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Merritt Johnson Collection
Merritt Johnson Collection, 1927-2017
Box 1 Box 2 Box 3 Box 4 Box 5 August 22, 2017 addition
Johnson, Merritt W. (1902-1978)
Composition (Music)
Music--Instruction and study.
Organ (Musical Instrument)
Piano.
The collections consists of six boxes of Merritt Johnson's compositions, mainly in manuscript form or printed with the Musicwriter typewriter, as well as correspondence, music sketchbooks, and materials related to donor Susan Vaughan's efforts to perserve Johnson's music and pedagogy.
A Biography of Merritt Johnson
By Susan K. Vaughan, Ph.D. and MBA
Merritt Johnson (1902-1978) was a teacher, composer, organist, and pianist, whose career spanned forty-five years, primarily while teaching at Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota. His compositions from the early 1900s to the late 1970s represent styles and genre rich with melodic appeal and diverse rhythmic patterns that Johnson credited to African rhythms of the 1960s.
Merritt Johnson's Early Life:
Merritt Johnson was born on October 29, 1902 in Dunkirk, Ohio, and lived on a farm of about 80 acres. Johnson recalled, during a live interview in 1969, that his early life was filled with teasing, because he had such a small stature. He remembered being harassed so much, that at about the age of six that he wanted to leave school altogether. Merritt remembered as a young boy that his father was very strict, primarily a self-taught musician, who enjoyed playing the reed organ at church. Johnson fondly remembered his father rocking in his chair while listening to him practice. Merritt's mother, Minnie Swanger, came from England and was as a very hard worker, a musician who talked with her son fondly about playing in the dance band while she was in high school. His mother was deeply religious, but other memories of her are curtailed, because she died at a young age due to intestinal problems.
Although Johnson's birth certificate recognizes his birth as October 29, he remarked that it was always celebrated as March 29. Johnson smiled when he recalled his kind high school teacher, who believed in his talents enough to help him find ways to earn money for piano lessons. In the early 1920s, Merritt started college, and by 1925, he received his bachelor of music degree in composition from Oberlin Conservatory of Music with concentrations in piano and organ. While studying at Oberlin, he taught piano and organ part-time and played the organ for silent movies and for a church located near his hometown of Dunkirk. He found college level music theory very difficult, and he quit study for a while because he struggled so much with this class.
Mr. Johnson began his college teaching career in 1925 at Wesley College in Grand Forks, North Dakota, where he served as head of the piano department until 1932. Between 1931 and 1932, he also taught music at the Fargo Conservatory. In an interview, he recalled earning an annual salary of $800.00. Later, Mr. Johnson taught at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, North Dakota, where he also served as a church organist.
During summer breaks, he attended school at Cornell University, Mills College, the American Conservatory of Music, and Oberlin College. This degree coincided with the end of his first year of teaching at Northern State Teachers College (NSTC), now Northern State University (NSU). Merritt Johnson became an exceptional teacher early in his career, partly due to his commitment in teaching students using his own compositions and teaching students with high performance standards, as he wanted his own students to become exceptional teachers. He was once quoted in the local Aberdeen American News as saying, "We (Merritt and his wife, Katherine) are always running into people who say, 'You taught me piano, don't you remember?'"
While tenured at NSU, Johnson served as head of the piano department for twenty-five years and was the Director of the Northern State University Symphony Orchestra, where he also played viola for forty-five years. For thirty-five of those years, Merritt served as organist of the Bethlehem Lutheran Church. For twenty-five of those years, he was directory of the senior choir director. Johnson frequently performed his own compositions for organ, voice, and choir.
Johnson said, "I have had a very pleasant life and I'm thankful for being able to do what I have done. Many students have come my way, and I like to think that I have helped them on their musical journey." He also used the word, "pleasant," to describe his goal when composing.
Johnson liked to create music that "depicted the pleasant things of life due to the constant state of chaos in which we find ourselves today." When inquiring about favorite works, Mr. Johnson took some time to discuss Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 1, a work not performed until the year that the composer died, 1945. "Rachmaninoff (1849-1945) did not want to prepare his audiences for the unexpected, to respond to their shock, so he refused to have his music played until his death. Later composers, on the other hand, strove for the 'effect' or response from the audience when their music was performed."
Approach to Study with Renowned Teachers and Performing Musicians:
Shortly after receiving his bachelor's degree, Johnson made a deliberate decision to study with, acclaimed pianists, organists, pedagogues, and composers, rather than to seek additional degrees. Johnson studied the organ with Wilhem Middleschulte and piano with Leon Fleisher, Egon Petri and Josef Lhevinne, the latter who wrote the classic book, The Basic Principles of Playing the Piano. To Johnson, these men represented three of the greatest teachers of the Twentieth Century. Johnson described Fleisher, a man scarce on compliments, yet charming. Mr. Johnson commented that he tried to do exactly what Fleisher wanted, because he was totally immersed in his work and motivated his students to do their best by that example. Merritt commented that Dr. Fleisher would snap at his hands if he missed notes, something that Susan Vaughan vividly recalls Mr. Johnson doing in my own lessons in the mid- 1960s.
Johnson once said:
"I remember best Josef Lhevinne (December 13, 1874 - December 2, 1944) for the short time that I studied with him. Lhevinne wrote the short 1924 classic, 'Basic Principles of Pianoforte Playing.' At the first lesson, he showed a student awful finger methods. He then proceeded to show me how to play scales. He believed that in playing scales, the hands should always lead the finger, e.g., the right hand will have a fairly low wrist going up and coming down and the left hand will have a fairly low wrist going down and a high wrist going up."
Lhevinne had Johnson play nothing but scales for the first week, and he always had him play the first note of a grace note on the beat. Both Johnson and his wife, Katherine, studied with Dutch pianist, Egon Petri, (March 23, 1881 - May 27, 1962) at Mills College, Oakland, California, as well as at Cornell University. Petri's wife, Mitta, who left Holland during WW II, became very close to the Johnsons.. Egon Petri came to Aberdeen to play two concerts during the Johnsons years of association with them. Merritt remarked in an interview that he was so impressed with Petri, who sent ten optional programs from which Johnson was to choose a concert, each one of which was 1.5 hours in length. Referred to as one of the three or four greatest piano teachers of the Twentieth Century, Johnson found Petri's technique to be phenomenal. "Horowitz had faster octaves, but Petri's technique excelled in all other areas." On one occasion, Petri played the first twenty-four Chopin Etudes and was then asked to play them again. He remarked that he could play them as many times as the guests wished for them to be performed.
Katherine Johnson took a daily lesson from Petri, and it covered all of the Chopin Etudes among many other selections that were studied. Petri demonstrated a technique of throwing fingers down on the keys as scales are played. He believed that when the fingers are working, they are fairly straight. As the fingers swing down, they curve just like opening and shutting one's hand. It is the same motion that one makes when grabbing something. This natural "whip" of one's fingers became invaluable to the Johnsons in their own performances.
Petri also emphasized that the wrists must be flexible at all times to keep fingers in playing condition. He had the ability to view a long composition as a whole and keep it unified. He did not believe in much practice, but he was always analyzing motions and trying to find an easier way to play music more efficiently by changing fingerings, something that he used for decades. Petri's greatest attribute was his ability to view a long composition and to keep it unified, not break it into sections. He was admired for sustaining continuity in a long piece. And, he was obsessed with finding an easier way to play a difficult passage. He frequently changed fingerings to improve expression or speed and agility.
One time, Petri gave Merritt a scale fingering that was very challenging suggesting that the complicated fingering would make the prior rigorous fingering easier. Katherine, in particular, enjoyed lessons with Petri so much that when the Johnsons gave birth to their first daughter, they named her Mitta, after Petri's wife. Johnson also studied with American choral and organ composer, Leo Sowerby, church musician and winner of the 1946 Pulitzer Prize for Music. Sowerby, taught Johnson his organ and choral composition skills. From Darius Milhaud, French composer, conductor, teacher, and member of The Group of Six (September 4, 1892-June 22, 1974), Mr. Johnson acquired techniques for composing more quickly. Johnson credited Milhaud as one of the most prolific American church music composers of the Twentieth Century, who directly affected jazz and polytonality. Merritt studied organ and composition with German organist and composer, Wilhelm Middleschuldt (April 3 1963 - May 4, 1963), who played for what is now called the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. From Middleschuldt, Merritt became expert in the works of Bach. At his first lesson, Middleschulte had Johnson bring the entire organ works of Bach. He then proceeded to put in his own marks for phrasing and manual changes for all compositions. When Johnson went home to practice, he found that his markings were the best that he had encountered. Although he never played for Middleschulte, he had those fingerings for the remainder of his life.
Johnson's Ideas about Composition and Other Twentieth Century Composers:
"I compose when I have the time. It takes time, you know. Each composition is created not as a whole but works itself out tone by tone." Whenever possible, Johnson believed that the idea was the first concern of any composer. Johnson felt that the second theme was even more difficult to conceive than the first. It could, but does not have to, be derived from the first theme. In 1931, Merritt married Florence Larson, a North Dakota conservatory graduate and instructor of violin. He said that he held a great fondness for her, but she was sickly and died a few years later in 1936. The only record found about her is a Florence Johnson (1910-1936) gravestone at the Cheyenne Valley Cemetery in Barnes County, North Dakota.
When Merritt moved to Aberdeen, South Dakota in 1933, it was originally to serve as a composer-in-residence. It was here that he began to record his thoughts about composing and teaching, often in notebooks, such as one that was recently recovered and added to the Johnson permanent collection at the University of North Texas (UNT). In that same year, he began to play the organ at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Aberdeen, and his organ compositions were regularly played in that congregation for decades to follow.
During an interview, Johnson shared some thoughts about composing from the 1930s through the 1970s.
"I'm interested in three things: melodies, harmony, and rhythms. All the music, which is usually accepted, happens to have pretty good themes. They often have a quality about them, which cannot be defined other than they stick in your mind. The theme seems to be important so much that one does not want to change one note."
Johnson wanted each piece to have continuity and logic in its construction. He wanted to see the whole of every composition create something new, something with melodic logic and "not serve merely as drawing room music," Johnson commented that "music today is supposed to represent our times." For that reason, "many sounds have come into our music, which are not musical sounds." To Johnson, these ideas are crucial for a successful composition: "Music is a form of entertainment and should dwell upon pleasant things." He considered life in the twentieth century to be very pleasant, and he believed that we are given many opportunities to entertain ourselves. "Often a poor melody seems to be so unimportant that it could have been anything else and still have been just as good."
Below are some of his ideas that he shared about composing in the mid to late Twentieth Century.
"Poor melodies make dull, uninteresting music. I think that since it is so difficult to write new melodies, one should do all of the chords first, since music is nothing without a melodic line. Debussy demonstrated this, because he created fascinating chords and very fine melodies."
"We need music which is pleasant to listen to as much if not more than in former times, especially since the world seems to be in constant turmoil and the newspapers report dreadful things every day. I'm always wanting to hear something new."
"I want my music to depict the pleasant things of life. Why go way out and supposedly give it a deeper meaning? I have learned that, for me, it is best to write music, which I can either play myself or use in my teaching."
"For some reason, I have written mostly for piano or organ. I have written a few choir numbers, one piece for orchestra, several songs (sacred and secular), one piece for piano trio, a few violin pieces, and one for cello."
"It has been said that one should write for the instruments that one knows best. That is why I write for the piano and organ. I have a considerable understanding of the technical possibilities of both the piano and organ."
"Most of the organ music that I have written has been composed to play in church for preludes, offertories, or postludes. However, some of it is only good for recitals."
"The piano music that I have written was created with the idea that it may be taught to pupils to improve their technical skills, tone, and musicianship."
"I'm interested in three things: melodies, harmony, and rhythms. All the music, which is usually accepted, happens to have pretty good themes. They often have a quality about them, which cannot be defined other than they stick in your mind. The theme seems to be important as is so not one note can be changed."
"Many lesser Baroque and Classical composers wrote almost as well as the masters, but usually their themes were too commonplace. A high percentage of that style of music has dull and grotesque harmonies. Bach, Mozart, and Haydn did better, especially Bach. Bach showed us how to make a melody, and especially a harmony, move on, go someplace, not become static."
When discussing music of the Twentieth Century, Johnson expressed his feelings toward various composers. Though Debussy influenced his compositions, Webern, Berg, Copland, and Schoenberg were mentioned in relation to his "new" music. "Perfection was strived for rather than an avant-garde approach." He once commented that he was "nothing as a composer if not a lyrical composer." He felt that his themes "might not attract you, but they were appealing."
Johnson Contrasts His Composing Skills to Other Twentieth Century Composers:
When talking about composing, Johnson had so many ideas to share. He began the discussion with the comment, "I would be content if only something that I compose lives beyond me." He felt that "the world would have been better off if Stravinsky had never lived." He believed that "beginning with Stravinsky, who emphasized rhythm and great dissonance, music has never been quite the same. As long as Stravinsky could use themes patterned after folk songs, he was successful. But, In Johnson's perspective, invented his own themes, he was not as successful." According to Johnson, "Stravinsky knew everything about how to write, except knowing how to write 'tunes' with meaning to others."
"Schoenberg saw Stravinsky's success and realized that he had to be different. Hence, the 12-tone technique evolved, which doesn't require a musician to write and which is like abstract painting, because to each listener, it may mean something different or even nothing at all." Johnson went on. "Bartok realized that he must shock people in order to be known. So, he developed very dramatic rhythms and strange dissonances. If he had been able to write a good tune, I would have liked him better. Sometimes, he did write good tunes. After he shocked you, however, nothing was left. Take the rhythm and dissonance out of Bartok's music, and what do you have?"
"I'm not interested in shocking the listener," said Johnson. "On the other hand, I am interested in hearing something new. I listen to lots of new music to hear new sounds, which I think are musical sounds (not just noise.) Occasionally, I am rewarded." "I'm not interested in music that does not develop original ideas or themes in a manner in which one can hear what is going on. Twelve-tone music does develop (repeat) the tone row. But, because of the changes of rhythm, the listener cannot hear (or identify) what is happening."
"A good share of the pleasure of listening to music is in hearing what happens to the themes. If this can't be discerned, it is like looking at an abstract painting. Of course, some people say that being able to see different things in a painting at different times makes it more interesting. But, what about the person, who can see nothing in the painting at all?"
"Beethoven, the greatest of all composers, saw no reason to make his music sound obscure. Why should others? Beethoven occasionally made his music so 'straight forward and obvious' that it bordered on being 'corny.' But, obviously, he put much thought into it. From the sketches, which he left, his original thematic material was often much changed in a finished product."
When asked, "What do you think is the greatest contribution to Twentieth Century Music?" He replied, "Perhaps the only truly significant thing that came out of the Twentieth Century is the African rhythm!" Johnson went on to say that "almost all of the music, which has been universally accepted from the past, has been accepted because of the quality of its themes and the interesting way in which they are developed. Generally, if the harmony accompanying themes is original, and the form, in which the thematic material evolves, is such that one is unable to anticipate what is coming next, then, the music is successful." When talking about fine compositions, Johnson felt that the quality of themes and the interesting way in which they were developed determines the success of the music. Generally, the harmony accompanying the themes has to be original and the form, good enough that you did not know for certain what was going to happen next.
Johnson was a great admirer of employing originality and new ways of writing that achieve lyrical continuity. He believed that organ music was more useful if it was somewhat controversial in style, though he felt that most organ music was written merely to be played for church on Sunday. Therefore, his organ music was generally characterized by appealing themes, which can be developed in a manner that is easy to understand.
He once wrote, "Over a period of years, I have come around to the style of music I wish to write. When I was young, I was fascinated by every new musical style and manner of writing. But, not in the Twentieth Century, music has exploded in all directions. Until the Twentieth century, music seemed to develop naturally and logically."
Johnson particularly enjoyed composing piano works, used primarily for teaching. His organ works were composed primarily for his church services.
Johnson's Composing Reputation:
Jack L. Noble, Professor of Organ and Acting Chairman of the Music Department at the University of South Dakota, wrote in 1969 regarding Merritt Johnson's reputation in South Dakota:
"When I first came to the University of South Dakota in 1944, became aware that Merritt Johnson was an authority in the state, as Dean W. R. Colton wrote to him for advice on our practice organ situation. And, of course, Mr. Johnson responded with helpful ideas. On several occasions, Susan Vaughan was privileged to play works of Merritt Johnson on the 'South Dakota Composers' Concert' for the South Dakota Music Teachers State Conventions, as well as for the Creative Arts Festivals sponsored by the University of South Dakota."
"I know that [Merritt Johnson's] work was highly respected by professional musicians within the state and also within the larger area of M.T.N.A. regional conventions, where I have heard Katherine perform his piano works. Many of us, who attended the last Aberdeen convention of the South Dakota Music Teachers Association, remember warmly the Johnsons for a dinner in their home. They graciously managed to serve an excellent buffet dinner to 50 or 60 people. The warm friendship which Merritt and Katherine extended to everyone was highly prized by all who know them. It is one of those special things that made me eager to attend each yearly convention within the state or regional M.T.N.A. conventions."
Through his years of teaching and performing, Johnson composed prolifically, primarily as a tool for his teaching. His compositions have been used as far away as the Moscow Conservatory of Music and throughout Europe, as well as in Turkey, Alaska, and Canada. This may be in part due to concerts that he would give, such as a 10-day event in Anchorage in 1949. Merritt was honored as the first South Dakota composer commissioned to create a work for the National Music Teachers Association. In addition to teaching and performing, he also served as Dean of the South Dakota Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. Johnson was a board member of the Music Teachers Association of South Dakota, and he served as a board member of the North Central District for two years.
In 1972, Johson was commissioned to write a composition for the South Dakota All-State Orchestra and Chorus Festival, a piece that was ultimately titled, "The Prairie." Johnson's wife, Katherine, set the text to the piece a year before her death and a year before its premier. Johnson felt that "The Prairie" was a very moving work, rich in the finale of the program. He believed that its success as a composition was entirely aligned with the unity of the chorus and orchestra. The work was a "salute to the wideness of the South Dakota sky, the feeling of serenity in space where the quiet shifts into song." He felt that the performance was done especially well for him at All-State, a tribute to his work and that of Katherine for the event. The Fall, 1973 issue of the "South Dakota Musician" was dedicated to Johnson, and as Professor Emeritus, he was named "Teacher of the Year" in 1973, just as he retired from a lifetime of college work.
Originally, Johnson's piano and organ pieces were written for teaching purposes to facilitate his church work as organist and later as choir director. Mr. Johnson composed choral works, a choral and orchestral work, secular and sacred songs, a piano trio, violin works, and one cello composition. He played piano, cello, violin, guitar, trumpet, and clarinet. But, the organ remained his favorite instrument.
Johnson's Technic Books, based on lessons from Petri, sold over 2,400 copies from the NSU bookstore. He referred to the two Technic Books and the three Chord Studies books as his most important works. Johnson also sold over 300 copies of his recordings within the Aberdeen, South Dakota area.
Johnson was a member of Pi Kappa Lambda and honored by Theta Nu of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. He was a past Dean of the South Dakota Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, a forty-year member of the Aberdeen Rotary Club, and a member of the Aberdeen Masonic Lodge, the Scottish Rite Temple, and the Yelduz Shrine.
Johnson noted that there were several other highlights in his career: 1) The work, "Divertimento," commissioned by the South Dakota Composers Forum Concert, was performed in a piano and organ concert by Katherine and him in 1965. 2) By the fall, 1971, the "South Dakota Musician" featured an article about his life work and dedicated the issue to him as Professor Emeritus. 3) In 1972, the All-State Orchestra and Chorus Festival work, "The Prairie," was performed for All-State Orchestra and Chorus.
Leading up to its premiere, "The Prairie," five thousand students auditioned for a chorus of 1000 and an orchestra of 125 students. Johnson worked hard to create lyrics "that provided continuity and melodic logic in construction. He once said, "I try to depict the pleasant things of life." And, "I like music to work itself out tone by tone." Themes may come easy to Johnson, but he noted that "the second theme is twice as hard to create as the first." He would "be content if only something that he composed could live beyond him." When asked to comment about his students, Johnson remarked: "An excellent student learns the first time, a good student the second time, and the average student three times or more." When asked, Johnson said that his favorite works were the "Schumann g minor Sonata and the Fourth Symphony of Sibelius."
Merritt Johnson as Husband and Parent:
Merritt Johnson adored his wife, Katherine, and the role that she played on his performing and composing was very significant. Katherine, formerly Katherine Van Walker, was born on March 30, 1915 in Miller, South Dakota. Her family moved to Aberdeen when she was quite young, when her father joined the faculty at Northern State Teachers College. She received both B.A. and M.A. degrees in music/piano performance at NSTC (today called Northern State University). While she was in her senior year at NSU, she was a student of Merritt Johnson. She joined the NSC music department faculty before marrying Johnson in 1938.
Katherine Johnson frequently presented Chamber Music Workshops at Humbolt State College in California, and she was a member of the University of Colorado faculty for two years while commuting from Aberdeen. She served as director of the Westminster Choir of the Presbyterian Church for two years and as junior choir director for Bethlehem Lutheran Church. Katherine was a member of NSC Faculty Wives, the South Dakota Music Teachers Association, and P.E.O. She was a past president of Monday Musicale and a member of the S.D. Music Teachers Association. In 1952, she was honored with the "Old Joe" instructor award at NSU. Katherine conducted piano workshops in the area and judged college and high school contests over a large area. She was a judge for the National Guild of Piano Teachers at Augustana College and concertized in more than 20 states including Alaska, the New England States and the Midwest. This included performing at the national convention of the National Federation of Music Clubs, the Thursday Music Club of Minneapolis, the Schubert Club of St. Paul, and NSU for a Beethoven bicentennial birthday concert series of sonatas. She won the Northern Lights District contest three years in a row, an event for young artists sponsored by the National Federation of Music Clubs.
Katherine once performed the best-loved Beethoven's Piano Sonatas in two recitals, February 22 and March 1, 1970 including Sonata Opus 31, No. 2 (The Tempest), Sonata Opus 2, No. 3; Sonata Opus 57 (Appassionata), Sonata Opus 53 (Waldstein), Sonata Opus 13 (Pathetique), Sonata Opus 27 No. 2 (Moonlight). Kathrine passed away at the age of 55 on January 3, 1970 due to a sudden illness that was treated unsuccessfully in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The day that Katherine was buried was also the thirtieth birthday of their daughter, Mitta. In the year that she passed, the church installed a new organ at Bethlehem Lutheran Church. And, in that same year, the Johnsons were to start a music camp together in Hot Springs, something that never materialized.
The Johnson Family, Entertaining, and Concertizing:
Katherine and Merritt Johnson frequently played individual and teamed recitals playing Merritt's original compositions. A critic once remarked about their performance, "They contrived to convey the impression that two persons were playing one instrument which had both the keenly percussive and accentual properties of the piano, and also the variety of color and sustaining power of the organ…one plus one, still making one" (July 28, 1947). For example, on December 8, 1945, Katherine and Merritt presented a duo recital in Anchorage, Alaska for the Fairbanks Concert Association and another recital on December 11 in Fairbanks. The critic for the Fairbanks newspaper referenced the performance: "They contrived to convey the impression that two persons were playing one instrument, which had both the keenly percussive and accentual properties of the piano and also the variety of color and sustaining power of the organ, one plus one still making one."
The Johnsons recalled that the weather in Alaska was much like that of South Dakota. And, Merritt recalled having a dogsled ride, which was the highlight of the trip for him. Marcy, who was only three weeks old at the time, stayed in South Dakota with a dear family friend while her parents traveled and concertized. The Johnsons loved pets, which included their favorite cocker spaniel, "Cookie," and two ducks, "Nip" and "Tuck," who lived for well over five years. Johnson wrote a work for his dog, "Requiem for Cookie," which was recently added to the handwritten score collection.
At the invitation of former student, Susan K. Vaughan, on the occasion of May 3, 1970, Merritt and Katherine drove to Hibbing, Minnesota, where they performed Merritt's original organ and piano works at the First Presbyterian Church. Susan was a member of the music and art faculty at Hibbing Community College at the time, and her band performed Johnson's work, "Divertimento," a work originally commissioned for the South Dakota Composer's Concert in 1965. Johnson commented in one of his letters that he thought that he music sounded a little like Poulenc. Johnson used to write letters on occasion to Susan K. Vaughan, and in one of the last letters she received, he referenced his final compositions: "Three Pieces, Arabesque, Serenade, and Toccatina." After a brief illness, Merritt Johnson passed away May 10, 1978, in Aberdeen, South Dakota. He is survived by his two daughters, Mitta and Marcy, who followed him in musical careers of their own.
Merritt Johnson and Katherine Johnson's Children: Mitta Angell:
Mitta Johnson Angell was born on January 6, 1941 in Aberdeen, South Dakota, the daughter of Katherine and Merritt Johnson, professional musicians and beloved music educators. She began piano studies with her mother at the age of three and violin at the age of seven. Mitta always referred to her father, Merritt Johnson, as "Daddy." She fondly remembers sitting on his lap, while being quizzed on naming the notes of the staff. As long as she could see the keyboard, she answered his questions accurately. Floyd Glende, Mitta's first violin teacher, was a colleague of her father at Northern State Teachers College. She was neither a reluctant music student nor an inspired one until she attended the Pacific Music Camp at the College of the Pacific in Stockton, California. While there two summers, she saw many other young aspiring musicians competing for positions in the orchestra, which made her realize how important music was. By the second summer, Mitta made the top concertmaster position. While at Central High School in Aberdeen, South Dakota, Mitta was concertmaster of the Central High School Orchestra and concertmaster of the Aberdeen Civic Symphony, which rehearsed at the college. During this time, she concentrated on the violin, but she was equally proficient in the piano, participating in competitions, and accompanying the Central High School Choir. She also played in All-State Orchestra in 1958 and 1959 and Mitta graduated from Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea, Ohio, in 1963 with a Bachelor of Music degree with a double major in violin and piano. In the summer, 1960, following her freshman year, she attended the Congress of Strings, an American Federation of Musicians Music Camp at Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, where she first began to study the viola. While there, she had the good fortune of studying with William Lincer, principal violist of the New York Philharmonic. In that same year, she joined the faculty of the Cleveland Music School Settlement as a violin teacher.
After graduating Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Music Degree in 1963, Mitta continued teaching violin at the Cleveland Music School Settlement. At the same time, she also served on the piano faculty of the Cleveland Institute of Music and accompanied and coached in the music theatre department as a staff member of Karamu Theatre in Cleveland. It was during this time in 1964 that she began to study the viola with Abram Skernick, principal violist of the Cleveland Orchestra. She taught violin at the Cleveland Music School Settlement from 1960-1965 and piano at the Cleveland Institute of Music from 1963-1965. Mitta taught piano at El Centro College in Dallas from 1967-1970 and was appointed second keyboard of the Dallas Symphony in 1980.
In 1992, Mitta received the Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory of Music Achievement Award as an Outstanding Alumnus. And, in 2011, she was inducted into the Aberdeen, South Dakota High School Hall of Fame for Fine Arts. While attending those festivities, she performed the Piano Concerto No. 3, Op. 37 by Ludwig van Beethoven with the Northern State University Orchestra and held Master Classes for the strings students at the college. Mitta studied at the Aspen Music Festival with Eunice Shapiro, piano with Beveridge Webster in Aspen in 1963, piano with Theodore Lettvin from 1963-1964 and Alexander Uninsky from 1970-1972 and viola with Abram Skernick (principal violist of the Cleveland Orchestra) in 1964-1964. Ms. Angell joined the Dallas Symphony Orchestra in 1965 and is the longest serving musician in the Symphony. She often plays second keyboard with the Dallas Symphony and teaches viola and piano privately. In 2001, she was appointed assistant artistic director of the Dallas Chamber Music Society, a position she held until 2005. Mitta was recently appointed head of the Music Department of the Dallas Woman's Forum, which raises money to aid the music department of the Birdie Alexander Elementary School. Mitta has two children, Deanna and John, who live in the Dallas Area. Concerto performances include Music in the Mountains Festival in Purgatory, Colorado; Piano Concerto soloist with the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra, 1990, Piano Concerto soloist with the DSO, 1991 and 1994, Piano concerto soloist with the Aberdeen Civic Symphony in 2010; Piano and cello recitals with Marcy Chanteaux in Detroit, Michigan in 1974 and 1982; Dallas Chamber Music Society in 2004; and the Aberdeen Community Concert Series in 2006.
When asked to think back on her fifty-year career as a violist with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra (DSO), Mitta attributes her love of music and performing success to the influence that her parents had in her life and their shared passion for music. Music was their life, and she honestly says that music is central to her life as well. Mitta has two children, Deanna and John, who, while not musicians themselves, share her love of music.
Marcy Johnson Chanteaux: Youngest daughter of Katherine and Merritt Johnson, Marcy Johnson Chanteaux has also enjoyed a long and rewarding career as a classical musician. She recalls that her mother was a concertizing piano virtuoso, and her father was an outstanding composer, teacher, and musician playing and teaching the organ and piano, as well as teaching theory and composition. At their home, someone was either taking a piano lesson or practicing the piano, violin or cello, sometimes all three at once. If no music was being played, then the record player of classical literature was being played. By the time that Marcy reached college age, she had already absorbed a large lexicon of recorded music. She began studying piano at the age of seven with her parents and cello at the age of ten with a local strings teacher. Her parents, her sister, Mitta, and she rehearsed weekly with the Aberdeen Civic Orchestra at Northern State Teachers College, where her father served as a piano and organ professor, composer. They often took their dog, Cookie, to rehearsals, and Marcy recalls the dog's making the rounds through the orchestra chewing gum off the bottoms of chair seats. Since it was a small orchestra, with a regular missing player, one of her parents would often play the "missing" instrumental part. Because of this experience, the Johnson daughters were "blessed with the opportunity of hearing their parents learn how to play many diverse parts."
At the age of sixteen, Marcy won first prize in the string division of the Music Teachers National Association, and she also won a competition with the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra. This enabled her to receive several full scholarships at top music schools. Marcy chose to study at the Cleveland Institute of Music, where she studied cello with Ernst Silberstein and piano with the Arthur Loesser. Marcy always maintained that she learned the most about playing from the renowned Loesser. After college, Marcy married another musician, who was stationed in Washington, D.C. A few months later, when there was a cello opening in the National Symphony, she auditioned and was selected. While serving as a cellist for the National Symphony, staff discovered that she played piano well and asked if she would like to take over the orchestral piano parts. She continued to play cello and piano in the National Symphony for two years after which her husband was awarded a position with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. They moved to the Detroit area, and after several months there were two openings in the orchestra: piano and cello. Marcy auditioned for both positions, and the conductor, Sixten Ehrling, decided she'd get more exposure as the orchestral pianist. She held that position for four wonderful years. And, when Ehrling left the orchestra, she auditioned for and won a seat in the cello section. Two years later, after intense competition, she moved to first stand cello, where she played both Associate Principal and Principal Cello positions. This position was maintained for the majority of her forty-two-year career.
Marcy always said she had the best of all musical worlds. She taught cello at Wayne State University and also taught privately at home while serving as a soloist with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. She had many occasions to premier the Witold Lutosławski, Victor Herbert, and Erich Korngold concerti. Of course, chamber music also sustained a huge presence in her life. She played in the St. Clair piano trio with DSO concertmaster, Emmanuelle Boisvert, and pianist, Pauline Martin. They collaborated on several recordings, in which she had the good fortune to work intensively with Mischa Mishakoff, who was Arturo Toscanini's concertmaster, as well as the past three concertmasters of the Detroit Symphony, which included chamber music performances with Isaac Stern. Marcy also performed regularly with the Lyric Chamber Ensemble with pianist, Fedora Horowitz, performing much of the chamber music repertoire. Along the way, there were many solo appearances as well as solo performances with other orchestras. One of her most memorable collaborations was with Bernard Katz (who referred to himself as Bernardo Gatos), who played extensive Spanish repertoire. Bernie arranged a beautiful series of Granados dances for cello and piano derived from one of the solo piano works. They made a very successful recording of this suite. Marcy curtailed her performing after a fall injured her hand, but she still teaches and accompanies her cello students. She also coaches people who are preparing orchestral auditions. Though her second husband, whom she fondly recalls as "the love of her life," passed away in 2016, Marcy recognizes their thirty-two years together as deeply rich and rewarding years. Dr. William D. Stine, professor of philosophy at Wayne State University, passed away in 2016, after years of travel, history, arts, and culinary discoveries with Marcy. Throughout her career, Marcy fondly recalls that she possessed two marvelous Italian cellos. One was made by Matteo Gofriller in Venice in 1697, and the other was made in Cremona in 1675 by Francesco Ruggeri.
Marcy Chanteaux and Mitta Angell
Mitta Angell recalled, "One of the great joys in my life and career was when Marcy and I were invited to play a duo-recital in Aberdeen, South Dakota (our family hometown) for the Community Concert Series. Because Marcy lives in Detroit, I in Dallas, it was a rare that we could collaborate in a joint recital. We had a wonderful time, enjoyed a receptive audience, and during our time in Aberdeen, Susan Vaughan first approached us about the Merritt Johnson Project, as she called it. It was definitely a successful venture all around!"
Students of Merritt Johnson: A future goal of this project is to identify other students of Johnson, who lead successful lives as musicians, teachers, and composers. 1. "Japanese Haiku," for example, was composed by composition student, Steve Bruns, and the work was dedicated in memory of composer-music teacher, Merritt Johnson. Bruns performed the works at NSU on April 29, 1979. 2. Allan Jacobson had a Johnson work dedicated to him in 1976 while Allan was on the piano and music theory faculty at NSU. The work was converted to Finale for this project as a gift from Jacobson. Jacobson studied piano with Johnson for six years-both in high school and in college before receiving his BS in Education from NSU in 1966. Jacobson received a MM in 1968 and DMA in 1982 from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin. Jacobson joined the NSU faculty in 1976 and taught applied piano and theory concertizing regularly until his recent retirement. Other students, who may wish to comment on Mr. Johnson and their work with him include: Bonnie Ottenbacher, Dona Lee Mitchell, Jack Holstead at Iowa Teachers College in Cedar Rapids, Tom Malchow, and Jan Pierson.
1 box, August 22, 2017.
Dr. Susan K. Vaughan
May 31, 2018, July 31, 2018.
Other Note:
See also: the Merritt Johnson Collection in the UNT Digital Library, and the Merritt Johnson Music Collection at Northern State University.
Box 1Box 2Box 3Box 4Box 5Box 6: August 22, 2017 additionAll
Box 6: August 22, 2017 addition Request Reading Room Access
Item 1: 13 small music notebooks Request Reading Room Access Request Duplication Services
Item 2: Piano Teaching Guidebook of Merritt Johnson Request Reading Room Access Request Duplication Services
Small 3-ring binder with handwritten notes and observations. Typed introduction by Susan Vaughan and list of Merritt Johnson's works is enclosed.
Item 3: Minatures for Organ, 1931, 1951 Request Reading Room Access Request Duplication Services
13 copies. College Book Store, Aberdeen, South Dakota.
No. 1 in A-flat major, Opus 8, No. 1, Copyright 1931, Clayton F. Summy. Dedicated to Mr. L. E. Yeamans.
No. 2 in D major. Opus 8, No. 2, Copyright 1931, Clayton F. Summy. Dedicated to Mr. L. E. Yeamans.
No. 3 in D-flat major. Opus 8, No. 3, Copyright 1931, Clayton F. Summy. Dedicated to Mr. L. E. Yeamans.
No. 4 in E-flat major. Copyright 1951, Merritt Johnson. Dedicated "To My Wife, Katherine."
No. 5 in A minor, "Von Gott will ich nicht lassen." Copyright 1951, Merritt Johnson.
Item 4: Fantasie for piano Request Reading Room Access Request Duplication Services
2 copies. Dedicated to Allan Jacobson. Photocopy of manuscript.
Item 5: Compositions for Piano: Reverie, 1948 Request Reading Room Access Request Duplication Services
5 copies. Dedicated to Ardis Fahrenwald. College Book Store, Aberdeen, South Dakota.
Item 6: Compositions for Piano: Legerdemain, 1948 Request Reading Room Access Request Duplication Services
3 copies. College Book Store, Aberdeen, South Dakota. "To Katherine, my wife."
Item 7: Intermezzo for Organ, 1971 Request Reading Room Access Request Duplication Services
4 copies. Engel Music Supply, Aberdeen, South Dakota.
Item 8: Religious Suite No. 2 for Organ, 1967 Request Reading Room Access Request Duplication Services
I. Serenade, dedicated to Jack Noble.
II. Cantabile, dedicated to Dr. Maynard Berk.
III. Toccata, dedicated to Bonnie Ottenbacher.
College Book Store, Aberdeen, South Dakota.
I. Prelude; II. Andante; III. March.
Engel Music Supply, Aberdeen, South Dakota. 2 copies.
Item 10: Suite for Piano, 1970 Request Reading Room Access Request Duplication Services
I. Introduction; II. Tranquillo; III. Scherzetto; IV. Waltz; V. Barcarolle; VI. Toccatina.
Item 11: Technic Book for Piano, 1946 Request Reading Room Access Request Duplication Services
College Book Store, Aberdeen, South Dakota. Copy includes annotations. Plate number 52659.
Item 12: Technic Book for Piano, Book Two, 1966 Request Reading Room Access Request Duplication Services
2 copies. College Book Store, Aberdeen, South Dakota.
Item 13: Three Pieces for Piano, 1968 Request Reading Room Access Request Duplication Services
2 copies. Arabesque, Serenade, The Chase.
Item 14: The Prairie Request Reading Room Access Request Duplication Services
2 copies. Words by Katherine Johnson, music by Merritt Johnson. Dedicated to the memory of Katherine Johnson.
Item 15: Perpetual Motion for piano, 1963 Request Reading Room Access Request Duplication Services
Item 16: Chord Studies for piano, book 2, 1965 Request Reading Room Access Request Duplication Services
Item 18: Divertimento for piano, 1945 Request Reading Room Access Request Duplication Services
Item 19: Dream River for piano, 1956 Request Reading Room Access Request Duplication Services
4 copies, one incomplete. Dedicated to J. Earl Lee. College Book Store, Aberdeen, South Dakota. Plate number 76892.
Item 20: Nocturne for piano, 1937, 1965 Request Reading Room Access Request Duplication Services
3 copies (one original edition, 2 with renewed copyright 1965). Dedicated to Kay Van Walker. College Book Store, Aberdeen, South Dakota.
Item 21: Soldiers of Christ, Arise! Anthem for mixed chorus (SATB), 1938 Request Reading Room Access Request Duplication Services
Text by Charles Wesley, music by Merritt Johnson. College Book Store, Aberdeen, South Dakota.
Item 22: Remembrance for piano Request Reading Room Access Request Duplication Services
"To the memory of Katherine, my wife." Color printout of scanned original.
Item 23: Theme and Variation for organ, 1956-1972 Request Reading Room Access Request Duplication Services
Manuscript. Revisions dated December 10, 1956, February 12, 1961, November 20, 1964, November 10, 1968, and October 1, 1972.
Item 24: Unto Thine Altar, Lord, We Come: Wedding Song for Bass, 1948 Request Reading Room Access Request Duplication Services
Text by Wildred Teppert, music by Merritt Johnson. Dedicated to Neal Snow. Manuscript.
Item 25: Like the Beams That from the Sun: Sacred Solo for Medium Voice, 1945-1946 Request Reading Room Access Request Duplication Services
Dedicated to Mr. Harold Vengand. Manuscript with small index card with typed lyrics.
Item 26: O Lord, I Cry Unto Thee: Sacred Solo for Medium Voice Request Reading Room Access Request Duplication Services
Manuscript.
Item 27: Radiant Star of Hope: Christmas Hymn for Low Voice, 1946 December Request Reading Room Access Request Duplication Services
Text by Major Herbert Wood (Salvation Army), music by Merritt Johnson. Manuscript.
Item 28: Mitta's Waltz; Unto Thine Altar, Lord, We Come, 1948 January 20; 1948 Request Reading Room Access Request Duplication Services
Copies of manuscripts.
Item 29: Musicwriter Instruction Manual, 1961 Request Reading Room Access Request Duplication Services
Photocopy. Name of Betty Lesnett on cover. Music Print Corporation, Boulder, Colorado.
Item 30: Folder: Copyrights Request Reading Room Access Request Duplication Services
Item 31: 3 pages of manuscript photocopies; page of scanned family photos Request Reading Room Access Request Duplication Services
Item 32: Folder: list of works Request Reading Room Access Request Duplication Services
Item 33: Folder: correspondence, photo of Merritt Johnson, undated newspaper clipping on Mitta Angel and Marcy Chanteaux ("Former Aberdonians return to share music"), 1969-1970; undated Request Reading Room Access Request Duplication Services
Item 34: South Dakota Musician, Volume 6, number 1, 1971 Fall Request Reading Room Access Request Duplication Services
6 copies. Merritt Johnson featured on cover.
Item 35: Binder: Merritt Johnson, 1902-1978, His Life and Music Compositions Request Reading Room Access Request Duplication Services
Typed notes by Susan Vaughan detailing Johnson's life and career, and her efforts for the preservation of his work.
Item 36: South Dakota Magazine, 2017 March/April Request Reading Room Access Request Duplication Services
Article on page 17 details Susan Vaughan's efforts to preserve the music of Merritt Johnson.
Item 37: South Dakota Magazine, 2017 January/February Request Reading Room Access Request Duplication Services
Item 38: Binder: Copies of manuscripts by Merritt Johnson, materials related to Susan Vaughan's preservation efforts; South Dakota Humanities Council 2014 program catalog; photocopies of photos Request Reading Room Access Request Duplication Services
Item 39: Folder: Clippings and correspondence, other personal papers Request Reading Room Access Request Duplication Services
Item 40: Two Denton Suzuki cloth bags from Susan Vaughan Request Reading Room Access Request Duplication Services
Top of box, over other items.


CAMP LEJEUNE, NC — When Marines hear the word 'MARSOC' they typically think of stellar Marines with the highest-speed gear who move the quietest, the fastest and have suppressors on every weapon they carry.
While there is that aspect of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command there is also another side, one that often surprises anyone who happens to hear of it, comprised of the combat support Marines that act as the backbone of the Marine Corps' pony in the U.S. military special operations derby.
While it takes a uniquely talented Marine to earn the title of MARSOC Operator, it takes an equally talented Marine to deploy in support of the special operations forces. These are Marines who love the Corps and their military occupational specialty who are looking for something different, something a little out of the ordinary. However, the transition from operating with conventional Marine Corps units to support special operations teams requires some reinforcement of critical skills.
"The School of Infantry prepares combat support and combat service support Marines to perform common warfighting skills as required in a conventional environment. The Special Operations Training Course was developed to train Marines and Sailors from CS and CSS backgrounds in common warfighting skills. The CS and CSS Marines and Sailors in MARSOC perform their MOS functions, but must perform them in a SOF environment," said Maj. William Mangus, operations officer for the Marine Special Operations Support Group.
This brand-new, 22-day course is designed to reinforce and enhance the combat basics these Marines learned during Marine Combat Training, and from any pre-deployment training or skills they've learned while deployed.
"Prior to STC we conducted pre-deployment training using Division and Marine Logistics Group schools in an uncondensed manner, we needed an efficient and effective way to teach these skills and nothing else worked," said LtCol. Kevin Hawley, executive officer for MSOSG. "We discovered the most effective way to conduct combat skills training was to have a condensed course tailored to MARSOC's needs.
The STC teaches combat skills to all personnel deploying with MARSOC," added Hawley. The STC ensures the support Marines can keep up with the critical skills operators and provide them with every type of support they may need. Eventually, it is the intent of MARSOC to send every Marine who is not a critical skills operator through the STC. This course will become for special combat support operators what ITC is for Marines selected to enter the critical skill operator student pipeline.
During the course, Marines attend weapons classes to reacquaint them with the M9 9mm service pistol, M-4 carbine, M249 Squad Automatic Weapon, M240G medium machine gun and the M2 .50 heavy machine gun. They are also afforded the opportunity to fire these weapons in a variety of scenarios to simulate combat situations in order to refine already present intuition and knowledge and give them the confidence to perform effectively in combat should the need arise.
Prior to the weapons training in STC, the Marines migrate through a variety of training from operations order planning, orders development, fire support and call for fire missions, to land navigation skills building with maps, global positioning systems, compasses and overlay development. They are also put through communications classes to familiarize them with various radios, digital overlays and computer applications.
The remaining portions of the course include medical training and combat life saver classes, warfare tactics in various environments and room-clearing techniques. Students also attend cultural and civil affairs classes to ensure they understand the bigger picture of what MARSOC is doing on the world stage.
The current model for the course has MARSOC personnel attending the course once they get selected for deployment. In the future, the course will be required for all Marines and sailors who check into MARSOC as a special combat support operator to ensure every member is ready to deploy in support of special operations missions.


text:
Q: Responsive Design JavaFX I am about to get into a project and I want it to be responsive. I have settled on using JavaFX. I know it uses CSS and FXML. I have looked everywhere for an implementation on responsive designs. Do I really have to create an implementation where I query the root layout for any size changes via a listener, and then change every node based on a percentage I set?
How do you guys handle this problem?

A: There is a reported issue: Support media types in CSS to allow single CSS file to contain styles for desktop, tv and mobile
AFAIK, currently you would have to provide a custom FXML/ CSS for each supported device.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


New formula - even cleaner!
Created for infants but yummy for all ages, this is a wonderful vegan, organically based wash that is sulfate, detergent and paraben-free.
Ideal for anyone who likes to be clean and loves lavender.
The formula uses calming oils of Organic Sunflower Seeds, Organic Safflower and Organic Coconut Oil. Lavender and Lavandin Oils combine to make an incredibly authentic lavender experience to the nose.
8 oz. plastic pump or 2 oz disc cap.


I decided against purchasing a new wheelset for $550. I tested the Easton 90 SLX and they were ok but I didn't feel it was worth the money to make the upgrade. After that, I did a bit of a ride around Lebanon, and that felt good.


This sweater vest below pairs really well over this top. Wearing a small in both!
In LOVE with this sweater. Wearing an XS/S.
Sadly this sweater vest is out of stock, but I'm still sharing just in case it comes available again!
What a great basic this blue and white button up top is. I love the detail on the sleeves! Wearing a medium for a more relaxed look. I'm wearing it with these jeans—they are called the "modern skinny." My was isn't available anymore, but they make this jean in so many other shades and washes.
This mockneck sweater is amazing. The best I've found …maybe ever! It's under $70 and comes in a few colors! I'm wearing a 6, which fits like a 2-4.
This long duster cardigan is under $30 and feels so luxurious! I'm in love with it and am sure I'll wear it with so many outfits all fall & winter.
I accidentally left out this jacket, but I bought this in a small and LOVE it. Under $30.


Jun 28, 2018. Here are the 8 steps you need to take when completing a used car. sure you can afford the car's insurance premiums and you have the right.
What paperwork do you need in a private-party car sale? Edmunds has. It's your responsibility to make sure all the paperwork is filed correctly when you buy or sell a used car from a private-party seller. Cancel insurance for the car.
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Sell my car. Have you been thinking lately, "I want to sell my car", but you don't want the hassle of a private sale? Well, you'll be happy to hear that selling your car doesn't have to be a long and arduous task.
Sell Your Used / pre-owned car at CarWale.com. Selling at carwale.com is easy, quick, effective and guaranteed. India's no 1 car site.
Mar 5, 2015. Google Launches A New Tool To Sell Car Insurance To U.S Web. carriers see this as a price-only comparison…and they don't want to be.
I am looking for a GOOD company where I can offer auto, property, life, health, etc. If you cannot get direct contracts, many independent agents will let you sell. I just need some guidance because the insurance field is will be new to me.
Botswana Used cars and brand new vehicles from car dealers and private owners of Gaborone, Francistown and Maun. We advertise new & second hand automobiles and motorcycles as well as commercial transport such as buses, trucks, tractors. Want A Car is Botswana dealership marketplace with the largest choice of vehicles online.
Jul 19, 2017. We can help you understand whether you need rental car insurance and. that sell standalone policies for rental cars if you don't want to buy.
Sep 26, 2011. Often, when you sell your car, cancel your auto insurance, and do not own a car for a period of time, your auto insurance, when you need to get.
How to sell your car quickly and get the best price. Clean the car inside and out and make sure it's tidy. Consider getting a new MOT too as this says a lot about the car's basic condition. Consider a full, professional valet service. It can really make a difference to the price and how easily you can sell the car. Find out more.
Understand course concepts in a clear and concise format, covering all of the topics you need to know to pass the life & health insurance license exam.
Jun 19, 2018. Welcome to the world of car values and auto insurance where drivers are often. you may not discover until years later when it comes time to sell your car. That represents a $4,500 deficiency that you'll want to recoup.
Owning a fancy new car will also land you the most expensive insurance policy to cover it, If you want to set the rules for what type of insurance policy you take out on your car and get the lowest rate, buy it outright. Sell it and start over!
10 Steps for Selling Your Car – The fifth step is setting the asking price for your car. Obtain your Blue Book value, browse Kelley Blue Book's Classifieds section, and get tips on whether to.
Nov 04, 2017 · How to Sell Your Car Privately. Selling your car on your own can be a nerve wracking experience. There are a number of documents you'll need to legally transfer the ownership, but beyond that, you might need to make repairs, get an.
If you are selling your vehicle and cannot find its title, you will need to get a duplicate title at a. Remember to cancel your insurance on the vehicle that you sold.
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text:
Classroom Icebreakers
Get-to-know-you
By Group Size
Small Group Games
Medium Group Games
Extra Large Group Games
Icebreakers by Name
Get Icebreakers eBook!
Great Wind Blows
Great Wind Blows/
20Aug 2014 by Blahman
Great Wind Blows (also known as the Big Wind Blows) is a good icebreaker that involves a bit of movement, a bit similar to Musical Chairs. The game can help break the ice and help students get to know each other a bit better. You'll need several chairs (one fewer than the total number of players).
Setup for Great Wind Blows Game
Arrange all the chairs to form a circle (all chairs facing inward toward the middle). One player starts in the middle, standing up. He or she begins the round.
Playing Great Wind Blows
The game is simple to play; one person in the middle starts by saying "Great wind blows for everyone who…" and then says any characteristic that is true for that person. For example, if the person has been to Canada before, he or she can say, "Great wind blows for everyone who has been to Canada." All players who have been to Canada before must stand and quickly find a new seat that is more than 2 chairs away from them. If the player is not able to find a vacant seat, he or she is the new person who is in the middle.
Some ideas include:
Great wind blows for everyone who has been to more than 3 countries before.
Great wind blows for everyone who hates chocolate.
Great wind blows for everyone who loves to wear boxers.
Great wind blows for everyone who has gone more than 2 days without showering.
Great wind blows for everyone who is addicted to video games.
Great wind blows for everyone who loves sushi.
Be creative and have fun! Teachers, youth group leaders and camp counselors love this game because it gets people moving, helping to break the ice at the beginning of class or youth group, or at the start of camp. It's also a fun way to get to know interesting things about each other.
Free ideas & step-by-step instructions to icebreakers, fun games and team building activities for classrooms, workplace and corporate training, youth group activities, party games, college group activities or games for kids. Enjoy! And also check out our learning theories summaries, educational game design resources, group games, great group games, and how do you play party games guide.
Buy the Best Icebreakers eBook!
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Identity Circles - Icebreakers,Ideas, Games, Activities!
Lost on a desert island marooned
Strange Disease Diagnosis Game - Icebreakers,Ideas, Games, Activities!
GoodQuestions
© icebreakers.ws. All rights reserved.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


A new study by The Center for American Progress has identified five major programs and grants totaling around $870 million that the federal government can withhold from jurisdictions who refuse to work with ICE. Pres. Trump's Jan. 25 executive order instructed DHS to identify sanctuary jurisdictions and federal funding that could be cut off to these jurisdictions.
The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program, which helps states and local government with a range of criminal justice needs.
U.S. Economic Development Administration grants, which help "economically distressed areas" with public works projects and other economic development opportunities.
The State Criminal Alien Assistance Program, which reimburses jurisdictions for the costs associated with detaining immigrants.
The Community Development Block Grant program, which helps states and cities fund housing, infrastructure, and business development projects.
The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, which provides funding to allow law enforcement agencies to hire additional community policing officers and staff, as well as technical assistance support.
California, whose governor just announced the state is facing a $1.6 billion shortfall, would be hit the hardest. The state risks losing $239.5 million or 27.5% of the national's total due to its sanctuary polices.
The next top 4 states are New York ($191.1 million), Illinois ($91.3 million), Pennsylvania ($65.2 million), and Maryland ($35 million).
Read more on this story at LifeZette.com.


text:
package org.easybatch.integration.jackson;

import org.codehaus.jackson.map.ObjectMapper;
import org.easybatch.core.api.Header;
import org.easybatch.core.api.Record;
import org.easybatch.json.JsonRecord;
import org.junit.Before;
import org.junit.Test;
import org.junit.runner.RunWith;
import org.mockito.Mock;
import org.mockito.runners.MockitoJUnitRunner;

import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat;

/**
 * Test class for {@link JacksonRecordMapper}.
 *
 * @author Mahmoud Ben Hassine (mahmoud@benhassine.fr)
 */
@RunWith(MockitoJUnitRunner.class)
public class JacksonRecordMapperTest {

    private JacksonRecordMapper<Tweet> mapper;

    @Mock
    private Header header;

    @Before
    public void setUp() throws Exception {
        ObjectMapper objectMapper = new ObjectMapper();
        mapper = new JacksonRecordMapper<Tweet>(objectMapper, Tweet.class);
    }

    @Test
    public void testMapRecord() throws Exception {
        String jsonTweet = "{\"id\":1,\"user\":\"foo\",\"message\":\"Hello\"}";
        Record record = new JsonRecord(header, jsonTweet);
        Tweet tweet = mapper.mapRecord(record);

        assertThat(tweet.getId()).isEqualTo(1);
        assertThat(tweet.getUser()).isEqualTo("foo");
        assertThat(tweet.getMessage()).isEqualTo("Hello");
    }

    @Test
    public void testMapIncompleteRecord() throws Exception {
        String jsonTweet = "{\"id\":1,\"user\":\"foo\"}";
        Record record = new JsonRecord(header, jsonTweet);
        Tweet tweet = mapper.mapRecord(record);

        assertThat(tweet.getId()).isEqualTo(1);
        assertThat(tweet.getUser()).isEqualTo("foo");
        assertThat(tweet.getMessage()).isNull();
    }

    @Test
    public void testMapEmptyRecord() throws Exception {
        String jsonTweet = "{}";
        Record record = new JsonRecord(header, jsonTweet);
        Tweet tweet = mapper.mapRecord(record);

        assertThat(tweet.getId()).isEqualTo(0);
        assertThat(tweet.getUser()).isNull();
        assertThat(tweet.getMessage()).isNull();
    }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
vanB Real-Time PCR Assay for Detection of Vancomycin
Uploaded by BUDDHA
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay for Detection of
Molecular Detection of vanA and vanB Genes in Vancomycin-Resistant EnterococcusIsolated by
Life is not meant to be easy, my child; but take courage: it can be delightful. George Bernard Shaw
PCR Technology for Detection of Invasive Aspergillosis
Ego says, "Once everything falls into place, I'll feel peace." Spirit says "Find your peace, and then
Development of Real-Time PCR Assay for Detection of Vibrio cholerae
Development and evaluation of a real-time Taqman RT-PCR assay for the detection of infectious
The happiest people don't have the best of everything, they just make the best of everything. Anony
International Proficiency Study of a Consensus L1 PCR Assay for the Detection and Typing of
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Original Article Clinical Microbiology Ann Lab Med 2015;35:76-81 http://dx.doi.org/10.3343/alm.2015.35.1.76 ISSN 2234-3806 • eISSN 2234-3814
Evaluation of the iNtRON VRE vanA/vanB Real-Time PCR Assay for Detection of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci Hee Jae Huh, M.D.1,*, Mi-Ae Jang, M.D.1,*, Ja Young Seo, M.D.2, Ji-Youn Kim, M.T.3, Chang-Seok Ki, M.D.1, Jong-Won Kim, M.D.1, and Nam Yong Lee, M.D.1 Department of Laboratory Medicine and Genetics1, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul; Department of Laboratory Medicine2, Gachon University Gil Hospital, Incheon; Center for Clinical Medicine3, Samsung Biomedical Research Institute, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
Background: Recently, the iNtRON VRE vanA/vanB real-time PCR (iNtRON; iNtRON Biotechnology, Korea) assay, a multiplex real-time PCR method, was introduced. In this prospective study, we compared the iNtRON assay with the Seeplex VRE ACE detection kit (Seeplex; Seegene, Korea), a conventional multiplex PCR assay. Methods: A chromogenic agar-based culture, in which pre-selected vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) was grown and subsequently plated on blood agar with vancomycin disks, was regarded as the reference method. A total of 304 consecutive rectal swab specimens were tested for VRE by culture and by iNtRON and Seeplex PCR assays. For the PCR assays, specimens were enriched for 16-24 hr before PCR. Results: VRE were isolated from 44 (14.5%) specimens by chromogenic agar-based culture. The clinical sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of the iNtRON assay were 100% (95% confidence interval: 89.8%-100%), 99.2% (96.9%-99.9%), 95.6% (83.6%-99.2%), and 100% (98.2%-100%), respectively, while those of the Seeplex assay were 97.7% (86.2%-99.9%), 99.6% (97.5%-99.9%), 97.7% (86.2%-99.9%), and 99.6% (97.5%-99.9%), respectively. The iNtRON assay had a detection limit of 3,159 copies/μL and 13,702 copies/μL for the vanA and vanB genes, respectively. No cross-reactivity was observed in 11 non-VRE bacterial culture isolates. Conclusions: The overall performance of the iNtRON assay was comparable to that of a chromogenic agar-based culture method for prompt identification of VRE-colonized patients in hospitals. This assay could be an alternative or supportive method for the effective control of nosocomial VRE infection. Key Words: Real-time PCR, Performance, vanA , vanB , Vancomycin-resistant enterococci
INTRODUCTION Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) have emerged as a significant cause of nosocomial infection. Vancomycin resistance in enterococcal species is conferred mainly by the vanA or vanB genes [1, 2]. Phenotypically, the vanA gene mediates a high-
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Received: April 15, 2014 Revision received: June 28, 2014 Accepted: October 13, 2014 Corresponding author: Chang-Seok Ki Department of Laboratory Medicine and Genetics, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 81 Irwon-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 135-710, Korea Tel: +82-2-3410-2709 Fax: +82-2-3410-2719 E-mail: [email protected] *These two authors contributed equally to the work.
© The Korean Society for Laboratory Medicine This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
level of resistance to vancomycin and teicoplanin, whereas the vanB gene confers low- to moderate-level resistance to vancomycin only [3-5]. Infections with VRE have significant impacts on morbidity, mortality, length of hospital stay, and total costs [6, 7]. In addition, asymptomatic VRE colonization can provide a reservoir for http://dx.doi.org/10.3343/alm.2015.35.1.76
Huh HJ, et al. Evaluation of iNtRON VRE assay
dissemination and subsequent infection [8, 9]. Effective infection control and prevention can reduce the transmission of VRE. Therefore, rapid detection of VRE is important for the control and prevention of its nosocomial transmission. Current techniques used for the detection of VRE include selective culture or the combination of culture with molecular detection of genes responsible for vancomycin resistance. Although culture is the reference method for confirmation of VRE, it is time-consuming and may delay isolation of patients carrying VRE [10, 11]. Molecular detection of resistance-related genes, on the other hand, requires a relatively short period of time. The iNtRON VRE vanA /vanB real-time PCR assay (iNtRON; iNtRON Biotechnology, Seoul, Korea) was recently developed for rapid screening of VRE [12]. The iNtRON assay uses a realtime PCR format with TaqMan hydrolysis probes for the concurrent detection of vanA and vanB genes and an internal control. The present study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the iNtRON assay relative to the Seeplex VRE ACE detection kit (Seeplex; Seegene, Seoul, Korea), a multiplex end-point PCR assay, and the chromogenic agar-based culture method.
METHODS 1. Patients and specimen processing This study was conducted at a tertiary-care hospital in Seoul, Korea, and was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Samsung Medical Center. The study was carried out in a routine diagnostic laboratory setting and used non-selective, consecutive clinical specimens from Korean patients. From December 2010 to February 2011, we examined a total of 304 rectal swab specimens, for which VRE rectal examination had been requested for the purpose of VRE surveillance. Specimens came from patients who were transferred from another hospital, patients who were deemed to be high risk, or patients who were admitted to intensive care units. Rectal swabbing was performed by using a sterile transport system composed of two cotton swabs within an agar gel transport medium (COPAN, Amies, Italy). Two rectal swab specimens were collected at the same time, and each swab sample was randomly allocated to microbiology and molecular genetics laboratories for VRE culture and PCR, respectively.
2. Chromogenic agar-based culture Rectal swabs were directly inoculated onto a chromogenic agar plate (ChromID VRE agar, bioMérieux, Marcy I'Etoile, France) containing 8 μg/mL vancomycin and incubated aerobically at 35°C. The agar plates were screened for growth of presumptive http://dx.doi.org/10.3343/alm.2015.35.1.76
colonies after 24 hr and 48 hr of incubation. For colonies resembling enterococci, gram staining and the pyrrolidonyl arylamidase (PYR) test were performed. Then, gram-positive, PYRpositive cocci were screened for vancomycin resistance. Colonies were inoculated onto blood agar plates containing a 30-μg vancomycin disk. Following an incubation period of 24 hr, colonies that demonstrated vancomycin resistance were submitted for identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing.
3. Bacterial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility test The species of presumptive isolates were identified by the automated VITEK-2 system (bioMérieux). We performed the methyl D-glucopyranoside (MGP) test in order to distinguish Enterococcus gallinarum or E. casseliflavus from E. faecium . Antimicrobial susceptibility and minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of vancomycin and teicoplanin were determined with the same instrument. Phenotypic identification of VRE isolates by culture is based on a MIC of ≥ 32 μg/mL [13].
4. Multiplex end-point PCR for vanA and vanB gene detection using the Seeplex VRE ACE detection kit For enrichment of VRE prior to PCR, one cotton swab was inoculated into Enterococcosel broth (Komed, Seongnam, Korea) containing 6 μg/mL vancomycin and incubated for 16 hr –24 hr at 35°C, after which 50 μL of culture broth was boiled at 100°C for 10 min and centrifuged at 12,281 g for 5 min for DNA extraction. Then, 3 μL of supernatant was added to 17 μL of PCR mastermix, which consisted of 4 μL 5 × VRE primer, 3 μL 8-methoxypsoralen, and 10 μL 2 × Multiplex Master Mix (Seegene), for a final volume of 20 μL. PCR amplification was performed by using the following conditions: initial denaturation at 94°C for 15 min; 35 cycles of denaturation at 94°C for 30 sec, annealing at 60°C for 1 min, extension at 72°C for 1 min; and final extension at 72°C for 10 min. vanA - and vanB -positive enterococci were included as external positive controls. Amplification products were detected by using capillary electrophoresis technology (Lab901 Screen Tape System; Lab901 Ltd, Loanhead, UK).
5. iNtRON VRE vanA /vanB real-time PCR for vanA and vanB gene detection After enrichment of VRE in Enterococcosel broth containing 6 μg/ mL vancomycin, 500 μL of the broth was centrifuged at 12,281 g for 5 min and the pellet was washed with distilled water. The pellet was incubated at 65°C for 15 min with 50 μL sample preparation solution and then boiled at 95°C for 10 min, followed by
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centrifugation at 12,281 g for 1 min. Five μL of the supernatant was then added to 10 μL of the 2 × PCR mixture and 5 μL of the primer probe mixture. After vigorous vortexing and centrifugation, PCR was performed with the SLAN real-time PCR detection system (LG Lifescience, Seoul, Korea) using the following conditions: initial denaturation at 95°C for 10 min, followed by 45 cycles of 15 sec at 95°C and 30 sec at 55°C. The real-time PCR procedures included vanA - and vanB - positive and negative controls as well as an internal control in each run. In order to be counted as positive, amplification curves had to exhibit the typical sigmoid form and values between cycles 19 and 33. Invalid results showing no amplification in the internal control were retested by PCR with 10-fold dilutions.
6. Analytical accuracy of the iNtRON VRE vanA /vanB realtime PCR assay The chromogenic agar-based culture method was regarded as the reference method for VRE screening. Enterococcus species that were demonstrated to be vancomycin resistant by bacterial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility tests were designated as VRE.
7. Analytical sensitivity and specificity of the iNtRON VRE vanA /vanB real-time PCR assay Concentrations of genomic DNA extracted from vanA -positive E. faecium type strain CCUG 36804 (Culture Collection, University of Göteborg, Sweden) and vanB -positive E. faecalis type strain CCARM 5025 (Culture Collection of Antibiotic-resistant Microbes, Korea) were measured by using a spectrophotometer
(NanoDrop ND-1000, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Wilmington, DE, USA) and this was used for determining analytical sensitivity. Serial dilutions of the prepared genomic DNA were made from 102 to 10-9 ng/μL to determine the analytical sensitivity of the assay. Three replicates of each dilution step were performed. The lower detection limit was defined as the lowest concentration detected by the assay among three replicates. The cross-reactivity of the iNtRON assay was assessed by using 11 different bacteria. E. gallinarum, E. casseliflavus, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter cloacae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Serratia marcesens, Proteus mirabilis, Salmonella species, Shigella species, Staphylococcus aureus , and S. epidermidis were obtained from ATCC (Manassas, VA, USA). The DNA of supplied samples was extracted and assayed with the iNtRON assay adhering to the same procedures used for sample processing.
8. Statistical analysis Statistical analyses were performed by using the SPSS software, version 20.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) and the MedCalc statistical software, version 11.6 (Mariakerke, Belgium). We used inter-rater agreement statistics (Kappa calculation) to compare the detection of the vanA and vanB genes between the Seeplex and iNtRON assays. P values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) with 95% confidence interval (CI) of PCR assays were evaluated in comparison with the results of the chromogenic agar-based cultures.
Table 1. Comparison of chromogenic culture with multiplex PCR assays
Test method Seeplex VRE ACE
VRE
non-VRE
detection kit
Analytical performance (%) (95% CI) Sensitivity: 97.7 (86.5-99.9) Specificity: 99.6 (97.5-99.9)
PPV: 97.7 (86.5-99.9) NPV: 99.6 (97.5-99.9)
iNtRON VRE
vanA /vanB real-time PCR
Sensitivity: 100 (89.8-100) Specificity: 99.2 (96.9-99.9) PPV: 95.6 (83.6-99.2) NPV: 100 (98.2-100)
Invalid* Total
*The invalid result was excluded in the performance analysis. Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; NPV, negative predictive value; PPV, positive predictive value; VRE, vancomycin-resistant enterococci.
http://dx.doi.org/10.3343/alm.2015.35.1.76
1. Detection of VRE by culture
The iNtRON assay was recently described as a rapid and useful method to monitor VRE-colonized or infected patients by Bae et al . [12]. They compared direct PCR and culture-based methods using stool specimens in patients undergoing follow-up VRE surveillance. Unique to our study, the iNtRON assay with enrichment broth was used as the initial screen for the vanA and vanB resistance determinants from rectal swab specimens. The present study demonstrated that the performance of multiplex real-time PCR following growth in enrichment broth is comparable to that of conventional end-point PCR and of chromogenic culture when screening for VRE using rectal swab specimens. In this study, the iNtRON assay showed perfect sensitivity and NPV (both 100%), while the specificity and PPV for vanA -type VRE (99.2% and 95.6%, respectively) were comparable to those of the Seeplex assay (99.6% and 97.7%, respectively). Previous studies that evaluated the performance of PCR for VRE screening have also shown good results for detection of the vanA gene [1, 11, 12, 14-17]. Only two discordant culture-negative, but iNtRON assay PCRpositive results were observed among the vanA -positive specimens. Nonviable or viable but non-culturable (VBNC) Enterococcus spp. may cause culture-negative, but PCR-positive results [18, 19]. Enterococcal VBNC cells are a potential risk for human health in that they might constitute a reservoir of infectious bacteria involved in disease transmission and persistence. In addition, the difference in stool density of VRE in rectal swab samples can influence the sensitivity of the tests [11, 20]. A transport system for rectal swab samples consists of two cotton swabs; therefore, the VRE stool density in each swab may be different. The use of a cotton swab with a low density of VRE in culture or PCR assay may cause a false-negative test result. On the other hand, non-enterococcal isolates harboring vanA genes may contribute to false-positive PCR results. Albeit in limited numbers, Bacillus circulans, Arcanobacterium haemolyticum, Oerskovia turbata , and Staphylococcus aureus have been reported to acquire vanA genes [11, 21-25]. However, compared to the previous study on performance of the iNtRON assay [12], the present study did not detect significantly more patients as VRE carriers via this assay than culture methods alone. This may be due to differences among the surveillance specimens used for the study. We did not include the specimens that were obtained from patients for follow-up VRE surveillance. The iNtRON assay has an advantage in workload compared to the Seeplex assay. Given that the Seeplex assay requires agarose
A total of 44 VRE were isolated from 304 samples, and the overall culture positivity rate was 14.5%. All of the VRE recovered were resistant to vancomycin (MIC ≥ 32 μg/mL) and all isolates were E. faecium .
2. Comparison of the iNtRON VRE vanA /vanB real-time PCR and Seeplex ACE assays for VRE detection A comparison of the results of the iNtRON assay, Seeplex assay, and chromogenic agar-based culture is presented in Table 1. A total of 45 (14.8%) and 44 (14.5%) specimens were positive for vanA in the iNtRON and Seeplex assays, respectively. All specimens were negative for the vanB gene. One invalid result was observed by the iNtRON assay, which was vanA -positive VRE by Seeplex assay and chromogenic culture. The invalid result was excluded in the performance analysis. The positive-percent agreement of the iNtRON assay compared to the Seeplex assay was 100% (95% CI, 89.8 to 100), and the negative-percent agreement was 99.2% (95% CI, 96.9 to 99.9). The kappa value for the two methods was 0.97 (95% CI, 0.94 to 1.00; P < 0.001). Three specimens had discrepant results between the culture and PCR assays. Among them, two samples tested culture-negative, but vanA PCR-positive; one of those tested PCR-positive in both the iNtRON and the Seeplex assays, while the other tested positive only in the iNtRON assay. One sample tested positive by culture and in the iNtRON assay, but tested negative in the Seeplex assay. Compared to the culture method, the iNtRON assay had an overall sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 99.2%. The PPV and NPV were 95.6% and 100%, respectively. The Seeplex assay had an overall sensitivity of 97.7% and a specificity of 99.6%. The PPV and NPV were 97.7% and 99.6%, respectively (Table 1).
3. Analytical sensitivity and specificity of the iNtRON VRE vanA /vanB real-time PCR assay In tests for the detection limit of the iNtRON assay, the measured limit for vanA and vanB genes were 0.01 ng/μL (equal to 3,159 copies/μL) and 0.05 ng/μL (equal to 13,702 copies/μL), respectively. To evaluate the cross-reactivity and detection specificity, 11 different bacterial reference strains were tested. All assay results were negative and no non-specific positive reactions were observed.
gel detection following PCR, the iNtRON assay requires less time and labor than does the Seeplex assay. The turnaround times of the iNtRON and Seeplex assays from DNA isolation to test results were less than 2.5 hr and 3.5 hr, respectively. In addition, iNtRON is a closed PCR system with a reduced chance of amplicon contamination. The present study has some limitations. First, no vanB -type VRE were detected during the study period. In our study, preselected VRE strains on chromogen agar plates were subsequently cultured on blood agar plates with vancomycin disks. This would initially suppress vanB -type VRE with low to intermediate levels of vancomycin resistance. However, the prevalence of vanB -type VRE in Korea is extremely low; the outbreak or colonization of vanB -type VRE has been reported only in a limited number of studies [26-29]. Second, the present study employed only multiplex real-time PCR assays following culture in enrichment broth. We did not undertake direct detection of vanA /vanB genes in rectal swabs without enrichment. To conclude, the overall performance of the iNtRON assay is comparable to that of the Seeplex assay and a chromogenic agar-based culture method for prompt identification of VRE-colonized patients in hospitals. This assay could be an alternative or supportive method for effective control of nosocomial VRE infection.
Authors' Disclosures of Potential Conflicts of Interest No potential conflicts of interest relevant to this article were reported.
Acknowledgements This study was supported by LG Lifescience, Korea. The sponsor had no involvement in the study design, data interpretation, or writing of the manuscript.
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