This article presents a new robust automated image processing method for detecting cracks in surface images of concrete structures. This method involves two steps: (1) development of an image filter for detecting major cracks using genetic programming (GP), and (2) elimination of residual noise after filtering and detection of indistinct cracks by iterative applications of the image filter to the local regions surrounding the cracks. The proposed method can be used for the accurate detection of cracks in surface images recorded under various conditions. Moreover, the widths of the detected cracks can be quantified on the basis of the spatial derivatives of the brightness patterns. The estimated crack widths are in good agreement with those measured manually.

The porin oprE gene of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 was isolated. Its nucleotide sequence indicated that the structural gene of 1383 nucleotide residues encodes a precursor consisting of 460 amino acid residues with a signal peptide of 29 amino acid residues, which was confirmed by the N-terminal 23-amino-acid sequence and the reaction with anti-OprE polyclonal antiserum. Anaerobiosis induced OprE production at the transcription level. The transcription start site was determined to be 40 nucleotides upstream from the ATG initiation codon. The control region contained an appropriately situated E sigma 54 recognition site and the putative second half of an ANR box. The amino acid sequence of OprE had some clusters of sequence homologous with that of OprD of P. aeruginosa, which might be responsible for the outer membrane permeability of imipenem and basic amino acids.

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Porin-deficient mutants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 were selected by isolating latamoxef-resistant mutants following chemical mutagenesis. Highly latamoxef-resistant mutants had alterations in both the outer membrane proteins and penicillin-binding protein 3, a lethal target of latamoxef. Both of these alterations may be essential for cells to acquire high resistance to latamoxef. Many of the latamoxef-resistant mutants were also resistant to new quinolones and chloramphenicol. Resistance to these compounds was simultaneously co-transduced from one mutant into strain PAO1 when selection was made for transduction of ofloxacin resistance. Study of these transductants indicated that decreased amounts of outer membrane proteins C, D2, E1, and E2 lowered the outer membrane permeability and resulted in resistance. Three of these proteins were apparently identical to proteins previously reported to function as small pores. The results suggested that at least one of the four proteins was functioning as a porin for the antibacterial agents studied.

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Many studies have established the usefulness of serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) oriented serial monitoring for predicting recurrence and prognosis; however, few studies have so far investigated serum CEA-negative recurrence. The aim of this study was to elucidate the nature of CEA-negative recurrence regarding tumor angiogenesis. Fifty-seven patients with T3/T4 rectal cancer were divided into the two groups according to the serum CEA status. Angiogenesis was defined as the intratumoral vessel count by immunohistochemical staining using CD31. The CD31 count was significantly higher in the recurrent patients in both groups and the ratio of nodal involvement was significantly higher in the recurrent patients of the CEA-negative group. Local recurrence mainly developed in the CEA-negative group; however, the CD31 count did not predict the sites of recurrence nor the relapse period in the both groups. A multivariate analysis showed a high CD31 count >26) to be a prognostic factor not only for recurrence but also for survival (P = 0.001, 0.043, respectively). These results suggest that a high degree of tumor angiogenesis in sections of T3/T4 rectal cancer may therefore be an important predictor for CEA-negative recurrence.

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