Building an Information Culture: A Case Study

A company's strategic plan, its attitude toward the use and integration of information and technology, and its financial position are key factors in determining the information-related directions it takes. This article describes the development of one companys information culture.     

Modeling the G-protein-coupled neuropeptide Y Y1 receptor agonist and antagonist binding sites

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) receptors belong to the G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) superfamily and mediate several physiological responses, such as blood pressure, food intake, sedation and memory retention. To understand the interactions between the NPY Y1 receptor subtype and its ligands, computer modeling was applied to the natural peptide agonist, NPY and a small molecule antagonist, BIBP3226. An agonist and antagonist binding domain was elucidated using mutagenesis data for the Y1 receptor as well as for other GPCR families. The agonist and antagonist ligands which were investigated appear to share common residues for their interaction within the transmembrane regions of the Y1 receptor structure, including Gln120, Asn283 and His306. This is in contrast to findings with tachykinin receptors where the binding domains of the non-peptide antagonists have very little in common with the binding domains of the agonist, substance-P. In addition, a hydrogen bond between the hydroxyl group of Tyr36 of NPY and the side chain of Gln219, an interaction that is absent in the model complex between Y1 and the antagonist BIBP3226, is proposed as one of the potential interactions necessary for receptor activation.      

Diagnosis of pulmonary Kaposi's sarcoma by detection of human herpes virus 8 in bronchoalveolar lavage

Human herpes virus 8 (HHV8) DNA has recently been detected in sarcoma tissue of patients with Kaposi's sarcoma. HHV8 DNA could also be found in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid of patients with tracheobronchial Kaposi's sarcoma. To determine the specificity, sensitivity and predictive values of HHV8 DNA detection in the BAL for the diagnosis of pulmonary Kaposi's sarcoma, 100 consecutive BAL were prospectively analyzed for the presence of HHV8 DNA using a nested PCR assay. In addition, 19 BAL samples of 14 AIDS patients with cutaneous or visceral Kaposi's sarcoma were retrospectively investigated. The prospective group consisted of 79 BAL performed in immunocompromised and of 21 BAL in nonimmunocompromised patients. Four patients of the prospectively analyzed group undergoing six BAL showed tracheobronchial Kaposi's sarcoma at five bronchoscopies. All of the five BAL samples performed in these patients with endoscopically visible Kaposi's sarcoma were positive for HHV8 DNA. Following chemotherapy and antiretroviral treatment tracheobronchial Kaposi's sarcoma was no longer detectable at a subsequent bronchoscopy and HHV8 DNA in BAL became negative in one patient. One BAL sample of a HIV-positive patient with no evidence of Kaposi's sarcoma was HHV8 DNA-positive. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of HHV8 detection for the diagnosis of tracheobronchial Kaposi's sarcoma were 100%, 98.9%, 83.3%, and 100%, respectively. Twelve of 19 BAL samples of the retrospective group were HHV8 DNA-positive. In this group, 10 patients undergoing a total of 14 BAL suffered from pulmonary Kaposi's sarcoma. HHV8 DNA was documented in 10 of these 14 BAL samples. In three BAL of this group HHV8 DNA was positive, but pulmonary Kaposi's sarcoma was diagnosed at a later stage. In conclusion, the detection of HHV8 DNA in BAL is restricted to patients with Kaposi's sarcoma and is highly sensitive and specific for pulmonary involvement of Kaposi's sarcoma.     

The IgG Fc receptor family

IgG immune complexes are of central importance in the humoral immune system and strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of hematologic and rheumatic autoimmune disorders. Cross-linking of receptors for the Fc domain of IgG antibodies (FcgammaRs) triggers a wide variety of effector functions including phagocytosis, antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity, and release of inflammatory mediators, as well as immune complex clearance and regulation of antibody production. In this way, FcgammaR provide an essential feedback between the humoral and cellular immune response. In the past, significant advances have been made in the molecular dissection of FcgammaR function using cellular transfection systems. Current approaches designed to target and change individual FcgammaR genes in mice have given further insight into their specific contributions to systemic processes, also indicating them to be important immunoregulatory receptors involved in various disease states of allergy, autoimmunity, and inflammation. Future work on targeting FcgammaR binding sites in combination with humanized FcgammaR mouse models will lead to novel therapeutic strategies in the treatment of IgG-mediated human disease in which FcgammaR activation plays an integral part.     

A low-noise BiCMOS amplifier channel for telecommunications

A low-noise low-pass amplifier channel designed for telecommunications is described. The channel has an 80-kHz corner frequency and total dynamic range of 94 dB. To achieve the high dynamic range, the amplifier channel is constructed with a BiCMOS process and a relative high supply voltage of ±8V is used. To further increase the dynamic range, the baseband amplifier has two branches, a low gain (A = 29 dB) and a high gain (A = 73 dB) branch, comprising a common continuous-time preamplifier and separate antialias filters, switchedcapacitor filters, and postamplifiers. Differential signal processing is used to reduce the effect of common-mode disturbances.     

Pendant drop tensiometry for the evaluation of the foaming properties of milk-derived proteins

Aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between parameters derived from pendant drop tensiometry and foaming properties of milk-derived proteins. Foaming time and foam stability of solutions of whey protein isolate and two different whey protein hydrolysates with varying protein content were analysed. Pendant drop tensiometry was used to determine the surface elasticity and different parameters from a modified dynamic surface tension measurement to characterise protein adsorption to the air-water interface. A modified pendant drop technique allowed the characterisation of the surface occupation of proteins for very fast processes like air bubble stabilisation during foaming. Principal component analysis revealed a close relation between foaming time and parameters from dynamic surface tension measurement (lag time for protein adsorption to the interface, slope of the regression line for the change in surface tension) as well as foam stability with parameters derived from interfacial rheology (surface dilatational modulus as well as elastic and viscous components, phase angle). Therefore pendant drop tensiometry proved to be a valuable tool for the characterisation and prediction of the foaming properties and foam stability of protein solutions.     

Tungsten and Molybdenum 2,4,6‐Trimethylbenzylidyne Complexes as Robust Pre‐Catalysts for Alkyne Metathesis

A series of 2,4,6‐trimethylbenzylidyne tungsten and molybdenum complexes was prepared from the tribromides mer‐[MesCMBr₃(dme)] ( 9a , M=W; 9b , M=Mo, dme=1,2‐dimethoxyethane). Successive reaction of complexes 9 with lithium or potassium hexafluoro‐tert‐butoxide and lithium 1,3‐di‐tert‐butylimidazolin‐2‐imide, (Im^t‐BuN)Li, afforded the imidazolin‐2‐iminato complexes [MesCM{OC(CF₃)₂Me}₂(Im^t‐BuN)] ( 10a , M=W; 10b , M=Mo), whereas the reactions of 9 with three equivalents of LiOSi(O‐t‐Bu)₃ or KOC(CF₃)₃ gave [MesCM{OSi(O‐t‐Bu)₃}₃] ( 11a , M=W; 11b , M=Mo) and [MesCM{OC(CF₃)₃}₃] ( 12a , M=W; 12b , M=Mo), respectively. For comparison, the benzylidyne complex [PhCMo{OSi(O‐t‐Bu)₃}₃] ( 7b ) was also prepared, and its molecular structure together with those of 10a , 10b , 11b , 12a and 12b were established by X‐ray diffraction analysis. Complexes 10 and 11 were employed as pre‐catalysts for the alkyne metathesis of the test substrate 3‐pentynyl benzyl ether ( 13 ) at low catalyst loadings (1 mol%) in the presence of molecular sieve (5 Å). Comparative studies of these 2,4,6‐trimethylbenzylidyne species (MesCM) with their benzylidyne analogues (PhCM) revealed that the increased steric bulk renders the former more stable and manageable in air in solid form for shorter periods of time, but at the expense of a slower initiation, which requires higher temperatures or longer reaction times.