Principles for Griffing's combining ability analysis

Griffing's diallel analysis is used in plant improvement programs to identify superior parents for crossing and for characterizing general, specific, and reciprocal effects. Eight different model/method combinations are commonly used in the analysis. The accuracy of the analysis is improved by using the appropriate model and method. In many instances, Model One with Method Three or Four is the most appropriate for obtaining unbiased estimates of combining abilities and gene action. The effective use of Griffing's analysis and the influence of several factors on this analysis are discussed. A personal computer program on this analysis is also made available to interested readers.     

Personal computer-based visualization of molecular models by available ray-tracing software

Developed primarily for the graphic arts, ray-tracing algorithms offer a high level of flexibility with reference to photorealistic and surrealistic image rendering. The utility of these programs is further enhanced by portability (i.e., compatibility with a number of operating systems), accessibility through various sources, and low cost. This report documents, through the use of existing software, the application of these ray-tracing attributes to molecular graphics on a desktop computer. This application is especially pertinent in view of rapid speed enhancements in personal computers (PCs), which have enabled molecular modeling and dynamics on these systems. In this regard, ray tracing on a PC provides enhanced capabilities for molecular graphics rendering that are potentially equivalent to those achieved by workstations.     

Three-dimensional visualization of low-field MRI data using personal computer

An experience of three-dimensional reconstruction of low-field MRI data using a modern personal computer and Windows software is presented. A value of volume visualization in routine diagnostics and areas of its effective use are shown. Pulse sequences best suitable for volume reconstruction are selected. Performance of high-end PC in visualization of medical data is evaluated.     

PCDRA: PC interactive molecular representation and modeling system

PCDRA was designed to provide the average biologist with a user-friendly molecular display on a low-cost personal computer. The package is menu driven and is built so that a biologist, with tittle or no computing knowledge, finds it easy to use. The system gives a color representation with depth cueing of a protein whose atomic coordinates are stored as a PDB file. Moreover, the system presents several features similar to HYDRA¹ and therefore is a good introduction to molecular graphics, especially for beginners in protein modeling.     

Les structures d’occupation gravettiennes en Europe centrale : le cas de Grub/Kranawetberg,Autriche

Grub/Kranawetberg, a multilayered Gravettian site in Lower Austria, is one of many Gravettian open-air sites of Central Europe. These sites are well-known since a long time for their settlement structures, but also rich lithic inventories as well as organic tools, personal adornments, and art objects (e.g., Pavlov, Dolní Vestonice). While old excavation and recording techniques do not allow a detailed intrasite spatial analysis of these sites, the ongoing fieldwork at Grub/Kranawetberg provides us with abundant and detailed information about spatial organization of a Gravettian open-air site in Central Europe. The site is excavated since 1993 and yielded four archaeological horizons with abundant finds (including numerous personal adornments) and some evident structures. The main focus of this paper is on the GIS-based methodology of intrasite spatial analysis, especially emphasizing the possibilities of recognizing formation processes, size-sorting and locating a possible dwelling. Application of various methods, among them piece-plotting, mapping of find quantities, application of kernel density estimates and ring and sector analysis, in the 1995 and 1996 excavation area showed latent structures which are interpreted as evidence for a dwelling in this area of the site. In the last part of the paper the evidence of Grub/Kranawetberg is discussed and compared with other European Gravettian sites.     

The UniMarker (UM) method for synteny mapping of large genomes

MOTIVATION: Synteny mapping, or detecting regions that are orthologous between two genomes, is a key step in studies of comparative genomics. For completely sequenced genomes, this is increasingly accomplished by whole-genome sequence alignment. However, such methods are computationally expensive, especially for large genomes, and require rather complicated post-processing procedures to filter out non-orthologous sequence matches. RESULTS: We have developed a novel method that does not require sequence alignment for synteny mapping of two large genomes, such as the human and mouse. In this method, the occurrence spectra of genome-wide unique 16mer sequences present in both the human and mouse genome are used to directly detect orthologous genomic segments. Being sequence alignment-free, the method is very fast and able to map the two mammalian genomes in one day of computing time on a single Pentium IV personal computer. The resulting human-mouse synteny map was shown to be in excellent agreement with those produced by the Mouse Genome Sequencing Consortium (MGSC) and by the Ensembl team; furthermore, the syntenic relationship of segments found only by our method was supported by BLASTZ sequence alignment.     

A hypertext-like approach to navigating through the GCG sequence analysis package

Programs of the recently released Unix version of the GeneticsComputing Group (GCG) sequence analysis package can now be accessedvia a user-friendly hypertext-like navigation system, HYGCG.The resultant system organizes the diverse suite of programsinto logical groups, and provides a guide and explanation ofcommands. In addition, for users unfamiliar with the Unix operatingsystem, the program also provides a similar interface to commonlyused Unix commands. Options for personal customization and expansionto accommodate GCG extensions and other software are also provided.This system should be useful especially to the inexperiencedor infrequent user as context-sensitive on-line help is providedwithin this simple and consistent approach. Written in the Clanguage and using the curses and termcap libraries, the systemis easily portable to most Unix environments and has been madefreely available via anonymous file transfer protocol (FTP)through the Internet global computer network. No modificationof the GCG package is needed.     

计算机在昆虫分类中的新用途

计算机作为一种昆虫分类的工具 ,已广泛用于昆虫的数值分类和支序分类中。随着多媒体计算机以及计算机网络技术的迅速发展 ,它在昆虫分类中又有了新的用途。多媒体计算机的使用将使传统的形态分类产生质的飞跃 ,并能通过互联网核对模式标本和进行昆虫种类的共同鉴定 ,使传统分类充满新的活力。     

Schärfentiefe nach Maß

“Focus stacking” in biology: Depth of field as large as required As the shooting distance gets more narrow in photographing, the depth of field shrinks remarkably, making macro and especially microscope photography increasingly difficult. The focus stacking technique solves this problem by producing a series of photographs with different planes of sharpness, which are then combined into a photograph with extremely large depth of field with the help of a computer.     

The use of small and large computers for setting up data banks for morphometry

The organization and structure of data masses including results of scientific research is presented on the base of the morphometric method. The data massif is realized on ESER-1056 large scale computer. Currently, all the results of the universally scientific programme "Statist", designed for mathematical and statistical morphometric data processing, are collected in this data massif. A personal computer is linked with a large-scale computer by a cable for data transfer by telecommunication, the whole system accomplishes distributed ata processing. This enables the scientist to use the data massif directly from his working site.     

<Emphasis Type="Bold">Personal Genomic Testing,Genetic Inheritance,and Uncertainty</Emphasis>

The case outlined below is the basis for the In That Case section of the “Ethics and Epistemology of Big Data” symposium. Jordan receives reports from two separate personal genomic tests that provide intriguing data about ancestry and worrying but ambiguous data about the potential risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. What began as a personal curiosity about genetic inheritance turns into an alarming situation of medical uncertainty. Questions about Jordan’s family tree are overshadowed by even more questions about Alzheimer’s disease and healthy ageing. As a parent, Jordan is unsure whether to share these results and what it would mean for their children to learn about their genetic inheritance and potential future health. Furthermore, Jordan is unsure how to make sense of these reports in light of current knowledge of the risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease and in the absence of effective treatments or robust preventative guidelines.     

Semiautomatic growth analysis of multicellular tumor spheroids

Multicellular tumor spheroids (MCTS) are routinely employed as three-dimensional in vitro models to study tumor biology. Cultivation of MCTS in spinner flasks provides better growing conditions, especially with regard to the availability of nutrients and oxygen, when compared with microtiter plates. The main endpoint of drug response experiments is spheroid size. It is common practice to analyze spheroid size manually with a microscope and an ocular micrometer. This requires removal of some spheroids from the flask, which entails major limitations such as loss of MCTS and the risk of contamination. With this new approach, the authors present an efficient and highly reproducible method to analyze the size of complete MCTS populations in culture containers with transparent, flat bottoms. MCTS sediments are digitally scanned and spheroid volumes are calculated by computerized image analysis. The equipment includes regular office hardware (personal computer, flatbed scanner) and software (Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft Excel, ImageJ). The accuracy and precision of the method were tested using industrial precision steel beads with known diameter. In summary, in comparison with other methods, this approach provides benefits in terms of semiautomation, noninvasiveness, and low costs.     

基因组基因定位(基因DNA酶解图谱技术)的计算机方法研究

本文提出基于酶解图谱技术的基因组基因定位的计算机方法,用于连接定位从克隆分析得到的数据．我们选择了若干例子作为研究对象,尝试了该方法的有效性．结果表明,计算机方法性能良好,可望成为大基因组基因定位的有用工具．     

Effectiveness of programs for reducing the stigma associated with mental disorders. A meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials

The stigma associated with mental disorders is a global public health problem. Programs to combat it must be informed by the best available evidence. To this end, a meta‐analysis was undertaken to investigate the effectiveness of existing programs. A systematic search of PubMed, PsycINFO and Cochrane databases yielded 34 relevant papers, comprising 33 randomized controlled trials. Twenty‐seven papers (26 trials) contained data that could be incorporated into a quantitative analysis. Of these trials, 19 targeted personal stigma or social distance (6,318 participants), six addressed perceived stigma (3,042 participants) and three self‐stigma (238 participants). Interventions targeting personal stigma or social distance yielded small but significant reductions in stigma across all mental disorders combined (d=0.28, 95% CI: 0.17‐0.39, p<0.001) as well as for depression (d=0.36, 95% CI: 0.10‐0.60, p<0.01), psychosis (d=0.20, 95% CI: 0.06‐0.34, p<0.01) and generic mental illness (d=0.30, 95% CI: 0.10‐0.50, p<0.01). Educational interventions were effective in reducing personal stigma (d=0.33, 95% CI: 0.19‐0.42, p<0.001) as were interventions incorporating consumer contact (d=0.47, 95% CI: 0.17‐0.78, p<0.001), although there were insufficient studies to demonstrate an effect for consumer contact alone. Internet programs were at least as effective in reducing personal stigma as face‐to‐face delivery. There was no evidence that stigma interventions were effective in reducing perceived or self‐stigma. In conclusion, there is an evidence base to inform the roll out of programs for improving personal stigma among members of the community. However, there is a need to investigate methods for improving the effectiveness of these programs and to develop interventions that are effective in reducing perceived and internalized stigma.     

Increasing stability of antibody via antibody engineering: Stability engineering on an anti‐hVEGF

Antibody stability is very important for expression, activity, specificity, and storage. This knowledge of antibody structure has made it possible for a computer‐aided molecule design to be used to optimize and increase antibody stability. Many computational methods have been built based on knowledge or structure, however, a good integrated engineering system has yet to be developed that combines these methods. In the current study, we designed an integrated computer‐aided engineering protocol, which included several successful methods. Mutants were designed considering factors that affected stability and multiwall filter screening was used to improve the design accuracy. Using this protocol, the thermo‐stability of an anti‐hVEGF antibody was significantly improved. Nearly 40% of the single‐point mutants proved to be more stable than the parent antibody and most of the mutations could be stacked effectively. The T₅₀ also improved about 7°C by combinational mutation of seven sites in the light chain and three sites in the heavy chain. Data indicate that the protocol is an effective method for optimization of antibody structure, especially for improving thermo‐stability. This protocol could also be used to enhance the stability of other antibodies. Proteins 2014; 82:2620–2630. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Developing a Hybrid Programmable Logic Controller Platform for a Flexible Manufacturing System

In this article, we present the design and implementation of a flexible manufacturing system (FMS) control platform based on a programmable logic controller (PLC) and a personal computer (PC)-based visual man-machine interface (MMI) and data acquisition (DAS) unit. The key aspect of an FMS is its flexibility to adapt to changes in a demanding process operation. The PLC provides feasible solutions to FMS applications, using PC-based MMI/DAS, whereby PLCs are optimized for executing rapid sequential control strategies. PCs running MMI/DAS front-ends make intuitive operation interfaces, full of powerful graphics and reporting tools. Information from the PC can be distributed through a company's local area network or web using client-server technologies. Currently, with the convergence of underlying microprocessor technology and software programming techniques, many users find that PLCs provide a cost-effective solution to real-time control in small- to medium-sized process plants, especially when combined with supervisory PCs using hybrid systems. The major work of this article demonstrates that PLCs are responsive to rapid and repetitious control tasks, using PCs that present the flow of information automation and accept operator instructions, thereby providing the user a tool to modify and monitor the process as the requirements change.     

ISBP: Understanding the Security Rule of Users' Information-Sharing Behaviors in Partnership

The rapid growth of social network data has given rise to high security awareness among users, especially when they exchange and share their personal information. However, because users have different feelings about sharing their information, they are often puzzled about who their partners for exchanging information can be and what information they can share. Is it possible to assist users in forming a partnership network in which they can exchange and share information with little worry? We propose a modified information sharing behavior prediction (ISBP) model that can help in understanding the underlying rules by which users share their information with partners in light of three common aspects: what types of items users are likely to share, what characteristics of users make them likely to share information, and what features of users’ sharing behavior are easy to predict. This model is applied with machine learning techniques in WEKA to predict users’ decisions pertaining to information sharing behavior and form them into trustable partnership networks by learning their features. In the experiment section, by using two real-life datasets consisting of citizens’ sharing behavior, we identify the effect of highly sensitive requests on sharing behavior adjacent to individual variables: the younger participants’ partners are more difficult to predict than those of the older participants, whereas the partners of people who are not computer majors are easier to predict than those of people who are computer majors. Based on these findings, we believe that it is necessary and feasible to offer users personalized suggestions on information sharing decisions, and this is pioneering work that could benefit college researchers focusing on user-centric strategies and website owners who want to collect more user information without raising their privacy awareness or losing their trustworthiness.     

Quantifying personal exposure to air pollution from smartphone‐based location data

Personal exposure assessment is a challenging task that requires both measurements of the state of the environment as well as the individual's movements. In this paper, we show how location data collected by smartphone applications can be exploited to quantify the personal exposure of a large group of people to air pollution. A Bayesian approach that blends air quality monitoring data with individual location data is proposed to assess the individual exposure over time, under uncertainty of both the pollutant level and the individual location. A comparison with personal exposure obtained assuming fixed locations for the individuals is also provided. Location data collected by the Earthquake Network research project are employed to quantify the dynamic personal exposure to fine particulate matter of around 2500 people living in Santiago (Chile) over a 4‐month period. For around 30% of individuals, the personal exposure based on people movements emerges significantly different over the static exposure. On the basis of this result and thanks to a simulation study, we claim that even when the individual location is known with nonnegligible error, this helps to better assess personal exposure to air pollution. The approach is flexible and can be adopted to quantify the personal exposure based on any location‐aware smartphone application.     

Experience in the application of Java Technologies in telemedicine

Java language has been demonstrated to be an effective tool in supporting medical image viewing in Russia. This evaluation was completed by obtaining a maximum of 20 images, depending on the client's computer workstation from one patient using a commercially available computer tomography (CT) scanner. The images were compared against standard CT images that were viewed at the site of capture. There was no appreciable difference. The client side is a lightweight component that provides an intuitive interface for end users. Each image is loaded in its own thread and the user can begin work after the first image has been loaded. This feature is especially useful on slow connection speed, 9.6 Kbps for example. The server side, which is implemented by the Java Servlet Engine works more effective than common gateway interface (CGI) programs do. Advantages of the Java Technology place this program on the next level of application development. This paper presents a unique application of Java in telemedicine.     

Insect electroantennogram responses to semiochemicals recorded with an inexpensive personal computer

ABSTRACT. . A circuit and accompanying program that allow an inexpensive personal computer to replace an expensive storage oscilloscope in displaying electroantennogram (EAG) recording is described. The maximum amplitude of the EAG is calculated automatically by the computer and appears as an alphanumeric display on the monitor screen. Because the entire EAG trace is stored by the computer, parameters of the EAG trace other than the maximum amplitude are also available for analysis, such as voltages at specified times after antennal stimulation.