BIOMECHANICAL ASPECTS OF THE POLE VAULT - ANALYSlS OF THE 4th IAAF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

World class pole vaulters were analysed at the 4th IAAF World Championships in Stuttgart, 1993 Performance relevant parameters were obtained using standard APAS procedures. DLT for non-panning cameras provided spatial coordinates for the 3-d analysis Graphical and numerical postprocessing of the data was done using Excel. In addition to the video graphic recording, the event was filmed with two panned 16mm Locam cameras operating at 100 Hz to determine temporal parameters. Furthermore approach velocities were measured using doubled IR photocells. Vertical CM accelerations in the free flight phase verified, that the digitally filtered data are reliable despite the large object space There was little lateral motion of the CM. Thus, for many applications, a 2-d analysis can be justified. Top vaulters clear heights 1,Zm above their grip height. Huffman cleared 5,Sm using a new 'straddle like' clearance. This was 1,17m above grip height. Compared to major competitions in the last decade approach speed stagnated or even decreased while performance improved. However, better vaulters tend to have higher speed and acceleration into the last approach section. High approach speed is a necessary but non-sufficient prerequisite for high vaults. Analysis of the time course of potential and kinetic energy reveals the importance of the enery at takeoff and the work done on the pole. These factors are not independent of each other. Thus, there is an optimum relationship between energy produced in the respective phases of the vault. This optimum depends on the current technical and conditional standard of the athlete. The inter- and intraindividual variations in the measured parameters support the notion, that compensation does take place and is indeed a common strategy on the world class level. Optimum technique remains a time variant, individual and situation specific motor pattern

Serodiagnosis of infectious mononucleosis by using recombinant Epstein-Barr virus antigens and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technology

Four recombinant, diagnostically useful Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) proteins representative of the viral capsid antigen (p150), diffuse early antigen (p54), the major DNA-binding protein (p138), and the EBV nuclear antigen (p72) (W. Hinderer, H. Nebel-Schickel, H.H. Sonneborn, M. Motz, R. Kühbeck, and H. Wolf, J. Exp. Clin. Cancer Res. 7[Suppl.]:132, 1988) were used to set up individual enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) for the qualitative and quantitative detection of immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG antibodies. In direct comparison with results obtained by standard immunofluorescence or immunoperoxidase assays, it was then shown that the recombinant EBV ELISAs provide the means for specific and sensitive serodiagnosis of infectious mononucleosis (IM) caused by EBV. The most useful markers in sera from such patients proved to be IgM antibodies against p54, p138, and p150. Additional positive markers for recent or ongoing IM apparently were IgG antibodies against p54 and p138. In contrast, anti-p72 IgG had a high preference for sera from healthy blood donors and, therefore, can be considered indicative of past exposure to the virus. Altogether, the individual ELISAs proved to be as specific and at least as sensitive for the diagnosis of IM as the currently available standard techniques are. Moreover, our findings suggest that, by combining individual test antigens, a workable ELISA system consisting of three assays (IgM against p54, p138, and p150; IgG against p54 and p138; and IgG against p72) can be established for the standardized rapid diagnosis of acute EBV infections

Immunological reactivity of a human immunodeficiency virus type I derived peptide representing a consensus sequence of the GP120 major neutralizing region V3

To reduce the opportunities for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) to evade vaccine induced immunity, the development of subunit vaccines must focus on the characterization of immunogenic epitopes, which are major targets for the immune system. The most dominant site for elicitation of neutralising immune response is located on the external envelope glycoprotein gp120 within the third variable domain (V3). To overcome virus type specificity of antibodies directed to the V3-domain we designed a 36 amino acids long gp120/V3-consensus peptide (V3-C36) based on published biological data and sequence comparisons of various HIV-1 virus isolates. This peptide contains a conserved core sequence which is suggested to form a surface-exposed beta-turn. This peptide also includes T-cell epitopes defined in mice and humans, an ADCC-epitope and two highly conserved cysteine residues which were oxidized to form a cystine derivate, thus allowing correct peptide folding. In ELISA-tests, this peptide reacts with at least 90% of randomly selected sera of European and African patients infected with HIV-1 and is recognized by three different HIV-1/V3 "type-specific" antisera (MN, RF, IIIB-strain). Using this peptide as immunogen in rabbits, antisera could be raised with highly cross-reactive and HIV-1/IIIB strain neutralizing properties. Moreover, HTLV/HIV-1/IIIB specific cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTLs) of BALB/c mice infected with a gp120 recombinant vaccinia virus recognized the central 16- and 12-mer peptides of the V3-C36 consensus peptide in cytolytic assays, indicating perfect compatibility of the consensus peptide with the IIIB-primed CTLs. The DNA-sequence encoding the V3-consensus loop region might be an important component in newly designed recombinant subunit vaccines. In addition, due to its broad serological reactivity, the V3-consensus peptide might play an important role in special diagnostic purposes

Purification and quantification of recombinant Epstein-Barr viral glycoproteins gp350/220 from Chinese hamster ovary cells

Truncated Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) membrane antigen gp350/220 (EBV-MA) lacking the membrane anchor was expressed and secreted into the medium of recombinant Chinese hamster ovary cells that had been cultured in Plasmapur hollow-fibre modules using defined serum-free medium. The EBV-MA in the medium was concentrated by 70% (w/v) ammonium sulphate precipitation and subsequently purified by immunoaffinity chromatography using an anti-EBV-MA (EBV.0T6) monoclonal antibody (mAb) column. Adsorbed antigen was eluted with 3 M MgCl2 in phosphate-buffered saline, concentrated by Mono Q anion-exchange chromatography and analysed by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, silver staining and Western blotting using EBV-positive serum and anti-EBV-MA specific mAbs. Monospecific polyclonal rabbit antibodies against the purified EBV-MA were raised and purified by protein G affinity chromatography. For the measurement of EBV-MA antigen levels a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using rabbit polyclonal antibodies and a horseradish peroxidase-conjugated anti-MA mAb was developed having a detection level of 10 ng/ml

Epstein-Barr-Virus - Ein klinisch relevanter Marker für das Nasopharynxkarzinom? = Epstein-Barr virus - a clinically relevant feature of nasopharyngeal carcinoma? (author's transl.)

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) has been linked to Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) by seroepidemiological evidence and by the regular proof of EBV-DNA in the epithelial tumor cells. We have been able to study the serological parameters of 62 NPC patients of the local ENT-Clinic. All patients were kaukasians in contrast to a previous study by Henle et al. Our results emphasize the remarkable predominance of EBV-IgA antibodies to viral capsid antigen (VCA) and early antigen (EA) in NPC patients and prove the value of the test for the initial diagnosis of the disease. Follow-up studies with subsequent serological tests strongly suggest that this test is related to the stage of the disease. We have also found NPC-typical serological EBV-IgA titers in 3 lymphoepithelial carcinomas of the tonsil and the soft palate. Similar titers have been found in two cases of poorly differentiated carcinomas of the base of the tongue. All these tumors arise in the lymphoepithelial tissue of Waldeyer's ring. We conclude that possibly some carcinomas of Waldeyer's ring are similarly related to EBV as nasopharyngeal carcinomas are

Studies on processing, particle formation, and immunogenicity of the HIV-1 gag gene product: a possible component of a HIV vaccine

Antigens in a particulate conformation were shown to be highly immunogenic in mammals. For this reason, the particle forming capacity of derivatives of the HIV-1 group specific core antigen p55 gag was assayed and compared dependent on various expression systems: recombinant bacteria, vaccinia- and baculoviruses were established encoding the entire core protein p55 either in its authentic sequence or lacking the myristylation consensus signal. Moreover, p55 gag was expressed in combination with the protease (p55-PR) or with the entire polymerase (p55-pol), respectively. Budding of 100-160 nm p55 core particles, resembling immature HIV-virions, was observed in the eucaryotic expression systems only. In comparison to the vaccinia virus driven expression of p55 in mammalian cells, considerably higher yields of particulate core antigen were obtained by infection of Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) insect cells with the recombinant Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis (AcMNPV) baculovirus. Mutation of the NH2-terminal myristylation signal sequence prevented budding of the immature core particles. Expression of the HIV p55-PR gene construct by recombinant baculovirus resulted in complete processing of the p55 gag precursor molecule in this system. The introduction of an artificial frameshift near the natural frameshift site resulted in constitutive expression of the viral protease and complete processing of p55, both in Escherichia coli and in vaccinia virus infected cells. Interestingly, significant processing of p55 resembling that of HIV infected H9 cells could also be achieved in the vaccinia system by fusing the entire pol gene to the gag gene. Moreover, processing was not found to be dependent on amino-terminal myristylation of the gag procursor molecule, which is in contrast to observations with type C and type D retrovirus. However, complete processing of p55 into p24, p17, p9 and p6 abolished particle formation. Purified immature HIV-virus like particles were highly immunogenic in rabbits, leading to a strong humoral immune response after immunization. Empty immature p55 gag particles represent a noninfectious and attractive candidate for a basic vaccine component

Nearly 5000 Distant Early-Type Galaxies in COMBO-17: a Red Sequence and its Evolution since z~1

We present the rest-frame colors and luminosities of ~25000 m_R<24 galaxies in the redshift range 0.2<z<1.1, drawn from 0.78 square degrees of the COMBO-17 survey. We find that the rest-frame color distribution of these galaxies is bimodal at all redshifts out to z~1. This bimodality permits a model-independent definition of red, early-type galaxies and blue, late-type galaxies at any given redshift. The colors of the blue peak become redder towards the present day, and the number density of blue luminous galaxies has dropped strongly since z~1. Focusing on the red galaxies, we find that they populate a color-magnitude relation. Such red sequences have been identified in galaxy cluster environments, but our data show that such a sequence exists over this redshift range even when averaging over all environments. The mean color of the red galaxy sequence evolves with redshift in a way that is consistent with the aging of an ancient stellar population. The rest-frame B-band luminosity density in red galaxies evolves only mildly with redshift in a Lambda-dominated cold dark matter universe. Accounting for the change in stellar mass-to-light ratio implied by the redshift evolution in red galaxy colors, the COMBO-17 data indicate an increase in stellar mass on the red sequence by a factor of two since z~1. The largest source of uncertainty is large-scale structure, implying that considerably larger surveys are necessary to further refine this result. We explore mechanisms that may drive this evolution in the red galaxy population, finding that both galaxy merging and truncation of star formation in some fraction of the blue, star-forming population are required to fully explain the properties of these galaxies.Comment: To appear in the Astrophysical Journal 20 June 2004. 16 pages, 6 embedded figures. Substantial revision of photometric redshifts and extensive minor changes to the paper throughout: conclusions unchange

A 2-pyridone-amide inhibitor targets the glucose metabolism pathway of Chlamydia trachomatis.

UnlabelledIn a screen for compounds that inhibit infectivity of the obligate intracellular pathogen Chlamydia trachomatis, we identified the 2-pyridone amide KSK120. A fluorescent KSK120 analogue was synthesized and observed to be associated with the C. trachomatis surface, suggesting that its target is bacterial. We isolated KSK120-resistant strains and determined that several resistance mutations are in genes that affect the uptake and use of glucose-6-phosphate (G-6P). Consistent with an effect on G-6P metabolism, treatment with KSK120 blocked glycogen accumulation. Interestingly, KSK120 did not affect Escherichia coli or the host cell. Thus, 2-pyridone amides may represent a class of drugs that can specifically inhibit C. trachomatis infection.ImportanceChlamydia trachomatis is a bacterial pathogen of humans that causes a common sexually transmitted disease as well as eye infections. It grows only inside cells of its host organism, within a parasitophorous vacuole termed the inclusion. Little is known, however, about what bacterial components and processes are important for C. trachomatis cellular infectivity. Here, by using a visual screen for compounds that affect bacterial distribution within the chlamydial inclusion, we identified the inhibitor KSK120. As hypothesized, the altered bacterial distribution induced by KSK120 correlated with a block in C. trachomatis infectivity. Our data suggest that the compound targets the glucose-6-phosphate (G-6P) metabolism pathway of C. trachomatis, supporting previous indications that G-6P metabolism is critical for C. trachomatis infectivity. Thus, KSK120 may be a useful tool to study chlamydial glucose metabolism and has the potential to be used in the treatment of C. trachomatis infections

CIK Cells and HDAC Inhibitors in Multiple Myeloma

Multiple myeloma is the second most common hematological malignancy. Despite all the progress made in treating multiple myeloma, it still remains an incurable disease. Patients are left with a median survival of 4-5 years. The combined treatment of multiple myeloma with histone deacetylase inhibitors and cytokine-induced killer cells provides a promising targeted treatment option for patients. This study investigated the impact of a combined treatment compared to treatment with histone deacetylase inhibitors. The experiments revealed that a treatment with histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors could reduce cell viability to 59% for KMS 18 cell line and 46% for the U-266 cell line. The combined treatment led to a decrease of cell viability to 33% for KMS 18 and 27% for the U-266 cell line, thus showing a significantly better efficacy than the single treatment