We present a comparison of methods for treating the electrostatic interactions of finite, isolated systems within periodic boundary conditions (PBCs), within density functional theory (DFT), with particular emphasis on linear-scaling (LS) DFT. Often, PBCs are not physically realistic but are an unavoidable consequence of the choice of basis set and the efficacy of using Fourier transforms to co...

We describe an atypical clinical and electroencephalographic (EEG) pattern observed during the course of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis in a 14 year-old boy. In this patient with a two weeks history of partial complex seizures, the atypical EEG pattern was characterized by an initial left temporal focus which evolved to periodic lateralized epileptiform discharges (PLEDs) and, only during ...

Low and Intermediate Frequency Quasi-Periodic Oscillations (QPOs) are thought to be due to oscillations of Comptonizing regions or hot regions embedded in Keplerian discs. Observational evidence of evolutions of QPOs would therefore be very important as they throw lights on the dynamics of the hotter region. Our aim is to find systems in which there is a well defined correlation among the frequ...

This study evaluated the effects of destruxin A on Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus females, since this toxin is one of the likely causes of high mortality induced by the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae in arthropods. Ticks were immersed or inoculated with different concentrations of destruxin A. Despite the doses applied, there were no deaths or significant alterations in ovi...

Since the development of early versions of material requirements planning (MRP) systems, it has been known that a weak link in this technique is the failure to consider the available capacity at the time the lot sizes for individual items are calculated. Ignoring the available capacity may result in infeasible production plans i.e., those that can only be accomplished with the use of overtime. ...

A contemporary question in the intensely active field of periodic mesoporous organosilica (PMO) materials is how large a silsesquioxane precursor can be self-assembled under template direction into the pore walls of an ordered mesostructure. An answer to this question is beginning to emerge with the ability to synthesize dendrimer, buckyball, and polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane PMOs. In th...

The cause of weakness was investigated in a patient with adynamia episodica hereditaria without myotonia. A pattern of exercise and rest produced episodes of hyperkalemic periodic paralysis. In addition, local muscle weakness was induced by forearm cooling. Investigations on isolated intercostal muscle demonstrated that a high potassium concentration in the bathing solution triggered a noninact...

BACKGROUND Myotonia and periodic paralysis caused by sodium channel mutations show variable responses to the anti-myotonic drug mexiletine. OBJECTIVE To investigate whether variability among sodium channel mutants results from differences in drug binding affinity or in channel gating. METHODS Whole-cell sodium currents (I(Na)) were recorded in tsA201 cells expressing human wild-type (WT) an...

The single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) technique was used to screen genomic DNA of a family with myotonia aggravated by cold, potassium loading and suxamethonium, but without muscle weakness. An aberrant band was found in exon 24 of SCN4A, the gene encoding the adult skeletal muscle sodium channel alpha-subunit. DNA sequencing led to the detection of a G-to-A transition of cDNA nucl...

Ventricular fibrillation occurred in an apparently healthy 19 year old man. The results of non-invasive and invasive studies suggested right ventricular dysplasia. Electrophysiological studies showed atrial paralysis, hypoexcitability of multiple areas of the right ventricle, and inducible poorly tolerated ventricular tachycardia.