Estimating Energy Expenditure during Level, Uphill, and Downhill Walking.

Introduction: The load carriage decision aid (LCDA) walking equation was developed from literature-aggregated group mean data to calculate standing and level walking energy expenditures in healthy, military-age adults. The LCDA walking equation has not been validated for use in individuals or graded walking.

Purpose: We aimed to validate the LCDA walking equation as a predictor of standing and level walking energy expenditure in individuals and expand to a new graded walking equation for uphill and downhill walking.

Crystal structure of a biologically inactive mutant of toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 at 2.5 A resolution.

Toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1) is one of a family of staphylococcal exotoxins recognized as microbial superantigens. The toxin plays a dominant role in the genesis of toxic shock in humans through a massive activation of the immune system. This potentially lethal illness occurs as a result of the interaction of TSST-1 with a significant proportion of the T-cell repertoire.

A toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 mutant that defines a functional site critical for T-cell activation.

Toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (TSST-1), a superantigen produced by Staphylococcus aureus, is a causative agent of toxic shock syndrome (TSS). This superantigen is a potent stimulator of T cells and macrophages/monocytes, resulting in the release of cytokines that are implicated in the pathogenesis of TSS. This study characterizes a mutant TSST-1, derived by site-directed mutagenesis, that has an alanine substitution at histidine 135 (mutant 135).