Abstract:
The protein CD1d binds self and foreign glycolipids for presentation to CD1-restricted T cells by means of TCR recognition, and activates TH1 and TH2 chemokines release. Accordingly, a variety of glycolipid ligands were attached to a microarray surface and their binding with CD1d investigated. An α-galactosyl ceramide (α-GalCer) bearing a carbamate group at the 6′-OH position was tethered to the surface and the dissociation constant with CD1d determined. Competition assays were used to determine the dissociation constants (Ki) of the new and intact glycolipids. The para-fluoroheptaphenyl-modified α-GalCer was found to bind most strongly with CD1d (Ki 0.14 μM), two orders of magnitude stronger than α-GalCer and more than three times more selective for IFN-γ release. Various α-GalCer analogs were analyzed and the results showed that the binding affinity of glycolipids to CD1d correlates well with IFN-γ production, but poorly with IL-4 secretion by NKT cells, suggesting that tighter binding ligands could bias cytokine release through the TH1 pathway.
Abstract:
A method comprises performing a first T2-weighted imaging (T2WI) on a subject; injecting the subject with a contrast agent after performing the first T2WI; and waiting a predetermined period of time before performing a second T2WI on the subject. The first T2WI and second T2WI are then co-registered. The co-registered first T2WI and co-registered second T2WI are then trimmed. A ΔR2 map is then determined based on each pixel of the trimmed first T2WI and corresponding pixels of the trimmed second T2WI. A three-dimensional map is constructed based on the ΔR2 map.
Abstract:
The present disclosure relates to the discovery of methods of isolating subfractions of an F3 Reishi extract, and of administration of these novel isolates to eukaryotic cells in order to induce certain immumodulatory, hematopoeitic and tumor-inhibiting phenotypic changes in those eukaryotic cells, mediated through particular toll-like receptor (TLR) and other transmembrane receptors. F3 subfractions F301 and F331 have demonstrated that F331 is capable of activating at least TLR-2 while F301 is capable of activating at least TLR-2, TLR-4, and TLR-5.
Abstract:
A pure, water-soluble polypeptide containing one or more monomers of a VP1 protein of a foot-and-mouth disease virus; or a pure, water-insoluble polypeptide comprising two or more monomers of a VP1 protein of a foot-and-mouth disease virus. Also disclosed are a vaccine containing the polypeptide, a method of producing the polypeptide, and a method of inducing an immune response in a subject by administering to the subject an effective amount of the polypeptide.
Abstract:
According to an asymmetric watermarking technology, which is particularly resistant to projection attack, an original image is analyzed to obtain its watermarking space. The watermarking space is then divided to obtain two orthogonal subspaces g and h. An embedding key G, which is a matrix and which columns form bases of subspace g, is selected and a matrix H, HTG=0 is calculated. Columns of matrix H form bases of subspace h. A detecting key D, which equals the sum D= GT=BHT, wherein B is a matrix, is calculated, and a watermark w is obtained and embedded into the original image φ0 to obtain a watermarked image φw=φ0+Gw, wherein Dφ0=m0 is not a 0 vector.
Abstract:
A novel soluble pentacene (C22H14) precursor 6,13-dihydro-6,13-methanopentacene-15-one, a method for its production and intermediates therefor as well as pentacene films and coated surfaces. Thermolysis of the precursor at 150° C. to 350° C. induces an expulsion of carbon monoxide to generate pentacene in high yield. The high solubility of the precursor compound, as well as its production of non-contaminated pentacene, makes it an excellent material in the application of organic thin film transistors on surfaces.
Abstract:
A method for preparing an iridium tip with atomic sharpness. The method includes tapering an iridium wire to a needle shape and heating the iridium needle in an oxygen atmosphere. Also disclosed is an iridium needle having a pyramidal structure which terminates with a small number of atoms prepared by the methods.