Characterization of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates from Austrian companion animals and horses

Background: The aim of the present study was to investigate the genetic relatedness and the antimicrobial resistance profiles of a collection of Austrian Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates from companion animals and horses. A total of 12 non-repetitive isolates presumptively identified as S. pneumoniae were obtained during routinely diagnostic activities between March 2009 and January 2017. Results: Isolates were confirmed as S. pneumoniae by bile solubility and optochin susceptibility testing, matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry and sequence analysis of a part recA and the 16S rRNA genes. Isolates were further characterized by pneumolysin polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and genotyped by multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed and resistance genes were detected by specific PCR assays. All isolates were serotyped. Four sequence types (ST) (ST36, ST3546, ST6934 and ST6937) and four serotypes (3, 19A, 19F and 23F) were detected. Two isolates from twelve displayed a multidrug-resistance pheno- and genotype. Conclusions: This study represents the first comprehensive investigation on characteristics of S. pneumoniae isolates recovered from Austrian companion animals and horses. The obtained results indicate that common human sero- (23F) and sequence type (ST36) implicated in causing invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) may circulate in dogs. Isolates obtained from other examined animals seem to be host-adapted

Mathematical Properties of a New Levin-Type Sequence Transformation Introduced by \v{C}\'{\i}\v{z}ek, Zamastil, and Sk\'{a}la. I. Algebraic Theory

\v{C}\'{\i}\v{z}ek, Zamastil, and Sk\'{a}la [J. Math. Phys. \textbf{44}, 962 - 968 (2003)] introduced in connection with the summation of the divergent perturbation expansion of the hydrogen atom in an external magnetic field a new sequence transformation which uses as input data not only the elements of a sequence $\{s_n \}_{n=0}^{\infty}$ of partial sums, but also explicit estimates $\{\omega_n \}_{n=0}^{\infty}$ for the truncation errors. The explicit incorporation of the information contained in the truncation error estimates makes this and related transformations potentially much more powerful than for instance Pad\'{e} approximants. Special cases of the new transformation are sequence transformations introduced by Levin [Int. J. Comput. Math. B \textbf{3}, 371 - 388 (1973)] and Weniger [Comput. Phys. Rep. \textbf{10}, 189 - 371 (1989), Sections 7 -9; Numer. Algor. \textbf{3}, 477 - 486 (1992)] and also a variant of Richardson extrapolation [Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. London A \textbf{226}, 299 - 349 (1927)]. The algebraic theory of these transformations - explicit expressions, recurrence formulas, explicit expressions in the case of special remainder estimates, and asymptotic order estimates satisfied by rational approximants to power series - is formulated in terms of hitherto unknown mathematical properties of the new transformation introduced by \v{C}\'{\i}\v{z}ek, Zamastil, and Sk\'{a}la. This leads to a considerable formal simplification and unification.Comment: 41 + ii pages, LaTeX2e, 0 figures. Submitted to Journal of Mathematical Physic

A universal modular autonomous robot architecture

We present a universal modular robot architecture. A robot consists of the following intelligent modules: central control unit (CCU), drive, actuators, a vision unit and sensor input unit. Software and hardware of the robot fit into this structure. We define generic interface protocols between these units. If the robot has to solve a new application and is equipped with a different drive, new actuators and different sensors, only the program for the new application has to be loaded into the CCU. The interfaces to the drive, the vision unit and the other sensors are plug-and-play interfaces. The only constraint for the CCU-program is the set of commands for the actuators

A UNIVERSAL MODULAR AUTONOMOUS ROBOT ARCHITECTURE

Abstract: We present a universal modular robot architecture. A robot consists of the following intelligent modules: central control unit (CCU), drive, actuators, a vision unit and sensor input unit. Software and hardware of the robot fit into this structure. We define generic interface protocols between these units. If the robot has to solve a new application and is equipped with a different drive, new actuators and different sensors, only the program for the new application has to be loaded into the CCU. The interfaces to the drive, the vision unit and the other sensors are plug-and-play interfaces. The only constraint for the CCU-program is the set of commands for the actuators.

Spitze ohne Basis? Soziologische Reflexionen zur Nachwuchsrekrutierung im Spitzensport

Cachay K. Spitze ohne Basis? Soziologische Reflexionen zur Nachwuchsrekrutierung im Spitzensport. In: Fessler N, Scheid V, Trosien G, Simen J, Bückel F, eds. Gemeinsam etwas bewegen! Sportverein und Schule - Schule und Sportverein in Kooperation ; Dokumentation der Fachtagung. Reihe Sport. Vol 11. Schorndorf: Hofmann; 1999: 88-95