We perform an unbiased search for the lowest-energy structures of Zintl dianions (Si(12)(2-), Ge(12)(2-), and Sn(12)(2-)), by using the basin-hopping (BH) global optimization method combined with density functional theory geometric optimization. High-level ab initio calculation at the coupled-cluster level is used to determine relative stabilities and energy ranking among competitive low-lying ...

Introduction of PCR to directly detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis in clinical specimens has shown promise; however, interfering substances in clinical material have contributed to lowered assay sensitivities. We evaluated the ability of a PCR assay to detect M. tuberculosis in BACTEC 12B broth cultures. Clinical specimens were processed and inoculated into BACTEC 12B vials. Evaluation was appro...

This paper clarifies DO-178B/ED-12B section 12.2.1.b, as it applies to automatic code generation (ACG) tools. DO-178B/ED-12B proposes that the software level of a development tool should be considered at least the same as the software level of the airborne system’s software application the tool is being used to develop, unless the applicant can justify a reduction in software level of the tool ...

We report on the discovery of HAT-P-12b, a transiting extrasolar planet orbiting the moderately bright V ≈ 12.8 K4 dwarf GSC 03033-00706, with a period P = 3.2130598 ± 0.0000021 d, transit epoch Tc = 2454419.19556± 0.00020 (BJD) and transit duration 0.0974± 0.0006d. The host star has a mass of 0.73 ± 0.02M⊙, radius of 0.70 +0.02 −0.01R⊙, effective temperature 4650 ± 60K and metallicity [Fe/H ] ...

Jiaogulan (Gynostemma pentaphyllum; GP) contained a saponin glycoside which was related to ginseng saponin. The purpose of this study was to identify the main saponin in water extract GP compared to methanol and ethanol extract. The sample was prepared by alkaline cleavage, trimethylsilyl (TMS) derivatization and gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric (GC-MS) analysis comparison with standard g...

INTRODUCTION Severity of mucosal inflammation is shown to be associated with Barrett's esophagus (BE) development in animals. It has therefore been postulated that a strong pro-inflammatory host response predisposes to BE. AIM To determine the impact of cytokine gene polymorphisms on the development of BE. METHODS The multiplex SNaPshot method was used to determine interleukin (IL)-12B (A+1...

In this review, we have summarized our work using combined complex statistical genetics, bioinformatics, and functional genomics to determine the genetic basis of the age-related thymic involution in C57BL/6J X DBA/2J recombinant inbred mice and the parental B6 and D2 mice. We have shown that these mice provided a valuable genetic model that can permit resampling of thymuses from different aged...

Micrococcus sp. strain 12B was isolated by enriching for growth with dibutylphthalate as the sole carbon and energy source. A pathway for the metabolism of dibutylphthalate and phthalate by micrococcus sp. strain 12B is proposed: dibutylphthalate leads to monobutylphthalate leads to phthalate leads to 3,4-dihydro-3,4-dihydroxyphthalate leads to 3,4-dihydroxyphthalate leads to protocatechuate (3...