The Serological Diagnosis of Enterovirus Infections

A micro-neutralisation test for the detection of Coxsackie B specific antibody in patients serum is described. Patients with suspected cardiac and other illnesses with possible Coxsackie B virus etiology were examined. In 1983 34%. had titres of >256, in the better selected patients tested in 1984 the figure was 46%

Gesture Recognition with the Leap Motion Controller

The Leap Motion Controller is a small USB device that tracks hand and finger movements using infrared LEDs, allowing users to input gesture commands into an application in place of a mouse or keyboard. This creates the potential for developing a general gesture recognition system in 3D that can be easily set up by laypersons using a simple, commercially available device. To investigate the effectiveness of the Leap Motion controller for hand gesture recognition, we collected data from over 100 participants and then used this data to train a 3D recognition model based on convolutional neural networks, which can recognize 2D projections of the 3D space. This achieved an accuracy rate of 92.4% on held out data. We also describe preliminary work on incorporating time series gesture data using hidden Markov models, with the goal of detecting arbitrary start and stop points for gestures when continuously recording data

An experimental design framework for evolutionary robotics

Based on the failures of work in the area of machine intelligence in the past, a new paradigm has been proposed: for a machine to develop intelligence it should be able to interact with and survive within a hostile dynamic environment. It should therefore be able to display adaptive behaviour and respond correctly to changes in its situation. This means that before higher cognitive properties can be modeled, the modeling of the lower levels of intelligence would be achieved first. Only by building on this platform of physical and mental abilities may it be possible to develop true intelligence. One train of thought for implementing this is to control and design a robot by modeling the neuroethology of simpler animals such as insects. This thesis outlines one approach to the design and development of such a robot, controlled by a neural network, by combining the work of a number of researchers in the areas of machine intelligence and artificial life. It involves Rodney Brooks’ subsumption architecture, Randall D. Beer’s work in the area of computational neuroethology, Richard Dawkins’ work in the area of biomorphs and computational embryology and finally the work of John Holland and David Goldberg in genetic algorithms. This thesis will demonstrate the method and reasoning behind the combination of the work of the above named researchers. It will also detail and analyse the results obtained by their application

Pasture condition guide for the Kimberley

This interactive guide has been produced as a tool for assessing pasture condition over a range of pasture types in the Kimberley. A pasture type is a distinctive mix of plant species, soil type and landscape position. For example, the Mitchell Grass Alluvial Plain Pasture type is a mixture of Mitchell grasses and other species occurring on black soil alluvial plains. Pasture condition is an important factor affecting the potential of the rangelands for animal production and is a useful indicator for the sustainability of production.https://researchlibrary.agric.wa.gov.au/bulletins/1063/thumbnail.jp

Use of Criminal Pleas in Aid of Private Antitrust Actions

Few fields of law have experienced a more dramatic pace of development in recent years than has that of the private antitrust action. After several decades of relative quiescence, the action for treble damages has grown in significance as an antitrust enforcement device at a rapidly accelerating rate since World War 11. Especially since the advent of the multitude of Electrical Industry Antitrust Cases in 1960, such private antitrust litigation has occupied a large segment of the time and effort of many judges and of many more lawyers throughout the country. Although few have come to trial, 3 this set of cases has already produced procedural innovations 4 and preliminary rulings which will be major factors in structuring the future course of antitrust litigation. Perhaps of even greater importance, however, is the fact that the mere filing and costly preparation of more than eighteen hundred such actions has created an acute awareness among the business community and the Bar of the possibilities and the threat which the treble damage claim may represent

Searching for Early Developmental Activities Leading to Computational Thinking Skills

Drawing on the long debate about whether computer science (CS) and computational thinking skills are innate or learnable, this working group is based on the following hypothesis: The apparent innate ability of some CS learners who succeed in CS courses despite no prior exposure to computing is a manifestation of early childhood experiences and learning outside formal education

Early Developmental Activities and Computing Proficiency

As countries adopt computing education for all pupils from primary school upwards, there are challenging indicators: significant proportions of students who choose to study computing at universities fail the introductory courses, and the evidence for links between formal education outcomes and success in CS is limited. Yet, as we know, some students succeed without prior computing experience. Why is this? <br/><br/> Some argue for an innate ability, some for motivation, some for the discrepancies between the expectations of instructors and students, and some – simply – for how programming is being taught. All agree that becoming proficient in computing is not easy. Our research takes a novel view on the problem and argues that some of that success is influenced by early childhood experiences outside formal education. <br/><br/> In this study, we analyzed over 1300 responses to a multi-institutional and multi-national survey that we developed. The survey captures enjoyment of early developmental activities such as childhood toys, games and pastimes between the ages 0 — 8 as well as later life experiences with computing. We identify unifying features of the computing experiences in later life, and attempt to link these computing experiences to the childhood activities. <br/><br/> The analysis indicates that computing proficiency should be seen from multiple viewpoints, including both skill-level and confidence. It shows that particular early childhood experiences are linked to parts of computing proficiency, namely those related to confidence with problem solving using computing technology. These are essential building blocks for more complex use. We recognize issues in the experimental design that may prevent our data showing a link between early activities and more complex computing skills, and suggest adjustments. Ultimately, it is hoped that this line of research will feed in to early years and primary education, and thereby improve computing education for all

Localization of the Carnation Italian ringspot virus replication protein p36 to the mitochondrial outer membrane is mediated by an internal targeting signal and the TOM complex

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Carnation Italian ringspot virus </it>(CIRV) is a positive-strand RNA virus that causes massive structural alterations of mitochondria in infected host cells, the most conspicuous being the formation of numerous internal vesicles/spherules that are derived from the mitochondrial outer membrane and serve as the sites for viral RNA replication. While the membrane-bound components of the CIRV replication complex, including a 36-kD RNA-binding protein (p36), are known to be essential for these changes in mitochondrial morphology and are relatively well characterized in terms of their roles in nascent viral RNA synthesis, how these proteins are specifically targeted and inserted into mitochondria is poorly defined.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Here we report on the molecular signal responsible for sorting p36 to the mitochondrial outer membrane. Using a combination of gain-of-function assays with portions of p36 fused to reporter proteins and domain-swapping assays with p36 and another closely-related viral RNA-binding protein, p33, that sorts specifically to the peroxisomal boundary membrane, we show that the mitochondrial targeting information in p36 resides within its two transmembrane domains (TMDs) and intervening hydrophilic loop sequence. Comprehensive mutational analysis of these regions in p36 revealed that the primary targeting determinants are the moderate hydrophobicity of both TMDs and the positively-charged face of an amphipathic helix within the intervening loop sequence. We show also using bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) that p36 interacts with certain components of the translocase complex in the mitochondrial outer membrane (TOM), but not with the sorting and assembly machinery (SAM).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our results provide insight to how viruses, such as CIRV, exploit specific host-cell protein sorting pathways to facilitate their replication. The characterization of the targeting and insertion of p36 into the mitochondrial outer membrane also sheds light on the mechanisms involved in sorting of host-cell membrane proteins to mitochondria, a process that has been largely unexplored in plants.</p