Mammalian leukotriene A4 (LTA4) hydrolase is a bifunctional zinc metalloenzyme possessing an Arg/Ala aminopeptidase and an epoxide hydrolase activity, which converts LTA4 into the chemoattractant LTB4. We have previously cloned an LTA4 hydrolase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae with a primitive epoxide hydrolase activity and a Leu aminopeptidase activity, which is stimulated by LTA4. Here we used a m

Delayed hydride cracking (DHC) velocity was determined at 203,227,250 and 283 degrees C using 17 mm width curved compact toughness specimens machined from an unirradiated Zr-2.5 wt.% Nb pressure tube spool, gaseously charged with 60 ppm of hydrogen by weight. Single CT specimen was used to determine DHC velocity at a constant temperature for a range of stress intensity factor (K-1) obtained by loa

Phosphine derivatives of alkylidyne tricobalt carbonyl clusters have been tested as catalysts/catalyst precursors in intermolecular and (asymmetric) intramolecular Pauson-Khand reactions. A number of new phosphine derivatives of the tricobalt alkylidyne clusters [Co(3)(mu(3)-CR)(CO)(9)] (R = H, CO(2)Et) were prepared and characterised. The clusters [Co(3)(mu(3)-CR)(CO)(9-x)(PR'(3))(x)] (PR'(3) = a

This is a study on the recovery and recycling of copolymer in aqueous two-phase systems containing random copolymers of ethylene oxide (EO) and propylene oxide (PO). The random copolymers separate from water solution when heated above the lower critical solution temperature (LCST). The primary phase systems were composed of EOPO copolymer and hydroxypropyl or hydroxyethyl starch. After phase separ

This paper describes the development of a prototype product named MAGIC-HAND that has been developed to open bottles, jars and packages that require a twisting action. Its intended users are people with severe disabilities, who are not capable of using the current range of package opening tools. MAGIC-HAND is a kitchen accessory device that fits into standard kitchen furniture. The machine uses no

Optical properties of human whole blood were investigated in vitro at 633 nm using a double integrating sphere set-up, The blood flow was maintained at a constant rate through a flow cell while continuously heating the blood at 0.2-1.1 degrees C/min from approximately 25 to 55 degrees C in a heat exchanger, A small, but rather abrupt decrease in the scattering asymmetry factor (g-factor) of 1.7 +/

The structure of the oxygen-induced p(4x4) reconstruction of Ag(111) is determined by a combination of scanning tunneling microscopy, surface x-ray diffraction, core level spectroscopy, and density functional theory. We demonstrate that all previous models of this surface structure are incorrect and propose a new model which is able to explain all our experimental findings but has no resemblance t

This paper describes a system to create animated 3D scenes of car accidents from written reports. The text-to-scene conversion process consists of two stages. An information extraction module creates a tabular description of the accident and a visual, simulator generates and animates the scene. We outline the overall structure of the text-to-scene conversion and the template structure. We then des

In many studies, particularly in the field of systems biology, it is essential that identical protein sets are precisely quantified in multiple samples such as those representing differentially perturbed cell states. The high degree of reproducibility required for such experiments has not been achieved by classical mass spectrometry-based proteomics methods. In this study we describe the implement

The conformational state of the pi-conjugated polyfluorene poly[9,9-bis(2-ethylhexyl)fluorene-2,7-diyl] is reconsidered. Contrary to the general opinion, this helical polymer is shown to organize in a giant repeat consisting of 21 monomer units. The length of the unit cell of 16.97 nm is suggested.

We describe a simple radioimmunoassay of beta-microseminoprotein, one of the three most abundant secretory proteins of the prostate gland. The detection limit of the assay is 1 microgram/L, and its precision, expressed as the total coefficient of variation, is less than 10% for values between 10 and 150 micrograms/L. Using this assay, we found that beta-microseminoprotein immunoreactivity was pres

Changes in soil texture, bulk density, pH, concentrations and stocks of OC, N, P and K before and after conversion of a 6-year-old Acacia senegal plantation to other land management systems (LMS) were investigated, after three cropping seasons, in the drylands of western Sudan. LMS included pure and intercropped sorghum (PS), roselle (PR) and grasses (PC) with A. senegal at high and low-tree densi

in this paper, we introduce two new methods for solving binary quadratic problems. While spectral relaxation methods have been the workhorse subroutine for a wide variety of computer vision problems-segmentation, clustering, subgraph matching to name a few-it has recently been challenged by semidefinite programming (SDP) relaxations. In fact, it can be shown that SDP relaxations produce better low

Presence of Stachybotrys chartarum in indoor environments has been linked to building-associated disease, however, the causative agents are unknown. Verrucarol (VER) and trichodermol (TRID) are hydrolysis products of some major S. chartarum mycotoxins, i.e. macrocyclic trichothecenes and trichodermin. We optimized gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) methods for detecting VER and TRID in S

Maternally derived androgens have been shown to influence offspring phenotype in various ways. In birds, the benefits of prenatal androgen exposure, such as increased competitiveness and accelerated growth in nestlings, have been suggested to be balanced by costs, such as reduced immune function. In this study, we used an integrative approach to examine the influence of yolk androgens on the devel

Protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms are central components in intracellular networks that regulate a vast number of cellular processes. It has long been known that in most cell types, one or more PKC isoforms influences the morphology of the F-actin cytoskeleton and thereby regulates processes that are affected by remodelling of the microfilaments. These include cellular migration and neurite outgrowt