Search results

In biomarker analysis, sample preparation plays a crucial step in order to extract, isolate and concentrate the analytes of interest. Among the various sample preparation techniques, solid phase extraction (SPE) is one of the most common and popular, due to the high enrichment factor, good recovery, low consumption of organic solvents and the possibility to automate (off- or on-line) the whole pro

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic bacterium that causes debilitating infections when the immune defence is compromised. It possesses an arsenal of virulence traits to colonize most compartments of the body and is often highly resistant against commonly used antimicrobial drugs.Outer membrane vesicles (OMV) are spheres released from Gram-negative bacteria. They are packed with proteins, in

We show that the eccentricity of every vertex in an undirected graph on n vertices can be computed in time n exp O(k*log(d)), where k is the treewidth of the graph and d is the diameter. This means that the diameter and the radius of the graph can be computed in the same time. In particular, if the diameter is constant, it can be determined in time n*exp(O(k)). This result matches a recent hardnes

How should we respond to a criminal offence committed by a young person? It is obvious that this is a very complex question. Multiple factors play important roles: the offence itself, but also the juvenile’s background in terms of education, socialization, prior convictions, etc. Every case is unique, but the criminal legal system has to follow the principles of legal certainty and predictability.How should we respond to a criminal offence committed by a young person? It is obvious that this is a very complex question. Multiple factors play important roles: the offence itself, but also the juvenile’s background in terms of education, socialization, prior convictions, etc. Every case is unique, but the criminal legal system has to follow the principles of legal certainty and predictability.

Nanowire array solar cells show intrinsic light trapping and absorption enhancement properties due to the diffraction and optical resonances. Here, we report the effect of varying incidence angle on the performance of GaAs nanowire array solar cells. We provide experimental evidence that nanowire array solar cells are highly efficient at gathering diffuse or tilted incident light, even at very hig

Reality isn’t what it appears to be. Contexts are not always clear and visible. People don’t always say what they really mean. And they don’t always mean what they say. When life is your stage manager, anything can happen. I often say, life is hard, my head is harder. Making documentaries is not for the faint-hearted.This PhD project explores creative processes and parallel realities in documentar

Menkes disease (MD) is caused by mutations in ATP7A, encoding a copper-transporting P-type ATPase which exhibits copper-dependent trafficking. ATP7A is found in the Trans-Golgi Network (TGN) at low copper concentrations, and in the post-Golgi compartments and the plasma membrane at higher concentrations. Here we have analyzed the effect of 36 ATP7A missense mutations identified in phenotypically d

To obtain an electron-density map from a macromolecular crystal the phase problem needs to be solved, which often involves the use of heavy-atom derivative crystals and concomitant heavy-atom substructure determination. This is typically performed by dual-space methods, direct methods or Patterson-based approaches, which however may fail when only poorly diffracting derivative crystals are availab

Cells regulate copper levels tightly to balance the biogenesis and integrity of copper centers in vital enzymes against toxic levels of copper. PIB -type Cu(+)-ATPases play a central role in copper homeostasis by catalyzing the selective translocation of Cu(+) across cellular membranes. Crystal structures of a copper-free Cu(+)-ATPase are available, but the mechanism of Cu(+) recognition, binding,

P-type ATPases from the P4 subfamily (P4-ATPases) are energy-dependent transporters, which are thought to establish lipid asymmetry in eukaryotic cell membranes. Together with their Cdc50 accessory subunits, P4-ATPases couple ATP hydrolysis to lipid transport from the exoplasmic to the cytoplasmic leaflet of plasma membranes, late Golgi membranes, and endosomes. To gain insights into the structure

Heavy metals in cells are typically regulated by PIB-type ATPases. The first structure of the class, a Cu(+)-ATPase from Legionella pneumophila (LpCopA), outlined a copper transport pathway across the membrane, which was inferred to be occluded. Here we show by molecular dynamics simulations that extracellular water solvated the transmembrane (TM) domain, results indicative of a Cu(+)-release path