96 research outputs found
3D mid-air audio-haptic navigation for digital signage
In this workshop we discuss the application of using mid-air haptics to provide directions for navigation to users in large indoor spaces. We propose a feed-forward approach from objects and locations that enable a physical way of thinking, communication and general accessibility
Environmental pH and a Glu364 to Gln mutation in the chlorophyll-binding CP47 protein affect redox-active TyrD and charge recombination in Photosystem II
In Photosystem II, loop E of the chlorophyll-binding CP47 protein is located near a redox-active tyrosine, Y-D, forming a symmetrical analog to loop E in CP43, which provides a ligand to the oxygen-evolving complex (OEC). A Glu364 to Gln substitution in CP47, near Y-D, does not affect growth in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803; however, deletion of the extrinsic protein PsbV in this mutant leads to a strain displaying a pH-sensitive phenotype. Using thermoluminescence, chlorophyll fluorescence, and flash-induced oxygen evolution analyses, we demonstrate that Glu364 influences the stability of Y-D and the redox state of the OEC, and highlight the effects of external pH on photosynthetic electron transfer in intact cyanobacterial cells
Complete genome sequence of Treponema pallidum ssp. pallidum strain SS14 determined with oligonucleotide arrays
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Syphilis spirochete <it>Treponema pallidum </it>ssp. <it>pallidum </it>remains the enigmatic pathogen, since no virulence factors have been identified and the pathogenesis of the disease is poorly understood. Increasing rates of new syphilis cases per year have been observed recently.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The genome of the SS14 strain was sequenced to high accuracy by an oligonucleotide array strategy requiring hybridization to only three arrays (Comparative Genome Sequencing, CGS). Gaps in the resulting sequence were filled with targeted dideoxy-terminators (DDT) sequencing and the sequence was confirmed by whole genome fingerprinting (WGF). When compared to the Nichols strain, 327 single nucleotide substitutions (224 transitions, 103 transversions), 14 deletions, and 18 insertions were found. On the proteome level, the highest frequency of amino acid-altering substitution polymorphisms was in novel genes, while the lowest was in housekeeping genes, as expected by their evolutionary conservation. Evidence was also found for hypervariable regions and multiple regions showing intrastrain heterogeneity in the <it>T. pallidum </it>chromosome.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The observed genetic changes do not have influence on the ability of <it>Treponema pallidum </it>to cause syphilitic infection, since both SS14 and Nichols are virulent in rabbit. However, this is the first assessment of the degree of variation between the two syphilis pathogens and paves the way for phylogenetic studies of this fascinating organism.</p
Iniciativas de enfrentamento da barreira patentária e a relação com o preço de medicamentos adquiridos pelo Sistema Único de Saúde
Identification of Brazilian expertise in the fight against some neglected tropical diseases
Short-course PET based simultaneous integrated boost for locally advanced cervical cancer
Localization and function of the renal calcium-sensing receptor
The ability to monitor changes in the ionic composition of the extracellular environment is a crucial feature that has evolved in all living organisms. The cloning and characterization of the extracellular calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) from the mammalian parathyroid gland in the early 1990s provided the first description of a cellular, ion-sensing mechanism. This finding demonstrated how cells can detect small, physiological variations in free ionized calcium (Ca 2+) in the extracellular fluid and subsequently evoke an appropriate biological response by altering the secretion of parathyroid hormone (PTH) that acts on PTH receptors expressed in target tissues, including the kidney, intestine, and bone. Aberrant Ca 2+ sensing by the parathyroid glands, as a result of altered CaSR expression or function, is associated with impaired divalent cation homeostasis. CaSR activators that mimic the effects of Ca 2+ (calcimimetics) have been designed to treat hyperparathyroidism, and CaSR antagonists (calcilytics) are in development for the treatment of hypercalciuric disorders. The kidney expresses a CaSR that might directly contribute to the regulation of many aspects of renal function in a PTH-independent manner. This Review discusses the roles of the renal CaSR and the potential impact of pharmacological modulation of the CaSR on renal function
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