We present mathematical and simulation analyses of the below-threshold noisy response of two biophysically motivated models for excitable membrane due to H. R. Wilson: a squid axon ("resonator") and a human cortical neuron ("integrator"). When stimulated with a low-intensity white noise superimposed on a dc control current, both membrane types generate voltage fluctuations that exhibit critical...

BACKGROUND Sexual transmission accounts for the majority of HIV-1 infections. In over 75% of cases, infection is initiated by a single variant (transmitted/founder virus). However, the determinants of virus selection during transmission are unknown. Host cell-cell interactions in the mucosa may be critical in regulating susceptibility to infection. We hypothesized in this study that specific im...

Genital herpes is a risk factor to acquire HIV-1 infection by sexual contact, by increasing both infectivity of an infected person and susceptibility to acquire HIV-1. Here we have investigated the mechanisms that underlie the increased susceptibility to HIV-1 when people have genital herpes. Under steady state conditions, LCs capture HIV-1 through interaction with the C-type lectin Langerin, r...

The combined use of the anion of phenyl(2-pyridyl)ketone oxime (ppko(-)) and azides (N(3)(-)) in nickel(II) carboxylate chemistry has afforded two new Ni(II)(5) clusters, [Ni(5)(O(2)CR')(2)(N(3))(4)(ppko)(4)(MeOH)(4)] [R' = H (1), Me (2)]. The structurally unprecedented {Ni(5)(μ-N(3))(2)(μ(3)-N(3))(2)}(6+) cores of the two clusters are almost identical and contain the five Ni(II) atoms in a bow...

Defects in ribosome biogenesis and function are present in a growing list of human syndromes associated with cancer susceptibility. One example is X-linked dyskeratosis congenita (X-DC) in which the DKC1 gene, encoding for an enzyme that modifies ribosomal RNA, is found to be mutated. How ribosome dysfunction leads to cancer remains poorly understood. A critical cellular response that counterac...

Although persistent viral diseases are a global health concern, the mechanisms of differential susceptibility to such infections among individuals are unknown. Here, we report that differential interactions between dendritic cells (DCs) and virus are critical in determining resistance versus susceptibility in the Theiler murine encephalomyelitis virus-induced demyelinating disease model of mult...

A polycrystalline sample of the uranium ternary germanide UFe0.39Ge2 was examined by means X-ray powder diffraction, DC magnetization and AC magnetic susceptibility, heat capacity electrical resistivity measurements performed in wide ranges temperature fields. The experiments confirmed that compound crystallizes with orthorhombic crystal structure CeNiSi2-type is closely related to ferromagneti...

During the direct chill (DC) casting process, primary cooling from mold and bottom block, secondary waterjets produce a concave solid shell. The depth of this liquid pocket mushy zone not only depends on solidification range alloy but also boundary conditions such as rates. Al-Li alloys solidify in long increasing susceptibility porosity nucleation semi-solid region. In study, effects rate form...