The binding of glucosylceramidase to glucosylceramide is promoted by its activator protein

AbstractA protein activator of glucosylceramidase (EC 3.2.1.45) has been previously identified by us in human placenta [(1985) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 836, 157–166]. In the present paper we report that its function in vitro is to stimulate the binding of the enzyme to its substrate, glucosylceramide. After the purification step which frees the enzyme of most of its activator protein (octyl-Sepharose 4B chromatography), the capacity of glucosylceramidase to bind to the glucosylceramide micelles is dramatically decreased. The addition of the activator protein to the purified enzyme restores this binding

Intensity-dependent dispersion under conditions of electromagnetically induced transparency in coherently prepared multistate atoms

Published versio

Velocity-space sensitivity of the time-of-flight neutron spectrometer at JET

The velocity-space sensitivities of fast-ion diagnostics are often described by so-called weight functions. Recently, we formulated weight functions showing the velocity-space sensitivity of the often dominant beam-target part of neutron energy spectra. These weight functions for neutron emission spectrometry (NES) are independent of the particular NES diagnostic. Here we apply these NES weight functions to the time-of-flight spectrometer TOFOR at JET. By taking the instrumental response function of TOFOR into account, we calculate time-of-flight NES weight functions that enable us to directly determine the velocity-space sensitivity of a given part of a measured time-of-flight spectrum from TOFOR

Relationship of edge localized mode burst times with divertor flux loop signal phase in JET

A phase relationship is identified between sequential edge localized modes (ELMs) occurrence times in a set of H-mode tokamak plasmas to the voltage measured in full flux azimuthal loops in the divertor region. We focus on plasmas in the Joint European Torus where a steady H-mode is sustained over several seconds, during which ELMs are observed in the Be II emission at the divertor. The ELMs analysed arise from intrinsic ELMing, in that there is no deliberate intent to control the ELMing process by external means. We use ELM timings derived from the Be II signal to perform direct time domain analysis of the full flux loop VLD2 and VLD3 signals, which provide a high cadence global measurement proportional to the voltage induced by changes in poloidal magnetic flux. Specifically, we examine how the time interval between pairs of successive ELMs is linked to the time-evolving phase of the full flux loop signals. Each ELM produces a clear early pulse in the full flux loop signals, whose peak time is used to condition our analysis. The arrival time of the following ELM, relative to this pulse, is found to fall into one of two categories: (i) prompt ELMs, which are directly paced by the initial response seen in the flux loop signals; and (ii) all other ELMs, which occur after the initial response of the full flux loop signals has decayed in amplitude. The times at which ELMs in category (ii) occur, relative to the first ELM of the pair, are clustered at times when the instantaneous phase of the full flux loop signal is close to its value at the time of the first ELM

L’attività vetraria nel XV secolo a Ferrara: indagini petroarcheometriche, in Il vetro nell’Alto Adriatico

Numerosi reperti vitrei rinvenuti unitamente a materiale ceramico da una vasca sotterranea di Palazzo Schifanoia hanno consentito di caratterizzare il ruolo che Ferrara aveva seconda metà del XV sec. nella produzione dei vetri. Le analisi chimiche hanno consentito di ricostruire le tecnologie di produzione e definire le caratteristiche delle materie prime utilizzaat

Crustacea Decapoda from Ustica (southern Tyrrhenian Sea): species distribution and sampling approach. In: D. Pessani, T. Tirelli, C. Froglia (eds.), Atti IX Colloquium Crustacea Mediterranea, Torino, September 2-6, 2008. Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali, Torino: 413-434.

<p>The decapod crustacean fauna of Ustica Island (Sicily, southern Tyrrhenian Sea) has been<br> investigated in summer 2002 with the aid of many different sampling methods: suction device,<br> pushnet, skid trawl, trammel net, traps, underwater observation, interviews. All the substrata<br> occurring around the island from 0 to about -30 m were surveyed: midlittoral rock, infralittoral<br> rock, pebbles, seagrass (<em>Posidonia oceanica</em>) bed, sand, detritic bottom, submerged cave. Fifty-seven<br> species were collected in the investigated localities. Abundance and frequency of all<br> species in the samples and in each surveyed biotope are given. The performance of each sampling<br> method has been evaluated, in terms of number of species and individuals, and of species<br> unique to each method.Methods based on direct underwater observation (i.e., visual census) and<br> hand collection provided the largest number of species. Accounts on three remarkable species<br> are given: <em>Calappa tuerkayana</em>, <em>Pachygrapsus transversus</em>, and <em>Percnon gibbesi</em>. This study increases<br> the decapod knowledge of the southern Tyrrhenian sea.</p

Cubosomes for Ruthenium complex delivery: formulation and characterization

An amphiphilic ruthenium-based molecule (DOPURu) with potential antineoplastic activity has been synthesized, and its aggregation behavior in the presence of phospholipids has been investigated. A very rich variety of aggregates has been found, spanning from vesicles to cubic bicontinuous phases. Cubosomes here presented represent one of the first systems with potential use for medical therapy

Towards a specific outcome instrument for spinal trauma : How to measure function and health

Study Design. Validation study. Objective. To investigate the most valid, reliable, and comprehensible response scale for spinal trauma patients to compare their current level of function and health with their preinjury state. Summary of Background Data. In the context of a main project of the AOSpine Knowledge Forum Trauma to develop a disease-specific outcome instrument for adult spinal trauma patients, the need to identify a response scale that uniquely reflects the degree to which a spine trauma patient has returned to his or her preinjury state is crucial. Methods. In the first phase, 3 different question formats and 3 different response formats were investigated in a questionnaire, which was administered twice. Based on the results of the first phase, in the second phase, a modified questionnaire was administered once to a second group of patients to investigate 5 different response formats: 0–10 Numeric Rating Scale-11, 0–100 Numeric Rating Scale-101, Visual Analogue Scale, Verbal Rating Scale, and Adjective Scale. All patients were interviewed in a semistructured fashion to identify their preferences. Multiple statistical analyses were performed: test-retest reliability, internal consistency, and discriminant validity. Results. Twenty eligible patients were enrolled in the first phase and 59 in the second phase. The initial phase revealed the highest preference for 1 specific question format (60.0% and 86.7% after the first and second administration of the questionnaire, respectively). The second phase showed the Verbal Rating Scale as the most preferred response format (35.6%). The semistructured interviews revealed that overall, a subgroup of patients preferred a verbal response format (42.4%), and another group of patients preferred a numerical response format (49.1%). The statistical analysis showed good to excellent psychometric properties for all formats. Conclusion. The most preferred question and response formats were identified for use in a disease-specific outcome instrument for spinal trauma patients

Saposin B binds and transfers phospholipids

Saposin B (Sap B) is a member of a family of four small glycoproteins, Sap A, B, C, and D. Like the other three saposins, Sap B plays a physiological role in the lysosomal degradation of sphingolipids (SLs). Although the interaction of Sap B with SLs has been investigated extensively, that with the main membrane lipid components, namely phospholipids and cholesterol (Chol), is scarcely known. Using large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs) as membrane models, we have now found that Sap B simultaneously extracts from the lipid surface neutral [phosphatidylcholine (PC)] and anionic [phosphatidylinositol (PI)] phospholipids, fewer SLs [ganglioside GM1 (GM1) or cerebroside sulfate (CS)], and no Chol. More PI than SL (GM1 or CS) was solubilized from LUVs containing equal amounts of PI and SLs. An increase in PI level had a poor effect on the Sap B-induced solubilization of GM1 or CS but strongly inhibited that of PC. Sap B was able not only to bind, but also to transfer phospholipids between lipid surfaces. Both the phospholipid binding and transfer activities were optimal at low pH values. These results represent the first biochemical analysis of the Sap B interaction with phospholipids. The capacity of Sap B to bind and transfer phospholipids occurs under conditions mimicking the interior of the late endosomal/lysosomal compartment and thus might have physiological relevance