High frequency of spontaneous helicase-primase inhibitor (BAY 57-1293) drug-resistant variants in certain laboratory isolates of HSV-1.

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) helicase-primase is the target for a new group of potent antivirals that show great promise in vivo. A claimed advantage of this class of compounds is the low rate of drug resistance, which is reported to occur at a lesser rate than acyclovir (ACV)-resistance in cell culture. We confirmed that BAY 57-1293 is highly active against HSV-1 and superior to ACV when tested in Vero cells.

Stochastic dynamics of a rod bouncing upon a vibrating surface.

We describe the behavior of a rod bouncing upon a horizontal surface which is undergoing sinusoidal vertical vibration. The predictions of computer simulations are compared with experiments in which a stainless-steel rod bounces upon a metal-coated glass surface. We find that, as the dimensionless acceleration parameter Gamma is increased appreciably above unity, the motion of a long rod passes from periodic or near-periodic motion into stochastic dynamics.

Fifteen-year cumulative incidence of age-related macular degeneration: the Beaver Dam Eye Study.

Purpose: To describe the 15-year cumulative incidence of signs of early and late age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Design: Population-based cohort study.

Participants: We included 3917 persons, 43 to 86 years of age at the time of a baseline examination in 1988 through 1990 and with information collected in follow-up in 1993 through 1995, and/or 1998 through 2000, and/or 2003 through 2005.

Genomics and the cardiac surgeon.

Until recently, genetics was a course relegated to Saturdays in medical school, and molecular biology was a subject you could only discuss while smoking a pipe. Now, some gene polymorphisms may predict perioperative trouble more precisely than a 10% ejection fraction. Gene chips will soon permit designer therapy and a micro-array "signature" will soon become fundamental to pre-operative risk stratification.

The effect of formulation and amount of potassium fertilizer on macromineral concentration and cation-anion difference in tall fescue.

This study investigated the feasibility of altering the dietary cation-anion difference (DCAD) in grass by altering the grass variety and the amount and formulation of K fertilizer application. In experiment 1, treatments were combinations of 2 varieties (Barcel and Hi-Mag) of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb); 2 rates of K (0 and 250 kg/ha), supplied as KCl; and 2 rates of Mg (0 and 60 kg/ha), supplied as MgO. In experiment 2, K fertilizer was applied at 0 or 125 kg/ha as KCl or K2SO4.

Instabilities in vertically vibrated fluid-grain systems.

When a bed of fluid-immersed fine grains is exposed to vertical vibration a wealth of phenomena may be observed. At low frequencies a horizontal bed geometry is generally unstable and the bed breaks spatial symmetry, acquiring a tilt. At the same time it undergoes asymmetric granular convection.

Stereocontrol of palladium(II)-catalysed aza-Claisen rearrangements using a combination of 1,3-allylic strain and a solvent mediated directing effect.

The use of a non-coordinating solvent for the aza-Claisen rearrangement of delta,epsilon-disubstituted acetimidates switches on a substrate directing effect that gives excellent stereoselectivity.

Truncated RAR beta isoform enhances proliferation and retinoid resistance.

We previously reported the existence of a truncated isoform of the retinoic acid receptor beta, termed beta prime. Beta prime lacks the N-terminal domains of beta 2 and beta 4, including the DNA-binding domain. However, beta prime is able to heterodimerize and interact with transcription cofactors.

Chester: towards a personal medication advisor.

Dialogue systems for health communication hold out the promise of providing intelligent assistance to patients through natural interfaces that require no training to use. But in order to make the development of such systems cost effective, we must be able to use generic techniques and components which are then specialized as needed to the specific health problem and patient population. In this paper, we describe Chester, a prototype intelligent assistant that interacts with its user via conversational natural spoken language to provide them with information and advice regarding their prescribed medications.

Expression of a fibroblast growth factor-binding protein during the development of adenocarcinoma of the pancreas and colon.

The activity of growth factors is crucial for tumor progression. We previously characterized a secreted fibroblast growth factor-binding protein (FGF-BP1) as a chaperone molecule, which enhances the biological functions of FGFs by releasing FGFs from the extracellular matrix. Here, we characterize the frequency and pattern of FGF-BP1 expression during the malignant progression of pancreas and colorectal carcinoma.

Identification of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-interacting domain in a secreted FGF-binding protein by phage display.

Fibroblast growth factor-binding proteins (FGF-BP) are secreted carrier proteins that release fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) from the extracellular matrix storage and thus enhance FGF activity. Here we have mapped the interaction domain between human FGF-BP1 and FGF-2. For this, we generated T7 phage display libraries of N-terminally and C-terminally truncated FGF-BP1 fragments that were then panned against immobilized FGF-2.

Antimetastatic gene expression profiles mediated by retinoic acid receptor beta 2 in MDA-MB-435 breast cancer cells.

Background: The retinoic acid receptor beta 2 (RARbeta2) gene modulates proliferation and survival of cultured human breast cancer cells. Previously we showed that ectopic expression of RARbeta2 in a mouse xenograft model prevented metastasis, even in the absence of the ligand, all-trans retinoic acid. We investigated both cultured cells and xenograft tumors in order to delineate the gene expression profiles responsible for an antimetastatic phenotype.

Producing accurate platelet counts for platelet rich plasma: validation of a hematology analyzer and preparation techniques for counting.

Platelet rich plasma (PRP) has been shown to clinically accelerate healing of both soft and hard tissues. As a result, it has gained increasing popularity. However, the clinical effectiveness of each type of PRP preparation method can vary in technique and efficiency, and current methods to evaluate the platelet concentration efficiency of PRP systems have several limitations.

Traveling waves in a water-immersed binary granular system vibrated within an annular cell.

It has been known since the time of Faraday that vertically vibrated fine grains may spontaneously form piles through their interaction with a fluid. More recently, it has been observed that a fine binary mixture may separate under vertical vibration through the differential influence of the fluid on the two granular components. Here, we report a detailed study of a system of water-immersed bronze and glass grains held between two coaxial cylinders.

Wolframin mutations and hospitalization for psychiatric illness.

Genetic predisposition plays an important role in most common psychiatric disorders. The identification of a specific gene associated with a psychiatric illness can lead to improved management of the gene-associated disorder. Mutations in the wolframin gene are associated with mental illness.

Interstitial lung disease in patients with ataxia-telangiectasia.

Ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) is an autosomal-recessive multiorgan disease characterized by progressive neurologic deterioration in which the most common causes of death are diseases of the respiratory system and cancers. The aim of this retrospective study was to delineate the clinical, radiographic, and pathologic manifestations of the chronic progressive interstitial lung disease seen in patients with A-T. The medical records of 97 patients with A-T and chronic lung disease were reviewed.

Separation of binary granular mixtures under vibration and differential magnetic levitation force.

The application of both a strong magnetic field and a magnetic field gradient to a diamagnetic or paramagnetic material can produce a vertical force that acts in concert with the force of gravity. We consider a binary granular mixture in which the two components have different magnetic susceptibilities and therefore experience different effective forces of gravity when subjected to an inhomogeneous magnetic field. Under vertical vibration, such a mixture may rapidly separate into regions almost pure in the two components.

Faraday tilting of water-immersed granular beds.

Under low-frequency vertical vibration, a system of fine grains within a fluid is observed to tilt or to form piles, an effect studied by Faraday for grains in air. Here, we investigate the physical mechanisms behind Faraday tilting in a bed of vertically vibrated bronze spheres fully immersed in water. Experimental observations of surface tilting and bulk convection are compared with the results of molecular dynamics simulations in which the water is treated as an incompressible fluid.

Are Brazil nuts attractive?

We present event-driven simulation results for single and multiple intruders in a vertically vibrated granular bed. Under our vibratory conditions, the mean vertical position of a single intruder is governed primarily by a buoyancylike effect. Multiple intruders also exhibit buoyancy governed behavior; however, multiple neutrally buoyant intruders cluster spontaneously and undergo horizontal segregation.

Heat- and lignosulfonate-treated canola meal as a source of ruminal undegradable protein for lactating dairy cows.

This experiment used 18 lactating Holstein cows in a 3 x 3 Latin square replicated 6 times to determine the effectiveness of processing with moist heat or moist heat combined with lignosulfonate (LSO3) for increasing the ruminal undegradable fraction of canola meal for use as a protein supplement for lactating dairy cows. Diets were formulated to be isonitrogenous and contained one of 3 forms of canola meal; untreated canola meal (UCM), heat-treated canola meal (HTCM) or heat-and LSO3-treated canola meal (LSO3CM). Total collection of urine and feces was taken from each cow during the last 5 d of each 42-d experimental period.

Applied electric fields accelerate the diffusion rate and increase the diffusion distance of DiI in fixed tissue.

Lipophilic carbocyanine dyes are effective neuronal tracers in fixed tissue. However, their application has been limited by the slow diffusion, short tracing distances, and long durations of incubation in fixed tissue. We used applied dc electric fields, that exerted forces on the cationic dyes, to increase the diffusion velocity and maximal tracing distances of DiI and its analogs.

Stripe formation in granular mixtures due to the differential influence of drag.

We describe an investigation of fluid-immersed granular mixtures subjected to horizontal vibration. For sufficiently large amplitudes of vibration, a mixture of equal-sized glass and bronze particles in water is found to separate into a striped pattern. Numerical simulations based on soft-sphere molecular dynamics coupled to the interstitial fluid are able to capture many of the features observed experimentally.

Tumor suppressor maspin is up-regulated during keratinocyte senescence, exerting a paracrine antiangiogenic activity.

Cell senescence is a physiological program of terminal growth arrest, which is believed to play an important role in cancer prevention. Senescent cells secrete multiple growth-regulatory proteins, some of which can affect tumor growth, survival, invasion, or angiogenesis. Changes in expression of different senescence-associated genes were analyzed in cultured human skin keratinocytes (KCs) that underwent replicative senescence or confluence-induced accelerated senescence.