Modern software systems for simulation, database access, visualisation and data analysis, supporting distributed, extensible, evolutionary development, are designed around a small core that loads plug-in components. We have designed such a system for the neurosciences using an XML-based protocol, NeuroML, to exchange information between components. NeuroML supports high-level descriptions of da...

Sperm head morphology has been identified as a characteristic that can be used to predict a male's semen quality. In the present study, we have developed an automated sperm head morphology analysis (ASMA) plug-in for open-source ImageJ software (http://rsbweb.nih.gov/ij/). We describe the plug-in's functionality, and confirm its validity for sperm head morphology analysis using fish sperm. Sper...

Applications based on plug-in architectures are extensible through thirdparties and enable customized user environments. We argue that extensibility and customization are important features in enterprise application software. In an ongoing research project we are developing a plug-in platform in .NET for the enterprise domain. Targeting the enterprise domain raises special requirements with sec...

BACKGROUND Inguinal hernias account for 75% of abdominal wall hernias, with a lifetime risk of 27% in men and 3% in women. Major complications are recurrence, chronic pain, and surgical site infection, but their frequency is low. Few studies have reported a calcified mesh causing neuropathy by chronic compression of the femoral nerve after mesh & plug inguinal hernia repair. This is the first r...

In this study, I separated gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) using the reversed electrode polarity stacking mode (REPSM) of a capillary electrophoresis system for on-line enhancement prior to performing micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC). In the first part of this paper, I discuss the effects of several new and important parameters, the nature of the added salt, the pH of the sample matrix...

Neisseria gonorrhoeae is an obligate pathogen that hijacks iron from the human iron transport protein, holo-transferrin (Fe(2)-Tf), by expressing TonB-dependent outer membrane receptor proteins, TbpA and TbpB. Homologous to other TonB-dependent outer membrane transporters, TbpA is thought to consist of a β-barrel with an N-terminal plug domain. Previous reports by our laboratories show that the...

In der Anwendungsentwicklung kommen zunehmend Plug-in-basierte Ansätze zum Einsatz. Die Verwendung Plug-in-basierter Techniken hat Auswirkungen auf die Entwicklung der Software, in der die spezifischen Eigenschaften von Plug-ins berücksichtigt werden müssen. Dieser Beitrag identifiziert basierend auf Erfahrungen aus der Praxis Entwurfsfragen, die sich beim Einsatz von Plug-ins stellen, und disk...