bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The CTIO Surveys for Large Redshift Quasars
Authors: Patrick S Osmer  
Published: January 2007

Lyman α emission in large redshift quasars is readily detectable on slitless spectrograms taken with an objective prism on the Curtis Schmidt and with a transmission grating-prism combination on the 4 m telescope. This provides a new survey method, independent of color, for finding radio-quiet quasars in large numbers. Surveys by Smith with the Curtis Schmidt and Hoag and Smith with the 4 m telescope, have produced more than 200 candidates with 1.5 < z < 3.5 and 16 < m < 21.
Spectroscopic observations with the CTIO SIT vidicon system have been carried out for more than 50 of the candidates, with the result that the basic properties of the surveys are known. To date three 16th magnitude quasars with z ∼ 2.2 and six quasars with 3.0 < z < 3.25 have been found. One of the most important uses of the surveys will be the determination of the surface and space densities of large redshift quasars. A preliminary analysis of the data indicates that the space density of quasars is at least constant, if not increasing, over the interval 1.9 < z < 3.25. However, the Hoag-Smith sample has only one candidate with z > 3.2.
Application of time‐resolved fluorometry to immunoassays for bovine reproductive hormones
Authors: KANEKO Hiroyuki , HASEGAWA Yoshihisa 
Published: January 2007

ABSTRACTThe principle of time‐resolved fluorometry with lanthanide chelates was established in the 1980s, but in the field of animal sciences it has not been widely applied to immunoassays. However, immunoassays that utilize time‐resolved fluorometry are possible alternatives to radioimmunoassays, since they can attain high sensitivity without safety risks. In this short review, we introduce the development of time‐resolved immunoassays for inhibin A, inhibin B and follicle‐stimulating hormone (FSH), and describe their application to the investigation of FSH regulation in male and female cattle. The results obtained using these newly developed immunoassays indicate that inhibin A acts as a feedback regulator for FSH secretion in female cattle, whereas inhibin A, and probably inhibin B, do so in male cattle.
Antiradical function of sulfhydryl residues and oxidative stress markers in dairy cattle plasma
Authors: TANAKA Masahito , KAMIYA Yuko , KAMIYA Mitsuru , SHIOYA Shigeru , NAKAI Yutaka 
Published: January 2007

ABSTRACTThe antiradical function of sulfhydryl (SH) residue in dairy cattle plasma and the relationship of SH residue concentrations to other oxidative stress markers, ascorbic acid and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) in plasma were investigated. The concentration of reduced glutathione (GSH) in phosphate buffer solution (pH 7.6) and SH residues in dairy cattle plasma decreased significantly (P < 0.05) in vitro by the addition of peroxyradicals at 38°C, depending on incubation periods. The decrease of GSH concentration with the peroxyradical solution was partially protected by the addition of sodium ascorbate solution. A positive and significant correlation with SH residues and albumin concentration in the fresh plasma obtained from 15 dairy cattle was observed (P < 0.05). The SH residue concentration was not correlated with the TBARS concentration in plasma. The total ascorbic acid and SH residues concentration in the plasma correlated positively but not significantly (P < 0.10). These results suggested that SH residues in dairy cattle plasma play important part in the antiradical function.
Major microbiota of lactic acid bacteria from Matsoni, a traditional Georgian fermented milk
Authors: UCHIDA Kenji , URASHIMA Tadasu , CHANISHVILI Nino , ARAI Ikiti , MOTOSHIMA Hidemasa 
Published: January 2007

ABSTRACTA total of 26 samples of Matsoni were collected in Georgia. From these samples 80 strains of lactic acid cocci and 173 strains of lactobacilli were isolated. The number of lactic acid bacteria varied between 105 and 1010 colony forming unit (CFU)/mL. All the isolated lactic acid bacteria were thermophilic bacteria that could grow at 45°C. The predominant lactic acid bacteria were Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii spp. bulgaricus in 25 samples of Matsoni, while Lactobacillus helveticus was also a predominant species, together with the two previous species in one sample of Matsoni. We showed there was diversity in both S. thermophilus and L. delbrueckii spp. bulgaricus at the strain level by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA analysis.
A cell wall preparation of Enterococcus faecalis strain EC‐12 stimulates β‐defensin expression in newly hatched broiler chicks
Authors: SAKAI Yuri , TSUKAHARA Takamitsu , MATSUBARA Noritaka , USHIDA Kazunari 
Published: January 2007

ABSTRACTIn our previous study, a cell wall preparation of Enterococcus faecalis strain EC‐12 (EC‐12) prevented the colonization of vancomycin‐resistant enterococci (VRE) in newly hatched broiler chicks. Relatively early prevention against VRE colonization by EC‐12 administration may be related to the enhanced innate immune system. In this study we examined the effect of EC‐12 on the kinetics of immunoglobulin A (IgA) concentration in the cecal digesta of chicks from 1 day to 14 days old to evaluate humoral immunity. We also examined the effect of EC‐12 on β‐defensin mRNA expression and lysozyme production. The IgA concentration in the cecal digesta showed a decline in chicks from 2 to 8 days old and then a recovery up to when they were 14 days old. The concentration tended to be higher in EC‐12‐administered chicks than in control chicks at 14 days old. EC‐12 administration did not stimulate the lysozyme activities in the alimentary tract. However, β‐defensin mRNA expression in the tongue and the bursa of Fabricius was higher in chicks administered EC‐12 than in the control chicks at 5 days old. These results indicate that β‐defensin may be one of the major defense mechanisms inhibiting VRE colonization in young chicks.
Video of a disaster drill is effective in educating registrars on the hospital disaster plan
Authors: Bartley Bruce , Fisher Julia , Stella Julian 
Published: January 2007

AbstractObjective:  To test whether an instructional video of edited footage from a disaster drill is effective in educating registrars on the hospital disaster plan.Methods:  This was a prospective pre‐ and post‐intervention study. Forty hospital registrars were shown a 15 min video based on footage obtained at a simulated mass casualty incident. The video provided information on the ED disaster response plan and principles of hospital disaster management. A survey was developed to assess disaster plan knowledge before and after viewing the video. The survey had a predetermined ‘pass mark’ of 14/20 (70%).Results:  Thirty‐nine registrars completed the surveys. Three of 39 (7.7% 95% confidence interval [CI] 7.0–8.3%) registrars achieved the pass mark in the pre‐video survey and 35/39 (89.7% 95% CI 81.2–98.3%) registrars achieved the pass mark in the post‐video survey (χ2‐test P < 0.001) with an absolute increase in the pass rate of 82% (95% CI 75.8–88.2%).Conclusion:  This finding justifies compulsory viewing of the video in the registrar orientation package locally and might encourage more widespread use of educational video in hospital disaster preparedness.
Attachment and Sexual Health Behaviors in Homeless Youth
Authors: Taylor‐Seehafer Margaret , Johnson Regina , Rew Lynn , Fouladi Rachel T. , Land Lee , Abel Elizabeth 
Published: January 2007

PURPOSE.  To explore relationships and group differences in attachment‐related constructs (social connectedness and social support) and sexual health behaviors in a sample of homeless youth. DESIGN AND METHODS.  An exploratory design, this study analyzed baseline data from an ongoing intervention study. Survey data were collected by audio, computer‐assisted self‐interview (A‐CASI) from a nonprobability sample of homeless youth (n = 176).RESULTS.  Social connectedness was positively correlated with period of time homeless, while social support was positively related to sexual self‐concept and to self‐efficacy and intention to use condoms. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS.  The street group that homeless youth identify with may be a potential resource for peer‐mentoring and skill‐building regarding healthy sexual behavior.
Accuracies of β-Lactam Susceptibility Test Results for
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
with Four Automated Systems (BD Phoenix, MicroScan WalkAway, Vitek, and Vitek 2)
Authors: Juretschko Stefan , LaBombardi Vincent J. , Lerner Stephen A. , Schreckenberger Paul C. ,   and the Pseudomonas AST Study Group
Published: January 2007

ABSTRACT

Contemporary clinical isolates and challenge strains of
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
were tested by four automated susceptibility testing systems (BD Phoenix, MicroScan WalkAway, Vitek, and Vitek 2; two laboratories with each) against six broad-spectrum β-lactams, and the results were compared to reference broth microdilution (BMD) and to consensus results from three validated methods (BMD, Etest [AB Biodisk, Solna, Sweden], and disk diffusion). Unacceptable levels of error (minor, major, and very major) were detected, some with systematic biases toward false susceptibility (piperacillin-tazobactam and imipenem) and others toward false resistance (aztreonam, cefepime, and ceftazidime). We encourage corrective action by the system manufacturers to address test biases, and we suggest that clinical laboratories using automated systems should consider accurate alternative methods for routine use.
White Spot Syndrome Virus Annexes a Shrimp STAT To Enhance Expression of the Immediate-Early Gene
ie1
Authors: Liu Wang-Jing , Chang Yun-Shiang , Wang Andrew H.-J. , Kou Guang-Hsiung , Lo Chu-Fang 
Published: January 2007

ABSTRACT

Although the Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK-STAT) signaling pathway is part of the antiviral response in arthropods such as
Drosophila
, here we show that white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) uses a shrimp STAT as a transcription factor to enhance viral gene expression in host cells. In a series of deletion and mutation assays using the WSSV immediate-early gene
ie1
promoter, which is active in shrimp cells and also in insect Sf9 cells, an element containing a STAT binding motif was shown to be important for the overall level of WSSV
ie1
promoter activity. In the Sf9 insect cell line, a specific protein-DNA complex was detected by using electrophoresis mobility shift assays (EMSA) with the
32
P-labeled STAT binding motif of the WSSV
ie1
promoter as the probe. When recombinant
Penaeus monodon
STAT (rPmSTAT) was overexpressed in Sf9 cells, EMSA with specific antibodies confirmed that the STAT was responsible for the formation of the specific protein-DNA complex. Another EMSA showed that in WSSV-infected
P. monodon
, levels of activated PmSTAT were higher than in WSSV-free
P. monodon
. A transactivation assay of the WSSV
ie1
promoter demonstrated that increasing the level of rPmSTAT led to dose-dependent increases in
ie1
promoter activity. These results show that STAT directly transactivates WSSV
ie1
gene expression and contributes to its high promoter activity. We conclude that WSSV successfully annexes a putative shrimp defense mechanism, which it uses to enhance the expression of viral immediate-early genes.
Inter-rater agreement in the assessment of exposure to carcinogens in the offshore petroleum industry
Authors: Steinsvåg Kjersti , Bråtveit Magne , Moen Bente E , Kromhout Hans 
Published: January 2007

Objectives:To evaluate the reliability of an expert team assessing exposure to carcinogens in the offshore petroleum industry and to study how the information provided influenced the agreement among raters.Methods:Eight experts individually assessed the likelihood of exposure for combinations of 17 carcinogens, 27 job categories and four time periods (1970–1979, 1980–1989, 1990–1999 and 2000–2005). Each rater assessed 1836 combinations based on summary documents on carcinogenic agents, which included descriptions of sources of exposure and products, descriptions of work processes carried out within the different job categories, and monitoring data. Inter-rater agreement was calculated using Cohen’s kappa index and single and average score intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) (ICC(2,1)and ICC(2,8), respectively). Differences in inter-rater agreement for time periods, raters, International Agency for Research on Cancer groups and the amount of information provided were consequently studied.Results:Overall, 18% of the combinations were denoted as possible exposure, and 14% scored probable exposure. Stratified by the 17 carcinogenic agents, the probable exposure prevalence ranged from 3.8% for refractory ceramic fibres to 30% for crude oil. Overall mean kappa was 0.42 (ICC(2,1) = 0.62 and ICC(2,8) = 0.93). Providing limited quantitative measurement data was associated with less agreement than for equally well described carcinogens without sampling data.Conclusion:The overall κ and single-score ICC indicate that the raters agree on exposure estimates well above the chance level. The levels of inter-rater agreement were higher than in other comparable studies. The average score ICC indicates reliable mean estimates and implies that sufficient raters were involved. The raters seemed to have enough documentation on which to base their estimates, but provision of limited monitoring data leads to more incongruence among raters. Having real exposure data, with the inherent variability of such data, apparently makes estimating exposure in a rigid semiquantitative manner more difficult.
Taxonomy, ecology, and biogeography of polypores (Basidiomycetes) from Argentinian Polylepis woodlands
Authors: Robledo Gerardo , Urcelay Carlos , Domínguez Laura , Rajchenberg Mario 
Published: January 2007

Twenty-three polypore species were found in Polylepis Ruiz & Pav. (Rosacecae) woodlands from Argentina. Six species occur exclusively in the neotropics and four are host-specific to Polylepis ( Phellinus tabaquilio , Phellinus uncisetus , Phellinus daedaliformis , and Datronia orcomanta ), of which the first two are facultative parasites or occur during the early stages of wood decay. Host specificity and patterns of distribution vary among species. Datronia orcomanta Robledo & Rajchenb. is described as a new endemic taxon and Inonotus serranus is reduced to synonymy with Inonotus venezuelicus .
Two threatened coexisting indigenous conifer species in the dry Afromontane forests of Ethiopia are associated with distinct arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities
Authors: Wubet Tesfaye , Weiß Michael , Kottke Ingrid , Oberwinkler Franz 
Published: January 2007

The molecular diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi colonizing roots of Podocarpus falcatus (Thunb.) R.Br. (Podocarpaceae) in the dry Afromontane forests of Ethiopia was investigated. The nuclear gene coding for small subunit ribosomal RNA (nucSSU rDNA) was amplified from colonized roots of P. falcatus, cloned, and sequenced using AM fungal specific primers. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the glomeromycetous sequences from mycorrhizae of P. falcatus belong to the Glomeraceae, Diversisporaceae, and Archaeosporaceae. Overall, 16 Glomus , three Diversispora , and one Archaeospora sequence types were identified. These sequence types were distinct and only distantly related to sequences from the available defined species. The composition of the AM fungal communities differed significantly between the two study sites. Comparison of the AM fungal community composition of P. falcatus with that of previously investigated Juniperus procera Hochst. ex Endl. (Cupressaceae), the only coexisting indigenous conifer tree species in the dry Afromontane forest ecosystem, yields that the two tree species are colonized by distinct AM fungal communities. This suggests that fungal communities are host plant specific in the natural stand conditions. Therefore, in the conservation of these endangered species and restoration of the degraded ecosystem, the use of appropriate mycorrhizal fungi should be taken into account in future projects.
Sensitivity analysis of reliability and performability measures for multiprocessor systems
Authors: Blake J. T. , Reibman A. L. , Trivedi K. S. 
Published: January 2007

Traditional evaluation techniques for multiprocessor systems use Markov chains and Markov reward models to compute measures such as mean time to failure, reliability, performance, and performability. In this paper, we discuss the extension of Markov models to include parametric sensitivity analysis. Using such analysis, we can guide system optimization, identify parts of a system model sensitive to error, and find system reliability and performability bottlenecks.
As an example we consider three models of a 16 processor. 16 memory system. A network provides communication between the processors and the memories. Two crossbar-network models and the Omega network are considered. For these models, we examine the sensitivity of the mean time to failure, unreliability, and performability to changes in component failure rates. We use the sensitivities to identify bottlenecks in the three system models.
Feedback coupled resource allocation policies in the multiprogramming-multiprocessor computer system
Authors: Brice Richard S. , Browne J. C. 
Published: January 2007

This paper presents model studies of some integrated feedback-driven scheduling systems for a multiprogrammed computer system.
This abstract can present only the conclusions of the studies and little of the supporting data and detail.
The basic format of the analysis is to fix a size for the local buffers and a total size for the collection buffers, to define a set of algorithms for the determination of the data removal quanta to the local buffers, the allocation of space in the collection buffers, and the look-ahead mechanism for input and then to evaluate the relative merits of the various strategies by the resulting CPU efficiency.
Three feedback algorithms are studied as examples in this work.
Develop your computer performance pattern
Authors: Noe J. D. , Runstein N. W. 
Published: January 2007

Is the load on your computer shifting? Did that change to faster access disks really help? Would more core memory increase throughput appreciably, or would it be necessary to also increase central processor power? These are three quite different kinds of questions; one concerns detecting a long-term trend, another assessing the effects of a system change, and a third estimating effects of the decision to alter the configuration. Yet all of these require knowledge of current and past system performance, the type of knowledge that must be the result of long-term performance monitoring. This is not simple enough to be picked up overnight or in one series of experiments, nor can it be assessed by watching one or two parameters over a long period. One must have a thorough understanding of the pattern of performance by knowing the mean values of a number of measures and knowing something about the variations from these means.
This paper hardly needs to recommend that computer managers establish an understanding of performance pattern; they already are very conscious of the need. What it does is recount development of a method of doing so for the CDC 6400 at the University of Washington and of the selection of “Kiviat Graphs” as a means to present data in a synoptic form.
The remainder of this paper will give a brief account of the authors' experience in designing a measurement system for the CDC 6400 at the University of Washington Computer Center. This will include comments on the approach to deciding what to measure an d display for the synoptic view of the system, as well as how to provide more detailed data for backup. Examples of the use of Kiviat Graphs [4] to show the effects of load shift and of a system configuration change are included, and the effect of a change of operating system will be noted.
An adaptive policy driven scheduler
Authors: Sharp Joseph C. , Roberts James N. 
Published: January 2007

The theory of policy driven schedulers (Ref. [1]) is extended to cover cases in which the scheduling parameters are allowed to adapt dynamically as the system's job load varies. The system under consideration offers batch, time sharing and limited real time services. Data from simulated and live loads are presented to evaluate both the static and the adaptive schedulers.

A policy driven scheduler makes its decisions with respect to a set of policy functions, f
i
(t). Each of the policy functions corresponds to a different type of user and specifies the amount of computing resources that the system will try to give a user in that group within a given total amount of elapsed time.

It is found that the policy functions must be set conservatively in order to avoid response problems during periods of heavy load, but that during more lightly loaded periods the conservative settings result in widely disparate rates of service to similar jobs. One solution is to vary the policy functions as the job load changes.
A dynamic algorithm is presented that maintains responsiveness during heavy loads and provides fairly uniform service rates at other times.
Responding to MIL-S-52779
Authors: Southworth Richard N. 
Published: January 2007

The art and science of computer software development is still changing considerably from year to year, and therefore lacks the established control mechanisms of hardware production programs. Also, because most software is produced in a one-time development program it does not lend itself to the established discrepancy detection and correction techniques used in hardware production programs. Consequently, the software QA program must providethe methodology to detect a deficiency the first time it occurs and effect corrective action.
MIL-S-52779: “Software Quality Assurance Program Requirements,” has provided a much needed impetus for software development contractors to develop software QA techniques. But much remains to be done. As the state of the art advances MIL-S-52779 should be revised accordingly. In this paper the author responds to the present form of the specification, suggests some revisions and additions and briefly discusses a set of QA procedures that should be responsive (fully compliant) with MIL-S-52779.
Performance evaluation of communicating processes
Authors: Gertner Ilya 
Published: January 2007

This paper concerns the performance evaluation of an operating system based on communicating processes. Processes communicate via messages and there is no shared data.
Execution of a program is abstracted as a sequence of events to denote significant computational steps. A finite state machine model of computation is used for the specifications of abstract computational properties and, thereafter, for the selective analysis of measurement data.
A set of conventions is developed to characterize the performance of communicating processes. A hierarchical layering technique is used to concisely describe the characteristics of large systems.
A performance monitoring system was implemented and applied to the analysis of RIG, a message-based operating system.