1,955 research outputs found
University-local industry linkages : the case of Tohoku University in the Sendai area of Japan
No full textThis paper focuses on Tohoku University in Sendai in the nonmetropolitan area of Japan. Both a long historical and comparative perspective and a spacial perspective are essential to discuss the relevance of university-local industry linkages to local regional economic development. The conjunction of these linkages and economic development has been affected by two evolutionary processes: institutional configurations and territorial dynamics in the national innovation system. In addition, university-local industry linkages have been complicated by top-down regionalization and bottom-up regionalism.Tertiary Education,ICT Policy and Strategies,Agricultural Knowledge&Information Systems,Technology Industry,Rural Development Knowledge&Information Systems
Activation of the beta interferon promoter by paramyxoviruses in the absence of virus protein synthesis
No full textConflicting reports exist regarding the requirement for virus replication in interferon (IFN) induction by paramyxoviruses. Our previous work has demonstrated that pathogen-associated molecular patterns capable of activating the IFN-induction cascade are not normally generated during virus replication, but are associated instead with the presence of defective interfering (DI) viruses. We demonstrate here that DIs of paramyxoviruses, including parainfluenza virus 5, mumps virus and Sendai virus, can activate the IFN-induction cascade and the IFN-beta promoter in the absence of virus protein synthesis. As virus protein synthesis is an absolute requirement for paramyxovirus genome replication, our results indicate that these DI viruses do not require replication to activate the IFN-induction cascade.Peer reviewe
Integration of a virus membrane protein into the lipid bilayer of target cells as a prerequisite for immune cytolysis
No full textStructural requirements for membrane antigens on target cells to mediate immune cytolysis were studied in a model system with purified membrane proteins from Semliki Forest virus (SFV). These SFV spike proteins were isolated in the form of detergent- and lipid-free protein micelles (29S complexes) or, after reconstitution into lipid vesicles, in the form of virosomes. Both the 29S complexes and the virosomes were found to bind well to murine tumor cells (P815 or Eb). When these cells, however, were used as target cells in complement-dependent lysis or in antibody-dependent cell- mediated cytotoxicity assays in the presence of anti-SFV serum, they were not lysed, although they effectively bound the antibody and consumed complement. The same tumor cells infected with SFV served as positive controls in both assays.
Different results were obtained when inactivated Sendai virus was added as a fusion reagent to the cells coated with either virosomes or 29S complexes. Under these conditions the virosome-coated cells became susceptible to SFV- specific lysis, whereas the 29S complex-coated cells remained resistant. Evidence that the susceptibility to lysis ofvirosome-coated cells was dependent on active fusion and, therefore, integration of the viral antigens into the lipid bilayer of the target cells was derived from control experiments with enzyme-treated Sendai virus preparations.
The 29S complexes and the virosomes partially and selectively blocked the target cell lysis by anti-H-2 sera but not by anti-non-H-2 sera confirming our previous finding that major histocompatibility antigens serve as receptors for SFV. The general significance of these findings for mechanisms of immune cytolysis is dicussed
Torque curve measurements in HCP Co in very low fields
No full textMagnetic torque measurements have been made for a single crystal of Co of hcp structure in a very low field region where the torque intensity was not saturated. In this region it had been considered to be impossible to determine the magnetocrystalline anisotropy constants from observed torque curves. Recently, a new method of analyzing the torque curves was proposed by the present author with the help of a least mean square routine instead of the usual Fourier analysis. By using this method the first magnetocrystalline anisotropy constant Kulwas, for the first time, determined at 77 K. It was found that the Kuldetermined in the low field range between 0.3 and 0.5 T coincides with the value determined at a high field region where the torque curve was saturated enough. Below 0.2 T the value of Kuldecreased with decreasing the field. This region was found to correspond to the domain wall formation. </p
Sendai Virus Fusion Activity as Modulated by Target Membrane Components
No full textWe have studied the differences between erythrocytes and erythrocyte ghosts as target membranes for the study of Sendai virus fusion activity. Fusion was monitored continuously by fluorescence dequenching of R18-labeled virus. Experiments were carried out either with or without virus/target membrane prebinding. When Sendai virus was added directly to a erythrocyte/erythrocyte ghost suspension, fusion was always lower than that obtained when experiments were carried out with virus already bound to the erythrocyte/erythrocyte ghost in the cold, since with virus prebinding fusion can be triggered more rapidly. Although virus binding to both erythrocytes and erythrocyte ghosts was similar, fusion activity was much more pronounced when erythrocyte ghosts were used as target membranes. These observations indicate that intact erythrocytes and erythrocyte ghosts are not equivalent as target membranes for the study of Sendai virus fusion activity. Fusion of Sendai virus with both target membranes was inhibited when erythrocytes or erythrocyte ghosts were pretreated with proteinase K, suggesting a role of target membrane proteins in this process. Treatment of both target membranes with neuraminidase, which removes sialic acid residues (the biological receptors for Sendai virus) greatly reduced viral binding. Interestingly, this treatment had no significant effect on the fusion reaction itself.http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:102018010927
The impact of disasters on emergency department resources: review against the Sendai framework for disaster risk reduction 2015–2030
No full textBackground: Emergency departments (EDs) are often first to feel the intra-hospital effects of disasters. Compromised care standards during disasters eventuate from increased demands on health resources; the facilities, supplies, equipment and manpower imperative for a functioning healthcare facility. Emergency departments must understand the effect of disasters on their health resources. This paper examines the impact on resources within the ED as a result of a disaster and provides a review against the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction's Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030 priorities. Method: An integrative literature review design was utilised. Articles were extracted from databases and search engines. The Preferred Reporting Items of Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis Guidelines for systematic literature reviews were used. Results: Seven papers met inclusion criteria. Disaster consumable stocking was used to mitigate disaster risk and improve resilience. Logistical challenges were exacerbated by poor building design. Ineffective human resource management, communications failure, insufficient ED space, diminished equipment and supplies and unreliable emergency power sources were described. Conclusions: Disaster planning and preparedness strategies can address health resource deficits, increasing ED resilience. Further retrospective case studies are required to greater understand the effects of disasters on ED health resources.No Full Tex
Resilience Assessment at the State Level Using the Sendai Framework
No full textThe multitude of uncertainties of both natural and man-made disasters have prompted an increased attention in resilience engineering and disaster management. To overcome the effects of disastrous events, such as economic and social effects, modern communities need to be resilient. Natural disasters are unpredictable and unavoidable. While it is not possible to prevent them and protect individuals and societies against such disasters, modern communities should be prepared by incorporating both pre-event (preparedness and mitigation) and post-event (response and recovery) resilience activities to minimize the negative effects after a severe event. Resilience indicators may be fundamental to help the planners and decision-makers to develop strategies and action plans for making communities more resilient. This chapter presents a quantitative approach to estimate the resilience and resilience-based risk at the state level. In the proposed method, the resilience-based risk is a function of resilience, hazard, and exposure. To evaluate the resilience parameter, data provided by the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) are used. The framework is developed using resilience indicators with the primary goal of achieving disaster risk reduction. To use those indicators in the resilience assessment, it is necessary to define the impact and the contribution of each indicator towards resilience. To do that, two possible methods to combine and weight the different SFDRR indicators are presented: Dependence Tree Analysis (DTA) and Spider Plot Weighted Area Analysis (SPA). The proposed approach allows the decision-makers and governments to evaluate the resilience and the related resilience-based risk (RBR) of their countries using available information.Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository ‘You share, we take care!’ – Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.System Engineerin
Sendai Virosomes Revisited: Reconstitution with Exogenous Lipids Leads to Potent Vehicles for Gene Transfer
No full textAbstractA reliable new procedure is described for the reconstitution of Sendai viral envelopes suitable for gene transfer. Both fusion and hemagglutinin-neuraminidase glycoproteins were extracted from purified Sendai virus and reconstituted together with DNA in the presence of cholesterol:sphingomyelin:phosphatidylcholine:phosphatidylethanolamine (Chol:SM:PC:PE) in a molar ratio of 3.5:3.5:2:1. Before reconstitution, the DNA to be transferred was condensed by pretreatment with polylysine. Exogenous lipid addition and the DNA-condensation step were essential for maximal size as well as for fusogenic activity of the resulting virosomes, the analysis of which revealed (1) the absence of any genomic material originating from Sendai virus, (2) the presence of fusogenic spikes in a functional orientation, (3) the encapsulation of reporter genes, and (4) high-transfer activity for plasmids carrying the green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene and double-stranded nucleotides into different mammalian cells. Transfer rates were up to 10-fold higher than those obtained with different cationic lipids. Gene delivery by means of our lipid-enriched Sendai virosomes extends the known gene transfer strategies, including those based on Sendai virus previously published
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