Linkage of proximal myotonic myopathy to chromosome 3q

We performed genetic linkage analysis in nine German proximal myotonic myopathy (PROMM) families using DNA-markers D3S1541 and D3S1589 from the region of the recently discovered gene locus of myotonic dystrophy type 2 (DM2) on chromosome 3q. Two-point analysis supplied an lod score of 5.9. We conclude that a gene causing PROMM is located on chromosome 3q. PROMM and DM2 may be allelic disorders or may be caused by closely linked genes.     

Molecular and phenotypic characterization of genotypic Candida albicans subgroups and comparison with Candida dubliniensis and Candida stellatoidea

There have been increased reports of the isolation of unusual genotypic groups of Candida albicans (groups C and D) based on a well-defined genotypic method; this method uses cellular DNA digested with the EcoRI enzyme and the restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) generated by agarose gel electrophoresis. The aim of the present study was to use additional molecular tools to characterize these unusual strains and to compare them with authentic strains of C. dubliniensis, a recently delineated species, and type I C. stellatoidea. The RFLPs of PCR products generated from the intergenic transcribed spacer (ITS) region did not differentiate among C. albicans genotypes A, B, and C and type I C. stellatoidea. However, this method did differentiate the C. albicans genotype D strains, which were identical to C. dubliniensis. The RFLPs generated by HaeIII digestion of the PCR products of the V3 region of the 25S rRNA gene (rDNA) could differentiate the same groups as RFLP analysis of the PCR amplicon of the ITS region. C. albicans genotype B isolates have been shown to have a transposable intron in the 25S rDNA, whereas genotype A isolates do not; C. dubliniensis strains also have an intron that is larger than that in genotype B C. albicans strains but that is in the same location. PCR designed to span this region resulted in a single product for C. albicans genotype A (450 bp), B (840 bp), type 1 C. stellatoidea (840 bp), and C. dubliniensis (1,080 bp), whereas the C. albicans genotype C isolates had two major products (450 and 840 bp). All C. albicans genotype D isolates gave a PCR product identical to that given by C. dubliniensis. These results indicate that those strains previously designated C. albicans genotype D are in fact C. dubliniensis, that no differences were found between type 1 C. stellatoidea and C. albicans genotype B strains, and that the C. albicans genotype C strains appear to have the transposable intron incompletely inserted throughout the ribosomal repeats in their genomes. The results of the antifungal susceptibility testing of 105 of these strains showed that, for fluconazole, strains of C. dubliniensis were significantly more susceptible than strains of each of the C. albicans genotypes (genotypes A, B, and C). The flucytosine susceptibility results indicated that strains of C. albicans genotype A were significantly less susceptible than either C. albicans genotype B or C. albicans genotype C strains. These results indicate that there is a correlation between the Candida groups and antifungal susceptibility.     

Synthesis of boron/nitrogen substituted carbons for aqueous asymmetric capacitors

Boron/nitrogen substituted carbons were synthesized by co-pyrolysis of polyborazylene/coal tar pitch blends to yield a carbon with a boron and nitrogen content of 14 at% and 10 at%, respectively. The presence of heteroatoms in these carbons shifted the hydrogen evolution overpotential to −1.4 V vs Ag/AgCl in aqueous electrolytes, providing a large electrochemical potential window (∼2.4 V) as well as a specific capacitance of 0.6 F/m². An asymmetric capacitor was fabricated using the as-prepared low surface area carbon as the negative electrode along with a redox active manganese dioxide as the positive electrode. The energy density of the capacitor exceeded 10 Wh/kg at a power density of 1 kW/kg and had a cycle life greater than 1000 cycles.     

Protection and Switching-Aid Networks for Transistor Bridge Inverters

The present trend in the industry is towards the use of power transistors in the development of efficient Pulsewidth Modulated (PWM) inverters, because of their operation at high frequency, simplicity of turn-off, and low commutation losses compared to the technology using thyristors. But the protection of power transistors, minimization of switching power loss, and design of base drive circuit are very important for a reliable operation of the system. The requirements, analysis, and a simplified procedure for calculation of the switching-aid network components are presented. The transistor is protected against short circuit using a modified autoregulated and autoprotection drive circuit. The experimental results show that the switching power loss and voltage stress in the device can be reduced by suitable choice of the switching-aid network component values.     

Process Development Aspects of Aluminium-Titanium Master Alioys

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Physical properties of fcc lanthanum under pressure

We report here a theoretical calculation of band strucure and superconductivity in the fcc phase of lanthanum under pressure. The effect of pressure on the band structure is obtained by means of the linear muffintin orbital method. McMillan's formula is used to calculate the superconducting transition temperature (T _c). It is found that the value ofT _c increases continuously up to 17.8 GPa and then begins to decrease. The change in the slope ofT _c is attributed to the appearance of a new piece of Fermi surface. The calculated values ofT _c are compared with the available experimental data.     

Regression Model for Daily Maximum Stream Temperature

An empirical model is developed to predict daily maximum stream temperatures for the summer period. The model is created using a stepwise linear regression procedure to select significant predictors. The predictive model includes a prediction confidence interval to quantify the uncertainty. The methodology is applied to the Truckee River in California and Nevada. The stepwise procedure selects daily maximum air temperature and average daily flow as the variables to predict maximum daily stream temperature at Reno, Nev. The model is shown to work in a predictive mode by validation using three years of historical data. Using the uncertainty quantification, the amount of required additional flow to meet a target stream temperature with a desired level of confidence is determined.     

Starch urea formaldehyde matrix encapsulation of solid agrochemicals. I. Matrix synthesis and characterizations

A starch urea formaldehyde (starch-UF) matrix has been studied for application to the encapsulation of a solid insecticide. The pertinent parameters relating to the matrix synthesis have been identified and the influences of these parameters on release of the insecticide from the starch UF matrix have been investigated. The key parameter controlling the rate of release is the urea to starch ratio. It is shown that the release process can be described in terms of the generalized equation M_t/M_∞ = ktⁿ where k and n vary with system variables.