Floating Point Geometric Algorithms for Topologically Correct Scientific Visualization

The unresolved subtleties of floating point computations in geometric modeling become considerably more difficult in animations and scientific visualizations. Some emerging solutions based upon topological considerations will be presented. A novel geometric seeding algorithm for Newton\u27s method was used in experiments to determine feasible support for these visualization applications

Effects of N,N-dimethyltryptamine on electrically evoked responses in the cat visual system and modification by neuroleptic agents,

The effects of N,N-dimethyltryptamine on electrically evoked potentials in the visual system of the cat and the interaction of selected neuroleptic agents with dimethyltryptamine were studied. Dimethyltryptamine caused a dose-dependent decrease in the amplitude of the response evoked by stimulation of the optic chiasm as recorded in the lateral geniculate nucleus and the visual cortex. Dimethyltryptamine had no significant effect on antidromically evoked potentials in the lateral geniculate nucleus or potentials in the visual cortex produced by optic radiation stimulation. A dose-dependent biphasic effect was found in animals pretreated with various doses of chlorpromazine, haloperidol, thiothixene, molindone, methiothepin and octoclothepin. Methiothepin and octoclothepin were the most potent antagonists of dimethyltryptamine, while molindone was essentially ineffective. Low doses of the neuroleptics, with the exception of molindone, potentiated the inhibitory action of dimethyltryptamine on evoked responses.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/21690/1/0000081.pd

Highly Ionized High Velocity Clouds: Intergalactic Gas in the Local Group or Distant Gas in the Galactic Halo?

We have recently identified several high velocity (V < -100 km/s) clouds in the directions of Mrk 509 and PKS 2155-304 that have unusual ionization properties. The clouds exhibit strong C IV absorption with little or no detectable low ion (C II, Si II) absorption or H I 21cm emission. As the closest known analog to the outer diffuse halos of damped Ly-alpha absorbers and the low H I column density metal line absorption systems seen in the spectra of high redshift quasars, these "C IV-HVCs" present unique opportunities for relating the conditions within the Milky Way halo and nearby intergalactic gas to the properties of galactic halos at higher redshift. The C IV-HVCs have ionization properties consistent with photoionization by extragalactic background radiation, though some contribution by collisional ionization within a hot plasma cannot be ruled out. The clouds are probably low density [n(H) ~ 10^-4 cm^-3], large [greater than several kiloparsecs], and mostly ionized [n(HI)/n(H) ~ 10^-3] regions located well beyond the neutral gas layer of the Galaxy. The presence of weak H I-HVCs detected through 21cm emission near both sight lines indicates that the C IV-HVCs trace the extended, ionized, low density regions of the H I-HVCs. Several lines of evidence, including very low thermal pressures (P/k ~ 2 cm^-3 K), favor a location for the C IV-HVCs in the Local Group or very distant Galactic halo.Comment: AASTEX manuscript and tables, 55 pages, 8 postscript figures. Astrophysical Journal, in pres

Loss of the insulin receptor in murine megakaryocytes/platelets causes thrombocytosis and alterations in IGF signalling.

AIMS: Patients with conditions that are associated with insulin resistance such as obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and polycystic ovary syndrome have an increased risk of thrombosis and a concurrent hyperactive platelet phenotype. Our aim was to determine whether insulin resistance of megakaryocytes/platelets promotes platelet hyperactivation. METHODS AND RESULTS: We generated a conditional mouse model where the insulin receptor (IR) was specifically knocked out in megakaryocytes/platelets and performed ex vivo platelet activation studies in wild-type (WT) and IR-deficient platelets by measuring aggregation, integrin αIIbβ3 activation, and dense and α-granule secretion. Deletion of IR resulted in an increase in platelet count and volume, and blocked the action of insulin on platelet signalling and function. Platelet aggregation, granule secretion, and integrin αIIbβ3 activation in response to the glycoprotein VI (GPVI) agonist collagen-related peptide (CRP) were significantly reduced in platelets lacking IR. This was accompanied by a reduction in the phosphorylation of effectors downstream of GPVI. Interestingly, loss of IR also resulted in a reduction in insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1)- and insulin-like growth factor-2 (IGF-2)-mediated phosphorylation of IRS-1, Akt, and GSK3β and priming of CRP-mediated platelet activation. Pharmacological inhibition of IR and the IGF-1 receptor in WT platelets recapitulated the platelet phenotype of IR-deficient platelets. CONCLUSIONS: Deletion of IR (i) increases platelet count and volume, (ii) does not cause platelet hyperactivity, and (iii) reduces GPVI-mediated platelet function and platelet priming by IGF-1 and IGF-2

Flavobacterium plurextorum sp. nov. isolated from farmed rainbow trout (Oncorhyncus mykiss)

Five strains (1126-1H-08T, 51B-09, 986-08, 1084B-08 and 424-08) were isolated from diseased rainbow trout. Cells were Gram-negative rods, 0.7 mm wide and 3 mm long, non-endospore-forming, catalase and oxidase positive. Colonies were circular, yellow-pigmented, smooth and entire on TGE agar after 72 hours incubation at 25uC. They grew in a temperature range between 15uC to 30uC, but they did not grow at 37uCor 42uC. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, the isolates belonged to the genus Flavobacterium. Strain 1126-1H-08T exhibited the highest levels of similarity with Flavobacterium oncorhynchi CECT 7678T and Flavobacterium pectinovorum DSM 6368T (98.5% and 97.9% sequence similarity, respectively). DNA–DNA hybridization values were 87 to 99% among the five isolates and ranged from 21 to 48% between strain 1126-1H- 08T, selected as a representative isolate, and the type strains of Flavobacterium oncorhynchi CECT 7678T and other phylogenetic related Flavobacterium species. The DNA G+C content of strain 1126-1H-08T was 33.2 mol%. The predominant respiratory quinone was MK-6 and the major fatty acids were iso-C15:0 and C15:0. These data were similar to those reported for Flavobacterium species. Several physiological and biochemical tests differentiated the novel bacterial strains from related Flavobacterium species. Phylogenetic, genetic and phenotypic data indicate that these strains represent a new species of the genus Flavobacterium, for which the name Flavobacterium plurextorum sp. nov. was proposed. The type strain is 1126- 1H-08T ( = CECT 7844T = CCUG 60112T)

Multiple locus VNTR analysis highlights that geographical clustering and distribution of Dichelobacter nodosus, the causal agent of footrot in sheep, correlates with inter-country movements

Dichelobacter nodosus is a Gram-negative, anaerobic bacterium and the causal agent of footrot in sheep. Multiple locus variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) analysis (MLVA) is a portable technique that involves the identification and enumeration of polymorphic tandem repeats across the genome. The aims of this study were to develop an MLVA scheme for D. nodosus suitable for use as a molecular typing tool, and to apply it to a global collection of isolates. Seventy-seven isolates selected from regions with a long history of footrot (GB, Australia) and regions where footrot has recently been reported (India, Scandinavia), were characterised. From an initial 61 potential VNTR regions, four loci were identified as usable and in combination had the attributes required of a typing method for use in bacterial epidemiology: high discriminatory power (D > 0.95), typeability and reproducibility. Results from the analysis indicate that D. nodosus appears to have evolved via recombinational exchanges and clonal diversification. This has resulted in some clonal complexes that contain isolates from multiple countries and continents; and others that contain isolates from a single geographic location (country or region). The distribution of alleles between countries matches historical accounts of sheep movements, suggesting that the MLVA technique is sufficiently specific and sensitive for an epidemiological investigation of the global distribution of D. nodosus

Data quality monitoring and performance metrics of a prospective, population-based observational study of maternal and newborn health in low resource settings

BACKGROUND: To describe quantitative data quality monitoring and performance metrics adopted by the Global Network´s (GN) Maternal Newborn Health Registry (MNHR), a maternal and perinatal population-based registry (MPPBR) based in low and middle income countries (LMICs). METHODS: Ongoing prospective, population-based data on all pregnancy outcomes within defined geographical locations participating in the GN have been collected since 2008. Data quality metrics were defined and are implemented at the cluster, site and the central level to ensure data quality. Quantitative performance metrics are described for data collected between 2010 and 2013. RESULTS: Delivery outcome rates over 95% illustrate that all sites are successful in following patients from pregnancy through delivery. Examples of specific performance metric reports illustrate how both the metrics and reporting process are used to identify cluster-level and site-level quality issues and illustrate how those metrics track over time. Other summary reports (e.g. the increasing proportion of measured birth weight compared to estimated and missing birth weight) illustrate how a site has improved quality over time. CONCLUSION: High quality MPPBRs such as the MNHR provide key information on pregnancy outcomes to local and international health officials where civil registration systems are lacking. The MNHR has measures in place to monitor data collection procedures and improve the quality of data collected. Sites have increasingly achieved acceptable values of performance metrics over time, indicating improvements in data quality, but the quality control program must continue to evolve to optimize the use of the MNHR to assess the impact of community interventions in research protocols in pregnancy and perinatal health.Fil: Goudar, Shivaprasad S.. KLE University. Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College; IndiaFil: Stolka, Kristen B.. Research Triangle Institute International; Estados UnidosFil: Koso Thomas, Marion. Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; Estados UnidosFil: Honnungar, Narayan V.. KLE University. Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College; IndiaFil: Mastiholi, Shivanand C.. KLE University. Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College; IndiaFil: Ramadurg, Umesh Y.. S. Nijalingappa Medical College; IndiaFil: Dhaded, Sangappa M.. KLE University. Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College; IndiaFil: Pasha, Omrana. Aga Khan University; PakistánFil: Patel, Archana. Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Lata Medical Research Foundation; IndiaFil: Esamai, Fabian. University School of Medicine; KeniaFil: Chomba, Elwyn. University of Zambia; ZambiaFil: Garces, Ana. Universidad de San Carlos; GuatemalaFil: Althabe, Fernando. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria; ArgentinaFil: Carlo, Waldemar A.. University of Alabama at Birmingahm; Estados UnidosFil: Goldenberg, Robert L.. Columbia University; Estados UnidosFil: Hibberd, Patricia L.. Massachusetts General Hospital for Children; Estados UnidosFil: Liechty, Edward A.. Indiana University; Estados UnidosFil: Krebs, Nancy F.. University of Colorado School of Medicine; Estados UnidosFil: Hambidge, Michael K.. University of Colorado School of Medicine; Estados UnidosFil: Moore, Janet L.. Research Triangle Institute International; Estados UnidosFil: Wallace, Dennis D.. Research Triangle Institute International; Estados UnidosFil: Derman, Richard J. Christiana Care Health Services; Estados UnidosFil: Bhalachandra, Kodkany S.. KLE University. Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College; IndiaFil: Bose, Carl L.. University of North Carolina; Estados Unido