330 research outputs found
Identification and abundance of fungal flora in egg, and larvae of Acipenser persicus in Shahid Beheshti Sturgeon Rearing Center (2007)
Fungal flora in egg, yolk sac larvae and larvae of Acipenser persicus were identified and studied. Totally, 270 specimens from Shahid Beheshti Sturgeon Rearing Center were examined. A heterogeneous solution from samples was prepared and inoculated on culture media SDA+C and CMA+C in lines under sterile conditions. Wet mounts were prepared for the identification of Saprolegnia sp. and the inoculants were cultured on culture media GP containing gentamycin and chloramphenicol. We found Penicillium, Cladosporium, Fusarium, Yeast, Mucor sp., Aspergillus niger and Paecilomuces on egg samples in order of frequency and in water samples we observed Penicillium, Cladosporium, Fusarium, Yeast, Mucor sp., Aspergillus niger, and Paecilomyces. Fungal species identified in yolk sac larvae included Penicilliium sp., Cladosporium sp., Fusarium sp., Alternaria sp., Yeast and in water samples we found Penicillium, Cladosporium, Fusarium, and Yeast, while in larvae we saw Cladosporium sp., Penicilliium sp., Fusarium sp., Alternaria sp., Aspergilus fumigatus, Yeast and Mucor spp. In water samples containing larvae we were able to identify Cladosporium sp., Penicilliium sp., Fusarium sp., Yeast and Aspergilus niger. Fungal species such as Cladosporium sp., Penicillium, Fusarium, Yeast and Saprolegnia were detected in all four sampling mediums. T-test indicated no significant differences in total counts (colonies/2 plates in all samples) in eggs (15.08 Ā±3.51 colony forming unit; CFU) and in water (15.91Ā± 2.63) samples. However, t-test indicated significant differences in total counts in yolk sac larvae (5.33 Ā±1.05) and in water (11.77 Ā±2.39) samples. T-test showed no significant differences in total counts of larvae (32 Ā±12.46) and water (31.11 Ā±12.79) samples
Introducing molecular markers for Lernaea cyprinacea and Lernaea ctenopharyngodoni using RAPD technique
Molecular comparison of two parasites Lernaea cyprinacea and Lernaea ctenopharyngodoni was carried out using RAPD (Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA) technique. A total of 43 Lernaea specimens belonging to the two species were collected from the Guilan and Khouzestan Provinces. DNA was extracted using the Phenol-chloroform method. The quality and quantity of DNA was assessed using 1% Agarose gel electrophoresis and spectrophotometer. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was conducted on the target DNA under specific conditions and PCR products were subjected to electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gels (6%). Polyacrylamide gels were stained using silver nitrate and DNA bands were analyzed with BioCapt software. The genetic analysis was conducted using POP GEN 32 software. Forty two primers, 10 nucleotides each were used for PCR reaction. Totally, 397 RAPD loci were counted on polyacrylamide gel where 349 identical loci were polymorphic of which some bands may be used as genetic markers for the identification of both Lernaea species. Data analysis on PCR products showed higher genetic variation (1.15%) of L. ctenopharyngodon in the Guilan Province as compared to that of the Khouzestan (0.0%). However, genetic variation (27.46%) of L. cyprinacea in the Khouzestan Province was 7.26 times higher than that of the Guilan province (3.78%). The two species showed a genetic differentiation of approximately 88%. Based on the observed molecular differences, we state that L. ctenopharyngodoni is a genetically independent species from L. cyprinacea
Accelerating Recommendation System Training by Leveraging Popular Choices
Recommender models are commonly used to suggest relevant items to a user for
e-commerce and online advertisement-based applications. These models use
massive embedding tables to store numerical representation of items' and users'
categorical variables (memory intensive) and employ neural networks (compute
intensive) to generate final recommendations. Training these large-scale
recommendation models is evolving to require increasing data and compute
resources. The highly parallel neural networks portion of these models can
benefit from GPU acceleration however, large embedding tables often cannot fit
in the limited-capacity GPU device memory. Hence, this paper deep dives into
the semantics of training data and obtains insights about the feature access,
transfer, and usage patterns of these models. We observe that, due to the
popularity of certain inputs, the accesses to the embeddings are highly skewed
with a few embedding entries being accessed up to 10000x more. This paper
leverages this asymmetrical access pattern to offer a framework, called FAE,
and proposes a hot-embedding aware data layout for training recommender models.
This layout utilizes the scarce GPU memory for storing the highly accessed
embeddings, thus reduces the data transfers from CPU to GPU. At the same time,
FAE engages the GPU to accelerate the executions of these hot embedding
entries. Experiments on production-scale recommendation models with real
datasets show that FAE reduces the overall training time by 2.3x and 1.52x in
comparison to XDL CPU-only and XDL CPU-GPU execution while maintaining baseline
accurac
Ad-Rec: Advanced Feature Interactions to Address Covariate-Shifts in Recommendation Networks
Recommendation models are vital in delivering personalized user experiences
by leveraging the correlation between multiple input features. However, deep
learning-based recommendation models often face challenges due to evolving user
behaviour and item features, leading to covariate shifts. Effective
cross-feature learning is crucial to handle data distribution drift and
adapting to changing user behaviour. Traditional feature interaction techniques
have limitations in achieving optimal performance in this context.
This work introduces Ad-Rec, an advanced network that leverages feature
interaction techniques to address covariate shifts. This helps eliminate
irrelevant interactions in recommendation tasks. Ad-Rec leverages masked
transformers to enable the learning of higher-order cross-features while
mitigating the impact of data distribution drift. Our approach improves model
quality, accelerates convergence, and reduces training time, as measured by the
Area Under Curve (AUC) metric. We demonstrate the scalability of Ad-Rec and its
ability to achieve superior model quality through comprehensive ablation
studies
Unbalanced segregation of a paternal t(9;11)(p24.3;p15.4) translocation causing familial Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome: a case report.
BACKGROUND: The vast majority of cases with Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS) are caused by a molecular defect in the imprinted chromosome region 11p15.5. The underlying mechanisms include epimutations, uniparental disomy, copy number variations, and structural rearrangements. In addition, maternal loss-of-function mutations in CDKN1C are found. Despite growing knowledge on BWS pathogenesis, up to 20% of patients with BWS phenotype remain without molecular diagnosis. CASE PRESENTATION: Herein, we report an Iranian family with two females affected with BWS in different generations. Bisulfite pyrosequencing revealed hypermethylation of the H19/IGF2: intergenic differentially methylated region (IG DMR), also known as imprinting center 1 (IC1) and hypomethylation of the KCNQ1OT1: transcriptional start site (TSS) DMR (IC2). Array CGH demonstrated an 8āMb duplication on chromosome 11p15.5p15.4 (205,827-8,150,933) and a 1āMb deletion on chromosome 9p24.3 (209,020-1,288,114). Chromosome painting revealed that this duplication-deficiency in both patients is due to unbalanced segregation of a paternal reciprocal t(9;11)(p24.3;p15.4) translocation. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report of a paternally inherited unbalanced translocation between the chromosome 9 and 11 short arms underlying familial BWS. Copy number variations involving the 11p15.5 region are detected by the consensus diagnostic algorithm. However, in complex cases which do not only affect the BWS region itself, characterization of submicroscopic chromosome rearrangements can assist to estimate the recurrence risk and possible phenotypic outcomes
Spin relaxation in (110) and (001) InAs/GaSb superlattices
We report an enhancement of the electron spin relaxation time (T1) in a (110)
InAs/GaSb superlattice by more than an order of magnitude (25 times) relative
to the corresponding (001) structure. The spin dynamics were measured using
polarization sensitive pump probe techniques and a mid-infrared, subpicosecond
PPLN OPO. Longer T1 times in (110) superlattices are attributed to the
suppression of the native interface asymmetry and bulk inversion asymmetry
contributions to the precessional D'yakonov Perel spin relaxation process.
Calculations using a nonperturbative 14-band nanostructure model give good
agreement with experiment and indicate that possible structural inversion
asymmetry contributions to T1 associated with compositional mixing at the
superlattice interfaces may limit the observed spin lifetime in (110)
superlattices. Our findings have implications for potential spintronics
applications using InAs/GaSb heterostructures.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure
State of malaria diagnostic testing at clinical laboratories in the United States, 2010: a nationwide survey
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The diagnosis of malaria can be difficult in non-endemic areas, such as the United States, and delays in diagnosis and errors in treatment occur too often.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A nationwide survey of laboratories in the United States and its nine dependent territories was conducted in 2010 to determine factors that may contribute to shortcomings in the diagnosis of malaria. This survey explored the availability of malaria diagnostic tests, techniques used, and reporting practices.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The survey was completed by 201 participants. Ninety percent reported that their laboratories had at least one type of malaria diagnostic test available on-site. Nearly all of the respondents' laboratories performed thick and thin smears on-site; approximately 50% had access to molecular testing; and only 17% had access to rapid diagnostic tests on-site. Seventy-three percent reported fewer than five confirmed cases of malaria in their laboratory during the 12-month period preceding the survey. Twenty-eight percent stated that results of species identification took more than 24 hours to report. Only five of 149 respondents that performed testing 24 hours a day, 7 days a week complied with all of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines for analysis and reporting of results.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Although malaria diagnostic testing services were available to a majority of U.S. laboratories surveyed, very few were in complete compliance with all of the CLSI guidelines for analysis and reporting of results, and most respondents reported very few cases of malaria annually. Laboratories' difficulty in adhering to the rigorous CLSI guidelines and their personnel's lack of practice and proficiency may account for delays and errors in diagnosis. It is recommended that laboratories that infrequently process samples for malaria seek opportunities for practice and proficiency training annually and take advantage of available resources to assist in species identification.</p
Export of malaria proteins requires co-translational processing of the PEXEL motif independent of phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphate binding
Acknowledgements We thank the Red Cross blood bank in Melbourne for human erythrocytes. We thank Svenja Gunther for expression of GBP130 66ā196 proteins; Michelle Gazdik and Chris Burns for help in preparing lipids; Lachlan Whitehead (Centre for Dynamic Imaging, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute) for assistance with quantification of export; and David Bocher for help with generation of STEVOR constructs. This work was supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (grants 637406, 1010326, 1049811 and 1057960), a Ramaciotti Foundation Establishment Grant (3197/2010), a Victorian State Government Operational Infrastructure Support and Australian Government NHMRC IRIISS, and the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (MOP#130359). J.A.B is an Australian Research Council QEII Fellow, SF was supported by the Research Training Group GRK1459 of the German Research Foundation, and AFC is a Howard Hughes International Scholar.Peer reviewedPublisher PD
Varus distal femoral osteotomy in young adults with valgus knee
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Musculoskeletal disorders specially knee osteoarthritis are the most common causes of morbidity in old patients. Disturbance of the mechanical axis of the lower extremity is one of the most important causes in progression of knee osteoarthritis. The purpose of the present study was to analyze the surgical results of distal femoral varus osteotomy in patients with genu valgum.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In this study, after recording history and physical examination, appropriate radiographs were taken. We did varus distal femoral osteotomy by standard medial subvastus approach and 90-angle blade plate fixation then followed the patients clinically and radiographically.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>This study was done on 23 knees (16 patients) age 23.3 years (range, 17 to 41 years). The mean duration of following up was 16.3 months (range, 8 to 25 months). Based on paired T test, there were statistically significant difference between pre- and postoperative tibiofemoral and congruence angles (p < 0.001, t = 21.3 and p < 0.001, t = 10.1 respectively). Pearson correlation between the amount of tibiofemoral and congruence angle correction was also statistically significant (p = 0.02 and r = 0.46).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Distal femoral varus osteotomy with blade plate fixation can be a reliable procedure for the treatment of valgus knee deformity. In this procedure, with more tibiofemoral angle correction, more congruence angle correction can be achieved. Therefore, along with genu valgum correction, the patella should be stabilized simultaneously.</p
O-C Study of 545 Lunar Occultations from 13 Double Stars
International audienceIn this article, we have studied the reports of lunar occultations by this project observation's teams (named APTO) in comparison with other observations of the objects. Thirteen binary stars were selected for this study. All the previous observations of these stars were also collected. Finally, an analysis of O-C of all reports were performed
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