Abstract. This paper proposes new approximate coloring and other related techniques which markedly improve the run time of the branchand-bound algorithm MCR (J. Global Optim., 37, 95-111, 2007), previously shown to be the fastest maximum-clique-finding algorithm for a large number of graphs. The algorithm obtained by introducing these new techniques in MCR is named MCS. It is shown that MCS is successful in reducing the search space quite efficiently with low overhead. Consequently, it is shown by extensive computational experiments that MCS is remarkably faster than MCR and other existing algorithms. It is faster than the other algorithms by an order of magnitude for several graphs. In particular, it is faster than MCR for difficult graphs of very high density and for very large and sparse graphs, even though MCS is not designed for any particular type of graphs. MCS can be faster than MCR by a factor of more than 100,000 for some extremely dense random graphs.

Although the "gold standard" for diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is bacterial isolation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, there are still several complex issues. Recently, we developed an internally controlled novel wide-range quantitative nested real-time PCR (WR-QNRT-PCR) assay for M. tuberculosis DNA in order to rapidly diagnose TBM. For use as an internal control calibrator to measure the copy number of M. tuberculosis DNA, an original new-mutation plasmid (NM-plasmid) was developed. Due to the development of the NM-plasmid, the WR-QNRT-PCR assay demonstrated statistically significant accuracy over a wide detection range (1 to 10 5 copies). In clinical applications, the WR-QNRT-PCR assay revealed sufficiently high sensitivity (95.8%) and specificity (100%) for 24 clinically suspected TBM patients. In conditional logistic regression analysis, a copy number of M. tuberculosis DNA (per 1 ml of cerebrospinal fluid) of >8,000 was an independent risk factor for poor prognosis for TBM (i.e., death) (odds ratio, 16.142; 95% confidence interval, 1.191 to 218.79; P value, 0.0365). In addition, the copy numbers demonstrated by analysis of variance statistically significant alterations (P < 0.01) during the clinical treatment course for 10 suspected TBM patients. In simple regression analysis, the significant correlation (R 2 ‫؍‬ 0.597; P < 0.0001) was demonstrated between copy number and clinical stage of TBM. We consider the WR-QNRT-PCR assay to be a useful and advanced assay technique for assessing the clinical treatment course of TBM.Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is the severest form of infection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, causing death or severe neurological defects in more than half of those affected in spite of antituberculosis treatment (ATT) (1,2,8,18). The diagnosis of TBM remains a complex issue, because the most widely used conventional bacteriological detection methods, such as direct smear for acid-fast bacilli (AFB) and culture for M. tuberculosis, are unable to rapidly detect M. tuberculosis with sufficient sensitivity in the acute phase of TBM (3-13, 18, 19). In 2006, we designed a novel internally controlled quantitative nested real-time PCR (QNRT-PCR) assay based on TaqMan PCR (Applied Biosystems) (15). Moreover, based on this original QNRT-PCR (OR-QNRT-PCR) assay, an improved wide-range QNRT-PCR (WR-QNRT-PCR) assay was developed (17). For use as a "calibrator" in WR-QNRT-PCR assay, a new internal control was constructed (17).In the preliminary experiments, the WR-QNRT-PCR assay demonstrated significantly improved quantitative accuracy and had a wide detection range (1 to 10 5 copies) compared to what was seen for the OR-QNRT-PCR assay (17).In this study, we tried to quantitatively detect M. tuberculosis DNA in actual cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples by using the WR-QNRT-PCR assay. In addition, the clinical usefulness of this novel assay technique for the rapid and accurate diagnosis of TBM and for assessing the clinical course of TBM was examined. MATERIALS AND METHODSThis study was approv...

The authors examined the usefulness of nested PCR (N-PCR) to detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) DNA in CSF for assessing the clinical course of tuberculous meningitis (TBM). N-PCR successfully detected MTB DNA in all nine CSF samples from patients with suspected TBM. During anti-tuberculosis treatments, N-PCR results converted from positive to negative, correlating with the improvement of the patient's clinical condition.

Previously, we designed an internally controlled quantitative nested real-time (QNRT) PCR assay forTuberculous meningitis (TBM) is the severest form of infection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, causing death or severe neurological defects in more than half of those affected in spite of antituberculosis treatment (25). The diagnosis of TBM remains a complex issue because the most widely used conventional bacteriological detection methods, such as direct smear for acid-fast bacilli and culture for M. tuberculosis, are unable to rapidly detect M. tuberculosis with sufficient sensitivity in the acute phase of TBM (7,8,11,12,18,19,21,22,23,25). At present, the detection of M. tuberculosis DNA in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) by use of PCR is widely used as a more rapid, sensitive, and specific diagnostic method (1,7,8,10,11,12,15,17,18,19,21,22,23,26). Recently, we designed a novel internally controlled quantitative nested real-time PCR (QNRT-PCR) assay based on TaqMan PCR (Applied Biosystems) (22). This novel assay technique combines the high sensitivity of nested PCR with the accurate quantification of real-time PCR (22, 23). However, this original QNRT-PCR (OR-QNRT-PCR) assay is still unstable and has many points that should be improved (22,23).In this study, to reliably detect M. tuberculosis DNA in CSF samples with a wider detection range, we attempted to improve on the OR-QNRT-PCR technique; therefore, a new internal control for use as a "calibrator" was prepared. We named this improved assay technique wide-range QNRT-PCR (WR-QNRT-PCR) and examined its ability to quantitatively detect M. tuberculosis DNA in samples. In this paper, the development and methodology of the WR-QNRT-PCR assay are stated. MATERIALS AND METHODSThis study was approved by the Nihon University Institutional Review Board. Preparation of the new internal control (plasmid) for use as a calibrator. For the WR-QNRT-PCR assay, two types of the original plasmid, wild plasmids (W-plasmids) and new-mutation plasmids (NM-plasmids), were prepared for a quantitative detection of M. tuberculosis DNA, and this was done as well for the OR-QNRT-PCR assay (22, 23).W-plasmid, which was inserted into a 239-bp DNA fragment of the gene sequence encoding the MPB64 protein of M. tuberculosis (MPT64; GenBank accession no. NC_000962) (22, 23) into pCR 2.1 vector (Invitrogen Corp., San Diego, CA) was constructed for use as the standard template by the previously reported procedure (22,23).NM-plasmid was developed based on the previously reported M-plasmid (22, 23) for use as a new internal-control "calibrator" in the WR-QNRT-PCR assay. In NM-plasmid, a total of four regions, where two pairs of (outer and inner) forward and reverse primers annealed, were replaced with the artificial random nucleotides added to the TaqMan probe annealing region in the M-plasmid (Fig. 1). The sequences of the artificial random nucleotides were set to have the same nucleotide composition as MPT64 of wild M. tuberculosis. Replacing procedures

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Previous investigators have reported the occurrence of both allergic and non-allergic systemic complications due to exposure to formaldehyde gas. However, little is known about the pathogenic link between formaldehyde-induced clinical symptoms and patch test results, or about the long-term effects of formaldehyde exposure. In the present study, a questionnaire was administered to 143 medical students, and 60 of them were tested by patch test for formaldehyde at the beginning and end of a human anatomy laboratory course. Another group of 76 students who had finished the course 2-4 years previously were administered another questionnaire, and the patch test was carried out on 58 of them. The frequencies of skin irritation, eye soreness, lacrimation, eye fatigue, rhinorrhea, throat irritation, general fatigue and mood swings increased after repeated exposure. Two (3.3%) of 60 students became positive to 1% formaldehyde at the end of the anatomy course (one male with allergic hand dermatitis due to direct contact with formaldehyde, and one female with an atopic background with unbearable physical symptoms) while the remaining 58 showed a negative reaction throughout the study period. The vast majority of students complained of various non-allergic, physical symptoms, and recovered from such symptoms without subsequent complications. No progression to multiple chemical sensitivity was found. Students with an episode of atopic dermatitis and allergic rhinitis were susceptible to formaldehyde exposure, and developed mucocutaneous symptoms, probably due to the impaired barrier function and remodeling of the skin and mucosa.

Although the popularization of the combined use of alcoholic beverages and energy drinks (ED) containing caffeine, taurine and other substances has increased, there are no controlled experimental studies on the effects of ED alone or combined with ethanol. This work aimed at evaluating the effects of different doses of ED combined or not with ethanol, on the locomotor activity of Swiss mice. The administration of 3.57, 10.71 or 17.86 ml/kg of ED alone increased the locomotor activity of the animals in relation to a control group. Low doses of ethanol (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 g/kg) alone or in combination with 10.71 ml/kg of ED did not affect their locomotor activity. However, the reduction of activity observed after 2.5 g/kg of ethanol was antagonized by 10.71 ml/kg of ED. Further studies on the mechanisms of this interaction are still needed.