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General Characteristics (general + characteristic)
Selected AbstractsUterine artery occlusion and myomectomy for treatment of pregnant women with uterine leiomyomas who are undergoing cesarean sectionJOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY RESEARCH (ELECTRONIC), Issue 2 2010Jui-Yu Lin Abstract Aim:, To evaluate the efficacy of uterine artery occlusion and myomectomy (UAO+M) for pregnant women with uterine leiomyomas who are undergoing cesarean section (CS). Methods:, Seventy-two women with uterine leiomyomas undergoing CS for obstetrical reasons were enrolled into this case,control study. Thirty-six patients underwent UAO+M during CS (UAO+M group), and 36 received CS alone (Control group). The UAO+M procedure was performed immediately after closure of the uterine incision wound. The outcome was measured by comparing surgical techniques, and future surgical intervention (myomectomy, uterine vessel occlusion or hysterectomy) for symptomatic leiomyoma. Results:, The average follow-up time was 63 months. General characteristics of the patients were similar in both groups. There were no statistical differences in intraoperative blood loss, postoperative recovery, complications, or wound pain between the two groups. The operative time was significantly longer in the UAO+M group compared with that in the Control group, but the further surgical intervention rate was significantly lower in the UAO+M group than in the Control group (2.8% vs 41.7%, P < 0.001). Seven patients (19%) in the UAO+M group and five (14%) in the Control group had a repeat CS during the follow-up period. Conclusion:, UAO+M could be considered for treating pregnant women with uterine leiomyomas who are undergoing CS, compared with observation, as this procedure can minimize the necessity for future surgery, with increased operative time for the UAO+M procedure, but without increased surgical morbidity. [source] The genetic architecture of disease resistance in plants and the maintenance of recombination by parasitesMOLECULAR ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2001Paula X. Kover Abstract Parasites represent strong selection on host populations because they are ubiquitous and can drastically reduce host fitness. It has been hypothesized that parasite selection could explain the widespread occurrence of recombination because it is a coevolving force that favours new genetic combinations in the host. A review of deterministic models for the maintenance of recombination reveals that for recombination to be favoured, multiple genes that interact with each other must be under selection. To evaluate whether parasite selection can explain the maintenance of recombination, we review 85 studies that investigated the genetic architecture of plant disease resistance and discuss whether they conform to the requirements that emerge from theoretical models. General characteristics of disease resistance in plants and problems in evaluating resistance experimentally are also discussed. We found strong evidence that disease resistance in plants is determined by multiple loci. Furthermore, in most cases where loci were tested for interactions, epistasis between loci that affect resistance was found. However, we found weak support for the idea that specific allelic combinations determine resistance to different host genotypes and there was little data on whether epistasis between resistance genes is negative or positive. Thus, the current data indicate that it is possible that parasite selection can favour recombination, but more studies in natural populations that specifically address the nature of the interactions between resistance genes are necessary. The data summarized here suggest that disease resistance is a complex trait and that environmental effects and fitness trade-offs should be considered in future models of the coevolutionary dynamics of host and parasites. [source] Clinical characteristics of children with snakebite poisioning and management of complications in the pediatric intensive care unitPEDIATRICS INTERNATIONAL, Issue 6 2005Gonca Ozay AbstractBackground:,Venomous snakebite is an emergency condition with high morbidity and mortality in childhood. Nearly all venomous snakes in Turkey are members of the Viperidae family and show poisonous local and hematotoxic effects. Methods:,A total of 77 children (mean age 9.9 ± 2.9 years; age range 3,14 years) with venomous snakebites were investigated. General characteristics of the children, species of the snakes, localization of the bite, clinical and laboratory findings, treatment approaches, complications and prognosis were evaluated. Results:,The male to female ratio was 1.4. Ninety-one per cent of cases were from rural areas. Most of the bites were seen in May and June. Mean duration between snakebites and admissions to our department was 13 ± 6.5 h. According to a clinical grading score, 57.1% of patients presented to us as grade II. Mean leukocyte count, aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, creatinine phosphokinase and protrombin time levels were above the normal ranges and mean activated partial tromboplastin time was below the normal range. Platelet counts inversely correlated with the grading score and duration of hospitalization. The most common complication that occurred during the treatment was tissue necrosis (13%). The mean hospital stay time was 6.3 ± 6 days. Three children with disseminated intravascular coagulation died. Fasciotomies were performed to seven (9.1%) children due to compartment syndrome. Of 10 children with tissue necrosis, three (3.9%) had finger amputation and seven (9.1%) had toe amputation. Higher grading score on admission, platelet count below 120 000/mm3, AST over 50 IU/L and existence of evident ecchymosis were found as significant risk factors for development of serious complications by logistic regression analysis. Conclusions:,Snakebite poisoning is an emergency medical condition that is particularly important in childhood. The envenomations are still considerable public health problems with a high morbidity and mortality in rural areas of Turkey. [source] Lack of dendritic cell maturation by the plant toxin ricinEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 8 2004Daniel Abstract Several bacterial toxins either promote or inhibit the maturation of human monocyte-derived DC. Since the potent plant toxin ricin exploits the same cell entry pathway used by these bacterial toxins and shares identical catalytic activity with some of them, we have studied the capacity of ricin to induce DC maturation in vitro. Here, we show that in contrast to the bacterial proteins, ricin neither induces DC maturation nor interferes with LPS-induced DC maturation. There is no correlation between the absence of DC maturation and ricin dysfunction. Indeed, some of the ricin variants retain significant ribotoxicity and catalytic activity. We have extended these observations to ebulin-1, suggesting that this may be a general characteristic of plant-derived cytotoxic ribosome-inactivating toxins. The human immune system may therefore have evolved to recognize and rapidly respond to the bacterial proteins, whilst being less responsive to the equivalent plant cytotoxins. Understanding the effect of ricin on professional APC may provide insights into the generation of an anti-ricin vaccine and into the use of inactivated ricin A,chains as delivery vectors as part of a vaccination protocol. [source] Ionic Basis for Action Potential Prolongation by Phenylephrine in Canine Epicardial MyocytesJOURNAL OF CARDIOVASCULAR ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY, Issue 1 2000RICHARD B. ROBINSON Ph.D. Phenylephrine Action on Repolarization. Introduction: In canine ventricle, ,-adrenergic agonists prolong action potential duration (APD) without any effect on the action potential notch, suggesting that, in this species, the effect on repolarization might he independent of inhibition of Ito. The present study investigated the action of the ,-adrenergic agonist phenylephrine on the action potential and the repolarizing currents Ito and IK in isolated canine epicardial myocytes. Methods and Results: Isolated cells from canine epicardial tissue, and Purkinje fibers, were studied with the whole cell, voltage clamp method. Phenylephrine 0.1 ,M increased APD by 13%± 4% at 90% repolarization without affecting the notch or amplitude. Under voltage clamp, concentrations of phenylephrine as high as 10 ,M had no effect on Itp in canine epicardial myocytes. However, Ito of isolated canine Purkinje myocytes was reduced to 69%± 7% of control by 1 ,M phenylephrine. Further studies in canine epicardial myocytes revealed an action of phenylephrine to inhibit Ik, and in particular IKs Using a voltage protocol that included a two-step repolarization to separate IKs and IKr tail components, the largely 1Ke, component was not significantly affected by 1 ,M phenylephrine, whereas the largely IKs component was reduced to 81%± 5% of control value. Conclusion: ,-Adrenergic prolongation of repolarization in canine epicardium does not result from inhibition of Ito. Rather, it appears that reduction of IKs contributes to the action of phenylephrine. The unresponsiveness of epicardial Ito is not a general characteristic of the canine heart, because Purkinje myocyte Ito was inhibited, suggesting regional differences in the molecular basis of lto, and/or a-adrenergic signaling in the canine heart. [source] Rapid Upregulation of Aromatase mRNA and Protein Following Neural Injury in the Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata)JOURNAL OF NEUROENDOCRINOLOGY, Issue 4 2001R. Scott Peterson Abstract The expression of aromatase (oestrogen synthase) within the vertebrate central nervous system (CNS) is key in the provision of local oestrogens to neural circuits. Aromatase expression appears to be exclusively neuronal under normal conditions. However, some in vitro studies suggest the presence of astrocytic aromatase in songbirds and mammals. Recently, aromatase in reactive astrocytes has been demonstrated in response to neural injury in the mammalian CNS. Since the glial aromatase expression first documented in cultures of the songbird telencephalon may reflect processes similar to those in response to mammalian neural injury, we investigated whether injury alters the pattern of aromatase-expression in the zebra finch, a species with very high levels of forebrain aromatase expression. Adult males received a penetrating neural injury to the right hemisphere and were killed either 24 or 72 h later. Controls were anaesthetized and otherwise unmanipulated. We determined the expression of aromatase mRNA and protein using in situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry, respectively. Both the transcription and translation of aromatase is dramatically upregulated around the lesion site in response to neural injury in the zebra finch forebrain. This effect is robust and rapid, occurring within 24 h of the injury itself. Cells that upregulate aromatase appear to be reactive astrocytes based upon morphology. The hemisphere contralateral to the injury and both hemispheres in control birds showed the normal, exclusively neuronal pattern of aromatase expression. The upregulation of aromatase in astrocytes may provide high levels of oestrogen available to modulate processes such as CNS repair. Injury-induced upregulation of astrocytic aromatase may be a general characteristic of the injured vertebrate brain. [source] Rate-sensitive contractile responses of lymphatic vessels to circumferential stretchTHE JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY, Issue 1 2009Michael J. Davis Phasic contractile activity in rat portal vein is more sensitive to the rate of change in length than to absolute length and this response is widely assumed to be a general characteristic of myogenic behaviour for vascular smooth muscle. Previously, we found that rat lymphatic vessels exhibit phasic contractile behaviour similar to that of portal vein. In the present study, we hypothesized that lymphatic muscle would exhibit rate-sensitive contractile responses to stretch. The hypothesis was tested on rat mesenteric lymphatics (90,220 ,m, i.d.) using servo-controlled wire- and pressure-myograph systems to enable ramp increases in force or pressure at different rates. Under isometric conditions in wire-myograph preparations, both the amplitude and the frequency of phasic activity were enhanced at more optimal preloads, but superimposed upon this effect were bursts of contractions that occurred only during fast preload ramps. In such cases, the ratio of contraction frequency during the ramp to that at the subsequent plateau (at optimal preload) was > 1. Further, the frequency ratio increased as a function of the preload ramp speed, consistent with a rate-sensitive mechanism. In contrast, the amplitude ratio was < 1 and declined further with higher ramp speeds. Downward preload ramps produced corresponding rate-sensitive inhibition of contraction frequency but not amplitude. Similar findings were obtained in pressurized lymphatics in response to pressure ramps and steps. Our results suggest that lymphatics are sensitive to the rate of change in preload/pressure in a way that is different from portal vein, possibly because the pacemaker for generating electrical activity is rate sensitive but lymphatic muscle is not. The behaviour may be widely present in collecting lymphatic vessels and is probably an important mechanism for rapid adaptation of the lymphatic pump to local vascular occlusion. [source] Adult bone marrow,derived stem cells for organ regeneration and repairDEVELOPMENTAL DYNAMICS, Issue 12 2007Florian Tögel Abstract Stem cells have been recognized as a potential tool for the development of innovative therapeutic strategies. There are in general two types of stem cells, embryonic and adult stem cells. While embryonic stem cell therapy has been riddled with problems of allogeneic rejection and ethical concerns, adult stem cells have long been used in the treatment of hematological malignancies. With the recognition of additional, potentially therapeutic characteristics, bone marrow,derived stem cells have become a tool in regenerative medicine. The bone marrow is an ideal source of stem cells because it is easily accessible and harbors two types of stem cells. Hematopoietic stem cells give rise to all blood cell types and have been shown to exhibit plasticity, while multipotent marrow stromal cells are the source of osteocytes, chondrocytes, and fat cells and have been shown to support and generate a large number of different cell types. This review describes the general characteristics of these stem cell populations and their current and potential future applications in regenerative medicine. Developmental Dynamics 236:3321,3331, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] A Dutch day treatment program for anorexia and bulimia nervosa in comparison with internationally described programsEUROPEAN EATING DISORDERS REVIEW, Issue 2 2007M. W. Lammers Abstract A Dutch day treatment program for patients with anorexia and bulimia nervosa is described and compared to intensive day treatment programs for patients with eating disorders outlined in international literature. The 5-day program is described in terms of its general characteristics, intended outcome and specific treatment interventions. Along these parameters it is compared to the programs found in a systematic literature search of day hospitalization programs for eating disorders. Global inspection shows a lot of similarities between all the programs. Looking more closely, also many important differences exist (concerning, e.g. treatment duration, intensity of treatment, theoretical orientation, goals of treatment and weight gain regime). Because of the differences, it is hard to compare outcome data between centres. Besides, on many of these dimensions, the literature does not yet tell us unambiguously what is best for our patients. Therefore, it is necessary to keep the dialogue between treatment centres going. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association. [source] Arterial stiffness in relation to subclinical atherosclerosisEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION, Issue 1 2009A. Wykretowicz ABSTRACT Background, Increased arterial stiffness or arteriosclerosis, represents a physiological part of ageing. Atherosclerosis is a process that does not affect the arterial bed uniformly but has a variable local distribution and is frequently superimposed on stiffened vessels. We therefore addressed the question of whether any correlation exists between the general characteristics of arterial stiffness or wave reflection and subclinical atherosclerosis as assessed by carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) in a sample of healthy subjects. Methods, A total of 116 healthy subjects (mean age 55 years, 43 female) were evaluated. Arterial stiffness and wave reflection was assessed with the use of digital volume pulse analysis (DVP) and pulse wave analysis (PWA). Subclinical atherosclerosis was assessed by measurement of IMT. Results, Stiffness Index (SIDVP), the measure of general arterial stiffness correlated significantly with IMT (r = 0·37, P < 0·01). IMT correlated significantly with age (r = 0·5, P < 0·0001), waist to hip ratio (WHR) (r = 0·39, P < 0·0001) and mean blood pressure (BPmean) (r = 0·4, P < 0·0001). IMT did not correlate with measures of wave reflection. SIDVP correlated significantly with age (r = 0·32, P < 0·005), WHR (r = 0·36, P < 0·0001), BPmean (r = 0·36, P < 0·0001) and measurements of wave reflection. However analysis of a model which included variables that significantly influenced SIDVP and IMT, such as age, WHR and mean BP showed that arterial stiffness is not independently associated with subclinical atherosclerosis. Conclusions, The indices of subclinical atherosclerosis, arterial stiffness and wave reflection, indicate different aspects of vascular status in otherwise healthy subjects [source] Tufted stellate hairs in Valeriana tomentosa KunthFEDDES REPERTORIUM, Issue 3-4 2009F. Weberling Professor Dr. In the general characteristics of the family Valerianaceae the occurrence of "stellate hairs" described by the authors of Valeriana tomentosa Kunth and V. malvaceae Graebn. still remains unconsidered. Beyond their diagnostic value, however, it is interesting, that at least the specific ontogeny and anatomical structure of the "stellate hairs" of V. tomentosa corresponds very well with similar trichomes known for several other taxa of Dipsacales, namely species of Viburnum (Viburnaceae) and some Dipsacaceae (Cephalaria, Scabiosa). (© 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] Measurement of the parameters of the mass transfer kinetics in high performance liquid chromatographyJOURNAL OF SEPARATION SCIENCE, JSS, Issue 3-4 2003Kanji Miyabe Abstract Fundamental studies of the mass transfer kinetics are as essential as those of the retention equilibrium for a detailed understanding of the characteristics and the mechanisms of chromatographic separations. The acquisition of a large amount of reliable experimental data and of meaningful results is necessary for any further progress of our knowledge of kinetics. The main goal of this review is to provide information on the methods used to perform accurate measurements and on the data analysis procedures used for deriving the kinetic parameters characterizing mass transfer in HPLC. First, the general characteristics of several methods of determination of some kinetic parameters are briefly reviewed. Secondly, we give detailed explanations of the experimental conditions of the pulse on a plateau method (i.e., elution chromatography on a plateau of finite concentration or pulse response method) and of the data analysis procedures based on moment analysis. Thirdly, we explain some important requirements for the acquisition of appropriate experimental data and discuss corrections to be applied when deriving several kinetic parameters. Fourthly, we discuss the accuracy of the kinetic parameters derived from the pulse on a plateau method and from moment analysis. Finally, some results concerning the mass transfer kinetics in RPLC systems are demonstrated as examples. [source] Managerial Behavior, Entrepreneurial Style, and Small Firm PerformanceJOURNAL OF SMALL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT, Issue 1 2003Eugene Sadler, Smith Considerable effort has been devoted to identifying the general characteristics of entrepreneur; however, much of this has been conducted from a trait,based rather than from a behavioral perspective. In this study of small firms in the United Kingdom, we explored the relationships among managerial behaviors (based upon a competence model), entrepreneurial style (based on Covin and Slevin's theory), and firm type (in terms of sales growth performance). Principal components analysis of a management competence inventory identified six broad categories of managerial behavior. Regressing a measure of entrepreneurial style on these six behaviors suggested that managing culture and managing vision are related to an entrepreneurial style, while managing performance is related to a nonentrepreneurial style. Entrepreneurial style,but not managerial behavior,was associated positively with the probability that a firm would be a high,growth type. The results are discussed from the perspective of a model of small firm management that posits separate entrepreneurial, nonentrepreneurial, and generic management behaviors derived from a global competence space. [source] Surgical treatment of sacrococcygeal pilonidal sinus with rhomboid flapJOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY & VENEREOLOGY, Issue 1 2010K Topgül Abstract In this review, we summarized the general characteristics of pilonidal sinus disease and details of rhomboid flap (RF) technique used in its treatment, and discussed the results of RF methods and its comparison with other techniques, principally with flap technique available in the literature. When performed studies are examined, RF technique has come into prominence nowadays with low recurrence and infection rates, and with a comfortable surgical technique. Recently, it has been anticipated that with the modification of this technique, the recurrence rate would be lower. [source] Visions to Guide Performance: A Typology of Multiple Future Organizational ImagesPERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT QUARTERLY, Issue 4 2003Sheila L. Margolis ABSTRACT Organizational performance is highly influenced by how employees envision the future. To date, many scholars have emphasized the importance of an overarching future vision that unites all stakeholders, while acknowledging the presence of divergent perspectives among members. This variety in perspectives may be further complicated in organizations undergoing great stress and where the leadership has not defined and promoted a future vision to guide the content of the images of its members. Little study has explored the various types of future organizational images that exist or the nature of those images. We explore these concerns via a case study of an airline in the midst of a dramatic fight for survival. The findings both confirm the existence of multiple views for the company's future and delineate their general characteristics through a typology of imagery. We conclude with a language to use to differentiate those images for future research and offer practical implications for managing multiple future organizational images to mobilize energy and enhance performance in a more unified direction. [source] Overview of model-building strategies in population PK/PD analyses: 2002,2004 literature surveyBRITISH JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY, Issue 5 2007C. Dartois What is already known about this subject ,,The reviews already published on population pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) analyses have focused on theory and have presented some clinical applications, evaluated validation practices in limited circumstances, defined the interest and sometimes the complexity of this approach in drug development or proposed a list of relevant articles. ,,None of them has exhaustively evaluated published analyses and more precisely the model-building steps. ,,In view of the statistical complexity of population PK/PD methodology, more attention is required to how models are built and how they are reported in the literature. What this study adds ,,With a strict methodology and by establishing a standardized tool, this survey provides an exhaustive, objective and up-to-date review of model-building practices. ,,It reveals deficiencies in information reporting in most articles and the genuine need for guidance in publishing. ,,An initial, minimal list of items is suggested, which can be used by authors and reviewers in pharmacology journals. ,,The value of published peer-reviewed papers could be greatly improved if authors were to address the suggested list of items systematically. Aims A descriptive survey of published population pharmacokinetic and/or pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) analyses from 2002 to 2004 was conducted and an evaluation made of how model building was performed and reported. Methods We selected 324 articles in Pubmed using defined keywords. A data abstraction form (DAF) was then built comprising two parts: general characteristics including article identification, context of the analysis, description of clinical studies from which the data arose, and model building, including description of the processes of modelling. The papers were examined by two readers, who extracted the relevant information and transmitted it directly to a MySQL database, from which descriptive statistical analysis was performed. Results Most published papers concerned patients with severe pathology and therapeutic classes suffering from narrow therapeutic index and/or high PK/PD variability. Most of the time, modelling was performed for descriptive purposes, with rich rather than sparse data and using NONMEM software. PK and PD models were rarely complex (one or two compartments for PK; Emax for PD models). Covariate testing was frequently performed and essentially based on the likelihood ratio test. Based on a minimal list of items that should systematically be found in a population PK,PD analysis, it was found that only 39% and 8.5% of the PK and PD analyses, respectively, published from 2002 to 2004 provided sufficient detail to support the model-building methodology. Conclusions This survey allowed an efficient description of recent published population analyses, but also revealed deficiencies in reporting information on model building. [source] Interaction for lifelong learningBRITISH JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY, Issue 6 2004Norm Friesen The term ,lifelong', as applied to education or learning, has been in circulation for more than a quarter of a century. It has played an important role in policy discussions, as well as in studies of the sociology and economics of education. The relationship of this term to the rapidly changing world of information and educational technologies, and to the various conceptions of interaction that are central to these technologies, however, has been considered much less frequently. This paper seeks to shed light on the relationship between lifelong learning and the interactive technologies that have become associated specifically with the Semantic Web. It begins by presenting a fictional narrative to illustrate a lifelong learning scenario in the context of the services and resources that the Semantic Web will be capable of providing. It then proceeds to isolate a number of general characteristics of lifelong learning as they are manifest in this scenario and in recent literature on the subject. The paper then explores how emergent, interactive technologies of the Semantic Web have the general potential to address many of the characteristics of lifelong learning, and hold out the promise of satisfying a wide variety of lifelong learning needs. It will conclude by considering some of the outstanding challenges presented by lifelong learning contexts, and mention some of the limitations of advanced technologies used to address these needs. [source] Promoter-wide analysis of Smad4 binding sites in human epithelial cellsCANCER SCIENCE, Issue 11 2009Daizo Koinuma Smad4, the common partner Smad, is a key molecule in transforming growth factor-, (TGF-,) family signaling. Loss of Smad4 expression is found in several types of cancer, including pancreatic cancer and colon cancer, and is related to carcinogenesis. Here we identified Smad4 binding sites in the promoter regions of over 25 500 known genes by chromatin immunoprecipitation on a microarray (ChIP-chip) in HaCaT human keratinocytes. We identified 925 significant Smad4 binding sites. Approximately half of the identified sites overlapped the binding regions of Smad2 and Smad3 (Smad2/3, receptor-regulated Smads in TGF-, signaling), while the rest of the regions appeared dominantly occupied by Smad4 even when a different identification threshold for Smad2/3 binding regions was used. Distribution analysis showed that Smad4 was found in the regions relatively distant from the transcription start sites, while Smad2/3 binding regions were more often present near the transcription start sites. Motif analysis also revealed that activator protein 1 (AP-1) sites were especially enriched in the sites common to Smad2/3 and Smad4 binding regions. In contrast, GC-rich motifs were enriched in Smad4-dominant binding regions. We further determined putative target genes of Smad4 whose expression was regulated by TGF-,. Our findings revealed some general characteristics of Smad4 binding regions, and provide resources for examining the role of Smad4 in epithelial cells and cancer pathogenesis. (Cancer Sci 2009) [source] The Advantage of Being Virtual,Target-Induced Adaptation and Selection in Dynamic Combinatorial LibrariesCHEMISTRY - A EUROPEAN JOURNAL, Issue 10 2004Kay Severin Prof. Abstract Numerical simulations are presented that describe the adaptive behavior of simple dynamic combinatorial libraries (DCLs) upon addition of a target. By studying the effect of various parameters such as the network topology, the initial concentrations, the association constants, and the binding affinities, general characteristics of such systems were derived. It is shown that the adaptation may lead to the amplification of molecules with a high affinity to the target, but only for specific boundary conditions. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the selection process can be refined by using an evolutionary approach. These results are of importance for the design of selection experiments with DCLs. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||