Detection of 81 of 81 known mouse beta-globin promoter mutations with T4 endonuclease VII--the EMC method

The enzyme mismatch cleavage (EMC) method relies on the use of the resolvase T4 Endonuclease VII to cleave and thus detect mismatches in heteroduplex DNA formed by annealing normal DNA with mutant DNA. Detection is based on cleavage 3' to the mismatch within a few nucleotides. We report the detection of all 81 different homozygous single-basepair changes tested and present in the mouse beta-globin promoter by using the EMC method with a single set of conditions. Efficiency of cleavage was rated as strong, medium, or weak based on the intensity of the cleavage product(s) compared with background bands on autoradiography. We expect this method to detect near 100% of mutations.     

Biliary reconstruction for liver transplantation and management of biliary complications: overview and survey of current practices in the United States

Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol), a well known naturally occurring chain breaking antioxidant and a free radical scavenger was found to exacerbate nickel (Ni) toxicity in mice. Vitamin E (Vit. E) mediated enhancement of nickel toxicity was demonstrated by (i) enhanced mortality in mice treated with Ni and Vit. E (ii) increased hepatic lipid peroxidation, (iii) increased rate of benzoate hydroxylation, and (iv) liposomal membrane damage.     

Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography: a novel approach to the evaluation of suspected pancreaticobiliary neoplasms

BACKGROUND: Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) is a new noninvasive diagnostic method for pancreaticobiliary (PB) imaging without endoscopy, sedation, or iodinated contrast. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of MRCP to depict pancreatic and biliary ductal anatomy compared to that of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and to evaluate the ability of MRCP to accurately diagnose PB neoplasms. METHODS: Twenty patients had MRCP, and 17 also had ERCP. All studies were read prospectively by experienced reviewers blinded to other imaging data. Pathologic diagnosis was made in all patients. RESULTS: Bile duct dilatation seen by ERCP in 14 of 17 patients was correctly identified by MRCP in all 14 patients, and normal ducts were correctly identified by MRCP in the other 3 patients. The pancreatic duct was visible on MRCP in the pancreatic head in 17 of 20 patients, the body in 17 of 20 patients, and the tail in 15 of 20 patients. At ERCP, pancreatic duct dilatation was present in 11 cases and was identified by MRCP in 10 of them. Eighteen of 20 patients had malignant PB neoplasms. MRCP indicated PB neoplasm in 19 patients. Seventeen of these 19 patients had histologically confirmed malignant neoplasms pathologically, whereas 2 had benign pathology (both chronic pancreatitis). Among the 17 patients who also had ERCP, MRCP and ERCP correctly agreed on a final diagnosis of malignant neoplasm in 14 cases. In the three cases in which MRCP and ERCP disagreed on a final diagnosis, MRCP was correct in one and incorrect in two. CONCLUSIONS: MRCP can accurately and noninvasively delineate PB ductal anatomy and diagnose PB neoplasms comparably to ERCP. MRCP is an interesting new noninvasive method for evaluating patients with suspected PB neoplasms.     

FORECASTS FROM THE EMPLOYMENT BLOCK OF A MULTI-SECTORAL MODEL OF THE SCOTTISH ECONOMY

ABSTRACT This paper considers the determination of employment in four Scottish industries. The specifications considered are classified as either Keynesian or neoclassical in nature by reference to the relevant economic theory. The statistical assessment of an estimated equation involves the calculation of a number of diagnostic test statistics which assess, amongst other things, the accuracy of the forecasts produced by the equation. To distinguish between alternative estimated equations we employ non-nested (or separate) test procedures. The results obtained suggest Keynesian type specifications are superior for three of the four industries considered.     

String Methods for Stochastic Image and Shape Matching

Matching of images and analysis of shape differences is traditionally pursued by energy minimization of paths of deformations acting to match the shape objects. In the large deformation diffeomorphic metric mapping (LDDMM) framework, iterative gradient descents on the matching functional lead to matching algorithms informally known as Beg algorithms. When stochasticity is introduced to model stochastic variability of shapes and to provide more realistic models of observed shape data, the corresponding matching problem can be solved with a stochastic Beg algorithm, similar to the finite-temperature string method used in rare event sampling. In this paper, we apply a stochastic model compatible with the geometry of the LDDMM framework to obtain a stochastic model of images and we derive the stochastic version of the Beg algorithm which we compare with the string method and an expectation-maximization optimization of posterior likelihoods. The algorithm and its use for statistical inference is tested on stochastic LDDMM landmarks and images.     

Corrosion of Sic Materials in N2–H2–CO Gaseous Environments: I, Thermodynamics and Kinetics of Reactions

Two sintered SiC materials and a siliconized SiC materials were exposed to two gas compositions in the N₂–H₂–CO system at 1000°–1350°C, 133 Pa and 98.7 kPa for 8–1000 h. The two gases were a nitrogen-based gas which contained 98.2% N₂, 1.2% H₂, and 0.6% CO; and an endothermic gas which contained 37.8% N₂, 41.1% H₂, and 21.1% CO by volume. Thermodynamics of reactions were modeled using the program SOLGASMIX. Kinetic studies were based on weight change measurements obtained from vacuum TGA and long-term tube–furnace experiments. In the case of a siliconized SiC, reactions were complex, owing to its two phase composition and to the presence of impurities. Under many conditions, silicon was rapidly etched from the surface of the siliconized SiC during a short initial period due to the formation of SiO and carbon or SiO and β-SiC. In the case of sintered mateials (and the siliconized material during the later stages of corrosion), etching of SiC was observed under many of the conditions studied, due to the apparent formation of SiO, HCN, and/or carbon. Corrosion in an endothermic gas was typically more severe than in a nitrogen-based gas, due to its higher Pco .     

Laser Diagnostics of Zirconium Carbide Vaporization

Laser diagnostic methods are developed to study the behavior of laser-ablated zirconium carbide (ZrC). The optical emission spectra from the Zr-C plasma plume is measured from 200 to 500 nm. Emission from zirconium atoms dominated the observed spectra. From the spectra, the average plasma temperature was estimated to be 10500 ± 1500 K. Plume formation is characterized using a CCD camera to capture emission at delay times (with respect to the ablation laser pulse) ranging from 1 μs to 1 ms and using planar laser-induced fluorescence to map Zr atom distributions.     

Supramolecular arrays based on dimetal building units

Supramolecular chemistry is today a major thrust area, a significant part of which is based on the use of metal atoms or ions as key elements in promoting the assembly of and dictating the main structural features of the supramolecular products. Most of the work has been done with single metal atoms or ions in this role, but considerable success has already been achieved by employing M-M bonded dimetal entities instead. We review here the work done in our laboratory. Metal-metal bonded cationic complexes of the [M(2)(DAniF)(n)(MeCN)(8-2n)]((4-n)+) type, where M = Mo or Rh and DAniF is an N,N'-di-p-anisylformamidinate anion, have been used as subunit precursors and then linked by various equatorial and axial bridging groups such as polycarboxylate anions, polypyridyls, and polynitriles. Characterization of the products by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, CV, DPV, NMR, and other spectroscopic techniques has revealed the presence of discrete tetranuclear (pairs or loops), hexanuclear (triangles), octanuclear (squares), and dodecanuclear (cages) species and one-, two-, or three-dimensional molecular nanotubes. These compounds display a rich electrochemical behavior which is affected by the nature of the linkers.