Standard virulence evolution theory assumes that virulence factors are maintained because they aid parasitic exploitation, increasing growth within and/or transmission between hosts. An increasing number of studies now demonstrate that many opportunistic pathogens (OPs) do not conform to these assumptions, with virulence factors maintained instead because of advantages in non-parasitic contexts...

This work reports a sensitive amperometric biosensor for organophosphate pesticides (OPs) fabricated by modifying a glassy carbon electrode with acetylcholinesterase (AChE) immobilized on ionic liquid-functionalized graphene (IL-G). The functionalized graphene sheets had good dispersibility and long-term stability in various solvents. The as-prepared biosensor showed high affinity to acetylthio...

The dynamics of genetic variation in susceptibility to insecticides within a natural population of Drosophila melanogaster (Meigen) at Katsunuma (Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan) was examined. Two resistance factors for three organophosphate insecticides (OPs), a resistant-type acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and a cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (cytochrome P450), have already been suggested to be invol...

We have investigated a method for solving the inverse problem of determining the optical properties of a two-layer turbid model. The method is based on deducing the optical properties (OPs) of the top layer from the absolute spatially resolved reflectance that results from photon migration within only the top layer by use of a multivariate calibration model. Then the OPs of the bottom layer are...

Arrestins desensitize G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and act as mediators of signalling. Here we investigated the interactions of arrestin-1 with two functionally distinct forms of the dim-light photoreceptor rhodopsin. Using unbiased scanning mutagenesis we probed the individual contribution of each arrestin residue to the interaction with the phosphorylated apo-receptor (Ops-P) and the a...

Control over the practice environment is one determinant of the quality of professional life for physicians. As part of its Quality of Professional Life Initiative, senior leadership at the Kaiser Permanente (KP) Los Angeles Medical Center implemented Optimal Practice Support (OPS) to increase the quality of physicians' professional lives. In primary as well as specialty ambulatory care departm...

Electroretinograms (ERGs) were elicited by hemicircular (half-disc) stimuli to the upper, lower, temporal and nasal maculas of 26 normal subjects, and the amplitudes and implicit times of the ERGs from opposing macular regions were compared. The amplitudes of a-wave, b-wave and oscillatory potentials (OPs) were significantly larger in the upper macular region than in the lower macular region (P...

The Affordable Care Act paves the way for groups to develop innovative, affordable health insurance and care options known as Consumer Operated and Oriented Plans (CO-OPs). These CO-OPs will be nonprofit, consumer-controlled entities that are designed to serve individuals and small businesses, especially in noncompetitive markets. The CO-OP provision was included in the Affordable Care Act to a...

Este artigo apresenta os resultados de um estudo que teve como objetivo analisar as variáveis influenciaram a criação valor nas operadoras planos saúde (OPS) brasileiras, sob perspectiva da regulação Agência Saúde Suplementar (ANS), no período 2010 2016. A amostra empregada foi composta por OPS médico-hospitalares cujos dados estavam disponíveis publicamente site ANS. análise dos empregou segui...

Organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) are widely used throughout the world as insecticides in agriculture and as eradicating agents for termites around homes. The main toxicity of OPs is neurotoxicity, which is caused by the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase. OPs also affect the immune response, including effects on antibody production, interleukin-2 production, T cell proliferation, decrease of C...