University of Maine

About: University of Maine is a education organization based out in Orono, Maine, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Ice sheet. The organization has 8637 authors who have published 16932 publications receiving 590124 citations. The organization is also known as: University of Maine at Orono.

Duplex Real-Time PCR for Rapid Simultaneous Detection of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans in Amphibian Samples

Abstract: Chytridiomycosis is a lethal fungal disease contributing to declines and extinctions of amphibian species worldwide. The currently used molecular screening tests for chytridiomycosis fail to detect the recently described species Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans. In this study, we present a duplex real-time PCR that allows the simultaneous detection of B. salamandrivorans and Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. With B. dendrobatidis- and B. salamandrivorans-specific primers and probes, detection of the two pathogens in amphibian samples is possible, with a detection limit of 0.1 genomic equivalent of zoospores of both pathogens per PCR. The developed real-time PCR shows high degrees of specificity and sensitivity, high linear correlations (r2 > 0.995), and high amplification efficiencies (>94%) for B. dendrobatidis and B. salamandrivorans. In conclusion, the described duplex real-time PCR can be used to detect DNA of B. dendrobatidis and B. salamandrivorans with highly reproducible and reliable results.

Movement Patterns of Adult and Juvenile Rana sylvatica (LeConte) and Ambystoma maculatum (Shaw) in Three Restored Seasonal Pools in Maine

Abstract: Research on amphibian movement patterns can aid in strengthening amphibian conservation strategies. Yet for many species, there remain substantial gaps in our knowledge of such movement patterns. From 1999–2002, we documented movement patterns to and from breeding pools of both adult and juvenile Rana sylvatica LeConte (Wood Frog) and Ambystoma maculatum Shaw (Spotted Salamander) by using drift fence arrays at three restored vernal pools in Maine to lend insight into conservation strategies for these two species. Adults and juveniles of both species exhibited nonrandom movement at breeding pools directed preferentially from and toward closed-canopy forested habitat. Marked male, female, and juvenile R. sylvatica were recaptured at 30 m, 150 m, and 300 m from the pool in the surrounding terrestrial environment. Most terrestrial recaptures occurred within the forested wetland habitat to the north of the pool. Median snout–vent lengths (SVL) of recaptured juvenile R. sylvatica were progressively lar...

Similarity of Cardinal Directions

Abstract: Like people who casually assess similarity between spatial scenes in their routine activities, users of pictorial databases are often interested in retrieving scenes that are similar to a given scene, and ranking them according to degrees of their match. For example, a town architect would like to query a database for the towns that have a landscape similar to the landscape of the site of a planned town. In this paper, we develop a computational model to determine the directional similarity between extended spatial objects, which forms a foundation for meaningful spatial similarity operators. The model is based on the direction-relation matrix. We derive how the similarity assessment of two direction-relation matrices corresponds to determining the least cost for transforming one direction-relation matrix into another. Using the transportation algorithm, the cost can be determined efficiently for pairs of arbitrary direction-relation matrices. The similarity values are evaluated empirically with several types of movements that create increasingly less similar direction relations. The tests confirm the cognitive plausibility of the similarity model.

Novel concepts of dissolving pulp production

Abstract: Herein, we report about existing and novel dissolving pulp processes providing the basis for an advanced biorefinery. The SO2–ethanol–water (SEW) process has the potential to replace the acid sulphite process for the production of rayon-grade pulps owing to a higher flexibility in the selection of the raw material source, substantially lower cooking times, and the near absence of sugar degradation products. Special attention is paid to developments that target toward the selective and quantitative fractionation of paper-grade pulps into hemicelluloses and cellulose of highest purity. This target has been accomplished by the IONCELL process where the entire hemicellulose fraction is selectively dissolved in an ionic liquid in which the H-bond basicity and acidity are adequately adjusted by the addition of a co-solvent. At the same time, pure hemicellulose can be recovered by further addition of the co-solvent, which then acts as a non-solvent. The residual pure cellulose fraction may then enter a Lyocell process for the production of regenerated cellulose products.