Antibodies response induced by recombinant virus-like particles from Triatoma virus and chimeric antigens from Trypanosoma cruzi.

Background: The infection caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi affects humans and is called as Chagas disease. Currently, the main measures available to reduce the incidence of this disease are drug treatment and vector control. Traditionally, the development of vaccines occurs mainly through the use of antigenic candidates of the etiologic agent in the form of a vaccine preparation.

Exploring the role of genome and structural ions in preventing viral capsid collapse during dehydration.

Even though viruses evolve mainly in liquid milieu, their horizontal transmission routes often include episodes of dry environment. Along their life cycle, some insect viruses, such as viruses from the Dicistroviridae family, withstand dehydrated conditions with presently unknown consequences to their structural stability. Here, we use atomic force microscopy to monitor the structural changes of viral particles of Triatoma virus (TrV) after desiccation.

Home Advantage in Judo: Analysis by the Combat Phase, Penalties and the Type of Attack.

Previous studies indicate positive home advantage in judo; however, the factors that influence home advantage have yet to be fully explored. This study investigated the potential differences in technical-tactical variables between home and visiting athletes. A total of 1411 video recorded matches were analyzed (123 home, 1288 away) from 36 international judo competitions contested in 2011-12.

X-ray structure of Triatoma virus empty capsid: insights into the mechanism of uncoating and RNA release in dicistroviruses.

In viruses, uncoating and RNA release are two key steps of successfully infecting a target cell. During these steps, the capsid must undergo the necessary conformational changes to allow RNA egress. Despite their importance, these processes are poorly understood in the family Dicistroviridae.

Catalyst- and solvent-dependent stereodivergence in the intramolecular Et(2)Zn/Pd(0) -promoted carbonyl propargylation: mechanistic implications.

Carbonyl-tethered propargylic benzoates undergo intramolecular carbonylpropargylation upon treatment with Et2 Zn in the presence of a catalytic amount of Pd(0) with the formation of 2-alkynylcyclopentanol products. A ligand/solvent effect on the cis/trans selectivity (referring to the relative positions of alkynyl and OH groups) of ring-closure has been found. In a non-coordinating solvent (benzene), increasing the electron-donating ability of the phosphine ligand (while decreasing its dissociation ability) leads to an increased tendency towards the trans product.

Modeling the basin of attraction as a two-dimensional manifold from experimental data: applications to balance in humans.

We present a method of modeling the basin of attraction as a three-dimensional function describing a two-dimensional manifold on which the dynamics of the system evolves from experimental time series data. Our method is based on the density of the data set and uses numerical optimization and data modeling tools. We also show how to obtain analytic curves that describe both the contours and the boundary of the basin.

Rotated balance in humans due to repetitive rotational movement.

We show how asymmetries in the movement patterns during the process of regaining balance after perturbation from quiet stance can be modeled by a set of coupled vector fields for the derivative with respect to time of the angles between the resultant ground reaction forces and the vertical in the anteroposterior and mediolateral directions. In our model, which is an adaption of the model of Stirling and Zakynthinaki (2004), the critical curve, defining the set of maximum angles one can lean to and still correct to regain balance, can be rotated and skewed so as to model the effects of a repetitive training of a rotational movement pattern. For the purposes of our study a rotation and a skew matrix is applied to the critical curve of the model.

Palladium-catalyzed cyclization/Heck- and cyclization/conjugate-addition-type sequences in the preparation of polysubstituted furans.

Palladium-catalyzed heterocyclization-coupling sequences have been developed starting from buta-1,2,3-trienyl carbinols and electron-deficient alkenes. Polysubstituted furans are formed where the heterocyclic ring originates from the elements of the butatrienyl carbinol while the electron-deficient olefin is incorporated as a C-3 substituent. In most cases, the reaction proceeds via a Heck-type pathway leading to the efficient formation of 3-vinylfurans.