Bacterial Community of Koumiss from Mongolia Investigated by Culture and Culture-Independent Methods

The bacterial community of fermented horse milk (koumiss) from Mongolia was studied using three methods: cultivation, direct identification by 16S rRNA clone library and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). Ninety-eight strains were isolated by traditional cultivation and 61 of those were randomly selected for further identification by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The strains were dominated by lactic acid bacteria (LAB; six different lactobacilli), Acinetobacter, Bacillus and Psychrobacter. Construction of the clone library analysis revealed that 16S sequences of 220 clones, genus Lactobacillus was dominant, but Streptococcus thermophilus, Acetobacter pasteurianus and uncultured clones were also detected. Ten unique bands were sequenced from the DGGE and revealed: Lactococcus lactis, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Clostridium acidurici, Acinetobacter johnsonii, Dickeya sp., Enterobacter sp., Pseudomonas sp., Raoultella sp., and Ruminococcus sp.. In vitro growth inhibition of three human pathogens, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter sakazakii and Staphylococcus aureus by 14 culturable bacteria displayed that only three of the isolates tested inhibit growth of E. sakazakii while most of the other bacteria delayed growth of the target bacteria.     

How does personality matter in marriage? An examination of trait anxiety, interpersonal negativity, and marital satisfaction.

Although trait anxiety and its aliases (negative affectivity, neuroticism) have frequently been found to be associated with marital dissatisfaction, few efforts have been made to identify the processes through which trait anxiety exerts its influence. This study reports findings from a 13-year, 4-phase longitudinal study in which trait anxiety, measured when spouses were newlyweds, consistently predicted marital negativity which, in turn, was associated with partner's marital dissatisfaction. Some support was also found for effects of trait anxiety on partner's marital satisfaction, independent of marital negativity, as well as for the idea that trait anxiety is directly related to spouses' own marital satisfaction. Trait anxiety did not distinguish couples who divorced from those who remained married, and it generally did not predict declines in marital satisfaction. The disagreeable impact of trait anxiety on marriage was evident at the outset of marriage and was stable over time. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

100 Jahre Frauen in der Wissenschaft

Ohne Zusammenfassung Tagung an der Universit?t Bremen, 17–19, Februar 1997, veranstaltet vom Studiengang Geschichte und dem Arbeitskreis Historische Frauenforschung an der Universit?t Bremen.     

Matching addiction outpatient counseling to client readiness for change: The role of structured relapse prevention counseling.

The clinical importance of matching counseling procedures to the client's readiness for change is gaining increased recognition in the addictions treatment field. This article describes a comprehensive cognitive-behavioral outpatient counseling program for substance abusers that consists of 5 components (i.e., assessment, motivational interviewing, preparation of an individualized treatment plan, 'initiation of change" counseling procedures, and "maintenance of change" counseling procedures). The relationship of these treatment components to 5 client stages of change (i.e., precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance) is discussed. A simple assessment tool for determining the client's stage of change, the Commitment to Change Algorithm, is described. Finally, the difference between initiation and maintenance of change homework assignments in structured relapse prevention counseling is highlighted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The approximate solution of the Euclidean traveling salesman problem on a CRAY X-MP

The efficient use of MIMD computers calls for a careful choice of adequate algorithms as for an implementation taking into account the particular architecture. To demonstrate these facts, a parallel algorithm to find an approximate solution to the Euclidean Traveling Salesman Problem (ETSP) is presented. The algorithm is a parallelization of Karp's partitioning algorithm. It is a divide-and-conquer method for solving the ETSP approximately. Since the successor vertex to any vertex in the tour is usually a nearby vertex, the problem can be ‘geographically’ partitioned into subproblems which then can be solved independently. The resulting subtours can be combined into a single tour which is an approximate solution to the ETSP. The algorithm is implemented on a CRAY X-MP with two and four processors, and results using macrotasking and microtasking are presented.     

An integrating view on the viewing abstraction: Contexts and perspectives in software development,AI, and databases

Viewing entities from different situations and representing and processing them in different contexts constitutes a fundamental concern in various disciplines of computer science. Not surprisingly, the viewing abstraction is supported by many languages and techniques employed either for programming or world modelling. This paper presents an overview on various manifestations of viewing mechanisms in formal notations including software development techniques, knowledge representation languages, and data models. The concepts of context and perspective are introduced in form of a language-independent framework in order to capture and systematically discuss features that characterize viewing mechanisms, such as the relationship between the two, the relation between different perspectives on the same conceptual entity, or operations supporting effective construction of contexts. In addition, it is argued that the full power of viewing can be exploited by supporting both notions: contexts as well as perspectives. In order to achieve this support, any formal notation has to fulfill a number of general requirements which are stated as a result of the investigation and the survey.     

Development of the Flight Hardware for the Experiment XENOPUS on the Kubik BIO4-Mission

The needs of developing aquatic animals depend on their age. For example, amphibian tadpole stages require regular food supply while embryos use their yolk as food source. Thus, life support systems have to be adapted to the different ages; an efficient control for water cleanness and steady food supply is mandatory for a safe flight in microgravity. A list of biological and technical requirements prompted the concept of the Dornier-Mini-System and the design for the Astrium SUPPLY Unit. These life support systems are connected with the Astrium miniaquarium that was used several times for the transport of small aquatic animals in space. Scientific experience from this concept was considered by Kayser Italia to design and develop a space suitable hardware. Its functionality was successfully demonstrated by the experiment XENOPUS that flew on the Soyuz TMA13/TMA12 mission in 2008. From 36 launched tadpoles, 35 returned back to Earth after the 12 days lasting space flight in physiologically stable conditions.