A forest building process on simple graphs

Consider the following process on a simple graph without isolated vertices: order the edges randomly and keep an edge if and only if it contains a vertex which is not contained in some preceding edge. The resulting set of edges forms a spanning forest of the graph.The probability of obtaining $k$ components in this process for complete bipartite graphs is determined as well as a formula for the expected number of components in any graph. A generic recurrence and some additional basic properties are discussed.     

Genetics in primary care: a USA faculty development initiative

The Genetics in Primary Care (GPC) project is a USA national faculty development initiative with the goal of enhancing the training of medical students and primary care residents by developing primary care faculty expertise in genetics. Educational strategies were developed for the project by an executive committee with input from an advisory committee, comprising individuals with primary care, medical education and genetics expertise. These committees identified the key issues in genetics education for primary care as (1) considering inherited disease in the differential diagnosis of common disorders; (2) using appropriate counseling strategies for genetic testing and diagnosis, and (3) understanding the implications of a genetic diagnosis for family members. The group emphasized the importance of a primary care perspective, which suggests that the clinical utility of genetic information is greatest when it has the potential to improve health outcomes. The group also noted that clinical practice already incorporates the use of family history information, providing a basis for discussing the application of genetic concepts in primary care. Genetics and primary care experts agreed that educational efforts will be most successful if they are integrated into existing primary care teaching programs, and use a case-based teaching format that incorporates both clinical and social dimensions of genetic disorders. Three core clinical skills were identified: (1) interpreting family history; (2) recognizing the variable clinical utility of genetic information, and (3) acquiring cultural competency. Three areas of potential controversy were identified as well: (1) the role of nondirective counseling versus shared decision-making in discussions of genetic testing; (2) the intrinsic value of genetic information when it does not influence health outcomes, and (3) indications for a genetics referral. The project provides an opportunity for ongoing discussion about these important issues.     

Prior exposure to an attenuated <Emphasis Type="Italic">Listeria</Emphasis> vaccine does not reduce immunogenicity: pre-clinical assessment of the efficacy of a <Emphasis Type="Italic">Listeria</Emphasis>vaccine in the induction of immune responses against HIV

Background  

We have evaluated an attenuated Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) candidate vaccine vector in nonhuman primates using a delivery regimen relying solely on oral vaccination. We sought to determine the impact of prior Lm vector exposure on the development of new immune responses against HIV antigens.     

Effect of alumina additions in YSZ on the microstructure and degradation of the LSM–YSZ interface

The cathode–electrolyte interface in a solid oxide fuel cell is examined to understand why premature delamination is observed in alumina substituted YSZ electrolyte. From XRD, SEM and TEM observations it was concluded that after high temperature sintering a tetragonal (Mn,Al)₃O₄ forms at the interface, which during prolonged fuel cell operation forms a cubic (Mn,Al)₃O₄ phase. This transformation is associated with volume decrease creating voids which ultimately weaken the cathode–electrolyte interface sufficiently for the cathode layer to delaminate off the YSZ–Al₂O₃ electrolyte.     

Sub-optimal Hankel norm approximation for the analytic class of infinite-dimensional systems

The sub-optimal Hankel norm approximation problem is solved under the assumptions that the system is given in terms of a triple of operators (–A, B, C), where–A is the infinitesimal generator of an exponentially stable, analytic semigroup on the Hilbert spaceZ,B L ( ^m ,Z where –1<0,C L is obtained in terms of the system parameters–A, B, C. (Z, ^p ), and the system is approximately controllable. An explicit parameterization of all solutions     

The T1←S0 Absorption Spectrum of Gaseous 4H-Pyran-4-thione

The T₁←S₀ absorption spectrum of 4H-pyran-4-thione (PT) was measured in a static cell at room temperature (550-620 nm) and in a seeded cold supersonic jet (580-600 nm) using the cavity ring-down (CRD) method. In the static cell absolute extinction coefficients were determined between 573 and 610 nm with an accuracy of ∼±5%. In this region 22 harmonic sequences and 18 hot bands were observed. The energetically lowest ground state vibration at 167.5 cm⁻¹ was identified as the promoting mode in the static PT gas. The mode in the triplet state was found at 152.3 cm⁻¹. The CRD absorption spectra of static PT gas and jet-cooled PT are compared with the phosphorescence excitation spectrum of isolated PT. The weak S_{1, 0}←S_{0, 0} absorption was tentatively assigned to a transition at ∼17433 cm⁻¹.     

Novel acid-catalyzed rearrangement of tetrahydro-1,2,3,4-tetrazines: unexpected formation of glycosazones

The present contribution discloses a simple and unexpected acid-catalyzed cleavage of tetrahydrotetrazines leading to 1,2-bis(hydrazones). Incorporation of a chiral fragment derived from carbohydrates enables the rapid preparation of glycosazones, a family of compounds employed by Emil Fischer to elucidate the configuration of sugars. In addition, a mechanistic proposal accounts for experimental observations.     

Cationic beta-cyclodextrin bilayer vesicles

Cationic amphiphilic beta-cyclodextrins, substituted with hydrophobic n-alkylthio chains at the primary hydroxyl side and hydrophilic omega-amino-oligo(ethylene glycol) units at the secondary side, form bilayer vesicles with a diameter of 30-35 nm (when alkyl = hexadecyl) or nanoparticles with a diameter of ca. 120 nm (when alkyl = hexyl) in water.     

Gas chromatography/sniffing port analysis of aroma compounds released under mouth conditions

The release of aroma compounds from rehydrated French beans in an artificial mouth system and in the mouths of 12 assessors was studied by gas chromatography combined with flame ionisation detection and sniffing port detection. In an artificial mouth system, volatile compounds were isolated under mouth conditions, such as temperature, salivation, and mastication. No significant differences were determined between the aroma release from the beans in the artificial mouth and release in the mouths of assessors. However, both the real and artificial mouth systems differed significantly from a purge-and-trap and a dynamic headspace system in aroma release. In order to study aroma release over time, volatile compounds were isolated from rehydrated French beans for 1, 1.5, 3 and 12 min in the artificial mouth system and analysed by gas chromatography/sniffing port analysis. 2-Methylpropanal, 2-/3-methylbutanal, hexanal, 2-methyl-2-butenal, 1-octen-3-one, and dimethyl trisulphide possessed detectable odours when isolated from the French beans in the artificial mouth for all time periods. The odour active compounds 2-/3-methylbutanal and hexanal were shown to be released at a constant rate. Different sampling times resulted in identical selections of aroma compounds, while mutual proportions were retained.