Unicuspid unicommissural aortic valve: an extremely rare congenital anomaly.

Unicuspid aortic valve is a rare congenital malformation that usually presents in the 3rd to 5th decade of life-and usually with severe aortic stenosis or regurgitation. It often requires surgical correction. Diagnosis can be made with 2- or 3-dimensional transthoracic or transesophageal echocardiography, cardiac computed tomography, or cardiac magnetic resonance imaging.

Evidence for a bicarbonate "escort" site in Haemophilus influenzae beta-carbonic anhydrase .

The Haemophilus influenzae beta-carbonic anhydrase (HICA) allosteric site variants V47A and G41A were overexpressed and purified to homogeneity. These variants have k(cat)/K(m) values similar to that of the wild-type enzyme and exhibit a similar dramatic decrease in catalytic activity at pH <8.0.

Activation of a Nodal-independent signaling pathway by Cripto-1 mutants with impaired activation of a Nodal-dependent signaling pathway.

Cripto-1, a co-receptor for Nodal, can activate Nodal-dependent and Nodal-independent signaling pathways. In this study we have investigated whether Cripto-1 mutants, that fail to activate a Nodal-dependent signaling pathway, are capable to activate a Nodal-independent signaling pathway in mammary epithelial cells. Cripto-1 mutants expressed in EpH4 mouse mammary epithelial cells are fully functional in regard to activation of a Nodal-independent signaling pathway, leading to phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and Akt and to enhanced proliferation and motility of these cells, suggesting that Cripto-1 mutants with impaired Nodal signaling are still active in a Nodal-independent signaling pathway.