Search results

Streptococcus pyogenes adheres to epithelial cells of the human pharynx where it can cause pharyngitis. To counteract infection. inflamed epithelium produces peptide antibiotics, among them the CXC chemokine MIG/CXCL9. M protein is both a surface-associated and released virulence factor of S. pyogenes. Here we show that soluble M1 protein enhances MIG gene expression and synthesis in IFN-gamma sti

To mimic the two-signal requirements for T cell activation mediated by ligands, we exposed the superantigens SEA or SEE (signal 1) to T cells incubated with HLA-DR/LFA-3 or HLA-DR/137-1-CHO transfected cells (signal 2). LFA-3 costimulation was able to induce T cell proliferation as well as IFN-gamma and IL-4 production at similar levels as in cells induced by B7-1. Analysis of the CD28RE of the IL

The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of denervation and alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG) administration on the development of osteopenia in the turkey radius. At 22 d of age, all turkeys were subjected to neurectomy of the right radius. Control turkeys were given a saline solution into the crop each day for 97 d. Experimental turkeys were given 0.4 g of AKG/kg of BW into the crop each da

Good genes" are genetic elements that contribute to lifetime reproductive success, regardless of an individual's additional genotype. Their existence is debated, and most work has targeted their viability benefits to the offspring of choosy females. In the present study, we analyze a case of potential good genes effects in adult male sand lizards ( Lacerta agilis). We show that males with a partic

In pigs, the spontaneous secretion of the exocrine pancreas and the release of cholecystokinin (CCK) and peptide YY (PYY) after intraduodenal infusion of fully saturated synthetic fats differing in chain length was studied. Growing pigs (n = 6) were prepared with pancreatic duct catheters, duodenal T-cannulas and catheters placed in the jugular vein. The pigs were fed 2 g/100 g body twice daily. B

The influence of external phosphorus (P) on carbon (C) allocation and metabolism as well as processes related to P metabolism was studied in monoxenic arbuscular mycorrhiza cultures of carrot (Daucus carota). Fungal hyphae of Glomus intraradices proliferated from the solid minimal medium containing the colonized roots into C-free liquid minimal medium with different P treatments. The fungus formed

The aim of the present Study was to investigate whether plasma concentration of proANP(1-30), the N-terminal fragment of the atrial natriuretic peptide prohormone, or 24-hour urinary excretion of urodilatin reflects the degree of Salt sensitivity in hypertension-prone individuals. Plasma concentration of proANP(1-30) and urinary urodilatin excretion were determined at baseline, after I week on a l

Random processes are generally described by Gaussian statistics as formulated by the central limit theorem. However, there exists a large number of exceptions to this rule that can be found in a variety of fields. Diffusion processes are often analyzed by the scaling law < r(2)>similar to t(2 beta), where the second moment of the diffusion propagator or molecular mean square displacement, < r(2)>,

The solution structures and dynamic behaviour of [Rh6(CO)14(µ-PX)][PX = diphenyl(2-pyridyl)phosphine, (PN); diphenyl(2-thienyl)phosphine, (PS); diphenyl(vinyl)phosphine, (PV)] have been studied by multinuclear NMR and the X-ray structure of [Rh6(CO)14(µ,3-PV)] is reported. In solution, the above clusters undergo a variety of localised CO-exchanges and the mechanisms of these are discussed. The PV

Recent studies show that plant organ positioning may be mediated by localized concentrations of the plant hormone auxin. Auxin patterning in the shoot apical meristem is in turn brought about by the subcellular polar distribution of the putative auxin efflux mediator, PIN1. However, the question of what signals determine PIN1 polarization and how this gives rise to regular patterns of auxin concen

Ethanol (C2H5OH) adsorption, decomposition and oxidation is studied on Ir(111) using high-energy resolution, fast XPS and temperature-programmed desorption. During heating of an adsorbed ethanol layer a part of the C2H5OHad desorbs molecularly, and another part remains on the surface and decomposes around 200 K; these two decomposition pathways are identified, as via acetyl (H3C-,C=O) and via COad

Radiative lifetime measurements were performed with time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence techniques for 47 levels of the astrophysically important ion Sm1+ over the energy range 21000-36 000 cm(-1). The new results have been compared with previous measurements but also with theoretical calculations taking configuration interactions and core-polarization effects into account, and a satisfying a

The isotope Ag-105 has been studied using 169.5 MeV Cl-37 ions impinging on Ge-76. The Nordball Ge array detected the gamma rays and a 4 pi charged particle detector system detected emitted light charged particles. A very deformed band has been established using Doppler shift attenuation methods. The analysis is based on the gamma gamma coincidences and the angular dependence of the four rings of

The reduced bone mineral density (BMD) found in patients with fractures may, in part, follow rather than precede the fracture. We studied the magnitude and reversibility of bone loss in the 15 months following osteotomy in 21 men and 5 women with localized medial arthritis of the knee. BMD (mean +/- SD), measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, decreased by a maximum of 35 +/- 21% in the m

Binding properties of staphylococcal protein A (SpA) to different human immunoglobulins have been investigated. In this analysis, intact SpA as well as SpA-derived fragments containing one to five IgG-binding domains of different compositions, were used. The affinity binding constants of the different proteins to human polyclonal IgG, IgA, IgM and F(ab')2-fragments as well as their binding capacit