Influence of Sulfur-Containing Diamino Acid Structure on Covalently Crosslinked Copolypeptide Hydrogels.

Biologically occurring non-canonical di-α-amino acids were converted into new di-N-carboxyanhydride (di-NCA) monomers in reasonable yields with high purity. Five different di-NCAs were separately copolymerized with tert-butyl-l-glutamate NCA to obtain covalently crosslinked copolypeptides capable of forming hydrogels with varying crosslinker density. Comparison of hydrogel properties with residue structure revealed that different di-α-amino acids were not equivalent in crosslink formation. Notably, l-cystine was found to produce significantly weaker hydrogels compared to l-homocystine, l-cystathionine, and l-lanthionine, suggesting that l-cystine may be a sub-optimal choice of di-α-amino acid for preparation of copolypeptide networks. The di-α-amino acid crosslinkers also provided different chemical stability, where disulfide crosslinks were readily degraded by reduction, and thioether crosslinks were stable against reduction. This difference in response may provide a means to fine tune the reduction sensitivity of polypeptide biomaterial networks

On prevarieties of logic

It is proved that every prevariety of algebras is categorically equivalent to a "prevariety of logic", i.e., to the equivalent algebraic semantics of some sentential deductive system. This allows us to show that no nontrivial equation in the language "meet, join, and relational product" holds in the congruence lattices of all members of every variety of logic, and that being a (pre)variety of logic is not a categorical property

Molecular confirmation of Sarcocystis fayeri in a donkey

Sarcocystis fayeri is a canine protozoan parasite with an equine intermediate host. Historically classified as an incidental pathogen, recent literature has described the toxic effects of Sarcocystis fayeri in human food poisoning, and highlighted potential involvement in equine neuromuscular disease. Until now, horses were believed to be the exclusive intermediate host. This study reports the first molecular confirmation of S. fayeri in a donkey, and gives rise to the consideration of donkeys being a potential reservoir for the parasite. This finding is of particular importance in understanding the epidemiology of this disease

Inconsistency lemmas in algebraic logic

In this paper, the inconsistency lemmas of intuitionistic and classical propositional logic are formulated abstractly. We prove that, when a (finitary) deductive system is algebraized by a variety K, then has an inconsistency lemma—in the abstract sense—iff every algebra in K has a dually pseudo-complemented join semilattice of compact congruences. In this case, the following are shown to be equivalent: (1) has a classical inconsistency lemma; (2) has a greatest compact theory and K is filtral, i.e., semisimple with EDPC; (3) the compact congruences of any algebra in K form a Boolean lattice; (4) the compact congruences of any A ∈ K constitute a Boolean sublattice of the full congruence lattice of A. These results extend to quasivarieties and relative congruences. Except for (2), they extend even to protoalgebraic logics, with deductive filters in the role of congruences. A protoalgebraic system with a classical inconsistency lemma always has a deduction-detachment theorem (DDT), while a system with a DDT and a greatest compact theory has an inconsistency lemma. The converses are false.http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1521-3870hb201

Latent class analysis variable selection

We propose a method for selecting variables in latent class analysis, which is the most common model-based clustering method for discrete data. The method assesses a variable's usefulness for clustering by comparing two models, given the clustering variables already selected. In one model the variable contributes information about cluster allocation beyond that contained in the already selected variables, and in the other model it does not. A headlong search algorithm is used to explore the model space and select clustering variables. In simulated datasets we found that the method selected the correct clustering variables, and also led to improvements in classification performance and in accuracy of the choice of the number of classes. In two real datasets, our method discovered the same group structure with fewer variables. In a dataset from the International HapMap Project consisting of 639 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from 210 members of different groups, our method discovered the same group structure with a much smaller number of SNP

Admissible rules and the Leibniz hierarchy

This paper provides a semantic analysis of admissible rules and associated completeness conditions for arbitrary deductive systems, using the framework of abstract algebraic logic. Algebraizability is not assumed, so the meaning and signi cance of the principal notions vary with the level of the Leibniz hierarchy at which they are presented. As a case study of the resulting theory, the non-algebraizable fragments of relevance logic are considered.This work is based on research supported in part by the National Research Foundation of South Africa (UID 85407).https://www.dukeupress.edu/notre-dame-journal-of-formal-logichb2016Mathematics and Applied Mathematic

Safety and efficacy of three trypanocides in confirmed field cases of trypanosomiasis in working equines in The Gambia: a prospective, randomised, non-inferiority trial

Background: Globally, working equines have a continued and growing socioeconomic role in supporting the livelihoods of between 300–600 million people in low income countries which is rarely recognised at a national or international level. Infectious diseases have significant impact on welfare and productivity in this population and equine trypanosomiasis is a priority disease due to its severity and prevalence. Strategies are required to improve the prevention, diagnosis, management and treatment of trypanosomiasis in equines and more data are required on the efficacy and safety of current trypanocidal drugs. Methods: A prospective randomised, open-label non-inferiority trial was performed in The Gambia on horses and donkeys that fulfilled 2/5 clinical inclusion criteria (anaemia, poor body condition, pyrexia, history of abortion, oedema). Following randomised trypanocidal treatment (diminazene diaceturate, melarsomine dihydrochloride or isometamidium chloride), animals were observed for immediate adverse drug reactions and follow-up assessment was performed at 1 and 2 weeks. Blood samples underwent PCR analysis with specific Trypanosoma sp. primers. Treatment efficacy was assessed by measuring changes in clinical parameters, clinicopathological results and PCR-status post-treatment after evaluating for bias. Using PCR status as the outcome variable, non-inferiority of isometamidium treatment was determined if the upper bound limit of a 2-sided 95% CI was less than 10%. Results: There was a significant beneficial effect upon the Trypanosoma sp. PCR positive population following trypanocidal treatment for all groups. The findings of clinical evaluation and PCR status supported a superior treatment effect for isometamidium. Melarsomine dihydrochloride efficacy was inferior to isometamidium. There were immediate, self-limiting side effects to isometamidium in donkeys (26%). Diminazene had the longest duration of action as judged by PCR status. Conclusions: The data support the continued use of isometamidium following careful dose titration in donkeys and diminazene for trypanosomiasis in equines using the doses and routes of administration reported