Performance characteristics of a new photometer with a moving filter tape for luminescence assay.

The performance characteristics of a new photometer that incorporated a reaction system consisting of a movable filtration tape have been studied for use with the firefly luciferase assay for adenosine 5'-triphosphate. Precision, linearity, and sensitivity are given for measuring a graded series of constant-light emitters, concentrations of adenosine 5'-triphosphate, and washed bacterial cells. Precision ranged from 1 to 10% coefficient of variation. The coefficient of correlation was 0.9985 for 7 X 10(8) to 7 X 10(3) bacteria per ml; however, the accuracy decreased at the low levels. The sample processing time was 2 min for a 1-ml sample. This instrument shows potential for many applications in quantitating small numbers of organisms, e.g., pollution, water monitoring, and clinical infection detection.     

Performance characteristics of a new photometer with a moving filter tape for luminescence assay.

The performance characteristics of a new photometer that incorporated a reaction system consisting of a movable filtration tape have been studied for use with the firefly luciferase assay for adenosine 5'-triphosphate. Precision, linearity, and sensitivity are given for measuring a graded series of constant-light emitters, concentrations of adenosine 5'-triphosphate, and washed bacterial cells. Precision ranged from 1 to 10% coefficient of variation. The coefficient of correlation was 0.9985 for 7 X 10(8) to 7 X 10(3) bacteria per ml; however, the accuracy decreased at the low levels. The sample processing time was 2 min for a 1-ml sample. This instrument shows potential for many applications in quantitating small numbers of organisms, e.g., pollution, water monitoring, and clinical infection detection.     

Calibration characteristics of a video dimension analyser (VDA) system.

A comprehensive calibration and error analysis of a video dimension analyser (VDA) system was carried out to determine the effects of various parameters relevant to actual test conditions on the characteristics of the system. The parameters considered were: (1) varying distances or angles between the test specimen and the camera; (2) refractive effects of glass tank and physiologic solutions; and (3) dynamic response of the VDA system. The error analysis shows that, at low strain levels, the strain computed by the VDA is sensitive to camera placement and orientation as well as the media through which the object is observed. Very large errors can occur at small nominal strains, depending on the system parameters (e.g. 80% error at 1% nominal strain for one set of parameters). At higher strain levels, the sensitivity of the system is reduced, and the strain computed by the VDA system approaches the nominal strain (10% error at 10% nominal strain).     

Semipermanent microscope slides of microfungi using a sticky tape technique

A technique is described for making semipermanent microscope slides of fungi using sticky tape. After being touched to a fungal colony, a modified segment of sticky tape is touched to ethyl alcohol and then immersed in a 50% glycerine solution containing cotton blue stain. Finally, it is transferred (sticky side up) to a microscope slide, covered with a cover with a cover glass, and sealed.     

DNA tape measurements of AraC

A new method for measuring distances between points in the AraC-DNA complex was developed and applied. It utilizes variable lengths of single-stranded DNA that connect double-stranded regions containing the two half-site binding sequences of AraC. These distances plus the protein interdomain linker distances are compatible with two classes of structure for the dimeric AraC gene regulatory protein. In one class, the N-terminal regulatory arm of one dimerization domain is capable of interacting with the DNA-binding domain on the same polypeptide chain for a cis interaction. In the other class, the possible arm-DNA-binding domain interaction is trans, where it adds to the dimerization interface.     

Content-based indexing of images and video.

By representing image content using probabilistic models of an object''s appearance we can obtain semantics-preserving compression of the image data. Such compact representations of an image''s salient features allow rapid computer searches of even large image databases. Examples are shown for databases of face images, a video of American sign language (ASL), and a video of facial expressions.