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Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is closely associated with Kaposi's sarcoma and certain B-cell lymphomas. The fourth open reading frame of the KSHV genome encodes a protein (KSHV complement control protein (KCP, previously termed ORF4)) predicted to have complement-regulating activity. Here, we show that soluble KCP strongly enhanced the decay of classical C3-convertase but not the
In order to improve the understanding of food-web interactions in sub-Antarctic freshwater systems, we complemented earlier experimental studies with analyses of differences in stable isotopes (N-15 and C-13) among organisms in two lakes with contrasting productivity. The distribution of the stable isotopes showed that the small copepod Boeckella michaelseni feeds mainly on pelagic POM (particulat
The moderate halophile Halomonas boliviensis, isolated from a Bolivian saline soil sample, was able to accumulate poly(P-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) when grown under conditions of nutrient limitation and excess carbon source. The concentration of sodium chloride in the medium influenced the cell-growth, -size, and rate of PHB accumulation. Cultivation in shake flasks led to a PHB accumulation of about
Candida albicans, an important pathogenic yeast, activates all three pathways of the complement system. To understand how this yeast evades the effects of the activated system, we have analyzed the binding of the classical pathway inhibitor C4b-binding protein (C4BP) by C. albicans. Purified native as well as recombinant C4BP bound dose dependently to the yeast and hyphal forms, as shown by multip
Evidence from sedimentology and conodont biostratigraphy is used to reinterpret the mid-Homerian (Late Wenlock) succession on Gotland, Sweden. A new conodont zonation includes from below: the Ozarkodina bohemica longa Zone (including five subzones), the Kockelella ortus absidata Zone and the Ctenognathodus murchisoni Zone (two taxa are named, Ozarkodina bohemica longa and Pseudooneotodus linguicor
We report on the design and fabrication of a channel structure for high precision guidance and achieving excellent confinement properties for motor-propelled molecular shuttles. The techniques used to manufacture the channel structure are mainly e-beam lithography and selective monolayer functionalization. The structure consists of two lateral layers of concentric channels on a SiO2 surface made b
We reviewed the literature on urothelial carcinoma in the prostatic urethra and prostate. We concluded that the incidence of urothelial carcinoma in the prostatic urethra and prostate is probably underestimated. This fact warrants thorough follow-up of patients with high-risk bladder cancers and also whole-mount examination of the prostate after cystectomy to recognize the true incidence and exten
The identification of novel tumour-associated antigens (TAAs) is pivotal for progression in the fields of tumour immunotherapy and diagnosis. In the present study, we have developed, based on flow cytometric evaluation and use of a mini-library composed of specific antibody clones linked to different antibiotic resistance markers, methods for positive and subtractive selection of phage antibodies
We characterize attosecond pulses in a train using both the well established "reconstruction of attosecond beating by interference of two-photon transitions" (RABITT) technique and the recently demonstrated in situ method, which is based on a weak perturbation of the harmonic generation process by the second harmonic of the laser field. The latter technique determines the characteristics of the si
This article is based upon "The management of diabetic foot osteomyelitis - a progress report on diagnosing and a consensus on treating osteomyelitis". The principle of treatment is to administer antibiotics while providing a local environment in which the medication can work. This typically involves the removal of dead, soft tissue and accessible dead bone during the wound care process. These int
We have investigated the possibility of using carbon nanotubes as flexible, mobile electrical probes able to electrically contact nanometre- scaled objects. Configurations with metal electrodes evaporated on top of multi-, few- and single-wall carbon nanotubes have been studied. Scanning probe manipulation was used to create nano-mechanical switches by first cutting the various tubes, and then mov
This article argues that the body of foreign direct investment (FDI) literature in general and the ownership, location, and internalization (OLI) paradigm in particular would be enriched if finance-specific factors are explicitly incorporated as drivers of FDI. We suggest that financial strategies involving factors such as debt/equity swaps or equity listings in foreign equity markets affect the f
Protein C inhibitor (PCI) is a heparin-binding serine proteinase inhibitor belonging to the family of serpin proteins. Here we describe that PCI exerts broad antimicrobial activity against bacterial pathogens. This ability is mediated by the interaction of PCI with lipid membranes, which subsequently leads to their permeabilization. As shown by negative staining electron microscopy, treatment of E
The evaporative gas turbine (EvGT), also known as the humid air turbine (HAT) cycle, is a novel advanced gas turbine cycle that has attracted considerable interest for the last decade. This high-efficiency cycle shows the potential to be competitive with Diesel engines or combined cycles in small and intermediate scale plants for power production and/or cogeneration. A 0.6 MW natural gas-fired EvG
This paper investigates how vascular plants affect carbon flow and the formation and emission of the greenhouse gas methane (CH4 ) in an arctic wet tundra ecosystem in NE Greenland. We present a field experiment where we studied, in particular, how species-specific root exudation patterns affect the availability of acetate, a hypothesized precursor of CH4 formation. We found significantly higher a
BACKGROUND: To investigate, in a rabbit model, the effect of two different doses of vigabatrin (VGB) on retinal function and morphology. METHODS: Twenty-nine rabbits of mixed strain were divided into two groups, receiving either high-dose (n = 15) or low-dose (n = 14) oral VGB treatment (cumulative dose 29.8 +/- 2.9 g and 14.2 +/- 0.6 g respectively). Ten rabbits receiving water served as control
Two mobile agents having distinct identifiers and located in nodes of an unknown anonymous connected graph, have to meet at some node of the graph. We present fast deterministic algorithms for this rendezvous problem.
The authors examined the hypothesized association between the body burden of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) in women and the risk of low birth weight for their infants. In Sweden, a main exposure route for PCBs and other persistent organochlorine compounds is through the consumption of fatty fish from the Baltic Sea (on the Swedish east coast). A previous comparison between a cohort of consumers
