Filetype
All virulent group A streptococcal isolates bind fibrinogen, a property that is closely linked to expression of type-specific antiphagocytic surface molecules designated M proteins. Here we show that although the M proteins from two different strains, M1 and M5, both bind fibrinogen with high affinity, they interact with different regions in the ligand. Moreover, mapping experiments demonstrated t
Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS; OMIM 122470) is a rare multiple congenital anomaly/mental retardation syndrome characterized by distinctive dysmorphic facial features, severe growth and developmental delay and abnormalities of the upper limbs. About 50% of CdLS patients have been found to have heterozygous mutations in the NIPBL gene and a few cases were recently found to be caused by mutations
An amperometric enzyme electrode based on laccase for determining phenolic compounds is proposed. The following three types of polymer materials were used for enzyme immobilization on the surface of a glassy-carbon electrode: positively charged cetyl ethyl poly (ethyleneimine) (CEPEI) and negatively charged commercial Nafion and Eastman AQ 29D polymers. The advantages and disadvantages of each of
The Kullaberg peninsula in NW Skåne renders km-long, continuous exposures of the Proterozoic crystalline basement. We report ion microprobe (SIMS) U–Pb zircon ages for six key lithologies at Kullaberg that constrain the geological history of SW Fennoscandia for a considerable time period. Igneous zircon in three varieties of gneiss granite yield ages of 1694±7 Ma, 1693±7 Ma and 1663±14 Ma, in the
Red coloration in multicoloured or polymorphic species has been associated with dominance in a number of case studies, including probability of winning in human sports. However, it is not clear at what stage during ontogeny the association between red and the probability of winning contests occurs (or being perceived as more threatening by a contradistinct rival), for example, at conception, early
Slipped-strand mispairing at sites containing so-called coding repeats (CRs) can lead to phase variation of surface proteins in Gram-negative bacteria. This mechanism, believed to contribute to virulence, has so far not been identified in a Gram-positive bacterium. In the genome of the Gram-positive human pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes, we identified pentanucleotide CRs within a putative signal s
This paper provides a description of a cost-benefit analysis applied to determine the cost effectiveness, or otherwise, of nine management strategies potentially applicable to forests contaminated with Cs-137. Th management strategies were considered singly and in a number of likely combinations. A management strategy was considered to be cost-effective if it resulted in a lower overall monetary d
As much attention has devoted to the proteome research during the last years, biomarker discovery has become an increasingly hot area, potentially enabling the development of new assays for diagnosis and prognosis of severe diseases. This is the field of research interest where efforts originating from both academic and industrial groups should jointly work on solutions. In this paper we would lik
A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled cross-over multi-center study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of gabapentin in the treatment of neuropathic pain caused by traumatic or postsurgical peripheral nerve injury, using doses tip to 2400 mg/day. The study comprised a run-in period of two weeks, two treatment periods of five weeks separated by a three weeks' washout period.
P>Basal metabolic rate (BMR) is an important trait in the study of energy management of an individual, especially in small wintering passerines from the north which have one of the highest energy turnover rates in vertebrates. Laboratory studies have shown the trait to be repeatable and heritable, despite its plastic nature. However there is currently a lack of empirical data from wild passerine p
The 5th annual European League Against Rheumatism congress, held in Berlin, 9-12 June 2004, was attended by a record number of delegates from all continents and offered a large choice of education, state-of-the-art and original research presentations in up to 15 parallel sessions. Some of these were poorly attended, although featuring top-ranked abstracts. The poster sessions remain a problem chil
A computer program, ARAGORN, identifies tRNA and tmRNA genes. The program employs heuristic algorithms to predict tRNA secondary structure, based on homology with recognized tRNA consensus sequences and ability to form a base-paired cloverleaf. tmRNA genes are identified using a modified version of the BRUCE program. ARAGORN achieves a detection sensitivity of 99% from a set of 1290 eubacterial, e
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) and other long terminal repeat (LTR)–containing elements comprise a significant portion (8%) of the human genome and are likely vestiges of retroviral infections during primate evolution. Many of the HERVs present in human DNA have retained functional promoter, enhancer, and polyadenylation signals, and these regulatory sequences have the potential to modify t
A synthesis of the early Holocene climatic development in the North Atlantic region is presented, based on three previously published lake records from southern Greenland (Lake N14), Iceland (Lake Torfadalsvatn) and the Faroe Islands (Lake Lykkjuvotn). The interval 11500-8500 cal BP has been divided into five phases with respect to the inferred strength of the North Atlantic Current (NAC) and Irmi
The ultrafast timescale of electron transfer processes is crucial to their role in many biological systems and technological devices. In dye-sensitized solar cells(1-4), the electron transfer from photoexcited dye molecules to nanostructured semiconductor substrates needs to be sufficiently fast to compete effectively against loss processes and thus achieve high solar energy conversion efficiencie
