Ah ain't heard whut de tex' wuz : the (il)legitimate textuality of Old English and Black English

In this essay I examine two texts from radically different cultural situations: Anglo-Saxon monasteries and the rural Black South. Nevertheless, their respective provenance--in terms of speaker, reporter and legitimizing institution--bear intriguing similarities. Each text is concerned with the biography of the oral poet and issues of transcribing his orality.//, quotation marks removed from title to ensure alphabetical order. Difference as follows; "Ah ain't heard whut de tex' wuz": The (Il)legitimate Textuality of Old English and Black Englis

A physico-chemical survey of inland lakes and saline ponds: Christmas Island (Kiritimati) and Washington (Teraina) Islands, Republic of Kiribati

The equatorial Pacific Ocean atoll islands of Kiritimati and Teraina encompass great physical, chemical and biological variability within extreme lacustrine environments. Surveys of lake chemistry and sediments revealed both intra- and inter-island variability. A survey of more than 100 lakes on Kiritimati found salinities from nearly fresh to 150 ppt with the highest values occurring within the isolated, inland portions of the island away from the influence of groundwater or extreme tides. Dissolved oxygen (DO) and pH values also showed considerable variability with a less regular spatial pattern, but were both generally inversely related to salinity. Series of lakes, progressively more isolated from marine communication, present a modern analog to the chemical and morphologic evolution of presently isolated basins. Sediments on both islands consist of interbedded red and green silt, possibly degraded bacterial mat, overlying white, mineralogenic silt precipitate. Variability may be indicative of shifts in climatological parameters such as the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) or the Pacific Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)

Helix-dependent Spin Filtering through the DNA Duplex

Recent work suggests that electrons can travel through DNA and other chiral molecules in a spin-selective manner, but little is known about the origin of this spin selectivity. Here we describe experiments on magnetized DNA-modified electrodes to explore spin-selective electron transport through hydrated duplex DNA. Our results show that the two spins migrate through duplex DNA with different yield, and that spin selectivity requires charge transport through the DNA duplex. Significantly, shifting the same duplex DNA between right-handed B- and left-handed Z-forms leads to a diode-like switch in spin-selectivity; which spin moves more efficiently through the duplex depends upon the DNA helicity. With DNA, the supramolecular organization of chiral moieties, rather than the chirality of the individual monomers, determines the selectivity in spin, and thus a conformational change can switch the spin selectivity

Electrochemical Characterization of Escherichia coli Adaptive Response Protein AidB

When exposed to known DNA-damaging alkylating agents, Escherichia coli cells increase production of four DNA repair enzymes: Ada, AlkA, AlkB, and AidB. The role of three enzymes (Ada, AlkA, and AlkB) in repairing DNA lesions has been well characterized, while the function of AidB is poorly understood. AidB has a distinct cofactor that is potentially related to the elusive role of AidB in adaptive response: a redox active flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD). In this study, we report the thermodynamic redox properties of the AidB flavin for the first time, both for free protein and in the presence of potential substrates. We find that the midpoint reduction potential of the AidB flavin is within a biologically relevant window for redox chemistry at −181 mV, that AidB significantly stabilizes the flavin semiquinone, and that small molecule binding perturbs the observed reduction potential. Our electrochemical results combined with structural analysis allow for fresh comparisons between AidB and the homologous acyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase (ACAD) family of enzymes. AidB exhibits several discrepancies from ACADs that suggest a novel catalytic mechanism distinct from that of the ACAD family enzymes.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant P30-ES002109)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant R01-GM69857)National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Grant MCB-0543833

Atomic Resonance and Scattering

Contains reports on eight research projects.National Science Foundation (Grant PHY79-09743)National Bureau of Standards (Grant NB-8-NAHA-3017)Joint Services Electronics Program (Contract DAAG29-80-C-0104)National Science Foundation (Grant PHY82-10486)U.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research (Contract N00014-79-C-0183)National Science Foundation (Grant CHE79-02967-A04)U.S. Air Force - Office of Scientific Research (Contract AFOSR-81-0067)Joint Services Electronics Program (Contract DAAG29-83-K-0003

Prediction models for short children born small for gestational age (SGA) covering the total growth phase. Analyses based on data from KIGS (Pfizer International Growth Database)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Mathematical models can be developed to predict growth in short children treated with growth hormone (GH). These models can serve to optimize and individualize treatment in terms of height outcomes and costs. The aims of this study were to compile existing prediction models for short children born SGA (SGA), to develop new models and to validate the algorithms.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Existing models to predict height velocity (HV) for the first two and the fourth prepubertal years and during total pubertal growth (TPG) on GH were applied to SGA children from the KIGS (Pfizer International Growth Database) - 1^styear: N = 2340; 2^ndyear: N = 1358; 4^thyear: N = 182; TPG: N = 59. A new prediction model was developed for the 3^rdprepubertal year based upon 317 children by means of the all-possible regression approach, using Mallow's C(p) criterion.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The comparison between the observed and predicted height velocity showed no significant difference when the existing prediction models were applied to new cohorts. A model for predicting HV during the 3^rdyear explained 33% of the variability with an error SD of 1.0 cm/year. The predictors were (in order of importance): HV previous year; chronological age; weight SDS; mid-parent height SDS and GH dose.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Models to predict growth to GH from prepubertal years to adult height are available for short children born SGA. The models utilize easily accessible predictors and are accurate. The overall explained variability in SGA is relatively low, due to the heterogeneity of the disorder. The models can be used to provide patients with a realistic expectation of treatment, and may help to identify compliance problems or other underlying causes of treatment failure.</p

Aptamers as theranostic agents: modifications, serum stability and functionalisation

Aptamers, and the selection process known as Systematic Evolution of Ligands&nbsp;by Exponential Enrichment (SELEX) used to generate them, were first described more&nbsp;than twenty years ago. Since then, there have been numerous modifications to the selectionprocedures. This review discusses the use of modified bases as a means of enhancing&nbsp;serum stability and producing effective therapeutic tools, as well as functionalising these&nbsp;nucleic acids to be used as potential diagnostic agents

Growth Hormone Research Society perspective on the development of long-acting growth hormone preparations

Objective The Growth Hormone (GH) Research Society (GRS) convened a workshop to address important issues regarding trial design, efficacy, and safety of long-acting growth hormone preparations (LAGH). Participants A closed meeting of 55 international scientists with expertise in GH, including pediatric and adult endocrinologists, basic scientists, regulatory scientists, and participants from the pharmaceutical industry. Evidence Current literature was reviewed for gaps in knowledge. Expert opinion was used to suggest studies required to address potential safety and efficacy issues. Consensus process Following plenary presentations summarizing the literature, breakout groups discussed questions framed by the planning committee. Attendees reconvened after each breakout session to share group reports. A writing team compiled the breakout session reports into a draft document that was discussed and revised in an open forum on the concluding day. This was edited further and then circulated to attendees from academic institutions for review after the meeting. Participants from pharmaceutical companies did not participate in the planning, writing, or in the discussions and text revision on the final day of the workshop. Scientists from industry and regulatory agencies reviewed the manuscript to identify any factual errors. Conclusions LAGH compounds may represent an advance over daily GH injections because of increased convenience and differing phamacodynamic properties, providing the potential for improved adherence and outcomes. Better methods to assess adherence must be developed and validated. Long-term surveillance registries that include assessment of efficacy, cost-benefit, disease burden, quality of life, and safety are essential for understanding the impact of sustained exposure to LAGH preparations