Sequential interactions of Silver-silica nanocomposite (Ag-SiO2NC) with cell wall, metabolism and genetic stability of Psedomonas aeruginosa, a multiple antibiotic resistant bacterium

The study was carried out to understand the effect of silver-silica nanocomposite (Ag-SiO2NC) on the cell wall integrity, metabolism and genetic stability of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a multiple drugresistant bacterium. Bacterial sensitivity towards antibiotics and Ag-SiO2NC was studied using standard disc diffusion and death rate assay, respectively. The effect of Ag-SiO2NC on cell wall integrity was monitored using SDS assay and fatty acid profile analysis while the effect on metabolism and genetic stability was assayed microscopically, using CTC viability staining and comet assay, respectively. P. aeruginosa was found to be resistant to β-lactamase, glycopeptidase, sulfonamide, quinolones, nitrofurantoin and macrolides classes of antibiotics. Complete mortality of the bacterium was achieved with 80 μgml-1 concentration of Ag-SiO2NC. The cell wall integrity reduced with increasing time and reached a plateau of 70 % in 110 min. Changes were also noticed in the proportion of fatty acids after the treatment. Inside the cytoplasm, a complete inhibition of electron transport system was achieved with 100 μgml-1 Ag-SiO2NC, followed by DNA breakage. The study thus demonstrates that Ag-SiO2NC invades the cytoplasm of the multiple drug-resistant P. aeruginosa by impinging upon the cell wall integrity and kills the cells by interfering with electron transport chain and the genetic stability

In vivo screening of mangrove plants for anti WSSV activity in Penaeus monodon, and evaluation of Ceriops tagal as a potential source of antiviral molecules

The objective of the study was to find out a natural way to fight white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) in cultured shrimps, as the present scenario necessitated an organic remedy for the devastating pathogen in crustaceans. Under this research programme seven mangrove plants were collected, identified and aqueous extracts screened for their protective effect on the giant tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon against WSSV. The experimental design consisted two modes of application, such as exposure of the virus to the extract and injection challenge, and oral administration of the extract coated feed followed by oral challenge. All experimental animals were monitored through a nested diagnostic PCR analysis. Of the seven mangrove extracts screened aqueous extract from Ceriops tagal imparted total protection to shrimp from WSSV when challenged by both methods. Shrimps administered with the aqueous extract from C. tagal were devoid of virions. The HPLC fingerprint of the aqueous extracts from C. tagal showed more than 25 peaks and 7 of them were larger and well separated. Preliminary phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, polyphenolics, cardiac glycosides, saponins and sterols. The study indicated suitability of the aqueous extract of C. tagal as a possible prophylaxis for WSSV infection in shrimp. This is the first report on the anti WSSV property of the mangrove plant C. tagal

Contribution of the exact Breit operator plus the electron state-dependent screening to the multiplet and fine structure of muon-electron atoms

We investigate for very general cases the multiplet and fine structure splitting of muonelectron atoms arising from the coupling of the electron and muon angular momenta, including the effect of the Breit operator plus the electron state-dependent screening. Although many conditions have to be fulfilled simultaneously to observe these effeets, it should be possible to measure them in the 6h- 5g muonic transition in the Sn region.

Values for the electron screening in muonic atoms for all Z

The electron screening correction in the X-ray transitions in muonic atoms is calculated within a relativistic SCF Hartree-Fock procedure for many transitions and all Z.

Relativity and screening effects in heavy-ion collisions

Diatomic correlation diagrams are the main basis for the description of heavy-ion collisions. We have constructed the first realistic relativistic many-electron correlation diagrams based on nonrelativistic self-consistent-field, Hartree-Fock calculations of diatomic molecules plus relativistic corrections. We discuss the relativistic influences as well as the many-electron screening effects in the I-Au system with a combined charge of Z = 132 as an example.

Contact Sensing: A Sequential Decision Approach to Sensing Manipulation Contact

This paper describes a new statistical, model-based approach to building a contact state observer. The observer uses measurements of the contact force and position, and prior information about the task encoded in a graph, to determine the current location of the robot in the task configuration space. Each node represents what the measurements will look like in a small region of configuration space by storing a predictive, statistical, measurement model. This approach assumes that the measurements are statistically block independent conditioned on knowledge of the model, which is a fairly good model of the actual process. Arcs in the graph represent possible transitions between models. Beam Viterbi search is used to match measurement history against possible paths through the model graph in order to estimate the most likely path for the robot. The resulting approach provides a new decision process that can be use as an observer for event driven manipulation programming. The decision procedure is significantly more robust than simple threshold decisions because the measurement history is used to make decisions. The approach can be used to enhance the capabilities of autonomous assembly machines and in quality control applications.

Sequential Optimal Recovery: A Paradigm for Active Learning

In most classical frameworks for learning from examples, it is assumed that examples are randomly drawn and presented to the learner. In this paper, we consider the possibility of a more active learner who is allowed to choose his/her own examples. Our investigations are carried out in a function approximation setting. In particular, using arguments from optimal recovery (Micchelli and Rivlin, 1976), we develop an adaptive sampling strategy (equivalent to adaptive approximation) for arbitrary approximation schemes. We provide a general formulation of the problem and show how it can be regarded as sequential optimal recovery. We demonstrate the application of this general formulation to two special cases of functions on the real line 1) monotonically increasing functions and 2) functions with bounded derivative. An extensive investigation of the sample complexity of approximating these functions is conducted yielding both theoretical and empirical results on test functions. Our theoretical results (stated insPAC-style), along with the simulations demonstrate the superiority of our active scheme over both passive learning as well as classical optimal recovery. The analysis of active function approximation is conducted in a worst-case setting, in contrast with other Bayesian paradigms obtained from optimal design (Mackay, 1992).

Estudio psicom??trico del Screening de Problemas de Conducta Infantil SPCI

Resumen tomado de la publicaci??n

La validez del test guestáltico visomotor para niños como test screening de inteligencia general en niños de educación especial.

Resumen tomado parcialmente de la publicación

Primary Prevention and Screening Strategies for Colorectal Cancer: Which Strategy Should Take?

Objective: To explore and define the utility of different strategies for primary prevention (ASA, diet, physical activity) and strategies of screening test (FOBT, sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, etc.) for colorectal cancer. Data source: Databases consulted were MEDLINE (1966 to 2006), DARE (1980 to 2006), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Collaboration’s Registry of Clinical Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and LILACS. Study selection: Studies such clinical trial, cohort and case-control studies of the effectiveness of tests for screening and primary prevention adenoma and colorectal cancer were identified by two reviewers. Data Extraction: The extraction of data and its evaluation is done in most of the process so paired. Limitations: Not strictly complies with the methodology of a systematic review and therefore reproducibility is questionable, the conclusions of this study should be extrapolated with caution. Conclusions: The major strategy of screening on the effectiveness of early detection of premalignant lesions or cancer is colonoscopy every 5 years, however it is necessary to evaluate this measure cost-effectiveness studies. For primary prevention, aspirin and cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors reduce the incidence of colorectal adenomas. Aspirin can reduce colorectal cancer incidence. However, these medications may be associated with a significant risk of cardiovascular events and gastrointestinal bleeding. The balance between risks and benefits must be evaluated in future studies.

Syllable-frequency effect in visual word recognition : evidence or sequential-type processing. 'El efecto de frecuencia silábica en el reconcimiento visual de palabras : evidencia de un proceso secuencial tipo'.

Resumen tomado de la revista

BLOC Screening en una muestra de niños chilenos.

Resumen en inglés

Evaluación del lenguaje mediante la batería BLOC : BLOC Screening y BLOC Info : proceso de diseño, análisis y aplicación.

Resumen basado en el de los autores. Resumen en inglés