A simple modification of the Baermann method for diagnosis of strongyloidiasis

The diagnosis of Strongyloides stercoralis infections is routinely made by microscopic observation of larvae in stool samples, a low sensitivity method, or by other, most effective methods, such as the Baermann or agar culture plate methods. We propose in this paper a practical modification of Baermann method. One hundred and six stool samples from alcoholic patients were analyzed using the direct smear test, agar culture plate method, the standard Baermann method, and its proposed modification. For this modification the funnel used in the original version of the method is substituted by a test tube with a rubber stopper, perforated to allow insertion of a pipette tip. The tube with a fecal suspension is inverted over another tube containing 6 ml of saline solution and incubated at 37°C for at least 2 h. The saline solution from the second tube is centrifuged and the pellet is observed microscopically. Larva of S. stercoralis were detected in six samples (5.7%) by the two versions of the Baermann method. Five samples were positive using the agar culture plate method, and only in two samples the larva were observed using direct microscopic observation of fecal smears. Cysts of Endolimax nana and Entamoeba histolytica/dyspar were also detected in the modification of Baermann method. Data obtained by the modified Baermann method suggest that this methodology may helps concentrate larvae of S. stercoralis as efficiently as the original method.

An improved method for concentrating rotavirus from water samples

A modified adsorption-elution method for the concentration of seeded rotavirus from water samples was used to determine various factors which affected the virus recovery. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the rotavirus antigen after concentration. Of the various eluents compared, 0.05M glycine, pH 11.5 gave the highest rotavirus antigen recovery using negatively charged membrane filtration whereas 2.9% tryptose phosphate broth containing 6% glycine; pH 9.0 was found to give the greatest elution efficiency when a positively charged membrane was used. Reconcentration of water samples by a speedVac concentrator showed significantly higher rotavirus recovery than polyethylene glycol precipitation through both negatively and positively charged filters (p-value <0.001). In addition, speedVac concentration using negatively charged filtration resulted in greater rotavirus recovery than that using positively charged filtration (p-value = 0.004). Thirty eight environmental water samples were collected from river, domestic sewage, canals receiving raw sewage drains, and tap water collected in containers for domestic use, all from congested areas of Bangkok. In addition, several samples of commercial drinking water were analyzed. All samples were concentrated and examined for rotavirus antigen. Coliforms and fecal coliforms (0->1,800 MPN/100 ml) were observed but rotavirus was not detected in any sample. This study suggests that the speedVac reconcentration method gives the most efficient rotavirus recovery from water samples.

A gamma camera count rate saturation correction method for whole-body planar imaging.

Whole-body (WB) planar imaging has long been one of the staple methods of dosimetry, and its quantification has been formalized by the MIRD Committee in pamphlet no 16. One of the issues not specifically addressed in the formalism occurs when the count rates reaching the detector are sufficiently high to result in camera count saturation. Camera dead-time effects have been extensively studied, but all of the developed correction methods assume static acquisitions. However, during WB planar (sweep) imaging, a variable amount of imaged activity exists in the detector's field of view as a function of time and therefore the camera saturation is time dependent. A new time-dependent algorithm was developed to correct for dead-time effects during WB planar acquisitions that accounts for relative motion between detector heads and imaged object. Static camera dead-time parameters were acquired by imaging decaying activity in a phantom and obtaining a saturation curve. Using these parameters, an iterative algorithm akin to Newton's method was developed, which takes into account the variable count rate seen by the detector as a function of time. The algorithm was tested on simulated data as well as on a whole-body scan of high activity Samarium-153 in an ellipsoid phantom. A complete set of parameters from unsaturated phantom data necessary for count rate to activity conversion was also obtained, including build-up and attenuation coefficients, in order to convert corrected count rate values to activity. The algorithm proved successful in accounting for motion- and time-dependent saturation effects in both the simulated and measured data and converged to any desired degree of precision. The clearance half-life calculated from the ellipsoid phantom data was calculated to be 45.1 h after dead-time correction and 51.4 h with no correction; the physical decay half-life of Samarium-153 is 46.3 h. Accurate WB planar dosimetry of high activities relies on successfully compensating for camera saturation which takes into account the variable activity in the field of view, i.e. time-dependent dead-time effects. The algorithm presented here accomplishes this task.

Generador de gestores de contenido web en Java

Aquest projecte consisteix en el desenvolupament d'una aplicació web programada en Java, que permet crear diferents tipus de webs, donant l'opció de definir i administrar tant les estructures com els continguts dels apartats. Altres opcions que permet gestionar són els tipus d'usuaris que podran accedir i el disseny gràfic de cada web generada. S'aconsegueix així crear webs sense necessitat de programar. Mitjançant el desenvolupament del projecte es pretén aprendre i utilitzar el framewok anomenat Struts que ofereix una plataforma sobre la qual es desenvolupa l'aplicació permetent utilitzar una sèrie de llibreries ja programades i treballar utilitzant una metodologia o patró de disseny.

An efficient use of virtualization in grid/cloud environments

Grid is a hardware and software infrastructure that provides dependable, consistent, pervasive, and inexpensive access to high-end computational resources. Grid enables access to the resources but it does not guarantee any quality of service. Moreover, Grid does not provide performance isolation; job of one user can influence the performance of other user’s job. The other problem with Grid is that the users of Grid belong to scientific community and the jobs require specific and customized software environment. Providing the perfect environment to the user is very difficult in Grid for its dispersed and heterogeneous nature. Though, Cloud computing provide full customization and control, but there is no simple procedure available to submit user jobs as in Grid. The Grid computing can provide customized resources and performance to the user using virtualization. A virtual machine can join the Grid as an execution node. The virtual machine can also be submitted as a job with user jobs inside. Where the first method gives quality of service and performance isolation, the second method also provides customization and administration in addition. In this thesis, a solution is proposed to enable virtual machine reuse which will provide performance isolation with customization and administration. The same virtual machine can be used for several jobs. In the proposed solution customized virtual machines join the Grid pool on user request. Proposed solution describes two scenarios to achieve this goal. In first scenario, user submits their customized virtual machine as a job. The virtual machine joins the Grid pool when it is powered on. In the second scenario, user customized virtual machines are preconfigured in the execution system. These virtual machines join the Grid pool on user request. Condor and VMware server is used to deploy and test the scenarios. Condor supports virtual machine jobs. The scenario 1 is deployed using Condor VM universe. The second scenario uses VMware-VIX API for scripting powering on and powering off of the remote virtual machines. The experimental results shows that as scenario 2 does not need to transfer the virtual machine image, the virtual machine image becomes live on pool more faster. In scenario 1, the virtual machine runs as a condor job, so it easy to administrate the virtual machine. The only pitfall in scenario 1 is the network traffic.

Aplicación web con tecnología Java para la gestión de competencias en los estudios de grado

El objetivo de este proyecto es desarrollar una aplicación web con tecnología Java como alternativa a PHP. La web consiste en facilitar la gestión de competencias de los estudios de los grados universitarios. Dentro de la aplicación tanto coordinadores como administradores podrán realizar asignaciones y mantenimiento de dichas competencias. Los usuarios no registrados podrán obtener información de las competencias a través de los estudios seleccionados. Concluye con una comparación de la tecnología usada con PHP sobre la aplicación, detallando las ventajas e inconvenientes de una frente a la otra.

A New Method for Fixing Biomphalaria glabrata for Histologic Studies, Using Shell Perforation

A new technique for fixation of Biomphalaria glabrata for histologic studies is described. It consists in performing several external holes in the shell, before placing the entire snail into the fixative. It is a very practical and quick procedure that showed excellent results when compared to the usual techniques.

Comparison of the Proportion Method With Mycobacteria Growth Indicator Tube and E-test for Susceptibility Testing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between proportion method with mycobacteria growth indicator tube (MGIT) and E-test for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Forty clinical isolates were tested. MGIT and E-test with the first line antituberculous drugs correlated with the proportion method. Our results suggested that MGIT and E-test methods can be routinely used instead of the proportion method.

Error estimate and control in the MSFV method for multiphase flow in porous media

n this paper the iterative MSFV method is extended to include the sequential implicit simulation of time dependent problems involving the solution of a system of pressure-saturation equations. To control numerical errors in simulation results, an error estimate, based on the residual of the MSFV approximate pressure field, is introduced. In the initial time steps in simulation iterations are employed until a specified accuracy in pressure is achieved. This initial solution is then used to improve the localization assumption at later time steps. Additional iterations in pressure solution are employed only when the pressure residual becomes larger than a specified threshold value. Efficiency of the strategy and the error control criteria are numerically investigated. This paper also shows that it is possible to derive an a-priori estimate and control based on the allowed pressure-equation residual to guarantee the desired accuracy in saturation calculation.

Merging the hypothetical extraction method and the classical multiplier approach: a hybrid possibility for identifying key distributive sectors

The two main alternative methods used to identify key sectors within the input-output approach, the Classical Multiplier method (CMM) and the Hypothetical Extraction method (HEM), are formally and empirically compared in this paper. Our findings indicate that the main distinction between the two approaches stems from the role of the internal effects. These internal effects are quantified under the CMM while under the HEM only external impacts are considered. In our comparison, we find, however that CMM backward measures are more influenced by within-block effects than the proposed forward indices under this approach. The conclusions of this comparison allow us to develop a hybrid proposal that combines these two existing approaches. This hybrid model has the advantage of making it possible to distinguish and disaggregate external effects from those that a purely internal. This proposal has also an additional interest in terms of policy implications. Indeed, the hybrid approach may provide useful information for the design of ''second best'' stimulus policies that aim at a more balanced perspective between overall economy-wide impacts and their sectoral distribution.

Clinical application of differential time to positivity of blood cultures as a diagnostic method for catheter-related bloodstream infection.

La sospita de bacterièmia relacionada a catèter (BRC) necessita la retirada d’aquest, confirmant-se a posteriori només en un 15-25%. La diferencia en el temps de positivització d´ hemocultius (DTP) ha demostrat ser un mètode fiable per el diagnòstic de BRC evitant la retirada del catèter. Amb la intenció de comprovar la utilitat clínica de la DTP, l’hem comparada amb un mètode diagnòstic estàndard. Hem inclòs 133 pacients ingressats a una unitat de cures intensives portadors de catèters venosos centrals. 56 pacients s’han aleatoritzats. No hem trobat diferències significatives en quant a morbi-mortalitat en els 2 grups havent evitat 70% de retirada innecessària de catèters en el grup de DTP.

A new automated method versus continuous positive airway pressure method for measuring pressure-volume curves in patients with acute lung injury

Objective: To compare pressure–volume (P–V) curves obtained with the Galileo ventilator with those obtained with the CPAP method in patients with ALI or ARDS receiving mechanical ventilation. P–V curves were fitted to a sigmoidal equation with a mean R2 of 0.994 ± 0.003. Lower (LIP) and upper inflection (UIP), and deflation maximum curvature (PMC) points calculated from the fitted variables showed a good correlation between methods with high intraclass correlation coefficients. Bias and limits of agreement for LIP, UIP and PMC obtained with the two methods in the same patient were clinically acceptable.

First characterization of Candida albicans by random amplified polymorphic DNA method in Nicaragua and comparison of the diagnosis methods for vaginal candidiasis in Nicaraguan women

A total of 106 women with vaginitis in Nicaragua were studied. The positive rate for the identification of Candida species was 41% (44 positive cultures out of 106 women with vaginitis). The sensitivity of microscopic examination of wet mount with the potassium hydroxide (KOH) was 61% and 70% with Gram's stain when using the culture of vaginal fluid as gold standard for diagnosis of candidiasis. Among the 44 positives cultures, isolated species of yeast from vaginal swabs were C. albicans (59%), C. tropicalis (23%), C. glabrata (14%) and C. krusei (4%). This study reports the first characterization of 26 C. albicans stocks from Nicaragua by the random amplified polymorphic DNA method. The genetic analysis in this small C. albicans population showed the existence of linkage disequilibrium, which is consistent with the hypothesis that C. albicans undergoes a clonal propagation.

Active Learning of Very-High Resolution Optical Imagery with SVM: Entropy vs Margin Sampling

An active learning method is proposed for the semi-automatic selection of training sets in remote sensing image classification. The method adds iteratively to the current training set the unlabeled pixels for which the prediction of an ensemble of classifiers based on bagged training sets show maximum entropy. This way, the algorithm selects the pixels that are the most uncertain and that will improve the model if added in the training set. The user is asked to label such pixels at each iteration. Experiments using support vector machines (SVM) on an 8 classes QuickBird image show the excellent performances of the methods, that equals accuracies of both a model trained with ten times more pixels and a model whose training set has been built using a state-of-the-art SVM specific active learning method

Detection of telomerase activity in Plasmodium falciparum using a nonradioactive method

A simple, quick and sensitive method was used to detect telomerase activity in Plasmodium falciparum. The telomeric repeat amplification protocol (TRAP assay) was modified using electrophoresis and staining with SYBR-green I to detect telomerase activity in a range of 10² to 10(7) parasites. This might be a useful way to ascertain telomerase activity in different types of nontumor cells.