Synthesis and evaluation of an intercalator-polyamide hairpin designed to target the inverted CCAAT box 2 in the topoisomerase IIalpha promoter

The synthesis and DNA-binding properties of a novel naphthalimide-polyamide hairpin (3) designed to target the inverted CCAAT box 2 (ICB2) site on the topoisomerase IIalpha (topoIIalpha) promoter are described. The polyamide component of 3 was derived from the minor-groove binder, 2, and tailored to bind to the 5'-TTGGT sequence found in and flanking ICB2. The propensity of mitonafide 4 to intercalate between G-C base pairs was exploited by the incorporation of a naphthalimide moiety at the N terminus of 2. Hybrid 3 targeted 5'-CGATTGGT and covered eight contiguous base pairs, which included the underlined ICB2 site. DNase I footprinting analysis with the topoIIalpha promoter sequence demonstrated that 3 bound selectively to the ICB2 and ICB3 sites. Thermal-denaturation studies confirmed these results, and the highest degree of stabilization was found for ICB2 and -3 in preference to ICB1 (4.1, 4.6, and 0.6 degrees C, respectively). CD studies confirmed minor-groove binding and suggested a 1:1 binding stoichiometry. Emission-titration experiments established intercalative binding. Surface plasmon resonance results showed strong binding to ICB2 (2.5x10(7) M(-1)) with no observable binding to ICB1. Furthermore, the binding constant of 3 to ICB2 was larger than that of the parent polyamide 2. The increased binding affinity was primarily due to a reduction in the dissociation-rate constant of the polyamide-DNA complex, which can be attributed to the N-terminal naphthalimide moiety. In addition, the binding site of 3 was larger than that of 2, which innately improved sequence selectivity. We conclude that the polyamide-naphthalimide 3 selectively binds to the ICB2 site by simultaneous intercalation and minor-groove binding, and warrants further investigation as a model compound for the regulation of topoIIalpha gene expression.     

Mixed Finite Element for Three-Dimensional Nonlinear Dynamic Analysis of Rectangular Concrete-Filled Steel Tube Beam-Columns

A beam finite-element formulation following Euler-Bernoulli beam theory is presented for geometrically and materially nonlinear analysis of rectangular concrete-filled steel tube (RCFT) beam-columns. The formulation is geared for conducting transient dynamic analysis of composite steel/concrete frame structures. The element stiffness and internal forces were derived through adopting a mixed finite-element approach based on the Hellinger-Reissner variational principle. The load transfer between the steel and concrete constitutive materials was provided through steel and concrete interface via friction and interlocking. Six extra translational degrees-of-freedom (DOFs) were added to the conventional 12 DOF beam element to quantify the differential displacement between the two media. The formulation was verified for a range of geometrically nonlinear test problems and geometrically and materially nonlinear RCFT experimental test specimens from the literature. Strong correlation and convergence characteristics were achieved compared to the published results.     

Dissolution and Interface Reactions between Palladium and Tin(Sn)-Based Solders: Part II. 63Sn-37Pb Alloy

The interface microstructures and dissolution behavior were studied, which occur between 99.9 pct Pd substrates and molten 95.5Sn-3.9Ag-0.6Cu (wt pct, Sn-Ag-Cu) solder. The solder bath temperatures were 513 K to 623 K (240 °C to 350 °C). The immersion times were 5 to 240 seconds. The IMC layer composition exhibited the (Pd, Cu)Sn₄ (Cu, 0 to 2 at. pct) and (Pd, Sn) solid-solution phases for all test conditions. The phases PdSn and PdSn₂ were observed only for the 623 K (350 °C), 60 seconds test conditions. The metastable phase, Pd₁₁Sn₉, occurred consistently for the 623 K (350 °C), 240 seconds conditions. Palladium-tin needles appeared in the Sn-Ag-Cu solder, but only at temperatures of 563 K (290 °C ) or higher, and had a (Pd, Cu)Sn₄ stoichiometry. Palladium dissolution increased monotonically with both solder bath temperature and exposure time. The rate kinetics of dissolution were represented by the expression At ⁿ exp(∆H/RT), where the time exponent (n) was 0.52 ± 0.10 and the apparent activation energy (∆H) was 44 ± 9 kJ/mol. The IMC layer thickness increased between 513 K and 563 K (240 °C and 290 °C) to approximately 3 to 5 μm, but then was less than 3 μm at 593 K and 623 K (320 °C and 350 °C). The thickness values exhibited no significant time dependence. As a protective finish in electronics assembly applications, Pd would be relatively slow to dissolve into molten Sn-Ag-Cu solder. The Pd-Sn IMC layer would remain sufficiently thin and adherent to a residual Pd layer so as to pose a minimal reliability concern for Sn-Ag-Cu solder interconnections.     

Post-concussive symptoms in children with mild traumatic brain injury.

To investigate postconcussive symptoms (PCS) following pediatric mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), 8- to 15-year-old children with mTBI (n = 186) and a comparison group with uncomplicated orthopedic injuries (OI, n = 99) were recruited from two emergency departments. Parent and child ratings of PCS and symptom counts were obtained within 3 weeks after injury (baseline) and at 1, 3, and 12 months postinjury. The mTBI group also completed magnetic resonance imaging at baseline. Group differences were examined using growth modeling, controlling for age at injury, sex, socioeconomic status, and (for parent-based measures) preinjury symptom levels. Relative to the OI group, the mTBI group had higher ratings of somatic PCS and parent counts of PCS at the initial assessments, but higher parent ratings of cognitive PCS and child counts of PCS throughout follow-up. Higher levels of PCS in the mTBI group were associated with motor-vehicle-related trauma, loss of consciousness, neuroimaging abnormalities, and hospitalization. The findings validate both transient and persistent PCS in children with mTBI and document associations of symptoms with injury and noninjury factors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Incidence and severity of Arcanobacterium pyogenes injection site abscesses with needle or needle-free injection

Nursery-age pigs (n=198) were used to evaluate the difference in abscess formation at needle-free jet and conventional needle-and-syringe injection sites. Needle-free jet injection was used to administer injections in the neck and ham on one side of the animal whereas needle-and-syringe was used for neck and ham injections on the opposite side. Immediately prior to injection, the injection site surfaces were contaminated with an inoculum of Arcanobacterium pyogenes. Each pig was humanely euthanized 27 or 28days after injections. Histopathological results showed that needle-free jet injection was associated with more abscesses than needle-and-syringe injection at both neck (P=0.0625) and ham (P=0.0313) injection sites. Out of 792 injection sites, only 13 abscesses were observed, with 12 of those present at needle-free jet injection sites. Needle-free jet injection may increase the occurrence of injection site abscesses that necessitate carcass trimming at pork processing plants.     

Consumption of brown rice: a potential pathway for arsenic exposure in rural Bengal

This study assesses the arsenic (As) accumulation in different varieties of rice grain, that people in rural Bengal mostly prefer for daily consumption, to estimate the potential risk of dietary As exposure through rice intake. The rice samples have been classified according to their average length (L) and L to breadth (B) ratio into four categories, such as short-bold (SB), medium-slender (MS), long-slender (LS), and extra-long slender (ELS). The brown colored rice samples fall into the SB, MS, or LS categories; while all Indian Basmati (white colored) are classified as ELS. The study indicates that the average accumulation of As in rice grain increases with a decrease of grain size (ELS: 0.04; LS: 0.10; MS: 0.16; and SB: 0.33 mg kg(-1)), however people living in the rural villages mostly prefer brown colored SB type of rice because of its lower cost. For the participants consuming SB type of brown rice, the total daily intake of inorganic As (TDI-iAs) in 29% of the cases exceeds the previous WHO recommended provisional tolerable daily intake value (2.1 μg day(-1) kg(-1) BW), and in more than 90% of cases, the As content in the drinking water equivalent to the inorganic As intake from rice consumption (C(W,eqv)) exceeds the WHO drinking water guideline of 10 μg L(-1). This study further demonstrates that participants in age groups 18-30 and 51-65 yrs are the most vulnerable to the potential health threat of dietary As exposure compared to participants of age group 31-50 yrs, because of higher amounts of brown rice consumption patterns and lower BMI.     

In Situ Measurements of Settling Velocity near Baimao Shoal in Changjiang Estuary

At the South Branch of the Changjiang Estuary near Baimao Shoal, two in situ approaches were used to estimate the settling velocity, ws, of suspended, fine-grained sediments. The first approach was used when the current was less than 1.5??m/s and was based on measurements from an optical backscatter sensor (OBS-3A) and a laser in situ scattering and transmissometer (LISST-100, Type C). A modification, using the measured ratio of volume concentration for each floc size class to the total volume concentration as a weighting factor. To improve a previously published approach, a better algorthim was implemented to estimate ws. Results of the modified approach (0.4 to 4.6??mm/s) are about twice those of the original approach, which assumes that all sizes of flocs have the same floc density. The second approach used the Rouse equation to estimate the depth-averaged ws when the current was strong and nearly steady around maximum ebb. Results from the second approach show a much greater depth-averaged ws (4–8.5??mm/s). This is attributed to the large bed shear stresses (between 3 and 3.6?Pa) bringing large sediments into the water column.     

An overlapping Yee finite‐difference time‐domain method for material interfaces between anisotropic dielectrics and general dispersive or perfect electric conductor media

A novel stable anisotropic finite‐difference time‐domain (FDTD) algorithm based on the overlapping cells is developed for solving Maxwell's equations of electrodynamics in anisotropic media with interfaces between different types of materials, such as the interface between anisotropic dielectrics and dispersive medium or perfect electric conductor (PEC). The previous proposed conventional anisotropic FDTD methods suffer from the late‐time instability due to the extrapolation of the field components near the material interface. The proposed anisotropic overlapping Yee FDTD method is stable, as it relies on the overlapping cells to provide the collocated field values without any interpolation or extrapolation. Our method has been applied to simulate electromagnetic invisibility cloaking devices with both anisotropic dielectrics and PEC included in the computational domain. Numerical results and eigenvalue analysis confirm that the conventional anisotropic FDTD method is weakly unstable, whereas our method is stable. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Attraction of the Redbay Ambrosia Beetle, <Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">Xyleborus glabratus,</Emphasis> to Avocado,Lychee, and Essential Oil Lures

The redbay ambrosia beetle, Xyleborus glabratus Eichhoff, is an exotic wood-boring insect that vectors the mycopathogen responsible for laurel wilt, a lethal vascular disease of trees in the Lauraceae. High mortality has occurred in native Persea species in the southeastern U.S., and the vector-pathogen complex poses an imminent threat to the production of commercial avocado, P. americana, in south Florida. There is a critical need for effective attractants to detect, monitor, and control this invasive pest. This study combined field tests and laboratory bioassays to evaluate the response of female X. glabratus to host-based volatiles from wood of avocado (cultivars of West Indian, Guatemalan, and Mexican races); from wood of lychee (Litchi chinensis, a presumed non-host that is high in the sesquiterpene α-copaene, a putative attractant); and to commercial lures containing manuka and phoebe oils, two reported attractive baits. Volatile collections and GC-MS analyses were performed to quantify the sesquiterpene content of test substrates. In the field, traps baited with lychee wood captured more beetles than those with wood from avocado cultivars; traps baited with phoebe oil lures captured more beetles than those with manuka oil lures (the current monitoring tool). In field and laboratory tests, X. glabratus did not show a preference among avocado races in either attraction or host acceptance (initiation of boring). In choice tests, lychee was more attractive than avocado initially, but a higher percentage of beetles bored into avocado, suggesting that lychee emits more powerful olfactory/visual cues, but that avocado contains more of the secondary cues necessary for host recognition. Emissions of α-copaene, β-caryophyllene, and α-humulene were correlated with field captures, and lychee wood may be a source of additional semiochemicals for X. glabratus.     

Thin films of CCVD Ba0.5Sr0.5TiO3 and SrTiO3 for electrically tunable coupled microstripline phase shifters

Abstract

Epitaxial barium strontium titanate and strontium titanate thin films were deposited on (100) MgO single-crystal substrates, utilizing Combustion Chemical Vapor Deposition. The as-deposited films were patterned with gold electrodes to form interdigitated structure to function as electrically tunable devices, namely, coupled microstripline phase shifters (CMPS). Microwave dielectric properties were characterized at 11–20 GHz with an applied electric field up to ±35 V/μm. A maximum figure of merit of 53°/dB at 20 GHz and 23°C was measured. The demonstrated high degree of tunability and relatively low loss showed great potential of these films for the targeted frequency agile device applications. Characterization, using SEM, EDS, and XRD, is presented in addition to microwave performance as a function of dc bias and frequency.