Future Scenarios: What are the Future Services and Applications?

With the change of paradigm within user-machine interaction, there is an increasing demand for seamless interoperability between different technologies as well as more intuitive ways of utilizing the applications on the devices. This implies that the underlying technologies must support the appropriate bandwidth, mobility and quality at the right cost in order for the end-user to perceive the infrastructure appropriate for the services and corresponding applications of the future. In addition, it is required that interoperability will be realized at the semantic level and not just the syntactical level. The purpose of the paper is to present the authors’ thoughts of a new Information and Communication Technology paradigm and to highlight what might have an impact on the realization/deployment of such a paradigm.     

Relationships among strains classified with the ruminant Pasteurella haemolytica-complex using quantitative evaluation of phenotypic data

The phenotypic relationships among 246 trehalose-negative strains classified under the [Pasteurella] haemolytica-complex in ruminants were investigated by clustering and multidimensional ordinations based upon 79 phenotypic characters. A quantitative evaluation of phenotypic data using a 5-level scoring system is presented permitting a comprehensive utilization of the recorded phenotypic variation among the strains in the analyses. Clustering and ordination analyses display complementary aspects of data which has been clearly demonstrated in this investigation. The main clusters revealed by the numerical techniques could be related to distinctive phenotypic differences and showed an extensive correlation with the recognized biogroups. This classification was based only upon 4 characters (fermentation of L-arabinose, D-sorbitol, glucosides and ornithine decarboxylase). In contrast, there was no obvious interpretation of the clusters formed by using binary scores. Phenotypic subgroups within the recognized biogroups have been described as well as a new, related group of bacteria, tentatively named Bisgaard taxon 36. Quantitative interpretation of phenotypic data seems to represent a promising method for finding relations among affiliated strains of bacteria and to assist in forming hypotheses for subsequent genotypic investigations.     

Photochemical Transformation of Fullerenes

Experimental findings and associated theoretical insights regarding the photochemical transformation of fullerenes are reported, which challenge the conventional wisdom in the field and point out a viable path towards improved fullerene‐based electronic devices. It is shown that the efficiency of the photochemical monomer‐to‐dimer transformation of the fullerene [6,6′]‐phenyl‐C₆₁‐butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) is strongly dependent on the light intensity, and this is utilized to demonstrate that direct patterning of an electroactive PCBM film can be effectuated by sub‐second UV‐light exposure followed by development in a tuned developer solution. By straightforward analytical reasoning, it is demonstrated that the observed intensity‐dependent monomer‐to‐dimer transformation dictates that a significant back‐reaction to the ground state must be in effect, which presumably originates from the excited‐triplet state. By a combination of numerical modeling and analytical argumentation, it is further shown that the final dimer formation must constitute a bi‐excited reaction between two neighboring monomers photo‐excited to the triplet state.     

Description of Gemella sanguinis sp. nov., isolated from human clinical specimens

Six strains of a hitherto undescribed gram-positive, catalase-negative, facultatively anaerobic coccus isolated from human sources were characterized by phenotypic and molecular taxonomic methods. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequencing studies demonstrated that the unknown strains were genealogically identical and constitute a new subline within the genus Gemella. The unknown bacterium was readily distinguished from Gemella haemolysans, Gemella bergeriae, and Gemella morbillorum by biochemical tests and electrophoretic analysis of whole-cell proteins. Based on phylogenetic and phenotypic evidence, it is proposed that the unknown bacterium be classified as Gemella sanguinis sp. nov. The type strain is CCUG 37820(T).     

Actinomyces naeslundii genospecies 1 and 2 express different binding specificities to N-acetyl-beta-D-galactosamine, whereas Actinomyces odontolyticus expresses a different binding specificity in colonizing the human mouth

Postoperative thromboembolism is a potentially lethal complication. Its diagnosis may be difficult, as the classic clinical signs and symptoms are often absent, making a high index of suspicion imperative for diagnosis. Anticoagulant therapy is effective in reducing morbidity and mortality due to thromboembolism, but is associated with a substantial rate of bleeding complications in the immediate postoperative period. Inferior vena cava filters constitute an alternative to anticoagulant therapy, but are also associated with a substantial complication rate. The appropriate use of diagnostic tests combined with clinical suspicion can guide the orthopaedic surgeon in deciding which patients require treatment for thromboembolism.     

Facklamia ignava sp. nov., isolated from human clinical specimens

Two strains of a hitherto-undescribed gram-positive, catalase-negative coccus isolated from human sources were characterized by phenotypic and molecular taxonomic methods. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequencing studies demonstrated that the unknown strains are genealogically identical and constitute a new line close to, but distinct from, Facklamia hominis. The unknown bacterium was readily distinguished from F. hominis by biochemical tests and electrophoretic analysis of whole-cell proteins. On the basis of phylogenetic and phenotypic evidence, it is proposed that the unknown bacterium be classified as Facklamia ignava sp. nov. The type strain of Facklamia ignava is CCUG 37419.