Ecology and the War on Hunger

This interdisciplinary activity promotes science, technology, and language arts and is well suited for upper elementary grade students. In the activity, students' research about a teacher-assigned weather phenomenon facilitates their study of the weather. When they have completed their research, students word process a paper summarizing their findings and generate graphical representations of a weather phenomenon using Microsoft Paint software. The paper and the computer-generated graphical representation measure learning and provide insight into the level of student understanding that other assessment tools, such as quizzes, tests, and questioning techniques, do not provide.     

Transgenic Plant Monitor (TPM): a relational database for the management and analysis of information in plant tissue culture and transformation laboratories

Increased public concern and strict statutory regulations relating tothe generation and exploitation of genetically modified organisms, make itimperative to track accurately individual plants through DNA transformationprogrammes. The ability to rapidly retrieve information associated withspecifictransgenic events and to provide accurate reports on demand is an increasinglyimportant feature for public research laboratories. Transgenic Plant Monitor(TPM) has been developed as a database structured to allow efficient recording,monitoring and analysis of the extensive and complex data generated in planttissue culture and transformation experiments. TPM is built upon the widelyavailable Microsoft Access database engine and can be readily adoptedand/or adapted by other users. The key features and the utility of TPM as aresearch tool are discussed in this article.     

Validity of time series kinematical data as measured by a markerless motion capture system on a flatland for gait assessment

As a cost-effective, clinician-friendly gait assessment tool, the Kinect v2 sensor may be effective for assessing lower extremity joint kinematics. This study aims to examine the validity of time series kinematical data as measured by the Kinect v2 on a flatland for gait assessment. In this study, 51 healthy subjects walked on a flatland while kinematic data were extracted concurrently using the Kinect and Vicon systems. The kinematic outcomes comprised the hip and knee joint angles. Parallel translation of Kinect data obtained throughout the gait cycle was performed to minimize the differences between the Kinect and Vicon data. The ensemble curves of the hip and knee joint angles were compared to investigate whether the Kinect sensor can consistently and accurately assess lower extremity joint motion throughout the gait cycle. Relative consistency was assessed using Pearson correlation coefficients. Joint angles measured by the Kinect v2 followed the trend of the trajectories made by the Vicon data in both the hip and knee joints in the sagittal plane. The trajectories of the hip and knee joint angles in the frontal plane differed between the Kinect and Vicon data. We observed moderate to high correlation coefficients of 20%–60% of the gait cycle, and the largest difference between Kinect and Vicon data was 4.2°. Kinect v2 time series kinematical data obtained on the flatland are validated if the appropriate correction procedures are performed. Future studies are warranted to examine the reproducibility and systematic bias of the Kinect v2.     

Accuracy and repeatability of joint angles measured using a single camera markerless motion capture system

Markerless motion capture systems have developed in an effort to evaluate human movement in a natural setting. However, the accuracy and reliability of these systems remain understudied. Therefore, the goals of this study were to quantify the accuracy and repeatability of joint angles using a single camera markerless motion capture system and to compare the markerless system performance with that of a marker-based system. A jig was placed in multiple static postures with marker trajectories collected using a ten camera motion analysis system. Depth and color image data were simultaneously collected from a single Microsoft Kinect camera, which was subsequently used to calculate virtual marker trajectories. A digital inclinometer provided a measure of ground-truth for sagittal and frontal plane joint angles. Joint angles were calculated with marker data from both motion capture systems using successive body-fixed rotations. The sagittal and frontal plane joint angles calculated from the marker-based and markerless system agreed with inclinometer measurements by <0.5°. The systems agreed with each other by <0.5° for sagittal and frontal plane joint angles and <2° for transverse plane rotation. Both systems showed a coefficient of reliability <0.5° for all angles. These results illustrate the feasibility of a single camera markerless motion capture system to accurately measure lower extremity kinematics and provide a first step in using this technology to discern clinically relevant differences in the joint kinematics of patient populations.     

一种利用计算机程序计算目的蛋白表达量及表达水平的方法

介绍一种利用Windows操作系统工具及扫描仪,测量和计算发酵工艺研究及摇瓶实验中目的蛋白的表达量的方法。该方法可以扩展到精确计算在琼脂、纤维膜等材料上的溶菌圈的大小、抑菌圈的大小,免疫扩散及其绝对量的确定等。     

MapDraw，在Excel中绘制遗传连锁图的宏

MAPMAKER是现今广泛使用的遗传连锁数据分析软件,然而其广泛使用的DOS版本却不具有连锁图绘制功能,给连锁作图工作带来了相当大的麻烦。为了解决这一问题,我们以大家广泛使用的数据处理软件Microsoft Excel为平台,编写了一个Excel宏——MapDraw来在轻松的操作中实现遗传连锁图的绘制。 Abstract:MAPMAKER is one of the most widely used computer software package for constructing genetic linkage maps.However,the PC version,MAPMAKER 3.0 for PC,could not draw the genetic linkage maps that its Macintosh version,MAPMAKER 3.0 for Macintosh,was able to do.Especially in recent years,Macintosh computer is much less popular than PC.Most of the geneticists use PC to analyze their genetic linkage data.So a new computer software to draw the same genetic linkage maps on PC as the MAPMAKER for Macintosh to do on Macintosh has been crying for.Microsoft Excel,one component of Microsoft Office package,is one of the most popular software in laboratory data processing.Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) is one of the most powerful functions of Microsoft Excel.Using this program language,we can take creative control of Excel,including genetic linkage map construction,automatic data processing and more.In this paper,a Microsoft Excel macro called MapDraw is constructed to draw genetic linkage maps on PC computer based on given genetic linkage data.Use this software,you can freely construct beautiful genetic linkage map in Excel and freely edit and copy it to Word or other application.This software is just an Excel format file.You can freely copy it from ftp://211.69.140.177 or ftp://brassica.hzau.edu.cn and the source code can be found in Excel′s Visual Basic Editor.     

利用Excel的VBA语言自动分析大量共聚焦线扫描图像数据的方法

目的：Microsoft Excel的内置控制语言是VBA(visual basic for application)。它可以极大地增强Excel的数据处理能力。本文通过一个简单的例子说明如何利用VBA自动分析大量共聚焦线扫描图像数据并图示分析结果。方法与结果：文中首先描述了取自共聚焦线扫描图像的实验数据的结构及处理要求。然后具体说明宏程序(用VBA编写)的录制、修改和使用的详细方法。宏程序代码很接近自然语言,较好理解,而且在大多数情况下可通过“录制宏”功能自动生成,把编程的工作减至最少。结论：与手工使用Excel一步步进行数据处理相比,使用Excel中的VBA处理数据可少花时间、少犯错误、减少大量单调重复的劳动．．这些可极大地提高数据处理效率,使研究者可把更多的时间用于数据处理方案的设计和完善上。特别在处理量大而复杂的实验数据时更需要如此。这样,数据中蕴含的有用信息才能更好地被有效而准确地提取出来并加以显示。     

Validity of a novel method to measure vertical oscillation during running using a depth camera

Recent advancements in low-cost depth cameras may provide a clinically accessible alternative to conventional three-dimensional (3D) multi-camera motion capture systems for gait analysis. However, there remains a lack of information on the validity of clinically relevant running gait parameters such as vertical oscillation (VO). The purpose of this study was to assess the validity of measures of VO during running gait using raw depth data, in comparison to a 3D multi-camera motion capture system. Sixteen healthy adults ran on a treadmill at a standard speed of 2.7 m/s. The VO of their running gait was simultaneously collected from raw depth data (Microsoft Kinect v2) and 3D marker data (Vicon multi-camera motion capture system). The agreement between the VO measures obtained from the two systems was assessed using a Bland-Altman plot with 95% limits of agreement (LOA), a Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r), and a Lin’s concordance correlation coefficient (r_c). The depth data from the Kinect v2 demonstrated excellent results across all measures of validity (r = 0.97; r_c = 0.97; 95% LOA = −8.0 mm – 8.7 mm), with an average absolute error and percent error of 3.7 (2.1) mm and 4.0 (2.0)%, respectively. The findings of this study have demonstrated the ability of a low cost depth camera and a novel tracking method to accurately measure VO in running gait.