Bone marrow failure by cytomegalovirus is associated with an in vivo deficiency in the expression of essential stromal hemopoietin genes

Bone marrow (BM) failure associated with cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a feared complication after clinical BM transplantation. Experiments in long-term BM cultures have indicated that BM stromal cells (BMSC) are targets of productive CMV infection, but an in situ infection of BM stroma remained to be documented, and the pathomechanism is open to question. Here we describe a murine in vivo model of lethal CMV aplastic anemia (CMV-AA). The reconstitution of hematopoietic progenitor cells expressing stem cell factor (SCF) receptor was found to be defective in CMV-AA. While murine CMV replication in permissive parenchymal tissues is cytolytic, the hematopoietic cord was found to be a site of very limited virus production with foci of reticular BMSC expressing the intranuclear viral IE1 protein, but with only a few BMSC positive for viral genome in the in situ hybridization. XX-XY BM chimeras were established in order to quantitate Y-chromosome-tagged BMSC by a PCR specific for the male-sex-determining gene Tdy. This approach revealed that murine CMV infection is not associated with a significant loss of BMSC. Despite the physical integrity of the stromal network, the functional integrity of the stroma was impaired. While housekeeping genes were expressed normally in BMSC of infected mice, the expression of genes encoding the essential hemopoietins SCF, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, and interleukin-6 was markedly reduced. In conclusion, the mechanism of BM failure is not a stromal lesion but an insufficient stromal function. These findings explain CMV-AA as a manifestation of multiple hemopoietin deficiency.     

Biometrie nach dem Baukastenprinzip mit BioAPI 2.0

Um eine anpassbare und somit investitionssichere Biometriel?sung zu realisieren, sollte bei einer System-Implementierung von Anfang an auf ein modulares und standardorientiertes Architekturkonzept geachtet werden. Der ISO-Standard BioAPI 2.0 definiert eine klare Architektur mit einheitlicher Anwendungsschnittstelle und erm?glicht durch ein integriertes Komponentenmodell die Austauschbarkeit der biometrischen Basismodule.     

Exact Critical Values for Mood's Distribution-Free Test Statistic for Dispersion and Its Normal Approximation

In this paper we produce a table of critical values of Mood's test statistic which may be used in the distribution-free comparison of the dispersions of two independent samples. As far as we know the main drawback in using this test statistic, developed more than 14 years ago, lies in the fact that its distribution has never been tabulated except for a few isolated cases. We also discuss a normal distribution approximation which may be used when the sample sizes fall outside the scope of our present table. A uniform correction for continuity cannot be suggested since Mood's statistic does not take on equi-spaced values. However, we do attempt such a correction. Our investigations indicate that this suggestion may not be worthwhile, especially for sample sizes the sum of which exceed about 30.     

Efficient 3D object perception and grasp planning for mobile manipulation in domestic environments

In this article, we describe efficient methods for tackling everyday mobile manipulation tasks that require object pick-up. In order to achieve real-time performance in complex environments, we focus our approach on fast yet robust solutions. For 3D perception of objects on planar surfaces, we develop scene segmentation methods that process depth images in real-time at high frame rates. We efficiently plan feasible, collision-free grasps for the segmented objects directly from the perceived point clouds to achieve fast execution times. We evaluate our approaches quantitatively in lab experiments and also report on the successful integration of our methods in public demonstrations at RoboCup@Home competitions in 2011 and 2012.     

A 75 nm 7 Gb/s/pin 1 Gb GDDR5 Graphics Memory Device With Bandwidth Improvement Techniques

Modern graphics subsystems (gaming PCs, midhigh end graphics cards, game consoles) have reached the 2.6-2.8 Gb/s/pin regime with GDDR3/GDDR4, and experimental work has shown per pin rates up to 6 Gb/s/pin on individual test setups. In order to satisfy the continuous demand for even higher data bandwidths and increased memory densities, more advanced design techniques are required. This paper describes a 7 Gb/s/pin 1 Gb GDDR5 DRAM and the circuit design and optimization features employed to achieve these speeds. These features include: an array architecture for fast column access, a command-FIFO designed to take advantage of special training/tracking requirements of the GDDR5 interface, a boosting transmitter to increase read eye height, sampling receivers with pre-amplification and offset control, multiple regulated internal voltage (VINT = 1.3 V) domains to control on chip power noise, and a high-speed internal VINT power generator system. The memory device was fabricated in a conventional 75 nm DRAM process and characterized for a 7 Gb/s/pin data transfer rate at 1.5 V Vext.     

Neonatal adrenal abscesses

Incarcerated rectal prolapse is a potential surgical emergency. We report a case in which a simple but effective technique involving the desiccating effect of granulated sugar (sucrose) was used to aid the manual reduction of prolapsed but viable rectal tissue.