The retrovirus forms its envelope by budding at the plasma membrane (PM). This process is primarily driven by its cytoplasmic core-precursor protein, Gag, as shown by the efficient formation of virus-like Gag particles in the absence of its envelope protein, Env. Most interestingly, several studies have demonstrated incorporation of various PM proteins into retrovirus, but the underlying mechanism

A sensitive method for the detection of staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) using a flow-injection capacitive biosensor is presented. SEB was purified from a crude culture filtrate of Staphylococcus aureus through three chromatographic steps. The first two steps were based on ion-exchange chromatography, and the last step was carried out on a gel filtration column. The SEB recovery values after the

OBJECTIVE: To obtain knowledge about factors that could influence women's informed choice and extent of prenatal diagnosis, her feelings when implementing it, and her satisfaction. METHOD: A questionnaire including Visual Analogue Scale was given to 823 women and replies received from 662 (80.4%). Ease of choice was the basis for the statistical analysis. RESULTS: The factors that most often influ

The conformational entropy of proteins can make significant contributions to the free energy of ligand binding. NMR spin relaxation enables site-specific investigation of conformational entropy, via order parameters that parameterize local reorientational fluctuations of rank-2 tensors. Here we have probed the conformational entropy of lactose binding to the carbohydrate recognition domain of gale

In this study, we developed a microdispenser technique in order to create protein patterns for guidance of neurites from cultured adult mouse dorsal root ganglia (DRG). The microdispenser is a micromachined silicon device that ejects 100 picolitre droplets and has the ability to position the droplets with a precision of 6-8 mu m. Laminin and bovine serum albumin (BSA) was used to create adhesive a

This article presents an experimental investigation of cite heat transfer characteristics between the confined impinging slot jets and a fat surface. During the experiments, single slot, multiple slots with cross flow effects, and multiple slots with symmetrical exhaust ports between neighboring jets are tested The exhaust ports are manufactured to eliminate the cross-flow effects from the upstrea

Based on research to date, we can state some expectations about terrestrial ecosystem response as several elements of global climate change develop in coming decades. Higher plant species will vary considerably in their response to elevated UV-B radiation, but the most common general effects are reductions in height of plants, decreased shoot mass if ozone reduction is severe, increased quantities

A high-spin rotational cascade of six gamma rays has been observed in Zn-62. The quadrupole moment of 2.7(-0.5)(+0.7) e b measured for this band corresponds to a deformation beta(2) = 0.45(-0.07)(+0.10). The properties of this band are in excellent agreement with calculations that predict high-spin superdeformed bands in Zn-62 with deformations beta(2) = 0.41-0.49. These results establish a new re

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to describe the perception of hypercholesterolaemia among middle-aged, urban men who had recently received the diagnosis of moderate hypercholesterolaemia. METHOD: Within a project screening for risk factors for coronary heart disease among 453 men, 63 were identified as moderately hypercholesterolaemic. Among these, 62 agreed to tape-recording and transcription of the first co

Gaucher disease (GD) is an autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorder caused by mutations in the glucosidase, beta, acid (GBA) gene that encodes the lysosomal enzyme glucosylceramidase (GCase). GCase deficiency leads to characteristic visceral pathology and, in some patients, lethal neurological manifestations. Here, we report the generation of mouse models with the severe neuronopathic form o

Aim: To test the reliability, validity and sensitivity of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-MY24 questionnaire, designed to assess the quality of life of myeloma patients with the QLQ-C30. Methods: The study was carried out through the EORTC Quality of Life Group using clinical trials in seven countries. All trials used the QLQ-C30 and QLQ-MY24 at baseline

Isolated pial arteries from a previously well-characterized model of experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in baboon were tested for their contractile response to 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), norepinephrine (NE), and prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha) and the effect of the calcium antagonist, nimodipine. Autologous blood was injected cisternally at three times with one-day intervals to a tota

The first lineage commitment step of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) results in separation into distinct lymphoid and myeloid differentiation pathways, reflected in the generation of common lymphoid and myeloid progenitors (CLP and CMP, respectively). In this report we present the first evidence for a nonredundant regulator of this process, in that adult mice deficient in expression of the flt3 lig

Biomagnification and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congener distribution was examined in a predator-prey, host-parasite system, in which Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) preyed upon sprat (Sprattus sprattus). Eubothrium crassum was an intestinal parasite in salmon that also "preyed upon" sprat, because the parasites gained access to foodstuffs via the host (salmon) gut. Salmon contained significantl

Work from our laboratories has shown that the major antigenic determinants for rheumatoid factors (RFs) are in the C gamma 2-C gamma 3 interface region of IgG in the same area that binds staphylococcal protein A (SPA). Furthermore, the Fc binding proteins of groups A, C and G streptococci as well as the Fc binding proteins induced on cell surfaces by herpes simplex virus type I also bind to the sa

Novel techniques in molecular cytogenetics have radically improved the ability to characterize genetic changes in neoplastic cells. In parallel, a rapid development in high-throughput genomics has resulted in detailed physical maps of the human genome. Combining these two fields, we have developed a method for the simultaneous visualization of several physically defined segments along a chromosome

Although there is a high degree of homology in the M2 transmembrane segments of alpha1 and beta1 subunits, subunit-specific effects were observed in alpha1beta1 GABA(A) receptors expressed in Spodoptera frugipedra (Sf9) cells when the conserved 13' threonine residue in the M2 transmembrane region was mutated to alanine. When threonine 263 (13') was mutated to alanine in the beta1 subunit, high-aff

Quantum chemical calculations have been performed on the ground state and several low-lying excited states of bromobenzene, ortho-, meta-, and para-dibromobenzene, and 1,3,5-tribromobenzene using high-level ab initio and hybrid density-functional methods. Experimental observations of ultrafast predissociation in these molecules are clarified from extensive theoretical information about all low-ene