290 research outputs found
cDNA Cloning of Biologically Active Chicken Interleukin-18
By searching a chicken EST database, we identified a cDNA clone that appeared to contain the entire open
reading frame (ORF) of chicken interleukin-18 (ChIL-18). The encoded protein consists of 198 amino acids
and exhibits approximately 30% sequence identity to IL-18 of humans and various others mammals. Sequence
comparisons reveals a putative caspase-1 cleavage site at aspartic acid 29 of the primary translation product,
indicating that mature ChIL-18 might consist of 169 amino acids. Bacterially expressed ChIL-18 in which the
N-terminal 29 amino acids of the putative precursor molecule were replaced by a histidine tag induced the
synthesis of interferon-Îł (IFN-Îł) in cultured primary chicken spleen cells, indicating that the recombinant
protein is biologically active
Fragmentation and systematics of the Pygmy Dipole Resonance in the stable N=82 isotones
The low-lying electric dipole (E1) strength in the semi-magic nucleus 136Xe
has been measured which finalizes the systematic survey to investigate the
so-called pygmy dipole resonance (PDR) in all stable even N=82 isotones with
the method of nuclear resonance fluorescence using real photons in the entrance
channel. In all cases, a fragmented resonance-like structure of E1 strength is
observed in the energy region 5 MeV to 8 MeV. An analysis of the fragmentation
of the strength reveals that the degree of fragmentation decreases towards the
proton-deficient isotones while the total integrated strength increases
indicating a dependence of the total strength on the neutron-to-proton ratio.
The experimental results are compared to microscopic calculations within the
quasi-particle phonon model (QPM). The calculation includes complex
configurations of up to three phonons and is able to reproduce also the
fragmentation of the E1 strength which allows to draw conclusions on the
damping of the PDR. Calculations and experimental data are in good agreement in
the degree of fragmentation and also in the integrated strength if the
sensitivity limit of the experiments is taken into account
Investigation of octupole vibrational states in 150Nd via inelastic proton scattering (p,p'g)
Octupole vibrational states were studied in the nucleus
via inelastic proton scattering with \unit[10.9]{MeV} protons which are an
excellent probe to excite natural parity states. For the first time in
, both the scattered protons and the rays were
detected in coincidence giving the possibility to measure branching ratios in
detail. Using the coincidence technique, the ratios of the decaying
transitions for 10 octupole vibrational states and other negative-parity states
to the yrast band were determined and compared to the Alaga rule. The positive
and negative-parity states revealed by this experiment are compared with
Interacting Boson Approximation (IBA) calculations performed in the (spdf)
boson space. The calculations are found to be in good agreement with the
experimental data, both for positive and negative-parity states
Antibiotic-induced changes in the human gut microbiota for the most commonly prescribed antibiotics in primary care in the UK:a systematic review
The nitric oxide response in plant-associated endosymbiotic bacteria
Nitric oxide (NO) is a gaseous signalling molecule which becomes very toxic due to its ability to react with multiple cellular targets in biological systems. Bacterial cells protect against NO through the expression of enzymes that detoxify this molecule by oxidizing it to nitrate or reducing it to nitrous oxide or ammonia. These enzymes are haemoglobins, c-type nitric oxide reductase, flavorubredoxins and the cytochrome c respiratory nitrite reductase. Expression of the genes encoding these enzymes is controlled by NO-sensitive regulatory proteins. The production of NO in rhizobia–legume symbiosis has been demonstrated recently. In functioning nodules, NO acts as a potent inhibitor of nitrogenase enzymes. These observations have led to the question of how rhizobia overcome the toxicity of NO. Several studies on the NO response have been undertaken in two non-dentrifying rhizobial species, Sinorhizobium meliloti and Rhizobium etli, and in a denitrifying species, Bradyrhizobium japonicum. In the present mini-review, current knowledge of the NO response in those legume-associated endosymbiotic bacteria is summarized
High-precision excited state lifetime measurements in rare earth nuclei using LaBr3(Ce) detectors
To study how collective nuclear structure evolves towards mid-shell and test next-generation LaBr3(Ce) scintillation detectors, measurements of the lifetimes of 2+ 1 states in 168Hf and 174W were conducted at the Wright Nuclear Structure Laboratory. Prel
Evolution of collectivity near mid-shell from excited-state lifetime measurements in rare earth nuclei
The B(E2) excitation strength of the first excited 2+ state in even-even nuclei should directly correlate with the size of the valence space and maximize at mid-shell. A previously found saturation of B(E2) strengths in well-deformed rotors at mid-shell is tested through high-precision measurements of the lifetimes of the lowest-lying 2+ states of the Hf168 and W174 rare earth isotopes. Measurements were performed using fast LaBr3 scintillation detectors. Combined with the recently remeasured B(E2;2+1→0+1) values for Hf and W isotopes the new data remove discrepancies observed in the differentials of B(E2) values for these isotope
Determination of 141Pr(alpha,n)144Pm cross sections at energies of relevance for the astrophysical p-process using the gamma-gamma coincidence method
The reaction 141Pr(alpha,n)144Pm was investigated between E_alpha=11 MeV and
15 MeV with the activation method using the gamma-gamma coincidence method with
a segmented clover-type high-purity Germanium (HPGe) detector. Measurements
with four other HPGe detectors were additionally made. The comparison proves
that the gamma-gamma coincidence method is an excellent tool to investigate
cross sections down to the microbarn range. The (alpha,n) reaction at low
energy is especially suited to test alpha+nucleus optical-model potentials for
application in the astrophysical p-process. The experimentally determined cross
sections were compared to Hauser-Feshbach statistical model calculations using
different optical potentials and generally an unsatisfactory reproduction of
the data was found. A local potential was constructed to improve the
description of the data. The consequences of applying the same potential to
calculate astrophysical (gamma,alpha) rates for 145Pm and 148Gd were explored.
In summary, the data and further results underline the problems in global
predictions of alpha+nucleus optical potentials at astrophysically relevant
energies.Comment: 13 pages, 9 figures, accepted in Phys. Rev.
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