Cassettes for PCR-mediated construction of green, yellow, and cyan fluorescent protein fusions in Candida albicans.

We have developed a set of plasmids containing fluorescent protein cassettes for use in PCR-mediated gene tagging in Candida albicans. We engineered YFP and CFP variants of the GFP sequence optimized for C. albicans codon usage. The fluorescent protein sequences, linked to C. albicans auxotrophic marker sequences, were amplified by PCR and transformed directly into yeast. Gene-specific sequence was incorporated into the PCR primers, such that the tag-cassette integrates by homologous recombination at the 3'-end of the gene of interest. This technique was used to tag Cdc3 and Tub1 with GFP, YFP and CFP, which were readily visualized by fluorescence microscopy and localized as expected. In addition, Tub1-YFP and Cdc3-CFP were visualized in the same cells. Thus, this technique directs one-step construction of multiple fluorescent protein fusions, facilitating the study of protein co-expression and co-localization in C. albicans cells in vivo.     

Robust Patterns in Recurrent Sampling of Multiband Signals

Periodic nonuniform sampling can be used to achieve sub-Nyquist sampling of bandlimited multiband signals. In this paper, we examine the question of selecting the sampling pattern in such a scheme, so that the reconstruction robustness - measured by the condition-number of the modulation matrix - is maximized. Contrary to previous work, where the sampling pattern was chosen from a discrete set, we let the sampling patterns vary continuously, but impose a structural constraint. Using this approach, we derive necessary and sufficient conditions on the spectral support of the signal for which perfect conditioning exist, namely, for which a sampling pattern can be found so that the resulting modulation matrix has a condition number equal to 1. A simple test to check for these conditions is developed and the desired sampling patterns are found. An algorithm for choosing the sampling pattern when the aforementioned conditions are not satisfied is also introduced. Finally, we present some simulation results.     

Accruing knowledge on the biological bases of aggression: Comment on Giancola (2000).

The author contends that research on the biological correlates of aggression and violence follows a predictable course. The executive functioning model proposed by P. R. Giancola (see record 2000-02949-013) is a logical outcome of this progression and underscores the relative maturity of knowledge accrual for the alcohol-aggression link compared with other bio-behavioral models of human aggression. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Strategies for finite-time control in singular systems in open- and closed-loop configurations

A new concept of system equivalence which allows the establishment of a formal relation between singular and regular systems has been introduced. By applying this concept, an open-loop strategy for finite-time control of a given solvable singular system, which is simple for both computation and implementation, is developed. A strategy for finite-time output feedback control is considered for a continuous singular system. It is shown that provided the system is observable, a desired polynomial command for finite-time control can be determined from a finite sequence of output measurements sampled at discrete instants of time.     

Tracking algorithm designed by the local asymptotic approach

The problem of sequential detection of parameter jumps in linear systems with constant noise level is discussed. The detection problem is analyzed by the asymptotic local approach, using the normalized output error sequence as the detection signal. For linear regression, ARMAX, and state-space models, a central limit theorem is proved, transforming the original problem into the problem of detecting an increase in the man of an asymptotically Gaussian distributed scalar process. The performance of the tracking algorithm, which consists of a parameter estimator with decreasing gain and a single Hinkley's detector, has been studied by simulations and compared to the performance of constant- and adaptive-gain parameter estimators. The proposed algorithm seems to be superior in performance, requiring only a little, generally negligible, additional computational effort. The algorithm provides the information about the jump times, and the time delay of jump detection seems to be unaffected by the measurement noise level, provided that this level is not affected by the change     

Natural concentrates of Bi- and tricyclic naphthenes

Translated from Khimiya i Tekhnologiya Topliv i Masel, No. 5, pp. 7–8, May, 1989.     

Polyarteritis nodosa presenting as temporal arteritis in a 9-year-old child

In a household survey in Guinea-Bissau, 319 episodes of diarrhea in children were followed by interviews every second day with the aim of investigating perceived morbidity and subsequent actions taken. The majority of the mothers had good knowledge of oral rehydration salts (ORS). However, only 58% of the episodes were treated with ORS and the amount given was insufficient. Mothers with no knowledge of ORS did not use it during the observed attack of diarrhea regardless of contact with a health center, which suggests that maternal knowledge is an important determinant of whether health personnel provide ORS. Children with diarrhea considered to be caused by teething were less likely to receive ORS in the acute phase (risk ratio = 0.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.5-0.9). Univariate analyses showed that the use of ORS was related to number of reported symptoms, the mother being the care taker, consultations, previous use of ORS, good knowledge of ORS, and having ORS sachets at home. Multivariate Cox regression analyses showed that the presence of ORS sachets at home at the onset of diarrhea was the strongest predictor of use (hazard ratio = 3.3, 95% CI = 1.9-3.6). Improved health education should focus more on the quantity of ORS needed, early signs of dehydration, treatment of teething diarrhea, and breast feeding, and address mothers who have no prior knowledge of ORS. Management of diarrhea may be improved by a more liberal distribution of ORS sachets.     

Effects of clorazepate, diazepam, and oxazepam on a laboratory measurement of aggression in men

The liver S9 head space vial equilibration technique is an in vitro alternative that holds promises for a satisfactory in vivo extrapolation of liver metabolism of volatile organic chemicals. The aim of this study was to investigate the suitability of this methodology for the extrapolation of in vitro metabolic data from rodent to man by allometry with the two highly metabolized organic solvents toluene and n-hexane as model substances. The calculated hepatic clearance of toluene in man from rodent liver S9 in this study was equal to the reported total body clearance of toluene in man, suggesting insignificant extrahepatic clearance of toluene in humans. The calculated hepatic clearance of n-hexane was less than the reported values of total body clearance of n-hexane in man, indicating an about 80% extrahepatic clearance of n-hexane in humans. Both results are in line with our present knowledge of the metabolism of the two organic solvents in man. Allometric scaling from rodent liver S9 head space incubations to in vivo metabolism of toluene and n-hexane in man thus seems promising and could be a method of choice for scaling of organic solvent metabolism in general.