Superantigens: Gazing into the crystal ball

Crystal ball gazing and the effects of fate.

Crystal-ball gazing--the future of immunological research viewed from the cutting edge.

The concept of gazing into crystal balls to view the future is not something immunologists are particularly prone to do; it is better left to psychics, quacks and astrologers. We are more likely to spend our time looking back, scouring the literature for precedents or clues to explain our latest findings. Yet the 50th Anniversary of the British Society for Immunology (BSI) offers an opportunity...

[gazing into a Crystal Ball and Detecting Subjects at Risk for Developing Cutaneous Melanoma].

Cutaneous melanoma is the deadliest skin cancer showing an increasingly growing incidence in white populations of Europe and United States. Intensive research in recent years has begun to unlock its molecular pathogenesis. Screening the neoplasm at an early stage remains primordial. Hence, targeting populations at risk is likely efficient. In such an attempt, the regular clinical examination be...

Influence of Calcination Kinetics Parameters on Synthesis of KNN Piezoelectric Ceramics

The current research was focused on synthesizing potassium sodium niobate (KNN) piezoelectric ceramics for the system (K0.48Na0.52) NbO3   by high energy ball milling process for 15h at the speed of 300 rpm.  The blended nano-crystalline powder was calcined in conventional box furnace at 700oC, 800oC and 900oC for duration of 5h, 7h and 10h.  Diffraction result of calcine powder confirmed the f...

Structural studies of superantigens: Crystal structure of Streptococcus dysgalactiae-derived mitogen (SDM)

Superantigens are a family of bacterial and viral toxins that are able to induce a massive T-cell activation [1,2]. Compared to conventional antigens where only 0.0001-0.01% of T-cells are activated, superantigens are able to activate 10-30% of T-cells. Superantigen-induced T-cell activation results in an extensive production of inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor and interleu...