Frataxin is reduced in Friedreich ataxia patients and is associated with mitochondrial membranes

Friedreich ataxia is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by loss of function mutations in the frataxin gene. In order to unravel frataxin function we developed monoclonal antibodies raised against different regions of the protein. These antibodies detect a processed 18 kDa protein in various human and mouse tissues and cell lines that is severely reduced in Friedreich ataxia patients. By immunocytofluorescence and immunocytoelectron microscopy we show that frataxin is located in mitochondria, associated with the mitochondrial membranes and crests. Analysis of cellular localization of various truncated forms of frataxin expressed in cultured cells and evidence of removal of an N-terminal epitope during protein maturation demonstrated that the mitochondrial targetting sequence is encoded by the first 20 amino acids. Given the shared clinical features between Friedreich ataxia, vitamin E deficiency and some mitochondriopathies, our data suggest that a reduction in frataxin results in oxidative damage.     

Serologic studies on the occurrence of bovine ehrlichiosis in the cantons Zürich, Schaffhausen, Thurgau, St. Gallen and Obwalden

The purpose of this study was to investigate the geographical distribution of bovine ehrlichiosis in the Cantons Zürich, Schaffhausen, Thurgau, St. Gallen and Obwalden. To this end, an indirect immunofluorescence assay was established. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity was estimated to be close to 100% based on the results obtained with several reference sera from the US National Veterinary Services Laboratories and the seroconversion panels of 20 heifers and cows. Blood samples from 2557 healthy cattle were tested for antibody response against Ehrlichia phagocytophila. Ninety-three animals (3.6%) were seropositive with titers ranging from 1:20 to 1:320. Most of the positive animals were found in the area north of lake Zürich spanning to the german border, in the area between Walensee and Bad Ragaz, the Rhine valley and Klein Melchtal. All seropositive animals had grazed on pastures or alps with a favourable biotope for the tick Ixodes ricinus.     

Imported hepatozoonosis in the dog: 3 cases

Canine hepatozoonosis is presented with 3 cases. The most common signs are: fever, anorexia, weight loss, diarrhea and vomiting, muscle weakness, lymphadenopathy, anemia and purulent discharge from the nose and the eyes. Because an infection with H. canis in the dog is often associated with other infectious diseases such as leishmaniasis, ehrlichiosis and babesiosis, the clinical picture may be dominated by these diseases. The diagnosis is made with the typical inclusions in neutrophilic granulocytes and monocytes. Only short remissions may be obtained with the presently available medications.     

Anlagentechnische Entwicklungen zur Erhöhung der Sicherheit

Plant engineering developments for improvement of safety . Research undertaken in various companies for reliable dimensioning of production equipment to withstand dangerous pressure increases, e. g. as a result of a runaway reaction or a dust explosion, is presented. Measures for the safe removal of the reaction materials are discussed.     

Ein betriebsnahes mathematisches Modell des Elektro-Schlacke-Umschmelzverfahrens

Beschreibung eines empirischen, mit einer Regressionsanalyse erstellten mathematischen Modells des Elektro-Schlacke-Umschmelzverfahrens. Aussagen über das stationäre Modell mit globalen Beziehungen zwischen Eingangs- und Zielgrößen und Eignung für eine Parameteroptimierung. Angabe der Modellkoeffizienten und Rangfolge des Einflusses der verschiedenen Variablen auf die jeweils betrachtete Ergebnisgröße. Erläuterung der wichtigsten Modellbeziehungen anhand von Bildern und Vergleich mit bekannten Ergebnissen.     

Einfluß sehr niedriger Schwefelgehalte auf die mechanischen Eigenschaften des Stahles St 52-3

Legierungsverfahren zur Einbringung von Metallen seltener Erden in Versuchsschmelzen. Abhängigkeit der Schwefelabsenkung vom Zusatz dieser Metalle zum Stahl. Ermittlung von Zugfestigkeit, Streckgrenze, Bruchdehnung, Brucheinschnürung und Kerbschlagzähigkeit in Abhängigkeit von der Probenlage (längs, quer und in Dickenrichtung) bei unterschiedlich abgesenkten Schwefelgehalten.     

Weakly useful sequences

An infinite binary sequence x is defined to be

(i) strongly useful if there is a computable time bound within which every decidable sequence is Turing reducible to x; and

(ii) weakly useful if there is a computable time bound within which all the sequences in a non-measure 0 subset of the set of decidable sequences are Turing reducible to x.

Juedes, Lathrop, and Lutz [Theorectical Computer Science 132 (1994) 37] proved that every weakly useful sequence is strongly deep in the sense of Bennett [The Universal Turing Machine: A Half-Century Survey, 1988, 227] and asked whether there are sequences that are weakly useful but not strongly useful. The present paper answers this question affirmatively. The proof is a direct construction that combines the martingale diagonalization technique of Lutz [SIAM Journal on Computing 24 (1995) 1170] with a new technique, namely, the construction of a sequence that is “computably deep” with respect to an arbitrary, given uniform reducibility. The abundance of such computably deep sequences is also proven and used to show that every weakly useful sequence is computably deep with respect to every uniform reducibility.

Effects of interactive imagery on learning: Application to advertising.

Studied the effect of type of picture accompanying word paired associates on recall. 48 brand and product pairs with their accompanying pictures were drawn from the Yellow Pages of a local telephone directory. 72 undergraduates were placed into a 4-group design consisting of 2 control and 2 experimental groups. The 2 experimental groups were shown either interactive or noninteractive pictures with each word pair. The 2 control groups were shown only the word pairs. The group receiving the interactive imagery remembered more brand names than the noninteractive imagery group (p?