Streptococcal inhibitor of complement (Sic) is a highly polymorphic extracellular protein made by serotype M1 group A Streptococcus strains that contributes to bacterial persistence in the mammalian ...upper respiratory tract. New variants of the Sic protein arise very rapidly by positive selection in human populations during M1 epidemics. The human antibody response to Sic was analyzed. Of 636 persons living in diverse localities, 43% had anti-Sic serum antibodies, but only 16.4% had anti—M1 protein serum antibody. Anti-Sic antibody was also present in nasal wash specimens in high frequency. Linear B cell epitope mapping showed that serum antibodies recognized epitopes located in structurally variable regions of Sic and the amino terminal hypervariable region of the M1 protein. Phage display analyses confirmed that the polymorphic regions of Sic are primary targets of host antibodies. These results support the hypothesis that selection of Sic variants occurs on mucosal surfaces by a mechanism that involves acquired host antibody.
Hsp70 levels are elevated in a number of different tumors. The Hsp70 cochaperone heat shock protein-binding protein 1 (HspBP1) has been shown to bind to Hsp70, inhibit its activity and promote ...dissociation of nucleotide from the Hsp70 ATPase domain. The purpose of this study was to determine if the levels of HspBP1 are altered in tumor cells. In this report, we show that HspBP1 levels are elevated in two mouse tumor models, 3LL cells (Lewis Lung carcinoma) and neuroblastoma tumors. The amounts of HspBP1 and Hsp70 in selected tissues, tumors and a rabbit reticulocyte lysate were determined using Western blots. It was found that the molar ratio of these two proteins was within a small range (0.21-0.42) in the normal and tumor tissues examined. This ratio was considerably below the HspBP1 to Hsp70 ratio of 4.0 needed for 50% inhibition of Hsp70-mediated refolding of a partially denatured protein in rabbit reticulocyte lysate. The ratio of HspBP1 to Hsp70 in these tissues is too low to inhibit Hsp70 globally in the cell, but is high enough to provide a pool of HspBP1 that could inhibit Hsp70 in a localized fashion. These studies have shown that HspBP1 is elevated in the tumors examined and therefore could be a new cancer marker.
Services Integration and Cost-Effectiveness Hilton, Michael E.; Fleming, Michael; Glick, Henry ...
Alcoholism, clinical and experimental research,
February 2003, Letnik:
27, Številka:
2
Journal Article, Conference Proceeding
Recenzirano
Alcohol treatment services are increasingly combined with other health and social services to address the needs of multiple‐problem clients. Hence, it has been of growing policy interest to find the ...most effective and the most cost‐effective ways of linking these services. This symposium presents some recent studies in this area. The small but growing body of studies in this area has great potential to inform public policy debates.
We report a case of cardiac tamponade resulting in a death following minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass. Despite absence of clinical symptoms at the time of hospital discharge, cardiac ...tamponade physiology may have been evident on close evaluation of Doppler studies of the left internal mammary artery. Performance of a predischarge transthoracic echocardiogram may have been confirmatory and lifesaving.
Laboratory experiment.
To compare the efficacy of different head immobilization techniques during motion simulating ambulance transport.
A significant number of neurologic injuries associated with ...cervical spine fractures arise or are aggravated during emergency extrication or patient transport. Previous studies have not addressed the effect of head immobilization on the passive motion that could occur across the neck during transport.
Three different head-immobilization methods were compared in six healthy young adults by using a computer-controlled moving platform to simulate the swaying and jarring movements that can occur during ambulance transport. In all tests, the trunk was secured by means of a commonly used "criss-cross" strapping technique. Efficacy of head immobilization was evaluated using measures of head motion and neck rotation.
None of the three immobilization techniques was successful in eliminating head motion or neck rotation. Movement of the trunk contributed substantially to the lateral bending that occurred across the neck. A new product involving the placement of wedges underneath the head provided some small, but statistically significant improvements in fixation of the head to the fracture board; however, there was no improvement in terms of the relative motion occurring across the neck.
Somewhat improved fixation of the head to the fracture board can be achieved by placing wedges under the head; however, the benefits of any fixation method, in terms of cervical spine immobilization, are likely to be limited unless the motion of the trunk is also controlled effectively. Future research and development should address techniques to better control head and trunk motion.
At broad temporal and spatial scales, smaller population fragments have a higher likelihood of succumbing to unfavorable demographic forces (Lande 1988, Woodroffe and Ginsberg 1998, Parks and ...Harcourt 2002). Because demographic processes are the proximate cause of population extirpations, efforts to understand and resist range contractions require a means to measure movement at the level of specific individuals on a particular landscape.
Bilateral Action for Right Whales Sayles, Jesse S.; Green, David M.; Kraus, Scott D. ...
Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science),
12/2005, Letnik:
310, Številka:
5754
Journal Article
PDF
