A multiplex PCR assay for differentiating economically important gastrointestinal nematodes of cattle

A multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test was developed for identifying gastrointestinal (GI) nematodes that commonly infect cattle. This assay was developed using adult-derived genomic DNA and shown capable of discriminating parasite eggs from the feces of experimentally-infected animals at both the species and genus levels. Sequence data from internal (ITS) and external (ETS) transcribed spacers of the ribosomal DNA (rDNA) repeats as well as the 3′-end of the small subunit rDNA and 5′-end of the large subunit rDNA were used to generate five primer sets which, when used simultaneously in a multiplex PCR, produce a unique electrophoretic DNA banding pattern charac- terized by a single DNA fragment for Ostertagia ostertagi (257 bp), Haemonchus placei (176 bp),Oesophagostomum radiatum (329 bp), Trichostrongylus colubriformis (243 bp) and Cooperia on- cophora (151 bp). In a similar manner, the constructed primer sets amplified DNA from Ostertagia lyrata, Haemonchus contortus, Trichostrongylus axei, Cooperia surnabada and Cooperia punctata. With respect to H. contortus, a closely migrating doublet was generated suggesting size heterogene- ity in the ETS which is consistent with multiple rDNA repeat units within this species. PCR analyses using mixtures of monospecifically-purified nematode eggs indicated a sensitivity of less than 0.5 egg-DNA equivalent per species. Although, not designed as a quantitative technique, relative PCR signal intensities corresponded to relative egg burdens within the DNA samples from mixed species of eggs. Published by Elsevier Science B.V

ACM/IEEE-CS information technology curriculum 2017: A status update

The IT2008 Curriculum Guidelines for Undergraduate Degree Programs in Information Technology has been showing its age, and in 2014, the ACM Education Board agreed to oversee the creation of a revision, now being referred to as IT2017. Much progress has been made, and a version 0.6 will be ready by Oct 2016. All proposed panel members are members of the IT2017 Task Group

Accommodating Complex Substitution Patterns in a Random Utility Model of Recreational Fishing

We employed a cross-nested logit (CNL) model that permits a rich pattern of substitution among alternatives within a closed form choice model. The specification we employed is ideal for applications with many choice alternatives, such as the 431 fishing sites in this application. The CNL model provided a significant improvement over multinomial and nested logit model specifications at explaining observed recreational fishing site choices by residents of northern Ontario, Canada. Results from two scenarios illustrated the implications of using the CNL model on spatial substitution patterns and welfare measures associated with attribute change scenarios. The CNL model forecasts demonstrated that the relative change in fishing site use was lower at the most affected sites and higher at sites near the affected sites than was predicted by the multinomial logit model. No consistent pattern was found in mean or variance of welfare estimates associated with hypothetical attribute changes.Compensating variation, cross-nested logit, fishing site choice, random utility model, spatial substitution, Demand and Price Analysis, Institutional and Behavioral Economics, Q26,

Entanglement vs. the quantum-to-classical transition

We analyze the quantum-to-classical transition (QCT) for coupled bipartite quantum systems for which the position of one of the two subsystems is continuously monitored. We obtain the surprising result that the QCT can emerge concomitantly with the presence of highly entangled states in the bipartite system. Furthermore the changing degree of entanglement is associated with the back-action of the measurement on the system and is itself an indicator of the QCT. Our analysis elucidates the role of entanglement in von Neumann's paradigm of quantum measurements comprised of a system and a monitored measurement apparatus

Comparing Line and HR Executives’ Perceptions of HR Effectiveness: Services, Roles, and Contributions

This study compared HR and line executives’ evaluations of the effectiveness of the HR function in terms of its service delivery, roles, and contributions to the firm. Survey responses from 44 HR and 59 line executives from 14 companies indicated that (a) HR executives consistently rated the functions effectiveness higher than did line executives, and (b) the greatest differences were observed on the more important and/or strategic aspects of HR. Implications are discussed