Tumour Antigens and Herpes Simplex Virus Oncogenesis

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) has been implicated in the aetiology of human cervical cancer, but despite intensive investigation the oncogenic properties of HSV are still not well understood. Studies reported here, explore one possible molecular mechanism by which this virus may cause oncogenic transformation; namely, the induction of cellular polypeptides which play a role in oncogenesis. A group of cellular polypeptides specific to cells showing the immortalized phenotype were previously detected in a range of cell lines, including the Bn5T cell line which is derived from rat embryo fibroblasts transformed by a fragment of the HSV type 2 (HSV-2) genome. These polypeptides which will be referred to as Bn5T:TBS polypeptides, are not detectable in control rat embryo fibroblasts. Bn5T:TBS polypeptides are immunoprecipitated by tumour bearing serum (TBS) and studies presented in this thesis confirm that they are also immunoprecipitated by the monoclonal antibody TG7A. The TG7A monoclonal was raised against affinity purified DNA binding proteins from HSV-2 infected cells and recognizes cellular polypeptides induced on infection by the virus. This suggests that Bn5T:TBS polypeptides are related to polypeptides induced in HSV-2 infection. Another feature of Bn5T:TBS polypeptides is that they all show oncofoetal expression, suggesting that they have a physiological role in cell proliferation and differentiation. Members of the Bn5T:TBS set have always been found to be either co-expressed or not expressed at all, in a range of different cell types and culture conditions. This suggests that these polypeptides may have a common precursor or be induced by the same factor(s) and it also suggests that they may have a common function. Three of the six members of the Bn5T:TBS set give similar peptide maps, suggesting that they possess similar or shared domains. In addition, pulse labelling and pulse-chase labelling experiments suggest that at least two members of the set result from post-translational processing events. Immunological and peptide mapping studies indicate that a Bn5T:TBS polypeptide of 97kDa molecular weight, is related to the 90kDa heat shock protein (HSP90) and that it may share a domain with an HSV-2-induced form of HSP90. The TG7A monoclonal recognizes a highly conserved epitope present on a bacterial heat-shock protein, an HSV-2-induced 90kDa polypeptide (also recognized by a monoclonal against HSP90) and a 97kDa transformed cell polypeptide belonging to the Bn5T:TBS set. These findings suggest that an HSV-2-induced form of the HSP90 may play a role in oncogenic transformation by the virus. The synthesis of Bn5T:TBS polypeptides has not been detected in the rabbit reticulocyte lysate in vitro translation system and possible reasons for this have been investigated. Further, data from an amino acid sequencing study suggests that the 97kDa polypeptide in the Bn5T:TBS set has a domain with homology to one form of bovine casein; likely explanations are discussed in detail

Design de sistemas e processos satisfatórios : uma abordagem transdisciplinar em ambientes acadêmicos e industriais

O objetivo deste artigo é investigar e discutir as considerações gerais sobre o design de sistemas e processos que vão além dos aspectos “técnicos”. Este artigo é um estudo qualitativo resultante da experiência dos autores em ambientes acadêmicos e industriais. É uma experiência combinada de mais de quarenta anos em diferentes profissões, circunstâncias e localizações geográficas (em diferentes continentes). Os resultados sugerem que a velocidade e a complexidade da vida moderna sobrecarregam as pessoas a ponto de se tornarem dependentes de sistemas e processos desnecessários. Os sistemas devem ser projetados com um nível de flexibilidade para permitir que os processos sejam dinâmicos e se adaptem com o tempo. Isto é conseguido através de um processo de aprendizagem focado em informações relevantes em bem embasadas combinado a uma abordagem transdisciplinar.The aim of this paper is to inquire and discuss the overall considerations concerning the design of systems and processes beyond the “technical” aspects. This article is a qualitative study resulting from the experience of the authors in both academic and industrial environments. It is a combined experience of over forty years in different professions, circumstances, and geographical locations (spanning continents). Results suggest that the speed and complexity of modern life overwhelms people to the point that they become dependent on redundant systems and processes. Systems should be designed with a level of flexibility to allow processes to be dynamic and to adapt with time. This is achieved through a focused learning process based on strong and relevant information combined with a transdisciplinary approach

New Identification of the Mixed-Morphology Supernova Remnant G298.6-0.0 with Possible Gamma-ray Association

We present an X-ray analysis on the Galactic supernova remnant (SNR) G298.6-0.0 with Suzaku. The X-ray image shows a center-filled structure inside the radio shell, implying this SNR is categorized as a mixed-morphology (MM) SNR. The spectrum is well reproduced by a single temperature plasma model in ionization equilibrium, with a temperature of 0.78 (0.70-0.87) keV. The total plasma mass of 30 solar mass indicates that the plasma has interstellar medium origin. The association with a GeV gamma-ray source 3FGL J1214.0-6236 on the shell of the SNR is discussed, in comparison with other MM SNRs with GeV gamma-ray associations. It is found that the flux ratio between absorption-corrected thermal X-rays and GeV gamma-rays decreases as the MM SNRs evolve to larger physical sizes. The absorption-corrected X-ray flux of G298.6-0.0 and the GeV gamma-ray flux of 3FGL J1214.0-6236 closely follow this trend, implying that 3FGL J1214.0-6236 is likely to be the GeV counterpart of G298.6-0.0.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures, PASJ, in pres

Discovery of X-ray Emission from the Galactic Supernova Remnant G32.8-0.1 with Suzaku

We present the first dedicated X-ray study of the supernova remnant (SNR) G32.8-0.1 (Kes 78) with Suzaku. X-ray emission from the whole SNR shell has been detected for the first time. The X-ray morphology is well correlated with the emission from the radio shell, while anti-correlated with the molecular cloud found in the SNR field. The X-ray spectrum shows not only conventional low-temperature (kT ~ 0.6 keV) thermal emission in a non-equilibrium ionization state, but also a very high temperature (kT ~ 3.4 keV) component with a very low ionization timescale (~ 2.7e9 cm^{-3}s), or a hard non-thermal component with a photon index Gamma~2.3. The average density of the low-temperature plasma is rather low, of the order of 10^{-3}--10^{-2} cm^{-3}, implying that this SNR is expanding into a low-density cavity. We discuss the X-ray emission of the SNR, also detected in TeV with H.E.S.S., together with multi-wavelength studies of the remnant and other gamma-ray emitting SNRs, such as W28 and RCW 86. Analysis of a time-variable source, 2XMM J185114.3-000004, found in the northern part of the SNR, is also reported for the first time. Rapid time variability and a heavily absorbed hard X-ray spectrum suggest that this source could be a new supergiant fast X-ray transient.Comment: 20 pages, 14 figures, ApJ, in pres

An X-ray and Radio Study of the Varying Expansion Velocities in Tycho's Supernova Remnant

We present newly obtained X-ray and radio observations of Tycho's supernova remnant using {\it Chandra} and the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array in 2015 and 2013/14, respectively. When combined with earlier epoch observations by these instruments, we now have time baselines for expansion measurements of the remnant of 12-15 year in the X-rays and 30 year in the radio. The remnant's large angular size allows for proper motion measurements at many locations around the periphery of the blast wave. We find, consistent with earlier measurements, a clear gradient in the expansion velocity of the remnant, despite its round shape. The proper motions on the western and southwestern sides of the remnant are about a factor of two higher than those in the east and northeast. We showed in an earlier work that this is related to an offset of the explosion site from the geometric center of the remnant due to a density gradient in the ISM, and using our refined measurements reported here, we find that this offset is $\sim 23"$ towards the northeast. An explosion center offset in such a circular remnant has implications for searches for progenitor companions in other remnants.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ Letter

Progressive Metamorphism of Pelitic, Carbonate, and Basic Rocks in South-Central Connecticut

Guidebook for field trips in Connecticut: New England Intercollegiate Geological Conference 60th annual meeting, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, October 25-27, 1968: Trip D-

Tokenisation of class files for an embedded java processor

Los Alamitos, US

Possible Charge-Exchange X-Ray Emission in the Cygnus Loop Detected with Suzaku

X-ray spectroscopic measurements of the Cygnus Loop supernova remnant indicate that metal abundances throughout most of the remnant's rim are depleted to about 0.2 times the solar value. However, recent X-ray studies have revealed in some narrow regions along the outermost rim anomalously "enhanced" abundances (up to about 1 solar). The reason for these anomalous abundances is not understood. Here, we examine X-ray spectra in annular sectors covering nearly the entire rim of the Cygnus Loop using Suzaku (21 pointings) and XMM-Newton (1 pointing). We find that spectra in the "enhanced" abundance regions commonly show a strong emission feature at about 0.7 keV. This feature is likely a complex of He-like O K(gamma + delta + epsilon), although other possibilities cannot be fully excluded. The intensity of this emission relative to He-like O Kalpha appears to be too high to be explained as thermal emission. This fact, as well as the spatial concentration of the anomalous abundances in the outermost rim, leads us to propose an origin from charge-exchange processes between neutrals and H-like O. We show that the presence of charge-exchange emission could lead to the inference of apparently "enhanced" metal abundances using pure thermal emission models. Accounting for charge-exchange emission, the actual abundances could be uniformly low throughout the rim. The overall abundance depletion remains an open question.Comment: Published in Ap