Development of a high throughput PCR to detect Coxiella burnetii and its application in a diagnostic laboratory over a 7-year period.

Q fever is a worldwide zoonotic infectious disease due to Coxiella burnetii. The clinical presentation may be acute (pneumonia and/or hepatitis) or chronic (most commonly endocarditis). Diagnosis mainly relies on serology and PCR. We therefore developed a quantitative real-time PCR. We first tested blindly its performance on various clinical samples and then, when thoroughly validated, we applied it during a 7-year period for the diagnosis of both acute and persistent C. burnetii infection. Analytical sensitivity (< 10 copies/PCR) was excellent. When tested blindly on 183 samples, the specificity of the PCR was 100% (142/142) and the sensitivity was 71% (29/41). The sensitivity was 88% (7/8) on valvular samples, 69% (20/29) on blood samples and 50% (2/4) on urine samples. This new quantitative PCR was then successfully applied for the diagnosis of acute Q fever and endovascular infection due to C. burnetii, allowing the diagnosis of Q fever in six patients over a 7-year period. During a local small cluster of cases, the PCR was also applied to blood from 1355 blood donors; all were negative confirming the high specificity of this test. In conclusion, we developed a highly specific method with excellent sensitivity, which may be used on sera for the diagnosis of acute Q fever and on various samples such as sera, valvular samples, aortic specimens, bone and liver, for the diagnosis of persistent C. burnetii infection.

The generalized index of maximum and minimum level and its application in decision making

[spa] El índice del máximo y el mínimo nivel es una técnica muy útil, especialmente para toma de decisiones, que usa la distancia de Hamming y el coeficiente de adecuación en el mismo problema. En este trabajo, se propone una generalización a través de utilizar medias generalizadas y cuasi aritméticas. A estos operadores de agregación, se les denominará el índice del máximo y el mínimo nivel medio ponderado ordenado generalizado (GOWAIMAM) y cuasi aritmético (Quasi-OWAIMAM). Estos nuevos operadores generalizan una amplia gama de casos particulares como el índice del máximo y el mínimo nivel generalizado (GIMAM), el OWAIMAM, y otros. También se desarrolla una aplicación en la toma de decisiones sobre selección de productos.

Level shifts in a panel data based unit root test : an application to the rate of unemployment

Several unit root tests in panel data have recently been proposed. The test developed by Harris and Tzavalis (1999 JoE) performs particularly well when the time dimension is moderate in relation to the cross-section dimension. However, in common with the traditional tests designed for the unidimensional case, it was found to perform poorly when there is a structural break in the time series under the alternative. Here we derive the asymptotic distribution of the test allowing for a shift in the mean, and assess the small sample performance. We apply this new test to show how the hypothesis of (perfect) hysteresis in Spanish unemployment is rejected in favour of the alternative of the natural unemployment rate, when the possibility of a change in the latter is considered.

Breaking the panels: an application to the GDP per capita

This paper proposes a test statistic for the null hypothesis of panel stationarity that allows for the presence of multiple structural breaks. Two different speci¿cations are considered depending on the structural breaks affecting the individual effects and/or the time trend. The model is ¿exible enough to allow the number of breaks and their position to differ across individuals. The test is shown to have an exact limit distribution with a good ¿nite sample performance. Its application to a typical panel data set of real per capita GDP gives support to the trend stationarity of these series

Response of Epidendrum Ibaguense (orchidaceae) to the application of lime rates to the pot

In the best cultivation methods of orchids, in particular of the genus Phalaenopsis, liming is a common practice. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of lime rates (0.0; 1.0; 2.0; 3.0; 4.0; and 5.0 g dm-3 of substrate) applied to the cultivation substrate (xaxim) on the growth of Epidendrum ibaguense seedlings. In a greenhouse, 1-L plastic pots filled with 0.8 dm³ of xaxim were irrigated such that no leachate was lost during the experiment. N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Fe, Zn, B, and Mn contents in roots, stems and leaves were measured. Leachate was collected by applying a sufficient water volume to obtain 25 mL from each pot. Fourteen days after lime application of 3 g dm-3, the pH of the collected leachate reached values above 7 and a value of 6.29 with the highest lime rate at the end of the experiment. The lime rate did not influence plant height, probably due to a Zn deficiency at high pH levels and a Ca deficiency in the control. Nevertheless, there was a large increase in leaf production, for number as well as for dry matter mass. There was no statistical difference between treatments in root dry matter production. Maximum dry matter production was obtained at a lime rate of 4.09 g dm-3. Zinc concentrations diminished linearly with increasing lime rates; the concentrations in all treatments were below the levels suggested as adequate in the literature (25-200 mg kg-1). Nutrient concentrations in leaves indicated deficiency of N, S, and B at the highest lime rates (4.0 and 5.0 g dm-3), and of Ca in the treatment without liming.

Sewage sludge application to agricultural land as soil physical conditioner

Water resource quality is a concern of today's society and, as a consequence, low pollutant wastewaters and sludges are being increasingly treated, resulting in continuous production of sewage sludge. Sewage sludge (SS) can be used as soil physical conditioner of agricultural or degraded lands, due to its organic C component. The objective of this research was to evaluate the long-term SS effects on soil physical quality of properties such as bulk density, porosity, permeability and water retention of degraded soils treated with annual SS applications. The SS rates were calculated according to the crop N demand. The field experiment consisted of three treatments: mineral fertilization, 10 and 20 Mg ha-1 of SS (once and twice the SS quantity to meet the maize N demand, respectively), in annual applications to the surface layer of a eutroferric Red Latosol. SS reduced bulk density, increased macroporosity and decreased microporosity after the third application, but did not significantly alter the soil permeability and physical quality as measured by the S index in the surface layer.

Testing the bivariate distribution of daily equity returns using copulas: an application to the Spanish stock market

In this paper we deal with the identification of dependencies between time series of equity returns. Marginal distribution functions are assumed to be known, and a bivariate chi-square test of fit is applied in a fully parametric copula approach. Several families of copulas are fitted and compared with Spanish stock market data. The results show that the t-copula generally outperforms other dependence structures, and highlight the difficulty in adjusting a significant number of bivariate data series

Report on a review of selected application controls over the Iowa Department of Transportation’s Payroll System for the period April 12, 2010 through June 30, 2010

Report on a review of selected application controls over the Iowa Department of Transportation’s Payroll System for the period April 12, 2010 through June 30, 2010

Report on a review of selected general and application controls for the Iowa Department of Education’s Electronic Access System for Iowa Education Records (EASIER) system for the period April 4 through May 10, 2011

Report on a review of selected general and application controls for the Iowa Department of Education’s Electronic Access System for Iowa Education Records (EASIER) system for the period April 4 through May 10, 2011

Numerical algorithm for Ginzburg-Landau equations with multiplicative noise: Application to domain growth

We consider stochastic partial differential equations with multiplicative noise. We derive an algorithm for the computer simulation of these equations. The algorithm is applied to study domain growth of a model with a conserved order parameter. The numerical results corroborate previous analytical predictions obtained by linear analysis.

Water-soluble nutrients in aerial plant parts of peanut and white oat as affected by lime and gypsum application

Lime and gypsum influence nutrient availability and uptake, as well as the content of organic acids in the aerial plant parts. These changes, quantified by plant analysis of soluble nutrients, may potentiate the effect of soil amendment, ensuring the sustainability of the no-tillage system. In this sense the effect of lime and gypsum surface application on the content of water-soluble nutrients in peanut and oat residues was evaluated. The experiment was conducted on an Oxisol in Botucatu (SP) in the growing seasons 2004/2005 and 2005/2006. It was arranged in a randomized block design in split plots with four replications, where lime rates represented the plots and presence or absence of gypsum application the subplots. Peanut was grown in summer and white oat in the winter in the entire experimental area. Gypsum applied to peanut increased soluble Ca only in the first season, due to the short period between product application and determination of soluble nutrient contents in the plant extract. Liming of peanut and oat increased soluble Ca, Mg, K contents, did not alter Cu content and reduced Zn, Mn and Fe contents in both years of cultivation. Gypsum on the other hand reduced the electrical conductivity of peanut (2004/2005 and 2005/2006) and white oat (2004/2005).