Novel conantokins from Conus parius venom are specific antagonists of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors

Journal ArticleWe report the discovery and characterization of three conantokin peptides from the venom of Conus parius. Each peptide (conantokin-Pr1, -Pr2, and -Pr3) contains 19 amino acids with three γ-carboxyglutamate (Gla) residues, a post-translationally modified amino acid characteristic of conantokins. The new peptides contain several amino acid residues that differ from previous conantokin consensus sequences

Uniquely selective inhibitor of the mammalian fetal neuromuscular nicotinic acetylcholine receptor

Journal ArticleWe have purified and characterized a novel conotoxin from the venom of Conus obscurus, which has the unique property of selectively and potently inhibiting the fetal form of the mammalian neuromuscular nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) (α1β1γδ-subunits). Although this conotoxin, αA-conotoxin OIVB (αA-OIVB), is a high-affinity antagonist (IC50 of 56 nM) of the fetal muscle nAChR, it has >1800-fold lower affinity for the adult muscle nAChR (α1β1εδ-subunits) and virtually no inhibitory activity at a high concentration on various neuronal nAChRs (IC50 > 100 μM in all cases)

Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology, Part W, conodonts, conoidal shells, worms, trace fossils: comments and additions

18 p., 21 fig.http://paleo.ku.edu/contributions.htm

Is keV ion induced pattern formation on Si(001) caused by metal impurities?

We present ion beam erosion experiments performed in ultra high vacuum using a differentially pumped ion source and taking care that the ion beam hits the Si(001) sample only. Under these conditions no ion beam patterns form on Si for angles below 45 degrees with respect to the global surface normal using 2 keV Kr ions and fluences of 2 x 10^22 ions/m^2. In fact, the ion beam induces a smoothening of preformed patterns. Simultaneous sputter deposition of stainless steel in this angular range creates a variety of patterns, similar to those previously ascribed to clean ion beam induced destabilization of the surface profile. Only for grazing incidence with incident angles between 60 degrees and 83 degrees pronounced ion beam patterns form. It appears that the angular dependent stability of Si(001) against pattern formation under clean ion beam erosion conditions is related to the angular dependence of the sputtering yield, and not primarily to a curvature dependent yield as invoked frequently in continuum theory models.Comment: 15 pages, 7 figures. This is an author-created, un-copyedited version of an article published in Nanotechnology. IOP Publishing Ltd is not responsible for any errors or omissions in this version of the manuscript or any version derived from i

Acute exposure of mice to high-dose ultrafine carbon black decreases susceptibility to pneumococcal pneumonia

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Epidemiological studies suggest that inhalation of carbonaceous particulate matter from biomass combustion increases susceptibility to bacterial pneumonia. <it>In vitro </it>studies report that phagocytosis of carbon black by alveolar macrophages (AM) impairs killing of <it>Streptococcus pneumoniae</it>. We have previously reported high levels of black carbon in AM from biomass smoke-exposed children and adults. We therefore aimed to use a mouse model to test the hypothesis that high levels of carbon loading of AM <it>in vivo </it>increases susceptibility to pneumococcal pneumonia.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Female outbred mice were treated with either intranasal phosphate buffered saline (PBS) or ultrafine carbon black (UF-CB in PBS; 500 μg on day 1 and day 4), and then infected with <it>S. pneumoniae </it>strain D39 on day 5. Survival was assessed over 72 h. The effect of UF-CB on AM carbon loading, airway inflammation, and a urinary marker of pulmonary oxidative stress was assessed in uninfected animals.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Instillation of UF-CB in mice resulted a pattern of AM carbon loading similar to that of biomass-smoke exposed humans. In uninfected animals, UF-CB treated animals had increased urinary 8-oxodG (P = 0.055), and an increased airway neutrophil differential count (P < 0.01). All PBS-treated mice died within 72 h after infection with S<it>. pneumoniae</it>, whereas morbidity and mortality after infection was reduced in UF-CB treated animals (median survival 48 h vs. 30 h, P < 0.001). At 24 hr post-infection, UF-CB treated mice had lower lung and the blood S<it>. pneumoniae </it>colony forming unit counts, and lower airway levels of keratinocyte-derived chemokine/growth-related oncogene (KC/GRO), and interferon gamma.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Acute high level loading of AM with ultrafine carbon black particles <it>per se </it>does not increase the susceptibility of mice to pneumococcal infection <it>in vivo</it>.</p

Die Ki.SSES-PROLUBA Längsschnittstudie: Entwicklungsstand zur Einschulung von Kindern mit sonderpädagogischem Förderbedarf „Sprache“ bei separierender und integrativer Beschulung

Auch für Menschen mit sprachlich-kommunikativen Beeinträchtigungen gilt uneingeschränkt das normative Ziel der vollen, chancengleichen Teilhabe für Menschen mit Behinderungen, das nicht erst seit der Ratifizierung der Konvention über die Rechte von Menschen mit Behinderungen (BRK) einen breiten, gesellschaftlichen Konsens findet (BGBl II 2008/35). Intensive Diskussionen dagegen gibt es über den Weg zur Erreichung dieses Ziels. Auch wenn Art. 24 der Behindertenrechtskonvention (BRK) ein „inklusives Bildungssystem auf allen Ebenen“ einfordert, stehen viele Akteure im System, aber auch Menschen ohne direkten Bezug zur Thematik, der Abschaffung der Förderschulen skeptisch gegenüber. Dabei gibt es empirische Belege dafür, dass die Schulleistungsentwicklung von Schülern im gemeinsamen Unterricht an der Regelschule günstiger verläuft als an Sonderschulen (Wocken, 2005). Einige Experten fordern deswegen das Ende der separierenden Beschulung (Klemm, 2010). Allerdings kann gerade die soziale Integration im gemeinsamen Unterricht von behinderten und nicht-behinderten Kindern gefährdet sein (Huber, 2009). Die Ergebnisse erster vergleichender Untersuchungen könnten so interpretiert werden, dass die vorrangig an Schülern mit Lernbehinderungen gewonnenen Ergebnisse, nur eingeschränkt für primär Sprach- und Kommunikationsbeeinträchtigte Gültigkeit haben (Kocaj, Kuhl, Kroth, Pant, & Stanat, 2014). Auch das Forschungsprojekt Ki.SSES-Proluba widmet sich dieser Forschungslücke. Die vom BMBF finanzierte und durch das Kultusministerium Baden-Württemberg sowie das Staatliche Seminar für Sonderschulen Stuttgart unterstützte Studie geht der Frage nach, wie sich Kinder mit Spezifischer Sprachentwicklungsstörung in der Sprachheilschule oder der Grundschule entwickeln. Grundlegend für diese Analyse ist es, die Entwicklung der Kinder mit Spezifischer Sprachentwicklungsstörung (Ki.SSES) in den ersten Schuljahren differenziert hinsichtlich Sprachfähigkeit, sozialer Entwicklung, Selbstkonzept und Schulleistung im Vergleich zur Kontrollgruppe der Kinder mit typischer Sprachentwicklung (Ki.TSE) darzustellen. Der folgende Beitrag beschreibt die Untersuchungsgruppen zum Schulbeginn und damit die Ausgangslage für die schulische Entwicklung, der in die Studie einbezogenen Kinder. Außerdem wird das Untersuchungsdesign genauer dargelegt

Cost Effectiveness of Gastroprotection with Proton Pump Inhibitors in Older Low-Dose Acetylsalicylic Acid Users in the Netherlands

Clinical Pharmacy and Toxicolog

Self-assembly of quantum dots: effect of neighbor islands on the wetting in coherent Stranski-Krastanov growth

The wetting of the homogeneously strained wetting layer by dislocation-free three-dimensional islands belonging to an array has been studied. The array has been simulated as a chain of islands in 1+1 dimensions. It is found that the wetting depends on the density of the array, the size distribution and the shape of the neighbor islands. Implications for the self-assembly of quantum dots grown in the coherent Stranski-Krastanov mode are discussed.Comment: 4 pages, 6 figures, accepted version, minor change

Electrical properties of ZnO nanorods studied by conductive atomic force microscopy

ZnO nanostructures are promising candidates for the development of novel electronic devices due to their unique electrical and optical properties. Here, we present a complementary electrical characterization of individual upright standing and lying ZnO nanorods using conductive atomic force microscopy (C-AFM). Initially, the electrical properties of the arrays of upright standing ZnO NRs were characterized using two-dimensional current maps. The current maps were recorded simultaneously with the topography acquired by contact mode AFM. Further, C-AFM was utilized to determine the local current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of the top and side facets of individual upright standing NRs. Current-voltage characterization revealed a characteristic similar to that of a Schottky diode. Detailed discussion of the electrical properties is based on local I-V curves, as well as on the 2D current maps recorded from specific areas. © 2011 American Institute of Physics.published_or_final_versio

Structural and magnetic properties of Mn-implanted Si

Structural and ferromagnetic properties in Mn implanted, p-type Si were investigated. High resolution structural analysis techniques like synchrotron X-ray diffraction revealed the formation of MnSi1.7 nanoparticles already in the as implanted samples. Depending on the Mn-fluence, the size increases from 5 nm to 20 nm upon rapid thermal annealing. No significant evidence is found for Mn substituting Si sites either in the as-implanted or annealed samples. The observed ferromagnetism yields a saturation moment of 0.21 mu_B per implanted Mn at 10 K, which could be assigned to MnSi1.7 nanoparticles as revealed by a temperature dependent magnetization measurement.Comment: 21 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publicaiton at Phys. Rev.