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The dissociation of DNA-cationic surfactant complexes with the addition of a negative amphiphile was studied by fluorescence microscopy (FM). The unfolding of DNA molecules previously compacted with cationic surfactant was shown to be dependent on the anionic surfactant chain length; lower amounts of a longer-chain surfactant were needed to release DNA into solution. However, we observed no depend
Glycoprotein B (gB) of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is the dominating protein in the envelope of this virus and gives rise to virus-neutralizing antibodies in most infected individuals. We have previously isolated a neutralizing human antibody specific for antigenic domain 2 (AD-2) on gB, a poorly immunogenic epitope, which nevertheless is capable of eliciting potent neutralizing antibodies. In or
The aim of this study was to assess persistent organochlorine pollutant (POP) levels in serum collected from children (11-15 years old) working and sometimes also living at the municipal waste-disposal site in Managua, located at the shore of Lake Managua, and in nonworking children living both nearby and also far away from the waste-disposal site. The influence of fish consumption was further eva
A new two-state polymer folding model is proposed, in which the folding of a stiff helical polymer is enabled by allowing for short sequences of coils connecting shorter and separated helices. The folding is driven by short-range attraction energy among stacked helices and is opposed by the free-energy cost of forming coils from helical monomers. Principal outcomes of the model are equilibrium dis
T cells are crucial players in cell-mediated immunity. The specificity of their receptor, the T cell receptor (TCR), is central for the immune system to distinguish foreign from host antigens. Superantigens are bacterial toxins capable of inducing a toxic immune response by cross-linking the TCR and the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II and circumventing the antigen specificity. Here
The main source of autoantigens in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is most likely apoptotic material. We have previously shown that sera from SLE patients can induce apoptosis in monocytes and lymphocytes, and here we characterized mechanisms of apoptosis induced by SLE serum. SLE serum seems to induce caspase-dependent classical apoptosis since cells exposed to SLE serum displayed morphology c
Release of cytotoxic granule proteins from activated eosinophil granules is considered to be a key pathogenic mechanism in eosinophilic diseases. Degenerated eosinophils and extracellular eosinophil granules have been repeatedly depicted. The present overview describes evidence that eosinophil lysis and distribution of free eosinophil granules (as opposed to 'classical degranulation') is an import
Objective: To identify the consequences of an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear in a cohort of male soccer players 14 years after the initial injury with respect to radiographic knee osteoarthritis and patient relevant outcomes. Methods: Of 219 male soccer players with an ACL injury in 1986, 205 (94%) were available for follow up after 14 years; 75% of the cohort (154/205) answered mailed que
We describe the history, construction, and use of a portable walk-in wader trap (i.e., modified Ottenby trap) designed to be used in field expedition conditions. It is rectangular-shaped, 120 x 41 x 32 cm when operational, weighs between 1.5 and 2 kg (depending on materials used) and can be folded flat for easy transportation. It consists of several metal frames filled with fishing net, and has a
Dietary supplements, designed to fortify the antioxidant status of human metabolism, are intended to provide nutritional support against the aging process. The strategy is based on the observation that environmental and metabolic sources of oxidatively generated free radicals damage key macromolecules, such as DNA, that in turn alter physiologic processes, and in turn may contribute to aging and a
Previous work has shown that the lips are moving at a high velocity when the oral closure occurs for bilabial stop consonants, resulting in tissue compression and mechanical interactions between the lips. The present experiment recorded tongue movements in four subjects during the production of velar and alveolar stop consonants to examine kinematic events before, during, and after the stop closur
Antigenicity, the ability to bind to members of repertoire of diverse immune receptors, is a concept that is poorly characterised with respect to its defining parameters. To learn more about its makeup, we have investigated the ability of two peptides with highly related sequences, derived from the tumour-associated antigen mucin-1, to recruit in vitro members from a large naive repertoire of synt
When heating a dilute sample of the binary system of tetraethyleneglycol dodecyl ether (C12E4) and water from the micellar phase (L-1) into the two-phase region of a lamellar phase (L-alpha) and excess water (W) vesicles are formed. During heating, one passes a region of phase separation in the micellar phase (L-1' + L-1") where the initial micelles rapidly fuse into larger aggregates forming the
A runtime system for implementation of image processing operations is presented. It is designed for working in a flexible and distributed environment related to the software architecture of a newly developed UAV system. The software architecture can be characterized at a coarse scale as a layered system, with a deliberative layer at the top, a reactive layer in the middle, and a processing layer a
Macroscopic phase separation in covalent sodium polyacrylate (PA) networks following the absorption of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide/chloride (CTAB/C) from aqueous solutions is studied experimentally and theoretically. The gels are shown to consist of a solvent-swollen polyelectrolyte network (core), surrounded by a dense surface phase (skin) of polyion/surfactant complexes. The effect of core sw
Galectins are a group of lactose-binding proteins widely distributed in nature. Twelve mammalian galectins have so far been identified, but their functions are to a large extent unknown. In this work we study galectin-1 in its interaction with human neutrophils, with regard to both cell surface binding and activation of the superoxide-producing NADPH-oxidase. We show that galectin-1 is able to act
To define the clinical presentation of aerococcal infective endocarditis (IE) and the prevalence of synergy between penicillin and gentamicin on aerococcal isolates.
