The micafungin and caspofungin susceptibilities of Candida albicans laboratory and clinical isolates and of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains stably hyperexpressing fungal ATP-binding cassette (ABC) or major facilitator superfamily (MFS) transporters involved in azole resistance were determined using three separate methods. Yeast strains hyperexpressing individual alleles of ABC transporters or ...

7C8 is a mouse monoclonal antibody specific for the third hypervariable region (V3) of the human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2)-associated protein gp125. The three-dimensional crystal structure of the Fab fragment of 7C8, determined to 2.7 Å resolution, reveals a deep and narrow antigen-binding cleft with architecture appropriate for an elongated epitope. The highly hydrophobic cleft is ...

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) restriction element for a human Ni(2+) reactive T cell, ANi-2.3, was identified as DR52c. A series of experiments established that the functional ligand for this T cell was a preformed complex of Ni(2+) bound to the combination of DR52c and a specific peptide that was generated in human and mouse B cells, but not in fibroblasts nor other antigen proces...

OBJECTIVE To characterize the problems of feeding and swallowing in individuals with moderate and severe Alzheimer´s disease (AD) and to correlate these with functional aspects. METHOD Fifty patients with AD and their caregivers participated in this study. The instruments used were: Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR), Mini-Mental State Examination, Index of Activities of Daily Living, Assessment ...

The susceptibility to several oligopeptide and amino acid antifungals of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain carrying multiple deletions in yeast multidrug resistance genes was compared to transformants containing the CDR1, CDR2, or MDR1 genes that encode the major Candida albicans drug efflux pumps. Recombinant yeast strains overexpressing Cdr1p and Cdr2p showed enhanced susceptibilities to all ...

Superantigens (SAGs) activate T cells by simultaneously binding the Vbeta domain of the TCR and MHC class II molecules on antigen-presenting cells. The preferential expression of certain Valpha regions among SAG-reactive T cells has suggested that the TCR alpha chain may modulate the level of activation through an interaction with MHC. We demonstrate that the TCR alpha chain is required for max...

The age of onset of type 1A diabetes is now immunologically predictable (1). Either because of a lack of sufficient understanding of the pathogenesis of type 1A (immune-mediated) diabetes or a lack of effective therapeutics directed at relevant pathogenic pathways (or both), we cannot yet prevent this disease (2). The article by Liu et al. (3) in this issue of Diabetes addresses both issues in ...

Three structurally related oxathiolone fused chalcone derivatives appeared effective chemosensitizers, able to restore in part sensitivity to fluconazole of multidrug-resistant C. albicans strains. Compound 21 effectively chemosensitized cells resistant due to the overexpression of the MDR1 gene, compound 6 reduced resistance of cells overexpressing the ABC-type drug transporters CDR1/CDR2 and ...

The feline homologue of CD134 is the primary binding receptor for feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), targeting the virus preferentially to activated CD4+ helper T cells. However, strains of FIV differ in utilization of CD134; the prototypic strain PPR requires a minimal determinant in the first cysteine-rich domain (CRD1) of feline CD134 to confer near-optimal receptor function, while strains...

A(H1N1)pdm09 influenza A viruses predominated in the 2013-2014 USA influenza season, and although most of these viruses remain sensitive to Food and Drug Administration-approved neuraminidase (NA) inhibitors, alternative therapies are needed. Here we show that monoclonal antibody CD6, selected for binding to the NA of the prototypic A(H1N1)pdm09 virus, A/California/07/2009, protects mice agains...