Amyloid fibrils in Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker (GSS) disease are composed of a fragment of the prion protein (PrP), the N and C termini of which correspond to ragged residues 81-90 and 144-153. A synthetic peptide spanning the sequence 82-146 (PrP 82-146) polymerizes into protease-resistant fibrils with the tinctorial properties of amyloid. We investigated the biological activity of PrP 82-1...

Transitions between states up to spin 16' populated in the ' Nd(a, 4n) reaction were observed using y-y coincidence, y-ray angular distribution and excitation function, and delayed y-ray measurements. A level scheme was constructed up to 6.2 MeV with all levels above 3.8 MeV observed for the first time. Levels below 4.1 MeU were interpreted in terms of the coupling between two extra-core neutro...

We present new radio and optical observations of the colliding-wind system WR146 aimed at understanding the nature of the companion to the Wolf-Rayet star and the collision of their winds. The radio observations reveal emission from three components: the WR stellar wind, the non-thermal wind-wind interaction region and, for the first time, the stellar wind of the OB companion. This provides the...

The N-terminal 146 residues of apolipoprotein (apo) A-V adopt a helix bundle conformation in the absence of lipid. Because similarly sized truncation mutants in human subjects correlate with severe hypertriglyceridemia, the lipid binding properties of apoA-V(1-146) were studied. Upon incubation with phospholipid in vitro, apoA-V(1-146) forms reconstituted high density lipoproteins 15-17 nm in d...

In depression patients, prediction of cardiovascular diseases is very important and critical for effective treatments and health care. In the present study, we developed the prediction model utilizing data-mining based linear discriminant analysis in order to make early prediction of cardiovascular diseases in depression patients. The objective of the study was to find the optimal method in the...

The X-linked FOXP3 gene is a member of the forkhead box/winged helix family. As a transcription factor, FOXP3 plays an important role in the immune system by acting as a master regulator of transcription for the development and function of regulatory T cells. Additionally, its tumor suppressive activity has been observed during tumor initiation [1]. MicroRNA (miR) plays a role in RNA silencing ...

A prospective evaluation of 146 children with fever of unknown origin (FUO) and prolonged fever was performed from 1990 to 1996. FUO was defined as a documented daily temperature of > or = 38 degrees C for at least 14 days without diagnostic signs or symptoms. Prolonged fever was defined as fever for at least 14 days and no diagnosis at the time of referral for evaluation. An established diagno...