History of the reign of Philip the Second, king of Spain.

Mode of access: Internet.

Modern American lathe practice; a new complete and practical work on the "king of machine shop tools," the American lathe. Giving its origin and development. Its design. Its various types as manufactured by different builders ... etc.

Mode of access: Internet.

Rapid determination of the active leflunomide metabolite A77 1726 in human plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography

A simple method for the measurement of the active leflunomide metabolite A77 1726 in human plasma by HPLC is presented. The sample workup was simple, using acetonitrile for protein precipitation. Chromatographic separation of A77 1726 and the internal standard, alpha-phenylcinnamic acid, was achieved using a C-18 column with UV detection at 305 nm. The assay displayed reproducible linearity for A77 1726 with determination coefficients (r(2)) > 0.997 over the concentration range 0.5-60.0 mug/ml. The reproducibility (%CV) for intra- and inter-day assays of spiked controls was

The spectral distribution of biologically active solar radiation at Miami, Florida, USA

The spectral distribution of solar radiation was studied under different sky conditions during a 15- month period in Miami, Florida (USA), and over a latitudinal gradient at solar maximum. Spectroradiometric scans were characterized for total irradiance (300- 3000 nm) and the relative energetic and photon contributions of the following wavelength regions: UV-B (300-320nm); UV-A (320-400nm); B (400-500rim); PAR (400-700 nm); R (600-700 nm); and FR (728- 732 rim). Notable results include: (i) significantly higher UV-A energy fluxes than currently in use for laboratory experiments involving the biological effects of this bandwidth (values ranged from 33.6 to 55.4 W/m 2 in Miami over the year); (ii) marked diurnal shifts in B:R and R:FR, with elevated R:FR values in early morning: (iii) a strong correlation between R: FR and atmospheric water content; and (iv) unusually high PAR values under direct sunlight with cloudy skies (2484 ~tmot/2 per s).

Chronic Active Hepatitis B with HBV-Associated Nephropathy: Close Resemblance to Lupus Nephritis

We present a rare case of a 23-year-old male incidentally detected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection presenting with features suggestive of HBV-associated nephropathy. A renal biopsy specimen suggested a mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis with a full-house pattern on immunoflourescence consistent with a diagnosis of diffuse lupus nephritis. Glomerular HbeAg and HbsAg antigens were not detectable by immunofluorescence. Antiviral therapy was instituted to suppress viral replication, thereby leading to clinical and virological remission, including that of the glomerulonephritis, without the need for additional immunosuppressant therapy. This case depicts the uniqueness of the presentation of the two conditions mimicking each other, the strategy adopted to prevent the activation of viral replication and the achievement of clinical remission.

The importance of being Alfred -- from the king of West Saxons to Nobel

The article appeared in a Festschrift devoted to a distinguished Polish linguist Professor Alfred F. Majewicz. It discusses the Christian name Alfred born by the Jubilarian in its various aspects: its Anglo-Saxon origins, etymology and popularity (past and present) in various European countries, with particular emphasis on Poland. It also presents some famous people, literary characters and pop culture heroes bearing this name.

A fragment of the LG3 peptide of endorepellin is present in the urine of physically active mining workers : a potential marker of physical activity

Biomarker analysis has been implemented in sports research in an attempt to monitor the effects of exertion and fatigue in athletes. This study proposed that while such biomarkers may be useful for monitoring injury risk in workers, proteomic approaches might also be utilised to identify novel exertion or injury markers. We found that urinary urea and cortisol levels were significantly elevated in mining workers following a 12 hour overnight shift. These levels failed to return to baseline over 24h in the more active maintenance crew compared to truck drivers (operators) suggesting a lack of recovery between shifts. Use of a SELDI-TOF MS approach to detect novel exertion or injury markers revealed a spectral feature which was associated with workers in both work categories who were engaged in higher levels of physical activity. This feature was identified as the LG3 peptide, a C-terminal fragment of the anti-angiogenic / anti-tumourigenic protein endorepellin. This finding suggests that urinary LG3 peptide may be a biomarker of physical activity. It is also possible that the activity mediated release of LG3 / endorepellin into the circulation may represent a biological mechanism for the known inverse association between physical activity and cancer risk / survival.

Inactivation and structural changes of E. Cloacae and B. Subtilis Endospores during IR laser water treatment

IR radiation has been studied for micro-organism inactivation of bacterial spores on metal substrates [1] and on metal and paper substrates [2]. A near-point near infrared laser water treatment apparatus for use in dental hand-pieces was also developed [3]. To date water sterilisation research using a mid-IR laser technique is very rare. According to the World Health Organisation [4], examinations for faecal indicator bacteria remain the most sensitive and specific way of assessing the hygienic quality of water. Bacteria that fall into this group are E. coli, other coliform bacteria (including E. cloacae) and to a lesser extent, faecal streptococci [5]. Protozoan cysts from organisms which cause giardiasis are the most frequently identified cause of waterborne diseases in developed countries [6,7]. The use of aerobic bacterial endospores to monitor the efficiency of various water treatments has been shown to provide a reliable and simple indicator of overall performance of water treatment[8,9].The efficacy of IR radiation for water disinfection compared to UV treatment has been further investigated in the present study. In addition FTIR spectroscopy in conjunction with Principle Component Analysis was used to characterise structural changes within the bacterial cells and endospores following IR laser treatment. Changes in carbohydrate content of E. cloacae following IR laser treatment were observed.