Local density approximation (LDA), several popular general gradient approximation (GGA), hybrid module based density functional theoretical methods: SVWN, BLYP, PBE, HCTH, B3LYP, PBE1PBE, B1LYP, and BHandHLYP, and some nonstandard hybrid methods are applied in geometry prediction for C60 and C70. HCTH with 3-21G basis set is found to be one of the best methods for fullerene structural predictio...

Initiator tRNAs are used exclusively for initiation of protein synthesis and not for elongation. We show that both Escherichia coli and eukaryotic initiator tRNAs have negative determinants, at the same positions, that block their activity in elongation. The primary negative determinant in E. coli initiator tRNA is the C1xA72 mismatch at the end of the acceptor stem. The primary negative determ...

Antiserum performance in a nephelometric system can be characterized by parameters derived from measuring reaction rates. The characterization process is derived from a series of dose-response curves (elicited nephelometric response vs antigen concentration) generated from various dilutions of the antiserum being tested. Antiserum titer can then be calculated by plotting the antigen concentrati...

TEM5 (tumour endothelial marker 5; also known as GPR124) is an adhesion G-protein-coupled receptor containing a cryptic RGD motif in its extracellular domain. TEM5 is expressed in endothelial cells and pericytes during angiogenesis. In the present paper, we report that thrombin mediates shedding of an N-terminal TEM5 fragment of 60 kDa (termed N60) containing the RGD motif in an open conformati...

The dipper effect for contrast discrimination provides strong evidence that the underlying neural response is accelerating at low contrasts and saturating at high contrasts. The contrast-response functions of V1 neurons do have this sigmoidal shape, but individual neurons do not generally have a dynamic range wide enough to account for the dipper effect. This paper presents a Bayesian model of ...

OBJECTIVE To examine mechanisms controlling the stapedial reflex in patients with amyotrophic sclerosis (ALS). METHODS The stapedial reflex was examined using impedance audiometry in 38 patients with sporadic ALS and in 25 age matched controls. RESULTS All patients showed normal reflex decay test results. There were no significant differences between patients with ALS and control subjects i...

In previous work using the Saccharomyces cerevisiae model system, a mutant version of histone H3-H3-L61W-was found to confer a variety of abnormal growth phenotypes and defects in specific aspects of the transcription process, including a pronounced alteration in the distribution pattern of the transcription elongation factor Spt16 across transcribed genes and promotion of cryptic transcription...

Recent findings have shown that malignant tumors contain cancer-initiating cells (CIC), which self-renew and are tumorigenic. However, CICs have not been characterized properly due to lack of specific markers. We recently established a mouse glioma cell line, NSCL61, by overexpressing an oncogenic HRas(L61) in p53-deficient neural stem cells. Using limiting dilution assays, we show that only 2 ...

Yogurts are prepared by fermenting milk with bacterial cultures consisting of a mixture of Streptococcus ssp. thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus. The main aim of this investigation was to develop a majority goat yogurt, with the addition of sheep milk in order to have a final product with good physicochemical quality properties and sensorial attributes. Four types of yog...