Affibody molecules: Engineered proteins for therapeutic, diagnostic and biotechnological applications

AbstractAffibody molecules are a class of engineered affinity proteins with proven potential for therapeutic, diagnostic and biotechnological applications. Affibody molecules are small (6.5kDa) single domain proteins that can be isolated for high affinity and specificity to any given protein target. Fifteen years after its discovery, the Affibody technology is gaining use in many groups as a tool for creating molecular specificity wherever a small, engineering compatible tool is warranted. Here we summarize recent results using this technology, propose an Affibody nomenclature and give an overview of different HER2-specific Affibody molecules. Cumulative evidence suggests that the three helical scaffold domain used as basis for these molecules is highly suited to create a molecular affinity handle for vastly different applications

Individual tree biomass equations or biomass expansion factors for assessment of carbon stock changes in living biomass - A comparative study

AbstractSignatory countries to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its supplementary Kyoto Protocol (KP) are obliged to report greenhouse gas emissions and removals. Changes in the carbon stock of living biomass should be reported using either the default or stock change methods of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) under the Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry sector. Traditionally, volume estimates are used as a forestry measures. Changes in living biomass may be assessed by first estimating the change in the volume of stem wood and then converting this volume to whole tree biomass using biomass expansion factors (BEFs). However, this conversion is often non-trivial because the proportion of stem wood increases with tree size at the expense of branches, foliage, stump and roots. Therefore, BEFs typically vary over time and their use may result in biased estimates. The objective of this study was to evaluate differences between biomass estimates obtained using biomass equations and BEFs with particular focus on uncertainty analysis. Assuming that the development of tree fractions in different ways can be handled by individual biomass equations, BEFs for standing stock were shown to overestimate the biomass sink capacity (Sweden). Although estimates for BEFs derived for changes in stock were found to be unbiased, the estimated BEFs varied substantially over time (0.85–1.22ton CO2/m3). However, to some extent this variation may be due to random sampling errors rather than actual changes. The highest accuracy was obtained for estimates based on biomass equations for different tree fractions, applied to data from the Swedish National Forest Inventory using a permanent sample design (estimated change in stock 1990–2005: 420million tons CO2, with a standard error amounting to 26.7million tons CO2) Many countries have adopted such a design combined with the stock change method for reporting carbon stock changes under the UNFCCC/KP

Population genetic analysis reveals a geographically limited transition zone between two genetically distinct Atlantic salmon lineages in Norway

Atlantic salmon is characterized by a high degree of population genetic structure throughout its native range. However, while populations inhabiting rivers in Norway and Russia make up a significant proportion of salmon in the Atlantic, thus far, genetic studies in this region have only encompassed low to modest numbers of populations. Here, we provide the first “in‐depth” investigation of population genetic structuring in the species in this region. Analysis of 18 microsatellites on >9,000 fish from 115 rivers revealed highly significant population genetic structure throughout, following a hierarchical pattern. The highest and clearest level of division separated populations north and south of the Lofoten region in northern Norway. In this region, only a few populations displayed intermediate genetic profiles, strongly indicating a geographically limited transition zone. This was further supported by a dedicated cline analysis. Population genetic structure was also characterized by a pattern of isolation by distance. A decline in overall genetic diversity was observed from the south to the north, and two of the microsatellites showed a clear decrease in number of alleles across the observed transition zone. Together, these analyses support results from previous studies, that salmon in Norway originate from two main genetic lineages, one from the Barents–White Sea refugium that recolonized northern Norwegian and adjacent Russian rivers, and one from the eastern Atlantic that recolonized the rest of Norway. Furthermore, our results indicate that local conditions in the limited geographic transition zone between the two observed lineages, characterized by open coastline with no obvious barriers to gene flow, are strong enough to maintain the genetic differentiation between them.publishedVersio

Regularity of Cauchy horizons in S2xS1 Gowdy spacetimes

We study general S2xS1 Gowdy models with a regular past Cauchy horizon and prove that a second (future) Cauchy horizon exists, provided that a particular conserved quantity $J$ is not zero. We derive an explicit expression for the metric form on the future Cauchy horizon in terms of the initial data on the past horizon and conclude the universal relation A\p A\f=(8\pi J)^2 where A\p and A\f are the areas of past and future Cauchy horizon respectively.Comment: 17 pages, 1 figur

Sensitivity of Colding tool life equation on the dimensions of experimental dataset

In this work, 22 sets of cutting data and tool life for longitudinal turning of steel are analyzed using the Colding equation. When modeling tool life with a limited number of tool performance data points, the model error may be low for these points. Evaluating the model for test points not used when computing the model coefficients may give larger errors for these points. This work proves that the Colding model also provides sufficient precision when modelling data points not being used to create the model, and is therefore a well-functioning instrument for tool life modelling. The results also prove that for the selected data, the precision of the model can be greatly improved when the dimension of the data set is increased from 5 to 10 data points. Above 13 data points the precision improvements are negligible.Проаналізовано 22 набору режимів різання і стійкість інструменту при поздовжньому точінні стали при застосуванні моделі Колдінга. При моделюванні стійкості інструменту при обмеженій кількості даних про робочі характеристики помилка моделі може бути незначною в заданих точках. Оцінка моделі для тестових точок, які не використовуються при обчисленні коефіцієнтів моделі, може показати більші помилки в цих точках. Доведено, що модель Колдінга забезпечує достатню точність при моделюванні даних, що не використовуються для створення моделі, і тому може бути застосована для моделювання періоду стійкості інструменту. Результати також доводять, що для даних, що використовуються, точність моделі може бути значно поліпшена при збільшенні набору точок з 5 до 10, а при збільшенні понад 13 точок поліпшення точності моделювання незначні.Проанализированы 22 набора режимов резания и стойкость инструмента при продольном точении стали с применением модели Колдинга. При моделировании стойкости инструмента при ограниченном количестве данных о рабочих характеристиках ошибка модели может быть незначительной в заданных точках. Оценка модели для тестовых точек, не используемых при вычислении коэффициентов модели, может показать бóльшие ошибки в этих точках. Доказано, что модель Колдинга обеспечивает достаточную точность при моделировании данных, не используемых для создания модели, и поэтому может быть применена для моделирования периода стойкости инструмента. Результаты также доказывают, что для используемых данных точность модели может быть значительно улучшена при увеличении набора точек с 5 до 10, а при увеличении более 13 точек улучшения точности моделирования незначительны

Investigations of solutions of Einstein's field equations close to lambda-Taub-NUT

We present investigations of a class of solutions of Einstein's field equations close to the family of lambda-Taub-NUT spacetimes. The studies are done using a numerical code introduced by the author elsewhere. One of the main technical complication is due to the S3-topology of the Cauchy surfaces. Complementing these numerical results with heuristic arguments, we are able to yield some first insights into the strong cosmic censorship issue and the conjectures by Belinskii, Khalatnikov, and Lifschitz in this class of spacetimes. In particular, the current investigations suggest that strong cosmic censorship holds in this class. We further identify open issues in our current approach and point to future research projects.Comment: 24 pages, 12 figures, uses psfrag and hyperref; replaced with published version, only minor corrections of typos and reference

Association between average daily gain, faecal dry matter content and concentration of Lawsonia intracellularis in faeces

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The objective of this study was to investigate the association between average daily gain and the number of <it>Lawsonia intracellularis</it> bacteria in faeces of growing pigs with different levels of diarrhoea.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A longitudinal field study (<it>n</it> = 150 pigs) was performed in a Danish herd from day 29 to 47 post weaning. Every third day all pigs were weighed, subjected to a clinical examination and faecal samples were obtained. Faecal samples were subjected to dry matter determination and absolute quantification by PCR for <it>L. intracellularis</it> and porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2). Association between average daily gain, faecal dry matter content, numbers of <it>L. intracellularis</it> bacteria and PCV2 genome copies in faeces was investigated in a multilevel mixed-effects linear model.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Increasing numbers of <it>L. intracellularis</it> log₁₀ bacteria/g faeces were significantly associated with decreasing average daily gain (<it>P</it> < 0.001). The association was decreasing with increasing faecal dry matter content (<it>P</it> < 0.01). The number of PCV2 log₁₀ copies/g faeces was not significantly associated with average daily gain of the pigs (<it>P</it> > 0.5).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The results suggest a potential application of a PCR quantifying <it>L. intracellularis</it> in growing pigs. Faecal dry matter content must be taken into consideration in interpretation of such test results.</p