This paper presents a neural-fuzzy technology-based classifier for the recognition of power quality disturbances. The classifier adopts neural networks in the architecture of frequency sensitive ...competitive learning and learning vector quantization (LVQ). With given size of codewords, the neural networks are trained to determine the optimal decision boundaries separating different categories of disturbances. To cope with the uncertainties in the involved pattern recognition, the neural network outputs, instead of being taken as the final classification, are used to activate the fuzzy-associative-memory (FAM) recalling for identifying the most possible type that the input waveform may belong to. Furthermore, the input waveforms are preprocessed by the wavelet transform for feature extraction so as to improve the classifier with respect to recognition accuracy and scheme simplicity. Each subband of the transform coefficients is then utilized to recognize the associated disturbances.
Sapovirus, a member of the family Caliciviridae, is one of the major causative agents of viral gastroenteritis affecting all age groups. A total of 3232 faecal specimens collected from infants and ...children with gastroenteritis in five different regions of Japan during 2003–2009 were examined for sapovirus by reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction. Sapoviruses were detected in 131 (4·05%) patients with the peak observed mainly in the cold season (November–March) in Japan during 2003–2009. During the last 6 years, sapovirus GI/1 was the predominant strain in Japan followed by GIV, GII/3, GII/6, GII/2, GII/12 and GI, respectively.
Oomycetes are a group of eukaryotes related to brown algae and diatoms, many of which cause plant and animal diseases. Improved methods are needed for rapid and accurate characterization of oomycete ...communities using DNA metabarcoding. We have evaluated the mitochondrial 40S ribosomal protein S10 ( rps10) gene as a locus for oomycete metabarcoding and provide primers predicted to amplify this region from all oomycetes based on a wide range of available reference sequences. We evaluated its utility relative to the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1), by sequencing environmental samples and a mock community using Illumina MiSeq. Amplified sequence variants (ASVs) and operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were identified per community. Observed sequences and predicted taxonomy of ASVs and OTUs were compared with the known composition of the mock community. Both rps10 and ITS yielded ASVs with sequences matching 21 of the 24 species in the mock community and matching all 24 when allowing for a 1-bp difference. Taxonomic classifications of ASVs included 23 members of the mock community for rps10 and 17 for ITS1. Sequencing results for the environmental samples suggest that the rps10 locus results in substantially less amplification of nontarget organisms than the ITS1 method. The amplified rps10 region also has higher taxonomic resolution than ITS1, allowing for greater discrimination of closely related species. We present a new website with a searchable rps10 reference database for species identification and all protocols needed for oomycete metabarcoding. The rps10 barcode and methods described herein provide an effective tool for metabarcoding oomycetes using short-read sequencing.
The systematic position of two strains of a yeast-like fungus isolated from plant remnants on the Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf of Iran is evaluated using morphological, physiological and ...phylogenetic analyses. In culture, this fungus produced cylindrical cells that reproduced by polar budding on short stalks. Production of ballistoconidia and blastospores was observed. The carbon source assimilation spectrum was broad, but fermentation ability was absent. Phylogenetic analyses of the nuclear SSU, LSU (D1/D2 domain), and ITS rDNA revealed that this fungus represents a new lineage in the Urocystidales of the subphylum Ustilaginomycotina. Based on the comparison of phenotypic characters, physiology, and DNA sequences, a new genus and species
Fereydounia khargensis
(IBRC-M 30116
T
= CBS 13305
T
) is described for this fungus and accommodated in the novel family Fereydouniaceae. This is the first report of anamorphic saprobic fungus residing in the Urocystidales, stressing the remarkable evolutionary diversity in the subphylum Ustilaginomycotina.
This paper proposes a new load shedding method based on the application of a Dual Neural Network (NN). The combination of a Back-Propagation Neural Network (BPNN) and of Particle Swarm Optimization ...(PSO) aims to quickly predict and propose a load shedding strategy when a fault occurs in the microgrid (MG) system. The PSO algorithm has the ability to search and compare multiple points, so the proposed NN training method helps determine the link weights faster and stronger. As a result, the proposed method saves training time and achieves higher accuracy. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) algorithm is applied to rank the loads based on their importance factor. The results of the ratings of the loads serve as a basis for constructing the load shedding strategies of a NN combined with the PSO algorithm (ANN-PSO). The proposed load shedding method is tested on an IEEE 25-bus 8-generator MG power system. The simulation results show that the frequency recovery of the power system is positive. The proposed neural network adapts well to the simulated data of the system and achieves high performance in fault prediction.
In Vietnam, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 infections in poultry often occur without concomitant clinical signs and outbreaks are not consistently reported. Live bird markets represent ...a convenient site for surveillance that does not rely on farmers' notifications. Two H5N1 surveys were conducted at live bird markets/slaughter points in 39 districts (five provinces) in the Red River, Mekong delta, and central Vietnam during January and May 2011. Oropharyngeal and rectal swab samples from 12 480 ducks were tested for H5N1 by reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction in pools of five. Traders and stallholders were interviewed using standardized questionnaires; 3·3% of pools tested positive. The highest prevalence (6·6%) corresponded to the Mekong delta, and no H5N1 was detected in the two Red River provinces. The surveys identified key risk behaviours of traders and stallholders. It is recommended that market surveys are implemented over time as a tool to evaluate progress in HPAI control in Vietnam.
Understanding gut bacterial composition and proteome changes in patients with early-stage chronic kidney disease (CKD) could lead to better methods of controlling the disease progression. Here, we ...investigated the gut microbiome and microbial functions in patients with S. stercoralis infection (strongyloidiasis) and early-stage CKD. Thirty-five patients with early stages (1–3) of CKD were placed in two groups matched for population characteristics and biochemical parameters, 12 patients with strongyloidiasis in one group and 23 uninfected patients in the other. From every individual, a sample of their feces was obtained and processed for 16S rRNA sequencing and metaproteomic analysis using tandem liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Strongyloides stercoralis infection per se did not significantly alter gut microbial diversity. However, certain genera (Bacteroides, Faecalibacterium, Fusicatenibacter, Sarcina, and Anaerostipes) were significantly more abundant in infection-free CKD patients than in infected individuals. The genera Peptoclostridium and Catenibacterium were enriched in infected patients. Among the significantly altered genera, Fusicatenibacter and Anaerostipes were the most correlated with renal parameters. The relative abundance of members of the genus Fusicatenibacter was moderately positively correlated with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (r = 0.335, p = 0.049) and negatively with serum creatinine (r = −0.35, p = 0.039). Anaerostipes, on the other hand, showed a near-significant positive correlation with eGFR (r = 0.296, p = 0.084). Individuals with S. stercoralis infection had higher levels of bacterial proteins involved in amino-acid metabolism. Analysis using STITCH predicted that bacterial amino-acid metabolism may also be involved in the production of colon-derived uremic toxin (indole), a toxic substance known to promote CKD. Strongyloides stercoralis infection is, therefore, associated with reduced abundance of Fusicatenibacter and Anaerostipes (two genera possibly beneficial for kidney function) and with increased bacterial amino-acid metabolism in the early-stages of CKD, potentially producing uremic toxin. This study provides useful information for prevention of progression of CKD beyond the early stages.
Genetic parameters was estimated for growth (tree height, diameter at breast height (DBH) and volume), stem form, MOE (wood stiffness), bark thickness and bark ratio in a half-sib family progeny ...trial of Melaleuca cajuputi comprising 80 families in South Vietnam. MOE of standing trees was measured indirectly by acoustic velocity using microsecond timer. Narrow-sense heritability ranged from 0.13 to 0.27 at age 7 years. MOE and stem form had positive genetic correlations with growth while negative correlation between bark ratio and growth was also favourable. Breeding for simultaneous improvement of multiple traits, faster growth with higher MOE and reduction of bark ratio should be possible in M. cajuputi. Index selection based on volume and MOE showed genetic gains of 31% in volume, 6% in MOE and 13% in stem form. In addition, heritability and age–age genetic correlations for growth traits increased with time and optimal early selection age for growth of M. cajuputi based on DBH alone was 4 years. Selected thinning resulted in an increase in heritability due to considerable reduction of phenotypic variation but had little effect on genetic variation.
Recent studies have begun to highlight the diverse and tumor-specific microbiomes across multiple cancer types. We believe this work raises the important question of whether the classical “Hallmarks ...of Cancer” should be expanded to include tumor microbiomes. To answer this question, the causal relationships and co-evolution of these microbiotic tumor ecosystems must be better understood. Because host-microbe interactions should be studied in a physiologically relevant context, animal models have been preferred. Yet these models are often poor mimics of human tumors and are difficult to interrogate at high spatiotemporal resolution. We believe that in vitro tissue engineered platforms could provide a powerful alternative approach that combines the high-resolution of in vitro studies with a high degree of physiological relevance. This review will focus on tissue engineered approaches to study host-microbe interactions and to establish their role as an emerging hallmark of cancer with potential as a therapeutic target.
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Microbiome; Bioengineering; Tissue Engineering; Cancer
Teratogenicity of high vitamin A intake Rothman, K.J. (Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA.); Moore, L.L; Singer, M.R ...
The New England journal of medicine,
11/1995, Letnik:
333, Številka:
21
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Background. Studies in animals indicate that natural forms of vitamin A are teratogenic. Synthetic retinoids chemically similar to vitamin A cause birth defects in humans; as in animals, the defects ...appear to affect tissues derived from the cranial neural crest. Methods. Between October 1984 and June 1987, we identified 22,748 pregnant women when they underwent screening either by measurement of maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein or by amniocentesis. Nurse interviewers obtained information on the women's diet, medications, and illnesses during the first trimester of pregnancy as well as information on their family and medical history and exposure to environmental agents. We obtained information on the outcomes of pregnancy from the obstetricians who delivered the babies or from the women themselves. Of the 22,748 women, 339 had babies with birth defects; 121 of these babies had defects occurring in sites that originated in the cranial neural crest. Results. For defects associated with cranial-neural-crest tissue, the ratio of the prevalence among the babies born to women who consumed more than 15,000 IU of preformed vitamin A per day from food and supplements to the prevalence among the babies whose mothers consumed 5000 IU or less per day was 3.5 (95 percent confidence interval, 1.7 to 7.3). For vitamin A from supplements alone, the ratio of the prevalence among the babies born to women who consumed more than 10,000 IU per day to that among the babies whose mothers consumed 5000 IU or less per day was 4.8 (95 percent confidence interval, 2.2 to 10.5). Using a smoothed regression curve, we found an apparent threshold near 10,000 IU per day of supplemental vitamin A. The increased frequency of defects was concentrated among the babies born to women who had consumed high levels of vitamin A before the seventh week of gestation. Conclusions. High dietary intake of preformed vitamin A appears to be teratogenic
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