis. The limits of detection for the covalent adducts in human plasma are: 10 ng ml(-1) (GEM), 20 ng ml(-1) (M1), 0.5 ng ml(-1) (M2, M4), and 5 ng ml(-1) (M3). The method was validated with respect to selectivity, recovery, linearity, precision, and accuracy. It has been applied to the analysis of preclinical and clinical studies. Pharmacokinetic profiles of gemfibrozil, its metabolites, and covalent adducts in human plasma and rat tissue homogenates are given. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved