Search results for "complex"
showing 10 items of 5889 documents
Detection of antigen-specific T-cells with MHC/peptide-tetramer-complexes
2002
Abstract Tetramer analysis is a novel technique in immunological research that has dramatically changed our knowledge of the immune response to viral and bacterial pathogens, to tumors and in autoimmune disease. Through the formation of major histocompatibility complex (MHC)/peptide-tetrameric complexes it can provide accurate counts of antigen-specific T-cells and it allows their phenotypical and functional analysis. We review the strengths of this method and use the analysis of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from a patient with melanoma as a paradigm for the detection of tetramer-binding T-cells. The implementation of tetramer-guided analysis in immunomonitoring allows the ex vivo tes…
Experimental confirmation of the 'protein traffic hypothesis' by routine diagnostic tests
2010
The 'protein traffic hypothesis' suggests that the inflammation associated with autoimmune disease, trauma and disturbances of blood circulation is the result of misguided protein trafficking. The hypothesis divides the antigen spectrum into an intracellular component and an extracellular component. While the intracellular component is recognised by MHC class-I molecules and is presented to CD8 T-lymphocytes, the extracellular component is recognised by MHC class-II molecules and is presented to CD4 T-lymphocytes. To test this hypothesis, CD4 and CD8 T-cell counts of 271 HIV-negative patients of the University Hospital, Mainz, Germany were examined retrospectively. The results corroborate t…
Involvement of PAR-4 in Cannabinoid-Dependent Sensitization of Osteosarcoma Cells to TRAIL-Induced Apoptosis
2014
The synthetic cannabinoid WIN 55,212-2 is a potent cannabinoid receptor agonist with anticancer potential. Experiments were performed to determine the effects of WIN on proliferation, cell cycle distribution, and programmed cell death in human osteosarcoma MG63 and Saos-2 cells. Results show that WIN induced G2/M cell cycle arrest, which was associated with the induction of the main markers of ER stress (GRP78, CHOP and TRB3). In treated cells we also observed the conversion of the cytosolic form of the autophagosome marker LC3-I into LC3-II (the lipidated form located on the autophagosome membrane) and the enhanced incorporation of monodansylcadaverine and acridine orange, two markers of t…
A NEW COMPLEXITY FUNCTION FOR WORDS BASED ON PERIODICITY
2013
Motivated by the extension of the critical factorization theorem to infinite words, we study the (local) periodicity function, i.e. the function that, for any position in a word, gives the size of the shortest square centered in that position. We prove that this function characterizes any binary word up to exchange of letters. We then introduce a new complexity function for words (the periodicity complexity) that, for any position in the word, gives the average value of the periodicity function up to that position. The new complexity function is independent from the other commonly used complexity measures as, for instance, the factor complexity. Indeed, whereas any infinite word with bound…
Learning-Graph-Based Quantum Algorithm for k-distinctness
2012
We present a quantum algorithm solving the $k$-distinctness problem in $O(n^{1-2^{k-2}/(2^k-1)})$ queries with a bounded error. This improves the previous $O(n^{k/(k+1)})$-query algorithm by Ambainis. The construction uses a modified learning graph approach. Compared to the recent paper by Belovs and Lee arXiv:1108.3022, the algorithm doesn't require any prior information on the input, and the complexity analysis is much simpler. Additionally, we introduce an $O(\sqrt{n}\alpha^{1/6})$ algorithm for the graph collision problem where $\alpha$ is the independence number of the graph.
Septins 2, 7 and 9 and MAP4 colocalize along the axoneme in the primary cilium and control ciliary length
2013
International audience; Septins are a large, evolutionarily conserved family of GTPases that form hetero-oligomers and interact with the actin-based cytoskeleton and microtubules. They are involved in scaffolding functions, and form diffusion barriers in budding yeast, the sperm flagellum and the base of primary cilia of kidney epithelial cells. We investigated the role of septins in the primary cilium of retinal pigmented epithelial (RPE) cells, and found that SEPT2 forms a 1:1:1 complex with SEPT7 and SEPT9 and that the three members of this complex colocalize along the length of the axoneme. Similar to observations in kidney epithelial cells, depletion of cilium-localized septins by siRN…
Kinetics of Zn2+ complexation by a ditopic phenanthroline-azamacrocyclic scorpiand-like receptor.
2012
Coordination of Zn(2+) to a ditopic phenanthroline-macrocycle receptor takes place in three steps, the first one being the coordination to the phenanthroline, followed by the slow movement of the metal to the polyamine macrocycle and a final re-arrangement to coordinate the pendent arm.
Stepwise formation of a pentanuclear Ni4Cu heterometallic complex exhibiting a vertex-sharing defective double-cubane core and diphenoxo- and phenoxo…
2013
Sequential reaction of a N5O3 octadentate tripodal ligand with Ni(2+) and subsequently with Cu(2+) and azide ligand afforded the first example of a heterobridged (phenoxo/μ(1,1)-azido) pentanuclear heterometallic (Ni4Cu) compound, which exhibits a centrosymmetric vertex-sharing defective double-cubane structure. The study of the magnetic properties reveals that the compound shows ferromagnetic interaction interactions, leading to an S = 9/2 spin ground state. Density functional theory calculations on the X-ray structure and model compounds predict ferromagnetic interactions through the magnetic exchange pathways involving each couple of metal ions.
Analysis of pesticides in fruits by pressurized liquid extraction and liquid chromatography-ion trap-triple stage mass spectrometry.
2005
A multi-residue method using pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) and liquid chromatography-quadrupole ion trap-triple stage mass spectrometry (LC-IT-MS(3)) has been developed for determining trace levels of pesticides in fruits. The selected pesticides can be distinguished in: benzimidazoles and azoles, organophosphorus, carbamates, neonicotinoids, and acaricides. PLE has been optimized to extract these pesticide residues from oranges and peaches by studying the effect of experimental variables on PLE efficiency. Samples were extracted at high temperature and pressure (75 degrees C and 1500psi) using ethyl acetate as extraction solvent and acidic alumina as drying agent. The recoveries obta…
MTHFR 677C → T genotype modulates the effect of a 5-year supplementation with B-vitamins on homocysteine concentration: The SU.FOL.OM3 randomized con…
2018
Aims To study how MTHFR 677C→T genotype modulates the effect of supplementation with B-vitamins on total homocysteine (tHcy) and B-vitamin concentrations. Methods 2381 patients with a personal history of cardiovascular disease were randomly assigned to one of four groups: 1) B-vitamins alone (560 μg of 5-methyl-THF, 3 mg of vitamin B6 and 20 μg of vitamin B12), 2) n-3 fatty acids alone (600 mg of EPA and DHA in a 2:1 ratio), 3) B-vitamins and n-3 fatty acids, and 4) placebo. Participants were followed up for 4.7 years. At baseline and annually thereafter, biological parameters were assessed. Multivariate and linear mixed models were fit to study the interaction between B-vitamins and MTHFR …