Sample records for fab criteria groupe

  1. Mapping of Fab-1:VEGF Interface Using Carboxyl Group Footprinting Mass Spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wecksler, Aaron T.; Kalo, Matt S.; Deperalta, Galahad

    2015-12-01

    A proof-of-concept study was performed to demonstrate that carboxyl group footprinting, a relatively simple, bench-top method, has utility for first-pass analysis to determine epitope regions of therapeutic mAb:antigen complexes. The binding interface of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and the Fab portion of a neutralizing antibody (Fab-1) was analyzed using carboxyl group footprinting with glycine ethyl ester (GEE) labeling. Tryptic peptides involved in the binding interface between VEGF and Fab-1 were identified by determining the specific GEE-labeled residues that exhibited a reduction in the rate of labeling after complex formation. A significant reduction in the rate of GEE labeling was observed for E93 in the VEGF tryptic peptide V5, and D28 and E57 in the Fab-1 tryptic peptides HC2 and HC4, respectively. Results from the carboxyl group footprinting were compared with the binding interface identified from a previously characterized crystal structure (PDB: 1BJ1). All of these residues are located at the Fab-1:VEGF interface according to the crystal structure, demonstrating the potential utility of carboxyl group footprinting with GEE labeling for mapping epitopes.

  2. Fab Chaperone-Assisted RNA Crystallography (Fab CARC).

    PubMed

    Sherman, Eileen; Archer, Jennifer; Ye, Jing-Dong

    2016-01-01

    Recent discovery of structured RNAs such as ribozymes and riboswitches shows that there is still much to learn about the structure and function of RNAs. Knowledge learned can be employed in both biochemical research and clinical applications. X-ray crystallography gives unparalleled atomic-level structural detail from which functional inferences can be deduced. However, the difficulty in obtaining high-quality crystals and their phasing information make it a very challenging task. RNA crystallography is particularly arduous due to several factors such as RNA's paucity of surface chemical diversity, lability, repetitive anionic backbone, and flexibility, all of which are counterproductive to crystal packing. Here we describe Fab chaperone assisted RNA crystallography (CARC), a systematic technique to increase RNA crystallography success by facilitating crystal packing as well as expediting phase determination through molecular replacement of conserved Fab domains. Major steps described in this chapter include selection of a synthetic Fab library displayed on M13 phage against a structured RNA crystallization target, ELISA for initial choice of binding Fabs, Fab expression followed by protein A affinity then cation exchange chromatography purification, final choice of Fab by binding specificity and affinity as determined by a dot blot assay, and lastly gel filtration purification of a large quantity of chosen Fabs for crystallization.

  3. Assessment of Digoxin-Specific Fab Fragment Dosages in Digoxin Poisoning.

    PubMed

    Nordt, Sean Patrick; Clark, Richard F; Machado, Carol; Cantrell, F Lee

    2016-01-01

    Digoxin poisoning still remains a common cause of morbidity and mortality. Fortunately, digoxin-specific Fab fragments are commercially available as an antidote. However, these Fab fragments are several thousand dollars per vial. There is a standardized formula to calculate appropriate Fab fragment dosage based on the serum digoxin concentration. This can greatly reduce the amount of Fab fragment administered. There is also an empiric dosing guideline recommending 6-10 vials be given; however, this may result in higher amounts of Fab fragments being administered than required. We performed this study to assess the amounts of digoxin-specific Fab fragments administered in the treatment of digoxin poisonings recorded in a poison control system database from January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2009, in which digoxin serum concentrations were available. This was a retrospective study of 278 patients, 107 with acute poisonings (group A) and 171 following chronic poisoning (group B). In group A, the calculated Fab dose was higher than the calculated dose based on available concentrations in 39 (36%) of group A and 15 (9%) of group B patients. The average wholesale price cost of the excessive dosages ranged from $4818 to as high as $50,589 per patient. Our data suggests that clinician education on digoxin poisoning and the use of the standardized formula to calculate the Fab dose may decrease over utilization and decrease costs associated with the administration of digoxin-specific Fab fragments in the treatment of digoxin poisonings.

  4. Comparison of childhood myelodysplastic syndrome, AML FAB M6 or M7, CCG 2891: report from the Children's Oncology Group.

    PubMed

    Barnard, Dorothy R; Alonzo, Todd A; Gerbing, Robert B; Lange, Beverly; Woods, William G

    2007-07-01

    Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), acute erythroleukemia (FAB M6), and acute megakaryocytic leukemia (FAB M7) have overlapping features. Children without Down syndrome or acute promyelocytic leukemia who were newly diagnosed with primary myelodysplastic syndrome or acute myeloid leukemia (AML) M6 or M7 were compared to children with de novo AML M0-M5. All children were entered on the Children's Cancer Group therapeutic research study CCG 2891. The presentation and outcomes of the 132 children diagnosed with MDS (60 children), AML FAB M6 (19 children), or AML FAB M7 (53 children) were similar. Children with AML FAB M7 were diagnosed at a significantly younger age (P = 0.001). Children with MDS, M6, or M7 had significantly lower white blood cell (WBC) counts (P = 0.001), lower peripheral blast counts (P < 0.001), and an increased frequency of -7/7q- (P = 0.003) at presentation. All three groups had significantly inferior overall survival (OS) (P < 0.001) and event free survival (P < 0.001) compared with the 748 children diagnosed with AML FAB M0-M5 when assessed from entry on study. This poor survival was largely attributable to induction death and failure. However, when assessed from successful completion of induction therapy, the 5-year OS (P = 0.090)(49.1 vs. 56.9%) and disease-free survival (DFS) (P = 0.113)(38.0 vs. 46.3%) therapy were not significantly different from other children with AML. Childhood AML FAB M6 and AML M7 resemble MDS in presentation, poor induction success rates, and outcomes.

  5. FabH Mutations Confer Resistance to FabF-Directed Antibiotics in Staphylococcus aureus

    PubMed Central

    Parsons, Joshua B.; Yao, Jiangwei; Frank, Matthew W.

    2014-01-01

    Delineating the mechanisms for genetically acquired antibiotic resistance is a robust approach to target validation and anticipates the evolution of clinical drug resistance. This study defines a spectrum of mutations in fabH that render Staphylococcus aureus resistant to multiple natural products known to inhibit the elongation condensing enzyme (FabF) of bacterial type II fatty acid synthesis. Twenty independently isolated clones resistant to platensimycin, platencin, or thiolactomycin were isolated. All mutants selected against one antibiotic were cross-resistant to the other two antibiotics. Mutations were not detected in fabF, but the resistant strains harbored missense mutations in fabH. The altered amino acids clustered in and around the FabH active-site tunnel. The mutant FabH proteins were catalytically compromised based on the low activities of the purified enzymes, a fatty acid-dependent growth phenotype, and elevated expression of the fabHF operon in the mutant strains. Independent manipulation of fabF and fabH expression levels showed that the FabH/FabF activity ratio was a major determinant of antibiotic sensitivity. Missense mutations that reduce FabH activity are sufficient to confer resistance to multiple antibiotics that bind to the FabF acyl-enzyme intermediate in S. aureus. PMID:25403676

  6. Controlled Fab installation onto polymeric micelle nanoparticles for tuned bioactivity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Shaoyi; Florinas, Stelios; Teitgen, Abigail; Xu, Ze-Qi; Gao, Changshou; Wu, Herren; Kataoka, Kazunori; Cabral, Horacio; Christie, R. James

    2017-12-01

    Antibodies and antigen-binding fragments (Fabs) can be used to modify the surface of nanoparticles for enhanced target binding. In our previous work, site-specific conjugation of Fabs to polymeric micelles using conventional methods was limited to approximately 30% efficiency, possibly due to steric hindrance related to macromolecular reactants. Here, we report a new method that enables conjugation of Fabs onto a micelle surface in a controlled manner with up to quantitative conversion of nanoparticle reactive groups. Variation of (i) PEG spacer length in a heterofunctionalized cross-linker and (ii) Fab/polymer feed ratios resulted in production of nanoparticles with a range of Fab densities on the surface up to the theoretical maximum value. The biological impact of variable Fab density was evaluated in vitro with respect to cell uptake and cytotoxicity of a drug-loaded (SN38) targeted polymeric micelle bearing anti-EphA2 Fabs. Fab conjugation increased cell uptake and potency compared with non-targeted micelles, although a Fab density of 60% resulted in decreased uptake and potency of the targeted micelles. Altogether, our findings demonstrate that conjugation strategies can be optimized to allow control of Fab density on the surface of nanoparticles and also that Fab density may need to be optimized for a given cell-surface target to achieve the highest bioactivity.

  7. Structure determination of an Fab fragment that neutralizes human rhinovirus 14 and analysis of the Fab-virus complex.

    PubMed

    Liu, H; Smith, T J; Lee, W M; Mosser, A G; Rueckert, R R; Olson, N H; Cheng, R H; Baker, T S

    1994-07-08

    The crystal structure of Fab17-IA, an antigen-binding fragment from a murine immunoglobulin that neutralizes human rhinovirus 14 (HRV14), has been solved to 2.7 A resolution. Fab17-IA crystallized into three different space groups depending upon the method used to purify the intact antibody. The structure was determined by use of molecular and isomorphous replacement methods. The current model has a crystallographic R-factor of approximately 19% for 10,192 independent reflections between 8 and 2.7 A. Correlation coefficient calculations showed that the Fab17-IA structure can be fit into the Fab17-IA/HRV14 image reconstruction density to within 5 A positional accuracy and to within a few degrees of rotation. The resulting interface of the docked antibody was examined and showed extensive charge and shape complementarity with the virus surface that was supported by site-directed mutagenesis experiments. The success of this approach validates the utility of combining X-ray crystallography with cryo-electron microscopy of complex macromolecular assemblies.

  8. Comparison of F(ab')2 versus Fab antivenom for pit viper envenomation: A prospective, blinded, multicenter, randomized clinical trial

    PubMed Central

    Ruha, Anne-Michelle; Seifert, Steven A.; Morgan, David L.; Lewis, Brandon J.; Arnold, Thomas C.; Clark, Richard F.; Meggs, William J.; Toschlog, Eric A.; Borron, Stephen W.; Figge, Gary R.; Sollee, Dawn R.; Shirazi, Farshad M.; Wolk, Robert; de Chazal, Ives; Quan, Dan; García-Ubbelohde, Walter; Alagón, Alejandro; Gerkin, Richard D.; Boyer, Leslie V.

    2015-01-01

    Background. Crotalidae Polyvalent Immune Fab (Ovine) has been the only antivenom commercially available in the US since 2007 for treatment of Crotalinae envenomation. Late coagulopathy can occur or recur after clearance of Fab antivenom, often after hospital discharge, lasting in some cases more than 2 weeks. There have been serious, even fatal, bleeding complications associated with recurrence phenomena. Frequent follow-up is required, and additional intervention or hospitalization is often necessary. F(ab')2 immunoglobulin derivatives have longer plasma half life than do Fab. We hypothesized that F(ab')2 antivenom would be superior to Fab in the prevention of late coagulopathy following treatment of patients with Crotalinae envenomation. Methods. We conducted a prospective, double-blind, randomized clinical trial, comparing late coagulopathy in snakebitten patients treated with F(ab')2 with maintenance doses [F(ab')2/F(ab')2], or F(ab')2 with placebo maintenance doses [F(ab')2/placebo], versus Fab with maintenance doses [Fab/Fab]. The primary efficacy endpoint was coagulopathy (platelet count < 150 K/mm3, fibrinogen level < 150 mg/dL) between end of maintenance dosing and day 8. Results. 121 patients were randomized at 18 clinical sites and received at least one dose of study drug. 114 completed the study. Of these, 11/37 (29.7%) in the Fab/Fab cohort experienced late coagulopathy versus 4/39 (10.3%, p < 0.05) in the F(ab')2/F(ab')2 cohort and 2/38 (5.3%, p < 0.05) in the F(ab')2/placebo cohort. The lowest heterologous protein exposure was with F(ab')2/placebo. No serious adverse events were related to study drug. In each study arm, one patient experienced an acute serum reaction and one experienced serum sickness. Conclusions. In this study, management of coagulopathic Crotalinae envenomation with longer-half-life F(ab')2 antivenom, with or without maintenance dosing, reduced the risk of subacute coagulopathy and bleeding following treatment of envenomation

  9. Comparison of F(ab')2 versus Fab antivenom for pit viper envenomation: a prospective, blinded, multicenter, randomized clinical trial.

    PubMed

    Bush, Sean P; Ruha, Anne-Michelle; Seifert, Steven A; Morgan, David L; Lewis, Brandon J; Arnold, Thomas C; Clark, Richard F; Meggs, William J; Toschlog, Eric A; Borron, Stephen W; Figge, Gary R; Sollee, Dawn R; Shirazi, Farshad M; Wolk, Robert; de Chazal, Ives; Quan, Dan; García-Ubbelohde, Walter; Alagón, Alejandro; Gerkin, Richard D; Boyer, Leslie V

    2015-01-01

    Crotalidae Polyvalent Immune Fab (Ovine) has been the only antivenom commercially available in the US since 2007 for treatment of Crotalinae envenomation. Late coagulopathy can occur or recur after clearance of Fab antivenom, often after hospital discharge, lasting in some cases more than 2 weeks. There have been serious, even fatal, bleeding complications associated with recurrence phenomena. Frequent follow-up is required, and additional intervention or hospitalization is often necessary. F(ab')2 immunoglobulin derivatives have longer plasma half life than do Fab. We hypothesized that F(ab')2 antivenom would be superior to Fab in the prevention of late coagulopathy following treatment of patients with Crotalinae envenomation. We conducted a prospective, double-blind, randomized clinical trial, comparing late coagulopathy in snakebitten patients treated with F(ab')2 with maintenance doses [F(ab')2/F(ab')2], or F(ab')2 with placebo maintenance doses [F(ab')2/placebo], versus Fab with maintenance doses [Fab/Fab]. The primary efficacy endpoint was coagulopathy (platelet count < 150 K/mm(3), fibrinogen level < 150 mg/dL) between end of maintenance dosing and day 8. 121 patients were randomized at 18 clinical sites and received at least one dose of study drug. 114 completed the study. Of these, 11/37 (29.7%) in the Fab/Fab cohort experienced late coagulopathy versus 4/39 (10.3%, p < 0.05) in the F(ab')2/F(ab')2 cohort and 2/38 (5.3%, p < 0.05) in the F(ab')2/placebo cohort. The lowest heterologous protein exposure was with F(ab')2/placebo. No serious adverse events were related to study drug. In each study arm, one patient experienced an acute serum reaction and one experienced serum sickness. In this study, management of coagulopathic Crotalinae envenomation with longer-half-life F(ab')2 antivenom, with or without maintenance dosing, reduced the risk of subacute coagulopathy and bleeding following treatment of envenomation.

  10. Factors associated with difficulty achieving initial control with crotalidae polyvalent immune fab antivenom in snakebite patients.

    PubMed

    Yin, Shan; Kokko, Jamie; Lavonas, Eric; Mlynarchek, Sara; Bogdan, Greg; Schaeffer, Tammi

    2011-01-01

    The prescribing information for Crotalidae Fab antivenom (FabAV) instructs clinicians to administer FabAV until initial control of the envenomation syndrome is achieved. Risk factors for difficulty achieving initial control are not known. The study aim was to identify factors present before administration of antivenom associated with difficulty achieving initial control. The authors conducted a retrospective study of all patients presenting to any one of 17 centers and receiving FabAV from 2002 to 2004. Demographic and historical information, as well as data about nine specific venom effects, were collected prior to the administration of antivenom. An expert panel used standard criteria to determine if initial control was achieved. The patient group that had difficulty achieving initial control was compared to the group that achieved initial control, and adjusted odds ratios were calculated using stepwise logistic regression. A total of 247 patients were included in the final analysis. The majority of patients were envenomated on the upper extremity and were young males. A total of 203 patients (82.2%) achieved initial control. In univariate analysis, thrombocytopenia, bleeding, neurologic effects, and a severe bite were significantly associated with difficulty achieving initial control. After logistic regression, the presence of neurologic effects and thrombocytopenia remained significantly associated with difficulty achieving initial control. When both factors were present, the patient was 13.8 times more likely to have difficulty achieving initial control. A number of factors were present before the administration of FabAV that were independently associated with difficulty achieving initial control of the envenomation syndrome. Predicting which patients will have difficulty achieving initial control has important ramifications for patient disposition and may provide insight into the mechanisms for lack of antivenom efficacy. © 2010 by the Society for Academic

  11. CroFab reconstitution in various media: an in vitro solubility study.

    PubMed

    Vohra, Rais; Clark, Rick; Kelner, Michael

    2008-11-01

    We investigated the solubility of Crotalidae Polyvalent Ovine Immune Fab antivenom (CroFab, Savage Labs and Protherics Inc., Brentwood, TN, USA) in solutions not listed in the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved product package insert. We also assessed whether adsorption to plastic tubing occurs with CroFab preparations. Nine vials of expired CroFab were divided into three groups according to the solution used for reconstitution. Assignment to the solution groups of normal saline, lactated Ringer's solution, or half-normal saline (NS, LR, 1/2NS) was blinded. The antivenom was diluted to a final volume of 75 mL of test solution. Protein concentration was measured after reconstitution, after storage at 4-6 degrees C for 4 h, and after passage through plastic intravenous (IV) tubing. Higher measured protein yields were noted when half-normal saline was used in comparison with normal saline at each step of the study. Lactated Ringer's solution yielded higher protein concentrations than normal saline only at one out of the three measurement steps. There was no adsorption effect when CroFab was infused through plastic IV tubing. These data suggest that CroFab is slightly more soluble in the hypotonic solution we tested, and the amounts of measured antivenom did not diminish after 4 h of refrigeration or passage through plastic tubing. Our study may be of relevance when clinicians or pharmacists mix CroFab into non-standard solutions.

  12. Resistance Mechanisms and the Future of Bacterial Enoyl-Acyl Carrier Protein Reductase (FabI) Antibiotics

    PubMed Central

    Yao, Jiangwei; Rock, Charles O.

    2016-01-01

    Missense mutations leading to clinical antibiotic resistance are a liability of single-target inhibitors. The enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase (FabI) inhibitors have one intracellular protein target and drug resistance is increased by the acquisition of single-base-pair mutations that alter drug binding. The spectrum of resistance mechanisms to FabI inhibitors suggests criteria that should be considered during the development of single-target antibiotics that would minimize the impact of missense mutations on their clinical usefulness. These criteria include high-affinity, fast on/off kinetics, few drug contacts with residue side chains, and no toxicity. These stringent criteria are achievable by structure-guided design, but this approach will only yield pathogen-specific drugs. Single-step acquisition of resistance may limit the clinical application of broad-spectrum, single-target antibiotics, but appropriately designed pathogen-specific antibiotics have the potential to overcome this liability. PMID:26931811

  13. Continuous IV Crotalidae Polyvalent Immune Fab (Ovine) (FabAV) for selected North American rattlesnake bite patients.

    PubMed

    Bush, Sean P; Seifert, Steven A; Oakes, Jennifer; Smith, Susan D; Phan, Tammy H; Pearl, Sarah R; Reibling, Ellen T

    2013-07-01

    In patients bitten by North American rattlesnakes and treated with Crotalidae Polyvalent Immune Fab (Ovine) (FabAV), late hematologic abnormalities-persistent, recurrent, or late, new onset of hypofibrinogenemia, prolonged PT/INR, prolonged PTT, and/or thrombocytopenia beyond 48 h post-envenomation-are common, difficult to manage, and may result in morbidity and mortality are common, difficult to manage, and may result in morbidity and mortality. The optimal management of late hematologic abnormalities, particularly the use of further treatment with antivenom, has not been well defined. The current FabAV treatment regimen is to give antivenom as a bolus dose over a one-hour period. We describe our experience using a continuous intravenous infusion of FabAV for late hematologic effects and/or associated bleeding complications in rattlesnake envenomation. This is a retrospective, observational case series of patients envenomated by North American rattlesnakes at three medical centers managed with a continuous intravenous infusion of FabAV for late hematologic abnormalities and/or associated bleeding complications. Indications, dilution and infusion protocols, and duration of therapy were individualized. Five cases were identified between July 2010 and September 2011. All patients had profound late hematologic abnormalities and/or were associated with bleeding complications. Several patients had received repeat bolus infusions of FabAV, with or without human blood products, with either inadequate or only transient beneficial response. All patients were then managed with a continuous intravenous infusion of FabAV and all appeared to respond to the continuous intravenous infusion of FabAV, titrated to effect, with cessation of progression and, in most cases, improvement in hematologic abnormalities. Rates of infusion varied from 2 to 4 vials per 24 h (mean = 3.1 ± 0.4 vials/day). The termination of FabAV infusion was between day 6 and day 14 from the time of

  14. Crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab (ovine) antivenom is effective in the neutralization of South American viperidae venoms in a murine model.

    PubMed

    Richardson, William H; Tanen, David A; Tong, Tri C; Betten, David P; Carstairs, Shaun D; Williams, Saralyn R; Cantrell, Frank L; Clark, Richard F

    2005-06-01

    Crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab (ovine) (CroFab; FabAV) is used in the treatment of symptomatic crotaline envenomations in North America. Unlike Antivenin (Crotalidae) Polyvalent, which is approved for treatment of crotaline envenomation in North and South America, FabAV is manufactured using only venoms from crotaline snakes native to the United States. This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of FabAV in the neutralization of venom from 2 South American crotaline snakes: Crotalus durissus terrificus (tropical rattlesnake) and Bothrops atrox (fer-de-lance). A randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled murine model of intraperitoneal venom injection was used. Venom potency was determined in preliminary median lethal dose (LD 50) dosing studies. Study animals were then divided into 7 groups: (1) C durissus terrificus venom (Sigma-Aldrich Co.)+FabAV, (2) C durissus terrificus venom (Sigma-Aldrich Co.)+0.9% normal saline solution, (3) C durissus terrificus venom (Biotoxins Inc.)+FabAV, (4) C durissus terrificus venom (Biotoxins Inc.)+normal saline solution, (5) B atrox venom+FabAV, (6) B atrox venom+normal saline solution, and (7) FabAV+normal saline solution. Twice the estimated LD 50 was the chosen venom dose, and the amount of FabAV injected was 10 times the amount needed for venom neutralization. Statistical analysis included Fisher's exact test and log-rank testing to compare survival rates and times. The venom LD 50 was found in preliminary studies to be 0.9 mg/kg and 1.35 mg/kg for the C durissus terrificus venom obtained from Sigma-Aldrich Co. and Biotoxins Inc., respectively. The LD 50 for B atrox venom was 5.0 mg/kg. All animals receiving venom only and saline solution died. Animals receiving FabAV together with either venom survived to the end of the 24-hour observation period ( P <.001). Comparison of survival times between groups demonstrated a significant difference in time to death between venom-only control groups and the FabAV+venom groups (P

  15. Coagulation parameters in copperhead compared to other Crotalinae envenomation: secondary analysis of the F(ab')2 versus Fab antivenom trial.

    PubMed

    Gerardo, Charles J; Vissoci, Joao R Nickenig; Brown, Michael W J; Bush, Sean P

    2017-02-01

    Coagulation derangements in copperhead envenomation are considered less severe than other crotaline envenomations, resulting in recommendations to limit both coagulation testing and antivenom treatment. A prospective, blinded, multicenter, randomized clinical trial comparing the effectiveness of F(ab') 2 versus Fab antivenom in crotaline envenomation patients was completed in 2011. We determined the difference between coagulation parameters in copperhead compared to other crotaline envenomations. We performed a post hoc analysis comparing the coagulation parameters (platelets and fibrinogen) prospectively obtained in the aforementioned trial. All the patients received antivenom in one of three treatment arms [F(ab') 2 with maintenance, F(ab') 2 with placebo maintenance, or Fab with maintenance]. Coagulation parameters were measured at pretreatment baseline, during acute hospitalization, day 5, day 8, and day 15 post-envenomation. Mean platelet count and fibrinogen levels for the copperhead and other crotaline groups were compared. The platelet and fibrinogen point estimates with distribution are presented graphically over time. 122 patients were enrolled in the study. There were 22 patients with copperhead envenomation, 93 with other crotaline envenomations, and 7 that could not be definitively determined. The mean age was 42 (SD 20) years. There was a minor pretreatment difference in mean baseline platelet count between the copperhead group (246 × 109/L 95% CI 215, 277) compared to other crotaline envenomation patients (184 × 109/L 95% CI 167, 202). There was a modest pretreatment difference in mean fibrinogen level between copperhead patients (345 mg/dL 95% CI 277, 415) and other crotaline patients (261mg/dL 95% CI 241, 281). Pretreatment coagulation parameter means were normal and converged post treatment. On average, copperhead envenomations have less severe initial coagulation derangements. However, in mild envenomations, differences in laboratory

  16. QSAR models for prediction of chromatographic behavior of homologous Fab variants.

    PubMed

    Robinson, Julie R; Karkov, Hanne S; Woo, James A; Krogh, Berit O; Cramer, Steven M

    2017-06-01

    While quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) models have been employed successfully for the prediction of small model protein chromatographic behavior, there have been few reports to date on the use of this methodology for larger, more complex proteins. Recently our group generated focused libraries of antibody Fab fragment variants with different combinations of surface hydrophobicities and electrostatic potentials, and demonstrated that the unique selectivities of multimodal resins can be exploited to separate these Fab variants. In this work, results from linear salt gradient experiments with these Fabs were employed to develop QSAR models for six chromatographic systems, including multimodal (Capto MMC, Nuvia cPrime, and two novel ligand prototypes), hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC; Capto Phenyl), and cation exchange (CEX; CM Sepharose FF) resins. The models utilized newly developed "local descriptors" to quantify changes around point mutations in the Fab libraries as well as novel cluster descriptors recently introduced by our group. Subsequent rounds of feature selection and linearized machine learning algorithms were used to generate robust, well-validated models with high training set correlations (R 2  > 0.70) that were well suited for predicting elution salt concentrations in the various systems. The developed models then were used to predict the retention of a deamidated Fab and isotype variants, with varying success. The results represent the first successful utilization of QSAR for the prediction of chromatographic behavior of complex proteins such as Fab fragments in multimodal chromatographic systems. The framework presented here can be employed to facilitate process development for the purification of biological products from product-related impurities by in silico screening of resin alternatives. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 1231-1240. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  17. Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of FabG from Yersinia pestis.

    PubMed

    Nanson, Jeffrey David; Forwood, Jade Kenneth

    2014-01-01

    The type II fatty-acid biosynthesis pathway of bacteria provides enormous potential for antibacterial drug development owing to the structural differences between this and the type I fatty-acid biosynthesis system found in mammals. β-Ketoacyl-ACP reductase (FabG) is responsible for the reduction of the β-ketoacyl group linked to acyl carrier protein (ACP), and is essential for the formation of fatty acids and bacterial survival. Here, the cloning, expression, purification, crystallization and diffraction of FabG from Yersinia pestis (ypFabG), the highly virulent causative agent of plague, are reported. Recombinant FabG was expressed, purified to homogeneity and crystallized via the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion technique. Diffraction data were collected at the Australian Synchrotron to 2.30 Å resolution. The crystal displayed P2(1)2(1)2(1) symmetry, with unit-cell parameters a = 68.22, b = 98.68, c = 169.84 Å, and four ypFabG molecules in the asymmetric unit.

  18. Effectiveness of Alpha-toxin Fab Monoclonal Antibody Therapy in Limiting the Pathology of Staphylococcus aureus Keratitis.

    PubMed

    Caballero, Armando R; Foletti, Davide L; Bierdeman, Michael A; Tang, Aihua; Arana, Angela M; Hasa-Moreno, Adela; Sangalang, Emma Ruth B; O'Callaghan, Richard J

    2015-08-01

    To investigate the effectiveness of a high-affinity human monoclonal antibody Fab fragment to Staphylococcus aureus alpha-toxin (LTM14 Fab) as therapy for S. aureus keratitis. A single topical drop of the LTM14 Fab antibody to alpha-toxin alone, or in 0.006% benzalkonium chloride (BAK), was applied every 30 min to S. aureus-infected rabbit corneas from 9 to 14 hours post-infection. Erosions and pathology were measured at 15 h post-infection. LTM14 Fab with BAK limited corneal erosions better than LTM14 Fab alone (p = 0.036), and both limited erosions compared to untreated eyes (p ≤ 0.0001). Overall pathology was similar in all groups (p ≥ 0.070), but iritis and chemosis were reduced by treatment (p ≤ 0.036). The high-affinity human monoclonal Fab fragment antibody (LTM14 Fab) to S. aureus alpha-toxin was effective in reducing corneal damage during S. aureus keratitis.

  19. The Female Athlete Body (FAB) study: Rationale, design, and baseline characteristics.

    PubMed

    Stewart, Tiffany M; Pollard, Tarryn; Hildebrandt, Tom; Beyl, Robbie; Wesley, Nicole; Kilpela, Lisa Smith; Becker, Carolyn Black

    2017-09-01

    Eating Disorders (EDs) are serious psychiatric illnesses marked by psychiatric comorbidity, medical complications, and functional impairment. Research indicates that female athletes are often at greater risk for developing ED pathology versus non-athlete females. The Female Athlete Body (FAB) study is a three-site, randomized controlled trial (RCT) designed to assess the efficacy of a behavioral ED prevention program for female collegiate athletes when implemented by community providers. This paper describes the design, intervention, and participant baseline characteristics. Future papers will discuss outcomes. Female collegiate athletes (N=481) aged 17-21 were randomized by site, team, and sport type to either FAB or a waitlist control group. FAB consisted of three sessions (1.3h each) of a behavioral ED prevention program. Assessments were conducted at baseline (pre-intervention), post-intervention (3weeks), and six-, 12-, and 18-month follow-ups. This study achieved 96% (N=481) of target recruitment (N=500). Few group differences emerged at baseline. Total sample analyses revealed moderately low baseline instances of ED symptoms and clinical cases. Health risks associated with EDs necessitate interventions for female athletes. The FAB study is the largest existing RCT for female athletes aimed at both reduction of ED risk factors and ED prevention. The methods presented and population recruited for this study represent an ideal intervention for assessing the effects of FAB on both the aforementioned outcomes. We anticipate that findings of this study (reported in future papers) will make a significant contribution to the ED risk factor reduction and prevention literature. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. The Work Disability Functional Assessment Battery (WD-FAB): Feasibility and Psychometric Properties

    PubMed Central

    Meterko, Mark; Marfeo, Elizabeth E.; McDonough, Christine M.; Jette, Alan M.; Ni, Pengsheng; Bogusz, Kara; Rasch, Elizabeth K; Brandt, Diane E.; Chan, Leighton

    2015-01-01

    Objectives To assess the feasibility and psychometric properties of eight scales covering two domains of the newly developed Work Disability Functional Assessment Battery (WD-FAB): physical function (PF) and behavioral health (BH) function. Design Cross-sectional. Setting Community. Participants Adults unable to work due to a physical (n=497) or mental (n=476) disability. Interventions None. Main Outcome Measures Each disability group responded to a survey consisting of the relevant WD-FAB scales and existing measures of established validity. The WD-FAB scales were evaluated with regard to data quality (score distribution; percent “I don’t know” responses), efficiency of administration (number of items required to achieve reliability criterion; time required to complete the scale) by computerized adaptive testing (CAT), and measurement accuracy as tested by person fit. Construct validity was assessed by examining both convergent and discriminant correlations between the WD-FAB scales and scores on same-domain and cross-domain established measures. Results Data quality was good and CAT efficiency was high across both WD-FAB domains. Measurement accuracy was very good for the PF scales; BH scales demonstrated more variability. Construct validity correlations, both convergent and divergent, between all WD-FAB scales and established measures were in the expected direction and range of magnitude. Conclusions The data quality, CAT efficacy, person fit and construct validity of the WD-FAB scales were well supported and suggest that the WD-FAB could be used to assess physical and behavioral health function related to work disability. Variation in scale performance suggests the need for future work on item replenishment and refinement, particularly regarding the Self-Efficacy scale. PMID:25528263

  1. PSMA-targeted bispecific Fab conjugates that engage T cells.

    PubMed

    Patterson, James T; Isaacson, Jason; Kerwin, Lisa; Atassi, Ghazi; Duggal, Rohit; Bresson, Damien; Zhu, Tong; Zhou, Heyue; Fu, Yanwen; Kaufmann, Gunnar F

    2017-12-15

    Bioconjugate formats provide alternative strategies for antigen targeting with bispecific antibodies. Here, PSMA-targeted Fab conjugates were generated using different bispecific formats. Interchain disulfide bridging of an αCD3 Fab enabled installation of either the PSMA-targeting small molecule DUPA (SynFab) or the attachment of an αPSMA Fab (BisFab) by covalent linkage. Optimization of the reducing conditions was critical for selective interchain disulfide reduction and good bioconjugate yield. Activity of αPSMA/CD3 Fab conjugates was tested by in vitro cytotoxicity assays using prostate cancer cell lines. Both bispecific formats demonstrated excellent potency and antigen selectivity. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  2. Frontal assessment battery (FAB) performance following traumatic brain injury hospitalized in an acute care setting.

    PubMed

    Rojas, Natalia; Laguë-Beauvais, Maude; Belisle, Arielle; Lamoureux, Julie; AlSideiri, Ghusn; Marcoux, Judith; Maleki, Mohammed; Alturki, Abdulrahman Y; Anchouche, Sonia; Alquraini, Hanan; Feyz, Mitra; Guise, Elaine de

    2018-01-19

    The Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) has been shown to be useful in several clinical settings. The aim of the present study was to examine the performance of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) on the FAB and to predict their acute outcome. The FAB was administered to 89 patients with mild (27 = uncomplicated and 39 = complicated) and moderate (n = 23) TBI during hospitalization in an acute care setting. The length of stay in days (LOS), Glasgow Outcome Scale-Revised score (GOSE) and Disability Rating Scale (DRS) score were collected. Results showed no significant differences between the three groups on the FAB score, but age and education were significantly associated with the FAB score. Parietal lesions were associated with lower total FAB score, and with the Similarities, Motor series and Conflicting instructions subscales, while frontal lesions were associated with lower performance on the Motor series and Conflicting instructions subscales. Total FAB score was significantly correlated with all outcome measures, and together the FAB total score and the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score explained 30.8% of the variance in the DRS score. The FAB may be useful clinically to acutely assess frontal and parietal lobe functions at bedside in patients with TBI and, in combination with the GCS score to measure TBI severity, can enable clinicians to predict early outcome.

  3. Development of tools to study personal weight control strategies: OxFAB taxonomy

    PubMed Central

    Aveyard, Paul; Koshiaris, Constantinos; Jebb, Susan A.

    2016-01-01

    Objective To describe the development of the Oxford Food and Activity Behaviors (OxFAB) taxonomy and questionnaire to explore the cognitive and behavioral strategies used by individuals during weight management attempts. Methods The taxonomy was constructed through a qualitative analysis of existing resources and a review of existing behavior change taxonomies and theories. The taxonomy was translated into a questionnaire to identify strategies used by individuals. Think‐aloud interviews were conducted to test the face/concept validity of the questionnaire, and test–retest reliability was assessed in a sample of 138 participants. Results The OxFAB taxonomy consists of 117 strategies grouped into 23 domains. Compared to taxonomies used to describe interventions, around half of the domains and strategies identified are unique to the OxFAB taxonomy. The OxFAB questionnaire consists of 117 questions, one for each strategy from the taxonomy. Test–retest resulted in a mean PABAK score of 0.61 (SD 0.15). Questions were revised where appropriate. Conclusions The OxFAB taxonomy and questionnaire provide a conceptual framework to identify the cognitive and behavioral strategies used by individuals during attempts at weight control. PMID:26748902

  4. Baculovirus display of functional antibody Fab fragments.

    PubMed

    Takada, Shinya; Ogawa, Takafumi; Matsui, Kazusa; Suzuki, Tasuku; Katsuda, Tomohisa; Yamaji, Hideki

    2015-08-01

    The generation of a recombinant baculovirus that displays antibody Fab fragments on the surface was investigated. A recombinant baculovirus was engineered so that the heavy chain (Hc; Fd fragment) of a mouse Fab fragment was expressed as a fusion to the N-terminus of baculovirus gp64, while the light chain of the Fab fragment was simultaneously expressed as a secretory protein. Following infection of Sf9 insect cells with the recombinant baculovirus, the culture supernatant was analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using antigen-coated microplates and either an anti-mouse IgG or an anti-gp64 antibody. A relatively strong signal was obtained in each case, showing antigen-binding activity in the culture supernatant. In western blot analysis of the culture supernatant using the anti-gp64 antibody, specific protein bands were detected at an electrophoretic mobility that coincided with the molecular weight of the Hc-gp64 fusion protein as well as that of gp64. Flow cytometry using a fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated antibody specific to mouse IgG successfully detected the Fab fragments on the surface of the Sf9 cells. These results suggest that immunologically functional antibody Fab fragments can be displayed on the surface of baculovirus particles, and that a fluorescence-activated cell sorter with a fluorescence-labeled antigen can isolate baculoviruses displaying specific Fab fragments. This successful baculovirus display of antibody Fab fragments may offer a novel approach for the efficient selection of specific antibodies.

  5. Bringing optics to Fab Labs in Europe

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Adam, Aurèle; Zuidwijk, Thim; Urbach, Paul

    2017-08-01

    The Optics Group of Delft University of Technology plays a major role in teaching optics to bachelor and master students. In addition, the group has a long record of introducing, demonstrating and teaching optics to quite diverse groups of people from outside of the university. We will describe some of these activities and focus on a recently started project funded by the European Commission called Phablabs 4.0, which aims to bring photonics to European Fab labs.

  6. Resistance to AFN-1252 Arises from Missense Mutations in Staphylococcus aureus Enoyl-acyl Carrier Protein Reductase (FabI)*

    PubMed Central

    Yao, Jiangwei; Maxwell, John B.; Rock, Charles O.

    2013-01-01

    AFN-1252 is a potent antibiotic against Staphylococcus aureus that targets the enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase (FabI). A thorough screen for AFN-1252-resistant strains was undertaken to identify the spectrum of mechanisms for acquired resistance. A missense mutation in fabI predicted to encode FabI(M99T) was isolated 49 times, and a single isolate was predicted to encode FabI(Y147H). AFN-1252 only bound to the NADPH form of FabI, and the close interactions between the drug and Met-99 and Tyr-147 explained how the mutations would result in resistant enzymes. The clone expressing FabI(Y147H) had a pronounced growth defect that was rescued by exogenous fatty acid supplementation, and the purified protein had less than 5% of the enzymatic activity of FabI. FabI(Y147F) was also catalytically defective but retained its sensitivity to AFN-1252, illustrating the importance of the conserved Tyr-147 hydroxyl group in FabI function. The strains expressing FabI(M99T) exhibited normal growth, and the biochemical properties of the purified protein were indistinguishable from those of FabI. The AFN-1252 Kiapp increased from 4 nm in FabI to 69 nm in FabI(M99T), accounting for the increased resistance of the corresponding mutant strain. The low activity of FabI(Y147H) precluded an accurate Ki measurement. The strain expressing FabI(Y147H) was also resistant to triclosan; however, the strain expressing FabI(M99T) was more susceptible. Strains with higher levels of AFN-1252 resistance were not obtained. The AFN-1252-resistant strains remained sensitive to submicromolar concentrations of AFN-1252, which blocked growth through inhibition of fatty acid biosynthesis at the FabI step. PMID:24189061

  7. Initial experience with Crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab (ovine) antivenom in the treatment of copperhead snakebite.

    PubMed

    Lavonas, Eric J; Gerardo, Charles J; O'Malley, Gerald; Arnold, Thomas C; Bush, Sean P; Banner, William; Steffens, Mark; Kerns, William P

    2004-02-01

    Crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab (ovine) (CroFab; FabAV) effectively treats patients bitten by rattlesnakes. The copperhead snake (Agkistrodon contortrix) caused 37% of venomous snakebites reported to US poison centers in 2001 and is the major envenomating reptile in the southeastern United States. FabAV has not been tested in human beings envenomated by copperhead snakes. In this preliminary study, we performed a retrospective chart review of all copperhead snake envenomations reported to the Carolinas Poison Center that were treated with FabAV. Progression of limb swelling, coagulopathy, and hemodynamic status before and after FabAV administration, adverse effects of FabAV therapy, and recurrence phenomena were recorded. Of approximately 400 copperhead envenomation cases reported to the poison center during the study period, 32 received FabAV and were included. Most patients had moderate envenomation. The median time to FabAV administration was 4.0 hours. The median time to achieve initial control was 1.0 hour, with a median dose of 4 vials of FabAV. A rapid initial response, defined as cessation of the progression of local tissue injury within 4 hours of FabAV administration, occurred in 28 cases (88%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 76% to 99%). Four cases (13%; 95% CI 1% to 24%) were considered treatment failures. Recurrent swelling occurred in 6 cases (19%; 95% CI 5% to 32%). The incidence of recurrent swelling was not reduced by administration of repeated doses of antivenom on a planned schedule. One patient developed late-onset coagulopathy. One minor allergic reaction was observed. In this select group of patients bitten by copperhead snakes, local tissue effects of envenomation halted promptly after FabAV treatment in most cases. Treatment failures occurred, and recurrence of swelling and defibrination syndrome was sometimes problematic. Time to return to work and long-term limb function were not assessed. A controlled trial with long-term follow-up is

  8. A human Fab exclusively binding to the extracellular domain of LMP2A

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Cao, Qing; Zhang, Dawei; Mao, Yuan

    In the areas of North Africa, Southeast Asia as well as South China, Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is among the most widespread cancers. Plenty of research findings confirmed that Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) played a crucial role in NPC. EBV-encoded Latent membrane protein 2A (LMP2A) which continuously expressed in cell membrane protein induced an epithelial-mesenchymal transition and increased the number of side population stem-like cancer cells in NPC. This reveals that LMP2A could contribute to the development and recurrence in NPC. Above evidences suggest that LMP2A could be the potential target molecule in the treatment of NPC. In the current study, amore » novel human antibody Fab (Fab29) against the extracellular domain of LMP2A was produced with success. Through immunofluorescence experiment it was proved that human antibody Fab29 exclusively combined the surface of SUNE cells (LMP2A-positive). Then flow cytometry result exhibited that the fluorescent intensities of SUNE cells and CNE cells were distinct (96.89% and 0.02% respectively). After that, it was shown by affinity test that the Fab29 fragment had high affinity (KD (M) 1.79E-09) with LMP2A. It was also revealed by immunohistochemical analysis that the Fab29 fragment could combine with LMP2A-positive human NPC tissues in comparison with the control group. Finally, the MTT result indicated that the Fab29 fragment could inhibit the proliferation of LMP2A-positive NPC cells. The inhibiting rate to SUNE cell proliferation reached a peak by Fab29 (19.67%) compared with unrelated Fab and CNE with Fab29 at a concentration of 500 μg/L in first 24 h and in the next 24 h the inhibition rate grew to 22.54%. In brief, it was shown that Fab29, a characteristic human antibody, could recognize LMP2A protein and inhibit the proliferation of LMP2A-expressing NPC cells in vitro.« less

  9. A single-domain antibody-linked Fab bispecific antibody Her2-S-Fab has potent cytotoxicity against Her2-expressing tumor cells.

    PubMed

    Li, Aifen; Xing, Jieyu; Li, Li; Zhou, Changhua; Dong, Bin; He, Ping; Li, Qing; Wang, Zhong

    2016-12-01

    Her2, which is frequently overexpressed in breast cancer, is one of the most studied tumor-associated antigens for cancer therapy. Anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody, trastuzumab, has achieved significant clinical benefits in metastatic breast cancer. In this study, we describe a novel bispecific antibody Her2-S-Fab targeting Her2 by linking a single domain anti-CD16 VHH to the trastuzumab Fab. The Her2-S-Fab antibody can be efficiently expressed and purified from Escherichia coli, and drive potent cancer cell killing in HER2-overexpressing cancer cells. In xenograft model, the Her2-S-Fab suppresses tumor growth in the presence of human immune cells. Our results suggest that the bispecific Her2-S-Fab may provide a valid alternative to Her2 positive cancer therapy.

  10. Subcutaneous Crotaline Fab antivenom for the treatment of rattlesnake envenomation in a porcine model.

    PubMed

    Offerman, Steven R; Barry, J David; Richardson, William H; Tong, Tri; Tanen, Dave; Bush, Sean P; Clark, Richard F

    2009-01-01

    This study was designed to investigate whether the local, subcutaneous injection of Crotaline Fab antivenom (CroFab) at the rattlesnake envenomation site would result in less extremity edema when compared to intravenous (i.v.) antivenom infusion alone. This is a randomized, three-arm laboratory experiment using a porcine model. Each animal was anesthetized, intubated, and maintained on mechanical ventilation. About 6 mg/kg of Crotalus atrox venom was injected subcutaneously at the hock of the right hind leg. Animals were then randomized to immediately receive subcutaneous and i.v. antivenom (SC/IV), i.v. antivenom only, or saline control. SC/IV animals received two vials of CroFab subcutaneously at the envenomation site and two vials intravenously. IV animals received four vials of CroFab intravenously. Limb edema was tracked by serial circumference and volumetric measurements over an 8-h period. Limb circumference was measured at four pre-determined locations hourly. Limb volume was measured by a water displacement method at baseline, 4, and 8 h. Twenty-six animals were randomized to the three treatment groups. The SC/IV and IV arms included nine animals each. Two animals in the SC/IV group died suddenly during the study, leaving seven animals for data analysis. There were eight controls. Increasing limb edema was observed in all groups. No differences were detected in limb circumferences or limb volumes between control and either treatment arms. In this porcine model of crotaline envenomation, no differences in limb edema were found between animals treated with SC/IV or IV CroFab when compared to saline controls.

  11. Development of tools to study personal weight control strategies: OxFAB taxonomy.

    PubMed

    Hartmann-Boyce, Jamie; Aveyard, Paul; Koshiaris, Constantinos; Jebb, Susan A

    2016-02-01

    To describe the development of the Oxford Food and Activity Behaviors (OxFAB) taxonomy and questionnaire to explore the cognitive and behavioral strategies used by individuals during weight management attempts. The taxonomy was constructed through a qualitative analysis of existing resources and a review of existing behavior change taxonomies and theories. The taxonomy was translated into a questionnaire to identify strategies used by individuals. Think-aloud interviews were conducted to test the face/concept validity of the questionnaire, and test-retest reliability was assessed in a sample of 138 participants. The OxFAB taxonomy consists of 117 strategies grouped into 23 domains. Compared to taxonomies used to describe interventions, around half of the domains and strategies identified are unique to the OxFAB taxonomy. The OxFAB questionnaire consists of 117 questions, one for each strategy from the taxonomy. Test-retest resulted in a mean PABAK score of 0.61 (SD 0.15). Questions were revised where appropriate. The OxFAB taxonomy and questionnaire provide a conceptual framework to identify the cognitive and behavioral strategies used by individuals during attempts at weight control. © 2016 The Authors. Obesity published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The Obesity Society (TOS).

  12. Management of Tissue Loss After Agkistrodon Snakebite: Appropriate Use of Crotalidae-Fab Antivenin.

    PubMed

    Larson, Kenneth W; Schaefer, Keith R; Austin, Cindy; Norton, Rhy; Finley, Phillip J

    2016-01-01

    Although initially created for the treatment of rattlesnake (genus: Crotalus) bites, Crotalidae-Fab antivenin is used to treat many different pit viper envenomations. However, the efficacy of Crotalidae-Fab in preventing tissue loss from copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix) or cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus) snakebites remains unclear. Recent reports show that Agkistrodon-related bites rarely require treatment beyond simple observation and pain control. The purpose of this study was to examine the amount of tissue loss in patients who received Crotalidae-Fab compared with those who did not after an Agkistrodon bite. After institutional review board approval, a retrospective study was completed at a Level 1 trauma center. Between 2009 and 2013, a total of 57 snakebites were identified. Of the 57 bites, the snake species was documented in 36 cases including 31 copperheads, 1 cottonmouth, and 4 rattlesnakes. The other 21 bites were from unknown or nonvenomous species. Of the 32 Agkistrodon-related bites, 15 patients received Crotalidae-Fab (average of 3 vials administered) and 17 did not receive Crotalidae-Fab. None of the 32 patients, regardless of treatment option, had tissue loss or required surgical interventions. Only 1 patient received Crotalidae-Fab and debridement of a vesicle associated with the bite. No clinically significant differences were observed between the groups. These findings support previous literature that failed to show added benefit of Crotalidae-Fab treatment for Agkistrodon bites beyond patient comfort and pain control. Evaluation of current protocols for Agkistrodon envenomations is warranted. Snakebite wound education in trauma physicians and nurses may decrease unnecessary use of antivenom medication.

  13. FAB (Functionally Alert Behavior Strategies) to Improve Self-Control

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pagano, John

    2015-01-01

    This paper describes the FAB (Functionally Alert Behavior) Strategies approach to improve behavior in children and adolescents with complex behavioral challenges. FAB Strategies include evidence-based environmental adaptations, sensory modulation, positive behavioral support, and physical self-regulation strategies. FAB Strategies can be used by…

  14. Short-term outcomes after Fab antivenom therapy for severe crotaline snakebite.

    PubMed

    Lavonas, Eric J; Kokko, Jamie; Schaeffer, Tammi H; Mlynarchek, Sara L; Bogdan, Gregory M; Dart, Richard C

    2011-02-01

    We seek to determine the short-term outcomes associated with the use of Crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab (ovine) (CroFab; FabAV) therapy for severe crotaline snake envenomation and to better define the incidence of hypersensitivity reactions associated with FabAV use. We conducted a multicenter observational case series study of patients who received FabAV at 17 US hospitals in 2002 to 2004. A 7-point score incorporating local, systemic, and hematologic venom effects was used to grade envenomation severity before and after FabAV therapy. The primary outcome for response to therapy was the change in overall envenomation severity after FabAV administration. The primary safety outcomes were the rates of immediate hypersensitivity reactions and serum sickness. The outcome-evaluable population included 209 patients, of whom 28 had severe envenomation. All severely envenomated patients improved after receiving FabAV. The median severity scores of severely envenomated patients were 5 (interquartile range [IQR] 5 to 5) before FabAV, 1 (IQR 1 to 2) at the last FabAV loading dose, and 1 (IQR 0 to 1) at the last clinical observation. The proportion of patients with progressive pain, progressive swelling, cardiovascular effects, respiratory effects, neurologic effects, gastrointestinal effects, coagulopathy, and thrombocytopenia all improved after FabAV therapy. The safety population included 247 patients. Immediate hypersensitivity reactions were reported in 6.1% (95% confidence interval 3.4% to 9.8%) of patients. Serum sickness was reported in 5% (95% confidence interval 0.6% to 17%) of patients with a minimum of 6 days of follow-up after the last dose of FabAV. FabAV therapy is associated with clinical improvement in severe crotaline snake envenomation. Immediate hypersensitivity and serum sickness rates may be less than described in the FabAV prescribing information. Copyright © 2010. Published by Mosby, Inc.

  15. 1,2-Dithiole-3-Ones as Potent Inhibitors of the Bacterial 3-Ketoacyl Acyl Carrier Protein Synthase III (FabH)

    PubMed Central

    He, Xin; Reeve, Anne McElwee; Desai, Umesh R.; Kellogg, Glen E.; Reynolds, Kevin A.

    2004-01-01

    The enzyme FabH catalyzes the initial step of fatty acid biosynthesis via a type II dissociated fatty acid synthase. The pivotal role of this essential enzyme, combined with its unique structural features and ubiquitous occurrence in bacteria, has made it an attractive new target for the development of antibacterial and antiparasitic compounds. We have searched the National Cancer Institute database for compounds bearing structural similarities to thiolactomycin, a natural product which exhibits a weak activity against FabH. This search has yielded several substituted 1,2-dithiole-3-ones that are potent inhibitors of FabH from both Escherichia coli (ecFabH) and Staphylococcus aureus (saFabH). The most potent inhibitor was 4,5-dichloro-1,2-dithiole-3-one, which had 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 2 μM (ecFabH) and 0.16 μM (saFabH). The corresponding 3-thione analog exhibited comparable activities. Analogs in which the 4-chloro substituent was replaced with a phenyl group were also potent inhibitors, albeit somewhat less effectively (IC50 values of 5.7 and 0.98 μM for ecFabH and saFabH, respectively). All of the 5-chlorinated inhibitors were most effective when they were preincubated with FabH in the absence of substrates. The resulting enzyme-inhibitor complex did not readily regain activity after excess inhibitor was removed, suggesting that a slow dissociation occurs. In stark contrast, a series of inhibitors in which the 5-chloro substituent was replaced with the isosteric and isoelectronic trifluoromethyl group were poorer inhibitors (IC50 values typically ranging from 25 to >100 μM for both ecFabH and saFabH), did not require a preincubation period for maximal activity, and generated an enzyme-inhibitor complex which readily dissociated. Possible modes of binding of 5-chloro-1,2-dithiole-3-ones and 5-chloro-1,2-dithiole-3-thiones with FabH which account for the role of the 5-chloro substituent were considered. PMID:15273125

  16. Late hematologic toxicity following treatment of rattlesnake envenomation with crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab antivenom.

    PubMed

    Ruha, Anne-Michelle; Curry, Steven C; Albrecht, Clay; Riley, Brad; Pizon, Anthony

    2011-01-01

    North American rattlesnake envenomations commonly produce defibrination, coagulopathy and/or thrombocytopenia, which may be reversed following treatment with Crotalidae Polyvalent Immune Fab Ovine (FabAV). Despite initial resolution with FabAV, late onset or recurrence of venom-induced hematologic effects may occur. Time at which onset of late hematotoxicity may first be detected is unknown. The purpose of this study was to identify the incidence and time of onset of recurrent or new late hypofibrinogenemia, coagulopathy, or thrombocytopenia in a cohort of rattlesnake envenomation patients seen in outpatient follow-up after treatment with FabAV, and to report hematologic outcomes in these patients. Review of 66 charts of patients with rattlesnake envenomation who were treated with FabAV, and subsequently had outpatient follow-up evaluation at least 48 h after last FabAV, was performed. Demographic information, rattlesnake and bite characteristics, dose and timing of antivenom administration, adverse events, in-patient laboratory values, length of hospital stay, and follow-up laboratory values were collected. The primary outcome parameters were recurrent or delayed onset coagulopathy, hypofibrinogenemia, or thrombocytopenia identified no sooner than 48 h after last dose of FabAV. Prior to control of the envenomation with FabAV, 42 patients (63.6%) experienced hematologic toxicity. At follow-up, 21 patients (32%) were found to have late coagulopathy, hypofibrinogenemia, or thrombocytopenia. Of twenty-three patients (35%) with more than one follow-up visit, fifteen had normal laboratory findings at the first follow-up visit. Five of these 15 patients (8% of total study group; 33% of this subgroup) with normal hematologic studies at first follow-up exhibited late hematologic toxicity at second follow-up. Severe late hematologic toxicity developed in five of 66 (8%) patients. One patient was retreated with FabAV for late severe thrombocytopenia. Recurrent and delayed

  17. Immobilization and functional reconstitution of antibody Fab fragment by solid-phase refolding.

    PubMed

    Kumada, Yoichi; Hamasaki, Kyoto; Nakagawa, Aya; Sasaki, Eiju; Shirai, Tatsunori; Okumura, Masahiro; Inoue, Manami; Kishimoto, Michimasa

    2013-12-31

    In this study, we demonstrated the successful preparation of a Fab antibody-immobilized hydrophilic polystyrene (phi-PS) plate via one- and two-step solid-phase refolding methods. Both polystyrene-binding peptide (PS-tag)-fused Fd fragment of heavy chain (Fab H-PS) and full-length of light-chain (Fab L-PS) were individually produced in insoluble fractions of Escherichia coli cells, and they were highly purified in the presence of 8M of urea. Antigen-binding activities of Fab antibody immobilized were correctly recovered by the one-step solid-phase refolding method that a mixture of Fab H-PS and Fab L-PS was immobilized in the presence of 0.5-2M urea, followed by surface washing of the phi-PS plate with PBST. These results indicate that by genetic fusion of a PS-tag, a complex between Fab H and Fab L was efficiently immobilized on the surface of a phi-PS plate even in the presence of a low concentration of urea, and was then correctly refolded to retain its high antigen-binding activity via removal of the urea. A two-step solid-phase refolding method whereby Fab H-PS and Fab L-PS were successively refolded on the surface of a phi-PS plate also resulted in Fab antibody formation on the plate. Furthermore, both the binding affinity and the specificity of the Fab antibody produced by the two-step method were highly maintained, according to the results of sandwich ELISA and competitive ELISA using Fab antibody-immobilized plate via two-step solid-phase refolding. Thus, the solid-phase refolding method demonstrated in this study should be quite useful for the preparation of a Fab antibody-immobilized PS surface with high efficiency from individually produced Fab H-PS and Fab L-PS. This method will be applicable to the preparation of a large Fab antibody library on the surface of a PS plate for use in antibody screening. © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Acute hypersensitivity reaction to Crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab (CroFab) as initial presentation of galactose-α-1,3-galactose (α-gal) allergy.

    PubMed

    Rizer, Justin; Brill, Kaitlin; Charlton, Nathan; King, Joshua

    2017-08-01

    Crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab antivenom (CroFab), commonly used for the treatment of clinically significant North American crotalinae envenomation, is generally well-tolerated. A novel form of anaphylaxis due to an IgE antibody response to the mammalian oligosaccharide galactose-α-1,3-galactose (α-gal) has been established following red-meat consumption as well as IV administration of cetuximab, which contain the α-gal epitope. We present a case of α-gal allergy discovered after acute hypersensitivity reaction to FabAV. A 61-year-old healthy female was bitten on her left ankle by Agkistrodon contortrix. Given the patient's rapid progression of pain and swelling, she was given FabAV. During infusion of FabAV, she developed diffuse hives over her entire body and itching, but denied respiratory or gastrointestinal symptoms and her vital signs remained stable. The FabAV was immediately discontinued and she received intravenous diphenhydramine and famotidine with gradual resolution of symptoms. On further discussion, she denied a history of α-gal or papaya allergy but rarely ate red meat and endorsed sustaining frequent tick bites. Subsequent antibody testing was significant for an α-1,3-galactose IgE concentration of 45,000 U/L (normal <3500 U/L), confirming α-gal allergy. To our knowledge, this is the first report of FabAV hypersensitivity associated with an underlying α-gal allergy.

  19. Humoral anti-OV-TL 3 response after the intravenous administration of radiolabelled Fab' or F(ab')2 fragments in ovarian cancer patients.

    PubMed

    Tibben, J G; Thomas, C M; Massuger, L F; Segers, M F; Schijf, C P; Corstens, F H; Boerman, O C

    1995-10-01

    The human anti-mouse antibody (HAMA) response was determined in the serum of patients suspected of having ovarian cancer who underwent radioimmunoscintigraphy with either 99Tcm-OV-TL 3 Fab' (n = 20) or 111In-DTPA-OV-TL 3 F(ab')2 (n = 73). Blood samples were collected prior to and at several time points post-intravenous injection. The detection of HAMA was performed with an in-house OV-TL 3 F(ab')2-based sandwich-type immunoradiometric assay (IRMA). The homologous IRMA demonstrated that 8 of 20 (40%) patients had developed HAMA responses after injection of Fab' fragments and that 14 of 73 (19%) patients had developed HAMA responses after F(ab')2 administration. The subclass of the measured HAMA was analysed in a limited number of samples, showing IgG or IgM as well as mixed responses. The kinetics of the HAMA responses varied greatly. Our study showed the relevance of the sampling time and frequency: HAMA responses can be easily underestimated with a low sampling frequency. The homologous IRMA described in this study was able to quantify the OV-TL 3-specific HAMA responses. With additional assays, the subclass of the HAMA could be further analysed. Remarkably, the fraction of HAMA responders after injection of OV-TL 3 Fab' fragments was in the same range as the proportion of HAMA responders after F(ab')2 administration.

  20. Crystallization of the Fab from a human monoclonal antibody against gp 41 of human immunodeficiency virus type I

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Casale, Elena; He, Xiao-Min; Snyder, Robert S.; Carter, Daniel C.; Wenisch, Elisabeth; Jungbauer, Alois; Tauer, Christa; Ruker, Florian; Righetti, Pier Giorgio

    1990-01-01

    A monoclonal IgG antibody directed against gp 41 from the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) has been crystallized in both intact and Fab forms. Crystals of the intact antibody grow as tetragonal-like prisms too small for conventional X-ray analysis. However, the Fab portion of the antibody produces suitable platelike crystals which belong to the space group P2(1)2(1)2(1) with unit cell constants of a = 66.5 A, b = 74.3 A, and c = 105.3 A. There is one molecule of Fab in the asymmetric unit. The Fab crystals show diffraction to d-spacings less than 3.0 A.

  1. Single-reagent one-step procedures for the purification of ovine IgG, F(ab')2 and Fab antivenoms by caprylic acid.

    PubMed

    Al-Abdulla, Ibrahim; Casewell, Nicholas R; Landon, John

    2014-01-15

    Antivenoms are typically produced in horses or sheep and often purified using salt precipitation of immunoglobulins or F(ab')2 fragments. Caprylic (octanoic) acid fractionation of antiserum has the advantage of not precipitating the desired antibodies, thereby avoiding potential degradation that can lead to the formation of aggregates, which may be the cause of some adverse reactions to antivenoms. Here we report that when optimising the purification of immunoglobulins from ovine antiserum raised against snake venom, caprylic acid was found to have no effect on the activity of the enzymes pepsin and papain, which are employed in antivenom manufacturing to digest immunoglobulins to obtain F(ab')2 and Fab fragments, respectively. A "single-reagent" method was developed for the production of F(ab')2 antivenom whereby whole ovine antiserum was mixed with both caprylic acid and pepsin and incubated for 4h at 37°C. For ovine Fab antivenom production from whole antiserum, the "single reagent" comprised of caprylic acid, papain and l-cysteine; after incubation at 37°C for 18-20h, iodoacetamide was added to stop the reaction. Caprylic acid facilitated the precipitation of albumin, resulting in a reduced protein load presented to the digestion enzymes, culminating in substantial reductions in processing time. The ovine IgG, F(ab')2 and Fab products obtained using these novel caprylic acid methods were comparable in terms of yield, purity and specific activity to those obtained by multi-step conventional salt fractionation with sodium sulphate. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Efficient production of Trastuzumab Fab antibody fragments in Brevibacillus choshinensis expression system.

    PubMed

    Mizukami, Makoto; Onishi, Hiromasa; Hanagata, Hiroshi; Miyauchi, Akira; Ito, Yuji; Tokunaga, Hiroko; Ishibashi, Matsujiro; Arakawa, Tsutomu; Tokunaga, Masao

    2018-10-01

    The Brevibacillus expression system has been successfully employed for the efficient productions of a variety of recombinant proteins, including enzymes, cytokines, antigens and antibody fragments. Here, we succeeded in secretory expression of Trastuzumab Fab antibody fragments using B. choshinensis/BIC (Brevibacillus in vivocloning) expression system. In the fed-batch high-density cell culture, recombinant Trastuzumab Fab with amino-terminal His-tag (His-BcFab) was secreted at high level, 1.25 g/liter, and Fab without His-tag (BcFab) at ∼145 mg/L of culture supernatant. His-BcFab and BcFab were purified to homogeneity using combination of conventional column chromatographies with a yield of 10-13%. This BcFab preparation exhibited native structure and functions evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, surface plasmon resonance, circular dichroism measurements and size exclusion chromatography. To our knowledge, this is the highest production of Fab antibody fragments in gram-positive bacterial expression/secretion systems. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Genomic Landscape of Intrahost Variation in Group A Streptococcus: Repeated and Abundant Mutational Inactivation of the fabT Gene Encoding a Regulator of Fatty Acid Synthesis

    PubMed Central

    Eraso, Jesus M.; Olsen, Randall J.; Beres, Stephen B.; Kachroo, Priyanka; Porter, Adeline R.; Nasser, Waleed; Bernard, Paul E.; DeLeo, Frank R.

    2016-01-01

    To obtain new information about Streptococcus pyogenes intrahost genetic variation during invasive infection, we sequenced the genomes of 2,954 serotype M1 strains recovered from a nonhuman primate experimental model of necrotizing fasciitis. A total of 644 strains (21.8%) acquired polymorphisms relative to the input parental strain. The fabT gene, encoding a transcriptional regulator of fatty acid biosynthesis genes, contained 54.5% of these changes. The great majority of polymorphisms were predicted to deleteriously alter FabT function. Transcriptome-sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis of a wild-type strain and an isogenic fabT deletion mutant strain found that between 3.7 and 28.5% of the S. pyogenes transcripts were differentially expressed, depending on the growth temperature (35°C or 40°C) and growth phase (mid-exponential or stationary phase). Genes implicated in fatty acid synthesis and lipid metabolism were significantly upregulated in the fabT deletion mutant strain. FabT also directly or indirectly regulated central carbon metabolism genes, including pyruvate hub enzymes and fermentation pathways and virulence genes. Deletion of fabT decreased virulence in a nonhuman primate model of necrotizing fasciitis. In addition, the fabT deletion strain had significantly decreased survival in human whole blood and during phagocytic interaction with polymorphonuclear leukocytes ex vivo. We conclude that FabT mutant progeny arise during infection, constitute a metabolically distinct subpopulation, and are less virulent in the experimental models used here. PMID:27600505

  4. Oligovalent Fab display on M13 phage improved by directed evolution.

    PubMed

    Huovinen, Tuomas; Sanmark, Hanna; Ylä-Pelto, Jani; Vehniäinen, Markus; Lamminmäki, Urpo

    2010-03-01

    Efficient display of antibody on filamentous phage M13 coat is crucial for successful biopanning selections. We applied a directed evolution strategy to improve the oligovalent display of a poorly behaving Fab fragment fused to phage gene-3 for minor coat protein (g3p). The Fab displaying clones were enriched from a randomly mutated Fab gene library with polyclonal anti-mouse IgG antibodies. Contribution of each mutation to the improved phenotype of one selected mutant was studied. It was found out that two point mutations had significant contribution to the display efficiency of Fab clones superinfected with hyperphage. The most dramatic effect was connected to a start codon mutation, from AUG to GUG, of the PelB signal sequence preceding the heavy chain. The clone carrying this mutation, FabM(GUG), displayed Fab 19-fold better and yielded twofold higher phage titers than the original Fab.

  5. Fab MOR03268 triggers absorption shift of a diagnostic dye via packaging in a solvent-shielded Fab dimer interface.

    PubMed

    Hillig, Roman C; Urlinger, Stefanie; Fanghänel, Jörg; Brocks, Bodo; Haenel, Cornelia; Stark, Yvonne; Sülzle, Detlev; Svergun, Dmitri I; Baesler, Siegfried; Malawski, Guido; Moosmayer, Dieter; Menrad, Andreas; Schirner, Michael; Licha, Kai

    2008-03-14

    Molecular interactions between near-IR fluorescent probes and specific antibodies may be exploited to generate novel smart probes for diagnostic imaging. Using a new phage display technology, we developed such antibody Fab fragments with subnanomolar binding affinity for tetrasulfocyanine, a near-IR in vivo imaging agent. Unexpectedly, some Fabs induced redshifts of the dye absorption peak of up to 44 nm. This is the largest shift reported for a biological system so far. Crystal structure determination and absorption spectroscopy in the crystal in combination with microcalorimetry and small-angle X-ray scattering in solution revealed that the redshift is triggered by formation of a Fab dimer, with tetrasulfocyanine being buried in a fully closed protein cavity within the dimer interface. The derived principle of shifting the absorption peak of a symmetric dye via packaging within a Fab dimer interface may be transferred to other diagnostic fluorophores, opening the way towards smart imaging probes that change their wavelength upon interaction with an antibody.

  6. A novel bispecific antibody, S-Fab, induces potent cancer cell killing.

    PubMed

    Li, Li; He, Ping; Zhou, Changhua; Jing, Li; Dong, Bin; Chen, Siqi; Zhang, Ning; Liu, Yawei; Miao, Ji; Wang, Zhong; Li, Qing

    2015-01-01

    Bispecific antibodies that engage immune cells to kill cancer cells have been actively studied in cancer immunotherapy. In this study, we present a novel bispecific format, S-Fab, fabricated by linking a single-domain anti-carcinoembryonic antigen VHH to a conventional anti-CD3 Fab. In contrast to most bispecific antibodies, the S-Fab bispecific antibody can be efficiently expressed and purified from bacteria. The purified S-Fab is stable in serum and is able to recruit T cells to drive potent cancer cell killing. In xenograft models, the S-Fab antibody suppresses tumor growth in the presence of human immune cells. Our study suggested that the bispecific S-Fab format can be applied to a wide range of immunotherapies.

  7. Construction of an agglutination tool: recombinant Fab fragments biotinylated in vitro.

    PubMed

    Czerwinski, Marcin; Krop-Watorek, Anna; Wasniowska, Kazimiera; Smolarek, Dorota; Spitalnik, Steven L

    2009-11-30

    The pComb3H vector system is used for constructing and panning recombinant antibody libraries. It allows for expression of monovalent Fab fragments, either on the surface of M13 phage, or in the form of soluble proteins secreted into the periplasmic space of bacteria. We constructed a modified pComb3H vector containing cDNA encoding for a 23-amino acid fragment of the Escherichia coli biotin carboxy carrier protein (BCCP), which is an acceptor sequence for biotinylation. The vector was used to express the Fab fragment recognizing human glycophorin A. The purified Fab fragment containing this biotin acceptor sequence was effectively biotinylated in vitro using biotin ligase (BirA). The specificity and avidity of the biotinylated Fab fragments were similar to the previously produced, unmodified Fab fragments. An avidin-alkaline phosphatase conjugate was used to detect the recombinant Fab fragments, instead of secondary antibody. In addition, when biotinylated Fab fragments were mixed with avidin, red blood cells were directly agglutinated.

  8. Investigation of protein selectivity in multimodal chromatography using in silico designed Fab fragment variants.

    PubMed

    Karkov, Hanne Sophie; Krogh, Berit Olsen; Woo, James; Parimal, Siddharth; Ahmadian, Haleh; Cramer, Steven M

    2015-11-01

    In this study, a unique set of antibody Fab fragments was designed in silico and produced to examine the relationship between protein surface properties and selectivity in multimodal chromatographic systems. We hypothesized that multimodal ligands containing both hydrophobic and charged moieties would interact strongly with protein surface regions where charged groups and hydrophobic patches were in close spatial proximity. Protein surface property characterization tools were employed to identify the potential multimodal ligand binding regions on the Fab fragment of a humanized antibody and to evaluate the impact of mutations on surface charge and hydrophobicity. Twenty Fab variants were generated by site-directed mutagenesis, recombinant expression, and affinity purification. Column gradient experiments were carried out with the Fab variants in multimodal, cation-exchange, and hydrophobic interaction chromatographic systems. The results clearly indicated that selectivity in the multimodal system was different from the other chromatographic modes examined. Column retention data for the reduced charge Fab variants identified a binding site comprising light chain CDR1 as the main electrostatic interaction site for the multimodal and cation-exchange ligands. Furthermore, the multimodal ligand binding was enhanced by additional hydrophobic contributions as evident from the results obtained with hydrophobic Fab variants. The use of in silico protein surface property analyses combined with molecular biology techniques, protein expression, and chromatographic evaluations represents a previously undescribed and powerful approach for investigating multimodal selectivity with complex biomolecules. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  9. Evaluation of strategies to control Fab light chain dimer during mammalian expression and purification: A universal one-step process for purification of correctly assembled Fab.

    PubMed

    Spooner, Jennifer; Keen, Jenny; Nayyar, Kalpana; Birkett, Neil; Bond, Nicholas; Bannister, David; Tigue, Natalie; Higazi, Daniel; Kemp, Benjamin; Vaughan, Tristan; Kippen, Alistair; Buchanan, Andrew

    2015-07-01

    Fabs are an important class of antibody fragment as both research reagents and therapeutic agents. There are a plethora of methods described for their recombinant expression and purification. However, these do not address the issue of excessive light chain production that forms light chain dimers nor do they describe a universal purification strategy. Light chain dimer impurities and the absence of a universal Fab purification strategy present persistent challenges for biotechnology applications using Fabs, particularly around the need for bespoke purification strategies. This study describes methods to address light chain dimer formation during Fab expression and identifies a novel CH 1 affinity resin as a simple and efficient one-step purification for correctly assembled Fab. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  10. A Case Study of a High School Fab Lab

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lacy, Jennifer E.

    This dissertation examines making and design-based STEM education in a formal makerspace. It focuses on how the design and implementation of a Fab Lab learning environment and curriculum affect how instructors and students see themselves engaging in science, and how the Fab Lab relates to the social sorting practices that already take place at North High School. While there is research examining design-based STEM education in informal and formal learning environments, we know little about how K-12 teachers define STEM in making activities when no university or museum partnership exists. This study sought to help fill this gap in the research literature. This case study of a formal makerspace followed instructors and students in one introductory Fab Lab course for one semester. Additional observations of an introductory woodworking course helped build the case and set it into the school context, and provided supplementary material to better understand the similarities and differences between the Fab Lab course and a more traditional design-based learning course. Using evidence from observational field notes, participant interviews, course materials, and student work, I found that the North Fab Lab relies on artifacts and rhetoric symbolic of science and STEM to set itself apart from other design-based courses at North High School. Secondly, the North Fab Lab instructors and students were unable to explain how what they were doing in the Fab Lab was science, and instead relied on vague and unsupported claims related to interdisciplinary STEM practices and dated descriptions of science. Lastly, the design and implementation of the Fab Lab learning environment and curriculum and its separation from North High School's low tech, design-based courses effectively reinforced social sorting practices and cultural assumptions about student work and intelligence.

  11. Computational study of bindings of HK20 Fab and D5 Fab to HIV-1 gp41.

    PubMed

    Hartono, Yossa Dwi; Lazim, Raudah; Yip, Yew Mun; Zhang, Dawei

    2012-02-15

    Antibodies HK20 and D5 have been shown to target HIV-1 gp41, thereby inhibiting membrane fusion that facilitates viral entry. The binding picture is static, based on the X-ray crystal structures of the Fab regions and gp41 mimetic five-helix bundle. In this study, we carried out molecular dynamics simulation to provide the dynamic binding picture. Calculated binding free energies are within reasonable range of and follow the trend of the experimental values: -15.28 kcal/mol for HK20 Fab (expt. -11.60 kcal/mol) and -17.90 kcal/mol for D5 Fab (expt. -11.70 kcal/mol). Alanine scanning at protein-protein interface reveals that the highest contributors to binding for HK20 Fab are F54 and I56, both of V(H) region, as well as R30' of V(L) region; whereas for D5 Fab, F54 of V(H) region, as well as W32' and Y94' of V(L) region. HK20 F54 and I56, as well as D5 I52, F54, and T56, bind to the gp41 hydrophobic binding pocket, an important region targeted by many other fusion inhibitors. Hydrogen bonding analysis also identifies high-occupancy hydrogen bonds at the periphery of gp41 hydrophobic pocket. Considering that almost all interface residues are turn residues, further work may be directed to turn mimics. Pre-orientation by the hydrogen bonds to poise this particular turn towards the binding pocket may also be a point worth pursuing. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. The Emerging Importance of IgG Fab Glycosylation in Immunity.

    PubMed

    van de Bovenkamp, Fleur S; Hafkenscheid, Lise; Rispens, Theo; Rombouts, Yoann

    2016-02-15

    Human IgG is the most abundant glycoprotein in serum and is crucial for protective immunity. In addition to conserved IgG Fc glycans, ∼15-25% of serum IgG contains glycans within the variable domains. These so-called "Fab glycans" are primarily highly processed complex-type biantennary N-glycans linked to N-glycosylation sites that emerge during somatic hypermutation. Specific patterns of Fab glycosylation are concurrent with physiological and pathological conditions, such as pregnancy and rheumatoid arthritis. With respect to function, Fab glycosylation can significantly affect stability, half-life, and binding characteristics of Abs and BCRs. Moreover, Fab glycans are associated with the anti-inflammatory activity of IVIgs. Consequently, IgG Fab glycosylation appears to be an important, yet poorly understood, process that modulates immunity. Copyright © 2016 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc.

  13. Crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab: in patients with North American crotaline envenomation.

    PubMed

    Keating, Gillian M

    2011-04-01

    Crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab is an antivenom comprising purified, sheep-derived, Fab IgG fragments and is indicated for use in patients with North American crotaline envenomation. Crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab is produced using four North American snake venoms: Crotalus atrox, Crotalus adamanteus, Crotalus scutulatus, and Agkistrodon piscivorus. Intravenous crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab was effective in patients aged ≥10 years who had minimal or moderate envenomation by a North American crotaline, who presented within 6 hours of the snakebite, and who had progression of the envenomation syndrome, according to the results of two prospective trials. One trial was a noncomparative, multicenter pilot study and the other trial was a randomized, open-label, multicenter trial in which patients received scheduled or 'as needed' administration of crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab after initial control had been achieved. A prospective, postmarketing trial demonstrated the efficacy of crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab in confirmed Crotalus viridis helleri envenomation (indicating cross-protection against a venom not used in its production). Results of these prospective trials are supported by the findings of additional (mainly retrospective) studies demonstrating the efficacy of crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab in patients with crotaline envenomation, including patients with severe envenomation, pediatric patients, and patients with symptoms of neurotoxicity. Despite treatment with crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab, patients may experience delayed-onset or recurrent venom effects (e.g. coagulopathy). Intravenous crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab was generally well tolerated; acute hypersensitivity reactions (e.g. urticaria, rash, pruritus) were the most commonly occurring adverse event. © 2011 Adis Data Information BV. All rights reserved.

  14. Pre- and Posttransplant IgA Anti-Fab Antibodies to Predict Long-term Kidney Graft Survival.

    PubMed

    Amirzargar, M A; Amirzargar, A; Basiri, A; Hajilooi, M; Roshanaei, G; Rajabi, G; Solgi, G

    2015-05-01

    Immunologic factors are reliable markers for allograft monitoring, because of their seminal role in rejection process. One of these factors is the immunoglobulin (Ig)A anti-Fab of the IgG antibody. This study aimed to evaluate the predictive value of pre- and posttransplant levels of this marker for kidney allograft function and survival. Sera samples of 59 living unrelated donor kidney recipients were collected before and after transplantation (days 7, 14, and 30) and investigated for IgA anti-Fab of IgG antibody levels using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in relation with allograft outcome. Among 59 patients, 15 cases (25%) including 10 with acute rejection and 5 with chronic rejection episodes showed graft failure during a mean of 5 years of follow-up. High posttransplant levels of IgA anti-Fab antibodies were observed more frequently in patients with stable graft function (SGF) compared with patients with graft failure (P = 2 × 10(-6)). None of patients with acute or chronic rejection episodes had high levels of IgA anti-Fab antibodies at day 30 posttransplant compared with the SGF group (P = 10(-6) and P = .01, respectively). In addition, high levels of IgA anti-Fab antibody correlated with lesser concentration of serum creatinine at 1 month posttransplantation (P = .01). Five-year graft survival was associated with high levels of pre- and posttransplant IgA anti-Fab antibodies (P = .02 and P = .003, respectively). Our findings indicate the protective effect of higher levels of IgA anti-Fab antibodies regarding to kidney allograft outcomes and long-term graft survival. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab for the treatment of pediatric crotaline envenomation.

    PubMed

    Goto, Collin S; Feng, Sing-Yi

    2009-04-01

    Crotaline snakebites occur frequently in children, often resulting in significant morbidity. Crotalidae Polyvalent Immune Fab antivenom (FabAV) became available for clinical use in the US in 2000 and is currently the standard of care for the treatment of crotaline envenomation. The pediatric emergency care provider should be familiar with FabAV because its judicious use in affected children can greatly decrease morbidity caused by crotaline snakebites. This article will review the use of FabAV for the treatment of pediatric crotaline envenomation.

  16. Fab-based bispecific antibody formats with robust biophysical properties and biological activity.

    PubMed

    Wu, Xiufeng; Sereno, Arlene J; Huang, Flora; Lewis, Steven M; Lieu, Ricky L; Weldon, Caroline; Torres, Carina; Fine, Cody; Batt, Micheal A; Fitchett, Jonathan R; Glasebrook, Andrew L; Kuhlman, Brian; Demarest, Stephen J

    2015-01-01

    A myriad of innovative bispecific antibody (BsAb) platforms have been reported. Most require significant protein engineering to be viable from a development and manufacturing perspective. Single-chain variable fragments (scFvs) and diabodies that consist only of antibody variable domains have been used as building blocks for making BsAbs for decades. The drawback with Fv-only moieties is that they lack the native-like interactions with CH1/CL domains that make antibody Fab regions stable and soluble. Here, we utilize a redesigned Fab interface to explore 2 novel Fab-based BsAbs platforms. The redesigned Fab interface designs limit heavy and light chain mixing when 2 Fabs are co-expressed simultaneously, thus allowing the use of 2 different Fabs within a BsAb construct without the requirement of one or more scFvs. We describe the stability and activity of a HER2×HER2 IgG-Fab BsAb, and compare its biophysical and activity properties with those of an IgG-scFv that utilizes the variable domains of the same parental antibodies. We also generated an EGFR × CD3 tandem Fab protein with a similar format to a tandem scFv (otherwise known as a bispecific T cell engager or BiTE). We show that the Fab-based BsAbs have superior biophysical properties compared to the scFv-based BsAbs. Additionally, the Fab-based BsAbs do not simply recapitulate the activity of their scFv counterparts, but are shown to possess unique biological activity.

  17. Fab-based bispecific antibody formats with robust biophysical properties and biological activity

    PubMed Central

    Wu, Xiufeng; Sereno, Arlene J; Huang, Flora; Lewis, Steven M; Lieu, Ricky L; Weldon, Caroline; Torres, Carina; Fine, Cody; Batt, Micheal A; Fitchett, Jonathan R; Glasebrook, Andrew L; Kuhlman, Brian; Demarest, Stephen J

    2015-01-01

    A myriad of innovative bispecific antibody (BsAb) platforms have been reported. Most require significant protein engineering to be viable from a development and manufacturing perspective. Single-chain variable fragments (scFvs) and diabodies that consist only of antibody variable domains have been used as building blocks for making BsAbs for decades. The drawback with Fv-only moieties is that they lack the native-like interactions with CH1/CL domains that make antibody Fab regions stable and soluble. Here, we utilize a redesigned Fab interface to explore 2 novel Fab-based BsAbs platforms. The redesigned Fab interface designs limit heavy and light chain mixing when 2 Fabs are co-expressed simultaneously, thus allowing the use of 2 different Fabs within a BsAb construct without the requirement of one or more scFvs. We describe the stability and activity of a HER2×HER2 IgG-Fab BsAb, and compare its biophysical and activity properties with those of an IgG-scFv that utilizes the variable domains of the same parental antibodies. We also generated an EGFR × CD3 tandem Fab protein with a similar format to a tandem scFv (otherwise known as a bispecific T cell engager or BiTE). We show that the Fab-based BsAbs have superior biophysical properties compared to the scFv-based BsAbs. Additionally, the Fab-based BsAbs do not simply recapitulate the activity of their scFv counterparts, but are shown to possess unique biological activity. PMID:25774965

  18. The use and tolerability of Crotalidae Polyvalent Immune FAB (Ovine) in pediatric envenomations.

    PubMed

    Farrar, Henry C; Grayham, Taylor; Bolden, Branson; Vyas, Dileep; Graham, James; James, Laura P

    2012-10-01

    There are limited data on the use of Crotalidae Polyvalent Immune FAB-Ovine (CroFab) in the management of crotalid envenomations in children. Thus, the primary objective of this retrospective chart review was to evaluate the safety and tolerability of CroFab in a pediatric population. Over an 8-year time period at this institution, there were 204 admissions for snakebite of which 82 received CroFab. Children who received CroFab were more often associated with bites to the hands and fingers and tended to have more significant envenomations as indicated by longer hospital stays, greater tissue injury, and a tendency to require surgery more often. Six (7.3%) of the 82 patients who received CroFab experienced an adverse drug reaction. Reactions consisted of allergic symptoms that were mild, responded to minimal interventions, and did not limit the subsequent use of CroFab. It is concluded that CroFab use is typically well tolerated in pediatric patients.

  19. Meditope-Fab interaction: threading the hole.

    PubMed

    Bzymek, Krzysztof P; Ma, Yuelong; Avery, Kendra N; Horne, David A; Williams, John C

    2017-12-01

    Meditope, a cyclic 12-residue peptide, binds to a unique binding side between the light and heavy chains of the cetuximab Fab. In an effort to improve the affinity of the interaction, it was sought to extend the side chain of Arg8 in the meditope, a residue that is accessible from the other side of the meditope binding site, in order to increase the number of interactions. These modifications included an n-butyl and n-octyl extension as well as hydroxyl, amine and carboxyl substitutions. The atomic structures of the complexes and the binding kinetics for each modified meditope indicated that each extension threaded through the Fab `hole' and that the carboxyethylarginine substitution makes a favorable interaction with the Fab, increasing the half-life of the complex by threefold compared with the unmodified meditope. Taken together, these studies provide a basis for the design of additional modifications to enhance the overall affinity of this unique interaction.

  20. Tracheal intubation prevented with administration of Fab antivenom after severe crotaline envenomation.

    PubMed

    Bebarta, Vikhyat S; Ferre, Robinson M; Peck, Michael

    2010-07-01

    Crotaline snake envenomations are common, but severe crotaline envenomations are infrequent. Death from severe envenomation is usually from upper airway edema and respiratory failure. Published reports of severe respiratory compromise and anaphylactoid reactions are rare. Currently, FabAV (Crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab [Ovine] [CroFab]) is the mainstay of crotaline envenomation treatment; however, FabAV has been approved for only mild and moderate envenomations. We describe a case of a male with severe systemic effects and airway compromise after crotaline envenomation. The patient's systemic effects and upper airway edema substantially improved after antivenom infusion and before epinephrine administration. Endotracheal intubation was averted, clinical deterioration was avoided, and improvement occurred after prompt FabAV use. Fab antivenom likely prevented endotracheal intubation in our case of severe crotaline envenomation. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  1. Pygmy rattlesnake envenomation treated with Crotalidae Polyvalent Immune Fab Antivenom.

    PubMed

    King, Andrew M; Crim, William S; Menke, Nathan B; Pizon, Anthony F

    2012-12-01

    Documented envenomations by the pygmy rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarius barbouri) are rare. While there have been no documented fatalities, several older case reports describe significant morbidity. We describe the first known case of pygmy rattlesnake envenomation that was treated with Crotalidae Polyvalent Immune Fab Antivenom (CroFab®). A 28-year-old man with no significant past medical history presented after being envenomated on the right hand by his friend's pet pygmy rattlesnake. He developed swelling and pain in his hand and forearm. He responded well to a ten vial loading dose and a 18 h maintenance protocol of CroFab and was discharged the following day without developing any hematological or electrolyte derangements. This is the first documented use of CroFab for S. m. barbouri envenomation. The outcome of this case suggests that CroFab is a safe treatment modality in this setting. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Preparation of crotaline F-ab antivenom (CroFab) with automated mixing methods: in vitro observations.

    PubMed

    Vohra, Rais; Kelner, Michael; Clark, Richard F

    2009-01-01

    Crotaline Polyvalent Ovine Fab antivenom (CroFab, Savage Laboratories and Protherics Inc., Brentwood, TN, USA) preparation requires that the lyophilized powder be manually reconstituted before use. We compared automated methods for driving the product into solution with the standard manual method of reconstitution, and the effect of repeated rinsing of the product vial, on the per-vial availability of antivenom. Normal saline (NS, 10 mL) was added to 12 vials of expired CroFab. Vials were assigned in pairs to each of six mixing methods, including one pair mixed manually as recommended by the product package insert. Each vial's contents were diluted to a final volume of 75 mL of normal saline. Protein concentration was measured with a colorimetric assay. The fluid left in each vial was removed and the vial was washed with 10 mL NS. Total protein yield from each step was calculated. There was no significant change in protein yield among three of five automated mixing methods when compared to manual reconstitution. Repeat rinsing of the product vial with an additional 10 mLs of fluid added to the protein yield regardless of the mixing method used. We found slightly higher protein yields with all automated methods compared to manual mixing, but only two of five comparisons with the standard mixing method demonstrated statistical significance. However, for all methods tested, the addition of a second rinsing and recovery step increased the amount of protein recovered considerably, presumably by allowing solution of protein trapped in the foamy residues. Automated mixing methods and repeat rinsing of the product vial may allow higher protein yields in the preparation of CroFab antivenom.

  3. Comparing domain interactions within antibody Fabs with kappa and lambda light chains.

    PubMed

    Toughiri, Raheleh; Wu, Xiufeng; Ruiz, Diana; Huang, Flora; Crissman, John W; Dickey, Mark; Froning, Karen; Conner, Elaine M; Cujec, Thomas P; Demarest, Stephen J

    2016-10-01

    IgG antibodies are multi-domain proteins with complex inter-domain interactions. Human IgG heavy chains (HCs) associate with light chains (LCs) of the κ or λ isotype to form mature antibodies capable of binding antigen. The HC/LC interaction involves 4 domains: VH and CH1 from the HC and VL and CL from the LC. Human Fabs with κ LCs have been well characterized for their unfolding behaviors and demonstrate a significant level of cooperativity and stabilization when all 4 domains are intact. Very little is known regarding the thermodynamic properties of human Fabs with λ LCs. Here, we dissect the domain contributions to Fab stability for both κ and λ LC-containing Fabs. We find the cooperativity of unfolding between the constant domains, CH1/Cλ, and variable domains, VH/Vλ, within λ LC-containing Fabs is significantly weaker than that of κ LC-containing Fabs. The data suggests there may not be an evolutionary necessity for strong variable/constant domain cooperativity within λ LC-containing Fabs. After investigating the biophysical properties of Fabs with mismatched variable and constant domain subunits (e.g., VH/Vκ paired with CH1/Cλ or T cell receptor Cα/Cβ), the major role of the constant domains for both κ- and λ-containing Fabs may be to reduce the hydrophobic exposure at the VH/VL interface. Even though Fabs with these non-native pairings were thermodynamically less stable, they secreted well from mammalian cells as well behaved monodisperse proteins, which was in contrast to what was observed with the VH/Vκ and VH/Vλ scFvs that secreted as a mixture of monomer and aggregates.

  4. Optimal expression of a Fab-effector fusion protein in Escherichia coli by removing the cysteine residues responsible for an interchain disulfide bond of a Fab molecule.

    PubMed

    Kang, Hyeon-Ju; Kim, Hye-Jin; Jung, Mun-Sik; Han, Jae-Kyu; Cha, Sang-Hoon

    2017-04-01

    Development of novel bi-functional or even tri-functional Fab-effector fusion proteins would have a great potential in the biomedical sciences. However, the expression of Fab-effector fusion proteins in Escherichia coli is problematic especially when a eukaryotic effector moiety is genetically linked to a Fab due to the lack of proper chaperone proteins and an inappropriate physicochemical environment intrinsic to the microbial hosts. We previously reported that a human Fab molecule, referred to as SL335, reactive to human serum albumin has a prolonged in vivo serum half-life in rats. We, herein, tested six discrete SL335-human growth hormone (hGH) fusion constructs as a model system to define an optimal Fab-effector fusion format for E. coli expression. We found that one variant, referred to as HserG/Lser, outperformed the others in terms of a soluble expression yield and functionality in that HserG/Lser has a functional hGH bioactivity and possesses an serum albumin-binding affinity comparable to SL335. Our results clearly demonstrated that the genetic linkage of an effector domain to the C-terminus of Fd (V H +C H1 ) and the removal of cysteine (Cys) residues responsible for an interchain disulfide bond (IDB) ina Fab molecule optimize the periplasmic expression of a Fab-effector fusion protein in E. coli. We believe that our approach can contribute the development of diverse bi-functional Fab-effector fusion proteins by providing a simple strategy that enables the reliable expression of a functional fusion proteins in E. coli. Copyright © 2017 European Federation of Immunological Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Targeting human prostate cancer with 111In-labeled D2B IgG, F(ab')2 and Fab fragments in nude mice with PSMA-expressing xenografts.

    PubMed

    Lütje, Susanne; van Rij, Catharina M; Franssen, Gerben M; Fracasso, Giulio; Helfrich, Wijnand; Eek, Annemarie; Oyen, Wim J; Colombatti, Marco; Boerman, Otto C

    2015-01-01

    D2B is a new monoclonal antibody directed against an extracellular domain of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), which is overexpressed in prostate cancer. The potential of D2B IgG, and F(ab')2 and Fab fragments of this antibody for targeting prostate cancer was determined in mice bearing subcutaneous prostate cancer xenografts. The optimal time point for imaging was determined in biodistribution and microSPECT imaging studies with (111)In-D2B IgG, (111)In-capromab pendetide, (111)In-D2B F(ab')2 and (111)In-D2B Fab fragments in mice with PSMA-expressing LNCaP and PSMA-negative PC3 tumors at several time points after injection. All (111)In-labeled antibody formats specifically accumulated in the LNCaP tumors, with highest uptake of (111)In-D2B IgG and (111)In-capromab pendetide at 168 h p.i. (94.8 ± 19.2% injected dose per gram (ID/g) and 16.7 ± 2.2% ID/g, respectively), whereas uptake of (111)In-D2B F(ab')2 and (111)In-D2B Fab fragments peaked at 24 h p.i. (12.1 ± 3.0% ID/g and 15.1 ± 2.9% ID/g, respectively). Maximum LNCaP tumor-to-blood ratios were 13.0 ± 2.3 (168 h p.i.), 6.2 ± 0.7 (24 h p.i.), 23.0 ± 4.0 (24 h p.i.) and 4.5 ± 0.6 (168 h p.i.) for (111)In-D2B IgG, (111)In-F(ab')2, (111)In-Fab and (111)In-capromab pendetide, respectively. LNCaP tumors were clearly visualized with microSPECT with all antibody formats. This study demonstrates the feasibility of D2B IgG, F(ab')2 and Fab fragments for targeting PSMA-expressing prostate cancer xenografts. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  6. Complex binding of the FabR repressor of bacterial unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis to its cognate promoters.

    PubMed

    Feng, Youjun; Cronan, John E

    2011-04-01

    Two transcriptional regulators, the FadR activator and the FabR repressor, control biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids in Escherichia coli. FabR represses expression of the two genes, fabA and fabB, required for unsaturated fatty acid synthesis and has been reported to require the presence of an unsaturated thioester (of either acyl carrier protein or CoA) in order to bind the fabA and fabB promoters in vitro. We report in vivo experiments in which unsaturated fatty acid synthesis was blocked in the absence of exogenous unsaturated fatty acids in a ΔfadR strain and found that the rates of transcription of fabA and fabB were unaffected by the lack of unsaturated thioesters. To examine the discrepancy between our in vivo results and the prior in vitro results we obtained active, natively folded forms of the E. coli and Vibrio cholerae FabRs by use of an in vitro transcription-translation system. We report that FabR bound the intact promoter regions of both fabA and fabB in the absence of unsaturated acyl thioesters, but bound the two promoters differently. Native FabR bound the fabA promoter region provided that the canonical FabR binding site is extended by inclusion of flanking sequences that overlap the neighbouring FadR binding site. In contrast, although binding to the fabB operator also required a flanking sequence, a non-specific sequence could suffice. However, unsaturated thioesters did allow FabR binding to the minimal FabR operator sites of both promoters which otherwise were not bound. Thus unsaturated thioester ligands were not essential for FabR/target DNA interaction, but acted to enhance binding. The gel mobility shift data plus in vivo expression data indicate that despite the remarkably similar arrangements of promoter elements, FadR predominately regulates fabA expression whereas FabR is the dominant regulator of fabB expression. We also report that E. coli fabR expression is not autoregulated. Complementation, qRT-PCR and fatty acid

  7. 21 CFR 866.5520 - Immunoglobulin G (Fab fragment specific) immunological test system.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Immunoglobulin G (Fab fragment specific... Test Systems § 866.5520 Immunoglobulin G (Fab fragment specific) immunological test system. (a) Identification. An immunoglobulin G (Fab fragment specific) immunological test system is a device that consists...

  8. Introduction of a glycosylation site in the constant region decreases the aggregation of adalimumab Fab.

    PubMed

    Nakamura, Hitomi; Oda-Ueda, Naoko; Ueda, Tadashi; Ohkuri, Takatoshi

    2018-06-18

    The production of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies is costly; therefore, antigen-binding fragments (Fabs) can be used instead. However, their tendency toward aggregation can reduce the half-life in the plasma and the therapeutic effectiveness. To examine the effect of glycosylation on the properties of the Fab of a therapeutic antibody, an N-glycosylation site was introduced at position 178 of the H-chain constant region of adalimumab Fab through site-directed mutagenesis of L178 N (H:L178 N Fab), and then H:L178 N Fab was expressed in Pichia pastoris. SDS-PAGE analysis with treatment of N-glycosidase F or periodic acid-Schiff reagent showed that H:L178 N Fab contained a relatively low glycan level. Moreover, the H:L178 N mutation did not decrease the binding activity and thermal stability of Fab, and H:L178 N Fab was more resistant to protease digestion than wild-type Fab. The aggregation of Fab induced by pH-shift stress was measured by monitoring the optical density at 350 nm. Although the wild-type Fab showed a large increase in optical density with an increase of protein concentration, no such increase of turbidity during aggregation was found in H:L178 N Fab. These results demonstrated that glycosylation at position 178 of the H-chain constant region of adalimumab Fab can prevent protein aggregation, and therefore serve as a potentially effective platform for drug development. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  9. The community FabLab platform: applications and implications in biomedical engineering.

    PubMed

    Stephenson, Makeda K; Dow, Douglas E

    2014-01-01

    Skill development in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education present one of the most formidable challenges of modern society. The Community FabLab platform presents a viable solution. Each FabLab contains a suite of modern computer numerical control (CNC) equipment, electronics and computing hardware and design, programming, computer aided design (CAD) and computer aided machining (CAM) software. FabLabs are community and educational resources and open to the public. Development of STEM based workforce skills such as digital fabrication and advanced manufacturing can be enhanced using this platform. Particularly notable is the potential of the FabLab platform in STEM education. The active learning environment engages and supports a diversity of learners, while the iterative learning that is supported by the FabLab rapid prototyping platform facilitates depth of understanding, creativity, innovation and mastery. The product and project based learning that occurs in FabLabs develops in the student a personal sense of accomplishment, self-awareness, command of the material and technology. This helps build the interest and confidence necessary to excel in STEM and throughout life. Finally the introduction and use of relevant technologies at every stage of the education process ensures technical familiarity and a broad knowledge base needed for work in STEM based fields. Biomedical engineering education strives to cultivate broad technical adeptness, creativity, interdisciplinary thought, and an ability to form deep conceptual understanding of complex systems. The FabLab platform is well designed to enhance biomedical engineering education.

  10. Structural features of Fab fragments of rheumatoid factor IgM-RF in solution

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Volkov, V. V., E-mail: vvo@ns.crys.ras.ru; Lapuk, V. A.; Shtykova, E. V.

    The structural features of the Fab fragments of monoclonal (Waldenstroem's disease) immunoglobulin M (IgM) and rheumatoid immunoglobulin M (IgM-RF) were studied by a complex of methods, including small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), electron spin resonance (ESR), and mass spectrometry (MS). The Fab-RF fragment was demonstrated to be much more flexible in the region of interdomain contacts, the molecular weights and the shapes of the Fab and Fab-RF macromolecules in solution being only slightly different. According to the ESR data, the rotational correlation time for a spin label introduced into the peptide sequence for Fab is twice as large as that formore » Fab-RF (21{+-}2 and 11{+-}1 ns, respectively), whereas the molecular weights of these fragments differ by only 0.5% (mass-spectrometric data), which correlates with the results of molecular-shape modeling by small-angle X-ray scattering. The conclusion about the higher flexibility of the Fab-RF fragment contributes to an understanding of the specificity of interactions between the rheumatoid factor and the antigens of the own organism.« less

  11. Improved Fab presentation on phage surface with the use of molecular chaperone coplasmid system.

    PubMed

    Loh, Qiuting; Leong, Siew Wen; Tye, Gee Jun; Choong, Yee Siew; Lim, Theam Soon

    2015-05-15

    The low presentation efficiency of Fab (fragment antigen binding) fragments during phage display is largely due to the complexity of disulphide bond formation. This can result in the presentation of Fab fragments devoid of a light chain during phage display. Here we propose the use of a coplasmid system encoding several molecular chaperones (DsbA, DsbC, FkpA, and SurA) to improve Fab packaging. A comparison was done using the Fab fragment from IgG and IgD. We found that the use of the coplasmid during phage packaging was able to improve the presentation efficiency of the Fab fragment on phage surfaces. A modified version of panning using the coplasmid system was evaluated and was successful at enriching Fab binders. Therefore, the coplasmid system would be an attractive alternative for improved Fab presentation for phage display. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Functional Requirements for Fab-7 Boundary Activity in the Bithorax Complex.

    PubMed

    Wolle, Daniel; Cleard, Fabienne; Aoki, Tsutomu; Deshpande, Girish; Schedl, Paul; Karch, Francois

    2015-11-01

    Chromatin boundaries are architectural elements that determine the three-dimensional folding of the chromatin fiber and organize the chromosome into independent units of genetic activity. The Fab-7 boundary from the Drosophila bithorax complex (BX-C) is required for the parasegment-specific expression of the Abd-B gene. We have used a replacement strategy to identify sequences that are necessary and sufficient for Fab-7 boundary function in the BX-C. Fab-7 boundary activity is known to depend on factors that are stage specific, and we describe a novel ∼700-kDa complex, the late boundary complex (LBC), that binds to Fab-7 sequences that have insulator functions in late embryos and adults. We show that the LBC is enriched in nuclear extracts from late, but not early, embryos and that it contains three insulator proteins, GAF, Mod(mdg4), and E(y)2. Its DNA binding properties are unusual in that it requires a minimal sequence of >65 bp; however, other than a GAGA motif, the three Fab-7 LBC recognition elements display few sequence similarities. Finally, we show that mutations which abrogate LBC binding in vitro inactivate the Fab-7 boundary in the BX-C. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  13. Functional Requirements for Fab-7 Boundary Activity in the Bithorax Complex

    PubMed Central

    Wolle, Daniel; Cleard, Fabienne; Aoki, Tsutomu; Deshpande, Girish; Karch, Francois

    2015-01-01

    Chromatin boundaries are architectural elements that determine the three-dimensional folding of the chromatin fiber and organize the chromosome into independent units of genetic activity. The Fab-7 boundary from the Drosophila bithorax complex (BX-C) is required for the parasegment-specific expression of the Abd-B gene. We have used a replacement strategy to identify sequences that are necessary and sufficient for Fab-7 boundary function in the BX-C. Fab-7 boundary activity is known to depend on factors that are stage specific, and we describe a novel ∼700-kDa complex, the late boundary complex (LBC), that binds to Fab-7 sequences that have insulator functions in late embryos and adults. We show that the LBC is enriched in nuclear extracts from late, but not early, embryos and that it contains three insulator proteins, GAF, Mod(mdg4), and E(y)2. Its DNA binding properties are unusual in that it requires a minimal sequence of >65 bp; however, other than a GAGA motif, the three Fab-7 LBC recognition elements display few sequence similarities. Finally, we show that mutations which abrogate LBC binding in vitro inactivate the Fab-7 boundary in the BX-C. PMID:26303531

  14. Safety and cost-effectiveness of a clinical protocol implemented to standardize the use of Crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab antivenom at an academic medical center.

    PubMed

    Weant, Kyle A; Bowers, Rebecca C; Reed, Janelle; Braun, Kristopher A; Dodd, David M; Baker, Stephanie N

    2012-05-01

    To evaluate the safety and cost-effectiveness of a clinical protocol adopted in June 2006 that included a comprehensive, objective assessment of snake bite envenomations and standardized the use of Crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab antivenom (FabAV). Retrospective medical record review. Academic medical center that serves as the regional level I trauma center. Seventy-five adults treated with FabAV for snake envenomations in the emergency department between June 1, 2003, and June 1, 2009; 30 patients received treatment according to the protocol (treatment group), and 45 patients received treatment that did not adhere to the protocol (control group). Demographic and envenomation characteristics, as well as treatment details, were collected for all patients. In addition, information on quantity of FabAV vials required, length of hospital stay, and length of intensive care unit stay were compared between the treatment and control groups. In the treatment group, significantly fewer vials of FabAV were used (2.5 vs 4.727 vials, p=0.007). This decreased in usage correlated to a cost savings of approximately $2000/patient. Despite no significant difference in the severity of the envenomations between the two groups (p=0.379), the treatment group experienced a significantly shorter hospital length of stay (1.933 vs 2.791 days, p=0.030). No significant difference in the progression to fasciotomy or the development of allergic reactions was noted between the two groups. Use of a clinical protocol related to snake envenomations resulted in approximately two fewer vials of FabAV required for each patient. In addition, the treatment group experienced a shorter hospital length of stay without a corresponding increase in adverse events or envenomation progression. Data show that use of the protocol was cost-effective. The development of institution-specific multidisciplinary protocols regarding snake bite envenomations is recommended. Clinical pharmacists can play a vital role in

  15. Neutron Reflection Study of Surface Adsorption of Fc, Fab, and the Whole mAb.

    PubMed

    Li, Zongyi; Li, Ruiheng; Smith, Charles; Pan, Fang; Campana, Mario; Webster, John R P; van der Walle, Christopher F; Uddin, Shahid; Bishop, Steve M; Narwal, Rojaramani; Warwicker, Jim; Lu, Jian Ren

    2017-07-12

    Characterizing the influence of fragment crystallization (Fc) and antigen-binding fragment (Fab) on monoclonal antibody (mAb) adsorption at the air/water interface is an important step to understanding liquid mAb drug product stability during manufacture, shipping, and storage. Here, neutron reflection is used to study the air/water adsorption of a mAb and its Fc and Fab fragments. By varying the isotopic contrast, the adsorbed amount, thickness, orientation, and immersion of the adsorbed layers could be determined unambiguously. While Fc adsorption reached saturation within the hour, its surface adsorbed amount showed little variation with bulk concentration. In contrast, Fab adsorption was slower and the adsorbed amount was concentration dependent. The much higher Fc adsorption, as compared to Fab, was linked to its lower surface charge. Time and concentration dependence of mAb adsorption was dominated by Fab behavior, although both Fab and Fc behaviors contributed to the amount of mAb adsorbed. Changing the pH from 5.5 to 8.8 did not much perturb the adsorbed amount of Fc, Fab, or mAb. However, a small decrease in adsorption was observed for the Fc over pH 8-8.8 and vice versa for the Fab and mAb, consistent with a dominant Fab behavior. As bulk concentration increased from 5 to 50 ppm, the thicknesses of the Fc layers were almost constant at 40 Å, while Fab and mAb layers increased from 45 to 50 Å. These results imply that the adsorbed mAb, Fc, and Fab all retained their globular structures and were oriented with their short axial lengths perpendicular to the interface.

  16. Comparative study of thiophilic functionalised matrices for polyclonal F(ab')2 purification.

    PubMed

    Kumpalume, Peter; Slater, Nigel K H

    2004-01-02

    Thiophilic adsorbents have been developed using divinyl sulfone or epoxy activated Streamline quartz base matrix. Their capacity and selectivity for binding polyclonal F(ab')2 fragments generated by whole serum proteolysis was tested. Except for epoxy activated guanidine, all the adsorbents displayed high selectivity for F(ab')2 with dynamic binding capacities ranging from 3 to 10 mg/ml of adsorbent. Thiol immobilised ligands adsorbed more F(ab')2 and the recovery was equal to or more than that from amino immobilised ligands. All adsorbents showed good selectivity for IgG and the dynamic binding capacities were better than for F(ab')2.

  17. CIM for 300-mm semiconductor fab

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Luk, Arthur

    1997-08-01

    Five years ago, factory automation (F/A) was not prevalent in the fab. Today facing the drastically changed market and the intense competition, management request the plant floor data be forward to their desktop computer. This increased demand rapidly pushed F/A to the computer integrated manufacturing (CIM). Through personalization, we successfully reduced a computer size, let them can be stored on our desktop. PC initiates a computer new era. With the advent of the network, the network computer (NC) creates fresh problems for us. When we plan to invest more than $3 billion to build new 300 mm fab, the next generation technology raises a challenging bar.

  18. Immobilization of Fab' fragments onto substrate surfaces: A survey of methods and applications.

    PubMed

    Crivianu-Gaita, Victor; Thompson, Michael

    2015-08-15

    Antibody immobilization onto surfaces has widespread applications in many different fields. It is desirable to bind antibodies such that their fragment-antigen-binding (Fab) units are oriented away from the surface in order to maximize analyte binding. The immobilization of only Fab' fragments yields benefits over the more traditional whole antibody immobilization technique. Bound Fab' fragments display higher surface densities, yielding a higher binding capacity for the analyte. The nucleophilic sulfide of the Fab' fragments allows for specific orientations to be achieved. For biosensors, this indicates a higher sensitivity and lower detection limit for a target analyte. The last thirty years have shown tremendous progress in the immobilization of Fab' fragments onto gold, Si-based, polysaccharide-based, plastic-based, magnetic, and inorganic surfaces. This review will show the current scope of Fab' immobilization techniques available and illustrate methods employed to minimize non-specific adsorption of undesirables. Furthermore, a variety of examples will be given to show the versatility of immobilized Fab' fragments in different applications and future directions of the field will be addressed, especially regarding biosensors. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. ImmunoPET of tissue factor expression in triple-negative breast cancer with a radiolabeled antibody Fab fragment.

    PubMed

    Shi, Sixiang; Hong, Hao; Orbay, Hakan; Graves, Stephen A; Yang, Yunan; Ohman, Jakob D; Liu, Bai; Nickles, Robert J; Wong, Hing C; Cai, Weibo

    2015-07-01

    To date, there is no effective therapy for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), which has a dismal clinical outcome. Upregulation of tissue factor (TF) expression leads to increased patient morbidity and mortality in many solid tumor types, including TNBC. Our goal was to employ the Fab fragment of ALT-836, a chimeric anti-human TF mAb, for PET imaging of TNBC, which can be used to guide future TNBC therapy. ALT-836-Fab was generated by enzymatic papain digestion. SDS-PAGE and FACS studies were performed to evaluate the integrity and TF binding affinity of ALT-836-Fab before NOTA conjugation and (64)Cu-labeling. Serial PET imaging and biodistribution studies were carried out to evaluate the tumor targeting efficacy and pharmacokinetics in the MDA-MB-231 TNBC model, which expresses high levels of TF on the tumor cells. Blocking studies, histological assessment, as well as RT-PCR were performed to confirm TF specificity of (64)Cu-NOTA-ALT-836-Fab. ALT-836-Fab was produced with high purity, which exhibited superb TF binding affinity and specificity. Serial PET imaging revealed rapid and persistent tumor uptake of (64)Cu-NOTA-ALT-836-Fab (5.1 ± 0.5 %ID/g at 24 h post-injection; n = 4) and high tumor/muscle ratio (7.0 ± 1.2 at 24 h post-injection; n = 4), several-fold higher than that of the blocking group and tumor models that do not express significant level of TF, which was confirmed by biodistribution studies. TF specificity of the tracer was also validated by histology and RT-PCR. (64)Cu-NOTA-ALT-836-Fab exhibited prominent tissue factor targeting efficiency in MDA-MB-231 TNBC model. The use of a Fab fragment led to fast tumor uptake and good tissue/muscle ratio, which may be translated into same-day immunoPET imaging in the clinical setting to improve TNBC patient management.

  20. IgG Fab Fragments Forming Bivalent Complexes by a Conformational Mechanism That Is Reversible by Osmolytes*

    PubMed Central

    Nelson, Alfreda D.; Hoffmann, Michele M.; Parks, Christopher A.; Dasari, Surendra; Schrum, Adam G.; Gil, Diana

    2012-01-01

    Generated by proteolytic cleavage of immunoglobulin, Fab fragments possess great promise as blocking reagents, able to bind receptors or other targets without inducing cross-linking. However, aggregation of Fab preparations is a common occurrence, which generates intrinsic stimulatory capacity and thwarts signal blockade strategies. Using a panel of biochemical approaches, including size exclusion chromatography, SDS-PAGE, mass spectrometry, and cell stimulation followed by flow cytometry, we have measured the oligomerization and acquisition of stimulatory capacity that occurs in four monoclonal IgG Fabs specific for TCR/CD3. Unexpectedly, we observed that all Fabs spontaneously formed complexes that were precisely bivalent, and these bivalent complexes possessed most of the stimulatory activity of each Fab preparation. Fabs composing bivalent complexes were more susceptible to proteolysis than monovalent Fabs, indicating a difference in conformation between the Fabs involved in these two different states of valency. Because osmolytes represent a class of compounds that stabilize protein folding and conformation, we sought to determine the extent to which the amino acid osmolyte l-proline might impact bivalent Fab complexation. We found that l-proline (i) inhibited the adoption of the conformation associated with bivalent complexation, (ii) preserved Fab monovalency, (iii) reversed the conformation of preformed bivalent Fabs to that of monovalent Fabs, and (iv) separated a significant percentage of preformed bivalent complexes into monovalent species. Thus, Fab fragments can adopt a conformation that is compatible with folding or packing of a bivalent complex in a process that can be inhibited by osmolytes. PMID:23109335

  1. Promoter engineering to optimize recombinant periplasmic Fab' fragment production in Escherichia coli.

    PubMed

    Schofield, Desmond M; Templar, Alex; Newton, Joseph; Nesbeth, Darren N

    2016-07-08

    Fab' fragments have become an established class of biotherapeutic over the last two decades. Likewise, developments in synthetic biology are providing ever more powerful techniques for designing bacterial genes, gene networks and entire genomes that can be used to improve industrial performance of cells used for production of biotherapeutics. We have previously observed significant leakage of an exogenous therapeutic Fab' fragment into the growth medium during high cell density cultivation of an Escherichia coli production strain. In this study we sought to apply a promoter engineering strategy to address the issue of Fab' fragment leakage and its consequent bioprocess challenges. We used site directed mutagenesis to convert the Ptac promoter, present in the plasmid, pTTOD-A33 Fab', to a Ptic promoter which has been shown by others to direct expression at a 35% reduced rate compared to Ptac . We characterized the resultant production trains in which either Ptic or Ptac promoters direct Fab' fragment expression. The Ptic promoter strain showed a 25-30% reduction in Fab' expression relative to the original Ptac strain. Reduced Fab' leakage and increased viability over the course of a fed-batch fermentation were also observed for the Ptic promoter strain. We conclude that cell design steps such as the Ptac to Ptic promoter conversion reported here, can yield significant process benefit and understanding with respect to periplasmic Fab' fragment production. It remains an open question as to whether the influence of transgene expression on periplasmic retention is mediated by global metabolic burden effects or periplasm overcapacity. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 32:840-847, 2016. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

  2. Locking the Elbow: Improved Antibody Fab Fragments as Chaperones for Structure Determination.

    PubMed

    Bailey, Lucas J; Sheehy, Kimberly M; Dominik, Pawel K; Liang, Wenguang G; Rui, Huan; Clark, Michael; Jaskolowski, Mateusz; Kim, Yejoon; Deneka, Dawid; Tang, Wei-Jen; Kossiakoff, Anthony A

    2018-02-02

    Antibody Fab fragments have been exploited with significant success to facilitate the structure determination of challenging macromolecules as crystallization chaperones and as molecular fiducial marks for single particle cryo-electron microscopy approaches. However, the inherent flexibility of the "elbow" regions, which link the constant and variable domains of the Fab, can introduce disorder and thus diminish their effectiveness. We have developed a phage display engineering strategy to generate synthetic Fab variants that significantly reduces elbow flexibility, while maintaining their high affinity and stability. This strategy was validated using previously recalcitrant Fab-antigen complexes where introduction of an engineered elbow region enhanced crystallization and diffraction resolution. Furthermore, incorporation of the mutations appears to be generally portable to other synthetic antibodies and may serve as a universal strategy to enhance the success rates of Fabs as structure determination chaperones. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. High contrast tumor imaging with radio-labeled antibody Fab fragments tailored for optimized pharmacokinetics via PASylation.

    PubMed

    Mendler, Claudia T; Friedrich, Lars; Laitinen, Iina; Schlapschy, Martin; Schwaiger, Markus; Wester, Hans-Jürgen; Skerra, Arne

    2015-01-01

    Although antigen-binding fragments (Fabs) of antibodies constitute established tracers for in vivo radiodiagnostics, their functionality is hampered by a very short circulation half-life. PASylation, the genetic fusion with a long, conformationally disordered amino acid chain comprising Pro, Ala and Ser, provides a convenient way to expand protein size and, consequently, retard renal filtration. Humanized αHER2 and αCD20 Fabs were systematically fused with 100 to 600 PAS residues and produced in E. coli. Cytofluorimetric titration analysis on tumor cell lines confirmed that antigen-binding activities of the parental antibodies were retained. The radio-iodinated PASylated Fabs were studied by positron emission tomography (PET) imaging and biodistribution analysis in mouse tumor xenograft models. While the unmodified αHER2 and αCD20 Fabs showed weak tumor uptake (0.8% and 0.2% ID/g, respectively; 24 h p.i.) tumor-associated radioactivity was boosted with increasing PAS length (up to 9 and 26-fold, respectively), approaching an optimum for Fab-PAS400. Remarkably, 6- and 5-fold higher tumor-to-blood ratios compared with the unmodified Fabs were measured in the biodistribution analysis (48 h p.i.) for αHER2 Fab-PAS100 and Fab-PAS200, respectively. These findings were confirmed by PET studies, showing high imaging contrast in line with tumor-to-blood ratios of 12.2 and 5.7 (24 h p.i.) for αHER2 Fab-PAS100 and Fab-PAS200. Even stronger tumor signals were obtained with the corresponding αCD20 Fabs, both in PET imaging and biodistribution analysis, with an uptake of 2.8% ID/g for Fab-PAS100 vs. 0.24% ID/g for the unmodified Fab. Hence, by engineering Fabs via PASylation, plasma half-life can be tailored to significantly improve tracer uptake and tumor contrast, thus optimally matching reagent/target interactions.

  4. A novel engineered interchain disulfide bond in the constant region enhances the thermostability of adalimumab Fab.

    PubMed

    Nakamura, Hitomi; Oda-Ueda, Naoko; Ueda, Tadashi; Ohkuri, Takatoshi

    2018-01-01

    We constructed a system for expressing the Fab of the therapeutic human monoclonal antibody adalimumab at a yield of 20 mg/L in the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris. To examine the contribution of interchain disulfide bonds to conformational stability, we prepared adalimumab Fab from which the interchain disulfide bond at the C-terminal region at both the CH 1 and CL domains was deleted by substitution of Cys with Ala (Fab ΔSS ). DSC measurements showed that the Tm values of Fab ΔSS were approximately 5 °C lower than those of wild-type Fab, suggesting that the interchain disulfide bond contributes to conformational thermostability. Using computer simulations, we designed a novel interchain disulfide bond outside the C-terminal region to increase the stability of Fab ΔSS . The resulting Fab (mutSS Fab ΔSS ) had the mutations H:V177C and L:Q160C in Fab ΔSS , confirming the formation of the disulfide bond between CH 1 and CL. The thermostability of mutSS Fab ΔSS was approximately 5 °C higher than that of Fab ΔSS . Therefore, the introduction of the designed interchain disulfide bond enhanced the thermostability of Fab ΔSS and mitigated the destabilization caused by partial reduction of the interchain disulfide bond at the C-terminal region, which occurs in site-specific modification such as PEGylation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Initial postmarketing experience with crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab for treatment of rattlesnake envenomation.

    PubMed

    Ruha, Anne-Michelle; Curry, Steven C; Beuhler, Michael; Katz, Ken; Brooks, Daniel E; Graeme, Kimberlie A; Wallace, Kevin; Gerkin, Richard; Lovecchio, Frank; Wax, Paul; Selden, Brad

    2002-06-01

    We describe our postmarketing experience with patients receiving Crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab (CroFab; FabAV) antivenom for treatment of rattlesnake envenomation. The charts of 28 patients admitted between March 1 and September 9, 2001, with rattlesnake envenomation and treated with FabAV were reviewed for demographic information, time until antivenom treatment, laboratory findings, evidence of hypersensitivity reaction, length of hospital stay, and readmission to the hospital. All patients had swelling, 20 patients had elevated prothrombin times (>14 seconds), 12 patients had low fibrinogen levels (<170 mg/dL), and 6 patients had thrombocytopenia (platelet count <120,000/mm(3)) on presentation. The total dose of FabAV ranged from 10 to 47 vials per patient. Hypofibrinogenemia was resistant to FabAV in some patients. On follow-up, recurrence of coagulopathy was detected in 3 patients, and recurrence of thrombocytopenia was detected in 1 patient. Two patients demonstrated delayed-onset severe thrombocytopenia. Recurrence or delayed-onset toxicity might have been underestimated because of incomplete follow-up in some patients. No acute hypersensitivity reactions occurred. Two patients reported mild symptoms of possible serum sickness on follow-up. FabAV effectively controlled the effects of envenomation; however, initial control of coagulopathy was difficult to achieve in some cases, and recurrence or delayed-onset hematotoxicity was common. When initially managing hematotoxicity, a trend toward normalization of laboratory values might be a more reasonable end point for FabAV treatment than attainment of normal reference values in nonbleeding patients.

  6. The reliability and validity of the Turkish version of Fullerton Advanced Balance (FAB-T) scale.

    PubMed

    Iyigun, Gozde; Kirmizigil, Berkiye; Angin, Ender; Oksuz, Sevim; Can, Filiz; Eker, Levent; Rose, Debra J

    2018-06-04

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the FAB(FAB-T) scale in the older Turkish adults. The reliability and validity of the scale was tested on 200 community-dwelling older adults. FAB-T scale was scored by different physiotherapists on different days to evaluate inter-rater and intrarater reliability. The Berg Balance Scale (BBS) was used for the evaluation of convergent validity, and the content validity of the FAB-T scale was investigated. The FAB-T scale showed very high inter- and intra-rater reliability. For inter-rater agreement, on the individual test items and total score ICC values were 0.92 (95 %CI; 0.90-0.94) and 0.96 (95% CI; 0.95-0.97) respectively. The intra-rater agreement, on the individual test items and total score ICC values were 0.93 (95 %CI; 0.91- 0.95) and 0.96 (95% CI; 0.95- 0.97) respectively. There was a good agreement between the FAB-T and BBS scales. A high correlation was found between the BBS and FAB-T scales [rho = 0.70 (%95 CI; 0.62-0.76)] indicating good convergent validity. Considering the content validity of the FAB-T scale, no floor (floor score: 0%) or ceiling (ceiling score: 6.5%) effect was detected. The FAB-T scale was successfully translated from the original English version (FAB) and demonstrated strong psychometric features. It was found that the FAB-T scale has very high inter-rater and intra-rater reliability. Considering the convergent validity, the scale has high correlation with the BBS. The FAB-T has no floor and ceiling effect. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Structural and dynamical aspects of Streptococcus gordonii FabH through molecular docking and MD simulations.

    PubMed

    Shamim, Amen; Abbasi, Sumra Wajid; Azam, Syed Sikander

    2015-07-01

    β-Ketoacyl-ACP-synthase III (FabH or KAS III) has become an attractive target for the development of new antibacterial agents which can overcome the multidrug resistance. Unraveling the fatty acid biosynthesis (FAB) metabolic pathway and understanding structural coordinates of FabH will provide valuable insights to target Streptococcus gordonii for curing oral infection. In this study, we designed inhibitors against therapeutic target FabH, in order to block the FAB pathway. As compared to other targets, FabH has more interactions with other proteins, located on the leading strand with higher codon adaptation index value and associated with lipid metabolism category of COG. Current study aims to gain in silico insights into the structural and dynamical aspect of S. gordonii FabH via molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The FabH protein is catalytically active in dimerization while it can lock in monomeric state. Current study highlights two residues Pro88 and Leu315 that are close to each other by dimerization. The active site of FabH is composed of the catalytic triad formed by residues Cys112, His249, and Asn279 in which Cys112 is involved in acetyl transfer, while His249 and Asn279 play an active role in decarboxylation. Docking analysis revealed that among the studied compounds, methyl-CoA disulfide has highest GOLD score (82.75), binding affinity (-11 kcal/mol) and exhibited consistently better interactions. During MD simulations, the FabH structure remained stable with the average RMSD value of 1.7 Å and 1.6 Å for undocked protein and docked complex, respectively. Further, crucial hydrogen bonding of the conserved catalytic triad for exhibiting high affinity between the FabH protein and ligand is observed by RDF analysis. The MD simulation results clearly demonstrated that binding of the inhibitor with S. gordonii FabH enhanced the structure and stabilized the dimeric FabH protein. Therefore, the inhibitor has the potential to become

  8. FabQ, a Dual-Function Dehydratase/Isomerase, Circumvents the Last Step of the Classical Fatty Acid Synthesis Cycle

    PubMed Central

    Bi, Hongkai; Wang, Haihong; Cronan, John E.

    2015-01-01

    SUMMARY In the classical anaerobic pathway of unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis, that of Escherichia coli, the double bond is introduced into the growing acyl chain by the FabA dehydratase/isomerase. Another dehydratase, FabZ, functions in the chain elongation cycle. In contrast, Aerococcus viridans has only a single FabA/FabZ homolog we designate FabQ. FabQ can not only replace the function of E. coli FabZ in vivo, but it also catalyzes the isomerization required for unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis. Most strikingly, FabQ in combination with E. coli FabB imparts the surprising ability to bypass reduction of the trans-2-acyl-ACP intermediates of classical fatty acid synthesis. FabQ allows elongation by progressive isomerization reactions to form the polyunsaturated fatty acid, 3-hydroxy-cis-5, 7-hexadecadienoic acid, both in vitro and in vivo. FabQ therefore provides a potential pathway for bacterial synthesis of polyunsaturated fatty acids. PMID:23972938

  9. The structure of (3R)-hydroxyacyl-acyl carrier protein dehydratase (FabZ) from Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

    PubMed

    Kimber, Matthew S; Martin, Fernando; Lu, Yingjie; Houston, Simon; Vedadi, Masoud; Dharamsi, Akil; Fiebig, Klaus M; Schmid, Molly; Rock, Charles O

    2004-12-10

    Type II fatty acid biosynthesis systems are essential for membrane formation in bacteria, making the constituent proteins of this pathway attractive targets for antibacterial drug discovery. The third step in the elongation cycle of the type II fatty acid biosynthesis is catalyzed by beta-hydroxyacyl-(acyl carrier protein) (ACP) dehydratase. There are two isoforms. FabZ, which catalyzes the dehydration of (3R)-hydroxyacyl-ACP to trans-2-acyl-ACP, is a universally expressed component of the bacterial type II system. FabA, the second isoform, as has more limited distribution in nature and, in addition to dehydration, also carries out the isomerization of trans-2- to cis-3-decenoyl-ACP as an essential step in unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis. We report the structure of FabZ from the important human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa at 2.5 A of resolution. PaFabZ is a hexamer (trimer of dimers) with the His/Glu catalytic dyad located within a deep, narrow tunnel formed at the dimer interface. Site-directed mutagenesis experiments showed that the obvious differences in the active site residues that distinguish the FabA and FabZ subfamilies of dehydratases do not account for the unique ability of FabA to catalyze isomerization. Because the catalytic machinery of the two enzymes is practically indistinguishable, the structural differences observed in the shape of the substrate binding channels of FabA and FabZ lead us to hypothesize that the different shapes of the tunnels control the conformation and positioning of the bound substrate, allowing FabA, but not FabZ, to catalyze the isomerization reaction.

  10. Fab fragments of ovine antibody to colchicine enhance its clearance in the rat.

    PubMed

    Peake, Philip W; Pianta, Timothy J; Succar, Lena; Fernando, Mangalee; Buckley, Nicholas A; Endre, Zoltan H

    2015-06-01

    Colchicine is an anti-inflammatory alkaloid used for the treatment of acute gout, but has a narrow therapeutic index. Colchicine overdoses are relatively rare, but have high mortality requiring rapid treatment. To evaluate the ability of a newly available ovine fragment antigen-binding (Fab) antibody to colchicine (ColchiFab(™)) to protect rats against renal and other injury 24 h after colchicine ingestion. Rats were gavaged with colchicine (5 mg/kg), then 2 h later injected intraperitoneally with 5 ml of sterile saline, or Fab anti-colchicine, a newly available ovine antibody to colchicine. Samples of blood were taken at 1, 2, 5 and 24 h after gavage, and urine was collected from 5 to 24 h after gavage. Concentrations of colchicine in tissue, blood and urine were measured by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry, concentrations of Fab anti-colchicine, urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and kidney injury molecule-1 or KIM-1 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or ELISA, while concentrations of creatine kinase and creatinine (Cr) were measured enzymatically. Colchicine equilibrated rapidly throughout the body and increased serum creatine kinase. Fab anti-colchicine also rapidly redistributed to the blood and remained at high concentrations over 24 h. Fab anti-colchicine caused a rapid 7.1-fold increase in serum colchicine level, followed by excretion of both colchicine and Fab anti-colchicine through the urine. This was associated with the accumulation of colchicine in the kidney, a reversal of colchicine-induced diarrhoea, and increasing urinary NGAL level; from 168 ± 48 to 477 ± 255 ng/mmol Cr [mean ± standard deviation or SD]. Fab anti-colchicine greatly increased the clearance of colchicine, although increasing NGAL level suggested the presence of mild kidney damage. These data suggest clinical utility for Fab anti-colchicine in the treatment of colchicine overdose.

  11. Characterization of deamidation at Asn138 in L-chain of recombinant humanized Fab expressed from Pichia pastoris.

    PubMed

    Ohkuri, Takatoshi; Murase, Eri; Sun, Shu-Lan; Sugitani, Jun; Ueda, Tadashi

    2013-10-01

    A method was previously established for evaluating Asn deamidation by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight-mass spectrometry using endoproteinase Asp-N. In this study, we demonstrated that this method could be applied to the identification of the deamidation site of the humanized fragment antigen-binding (Fab). First, a system for expressing humanized Fab from methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris was constructed, resulting in the preparation of ∼30 mg of the purified humanized Fab from 1 l culture. Analysis of the L-chain derived from recombinant humanized Fab that was heated at pH 7 and 100°C for 1 h showed the deamidation at Asn138 in the constant region. Then, we prepared L-N138D Fab and L-N138A Fab and examined their properties. The circular dichroism (CD) spectrum of the L-N138D Fab was partially different from that of the wild-type Fab. The measurement of the thermostability showed that L-N138D caused a significant decrease in the thermostability of Fab. On the other hand, the CD spectrum and thermostability of L-N138A Fab showed the same behaviour as the wild-type Fab. Thus, it was suggested that the introduction of a negative charge at position 138 in the L-chain by the deamidation significantly affected the stability of humanized Fab.

  12. Fab fragment labeled with ICG-derivative for detecting digestive tract cancer.

    PubMed

    Yano, Hiromi; Muguruma, Naoki; Ito, Susumu; Aoyagi, Eriko; Kimura, Tetsuo; Imoto, Yoshitaka; Cao, Jianxin; Inoue, Shohei; Sano, Shigeki; Nagao, Yoshimitsu; Kido, Hiroshi

    2006-09-01

    In previous studies, we generated infrared ray fluorescence-labeled monoclonal antibodies and developed an infrared ray fluorescence endoscope capable of detecting the monoclonal antibodies to establish a novel diagnostic technique for gastrointestinal cancer. Although the whole IgG molecule has commonly been used for preparation of labeled antibodies, labeled IgG displays insufficient sensitivity and specificity, probably resulting from non-specific binding of the Fc fragment to target cells or interference between fluorochromes on the identical labeled antibody, which might be caused by molecular structure. In this in vitro study, we characterized an Fc-free fluorescence-labeled Fab fragment, which was expected to yield more specific binding to target cells than the whole IgG molecule. An anti-mucin antibody and ICG-ATT, an ICG derivative, were used as the labeled antibody and labeling compound, respectively. Paraffin sections of excised gastric cancer tissues were subjected to staining. The labeled whole IgG molecule (ICG-ATT-labeled IgG) and the labeled Fab fragment (ICG-ATT-labeled Fab) were prepared according to a previous report, and the fluorescence properties, antibody activities, and features of fluorescence microscope images obtained from paraffin sections were compared. Both ICG-ATT-labeled Fab and ICG-ATT-labeled IgG were excited by a near infrared ray of 766nm, and maximum emission occurred at 804nm. Antibody activities of ICG-ATT-labeled Fab were shown to be similar to those of unlabeled anti-MUC1 antibody. The fluorescence intensity obtained from paraffin sections of excised gastric cancer tissues revealed a tendency to be greater with ICG-ATT-labeled Fab than with ICG-ATT-labeled IgG. The infrared ray fluorescence-labeled Fab fragment was likely to be more specific than the conventionally labeled antibodies. Fragmentation of antibodies is considered to contribute to improved sensitivity and specificity of labeled antibodies for detection of micro

  13. Recurrent hemorrhage after western diamondback rattlesnake envenomation treated with crotalidae polyvalent immune fab (ovine).

    PubMed

    Fazelat, Joyia; Teperman, Sheldon H; Touger, Michael

    2008-11-01

    Recurrent coagulopathy has been observed in patients after rattlesnake envenomation treated with Crotalidae Polyvalent Immune Fab (ovine) [FabAV]. While recurrent coagulopathy is well documented in the literature, clinically significant sequelae have not been reported. We present a case of recurrent thrombocytopenia after western diamondback envenomation treated with FabAV, resulting in an extensive recurrent local hemorrhage. A 24-year-old male presented to our emergency department several hours after western diamondback envenomation. He sustained bites to both hands and the right flank by leaning over his pet "snake enclosure." On presentation, the patient was hypotensive, tachycardic, and thrombocytopenic with a platelet count of 17/nl. Antivenom therapy was initiated according to the standard FabAV protocol. However, sixteen hours after completion of the recommended FabAV infusion, the patient experienced a recurrent thrombocytopenia with a dramatic seventeen point drop in hematocrit. The source of bleeding was clinically attributed to an expanding hematoma at the site of envenomation. FabAV has become the standard treatment for symptomatic crotalid envenomation. However, the pharmacokinetics of this drug predispose it to recurrent coagulopathies. While studies have shown persistent and recurrent coagulopathic derangements after FabAV therapy, no clinically significant sequelae have been reported. This report highlights the potential for recurrent local hemorrhagic complications following rattlesnake envenomation, even after treatment guided by the current FabAV protocol. Recurrent coagulopathy following FabAV therapy can result in clinically significant hemorrhage, supporting the observation that extended repeat dosing may be necessary to adequately treat subjects of rattlesnake envenomation.

  14. High contrast tumor imaging with radio-labeled antibody Fab fragments tailored for optimized pharmacokinetics via PASylation

    PubMed Central

    Mendler, Claudia T; Friedrich, Lars; Laitinen, Iina; Schlapschy, Martin; Schwaiger, Markus; Wester, Hans-Jürgen; Skerra, Arne

    2015-01-01

    Although antigen-binding fragments (Fabs) of antibodies constitute established tracers for in vivo radiodiagnostics, their functionality is hampered by a very short circulation half-life. PASylation, the genetic fusion with a long, conformationally disordered amino acid chain comprising Pro, Ala and Ser, provides a convenient way to expand protein size and, consequently, retard renal filtration. Humanized αHER2 and αCD20 Fabs were systematically fused with 100 to 600 PAS residues and produced in E. coli. Cytofluorimetric titration analysis on tumor cell lines confirmed that antigen-binding activities of the parental antibodies were retained. The radio-iodinated PASylated Fabs were studied by positron emission tomography (PET) imaging and biodistribution analysis in mouse tumor xenograft models. While the unmodified αHER2 and αCD20 Fabs showed weak tumor uptake (0.8% and 0.2% ID/g, respectively; 24 h p.i.) tumor-associated radioactivity was boosted with increasing PAS length (up to 9 and 26-fold, respectively), approaching an optimum for Fab-PAS400. Remarkably, 6- and 5-fold higher tumor-to-blood ratios compared with the unmodified Fabs were measured in the biodistribution analysis (48 h p.i.) for αHER2 Fab-PAS100 and Fab-PAS200, respectively. These findings were confirmed by PET studies, showing high imaging contrast in line with tumor-to-blood ratios of 12.2 and 5.7 (24 h p.i.) for αHER2 Fab-PAS100 and Fab-PAS200. Even stronger tumor signals were obtained with the corresponding αCD20 Fabs, both in PET imaging and biodistribution analysis, with an uptake of 2.8% ID/g for Fab-PAS100 vs. 0.24% ID/g for the unmodified Fab. Hence, by engineering Fabs via PASylation, plasma half-life can be tailored to significantly improve tracer uptake and tumor contrast, thus optimally matching reagent/target interactions. PMID:25484039

  15. Targeting Mast Cells and Basophils with Anti-FcεRIα Fab-Conjugated Celastrol-Loaded Micelles Suppresses Allergic Inflammation.

    PubMed

    Peng, Xia; Wang, Juan; Li, Xianyang; Lin, Lihui; Xie, Guogang; Cui, Zelin; Li, Jia; Wang, Yuping; Li, Li

    2015-12-01

    Mast cells and basophils are effector cells in the pathophysiology of allergic diseases. Targeted elimination of these cells may be a promising strategy for the treatment of allergic disorders. Our present study aims at targeted delivery of anti-FcεRIα Fab-conjugated celastrol-loaded micelles toward FcεRIα receptors expressed on mast cells and basophils to have enhanced anti-allergic effect. To achieve this aim, we prepared celastrol-loaded (PEO-block-PPO-block-PEO, Pluronic) polymeric nanomicelles using thin-film hydration method. The anti-FcεRIα Fab Fragment was then conjugated to carboxyl groups on drug-loaded micelles via EDC amidation reaction. The anti-FcεRIα Fab-conjugated celastrol-loaded micelles revealed uniform particle size (93.43 ± 12.93 nm) with high loading percentage (21.2 ± 1.5% w/w). The image of micelles showed oval and rod like. The anti-FcεRIα Fab-conjugated micelles demonstrated enhanced cellular uptake and cytotoxity toward target KU812 cells than non-conjugated micelles in vitro. Furthermore, diffusion of the drug into the cells allowed an efficient induction of cell apoptosis. In mouse model of allergic asthma, treatment with anti-FcεRIα Fab-conjugated micelles increased lung accumulation of micelles, and significantly reduced OVA-sIgE, histamine and Th2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, TNF-α) levels, eosinophils infiltration and mucus production. In addition, in mouse model of passive cutaneous anaphylaxis, anti-FcεRIα Fab-conjugated celastrol-loaded micelles treatment significantly decreased extravasated evan's in the ear. These results indicate that anti-FcεRIα Fab-conjugated celastrol-loaded micelles can target and selectively kill mast cells and basophils which express FcεRIα, and may be efficient reagents for the treatment of allergic disorders and mast cell related diseases.

  16. LC-MS/MS quantification of free and Fab-bound colchicine in plasma, urine and organs following colchicine administration and colchicine-specific Fab fragments treatment in Göttingen minipigs.

    PubMed

    Fabresse, Nicolas; Allard, Julien; Sardaby, Marine; Thompson, Adrian; Clutton, R Eddie; Eddleston, Michael; Alvarez, Jean-Claude

    2017-08-15

    Clinical evaluation of a colchicine specific antigen-binding fragment (Fab) in order to treat colchicine poisoning required the development of an accurate method allowing quantification of free and Fab-bound colchicine in plasma and urine, and free colchicine in tissues, to measure colchicine redistribution after Fab administration. Three methods have been developed for this purpose, and validated in plasma, urine and liver: total colchicine was determined after denaturation of Fab by dilution in water and heating; free colchicine was separated from Fab-bound colchicine by filtration with 30KDa micro-filters; tissues were homogenized in a tissue mixer. Deuterated colchicine was used as internal standard. Samples were extracted by liquid-liquid extraction and analyzed with a LC-MS/MS. LOQ were 0.5ng/mL in plasma and urine for free and total colchicine and 5pg/mg in tissues. The methods were linear in the 0.5-100ng/mL range in plasma and urine, and 5-300pg/mg in tissues with determination coefficients>0.99. Precision and accuracy of QC samples presented a CV<9.4%. The methods require only 200μL of sample and allow a high throughput due to short analytical run (2min). These methods were successfully applied to a pig intoxicated with colchicine and treated with colchicine specific Fab fragments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Evidence-based, multidisciplinary approach to the development of a crotalidae polyvalent antivenin (CroFab) protocol at a university hospital.

    PubMed

    Weant, Kyle A; Johnson, Peter N; Bowers, Rebecca C; Armitstead, John A

    2010-03-01

    Several thousand people are bitten annually by venomous snakes in the US. While the development of ovine Crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab antivenin (FabAV) for Crotalinae snakebite envenomations has greatly changed the way this clinical presentation is treated, multiple issues complicate its use. From patient assessment and evaluation, to medication preparation and administration, to the management of adverse drug reactions, the use of this antidote carries with it multiple points of possible medication variances. The inappropriate use of this agent can result in adverse patient consequences and a significant financial burden for both the hospital and the patient. To describe an evidence-based, multidisciplinary approach that was taken to ensure optimal, safe, and cost-effective treatment of patients with FabAV. Following an analysis of the available literature, a multidisciplinary committee was formed to construct a protocol for use of FabAV. This group included clinical pharmacists, pharmacy administrators, emergency medicine physicians who specialized in wilderness medicine and pharmacy residents. A multidisciplinary FabAV usage protocol was constructed and implemented to ensure appropriate patient evaluation, FabAV use and preparation, monitoring, and follow-up. This protocol was based on the available literature and the expert opinion of the committee. Through the use of a 24-hour in-house pharmacy resident on-call system, clinical pharmacy services were provided to ensure a multidisciplinary approach to the care of these patients emergently. Although limited, initial data show that this approach is effective and may result in substantial cost savings. Initial results from implementation of a protocol for use of FabAV have limited inappropriate use, reduced medication wastage, and decreased costs.

  18. Effects of Fab' fragments of specific egg yolk antibody (IgY-Fab') against Shewanella putrefaciens on the preservation of refrigerated turbot.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Qian; Lin, Hong; Sui, Jianxin; Wang, Jingxue; Cao, Limin

    2015-01-01

    In our previous studies the specific egg yolk antibody (IgY) against Shewanella putrefaciens (one of the specific spoilage organisms for marine products during aerobic chilling storage) demonstrated significant activity to prolong the shelf life of refrigerated fish. The exploitation of the antigen-binding fragment plus the hinge region (IgY-Fab') is now considered a promising method for improving the efficiency of such natural antimicrobial agents. The antimicrobial activity of IgY-Fab' against S. putrefaciens was investigated using refrigerated turbot as samples. By microbial, chemical and sensory tests, it was shown to be able to effectively inhibit bacterial growth and prolong the shelf life of samples, with an efficiency evaluated significantly higher than that of whole IgY with the same molarity. The interaction between IgY agents and S. putrefaciens cells was also investigated, and the IgY-Fab' showed a much greater ability to damage cell membranes than the whole IgY. Compared to whole IgY with the same molarity, IgY-Fab' demonstrated higher and more durable antimicrobial efficiency. Such a result was assumed to be closely related to its structural properties (such as the much lower molecular weight), which may enhance its ability to influence physiological activities of antigen bacteria, especially the property or/and structure of cell membranes. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

  19. Fab is the most efficient format to express functional antibodies by yeast surface display.

    PubMed

    Sivelle, Coline; Sierocki, Raphaël; Ferreira-Pinto, Kelly; Simon, Stéphanie; Maillere, Bernard; Nozach, Hervé

    2018-04-30

    Multiple formats are available for engineering of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) by yeast surface display, but they do not all lead to efficient expression of functional molecules. We therefore expressed four anti-tumor necrosis factor and two anti-IpaD mAbs as single-chain variable fragment (scFv), antigen-binding fragment (Fab) or single-chain Fabs and compared their expression levels and antigen-binding efficiency. Although the scFv and scFab formats are widely used in the literature, 2 of 6 antibodies were either not or weakly expressed. In contrast, all 6 antibodies expressed as Fab revealed strong binding and high affinity, comparable to that of the soluble form. We also demonstrated that the variations in expression did not affect Fab functionality and were due to variations in light chain display and not to misfolded dimers. Our results suggest that Fab is the most versatile format for the engineering of mAbs.

  20. Generation and selection of naïve Fab library for parasitic antigen: Anti-BmSXP antibodies for lymphatic filariasis.

    PubMed

    Omar, Noorsharmimi; Hamidon, Nurul Hamizah; Yunus, Muhammad Hafiznur; Noordin, Rahmah; Choong, Yee Siew; Lim, Theam Soon

    2018-05-01

    Phage display has been applied successfully as a tool for the generation of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). Naive antibody libraries are unique as they are able to overcome several limitations associated with conventional mAb generation methods like the hybridoma technology. Here, we performed an in vitro selection and generation of Fab antibodies against Brugia malayi SXP protein (BmSXP), a recombinant antigen for the detection of lymphatic filariasis. We developed a naïve multi ethnic Fab antibody library with an estimated diversity of 2.99 × 10 9 . The antibody library was used to screen for mAbs against BmSXP recombinant antigen. Soluble monoclonal Fab antibodies against BmSXP were successfully isolated from the naïve library. The Fab antibodies obtained were expressed and analyzed to show its binding capability. The diversity obtained from a pool of donors from various ethnic groups allowed for a diverse antibody library to be generated. The mAbs obtained were also functional in soluble form, which makes it useful for further downstream applications. We believe that the Fab mAbs are valuable for further studies and could also contribute to improvements in the diagnosis of filariasis. © 2017 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  1. Near-Atomic Resolution Structure of a Highly Neutralizing Fab Bound to Canine Parvovirus

    PubMed Central

    Organtini, Lindsey J.; Lee, Hyunwook; Iketani, Sho; Huang, Kai; Ashley, Robert E.; Makhov, Alexander M.; Conway, James F.

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT Canine parvovirus (CPV) is a highly contagious pathogen that causes severe disease in dogs and wildlife. Previously, a panel of neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (MAb) raised against CPV was characterized. An antibody fragment (Fab) of MAb E was found to neutralize the virus at low molar ratios. Using recent advances in cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), we determined the structure of CPV in complex with Fab E to 4.1 Å resolution, which allowed de novo building of the Fab structure. The footprint identified was significantly different from the footprint obtained previously from models fitted into lower-resolution maps. Using single-chain variable fragments, we tested antibody residues that control capsid binding. The near-atomic structure also revealed that Fab binding had caused capsid destabilization in regions containing key residues conferring receptor binding and tropism, which suggests a mechanism for efficient virus neutralization by antibody. Furthermore, a general technical approach to solving the structures of small molecules is demonstrated, as binding the Fab to the capsid allowed us to determine the 50-kDa Fab structure by cryo-EM. IMPORTANCE Using cryo-electron microscopy and new direct electron detector technology, we have solved the 4 Å resolution structure of a Fab molecule bound to a picornavirus capsid. The Fab induced conformational changes in regions of the virus capsid that control receptor binding. The antibody footprint is markedly different from the previous one identified by using a 12 Å structure. This work emphasizes the need for a high-resolution structure to guide mutational analysis and cautions against relying on older low-resolution structures even though they were interpreted with the best methodology available at the time. PMID:27535057

  2. 20 CFR 30.319 - May a claimant request reconsideration of a final decision of the FAB?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... final decision of the FAB? 30.319 Section 30.319 Employees' Benefits OFFICE OF WORKERS' COMPENSATION... reconsideration of a final decision of the FAB? (a) A claimant may request reconsideration of a final decision of the FAB by filing a written request with the FAB within 30 days from the date of issuance of such...

  3. Selective disulfide reduction for labeling and enhancement of Fab antibody fragments.

    PubMed

    Kirley, Terence L; Greis, Kenneth D; Norman, Andrew B

    2016-11-25

    Many methods have been developed for chemical labeling and enhancement of the properties of antibodies and their common fragments, including the Fab and F(ab') 2 fragments. Somewhat selective reduction of some antibody disulfide bonds has been previously achieved, yielding antibodies and antibody fragments that can be labeled at defined sites, enhancing their utility and properties. Selective reduction of the two hinge disulfide bonds present in F(ab') 2 fragments using mild reduction has been useful. However, such reduction is often not quantitative and results in the reduction of multiple disulfide bonds, and therefore subsequent multiple labeling or conjugation sites are neither homogenous nor stoichiometric. Here, a simple and efficient selective reduction of the single disulfide bond linking the partial heavy chain and the intact light chain which compose the Fab fragment is accomplished utilizing tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine (TCEP) immobilized on agarose beads. The resultant reduced cysteine residues were labeled with several cysteine-selective fluorescent reagents, as well as by cysteine-directed PEGylation. These two cysteine residues can also be re-ligated by means of a bifunctional cysteine cross-linking agent, dibromobimane, thereby both restoring a covalent linkage between the heavy and light chains at this site, far removed from the antigen binding site, and also introducing a fluorescent probe. There are many other research and clinical uses for these selectively partially reduced Fab fragments, including biotinylation, toxin and drug conjugation, and incorporation of radioisotopes, and this technique enables simple generation of very useful Fab fragment derivatives with many potential applications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Recurrent coagulopathy and thrombocytopenia in children treated with crotalidae polyvalent immune fab: a case series.

    PubMed

    Miller, Alexander D; Young, Michael C; DeMott, Megan C; Ly, Binh T; Clark, Richard F

    2010-08-01

    Recurrent signs and symptoms after initial treatment and control of coagulopathy and thrombocytopenia after American pit viper (crotaline) envenomations have been previously described in patients treated with Crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab antivenom (FabAV). The significance and necessity of treatment of these recurrent abnormalities are uncertain. Our goal was to further characterize recurrent coagulopathy or thrombocytopenia in pediatric patients. All cases presenting to our Toxicology Consult Service, which covers 6 hospitals in a metropolitan area, from May 2007 to April 2008 with recurrent coagulopathy after initial control with FabAV were included and retrospectively reviewed. Four cases of pediatric patients are presented who presented with recurrent coagulopathy and/or thrombocytopenia after initial control with FabAV. The patients were all treated with delayed administration of FabAV with variable results. Blood products administered without concurrent FabAV were of limited use. The laboratory abnormalities took up to 18 days to resolve in one case. One patient developed hemodynamically significant spontaneous bleeding. The cases presented here suggest administration of FabAV may correct delayed coagulopathy associated with crotaline envenomations. The first 3 cases illustrate that in the face of severe derangements in laboratory values, most envenomated patients treated with FabAV do not develop significant bleeding. These cases may respond to additional antivenom alone. However, case 4 illustrates that hemodynamically significant spontaneous bleeding can occur. Until more data are available, readministration of FabAV is a reasonable first-line therapy for delayed coagulopathy associated with crotaline envenomations.

  5. Immunoscintigraphy of ovarian cancer with indium-111-labeled OV-TL 3 F(ab')2 monoclonal antibody.

    PubMed

    Massuger, L F; Kenemans, P; Claessens, R A; Verheijen, R H; Schijf, C P; Strijk, S P; Poels, L G; van Hoesel, R G; Corstens, F H

    1990-11-01

    The safety and diagnostic accuracy of immunoscintigraphy with the indium-111-labeled monoclonal antibody OV-TL 3 F(ab')2(111In-OV-TL 3 F(ab')2) for diagnosis and follow-up of ovarian cancer was prospectively studied in 31 patients. Planar and SPECT scintigraphy were performed up to 4 days after i.v. injection of 140 MBq 111In-OV-TL 3 F(ab')2. Surgical evaluation was possible in 22 out of 31 patients. Imaging results were compared with X-ray computed tomography, ultrasound, and CA 125 serum level using the histologically confirmed surgical findings as a "gold standard." Apart from a transient rash observed in two patients, no other immediate or delayed adverse reactions were observed. Within the surgically evaluated group, ovarian cancer lesions were detected in 16 out of 17 patients (94%). Of 45 distinct tumor deposits found at operation, 67% were detected and localized with immunoscintigraphy while X-ray computed tomography and ultrasound visualized 53% and 23%, respectively.

  6. A universal phage display system for the seamless construction of Fab libraries.

    PubMed

    Nelson, Renae S; Valadon, Philippe

    2017-11-01

    The construction of Fab phage libraries requires the cloning of domains from both the light and the heavy chain of antibodies. Despite the advent of powerful strategies such as splicing-by-overlap extension PCR, obtaining high quality libraries with excellent coverage remains challenging. Here, we explored the use of type IIS restriction enzymes for the seamless cloning of Fab libraries. We analyzed human, murine and rabbit germline antibody repertoires and identified combinations of restriction enzymes that exhibit very few or no recognition sites in the antibody sequences. We describe three phagemid vectors, pUP-22Hb, pUP-22Mc and pUP-22Rc, which were employed for cloning the Fab repertoire of these hosts using BsmBI and SapI (human) or SapI alone (mouse and rabbit). Using human serum albumin as a model immunization, we built a mouse/human chimeric Fab library and a mouse Fab library in a single step ligation and successfully panned multiple cognate antibodies. The overall process is highly scalable and faster than PCR-based techniques, with a Fab insertion success rate of around 80%. By using carefully chosen overhangs on each end of the antibody domains, this approach paves the way to the universal, sequence- and vector-independent cloning and reformatting of antibody libraries. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. "Fab 13": The Learning Factory.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Crooks, Steven M.; Eucker, Tom R.

    2001-01-01

    Describes how situated learning theory was employed in the design of Fab 13, a four-day simulation-based learning experience for manufacturing professionals at Intel Corporation. Presents a conceptual framework for understanding situated learning and discusses context, content, anchored instruction, facilitation, scaffolding, collaborating,…

  8. Safety and efficacy of Crotalidae Polyvalent Immune Fab in pediatric crotaline envenomations.

    PubMed

    Pizon, Anthony F; Riley, Bradley D; LoVecchio, Frank; Gill, Ruqayya

    2007-04-01

    Since it was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in October 2000, Crotalidae Polyvalent Immune Fab (CroFab) has largely replaced previously used crotaline antivenom. CroFab is more specifically tailored for crotalids of North America and is less allergenic than whole immunoglobulin antivenoms. However, premarketing and postmarketing studies have excluded children. To describe the safety and efficacy of CroFab in pediatric crotaline envenomations. Using admission and billing records, the authors identified all children 13 years of age and younger treated with CroFab at a pediatric hospital between October 2000 and September 2005. Charts were reviewed by two trained, blinded extractors. Data regarding age, signs of envenomation, laboratory values, total antivenom vials used, total vials used to gain control, transfused blood products, signs of acute allergy to antivenom, and any surgical procedures were abstracted. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Twenty-four patients were identified, and their mean age was 7.3 (range, 1.9-13) years. At presentation, all had swelling, 14 (58%) had a prothrombin time >13 seconds, two (8.3%) had a fibrinogen level <150 mg/dL, and three (12.5%) had platelet counts <150,000/mL. The mean number of total antivenom vials used was 12.3 (range, 4-24). Five patients had resolution of swelling, but platelet counts continued to fall despite antivenom treatment. No patient required blood products, debridement of skin, or fasciotomy. There was only one (4.2%) possible acute allergy to CroFab, and there were no deaths. In this pediatric series, CroFab appears safe and effective, despite occasional resistant thrombocytopenia.

  9. Machine learning for fab automated diagnostics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Giollo, Manuel; Lam, Auguste; Gkorou, Dimitra; Liu, Xing Lan; van Haren, Richard

    2017-06-01

    Process optimization depends largely on field engineer's knowledge and expertise. However, this practice turns out to be less sustainable due to the fab complexity which is continuously increasing in order to support the extreme miniaturization of Integrated Circuits. On the one hand, process optimization and root cause analysis of tools is necessary for a smooth fab operation. On the other hand, the growth in number of wafer processing steps is adding a considerable new source of noise which may have a significant impact at the nanometer scale. This paper explores the ability of historical process data and Machine Learning to support field engineers in production analysis and monitoring. We implement an automated workflow in order to analyze a large volume of information, and build a predictive model of overlay variation. The proposed workflow addresses significant problems that are typical in fab production, like missing measurements, small number of samples, confounding effects due to heterogeneity of data, and subpopulation effects. We evaluate the proposed workflow on a real usecase and we show that it is able to predict overlay excursions observed in Integrated Circuits manufacturing. The chosen design focuses on linear and interpretable models of the wafer history, which highlight the process steps that are causing defective products. This is a fundamental feature for diagnostics, as it supports process engineers in the continuous improvement of the production line.

  10. Anti-fouling properties of Fab' fragments immobilized on silane-based adlayers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Crivianu-Gaita, Victor; Romaschin, Alexander; Thompson, Michael

    2015-12-01

    Biosensors require surfaces that are highly specific towards the target analyte and that are minimally fouling. However, surface tuning to minimize fouling is a difficult task. The last decade has seen an increase in the use of immobilized antigen-binding antibody fragments (Fab') in biosensors. One Fab' linker compound S-(11-trichlorosilyl-undecanyl)-benzothiosulfonate (TUBTS) and three spacers were used to create the silane-based adlayers. The ultra-high frequency electromagnetic piezoelectric acoustic sensor (EMPAS) was used to gauge the fouling properties of the various surfaces using bovine serum albumin (BSA), goat IgG, and mouse serum. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), contact angle, and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were employed to characterize the surfaces. It was discovered that immobilized oriented Fab' fragments reduced the fouling levels of surfaces up to 80% compared to the surfaces without fragments. An explanation for this phenomenon is that the antibody fragments increase the hydration of the surfaces and aid in the formation of an anti-fouling water barrier. The anti-fouling effect of the Fab' fragments is at its maximum when there is an even distribution of fragments across the surfaces. Finally, using Fab'-covered surfaces, a cancer biomarker was detected from serum, showing the applicability of this work to the field of biodetection.

  11. Structural Characterisation of FabG from Yersinia pestis, a Key Component of Bacterial Fatty Acid Synthesis.

    PubMed

    Nanson, Jeffrey D; Forwood, Jade K

    2015-01-01

    Ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein reductases (FabG) are ubiquitously expressed enzymes that catalyse the reduction of acyl carrier protein (ACP) linked thioesters within the bacterial type II fatty acid synthesis (FASII) pathway. The products of these enzymes, saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, are essential components of the bacterial cell envelope. The FASII reductase enoyl-ACP reductase (FabI) has been the focus of numerous drug discovery efforts, some of which have led to clinical trials, yet few studies have focused on FabG. Like FabI, FabG appears to be essential for survival in many bacteria, similarly indicating the potential of this enzyme as a drug target. FabG enzymes are members of the short-chain alcohol dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) family, and like other SDRs, exhibit highly conserved secondary and tertiary structures, and contain a number of conserved sequence motifs. Here we describe the crystal structures of FabG from Yersinia pestis (YpFabG), the causative agent of bubonic, pneumonic, and septicaemic plague, and three human pandemics. Y. pestis remains endemic in many parts of North America, South America, Southeast Asia, and Africa, and a threat to human health. YpFabG shares a high degree of structural similarity with bacterial homologues, and the ketoreductase domain of the mammalian fatty acid synthase from both Homo sapiens and Sus scrofa. Structural characterisation of YpFabG, and comparison with other bacterial FabGs and the mammalian fatty acid synthase, provides a strong platform for virtual screening of potential inhibitors, rational drug design, and the development of new antimicrobial agents to combat Y. pestis infections.

  12. Cholestatic Liver Disease after Rituximab and Adalimumab and the Possible Role of Cross-Reacting Antibodies to Fab 2 Fragments

    PubMed Central

    Koetter, Ina; Schwab, Matthias; Fritz, Peter; Kimmel, Martin; Alscher, M. Dominik; Braun, Niko

    2013-01-01

    Background Millions of patients are treated with therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (Tmabs) for miscellaneous diseases. We investigated sera from six patients who received immune globulin, from one patient with refractory anti-neutrophil-cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) who developed two episodes of acute cholestatic liver disease, one after treatment with rituximab and a second after adalimumab and a healthy control group. Methods Three sera from the patient and six sera from patients who received immune globulin were analyzed for antibodies to rituximab and adalimumab by ELISA. Additionally, sera from the patients and from nine healthy blood donors were coated with the Fab fragment of an unrelated humanized monoclonal antibody, with human Fc proteins as well as a mouse IgG globulin. Results Viral serology for hepatitis A, B, C and autoantibodies specific for autoimmune liver disorders were negative. In all three sera from the patient antibodies to rituximab could be detected, but also antibodies to adalimumab were present even at time points when the patient had not yet received adalimumab, indicating cross reactivity between both substances. Testing against an unrelated human Fab fragment revealed positive results, indicating that the patient had antibodies against human Fab fragments in general. The Fc proteins were negative, and patients’ sera did also not react with mouse IgG globulins. Remarkably, 2 out of 5 patients which were treated with immune globulin had antibodies against human Fab fragments in general whereas in none of the samples from healthy controls antibodies to Fab fragment could be detected. Conclusion This is the first study demonstrating cholestatic liver disease induced by two different Tmabs. Cross - reacting antibodies to Fab2 fragments in general are probably involved. Further studies must show if these Fab2 antibodies in general are related with drug-induced side effects and accelerated drug

  13. Immediate hypersensitivity reaction associated with the rapid infusion of Crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab (ovine).

    PubMed

    Holstege, Christopher P; Wu, Jeffrey; Baer, Alexander B

    2002-06-01

    A 16-year-old boy presented to the emergency department with rapidly progressing extremity pain, edema, and ecchymosis after envenomation by a copperhead. Crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab (ovine) (CroFab; FabAV) was infused. Six vials were placed in 250 mL of normal saline solution, and the infusion was gradually increased. Fifty minutes after beginning, the infusion was increased to 640 mL/h. Within minutes of the rate increase, the patient experienced full-body urticaria, facial edema, voice change, and tachycardia. The infusion was stopped. Hydroxyzine pamoate, famotidine, methylprednisolone, and a 1-L bolus of normal saline solution were administered intravenously. The symptoms abated, and the remaining FabAV was infused at a slower rate without return of this reaction. This immediate hypersensitivity reaction was most likely a rate-related anaphylactoid reaction that has not been previously reported with FabAV.[Holstege CP, Wu J, Baer AB. Immediate hypersensitivity reaction associated with the rapid infusion of Crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab (ovine). Ann Emerg Med. June 2002;39:677-679.

  14. Near-Atomic Resolution Structure of a Highly Neutralizing Fab Bound to Canine Parvovirus.

    PubMed

    Organtini, Lindsey J; Lee, Hyunwook; Iketani, Sho; Huang, Kai; Ashley, Robert E; Makhov, Alexander M; Conway, James F; Parrish, Colin R; Hafenstein, Susan

    2016-11-01

    Canine parvovirus (CPV) is a highly contagious pathogen that causes severe disease in dogs and wildlife. Previously, a panel of neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (MAb) raised against CPV was characterized. An antibody fragment (Fab) of MAb E was found to neutralize the virus at low molar ratios. Using recent advances in cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), we determined the structure of CPV in complex with Fab E to 4.1 Å resolution, which allowed de novo building of the Fab structure. The footprint identified was significantly different from the footprint obtained previously from models fitted into lower-resolution maps. Using single-chain variable fragments, we tested antibody residues that control capsid binding. The near-atomic structure also revealed that Fab binding had caused capsid destabilization in regions containing key residues conferring receptor binding and tropism, which suggests a mechanism for efficient virus neutralization by antibody. Furthermore, a general technical approach to solving the structures of small molecules is demonstrated, as binding the Fab to the capsid allowed us to determine the 50-kDa Fab structure by cryo-EM. Using cryo-electron microscopy and new direct electron detector technology, we have solved the 4 Å resolution structure of a Fab molecule bound to a picornavirus capsid. The Fab induced conformational changes in regions of the virus capsid that control receptor binding. The antibody footprint is markedly different from the previous one identified by using a 12 Å structure. This work emphasizes the need for a high-resolution structure to guide mutational analysis and cautions against relying on older low-resolution structures even though they were interpreted with the best methodology available at the time. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  15. [FAB immunoglobulin fragments. I. The comparative characteristics of the serological and virus-neutralizing properties of a gamma globulin against tick-borne encephalitis and of the FAB fragments isolated from it].

    PubMed

    Barban, P S; Minaeva, V M; Pantiukhina, A N; Startseva, M G

    1976-06-01

    A comparative study was made of the serological properties and virus-neutralizing activity of antiencephalitis gamma-globulin and Fab-fragments isolated from it by gel-filtration. Horse immunoglobulins against the autumno-summer tick-borne encephalitis virus could be disintegrated with the aid of papaine to monovalent Fab-fragments which (according to the complement fixation reaction, the test of suppression of the complement fixation, and the HAIT) retained the serological activity whose level was compared with that of the serological activity of gamma-globulin. Fab-fragments possessed a marked virus-neutralizing activity. The mean value of a logarithm of the neutralization index was 2.65 +/- 0.2 for Fab-fragments and 3.74 +/- 0.38 for gamma-globulin (P less than 0.01).

  16. FabAV antivenin use after copperhead snakebite: clinically indicated or knee-jerk reaction?

    PubMed

    Gale, Stephen C; Peters, Jo Ann; Allen, LaDonna; Creath, Robert; Dombrovskiy, Viktor Y

    2016-01-01

    Crotalidae Polyvalent Immune Fab (Ovine) (FabAV) antivenin is commonly recommended after pit viper snakebites. Because copperhead envenomations are usually self-limited, some physicians are reluctant to use this costly treatment routinely, while others follow a more liberal approach. We hypothesized that, in practice, only patients with evidence of significant (moderate or severe) copperhead envenomation [those with snakebite severity score (SSS) > 3] receive FabAV and examined a large cohort to determine the relationship between clinical findings and FabAV administration. All data from patients evaluated for copperhead snakebite at a rural tertiary referral center from 5/2002 to 10/2013 were compiled. Demographics, transfer status, antivenin use, and clinical findings were collected; SSS was calculated. The relationships among FabAV use, clinical findings, and SSS were analyzed using t-test, chi-square, and Pearson's coefficient (p < 0.05 was significant). During the study period, 318 patients were treated for copperhead snakebite; 44 (13.8 %) received antivenin. Median dose was four vials (range: 1-10; IQR: 4,6). There were no deaths. Most patients receiving FabAV (63.6 %) were admitted. With regard to demographics and symptoms, only the degree of swelling (moderate vs. none/mild; p < 0.01) and bite location (hand/arm vs. leg: p < 0.0001) were associated with FabAV use. A SSS > 3, indicating moderate or severe envenomation, was only very weakly correlated with antivenin use (r = 0.217; p < 0.0001). The majority of patients with SSS > 3 (65.8 %) did not receive antivenin while most patients who did receive antivenin (70.5 %) had SSS ≤ 3 (indicating mild envenomation). Considerable variation occurs in antivenin administration after copperhead snakebite. Use of FabAV appears poorly correlated with patients' symptoms. This practice may expose patients to the risks of antivenin and increasing costs of medical care without

  17. Imaging Potential Evaluation of Fab Derived from the Anti-EGFRvIII Monoclonal Antibody 4G1.

    PubMed

    Jing, Shen; He, Yujia; He, Yanqiong; Wang, Liang; Jia, Jianhua; Shan, Xiaomin; Liu, Shuang; Tang, Min; Peng, Zhiping; Liu, Xujie

    2018-05-31

    As one of the most crucial epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) variants, EGFRvIII can be detected in various tumors but rarely in normal tissues, making it an ideal target for prognosis, diagnosis or immune therapy. The recently developed anti-EGFRvIII monoclonal antibody (mAb), 4G1, has been validated as a promising molecular probe to detect EGFRvIII expression in tumors by single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography imaging. To overcome shortcomings associated with the whole antibody, including long-term retention, circulation and enhanced permeability and retention effects, the Fab fragment of 4G1 (Fab-4G1) was generated, labeled with 131 I and evaluated in vitro and in vivo to test its potential application in molecular imaging. Whole mAb 4G1 was first digested by immobilized ficin and then purified through a protein A column to generate the Fab fragment, Fab-4G1. Next, SDS-PAGE, Western blot, indirect fluorescence assay, flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were performed to verify molecular weight, specificity and affinity of Fab-4G1. Finally, biodistribution planar gamma imaging was performed by injection of 131 I-labeled Fab-4G1 into xenografted EGFRvIII-overexpressed tumors in nude mice. Parallel studies were also performed with intact 4G1. The molecular weight of Fab was determined to be 35-40 kDa by SDS-PAGE. In vitro tests confirmed both intact 4G1 and Fab-4G1 specifically bound EGFRvIII but not wild-type EGFR, and Fab-4G1 showed decreased affinity. Compared to 131 I-4G1, biodistribution studies showed lower tumor uptake of 131 I-Fab-4G1 at all time points, but much faster elimination in all normal organs. As for planar gamma imaging, 131 I-Fab-4G1 and 31 I-4G1 showed similar imaging effect at 2 h after injection of tracer, while 131 I-Fab-4G1 was eliminated more quickly with time, suggesting radiolabeled Fab-4G1 could be potentially used for imaging of EGFRvIII-positive tumors at early time points. Radiolabeled

  18. Contribution of Antibody Hydrodynamic Size to Vitreal Clearance Revealed through Rabbit Studies Using a Species-Matched Fab.

    PubMed

    Shatz, Whitney; Hass, Philip E; Mathieu, Mary; Kim, Hok Seon; Leach, Kim; Zhou, Michelle; Crawford, Yongping; Shen, Amy; Wang, Kathryn; Chang, Debby P; Maia, Mauricio; Crowell, Susan R; Dickmann, Leslie; Scheer, Justin M; Kelley, Robert F

    2016-09-06

    We have developed a tool Fab fragment of a rabbit monoclonal antibody that is useful for early evaluation in rabbit models of technologies for long acting delivery (LAD) of proteins to the eye. Using this Fab we show that vitreal clearance can be slowed through increased hydrodynamic size. Fab (G10rabFab) and Fab' (G10rabFab') fragments of a rabbit monoclonal antibody (G10rabIgG) were expressed in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells and purified using antigen-based affinity chromatography. G10rabFab retains antigen-binding upon thermal stress (37 °C) for 8 weeks in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and can be detected in rabbit tissues using an antigen-based ELISA. Hydrodynamic radius, measured using quasi-elastic light scattering (QELS), was increased through site-specific modification of the G10rabFab' free cysteine with linear methoxy-polyethylene glycol(PEG)-maleimide of 20000 or 40000 molecular weight. Pharmacokinetic studies upon intravitreal dosing in New Zealand white rabbits were conducted on the G10rabFab and PEGylated G10rabFab'. Results of single and multidose pharmacokinetic experiments yield reproducible results and a vitreal half-life for G10rabFab of 3.2 days. Clearance from the eye is slowed through increased hydrodynamic size, with vitreal half-life showing a linear dependence on hydrodynamic radius (RH). A linear dependence of vitreal half-life on RH suggests that molecule diffusivity makes an important contribution to vitreal clearance. A method for prediction of vitreal half-life from RH measurements is proposed.

  19. Site-specific fab fragment biotinylation at the conserved nucleotide binding site for enhanced Ebola detection.

    PubMed

    Mustafaoglu, Nur; Alves, Nathan J; Bilgicer, Basar

    2015-07-01

    The nucleotide binding site (NBS) is a highly conserved region between the variable light and heavy chains at the Fab domains of all antibodies, and a small molecule that we identified, indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), binds specifically to this site. Fab fragment, with its small size and simple production methods compared to intact antibody, is good candidate for use in miniaturized diagnostic devices and targeted therapeutic applications. However, commonly used modification techniques are not well suited for Fab fragments as they are often more delicate than intact antibodies. Fab fragments are of particular interest for sensor surface functionalization but immobilization results in damage to the antigen binding site and greatly reduced activity due to their truncated size that allows only a small area that can bind to surfaces without impeding antigen binding. In this study, we describe an NBS-UV photocrosslinking functionalization method (UV-NBS(Biotin) in which a Fab fragment is site-specifically biotinylated with an IBA-EG11-Biotin linker via UV energy exposure (1 J/cm(2)) without affecting its antigen binding activity. This study demonstrates successful immobilization of biotinylated Ebola detecting Fab fragment (KZ52 Fab fragment) via the UV-NBS(Biotin) method yielding 1031-fold and 2-fold better antigen detection sensitivity compared to commonly used immobilization methods: direct physical adsorption and NHS-Biotin functionalization, respectively. Utilization of the UV-NBS(Biotin) method for site-specific conjugation to Fab fragment represents a proof of concept use of Fab fragment for various diagnostic and therapeutic applications with numerous fluorescent probes, affinity molecules and peptides. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  20. Evaluating Admission Criteria Effects for Under-Represented Groups

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Childs, Ruth A.; Ferguson, Amanda K.; Herbert, Monique B.; Broad, Kathryn; Zhang, Jingshun

    2016-01-01

    The effects that admission criteria may have for under-represented groups are an important concern for programs seeking to improve access to post-secondary education. Using data from a large preservice teacher education program in the Canadian province of Ontario, we demonstrate two approaches to evaluating the effects of admission criteria. The…

  1. X-ray studies of recombinant anti-testosterone Fab fragments: the use of PEG 3350 in crystallization.

    PubMed

    Valjakka, J; Hemminki, A; Teerinen, T; Takkinen, K; Rouvinen, J

    2000-02-01

    Recombinant anti-testosterone wild-type Fab fragment and mutant Fab fragments with high binding selectivity developed by protein engineering have been crystallized with and without ligands. Crystals of these Fab fragments were obtained by the vapour-diffusion technique at room temperature using solutions of PEG 3350 with various biological buffers and with a wide pH range. So far, five data sets have been collected from crystals of three Fab-antigen complexes and from two uncomplexed Fab fragments, with resolutions ranging from 2.10 to 3.1 A. Crystallization conditions for Fab fragments were found by using modifications of the low ionic strength PEG 3350 series. Suitable concentrations of PEG 400, MPD and glycerol solutions for use as cryoprotectants in PEG 3350 solutions have been determined. One useful observation was that PEG 3350 is able to work alone as a cryoprotectant. The screening protocol used requires a smaller amount of protein material to achieve auspicious pre-crystals than previously. Results support the claim that PEG 3350 is more suitable for the crystallization of Fab fragments than higher molecular weight PEGs.

  2. Validating a faster method for reconstitution of Crotalidae Polyvalent Immune Fab (ovine).

    PubMed

    Gerring, David; King, Thomas R; Branton, Richard

    2013-07-01

    Reconstitution of CroFab(®) (Crotalidae Polyvalent Immune Fab [ovine]) lyophilized drug product was previously performed using 10 mL sterile water for injection followed by up to 36 min of gentle swirling of the vial. CroFab has been clinically demonstrated to be most effective when administered within 6 h of snake envenomation, and improved clinical outcomes are correlated with quicker timing of administration. An alternate reconstitution method was devised, using 18 mL 0.9% saline with manual inversion, with the goal of shortening reconstitution time while maintaining a high quality, efficacious product. An analytical study was designed to compare the physicochemical properties of 3 separate batches of CroFab when reconstituted using the standard procedure (10 mL WFI with gentle swirling) and a modified rapid procedure using 18 mL 0.9% saline and manual inversion. The physical and chemical characteristics of the same 3 batches were assessed using various analytic methodologies associated with routine quality control release testing. In addition further analytical methodologies were applied in order to elucidate possible structural changes that may be induced by the changed reconstitution procedure. Batches A, B, and C required mean reconstitution times of 25 min 51 s using the label method and 3 min 07 s (a 88.0% mean decrease) using the modified method. Physicochemical characteristics (color and clarity, pH, purity, protein content, potency) were found to be highly comparable. Characterization assays (dynamic light scattering, analytical ultracentrifugation, LC-MS, SDS-PAGE and circular dichroism spectroscopy were also all found to be comparable between methods. When comparing CroFab batches that were reconstituted using the labeled and modified methods, the physicochemical and biological (potency) characteristics of CroFab were not significantly changed when challenged by the various standard analytical methodologies applied in routine quality control analysis

  3. Fast conversion of scFv to Fab antibodies using type IIs restriction enzymes.

    PubMed

    Sanmark, Hanna; Huovinen, Tuomas; Matikka, Tero; Pettersson, Tiina; Lahti, Maria; Lamminmäki, Urpo

    2015-11-01

    Single chain variable fragment (scFv) antibody libraries are widely used for developing novel bioaffinity reagents, although Fab or IgG molecules are the preferred antibody formats in many final applications. Therefore, rapid conversion methods for combining multiple DNA fragments are needed to attach constant domains to the scFv derived variable domains. In this study we describe a fast and easy cloning method for the conversion of single framework scFv fragments to Fab fragments using type IIS restriction enzymes. All cloning steps excluding plating of the Fab transformants can be done in 96 well plates and the procedure can be completed in one working day. The concept was tested by converting 69 scFv clones into Fab format on 96 well plates, which resulted in 93% success rate. The method is particularly useful as a high-throughput tool for the conversion of the chosen scFv clones into Fab molecules in order to analyze them as early as possible, as the conversion can significantly affect the binding properties of the chosen clones. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Reference metrology in a research fab: the NIST clean calibrations thrust

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dixson, Ronald; Fu, Joe; Orji, Ndubuisi; Renegar, Thomas; Zheng, Alan; Vorburger, Theodore; Hilton, Al; Cangemi, Marc; Chen, Lei; Hernandez, Mike; Hajdaj, Russell; Bishop, Michael; Cordes, Aaron

    2009-03-01

    In 2004, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) commissioned the Advanced Measurement Laboratory (AML) - a state-of-the-art, five-wing laboratory complex for leading edge NIST research. The NIST NanoFab - a 1765 m2 (19,000 ft2) clean room with 743 m2 (8000 ft2) of class 100 space - is the anchor of this facility and an integral component of the new Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology (CNST) at NIST. Although the CNST/NanoFab is a nanotechnology research facility with a different strategic focus than a current high volume semiconductor fab, metrology tools still play an important role in the nanofabrication research conducted here. Some of the metrology tools available to users of the NanoFab include stylus profiling, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Since 2001, NIST has collaborated with SEMATECH to implement a reference measurement system (RMS) using critical dimension atomic force microscopy (CD-AFM). NIST brought metrology expertise to the table and SEMATECH provided access to leading edge metrology tools in their clean room facility in Austin. Now, in the newly launched "clean calibrations" thrust at NIST, we are implementing the reference metrology paradigm on several tools in the CNST/NanoFab. Initially, we have focused on calibration, monitoring, and uncertainty analysis for a three-tool set consisting of a stylus profiler, an SEM, and an AFM. Our larger goal is the development of new and supplemental calibrations and standards that will benefit from the Class 100 environment available in the NanoFab and offering our customers calibration options that do not require exposing their samples to less clean environments. Toward this end, we have completed a preliminary evaluation of the performance of these instruments. The results of these evaluations suggest that the achievable uncertainties are generally consistent with our measurement goals.

  5. Production and characterization of anti-human IgG F(ab')2 antibody fragment.

    PubMed

    Valedkarimi, Zahra; Nasiri, Hadi; Aghebati-Maleki, Leili; Abdolalizadeh, Jalal; Esparvarinha, Mojghan; Majidi, Jafar

    2018-04-10

    In present study an optimized protocol for the separation of antibodies into antigen-binding fragments F(ab')2 using pepsin digestion was investigated. The production of these fragments is a consequential step in the development of medical research, treatment and diagnosis. For production of polyclonal antibody rabbit received antigen in four steps. The rabbit serum at 1/128000 dilution showed high absorbance in reaction with human IgG at the designed ELISA method. Rabbit IgG was purified by Ion-Exchange Chromatography (IEC) method. Purity was assessed by SDS-PAGE method. In non-reduced condition only one band was seen in about 150 kDa MW position and in reduced form, two bands were seen in 50 and 25 kDa MW positions. Rabbit IgG was digested by pepsin enzyme. The antibody fragments solution was applied to Gel filtration column to isolate the F(ab')2. Non-reduced SDS-PAGE for determining the purity of F(ab')2 fragment resulted in one band in 100 kDa corresponds to F(ab')2 fragment and a band in 150 kDa MW position corresponds to undigested IgG antibodies. The activities of FITC conjugated F(ab')2 fragment and commercial ones were compared using flowcytometry method. The activity results implied that the FITC conjugated- anti human F(ab')2 fragment worked as efficiently as the commercial one.

  6. Fab glycosylation of immunoglobulin G does not associate with improvement of rheumatoid arthritis during pregnancy.

    PubMed

    Bondt, Albert; Wuhrer, Manfred; Kuijper, T Martijn; Hazes, Johanna M W; Dolhain, Radboud J E M

    2016-11-25

    Changes in immunoglobulin G (IgG) constant domain (Fc) glycosylation are associated with changes in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease activity in response to pregnancy. Here, we sought to determine whether the same holds true for variable domain (Fab) glycosylation. IgGs were captured from RA and control sera obtained before (RA only), during and after pregnancy, followed by Fc and Fab separation, glycan release, and mass spectrometric detection. In parallel, glycans from intact IgG were analysed. The data was used to calculate glycosylation traits, and to estimate the level of Fab glycosylation. The overall level of Fab glycosylation was increased in RA patients compared to controls, while no differences in Fab glycosylation patterns were found. For the Fc and intact IgG (Total) previously observed differences in galactosylation and bisection were confirmed. Furthermore, increased galactosylation of Fc and Total were associated with lower disease activity and autoantibody positivity. In addition, the change in Fc galactosylation associated with the change in disease activity during pregnancy and after delivery, while this was not the case for Fab. In contrast to changes in Fc glycosylation, changes in Fab glycosylation are not associated with improvement of RA during pregnancy and arthritis flare after delivery.

  7. Crystal structure and substrate specificity of the [beta]-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein synthase III (FabH) from Staphylococcus aureus

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Qiu, Xiayang; Choudhry, Anthony E.; Janson, Cheryl A.

    {beta}-Ketoacyl-ACP synthase III (FabH), an essential enzyme for bacterial viability, catalyzes the initiation of fatty acid elongation by condensing malonyl-ACP with acetyl-CoA. We have determined the crystal structure of FabH from Staphylococcus aureus, a Gram-positive human pathogen, to 2 {angstrom} resolution. Although the overall structure of S. aureus FabH is similar to that of Escherichia coli FabH, the primer binding pocket in S. aureus FabH is significantly larger than that present in E. coli FabH. The structural differences, which agree with kinetic parameters, provide explanation for the observed varying substrate specificity for E. coli and S. aureus FabH. The rankmore » order of activity of S. aureus FabH with various acyl-CoA primers was as follows: isobutyryl- > hexanoyl- > butyryl- > isovaleryl- >> acetyl-CoA. The availability of crystal structure may aid in designing potent, selective inhibitors of S. aureus FabH.« less

  8. Acute hypersensitivity reactions associated with administration of crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab antivenom.

    PubMed

    Cannon, Robert; Ruha, Anne-Michelle; Kashani, John

    2008-04-01

    Acute hypersensitivity reactions are well known to occur with the administration of the Antivenin (Crotalidae) Polyvalent (Wyeth Laboratories, Marietta, PA). Crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab (ovine) (CroFab; FabAV, Protherics, Inc., Brentwood, TN) was introduced in 2001, and early studies reported a hypersensitivity reaction rate up to 19%. We describe the incidence of acute hypersensitivity reactions to FabAV in patients bitten by rattlesnakes. This was a nonconcurrent observational cohort study, with data obtained by chart review of all patients admitted to our service for rattlesnake bites from July 2000 to June 2004. The study was conducted at an urban Level I trauma center and urban children's hospital. All patients treated with FabAV were included. Those who received no antivenom or who were treated with Antivenin (Crotalidae) Polyvalent were excluded. The main outcome variable was whether an acute hypersensitivity reaction developed. Ninety-three patients were included in the review (72 male and 21 female patients). The mean age was 34.5 years (range 16 months to 91 years), and the mean dose of antivenom was 12 vials (range 4 to 32 vials). The incidence of acute hypersensitivity reactions was 5 of 93, or 5.4%. Four patients developed a mild reaction that was easily treated and were able to finish the full course of antivenom. Only 1 patient developed a reaction that prevented further antivenom administration. FabAV appears to be associated with a lower incidence of acute hypersensitivity than initially reported. Most reactions are mild and easily treated and do not preclude further dosing of antivenom.

  9. Isolation of human anti-serum albumin Fab antibodies with an extended serum-half life.

    PubMed

    Kang, Hyeon-Ju; Kim, Hye-Jin; Cha, Sang-Hoon

    2016-01-01

    The serum albumin (SA) has been exploited to generate long-acting biotherapeutics by taking advantage of the FcRn-mediated recycling mechanism in a direct or an indirect way. Since Fab fragments have been proven to be clinically safe for human usage, we assumed that human anti-SA Fab antibodies could have a great potential as a carrier molecule to extend the serum half-life of therapeutic proteins. We, herein, had attempted to isolate anti-SA Fab antibodies from HuDVFab-8L antibody library via a phage display technology, and identified eight discrete human Fab antibodies. One of the Fab antibodies, SL335, showed the strongest binding reactivity to human SA with nM range of affinity at both pH 6 and pH 7.4, and cross-reacted to SAs from various species including rat, mouse, canine and monkey. The in vivo pharmacokinetic assay using a rat model indicated that SL335 has approximately 10 fold longer serum half-life and 26 to 44-fold increase in AUC0 → ∞ compared to the negative control Fab molecule in both intravenous and subcutaneous administrations. Knowing that Fabs have proven to be safe in clinics for a long time, SL335 seems to have a great potential in generating long-acting protein drugs by tagging effector molecules with either chemical conjugation or genetic fusion. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Immediate and delayed allergic reactions to Crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab (ovine) antivenom.

    PubMed

    Clark, Richard F; McKinney, Patrick E; Chase, Peter B; Walter, Frank G

    2002-06-01

    Allergic reactions are the most commonly reported adverse events after administration of antivenoms. Conventional horse serum-based crotalid antivenom used in the United States (Antivenin [Crotalidae] polyvalent) can lead to both immediate and delayed hypersensitivity reactions. Crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab (ovine) (CroFab; FabAV) has recently been approved for use in the United States. Experience from premarketing trials of this product and in the administration of other types of Fab, such as in digoxin poisoning, has demonstrated these fragments to be safe and effective, with a low incidence of sequella; however, allergic reactions can occur when any animal-protein derivatives are administered to human subjects. We report in detail the nature and course of allergic reactions that occurred in 4 patients treated with FabAV. Cases of anaphylaxis, acute urticaria, angioedema, and delayed serum sickness are described. All reactions were easily treated with some combination of antihistamines, epinephrine, and steroids, with prompt resolution of signs and symptoms enabling further dosing of antivenom as required. Several of these cases may have resulted from batches of antivenom contaminated with Fc fragments. The overall incidence of immediate and delayed allergic reactions to this product appears so far to be lower than that reported with conventional whole-immunoglobulin G (IgG) antivenom, but postmarketing surveillance is warranted.

  11. Effect of polyethylene glycol conjugation on conformational and colloidal stability of a monoclonal antibody antigen-binding fragment (Fab').

    PubMed

    Roque, Cristopher; Sheung, Anthony; Rahman, Nausheen; Ausar, S Fernando

    2015-02-02

    We have investigated the effects of site specific "hinge" polyethylene glycol conjugation (PEGylation) on thermal, pH, and colloidal stability of a monoclonal antibody antigen-binding fragment (Fab') using a variety of biophysical techniques. The results obtained by circular dichroism (CD), ultraviolet (UV) absorbance, and fluorescence spectroscopy suggested that the physical stability of the Fab' is maximized at pH 6-7 with no apparent differences due to PEGylation. Temperature-induced aggregation experiments revealed that PEGylation was able to increase the transition temperature, as well as prevent the formation of visible and subvisible aggregates. Statistical comparison of the three-index empirical phase diagram (EPD) revealed significant differences in thermal and pH stability signatures between Fab' and PEG-Fab'. Upon mechanical stress, micro-flow imaging (MFI) and measurement of the optical density at 360 nm showed that the PEG-Fab' had significantly higher resistance to surface-induced aggregation compared to the Fab'. Analysis of the interaction parameter, kD, indicated repulsive intermolecular forces for PEG-Fab' and attractive forces for Fab'. In conclusion, PEGylation appears to protect Fab' against thermal and mechanical stress-induced aggregation, likely due to a steric hindrance mechanism.

  12. Crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab: a guide to its use in North American crotaline envenomation.

    PubMed

    Keating, Gillian M; Lyseng-Williamson, Katherine A

    2012-08-01

    Intravenous crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab (CroFab(®)) is effective in patients with minimal, moderate or severe crotaline envenomation, halting the progression of local venom effects and ameliorating haematological and other systemic abnormalities of envenomation. Despite treatment, patients may experience delayed-onset or recurrent venom effects (e.g. coagulopathy). Intravenous crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab is generally well tolerated, with acute hypersensitivity reactions being the most commonly occurring adverse event.

  13. 20 CFR 30.316 - How does the FAB issue a final decision on a claim?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false How does the FAB issue a final decision on a... Adjudicatory Process Hearings and Final Decisions on Claims § 30.316 How does the FAB issue a final decision on... waives any objections to all or part of the recommended decision, the FAB may issue a final decision...

  14. Reorienting the Fab Domains of Trastuzumab Results in Potent HER2 Activators

    PubMed Central

    Scheer, Justin M.; Sandoval, Wendy; Elliott, J. Michael; Shao, Lily; Luis, Elizabeth; Lewin-Koh, Sock-Cheng; Schaefer, Gabriele; Vandlen, Richard

    2012-01-01

    The structure of the Fab region of antibodies is critical to their function. By introducing single cysteine substitutions into various positions of the heavy and light chains of the Fab region of trastuzumab, a potent antagonist of HER2, and using thiol chemistry to link the different Fabs together, we produced a variety of monospecific F(ab′)2-like molecules with activities spanning from activation to inhibition of breast tumor cell growth. These isomers (or bis-Fabs) of trastuzumab, with varying relative spatial arrangements between the Fv-regions, were able to either promote or inhibit cell-signaling activities through the PI3K/AKT and MAPK pathways. A quantitative phosphorylation mapping of HER2 indicated that the agonistic isomers produced a distinct phosphorylation pattern associated with activation. This study suggests that antibody geometric isomers, found both in nature and during synthetic antibody development, can have profoundly different biological activities independent of their affinities for their target molecules. PMID:23284778

  15. Scatterometry on pelliclized masks: an option for wafer fabs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gallagher, Emily; Benson, Craig; Higuchi, Masaru; Okumoto, Yasuhiro; Kwon, Michael; Yedur, Sanjay; Li, Shifang; Lee, Sangbong; Tabet, Milad

    2007-03-01

    Optical scatterometry-based metrology is now widely used in wafer fabs for lithography, etch, and CMP applications. This acceptance of a new metrology method occurred despite the abundance of wellestablished CD-SEM and AFM methods. It was driven by the desire to make measurements faster and with a lower cost of ownership. Over the last year, scatterometry has also been introduced in advanced mask shops for mask measurements. Binary and phase shift masks have been successfully measured at all desired points during photomask production before the pellicle is mounted. There is a significant benefit to measuring masks with the pellicle in place. From the wafer fab's perspective, through-pellicle metrology would verify mask effects on the same features that are characterized on wafer. On-site mask verification would enable quality control and trouble-shooting without returning the mask to a mask house. Another potential application is monitoring changes to mask films once the mask has been delivered to the fab (haze, oxide growth, etc.). Similar opportunities apply to the mask metrologist receiving line returns from a wafer fab. The ability to make line-return measurements without risking defect introduction is clearly attractive. This paper will evaluate the feasibility of collecting scatterometry data on pelliclized masks. We explore the effects of several different pellicle types on scatterometry measurements made with broadband light in the range of 320-780 nm. The complexity introduced by the pellicles' optical behavior will be studied.

  16. 75 FR 21353 - Intel Corporation, Fab 20 Division, Including On-Site Leased Workers From Volt Technical...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-04-23

    ... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Employment and Training Administration [TA-W-73,642] Intel Corporation, Fab 20... of Intel Corporation, Fab 20 Division, including on-site leased workers of Volt Technical Resources... Precision, Inc. were employed on-site at the Hillsboro, Oregon location of Intel Corporation, Fab 20...

  17. High-Affinity Recombinant Antibody Fragments (Fabs) Can Be Applied in Peptide Enrichment Immuno-MRM Assays

    PubMed Central

    2015-01-01

    High-affinity antibodies binding to linear peptides in solution are a prerequisite for performing immuno-MRM, an emerging technology for protein quantitation with high precision and specificity using peptide immunoaffinity enrichment coupled to stable isotope dilution and targeted mass spectrometry. Recombinant antibodies can be generated from appropriate libraries in high-throughput in an automated laboratory and thus may offer advantages over conventional monoclonal antibodies. However, recombinant antibodies are typically obtained as fragments (Fab or scFv) expressed from E. coli, and it is not known whether these antibody formats are compatible with the established protocols and whether the affinities necessary for immunocapture of small linear peptides can be achieved with this technology. Hence, we performed a feasibility study to ask: (a) whether it is feasible to isolate high-affinity Fabs to small linear antigens and (b) whether it is feasible to incorporate antibody fragments into robust, quantitative immuno-MRM assays. We describe successful isolation of high-affinity Fab fragments against short (tryptic) peptides from a human combinatorial Fab library. We analytically characterize three immuno-MRM assays using recombinant Fabs, full-length IgGs constructed from these Fabs, or traditional monoclonals. We show that the antibody fragments show similar performance compared with traditional mouse- or rabbit-derived monoclonal antibodies. The data establish feasibility of isolating and incorporating high-affinity Fabs into peptide immuno-MRM assays. PMID:24568200

  18. High-affinity recombinant antibody fragments (Fabs) can be applied in peptide enrichment immuno-MRM assays.

    PubMed

    Whiteaker, Jeffrey R; Zhao, Lei; Frisch, Christian; Ylera, Francisco; Harth, Stefan; Knappik, Achim; Paulovich, Amanda G

    2014-04-04

    High-affinity antibodies binding to linear peptides in solution are a prerequisite for performing immuno-MRM, an emerging technology for protein quantitation with high precision and specificity using peptide immunoaffinity enrichment coupled to stable isotope dilution and targeted mass spectrometry. Recombinant antibodies can be generated from appropriate libraries in high-throughput in an automated laboratory and thus may offer advantages over conventional monoclonal antibodies. However, recombinant antibodies are typically obtained as fragments (Fab or scFv) expressed from E. coli, and it is not known whether these antibody formats are compatible with the established protocols and whether the affinities necessary for immunocapture of small linear peptides can be achieved with this technology. Hence, we performed a feasibility study to ask: (a) whether it is feasible to isolate high-affinity Fabs to small linear antigens and (b) whether it is feasible to incorporate antibody fragments into robust, quantitative immuno-MRM assays. We describe successful isolation of high-affinity Fab fragments against short (tryptic) peptides from a human combinatorial Fab library. We analytically characterize three immuno-MRM assays using recombinant Fabs, full-length IgGs constructed from these Fabs, or traditional monoclonals. We show that the antibody fragments show similar performance compared with traditional mouse- or rabbit-derived monoclonal antibodies. The data establish feasibility of isolating and incorporating high-affinity Fabs into peptide immuno-MRM assays.

  19. 'Zipbody' leucine zipper-fused Fab in E. coli in vitro and in vivo expression systems.

    PubMed

    Ojima-Kato, Teruyo; Fukui, Kansuke; Yamamoto, Hiroaki; Hashimura, Dai; Miyake, Shiro; Hirakawa, Yuki; Yamasaki, Tomomi; Kojima, Takaaki; Nakano, Hideo

    2016-04-01

    A small antibody fragment, fragment of antigen binding (Fab), is favorable for various immunological assays. However, production efficiency of active Fab in microorganisms depends considerably on the clones. In this study, leucine zipper-peptide pairs that dimerize in parallel (ACID-p1 (LZA)/BASE-p1 (LZB) or c-Jun/c-Fos) were fused to the C-terminus of heavy chain (Hc, VH-CH1) and light chain (Lc, VL-CL), respectively, to accelerate the association of Hc and Lc to form Fab in Escherichia coli in vivo and in vitro expression systems. The leucine zipper-fused Fab named 'Zipbody' was constructed using anti-E. coli O157 monoclonal antibody obtained from mouse hybridoma and produced in both in vitro and in vivo expression systems in an active form, whereas Fab without the leucine zipper fusion was not. Similarly, Zipbody of rabbit monoclonal antibody produced in in vitro expression showed significant activity. The purified, mouse Zipbody produced in the E. coli strain Shuffle T7 Express had specificity toward the antigen; in bio-layer interferometry analysis, the KD value was measured to be 1.5-2.0 × 10(-8) M. These results indicate that leucine zipper fusion to Fab C-termini markedly enhances active Fab formation in E. coli. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  20. Crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab antivenom limits the decrease in perfusion pressure of the anterior leg compartment in a porcine crotaline envenomation model.

    PubMed

    Tanen, David A; Danish, David C; Clark, Richard F

    2003-03-01

    Crotalidae Polyvalent Immune Fab (CroFab; FabAV) antivenom prevents a decrease in perfusion pressures in intramuscular crotaline envenomation compared with normal saline solution. We used a randomized, blinded, controlled acute animal preparation. Twenty anesthetized and instrumented swine were injected intramuscularly with 6 mg/kg Crotalus atrox venom into the anterior tibialis muscle of each hind limb (time 0). One hour after envenomation (time 1 hour), animals were randomized to receive 8 vials of reconstituted FabAV or an equal volume of normal saline solution (control) through a central venous line. The main outcome variable was the area under the perfusion-time curve (AUC) of the anterior compartment of the hind limb measured from time 1 hour to time 8 hours. Perfusion pressure was defined as mean arterial pressure-compartment pressure. Additionally, physiologic variables, including pulse rate, prothrombin time, fibrinogen level, platelet count, hemoglobin level, and hematocrit level, were monitored. Venom injection resulted in a decrease in average perfusion pressures from 54.1 mm Hg (time 0) to 31.7 mm Hg (time 1 hour). Comparison of AUC between groups from time 1 hour (time of treatment) to the completion of the study at time 8 hours revealed a 57% greater AUC in animals that received FabAV (mean+/-SD: 211.1+/-67.9 versus 134.5+/-55.8 mm Hg/h; P =.036; 95% confidence interval for difference 5.9 to 147.3). Comparison of the time curves for the mean prothrombin time from time 1 hour to the completion of the study by means of repeated-measures analysis of variance revealed a significant increase in the control group (P =.02). No significant difference was detected in the time curves for the means of mean arterial pressure, compartment pressure, pulse rate, hemoglobin level, hematocrit level, fibrinogen level, or platelet count over the course of the study. FabAV was found to significantly increase survival time when compared with the effect of the normal

  1. 3D printing in social education: Eki-Fab and student PBL

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Makino, Masato; Saito, Azusa; Kodama, Mai; Takamatsu, Kyuuichiro; Tamate, Hideaki; Sakai, Kazuyuki; Wada, Masato; Khosla, Ajit; Kawakami, Masaru; Furukawa, Hidemitsu

    2017-04-01

    Additive manufacturing or 3D printer is one of the most innovative material processing methods. We are considering that human resources for 3D printing would be needed in the future. To educate the abilities of the digital fabrication, we have the public digital fabrication space "Eki-Fab" for junior and high school students and Project Based Learning (PBL) class for undergraduate students. Eki-Fab is held on every Saturday at the Yonezawa train station. In the "Eki-Fab", anybody can study the utilizing of 3D printer and modeling technics under the instruction of staff in Yamagata University. In the PBL class, we have the class every Thursday. The students get the techniques of the digital fabrication through the PBL.

  2. The MUT056399 Inhibitor of FabI Is a New Antistaphylococcal Compound▿

    PubMed Central

    Escaich, S.; Prouvensier, L.; Saccomani, M.; Durant, L.; Oxoby, M.; Gerusz, V.; Moreau, F.; Vongsouthi, V.; Maher, Kirsty; Morrissey, Ian; Soulama-Mouze, C.

    2011-01-01

    MUT056399 is a highly potent new inhibitor of the FabI enzyme of both Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. In vitro, MUT056399 was very active against S. aureus strains, including methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA), methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), linezolid-resistant, and multidrug-resistant strains, with MIC90s between 0.03 and 0.12 μg/ml. MUT056399 was also active against coagulase-negative staphylococci, with MIC90s between 0.12 and 4 μg/ml. The antibacterial spectrum is consistent with specific FabI inhibition with no activity against bacteria using FabK but activity against FabI-containing Gram-negative bacilli. In vitro, resistant clones of S. aureus were obtained at a low frequency. All of the resistant clones analyzed were found to contain mutations in the fabI gene. In vivo, MUT056399, administered subcutaneously, protected mice from a lethal systemic infection induced by MSSA, MRSA, and vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus strains (50% effective doses ranging from 19.3 mg/kg/day to 49.6 mg/kg/day). In the nonneutropenic murine thigh infection model, the same treatment with MUT056399 reduced the bacterial multiplication of MSSA and MRSA in the thighs of immunocompetent mice. These properties support MUT056399 as a very promising candidate for a novel drug to treat severe staphylococcal infections. PMID:21825292

  3. Selective disulfide reduction for labeling and enhancement of Fab antibody fragments

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kirley, Terence L., E-mail: terry.kirley@uc.edu; Greis, Kenneth D.; Norman, Andrew B.

    Many methods have been developed for chemical labeling and enhancement of the properties of antibodies and their common fragments, including the Fab and F(ab’){sub 2} fragments. Somewhat selective reduction of some antibody disulfide bonds has been previously achieved, yielding antibodies and antibody fragments that can be labeled at defined sites, enhancing their utility and properties. Selective reduction of the two hinge disulfide bonds present in F(ab’){sub 2} fragments using mild reduction has been useful. However, such reduction is often not quantitative and results in the reduction of multiple disulfide bonds, and therefore subsequent multiple labeling or conjugation sites are neithermore » homogenous nor stoichiometric. Here, a simple and efficient selective reduction of the single disulfide bond linking the partial heavy chain and the intact light chain which compose the Fab fragment is accomplished utilizing tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine (TCEP) immobilized on agarose beads. The resultant reduced cysteine residues were labeled with several cysteine-selective fluorescent reagents, as well as by cysteine-directed PEGylation. These two cysteine residues can also be re-ligated by means of a bifunctional cysteine cross-linking agent, dibromobimane, thereby both restoring a covalent linkage between the heavy and light chains at this site, far removed from the antigen binding site, and also introducing a fluorescent probe. There are many other research and clinical uses for these selectively partially reduced Fab fragments, including biotinylation, toxin and drug conjugation, and incorporation of radioisotopes, and this technique enables simple generation of very useful Fab fragment derivatives with many potential applications. - Highlights: • TCEP agarose is effective for selective reduction of a single Fab disulfide bond. • This disulfide is solvent accessible and distant from the antigen binding site. • A variety of buffers of varying pHs can be

  4. Enoyl-Acyl Carrier Protein Reductase I (FabI) Is Essential for the Intracellular Growth of Listeria monocytogenes

    PubMed Central

    Ericson, Megan E.; Frank, Matthew W.

    2016-01-01

    Enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase catalyzes the last step in each elongation cycle of type II bacterial fatty acid synthesis and is a key regulatory protein in bacterial fatty acid synthesis. Genes of the facultative intracellular pathogen Listeria monocytogenes encode two functional enoyl-acyl carrier protein isoforms based on their ability to complement the temperature-sensitive growth phenotype of Escherichia coli strain JP1111 [fabI(Ts)]. The FabI isoform was inactivated by the FabI selective inhibitor AFN-1252, but the FabK isoform was not affected by the drug, as expected. Inhibition of FabI by AFN-1252 decreased endogenous fatty acid synthesis by 80% and lowered the growth rate of L. monocytogenes in laboratory medium. Robust exogenous fatty acid incorporation was not detected in L. monocytogenes unless the pathway was partially inactivated by AFN-1252 treatment. However, supplementation with exogenous fatty acids did not restore normal growth in the presence of AFN-1252. FabI inactivation prevented the intracellular growth of L. monocytogenes, showing that neither FabK nor the incorporation of host cellular fatty acids was sufficient to support the intracellular growth of L. monocytogenes. Our results show that FabI is the primary enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase of type II bacterial fatty acid synthesis and is essential for the intracellular growth of L. monocytogenes. PMID:27736774

  5. Enoyl-Acyl Carrier Protein Reductase I (FabI) Is Essential for the Intracellular Growth of Listeria monocytogenes.

    PubMed

    Yao, Jiangwei; Ericson, Megan E; Frank, Matthew W; Rock, Charles O

    2016-12-01

    Enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase catalyzes the last step in each elongation cycle of type II bacterial fatty acid synthesis and is a key regulatory protein in bacterial fatty acid synthesis. Genes of the facultative intracellular pathogen Listeria monocytogenes encode two functional enoyl-acyl carrier protein isoforms based on their ability to complement the temperature-sensitive growth phenotype of Escherichia coli strain JP1111 [fabI(Ts)]. The FabI isoform was inactivated by the FabI selective inhibitor AFN-1252, but the FabK isoform was not affected by the drug, as expected. Inhibition of FabI by AFN-1252 decreased endogenous fatty acid synthesis by 80% and lowered the growth rate of L. monocytogenes in laboratory medium. Robust exogenous fatty acid incorporation was not detected in L. monocytogenes unless the pathway was partially inactivated by AFN-1252 treatment. However, supplementation with exogenous fatty acids did not restore normal growth in the presence of AFN-1252. FabI inactivation prevented the intracellular growth of L. monocytogenes, showing that neither FabK nor the incorporation of host cellular fatty acids was sufficient to support the intracellular growth of L. monocytogenes Our results show that FabI is the primary enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase of type II bacterial fatty acid synthesis and is essential for the intracellular growth of L. monocytogenes. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  6. In vitro Fab display: a cell-free system for IgG discovery

    PubMed Central

    Stafford, Ryan L.; Matsumoto, Marissa L.; Yin, Gang; Cai, Qi; Fung, Juan Jose; Stephenson, Heather; Gill, Avinash; You, Monica; Lin, Shwu-Hwa; Wang, Willie D.; Masikat, Mary Rose; Li, Xiaofan; Penta, Kalyani; Steiner, Alex R.; Baliga, Ramesh; Murray, Christopher J.; Thanos, Christopher D.; Hallam, Trevor J.; Sato, Aaron K.

    2014-01-01

    Selection technologies such as ribosome display enable the rapid discovery of novel antibody fragments entirely in vitro. It has been assumed that the open nature of the cell-free reactions used in these technologies limits selections to single-chain protein fragments. We present a simple approach for the selection of multi-chain proteins, such as antibody Fab fragments, using ribosome display. Specifically, we show that a two-chain trastuzumab (Herceptin) Fab domain can be displayed in a format which tethers either the heavy or light chain to the ribosome while retaining functional antigen binding. Then, we constructed synthetic Fab HC and LC libraries and performed test selections against carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The Fab selection output was reformatted into full-length immunoglobulin Gs (IgGs) and directly expressed at high levels in an optimized cell-free system for immediate screening, purification and characterization. Several novel IgGs were identified using this cell-free platform that bind to purified CEA, CEA positive cells and VEGF. PMID:24586053

  7. Crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab (ovine) antivenom is efficacious for envenomations by Southern Pacific rattlesnakes (Crotalus helleri).

    PubMed

    Bush, Sean P; Green, Steven M; Moynihan, James A; Hayes, William K; Cardwell, Michael D

    2002-12-01

    Southern Pacific rattlesnake (Crotalus helleri ) venom is not 1 of the 4 venoms used to produce Crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab (ovine) (CroFab; FabAV). There is currently no published clinical experience regarding the efficacy of this new antivenom for confirmed C helleri envenomation, and animal data suggest greatly diminished efficacy. We assessed the efficacy of FabAV for patients with confirmed C helleri envenomation. We conducted a prospective observational study of 23 consecutive rattlesnake envenomations that were treated with FabAV at our center. Patients were excluded if the species of snake could not be confirmed, if FabAV antivenom was not given, or if Antivenin (Crotalidae) polyvalent (equine) was given. We collected serial physical examination and laboratory data over a 24-hour period to serially evaluate the severity score and performed follow-up to evaluate delayed reactions. There were 15 patients who received FabAV and had the species of rattlesnake confirmed (9 C helleri, 4 C scutulatus scutulatus, 1 C mitchellii pyrrhus, 1 C ruber ruber ). C helleri envenomations demonstrated similar improvement in serial snakebite severity scores to those of other species. Three patients treated with scheduled dosing had recurrence of progressive swelling (2 C helleri and 1 C mitchellii pyrrhus ) during the 24-hour study period. We observed similar improvement in FabAV-treated patients with C helleri envenomation compared with those of other species and conclude that this treatment in standard doses appears efficacious for bites by this species. Progressive swelling may recur despite scheduled dosing.

  8. Differences in substrate specificity of V. cholerae FabH enzymes suggest new approaches for the development of novel antibiotics and biofuels.

    PubMed

    Hou, Jing; Zheng, Heping; Tzou, Wen-Shyong; Cooper, David R; Chruszcz, Maksymilian; Chordia, Mahendra D; Kwon, Keehwan; Grabowski, Marek; Minor, Wladek

    2018-06-19

    Vibrio cholerae, the causative pathogen of the life-threatening infection cholera, encodes two copies of β-ketoacyl-ACP synthase III (vcFabH1 and vcFabH2). vcFabH1 and vcFabH2 are pathogenic proteins associated with fatty acid synthesis, lipid metabolism, and potential applications in biofuel production. Our biochemical assays characterize vcFabH1 as exhibiting specificity for acetyl-CoA and CoA thioesters with short acyl chains, similar to that observed for FabH homologs found in most Gram-negative bacteria. vcFabH2 prefers medium chain-length acyl-CoA thioesters, particularly octanoyl-CoA, which is a pattern of specificity rarely seen in bacteria. Structural characterization of one vcFabH and six vcFabH2 structures determined in either apo-form or in complex with acetyl-CoA/octanoyl-CoA indicate that the substrate binding pockets of vcFabH1 and vcFabH2 are of different sizes, accounting for variations in substrate chain-length specificity. An unusual and unique feature of vcFabH2 is its C-terminal fragment that interacts with both the substrate-entrance loop and the dimer interface of the enzyme. Our discovery of the pattern of substrate specificity of both vcFabH1 and vcFabH2 can potentially aid the development of novel antibacterial agents against V. cholerae. Additionally, the distinctive substrate preference of FabH2 in V. cholerae and related facultative anaerobes conceivably make it an attractive component of genetically engineered bacteria used for commercial biofuel production. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  9. Use of CroFab antivenin in the management of a very young pediatric copperhead envenomation.

    PubMed

    Trinh, Hai H; Hack, Jason B

    2005-08-01

    The use of crotalid Fab antivenin (CroFab) in the treatment of snake envenomations in the pediatric population is still an underexplored area. There are very limited data to confirm the efficacy and safety of dosing children the same as adults and even less information available to evaluate this antivenin use in copperhead snake bites in children. We report the first use of crotalid Fab antivenin in an adult dose for a copperhead snake envenomation in a 2-year-old child. She had rapid resolution of symptoms with no adverse effects. The report serves to increase the literature supporting the current dosing recommendations of crotalid Fab antivenin in very young pediatric patients evidenced by its effectiveness in this patient.

  10. Cyclization strategies of meditopes: affinity and diffraction studies of meditope–Fab complexes

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bzymek, Krzysztof P.; Ma, Yuelong; Avery, Kendra A.

    An overview of cyclization strategies of a Fab-binding peptide to maximize affinity. Recently, a unique binding site for a cyclic 12-residue peptide was discovered within a cavity formed by the light and heavy chains of the cetuximab Fab domain. In order to better understand the interactions that drive this unique complex, a number of variants including the residues within the meditope peptide and the antibody, as well as the cyclization region of the meditope peptide, were created. Here, multiple crystal structures of meditope peptides incorporating different cyclization strategies bound to the central cavity of the cetuximab Fab domain are presented.more » The affinity of each cyclic derivative for the Fab was determined by surface plasmon resonance and correlated to structural differences. Overall, it was observed that the disulfide bond used to cyclize the peptide favorably packs against a hydrophobic ‘pocket’ and that amidation and acetylation of the original disulfide meditope increased the overall affinity ∼2.3-fold. Conversely, replacing the terminal cysteines with serines and thus creating a linear peptide reduced the affinity over 50-fold, with much of this difference being reflected in a decrease in the on-rate. Other cyclization methods, including the formation of a lactam, reduced the affinity but not to the extent of the linear peptide. Collectively, the structural and kinetic data presented here indicate that small perturbations introduced by different cyclization strategies can significantly affect the affinity of the meditope–Fab complex.« less

  11. Production and purification of polyclonal antibody against F(ab')2 fragment of human immunoglobulin G

    PubMed Central

    Nasiri, Hadi; Valedkarimi, Zahra; Aghebati-Maleki, Leili; Abdolalizadeh, Jalal; Kazemi, Tohid; Esparvarinha, Mojghan; Majidi, Jafar

    2017-01-01

    Antibodies are essential tools of biomedical and biochemical researches. Polyclonal antibodies are produced against different epitopes of antigens. Purified F(ab')2 can be used for animal’s immunization to produce polyclonal antibodies. Human immunoglobulin G (IgG) was purified by ion exchange chromatography method. In all stages verification method of the purified antibodies was sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Purified IgG was digested by pepsin enzyme and F(ab')2 fragment was purified by gel filtration separation method. For production of polyclonal antibody, rabbit was immunized by purified F(ab')2 and antibody production was investigated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Purified anti-IgG F(ab')2 was conjugated with fluorescein isothiocyanate. Ion exchange chromatography purification yielded 38 mg of human IgG antibody. The results of SDS-PAGE in reduced and non-reduced conditions showed bands with 25-30 kDa molecular weight (MW) and 50-kDa respectively and a distinct band with 150 kDa MW. The results of non-reduced SDS-PAGE for determining the purity of F(ab')2 fragment showed one band in 90 kDa and a band in 150 kDa MW position. Purification by Ion exchange chromatography method resulted about 12 mg rabbit polyclonal antibody. Flow cytometry showed generated polyclonal antibody had an acceptable activity compared to commercial antibody. Taking together, purified IgG F(ab')2 and polyclonal anti-IgG F(ab')2 are useful tools in biomedical and biochemical researches and diagnostic kits. PMID:29326789

  12. Production and purification of polyclonal antibody against F(ab')2 fragment of human immunoglobulin G.

    PubMed

    Nasiri, Hadi; Valedkarimi, Zahra; Aghebati-Maleki, Leili; Abdolalizadeh, Jalal; Kazemi, Tohid; Esparvarinha, Mojghan; Majidi, Jafar

    2017-01-01

    Antibodies are essential tools of biomedical and biochemical researches. Polyclonal antibodies are produced against different epitopes of antigens. Purified F(ab') 2 can be used for animal's immunization to produce polyclonal antibodies. Human immunoglobulin G (IgG) was purified by ion exchange chromatography method. In all stages verification method of the purified antibodies was sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Purified IgG was digested by pepsin enzyme and F(ab') 2 fragment was purified by gel filtration separation method. For production of polyclonal antibody, rabbit was immunized by purified F(ab') 2 and antibody production was investigated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Purified anti-IgG F(ab') 2 was conjugated with fluorescein isothiocyanate. Ion exchange chromatography purification yielded 38 mg of human IgG antibody. The results of SDS-PAGE in reduced and non-reduced conditions showed bands with 25-30 kDa molecular weight (MW) and 50-kDa respectively and a distinct band with 150 kDa MW. The results of non-reduced SDS-PAGE for determining the purity of F(ab') 2 fragment showed one band in 90 kDa and a band in 150 kDa MW position. Purification by Ion exchange chromatography method resulted about 12 mg rabbit polyclonal antibody. Flow cytometry showed generated polyclonal antibody had an acceptable activity compared to commercial antibody. Taking together, purified IgG F(ab') 2 and polyclonal anti-IgG F(ab') 2 are useful tools in biomedical and biochemical researches and diagnostic kits.

  13. 20 CFR 30.908 - How will the FAB evaluate new medical evidence submitted to challenge the impairment...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false How will the FAB evaluate new medical... Medical Evidence of Impairment § 30.908 How will the FAB evaluate new medical evidence submitted to... impairment evaluation that differs from the impairment evaluation relied upon by the district office, the FAB...

  14. β-Hydroxyacyl-acyl Carrier Protein Dehydratase (FabZ) from Francisella tularensis and Yersinia pestis : Structure Determination, Enzymatic Characterization, and Cross-Inhibition Studies

    DOE PAGES

    McGillick, Brian E.; Kumaran, Desigan; Vieni, Casey; ...

    2016-01-28

    The bacterial system for fatty acid biosynthesis (FAS) contains several enzymes whose sequence and structure are highly conserved across a vast array of pathogens. Coupled with their low homology and difference in organization compared to the equivalent system in humans, this makes the FAS pathway an excellent target for antimicrobial drug development. To this end, we have cloned, expressed, and purified the β-hydroxyacyl-acyl carrier protein dehydratase (FabZ) from both Francisella tularensis (FtFabZ) and Yersinia pestis (YpFabZ). We also solved the crystal structures and performed an enzymatic characterization of both enzymes and several mutant forms of YpFabZ. In addition, we havemore » discovered two novel inhibitors of FabZ, mangostin and stictic acid, which show similar potencies against both YpFabZ and FtFabZ. Lastly, we selected several compounds from the literature that have been shown to be active against single homologues of FabZ and tested them against both YpFabZ and FtFabZ. Our results have revealed clues as to which scaffolds are likely to lead to broad-spectrum antimicrobials targeted against FabZ as well as modifications to existing FabZ inhibitors that may improve potency.« less

  15. The bionomics of the cottonwood leaf beetle, Chrysomela scripta Fab., on tissue culture hybrid poplars

    Treesearch

    T.R. Burkot; D.M. Benjamin

    1977-01-01

    Tissue culture methods are applied to poplars of the Aigeiros group in attempts to overcome premature decline thought to be associated with viral infections. Hybrid selections from such cultures outplanted in 1975 at the F. G. Wilson Nursery in Boscobel, Wisconsin subsequently were severely infested by the Cottonwood Leaf Beetle, Chrysomela scripta Fab. Beetle...

  16. 20 CFR 30.320 - Can a claim be reopened after the FAB has issued a final decision?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Can a claim be reopened after the FAB has... AMENDED Adjudicatory Process Reopening Claims § 30.320 Can a claim be reopened after the FAB has issued a final decision? (a) At any time after the FAB has issued a final decision pursuant to § 30.316, and...

  17. 3-Substituted Indole Inhibitors Against Francisella tularensis FabI Identified by Structure-Based Virtual Screening

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-07-01

    FabI, but share low sequence identity and are poorly inhibited by triclosan.25,26 S. pneumoniae and P. aeruginosa contain FabK,24 and Vibrio cholerae,27...with 0.2 mM IPTG. The cells were harvested after an overnight induction period at 17 °C. The cells were lysed and sonicated and loaded onto a nickel...of enoyl- (acyl-carrier protein) reductase, FabV, from Vibrio fischeri. Acta Crystallogr., Sect. F: Struct. Biol. Cryst. Commun. 2012, 68, 78−80. (27

  18. A new helper phage for improved monovalent display of Fab molecules.

    PubMed

    Beaber, John W; Tam, Eric M; Lao, Llewelyn S; Rondon, Isaac J

    2012-02-28

    Phage display technology is a powerful tool for the identification of novel antibodies for drug discovery. Phage display libraries have been constructed with massive diversity, but their use may be hindered by limited antibody display levels when rescued with the M13KO7 helper phage. Variants of M13KO7 have been constructed previously that increase the levels of display of rescued phage, but all produce phage that display multiple copies of the antibody fragment on their surface and have reduced titer and infectivity. In this study, we describe a new helper phage, XP5, which increased the display level of Fab molecules more than two-fold compared to phage rescued with M13KO7. XP5 uses a combination of ribosome binding site spacing alterations and rare codon clusters to reduce the expression of pIII from the helper phage. This reduction in pIII expression leads to an increase in the incorporation of pIII-Fab fusions during phage rescue. The rescued phage displayed a single copy of the Fab molecule, preventing any avidity effects during the selection process. This also suggests that the percentage of the population of phage displaying a Fab molecule is increased when rescued with XP5. Additionally, the phage titers and infectivity are comparable to libraries rescued with M13KO7. After two rounds of panning we observed a nearly 5-fold increase in the number of antigen binding Fab molecules compared to panning conducted with the same library rescued with M13KO7. The nature of the mutations in XP5 makes it a universal substitute for M13KO7 in pIII-based phage display, compatible with most phagemids and bacterial strains. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Biodistribution of charged F(ab')2 photoimmunoconjugates in a xenograft model of ovarian cancer.

    PubMed

    Duska, L R; Hamblin, M R; Bamberg, M P; Hasan, T

    1997-01-01

    The effect of charge modification of photoimmunoconjugates (PICs) on their biodistribution in a xenograft model of ovarian cancer was investigated. Chlorin(e6)c(e6) was attached site specifically to the F(ab')2 fragment of the murine monoclonal antibody OC125, directed against human ovarian cancer cells, via poly-1-lysine linkers carrying cationic or anionic charges. Preservation of immunoreactivity was checked by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). PICs were radiolabelled with 125I and compared with non-specific rabbit IgG PICs after intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection into nude mice. Samples were taken from normal organs and tumour at 3 h and 24 h. Tumour to normal 125I ratios showed that the cationic OC125F(ab')2 PIC had the highest tumour selectivity. Ratios for c(e6) were uniformly higher than for 125I, indicating that c(e6) became separated from 125I. OC125F(ab')2 gave highest tissue values of 125I, followed by cationic OC125F(ab')2 PIC; other species were much lower. The amounts of c(e6) delivered per gram of tumour were much higher for cationic OC125F(ab')2 PIC than for other species. The results indicate that cationic charge stimulates the endocytosis and lysosomal degradation of the OC125F(ab')2-pl-c(e6) that has bound to the i.p. tumour. Positively charged PICs may have applications in the i.p. photoimmunotherapy of minimal residual ovarian cancer.

  20. Biodistribution of charged F(ab')2 photoimmunoconjugates in a xenograft model of ovarian cancer.

    PubMed Central

    Duska, L. R.; Hamblin, M. R.; Bamberg, M. P.; Hasan, T.

    1997-01-01

    The effect of charge modification of photoimmunoconjugates (PICs) on their biodistribution in a xenograft model of ovarian cancer was investigated. Chlorin(e6)c(e6) was attached site specifically to the F(ab')2 fragment of the murine monoclonal antibody OC125, directed against human ovarian cancer cells, via poly-1-lysine linkers carrying cationic or anionic charges. Preservation of immunoreactivity was checked by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). PICs were radiolabelled with 125I and compared with non-specific rabbit IgG PICs after intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection into nude mice. Samples were taken from normal organs and tumour at 3 h and 24 h. Tumour to normal 125I ratios showed that the cationic OC125F(ab')2 PIC had the highest tumour selectivity. Ratios for c(e6) were uniformly higher than for 125I, indicating that c(e6) became separated from 125I. OC125F(ab')2 gave highest tissue values of 125I, followed by cationic OC125F(ab')2 PIC; other species were much lower. The amounts of c(e6) delivered per gram of tumour were much higher for cationic OC125F(ab')2 PIC than for other species. The results indicate that cationic charge stimulates the endocytosis and lysosomal degradation of the OC125F(ab')2-pl-c(e6) that has bound to the i.p. tumour. Positively charged PICs may have applications in the i.p. photoimmunotherapy of minimal residual ovarian cancer. PMID:9062404

  1. Generation and characterization of high affinity humanized fab against hepatitis B surface antigen.

    PubMed

    Tiwari, Ashutosh; Dutta, Durgashree; Khanna, Navin; Acharya, Subrat K; Sinha, Subrata

    2009-09-01

    5S is a mouse monoclonal IgG1 that binds to the 'a' epitope of the Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and tested positive in an in vitro test for virus neutralization. We have earlier reported the generation of humanized single chain variable fragment (scFv) from the same. In this article we report the generation of a recombinant Fab molecule by fusing humanized variable domains of 5S with the constant domains of human IgG1. The humanized Fab expressed in E. coli and subsequently purified, retained a high binding affinity (K(D) = 3.63 nmol/L) to HBsAg and bound to the same epitope of HBsAg as the parent molecule. The humanized Fab also maintained antigen binding in the presence of various destabilizing agents like 3 M NaCl, 30% DMSO, 8 M urea, and extreme pH. This high affinity humanized Fab provides a basis for the development of therapeutic molecules that can be safely utilized for the prophylaxis and treatment for Hepatitis B infection.

  2. Effect of DNA sequence of Fab fragment on yield characteristics and cell growth of E. coli.

    PubMed

    Kulmala, Antti; Huovinen, Tuomas; Lamminmäki, Urpo

    2017-06-19

    Codon usage is one of the factors influencing recombinant protein expression. We were interested in the codon usage of an antibody Fab fragment gene exhibiting extreme toxicity in the E. coli host. The toxic synthetic human Fab gene contained domains optimized by the "one amino acid-one codon" method. We redesigned five segments of the Fab gene with a "codon harmonization" method described by Angov et al. and studied the effects of these changes on cell viability, Fab yield and display on filamentous phage using different vectors and bacterial strains. The harmonization considerably reduced toxicity, increased Fab expression from negligible levels to 10 mg/l, and restored the display on phage. Testing the impact of the individual redesigned segments revealed that the most significant effects were conferred by changes in the constant domain of the light chain. For some of the Fab gene variants, we also observed striking differences in protein yields when cloned from a chloramphenicol resistant vector into an identical vector, except with ampicillin resistance. In conclusion, our results show that the expression of a heterodimeric secretory protein can be improved by harmonizing selected DNA segments by synonymous codons and reveal additional complexity involved in heterologous protein expression.

  3. Effectiveness of delayed use of crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab (ovine) antivenom.

    PubMed

    Bebarta, Vikhyat; Dart, Richard C

    2004-01-01

    Traditionally, horse-serum-based antivenom has been used in the United States for North American crotaline snake evenomation. Crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab (ovine) was approved in 2000 for use in mild to moderate envenomations. The manufacture recommends use within 6 h of envenomation. Published postmarketing retrospective reports describe its use up to 9 h after envenomation. We describe a case of effective use of FabAV 52 h after envenomation with resultant correction of coagulopathy and mild improvement of local symptoms.

  4. Crotaline Fab antivenom appears to be effective in cases of severe North American pit viper envenomation: An integrative review

    PubMed Central

    Lavonas, Eric J; Schaeffer, Tammi H; Kokko, Jamie; Mlynarchek, Sara L; Bogdan, Gregory M

    2009-01-01

    Background In 2000, the United States Food and Drug Administration approved Crotalidae Polyvalent Immune Fab (Ovine) (hereafter, FabAV), "for the management of patients with minimal to moderate North American Crotalid envenomation." Because whole-IgG pit viper antivenom is no longer available in the United States, FabAV is currently the only specific treatment option available to United States clinicians treating snakebite victims of any severity. No clinical trial data are available concerning the effectiveness of FabAV for treatment of severe snakebite, but several published articles describe its use in this setting. Methods We performed a comprehensive review of the English-language medical literature to identify all publications (1996 to July, 2008) containing data about the administration of FabAV. Two trained reviewers separately extracted case-level data concerning the administration of FabAV to patients with severe envenomation by North American crotaline snakes to a standardized form. Descriptive statistics were used. In addition, we hand-searched the US National Poison Data System reports for the years 2000–2006 to identify and describe any reports of death that occurred after FabAV administration. Results The literature review found 147 unique publications regarding FabAV. Twenty-four evaluable cases of severe human envenomation treated with FabAV were identified in 19 publications. Seven cases were described in five cohort studies, and 17 cases were described in 14 single patient case reports or non-cohort case series. Sixty-five specific severe venom effects were reported in these 24 patients, of which 50 effects (77%) improved or resolved after FabAV therapy. Initial control of all severe venom effects was achieved in 12 patients (50%). The rate at which initial control was achieved was significantly higher among patients reported in the cohort series than in the case series and non-cohort reports (100% vs. 29%, P = 0.005). The median dose of Fab

  5. The Ubx Polycomb response element bypasses an unpaired Fab-8 insulator via cis transvection in Drosophila.

    PubMed

    Lu, Danfeng; Li, Zhuoran; Li, Lingling; Yang, Liping; Chen, Guijun; Yang, Deying; Zhang, Yue; Singh, Vikrant; Smith, Sheryl; Xiao, Yu; Wang, Erlin; Ye, Yunshuang; Zhang, Wei; Zhou, Lei; Rong, Yikang; Zhou, Jumin

    2018-01-01

    Chromatin insulators or boundary elements protect genes from regulatory activities from neighboring genes or chromatin domains. In the Drosophila Abdominal-B (Abd-B) locus, the deletion of such elements, such as Frontabdominal-7 (Fab-7) or Fab-8 led to dominant gain of function phenotypes, presumably due to the loss of chromatin barriers. Homologous chromosomes are paired in Drosophila, creating a number of pairing dependent phenomena including transvection, and whether transvection may affect the function of Polycomb response elements (PREs) and thus contribute to the phenotypes are not known. Here, we studied the chromatin barrier activity of Fab-8 and how it is affected by the zygosity of the transgene, and found that Fab-8 is able to block the silencing effect of the Ubx PRE on the DsRed reporter gene in a CTCF binding sites dependent manner. However, the blocking also depends on the zygosity of the transgene in that the barrier activity is present when the transgene is homozygous, but absent when the transgene is heterozygous. To analyze this effect, we performed chromatin immunoprecipitation and quantitative PCR (ChIP-qPCR) experiments on homozygous transgenic embryos, and found that H3K27me3 and H3K9me3 marks are restricted by Fab-8, but they spread beyond Fab-8 into the DsRed gene when the two CTCF binding sites within Fab-8 were mutated. Consistent with this, the mutation reduced H3K4me3 and RNA Pol II binding to the DsRed gene, and consequently, DsRed expression. Importantly, in heterozygous embryos, Fab-8 is unable to prevent the spread of H3K27me3 and H3K9me3 marks from crossing Fab-8 into DsRed, suggesting an insulator bypass. These results suggest that in the Abd-B locus, deletion of the insulator in one copy of the chromosome could lead to the loss of insulator activity on the homologous chromosome, and in other loci where chromosomal deletion created hemizygous regions of the genome, the chromatin barrier could be compromised. This study highlights

  6. A parallel panning scheme used for selection of a GluA4-specific Fab targeting the ligand-binding domain.

    PubMed

    Clausen, Rasmus P; Mohr, Andreas Ø; Riise, Erik; Jensen, Anders A; Gill, Avinash; Madden, Dean R; Kastrup, Jette S; Skottrup, Peter D

    2016-11-01

    A method for development of murine Fab fragments towards extracellular domains of a surface receptor is presented. The GluA4 ionotropic glutamate receptor is used as a model system. Recombinant GluA4 ectodomain comprising both the N-terminal domain (NTD) and the ligand-binding domain (LBD) in one molecule was used for immunization. A Fab-phage library was constructed and a parallel panning approach enabled selection of murine Fab fragments towards either intact ectodomain or the isolated LBD of the GluA4 receptor. One LBD-Fab (FabL9) showed exclusive selectivity for the GluA4 LBD, over a panel of LBDs from GluA2, GluK1, GluK2 and GluD2. Soluble FabL9 was produced in amounts suitable for characterization. Competitive ELISA and rat-brain immunoprecipitation experiments confirmed that the FabL9 epitope is conserved in the LBD and in the intact native receptor. By an alignment of GluA2 and GluA4, the likely binding epitope for FabL9 was predicted. This study demonstrates a simple approach for development of antibody fragments towards specific sub-domains of a large ligand-gated ion channel, and this method could be utilized for all multi-domain surface receptors where antibody domain-selectivity may be desirable. Furthermore, we present for the first time a GluA4 subtype-specific murine Fab fragment targeting the LBD of the receptor. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. fabH deletion increases DHA production in Escherichia coli expressing Pfa genes.

    PubMed

    Giner-Robles, Laura; Lázaro, Beatriz; de la Cruz, Fernando; Moncalián, Gabriel

    2018-06-08

    Some marine bacteria, such as Moritella marina, produce the nutraceutical docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) thanks to a specific enzymatic complex called Pfa synthase. Escherichia coli heterologously expressing the pfa gene cluster from M. marina also produces DHA. The aim of this study was to find genetic or metabolic conditions to increase DHA production in E. coli. First, we analysed the effect of the antibiotic cerulenin, showing that DHA production increased twofold. Then, we tested a series of single gene knockout mutations affecting fatty acid biosynthesis, in order to optimize the synthesis of DHA. The most effective mutant, fabH, showed a threefold increase compared to wild type strain. The combination of cerulenin inhibition and fabH deletion rendered a 6.5-fold improvement compared to control strain. Both strategies seem to have the same mechanism of action, in which fatty acid synthesis via the canonical pathway (fab pathway) is affected in its first catalytic step, which allows the substrates to be used by the heterologous pathway to synthesize DHA. DHA-producing E. coli strain that carries a fabH gene deletion boosts DHA production by tuning down the competing canonical biosynthesis pathway. Our approach can be used for optimization of DHA production in different organisms.

  8. Trastuzumab- and Fab' fragment-modified curcumin PEG-PLGA nanoparticles: preparation and evaluation in vitro and in vivo.

    PubMed

    Duan, Dongyu; Wang, Aiping; Ni, Ling; Zhang, Liping; Yan, Xiuju; Jiang, Ying; Mu, Hongjie; Wu, Zimei; Sun, Kaoxiang; Li, Youxin

    2018-01-01

    Nanoparticles (NPs) modified with bio-ligands represent a promising strategy for active targeted drug delivery to tumour. However, many targeted ligands, such as trastuzumab (TMAB), have high molecular weight, limiting their application for targeting. In this study, we prepared Fab' (antigen-binding fragments cut from TMAB)-modified NPs (Fab'-NPs) with curcumin (Cur) as a model drug for more effective targeting of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2/ErbB2/Neu), which is overexpressed on breast cancer cells. The release kinetics was conducted by dialysis bags. The ability to kill HER2-overexpressing BT-474 cells of Fab'-Cur-NPs compared with TMAB-Cur-NPs was conducted by cytotoxicity experiments. Qualitative and quantitative cell uptake studies using coumarin-6 (fluorescent probe)-loaded NPs were performed by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. Pharmacokinetics and biodistribution experiments in vivo were assessed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The release kinetics showed that both Fab'-Cur-NPs and TMAB-Cur-NPs provided continuous, slow release of curcumin for 72 h, with no significant difference. In vitro cytotoxicity experiments showed that Fab'-Cur-NPs manifested prominent ability to kill HER2-overexpressing BT-474 cells compared with TMAB-Cur-NPs. Qualitative and quantitative cell uptake studies indicated that the accumulation of Fab'-NPs was greater than that of TMAB-NPs in BT-474 (HER2+) cells; However, there was no significant difference in MDA-MB-231 (HER2-) cells. Pharmacokinetics and biodistribution experiments in vivo demonstrated that the half-life (t1/2) and area under the blood concentration-time curve (AUC0-t) of Fab'-Cur-NPs increased 5.30-fold and 1.76-fold relative to those of TMAB-Cur-NPs, respectively. Furthermore, the tumor accumulation of Fab'-Cur-NPs was higher than that of TMAB-Cur-NPs. Fab' fragment has greater capacity than the intact antibody to achieve tumor targeting through NP

  9. Two decades of pharmacovigilance and clinical experience with highly purified rabies immunoglobulin F(ab')2 fragments.

    PubMed

    Reveneau, Elisa; Cottin, Pascale; Rasuli, Anvar

    2017-03-01

    Rabies is a worldwide zoonotic viral disease with no specific treatment once symptoms occur; manifest disease is almost always fatal. WHO recommendations for exposed individuals include immediate attention to the wound and use of rabies immunoglobulin and/or vaccine for post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). Here, we provide an overview of the clinical experience with a highly purified preparation of F(ab') 2 fragments from equine rabies immunoglobulin (F(ab') 2 pERIG; Favirab TM ) in rabies PEP. Areas covered: Our review comprises a retrospective analysis of adverse event reports in the Sanofi Pasteur global pharmacovigilance database for F(ab') 2 pERIG, including adverse event reports from eight Sanofi Pasteur-sponsored clinical trials and post-market surveillance data collected between 1995 and 2014. The general safety profile of F(ab') 2 pERIG is discussed, as are the occurrence of rare anaphylactic reactions, and suspected intervention failure. Expert commentary: Over 20 years of clinical development and post-licensure experience has established the safety and effectiveness of F(ab') 2 pERIG (Favirab TM ) in rabies PEP.

  10. Generating and Purifying Fab Fragments from Human and Mouse IgG Using the Bacterial Enzymes IdeS, SpeB and Kgp.

    PubMed

    Sjögren, Jonathan; Andersson, Linda; Mejàre, Malin; Olsson, Fredrik

    2017-01-01

    Fab fragments are valuable research tools in various areas of science including applications in imaging, binding studies, removal of Fc-mediated effector functions, mass spectrometry, infection biology, and many others. The enzymatic tools for the generation of Fab fragments have been discovered through basic research within the field of molecular bacterial pathogenesis. Today, these enzymes are widely applied as research tools and in this chapter, we describe methodologies based on bacterial enzymes to generate Fab fragments from both human and mouse IgG. For all human IgG subclasses, the IdeS enzyme from Streptococcus pyogenes has been applied to generate F(ab')2 fragments that subsequently can be reduced under mild conditions to generate a homogenous pool of Fab' fragments. The enzyme Kgp from Porphyromonas gingivalis has been applied to generate intact Fab fragments from human IgG1 and the Fab fragments can be purified using a CH1-specific affinity resin. The SpeB protease, also from S. pyogenes, is able to digest mouse IgGs and has been applied to digest antibodies and Fab fragments can be purified on light chain affinity resins. In this chapter, we describe methodologies that can be used to obtain Fab fragments from human and mouse IgG using bacterial proteases.

  11. Antibody Fab display and selection through fusion to the pIX coat protein of filamentous phage.

    PubMed

    Tornetta, Mark; Baker, Scott; Whitaker, Brian; Lu, Jin; Chen, Qiang; Pisors, Eileen; Shi, Lei; Luo, Jinquan; Sweet, Raymond; Tsui, Ping

    2010-08-31

    Fab antibody display on filamentous phage is widely applied to de novo antibody discovery and engineering. Here we describe a phagemid system for the efficient display and affinity selection of Fabs through linkage to the minor coat protein pIX. Display was successful by fusion of either Fd or Lc through a short linker to the amino terminus of pIX and co-expression of the counter Lc or Fd as a secreted, soluble fragment. Assembly of functional Fab was confirmed by demonstration of antigen-specific binding using antibodies of known specificity. Phage displaying a Fab specific for RSV-F protein with Fd linked to pIX showed efficient, antigen-specific enrichment when mixed with phage displaying a different specificity. The functionality of this system for antibody engineering was evaluated in an optimization study. A RSV-F protein specific antibody with an affinity of about 2nM was randomized at 4 positions in light chain CDR1. Three rounds of selection with decreasing antigen concentration yielded Fabs with an affinity improvement up to 70-fold and showed a general correlation between enrichment frequency and affinity. We conclude that the pIX coat protein complements other display systems in filamentous phage as an efficient vehicle for low copy display and selection of Fab proteins. 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Anti-digoxin Fab variants generated by phage display.

    PubMed

    Murata, Viviane Midori; Schmidt, Mariana Costa Braga; Kalil, Jorge; Tsuruta, Lilian Rumi; Moro, Ana Maria

    2013-06-01

    Digoxin is a pharmaceutical used in the control of cardiac dysfunction. Its therapeutic window is narrow, with effect dosage very close to the toxic dosage. To counteract the toxic effect, polyclonal Fab fragments are commercially available. Our study is based on a monoclonal anti-digoxin antibody, which would provide a product with a specific potency and more precise dosage for the detoxification of patients under digoxin treatment. Phage display technology was used to select variants with high affinity. From an anti-digoxin hybridoma, RNA was extracted for subsequent cDNA synthesis. Specific primers were used for the LC and Fd amplifications, then cloned sequentially in a phagemid vector (pComb3X) for the combinatorial Fab library construction. Clones were selected for their ability to bind to digoxin-BSA. The presence of light and heavy chains was checked, randomly selected clones then sequenced and induced to produce soluble Fabs, and subsequently analyzed for anti-digoxin expression. Out of ten clones randomly chosen, six resulted positive expression of the product. The sequencing of these revealed two identical clones and one presenting a pseudogene in the LC. Four clones presenting variations in the framework1 showed binding to digoxin-BSA by ELISA and western blotting. The specific binding was further confirmed by Biacore(®), which allowed ranking of the clones. The development of these clones allowed the selection of variants with higher affinity than the original version.

  13. Improving Crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab reconstitution times.

    PubMed

    Quan, Asia N; Quan, Dan; Curry, Steven C

    2010-06-01

    Crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab (CroFab) is used to treat rattlesnake envenomations in the United States. Time to infusion may be a critical factor in the treatment of these bites. Per manufacturer's instructions, 10 mL of sterile water for injection (SWI) and hand swirling are recommended for reconstitution. We wondered whether completely filling vials with 25 mL of SWI would result in shorter reconstitution times than using 10-mL volumes and how hand mixing compared to mechanical agitation of vials or leaving vials undisturbed. Six sets of 5 vials were filled with either 10 mL or 25 mL. Three mixing techniques were used as follows: undisturbed; agitation with a mechanical agitator; and continuous hand rolling and inverting of vials. Dissolution was determined by observation and time to complete dissolution for each vial. Nonparametric 2-tailed P values were calculated. Filling vials completely with 25 mL resulted in quicker dissolution than using 10-mL volumes, regardless of mixing method (2-tailed P = .024). Mixing by hand was shorter than other methods (P < .001). Reconstitution with 25 mL and hand mixing resulted in the shortest dissolution times (median, 1.1 minutes; range, 0.9-1.3 minutes). This appeared clinically important because dissolution times using 10 mL and mechanical rocking of vials (median, 26.4 minutes) or leaving vials undisturbed (median, 33.6 minutes) was several-fold longer. Hand mixing after filling vials completely with 25 mL results in shorter dissolution times than using 10 mL or other methods of mixing and is recommended, especially when preparing initial doses of CroFab. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Tumour imaging by the detection of fibrin clots in tumour stroma using an anti-fibrin Fab fragment.

    PubMed

    Obonai, Toshifumi; Fuchigami, Hirobumi; Furuya, Fumiaki; Kozuka, Naoyuki; Yasunaga, Masahiro; Matsumura, Yasuhiro

    2016-03-24

    The diagnosis of early and aggressive types of cancer is important for providing effective cancer therapy. Cancer-induced fibrin clots exist only within lesions. Previously, we developed a monoclonal antibody (clone 102-10) that recognizes insoluble fibrin but not fibrinogen or soluble fibrin and confirmed that fibrin clots form continuously in various cancers. Here, we describe the development of a Fab fragment probe of clone 102-10 for tumour imaging. The distribution of 102-10 Fab was investigated in genetically engineered mice bearing pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), and its effect on blood coagulation was examined. Immunohistochemical and ex vivo imaging revealed that 102-10 Fab was distributed selectively in fibrin clots in PDAC tumours 3 h after injection and that it disappeared from the body after 24 h. 102-10 Fab had no influence on blood coagulation or fibrinolysis. Tumour imaging using anti-fibrin Fab may provide a safe and effective method for the diagnosis of invasive cancers by detecting fibrin clots in tumour stroma.

  15. PET Imaging of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm with 64Cu-Labeled Anti-CD105 Antibody Fab Fragment.

    PubMed

    Shi, Sixiang; Orbay, Hakan; Yang, Yunan; Graves, Stephen A; Nayak, Tapas R; Hong, Hao; Hernandez, Reinier; Luo, Haiming; Goel, Shreya; Theuer, Charles P; Nickles, Robert J; Cai, Weibo

    2015-06-01

    The critical challenge in abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) research is the accurate diagnosis and assessment of AAA progression. Angiogenesis is a pathologic hallmark of AAA, and CD105 is highly expressed on newly formed vessels. Our goal was to use (64)Cu-labeled anti-CD105 antibody Fab fragment for noninvasive assessment of angiogenesis in the aortic wall in a murine model of AAA. Fab fragment of TRC105, a mAb that specifically binds to CD105, was generated by enzymatic papain digestion and conjugated to NOTA (1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1,4,7-triacetic acid) for (64)Cu labeling. The binding affinity/specificity of NOTA-TRC105-Fab was evaluated by flow cytometry and various ex vivo studies. BALB/c mice were anesthetized and treated with calcium phosphate to induce AAA and underwent weekly PET scans using (64)Cu-NOTA-TRC105-Fab. Biodistribution and autoradiography studies were also performed to confirm the accuracy of PET results. NOTA-TRC105-Fab exhibited high purity and specifically bound to CD105 in vitro. Uptake of (64)Cu-NOTA-TRC105-Fab increased from a control level of 3.4 ± 0.1 to 9.5 ± 0.4 percentage injected dose per gram (%ID/g) at 6 h after injection on day 5 and decreased to 7.2 ± 1.4 %ID/g on day 12, which correlated well with biodistribution and autoradiography studies (i.e., much higher tracer uptake in AAA than normal aorta). Of note, enhanced AAA contrast was achieved, due to the minimal background in the abdominal area of mice. Degradation of elastic fibers and highly expressed CD105 were observed in ex vivo studies. (64)Cu-NOTA-TRC105-Fab cleared rapidly through the kidneys, which enabled noninvasive PET imaging of the aorta with enhanced contrast and showed increased angiogenesis (CD105 expression) during AAA. (64)Cu-NOTA-TRC105-Fab PET may potentially be used for future diagnosis and prognosis of AAA. © 2015 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Inc.

  16. Spherical cows in the sky with fab four

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kaloper, Nemanja; Sandora, McCullen, E-mail: kaloper@physics.ucdavis.edu, E-mail: mesandora@ucdavis.edu

    2014-05-01

    We explore spherically symmetric static solutions in a subclass of unitary scalar-tensor theories of gravity, called the 'Fab Four' models. The weak field large distance solutions may be phenomenologically viable, but only if the Gauss-Bonnet term is negligible. Only in this limit will the Vainshtein mechanism work consistently. Further, classical constraints and unitarity bounds constrain the models quite tightly. Nevertheless, in the limits where the range of individual terms at large scales is respectively Kinetic Braiding, Horndeski, and Gauss-Bonnet, the horizon scale effects may occur while the theory satisfies Solar system constraints and, marginally, unitarity bounds. On the other hand,more » to bring the cutoff down to below a millimeter constrains all the couplings scales such that 'Fab Fours' can't be heard outside of the Solar system.« less

  17. A novel human Fab antibody for Trop2 inhibits breast cancer growth in vitro and in vivo.

    PubMed

    Lin, Hong; Zhang, Huiling; Wang, Jun; Lu, Meiping; Zheng, Feng; Wang, Changjun; Tang, Xiaojun; Xu, Ning; Chen, Renjie; Zhang, Dawei; Zhao, Ping; Zhu, Jin; Mao, Yuan; Feng, Zhenqing

    2014-03-01

    Human trophoblastic cell surface antigen 2 (Trop2) has been suggested as an oncogene, which is associated with the different types of tumors. In this study, a human Fab antibody against Trop2 extracellular domain was isolated from phage library by phage display technology, and characterized by ELISA, FACS, fluorescence staining and Western blotting analysis. MTT, apoptosis assay and wound healing assay were employed to evaluate the inhibitory effects of Trop2 Fab on breast cancer cell growth in vitro, while tumor-xenograft model was employed to evaluate the inhibitory effects on breast cancer growth in vivo. The results showed that Trop2 Fab inhibited the proliferation, induced the apoptosis and suspended the migration of MDA-MB-231 cells in a dose dependent manner. The expression caspase-3 was activated, and the expression of Bcl-2 was reduced while that of Bax was elevated in MDA-MB-231 cells by treating with Trop2 Fab. In addition, Trop2 Fab inhibited the growth of breast cancer xenografts and the expression of Bcl-2 was reduced while that of Bax was elevated in xenografts. Trop2 Fab, which was isolated successfully in this research, is a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of Trop2 expressing breast cancer. © 2013 UICC.

  18. Development of a high yielding E. coli periplasmic expression system for the production of humanized Fab' fragments.

    PubMed

    Ellis, Mark; Patel, Pareshkumar; Edon, Marjory; Ramage, Walter; Dickinson, Robert; Humphreys, David P

    2017-01-01

    Humanized Fab' fragments may be produced in the periplasm of Escherichia coli but can be subject to degradation by host cell proteases. In order to increase Fab' yield and reduce proteolysis we developed periplasmic protease deficient strains of E. coli. These strains lacked the protease activity of Tsp, protease III and DegP. High cell density fermentations indicated Tsp deficient strains increased productivity two fold but this increase was accompanied by premature cell lysis soon after the induction of Fab' expression. To overcome the reduction in cell viability we introduced suppressor mutations into the spr gene. The mutations partially restored the wild type phenotype of the cells. Furthermore, we coexpressed a range of periplasmic chaperone proteins with the Fab', DsbC had the most significant impact, increasing humanized Fab' production during high cell density fermentation. When DsbC coexpression was combined with a Tsp deficient spr strain we observed an increase in yield and essentially restored "wild type" cell viability. We achieved a final periplasmic yield of over 2.4g/L (final cell density OD 600 105), 40 h post Fab' induction with minimal cell lysis.The data suggests that proteolysis, periplasm integrity, protein folding and disulphide bond formation are all potential limiting steps in the production of Fab' fragments in the periplasm of E. coli. In this body of work, we have addressed these limiting steps by utilizing stabilized protease deficient strains and chaperone coexpression. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 33:212-220, 2017. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

  19. Functionally Approached Body (FAB) Strategies for Young Children Who Have Behavioral and Sensory Processing Challenges

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pagano, John

    2005-01-01

    Functionally Approached Body (FAB) Strategies offer a clinical approach to help parents of young children with behavioral and sensory processing strategies. This article introduces the FAB Strategies, clinical strategies developed by the author for understanding and addressing young children's behavioral and sensory processing challenges. The FAB…

  20. Evaluating and Comparing the Effects of Group Contingencies on Mathematics Accuracy in a First-Grade Classroom: Class Average Criteria versus Unknown Small-Group Average Criteria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Scott, Katelyn C.; Skinner, Christopher H.; Moore, Tara C.; McCurdy, Merilee; Ciancio, Dennis; Cihak, David F.

    2017-01-01

    An adapted alternating treatments design was used to evaluate and compare the effects of two group contingency interventions on mathematics assignment accuracy in an intact first-grade classroom. Both an interdependent contingency with class-average criteria (16 students) and a dependent contingency with criteria based on the average of a smaller,…

  1. Utilisation of Crotalidae polyvalent immune fab (ovine) for Viperidae envenomations in children.

    PubMed

    Johnson, P N; McGoodwin, L; Banner, W

    2008-12-01

    Snakebite envenomations occur in 45,000 patients in the USA annually and are associated with morbidity especially in children and the elderly. Crotalidae polyvalent immune fab (ovine; FabAV) is a polyvalent antivenom derived from sheep for crotalid envenomations. Limited clinical trials are available in paediatric patients. A literature search using MEDLINE (1950-February 2008), International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1970-February 2008), EMBASE (1988-February 2008) and Cochrane Library (1996-June 2008) was conducted using key words including: antivenom OR snakebites OR children OR Crotalid OR envenomations. All English-language articles were identified from data sources. Pertinent studies pertaining to FabAV in children and adolescents with crotalid envenomations were included for analysis. Ten papers were included for review, representing 47 children. Initial doses ranging from 2 to 18 g were administered and initial control was achieved in most children. Maintenance dosing was continued in 63.8% (30/47) of patients; 4.3% (2/47) of patients had episodes of venom recurrence. Adverse events were noted in 8.5% of children (4/47) when pooled for data analysis. FabAV appears to be a safe and effective agent for children with crotalid envenomations. Clinicians should adapt dosing recommendations used for adults until future large, well-designed trials can confirm the efficacy and safety from observation studies and case reports.

  2. Fab-dsFv: A bispecific antibody format with extended serum half-life through albumin binding.

    PubMed

    Davé, Emma; Adams, Ralph; Zaccheo, Oliver; Carrington, Bruce; Compson, Joanne E; Dugdale, Sarah; Airey, Michael; Malcolm, Sarah; Hailu, Hanna; Wild, Gavin; Turner, Alison; Heads, James; Sarkar, Kaushik; Ventom, Andrew; Marshall, Diane; Jairaj, Mark; Kopotsha, Tim; Christodoulou, Louis; Zamacona, Miren; Lawson, Alastair D; Heywood, Sam; Humphreys, David P

    2016-10-01

    An antibody format, termed Fab-dsFv, has been designed for clinical indications that require monovalent target binding in the absence of direct Fc receptor (FcR) binding while retaining substantial serum presence. The variable fragment (Fv) domain of a humanized albumin-binding antibody was fused to the C-termini of Fab constant domains, such that the VL and VH domains were individually connected to the Cκ and CH1 domains by peptide linkers, respectively. The anti-albumin Fv was selected for properties thought to be desirable to ensure a durable serum half-life mediated via FcRn. The Fv domain was further stabilized by an inter-domain disulfide bond. The bispecific format was shown to be thermodynamically and biophysically stable, and retained good affinity and efficacy to both antigens simultaneously. In in vivo studies, the serum half-life of Fab-dsFv, 2.6 d in mice and 7.9 d in cynomolgus monkeys, was equivalent to Fab'-PEG.

  3. Fab-dsFv: A bispecific antibody format with extended serum half-life through albumin binding

    PubMed Central

    Davé, Emma; Adams, Ralph; Zaccheo, Oliver; Carrington, Bruce; Compson, Joanne E.; Dugdale, Sarah; Airey, Michael; Malcolm, Sarah; Hailu, Hanna; Wild, Gavin; Turner, Alison; Heads, James; Sarkar, Kaushik; Ventom, Andrew; Marshall, Diane; Jairaj, Mark; Kopotsha, Tim; Christodoulou, Louis; Zamacona, Miren; Lawson, Alastair D.; Heywood, Sam; Humphreys, David P.

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT An antibody format, termed Fab-dsFv, has been designed for clinical indications that require monovalent target binding in the absence of direct Fc receptor (FcR) binding while retaining substantial serum presence. The variable fragment (Fv) domain of a humanized albumin-binding antibody was fused to the C-termini of Fab constant domains, such that the VL and VH domains were individually connected to the Cκ and CH1 domains by peptide linkers, respectively. The anti-albumin Fv was selected for properties thought to be desirable to ensure a durable serum half-life mediated via FcRn. The Fv domain was further stabilized by an inter-domain disulfide bond. The bispecific format was shown to be thermodynamically and biophysically stable, and retained good affinity and efficacy to both antigens simultaneously. In in vivo studies, the serum half-life of Fab-dsFv, 2.6 d in mice and 7.9 d in cynomolgus monkeys, was equivalent to Fab'-PEG. PMID:27532598

  4. Alteration of the fatty acid profile of Streptomyces coelicolor by replacement of the initiation enzyme 3-ketoacyl acyl carrier protein synthase III (FabH).

    PubMed

    Li, Yongli; Florova, Galina; Reynolds, Kevin A

    2005-06-01

    The first elongation step of fatty acid biosynthesis by a type II dissociated fatty acid synthases is catalyzed by 3-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) synthase III (KASIII, FabH). This enzyme, encoded by the fabH gene, catalyzes a decarboxylative condensation between an acyl coenzyme A (CoA) primer and malonyl-ACP. In organisms such as Escherichia coli, which generate only straight-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), FabH has a substrate preference for acetyl-CoA. In streptomycetes and other organisms which produce a mixture of both SCFAs and branched-chain fatty acids (BCFAs), FabH has been shown to utilize straight- and branched-chain acyl-CoA substrates. We report herein the generation of a Streptomyces coelicolor mutant (YL/ecFabH) in which the chromosomal copy of the fabH gene has been replaced and the essential process of fatty acid biosynthesis is initiated by plasmid-based expression of the E. coli FabH (bearing only 35% amino acid identity to the Streptomyces enzyme). The YL/ecFabH mutant produces predominantly SCFAs (86%). In contrast, BCFAs predominate (approximately 70%) in both the S. coelicolor parental strain and S. coelicolor YL/sgFabH (a deltafabH mutant carrying a plasmid expressing the Streptomyces glaucescens FabH). These results provide the first unequivocal evidence that the substrate specificity of FabH observed in vitro is a determinant of the fatty acid made in an organism. The YL/ecFabH strain grows significantly slower on both solid and liquid media. The levels of FabH activity in cell extracts of YL/ecFabH were also significantly lower than those in cell extracts of YL/sgFabH, suggesting that a decreased rate of fatty acid synthesis may account for the observed decreased growth rate. The production of low levels of BCFAs in YL/ecFabH suggests either that the E. coli FabH is more tolerant of different acyl-CoAs substrates than previously thought or that there is an additional pathway for initiation of BCFA biosynthesis in Streptomyces coelicolor.

  5. Structure of FabH and factors affecting the distribution of branched fatty acids in Micrococcus luteus.

    PubMed

    Pereira, Jose H; Goh, Ee-Been; Keasling, Jay D; Beller, Harry R; Adams, Paul D

    2012-10-01

    Micrococcus luteus is a Gram-positive bacterium that produces iso- and anteiso-branched alkenes by the head-to-head condensation of fatty-acid thioesters [coenzyme A (CoA) or acyl carrier protein (ACP)]; this activity is of interest for the production of advanced biofuels. In an effort to better understand the control of the formation of branched fatty acids in M. luteus, the structure of FabH (MlFabH) was determined. FabH, or β-ketoacyl-ACP synthase III, catalyzes the initial step of fatty-acid biosynthesis: the condensation of malonyl-ACP with an acyl-CoA. Analysis of the MlFabH structure provides insights into its substrate selectivity with regard to length and branching of the acyl-CoA. The most structurally divergent region of FabH is the L9 loop region located at the dimer interface, which is involved in the formation of the acyl-binding channel and thus limits the substrate-channel size. The residue Phe336, which is positioned near the catalytic triad, appears to play a major role in branched-substrate selectivity. In addition to structural studies of MlFabH, transcriptional studies of M. luteus were also performed, focusing on the increase in the ratio of anteiso:iso-branched alkenes that was observed during the transition from early to late stationary phase. Gene-expression microarray analysis identified two genes involved in leucine and isoleucine metabolism that may explain this transition.

  6. Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) is a simple tool for detecting executive deficits in chronic cannabis users.

    PubMed

    Fontes, Maria Alice; Bolla, Karen I; Cunha, Paulo Jannuzzi; Almeida, Priscila Previato; Jungerman, Flávia; Laranjeira, Ronaldo Ramos; Bressan, Rodrigo A; Lacerda, Acioly L T

    2011-06-01

    Cannabis is the most used illicit drug in the world, and its use has been associated with prefrontal cortex (PFC) dysfunction, including deficits in executive functions (EF). Considering that EF may influence treatment outcome, it would be interesting to have a brief neuropsychological battery to assess EF in chronic cannabis users (CCU). In the present study, the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB), a brief, easy to use neuropsychological instrument aimed to evaluate EF, was used to evaluate cognitive functioning of CCU. We evaluated 107 abstinent CCU with the FAB and compared with 44 controls matched for age, estimated IQ, and years of education. CCU performed poorly as compared to controls (FAB total score = 16.53 vs. 17.09, p < .05). CCU had also a poor performance in the Motor Programming subtest (2.47 vs. 2.73, p < .05). This study examined effects of cannabis in executive functioning and showed evidence that the FAB is sensitive to detect EF deficits in early abstinent chronic cannabis users. Clinical significance of these findings remains to be investigated in further longitudinal studies. FAB may be useful as a screening instrument to evaluate the necessity for a complete neuropsychological assessment in this population.

  7. Specific Conjugation of the Hinge Region for Homogeneous Preparation of Antibody Fragment-Drug Conjugate: A Case Study for Doxorubicin-PEG-anti-CD20 Fab' Synthesis.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Zhan; Zhang, Jing; Zhang, Yan; Ma, Guanghui; Su, Zhiguo

    2016-01-20

    Conventional preparation strategies for antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) result in heterogeneous products with various molecular sizes and species. In this study, we developed a homogeneous preparation strategy by site-specific conjugation of the anticancer drug with an antibody fragment. The model drug doxorubicin (DOX) was coupled to the Fab' fragment of anti-CD20 IgG at its permissive sites through a heterotelechelic PEG linker, generating an antibody fragment-drug conjugate (AFDC). Anti-CD20 IgG was digested and reduced specifically with β-mercaptoethylamine to generate the Fab' fragment with two free mercapto groups in its hinge region. Meanwhile, DOX was conjugated with α-succinimidylsuccinate ω-maleimide polyethylene glycol (NHS-PEG-MAL) to form MAL-PEG-DOX, which was subsequently linked to the free mercapto containing Fab' fragment to form a Fab'-PEG-DOX conjugate. The dual site-specific bioconjugation was achieved through the combination of highly selective reduction of IgG and introduction of heterotelechelic PEG linker. The resulting AFDC provides an utterly homogeneous product, with a definite ratio of one fragment to two drugs. Laser confocal microscopy and cell ELISA revealed that the AFDC could accumulate in the antigen-positive Daudi tumor cell. In addition, the Fab'-PEG-DOX retained appreciable targeting ability and improved antitumor activity, demonstrating an excellent therapeutic effect on the lymphoma mice model for better cure rate and significantly reduced side effects.

  8. Tumour imaging by the detection of fibrin clots in tumour stroma using an anti-fibrin Fab fragment

    PubMed Central

    Obonai, Toshifumi; Fuchigami, Hirobumi; Furuya, Fumiaki; Kozuka, Naoyuki; Yasunaga, Masahiro; Matsumura, Yasuhiro

    2016-01-01

    The diagnosis of early and aggressive types of cancer is important for providing effective cancer therapy. Cancer-induced fibrin clots exist only within lesions. Previously, we developed a monoclonal antibody (clone 102-10) that recognizes insoluble fibrin but not fibrinogen or soluble fibrin and confirmed that fibrin clots form continuously in various cancers. Here, we describe the development of a Fab fragment probe of clone 102-10 for tumour imaging. The distribution of 102-10 Fab was investigated in genetically engineered mice bearing pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), and its effect on blood coagulation was examined. Immunohistochemical and ex vivo imaging revealed that 102-10 Fab was distributed selectively in fibrin clots in PDAC tumours 3 h after injection and that it disappeared from the body after 24 h. 102-10 Fab had no influence on blood coagulation or fibrinolysis. Tumour imaging using anti-fibrin Fab may provide a safe and effective method for the diagnosis of invasive cancers by detecting fibrin clots in tumour stroma. PMID:27009516

  9. Extending green technology innovations to enable greener fabs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Takahisa, Kenji; Yoo, Young Sun; Fukuda, Hitomi; Minegishi, Yuji; Enami, Tatsuo

    2015-03-01

    Semiconductor manufacturing industry has growing concerns over future environmental impacts as fabs expand and new generations of equipment become more powerful. Especially rare gases supply and price are one of prime concerns for operation of high volume manufacturing (HVM) fabs. Over the past year it has come to our attention that Helium and Neon gas supplies could be unstable and become a threat to HVM fabs. To address these concerns, Gigaphoton has implemented various green technologies under its EcoPhoton program. One of the initiatives is GigaTwin deep ultraviolet (DUV) lithography laser design which enables highly efficient and stable operation. Under this design laser systems run with 50% less electric energy and gas consumption compared to conventional laser designs. In 2014 we have developed two technologies to further reduce electric energy and gas efficiency. The electric energy reduction technology is called eGRYCOS (enhanced Gigaphoton Recycled Chamber Operation System), and it reduces electric energy by 15% without compromising any of laser performances. eGRYCOS system has a sophisticated gas flow design so that we can reduce cross-flow-fan rotation speed. The gas reduction technology is called eTGM (enhanced Total gas Manager) and it improves gas management system optimizing the gas injection and exhaust amount based on laser performances, resulting in 50% gas savings. The next steps in our roadmap technologies are indicated and we call for potential partners to work with us based on OPEN INNOVATION concept to successfully develop faster and better solutions in all possible areas where green innovation may exist.

  10. Improving Assessment of Work Related Mental Health Function Using the Work Disability Functional Assessment Battery (WD-FAB).

    PubMed

    Marfeo, Elizabeth E; Ni, Pengsheng; McDonough, Christine; Peterik, Kara; Marino, Molly; Meterko, Mark; Rasch, Elizabeth K; Chan, Leighton; Brandt, Diane; Jette, Alan M

    2018-03-01

    Purpose To improve the mental health component of the Work Disability Functional Assessment Battery (WD-FAB), developed for the US Social Security Administration's (SSA) disability determination process. Specifically our goal was to expand the WD-FAB scales of mood & emotions, resilience, social interactions, and behavioral control to improve the depth and breadth of the current scales and expand the content coverage to include aspects of cognition & communication function. Methods Data were collected from a random, stratified sample of 1695 claimants applying for the SSA work disability benefits, and a general population sample of 2025 working age adults. 169 new items were developed to replenish the WD-FAB scales and analyzed using factor analysis and item response theory (IRT) analysis to construct unidimensional scales. We conducted computer adaptive test (CAT) simulations to examine the psychometric properties of the WD-FAB. Results Analyses supported the inclusion of four mental health subdomains: Cognition & Communication (68 items), Self-Regulation (34 items), Resilience & Sociability (29 items) and Mood & Emotions (34 items). All scales yielded acceptable psychometric properties. Conclusions IRT methods were effective in expanding the WD-FAB to assess mental health function. The WD-FAB has the potential to enhance work disability assessment both within the context of the SSA disability programs as well as other clinical and vocational rehabilitation settings.

  11. Structural characterization of POM6 Fab and mouse prion protein complex identifies key regions for prions conformational conversion.

    PubMed

    Baral, Pravas Kumar; Swayampakula, Mridula; Aguzzi, Adriano; James, Michael N G

    2018-05-01

    Conversion of the cellular prion protein PrP C into its pathogenic isoform PrP S c is the hallmark of prion diseases, fatal neurodegenerative diseases affecting many mammalian species including humans. Anti-prion monoclonal antibodies can arrest the progression of prion diseases by stabilizing the cellular form of the prion protein. Here, we present the crystal structure of the POM6 Fab fragment, in complex with the mouse prion protein (moPrP). The prion epitope of POM6 is in close proximity to the epitope recognized by the purportedly toxic antibody fragment, POM1 Fab also complexed with moPrP. The POM6 Fab recognizes a larger binding interface indicating a likely stronger binding compared to POM1. POM6 and POM1 exhibit distinct biological responses. Structural comparisons of the bound mouse prion proteins from the POM6 Fab:moPrP and POM1 Fab:moPrP complexes reveal several key regions of the prion protein that might be involved in initiating mis-folding events. The structural data of moPrP:POM6 Fab complex are available in the PDB under the accession number www.rcsb.org/pdb/search/structidSearch.do?structureId=6AQ7. © 2018 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

  12. Double mutation of cell wall proteins CspB and PBP1a increases secretion of the antibody Fab fragment from Corynebacterium glutamicum

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background Among other advantages, recombinant antibody-binding fragments (Fabs) hold great clinical and commercial potential, owing to their efficient tissue penetration compared to that of full-length IgGs. Although production of recombinant Fab using microbial expression systems has been reported, yields of active Fab have not been satisfactory. We recently developed the Corynebacterium glutamicum protein expression system (CORYNEX®) and demonstrated improved yield and purity for some applications, although the system has not been applied to Fab production. Results The Fab fragment of human anti-HER2 was successfully secreted by the CORYNEX® system using the conventional C. glutamicum strain YDK010, but the productivity was very low. To improve the secretion efficiency, we investigated the effects of deleting cell wall-related genes. Fab secretion was increased 5.2 times by deletion of pbp1a, encoding one of the penicillin-binding proteins (PBP1a), mediating cell wall peptidoglycan (PG) synthesis. However, this Δpbp1a mutation did not improve Fab secretion in the wild-type ATCC13869 strain. Because YDK010 carries a mutation in the cspB gene encoding a surface (S)-layer protein, we evaluated the effect of ΔcspB mutation on Fab secretion from ATCC13869. The Δpbp1a mutation showed a positive effect on Fab secretion only in combination with the ΔcspB mutation. The ΔcspBΔpbp1a double mutant showed much greater sensitivity to lysozyme than either single mutant or the wild-type strain, suggesting that these mutations reduced cell wall resistance to protein secretion. Conclusion There are at least two crucial permeability barriers to Fab secretion in the cell surface structure of C. glutamicum, the PG layer, and the S-layer. The ΔcspBΔpbp1a double mutant allows efficient Fab production using the CORYNEX® system. PMID:24731213

  13. Mapping the Binding Interface of VEGF and a Monoclonal Antibody Fab-1 Fragment with Fast Photochemical Oxidation of Proteins (FPOP) and Mass Spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Ying; Wecksler, Aaron T.; Molina, Patricia; Deperalta, Galahad; Gross, Michael L.

    2017-05-01

    We previously analyzed the Fab-1:VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) system described in this work, with both native top-down mass spectrometry and bottom-up mass spectrometry (carboxyl-group or GEE footprinting) techniques. This work continues bottom-up mass spectrometry analysis using a fast photochemical oxidation of proteins (FPOP) platform to map the solution binding interface of VEGF and a fragment antigen binding region of an antibody (Fab-1). In this study, we use FPOP to compare the changes in solvent accessibility by quantitating the extent of oxidative modification in the unbound versus bound states. Determining the changes in solvent accessibility enables the inference of the protein binding sites (epitope and paratopes) and a comparison to the previously published Fab-1:VEGF crystal structure, adding to the top-down and bottom-up data. Using this method, we investigated peptide-level and residue-level changes in solvent accessibility between the unbound proteins and bound complex. Mapping these data onto the Fab-1:VEGF crystal structure enabled successful characterization of both the binding region and regions of remote conformation changes. These data, coupled with our previous higher order structure (HOS) studies, demonstrate the value of a comprehensive toolbox of methods for identifying the putative epitopes and paratopes for biotherapeutic antibodies.

  14. Topical ocular treatment with monoclonal antibody Fab fragments targeting Japanese cedar pollen Cry j 1 inhibits Japanese cedar pollen-induced allergic conjunctivitis in mice.

    PubMed

    Mizutani, Nobuaki; Nabe, Takeshi; Yoshino, Shin

    2017-03-05

    Fab fragments (Fabs) of antibodies having the ability only to bind to specific allergens lack effector functions due to the absence of the Fc portion. In the present study, we examined whether IgG1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) Fabs targeting Japanese cedar pollen (JCP) Cry j 1 were able to regulate JCP-induced allergic conjunctivitis in mice. BALB/c mice actively sensitized with JCP were repeatedly challenged by topical administration of JCP eye drops. Fabs prepared by the digestion of anti-JCP IgG1 mAbs (P1-3 and P1-8) with papain were applied to the eye 15min before the JCP challenges followed by measurement of the clinical conjunctivitis score. In the in vitro experiments, P1-3 and P1-8 showed specific binding to JCP Cry j 1. Furthermore, intact P1-3 binding to Cry j 1 was inhibited by P1-3 Fabs, but not P1-8 Fabs; additionally, P1-8 Fabs, but not P1-3 Fabs, suppressed the intact P1-8 binding, suggesting that the epitopes of Cry j 1 recognized by P1-3 and P1-8 were different. Topical ocular treatment with P1-3 Fabs or P1-8 Fabs was followed by marked suppression of JCP-induced conjunctivitis (P<0.01). In histological evaluation, P1-8 Fabs showed a reduction in eosinophil infiltration in the conjunctiva (P<0.01). These results demonstrated that topical ocular treatment with IgG1 mAb Fabs to Cry j 1 was effective in suppressing JCP-induced allergic conjunctivitis in mice. Furthermore, it suggests the possibility that some epitopes recognized by Fabs could be used as a tool to regulate allergic conjunctivitis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Complexes of Neutralizing and Non-Neutralizing Affinity Matured Fabs with a Mimetic of the Internal Trimeric Coiled-Coil of HIV-1 gp41

    PubMed Central

    Gustchina, Elena; Li, Mi; Ghirlando, Rodolfo; Schuck, Peter; Louis, John M.; Pierson, Jason; Rao, Prashant; Subramaniam, Sriram; Gustchina, Alla; Clore, G. Marius; Wlodawer, Alexander

    2013-01-01

    A series of mini-antibodies (monovalent and bivalent Fabs) targeting the conserved internal trimeric coiled-coil of the N-heptad repeat (N-HR) of HIV-1 gp41 has been previously constructed and reported. Crystal structures of two closely related monovalent Fabs, one (Fab 8066) broadly neutralizing across a wide panel of HIV-1 subtype B and C viruses, and the other (Fab 8062) non-neutralizing, representing the extremes of this series, were previously solved as complexes with 5-Helix, a gp41 pre-hairpin intermediate mimetic. Binding of these Fabs to covalently stabilized chimeric trimers of N-peptides of HIV-1 gp41 (named (CCIZN36)3 or 3-H) has now been investigated using X-ray crystallography, cryo-electron microscopy, and a variety of biophysical methods. Crystal structures of the complexes between 3-H and Fab 8066 and Fab 8062 were determined at 2.8 and 3.0 Å resolution, respectively. Although the structures of the complexes with the neutralizing Fab 8066 and its non-neutralizing counterpart Fab 8062 were generally similar, small differences between them could be correlated with the biological properties of these antibodies. The conformations of the corresponding CDRs of each antibody in the complexes with 3-H and 5-Helix are very similar. The adaptation to a different target upon complex formation is predominantly achieved by changes in the structure of the trimer of N-HR helices, as well as by adjustment of the orientation of the Fab molecule relative to the N-HR in the complex, via rigid-body movement. The structural data presented here indicate that binding of three Fabs 8062 with high affinity requires more significant changes in the structure of the N-HR trimer compared to binding of Fab 8066. A comparative analysis of the structures of Fabs complexed to different gp41 intermediate mimetics allows further evaluation of biological relevance for generation of neutralizing antibodies, as well as provides novel structural insights into immunogen design. PMID

  16. Impact of surfactants on the target recognition of Fab-conjugated PLGA nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Kennedy, Patrick J; Perreira, Ines; Ferreira, Daniel; Nestor, Marika; Oliveira, Carla; Granja, Pedro L; Sarmento, Bruno

    2018-06-01

    Targeted drug delivery with nanoparticles (NPs) requires proper surface ligand presentation and availability. Surfactants are often used as stabilizers in the production of targeted NPs. Here, we evaluated the impact of surfactants on ligand functionalization and downstream molecular recognition. Our model system consisted of fluorescent poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) NPs that were nanoprecipitated in one of a small panel of commonly-used surfactants followed by equivalent washes and conjugation of an engineered Fab antibody fragment. Size, polydispersity index and zeta potential were determined by dynamic light scattering and laser Doppler anemometry, and Fab presence on the NPs was assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Most importantly, Fab-decorated NP binding to the cell surface receptor was monitored by fluorescence-activated cell sorting. 2% polyvinyl alcohol, 1% sodium cholate, 0.5% Pluronic F127 (F127) and 2% Tween-80 were initially tested. Of the four surfactants tested, PLGA NPs in 0.5% F127 and 2% Tween-80 had the highest cell binding. These two surfactants were then retested in two different concentrations, 0.5% and 2%. The Fab-decorated PLGA NPs in 2% F127 had the highest cell binding. This study highlights the impact of common surfactants and their concentrations on the downstream targeting of ligand-decorated NPs. Similar principles should be applied in the development of future targeted nanosystems where surfactants are employed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Effect of culture medium, host strain and oxygen transfer on recombinant Fab antibody fragment yield and leakage to medium in shaken E. coli cultures.

    PubMed

    Ukkonen, Kaisa; Veijola, Johanna; Vasala, Antti; Neubauer, Peter

    2013-07-29

    Fab antibody fragments in E. coli are usually directed to the oxidizing periplasmic space for correct folding. From periplasm Fab fragments may further leak into extracellular medium. Information on the cultivation parameters affecting this leakage is scarce, and the unpredictable nature of Fab leakage is problematic regarding consistent product recovery. To elucidate the effects of cultivation conditions, we investigated Fab expression and accumulation into either periplasm or medium in E. coli K-12 and E. coli BL21 when grown in different types of media and under different aeration conditions. Small-scale Fab expression demonstrated significant differences in yield and ratio of periplasmic to extracellular Fab between different culture media and host strains. Expression in a medium with fed-batch-like glucose feeding provided highest total and extracellular yields in both strains. Unexpectedly, cultivation in baffled shake flasks at 150 rpm shaking speed resulted in higher yield and accumulation of Fabs into culture medium as compared to cultivation at 250 rpm. In the fed-batch medium, extracellular fraction in E. coli K-12 increased from 2-17% of total Fab at 250 rpm up to 75% at 150 rpm. This was partly due to increased lysis, but also leakage from intact cells increased at the lower shaking speed. Total Fab yield in E. coli BL21 in glycerol-based autoinduction medium was 5 to 9-fold higher at the lower shaking speed, and the extracellular fraction increased from ≤ 10% to 20-90%. The effect of aeration on Fab localization was reproduced in multiwell plate by variation of culture volume. Yield and leakage of Fab fragments are dependent on expression strain, culture medium, aeration rate, and the combination of these parameters. Maximum productivity in fed-batch-like conditions and in autoinduction medium is achieved under sufficiently oxygen-limited conditions, and lower aeration also promotes increased Fab accumulation into extracellular medium. These

  18. Effect of culture medium, host strain and oxygen transfer on recombinant Fab antibody fragment yield and leakage to medium in shaken E. coli cultures

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Fab antibody fragments in E. coli are usually directed to the oxidizing periplasmic space for correct folding. From periplasm Fab fragments may further leak into extracellular medium. Information on the cultivation parameters affecting this leakage is scarce, and the unpredictable nature of Fab leakage is problematic regarding consistent product recovery. To elucidate the effects of cultivation conditions, we investigated Fab expression and accumulation into either periplasm or medium in E. coli K-12 and E. coli BL21 when grown in different types of media and under different aeration conditions. Results Small-scale Fab expression demonstrated significant differences in yield and ratio of periplasmic to extracellular Fab between different culture media and host strains. Expression in a medium with fed-batch-like glucose feeding provided highest total and extracellular yields in both strains. Unexpectedly, cultivation in baffled shake flasks at 150 rpm shaking speed resulted in higher yield and accumulation of Fabs into culture medium as compared to cultivation at 250 rpm. In the fed-batch medium, extracellular fraction in E. coli K-12 increased from 2-17% of total Fab at 250 rpm up to 75% at 150 rpm. This was partly due to increased lysis, but also leakage from intact cells increased at the lower shaking speed. Total Fab yield in E. coli BL21 in glycerol-based autoinduction medium was 5 to 9-fold higher at the lower shaking speed, and the extracellular fraction increased from ≤ 10% to 20-90%. The effect of aeration on Fab localization was reproduced in multiwell plate by variation of culture volume. Conclusions Yield and leakage of Fab fragments are dependent on expression strain, culture medium, aeration rate, and the combination of these parameters. Maximum productivity in fed-batch-like conditions and in autoinduction medium is achieved under sufficiently oxygen-limited conditions, and lower aeration also promotes increased Fab accumulation into

  19. 75 FR 9438 - Samsung Austin Semiconductor, LLC, DRAM Fab 1, a Subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Corporation...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-03-02

    ... Semiconductor, LLC, DRAM Fab 1, a Subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Corporation, Including On-Site Leased... Semiconductor, LLC, a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Corporation, DRAM Fab 1, including on-site leased.... The workers are engaged in activities related to the production of DRAM chips for use in electronics...

  20. Structure of Rotavirus Outer-Layer Protein VP7 Bound with a Neutralizing Fab

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Aoki, Scott T.; Settembre, Ethan C.; Trask, Shane D.

    2009-06-17

    Rotavirus outer-layer protein VP7 is a principal target of protective antibodies. Removal of free calcium ions (Ca{sup 2+}) dissociates VP7 trimers into monomers, releasing VP7 from the virion, and initiates penetration-inducing conformational changes in the other outer-layer protein, VP4. We report the crystal structure at 3.4 angstrom resolution of VP7 bound with the Fab fragment of a neutralizing monoclonal antibody. The Fab binds across the outer surface of the intersubunit contact, which contains two Ca{sup 2+} sites. Mutations that escape neutralization by other antibodies suggest that the same region bears the epitopes of most neutralizing antibodies. The monovalent Fab ismore » sufficient to neutralize infectivity. We propose that neutralizing antibodies against VP7 act by stabilizing the trimer, thereby inhibiting the uncoating trigger for VP4 rearrangement. A disulfide-linked trimer is a potential subunit immunogen.« less

  1. Improving Fab' fragment retention in an autonucleolytic Escherichia coli strain by swapping periplasmic nuclease translocation signal from OmpA to DsbA.

    PubMed

    Schofield, Desmond M; Sirka, Ernestas; Keshavarz-Moore, Eli; Ward, John M; Nesbeth, Darren N

    2017-12-01

    To reduce unwanted Fab' leakage from an autonucleolytic Escherichia coli strain, which co-expresses OmpA-signalled Staphylococcal nuclease and Fab' fragment in the periplasm, by substituting in Serratial nuclease and the DsbA periplasm translocation signal as alternatives. We attempted to genetically fuse a nuclease from Serratia marcescens to the OmpA signal peptide but plasmid construction failed, possibly due to toxicity of the resultant nuclease. Combining Serratial nuclease to the DsbA signal peptide was successful. The strain co-expressing this nuclease and periplasmic Fab' grew in complex media and exhibited nuclease activity detectable by DNAse agar plate but its growth in defined medium was retarded. Fab' coexpression with Staphylococcal nuclease fused to the DsbA signal peptide resulted in cells exhibiting nuclease activity and growth in defined medium. In cultivation to high cell density in a 5 l bioreactor, DsbA-fused Staphylococcal nuclease co-expression coincided with reduced Fab' leakage relative to the original autonucleolytic Fab' strain with OmpA-fused staphylococcal nuclease. We successfully rescued Fab' leakage back to acceptable levels and established a basis for future investigation of the linkage between periplasmic nuclease expression and leakage of co-expressed periplasmic Fab' fragment to the surrounding growth media.

  2. The Efficacy of Crotalidae Polyvalent Immune Fab (Ovine) Antivenom Versus Placebo Plus Optional Rescue Therapy on Recovery From Copperhead Snake Envenomation: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Clinical Trial.

    PubMed

    Gerardo, Charles J; Quackenbush, Eugenia; Lewis, Brandon; Rose, S Rutherfoord; Greene, Spencer; Toschlog, Eric A; Charlton, Nathan P; Mullins, Michael E; Schwartz, Richard; Denning, David; Sharma, Kapil; Kleinschmidt, Kurt; Bush, Sean P; Ryan, Samantha; Gasior, Maria; Anderson, Victoria E; Lavonas, Eric J

    2017-08-01

    serious (1 in each group). Treatment with FabAV reduces limb disability measured by the Patient-Specific Functional Scale 14 days after copperhead envenomation. Copyright © 2017 American College of Emergency Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. The fatty acid biosynthesis enzyme FabI plays a key role in the development of liver-stage malarial parasites.

    PubMed

    Yu, Min; Kumar, T R Santha; Nkrumah, Louis J; Coppi, Alida; Retzlaff, Silke; Li, Celeste D; Kelly, Brendan J; Moura, Pedro A; Lakshmanan, Viswanathan; Freundlich, Joel S; Valderramos, Juan-Carlos; Vilcheze, Catherine; Siedner, Mark; Tsai, Jennifer H-C; Falkard, Brie; Sidhu, Amar Bir Singh; Purcell, Lisa A; Gratraud, Paul; Kremer, Laurent; Waters, Andrew P; Schiehser, Guy; Jacobus, David P; Janse, Chris J; Ager, Arba; Jacobs, William R; Sacchettini, James C; Heussler, Volker; Sinnis, Photini; Fidock, David A

    2008-12-11

    The fatty acid synthesis type II pathway has received considerable interest as a candidate therapeutic target in Plasmodium falciparum asexual blood-stage infections. This apicoplast-resident pathway, distinct from the mammalian type I process, includes FabI. Here, we report synthetic chemistry and transfection studies concluding that Plasmodium FabI is not the target of the antimalarial activity of triclosan, an inhibitor of bacterial FabI. Disruption of fabI in P. falciparum or the rodent parasite P. berghei does not impede blood-stage growth. In contrast, mosquito-derived, FabI-deficient P. berghei sporozoites are markedly less infective for mice and typically fail to complete liver-stage development in vitro. This defect is characterized by an inability to form intrahepatic merosomes that normally initiate blood-stage infections. These data illuminate key differences between liver- and blood-stage parasites in their requirements for host versus de novo synthesized fatty acids, and create new prospects for stage-specific antimalarial interventions.

  4. Intranasal exposure to monoclonal antibody Fab fragments to Japanese cedar pollen Cry j1 suppresses Japanese cedar pollen‐induced allergic rhinitis

    PubMed Central

    Mizutani, N

    2016-01-01

    Background and Purpose Fab fragments (Fabs) of antibodies have the ability to bind to specific allergens but lack the Fc portion that exerts effector functions via binding to receptors including FcεR1 on mast cells. In the present study, we investigated whether intranasal administration of the effector function‐lacking Fabs of a monoclonal antibody IgG1 (mAb, P1‐8) to the major allergen Cry j1 of Japanese cedar pollen (JCP) suppressed JCP‐induced allergic rhinitis in mice. Experimental Approach Balb/c mice sensitized with JCP on days 0 and 14 were challenged intranasally with the pollen on days 28, 29, 30 and 35. Fabs prepared by the digestion of P1‐8 with papain were also administered intranasally 15 min before each JCP challenge. Key Results Intranasal administration of P1‐8 Fabs was followed by marked suppression of sneezing and nasal rubbing in mice with JCP‐induced allergic rhinitis. The suppression of these allergic symptoms by P1‐8 Fabs was associated with decreases in mast cells and eosinophils and decreased hyperplasia of goblet cells in the nasal mucosa. Conclusions and Implications These results demonstrated that intranasal exposure to P1‐8 Fabs was effective in suppressing JCP‐induced allergic rhinitis in mice, suggesting that allergen‐specific mAb Fabs might be used as a tool to regulate allergic pollinosis. PMID:26895546

  5. Recombinant Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Monoclonal Antibody Fab is Effective Therapeutically when Introduced Directly into the Lungs of RSV-Infected Mice

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Crowe, James E., Jr.; Murphy, Brian R.; Chanock, Robert M.; Williamson, R. Anthony; Barbas, Carlos F., III; Burton, Dennis R.

    1994-02-01

    Previously, recombinant human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) monoclonal antibody Fabs were generated by antigen selection from random combinatorial libraries displayed at the tip of filamentous phage. Two such Fabs, which exhibited high binding affinity for RSV F glycoprotein (a major protective antigen), were evaluated for therapeutic efficacy in infected mice just before or at the time of peak virus replication in the lungs. Fab 19, which neutralized RSV infectivity with high efficiency in tissue culture, was effective therapeutically when delivered directly into the lungs by intranasal instillation under anesthesia. In contrast, RSV Fab 126, which failed to neutralize virus in cell culture, did not exhibit a therapeutic effect under these conditions. The amount of Fab 19 required to effect a 5000- to 12,000-fold reduction in titer of RSV in the lungs within 24 hr was rather small. In four separate experiments, a single instillation of 12.9-50 μg of RSV Fab 19 was sufficient to achieve such a reduction in pulmonary virus in a 25g mouse. The use of Fabs instead of the whole immunoglobulin molecules from which they are derived reduced the protein content of a therapeutic dose. This is important because the protein load that can be delivered effectively into the lungs is limited. The therapeutic effect of a single treatment with Fab 19 was not sustained, so that a rebound in pulmonary virus titer occurred on the 2nd day after treatment. This rebound in pulmonary RSV titer could be prevented by treating infected mice with a single dose of Fab 19 daily for 3 days. These observations suggest that human monoclonal Fabs grown in Escherichia coli may prove useful in the treatment of serious RSV disease as well as diseases caused by other viruses where replication in vivo is limited primarily to the lumenal lining of the respiratory tract.

  6. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) Fab glycosylation analysis using a new mass spectrometric high-throughput profiling method reveals pregnancy-associated changes.

    PubMed

    Bondt, Albert; Rombouts, Yoann; Selman, Maurice H J; Hensbergen, Paul J; Reiding, Karli R; Hazes, Johanna M W; Dolhain, Radboud J E M; Wuhrer, Manfred

    2014-11-01

    The N-linked glycosylation of the constant fragment (Fc) of immunoglobulin G has been shown to change during pathological and physiological events and to strongly influence antibody inflammatory properties. In contrast, little is known about Fab-linked N-glycosylation, carried by ∼ 20% of IgG. Here we present a high-throughput workflow to analyze Fab and Fc glycosylation of polyclonal IgG purified from 5 μl of serum. We were able to detect and quantify 37 different N-glycans by means of MALDI-TOF-MS analysis in reflectron positive mode using a novel linkage-specific derivatization of sialic acid. This method was applied to 174 samples of a pregnancy cohort to reveal Fab glycosylation features and their change with pregnancy. Data analysis revealed marked differences between Fab and Fc glycosylation, especially in the levels of galactosylation and sialylation, incidence of bisecting GlcNAc, and presence of high mannose structures, which were all higher in the Fab portion than the Fc, whereas Fc showed higher levels of fucosylation. Additionally, we observed several changes during pregnancy and after delivery. Fab N-glycan sialylation was increased and bisection was decreased relative to postpartum time points, and nearly complete galactosylation of Fab glycans was observed throughout. Fc glycosylation changes were similar to results described before, with increased galactosylation and sialylation and decreased bisection during pregnancy. We expect that the parallel analysis of IgG Fab and Fc, as set up in this paper, will be important for unraveling roles of these glycans in (auto)immunity, which may be mediated via recognition by human lectins or modulation of antigen binding. © 2014 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  7. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) Fab Glycosylation Analysis Using a New Mass Spectrometric High-throughput Profiling Method Reveals Pregnancy-associated Changes*

    PubMed Central

    Bondt, Albert; Rombouts, Yoann; Selman, Maurice H. J.; Hensbergen, Paul J.; Reiding, Karli R.; Hazes, Johanna M. W.; Dolhain, Radboud J. E. M.; Wuhrer, Manfred

    2014-01-01

    The N-linked glycosylation of the constant fragment (Fc) of immunoglobulin G has been shown to change during pathological and physiological events and to strongly influence antibody inflammatory properties. In contrast, little is known about Fab-linked N-glycosylation, carried by ∼20% of IgG. Here we present a high-throughput workflow to analyze Fab and Fc glycosylation of polyclonal IgG purified from 5 μl of serum. We were able to detect and quantify 37 different N-glycans by means of MALDI-TOF-MS analysis in reflectron positive mode using a novel linkage-specific derivatization of sialic acid. This method was applied to 174 samples of a pregnancy cohort to reveal Fab glycosylation features and their change with pregnancy. Data analysis revealed marked differences between Fab and Fc glycosylation, especially in the levels of galactosylation and sialylation, incidence of bisecting GlcNAc, and presence of high mannose structures, which were all higher in the Fab portion than the Fc, whereas Fc showed higher levels of fucosylation. Additionally, we observed several changes during pregnancy and after delivery. Fab N-glycan sialylation was increased and bisection was decreased relative to postpartum time points, and nearly complete galactosylation of Fab glycans was observed throughout. Fc glycosylation changes were similar to results described before, with increased galactosylation and sialylation and decreased bisection during pregnancy. We expect that the parallel analysis of IgG Fab and Fc, as set up in this paper, will be important for unraveling roles of these glycans in (auto)immunity, which may be mediated via recognition by human lectins or modulation of antigen binding. PMID:25004930

  8. Acute adverse events associated with the administration of Crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab antivenom within the North American Snakebite Registry.

    PubMed

    Kleinschmidt, Kurt; Ruha, Anne-Michelle; Campleman, Sharan; Brent, Jeffrey; Wax, Paul

    2018-04-24

    Crotalidae Polyvalent Immune Fab (Fab Antivenom) is the primary Viperid antivenom used in the United States since 2000. Adverse event data associated with its use are limited. The purpose of this study is to describe the prevalence of acute adverse events associated with the use of Fab antivenom. The American College of Medical Toxicology's Toxicology Investigators Consortium maintains a prospective case registry of poisoned and envenomated patients managed by medical toxicologists at the bedside. This registry includes the North American Snakebite sub-registry. We performed a review of 438 cases entered into the Snakebite sub-registry. A total of 373 (85.2%) received at least one vial of Fab Antivenom. Forty percent were children. Adverse events occurred in 10 patients (2.7%) of whom six were adults. Rash was the most common adverse event. More severe adverse events (hypotension, bronchospasm, and/or angioedema) occurred in four (1.1%) patients. Prophylaxis was administered prior to Fab antivenom in 4.0%. Eight patients received various treatments for their adverse events. Neither the initial number of Fab antivenom vials, atopic history, nor prior envenomation correlated with the prevalence of adverse events. This prevalence of adverse events was lower than in previous studies and in a meta-analysis of 11 studies. The types of adverse events and treatments used are consistent with those in previous reports. There were no prior reports of prophylaxis use with which to compare. The prevalence of Fab antivenom adverse events in the North American Snakebite Registry was 2.7%.

  9. Oriented Immobilization of Fab Fragments by Site-Specific Biotinylation at the Conserved Nucleotide Binding Site for Enhanced Antigen Detection.

    PubMed

    Mustafaoglu, Nur; Alves, Nathan J; Bilgicer, Basar

    2015-09-08

    Oriented immobilization of antibodies and antibody fragments has become increasingly important as a result of the efforts to reduce the size of diagnostic and sensor devices to miniaturized dimensions for improved accessibility to the end-user. Reduced dimensions of sensor devices necessitate the immobilized antibodies to conserve their antigen binding activity for proper operation. Fab fragments are becoming more commonly used in small-scaled diagnostic devices due to their small size and ease of manufacture. In this study, we used the previously described UV-NBS(Biotin) method to functionalize Fab fragments with IBA-EG11-Biotin linker utilizing UV energy to initiate a photo-cross-linking reaction between the nucleotide binding site (NBS) on the Fab fragment and IBA-Biotin molecule. Our results demonstrate that immobilization of biotinylated Fab fragments via UV-NBS(Biotin) method generated the highest level of immobilized Fab on surfaces when compared to other typical immobilization methods while preserving antigen binding activity. UV-NBS(Biotin) method provided 432-fold, 114-fold, and 29-fold improved antigen detection sensitivity than physical adsorption, NHS-Biotin, and ε-NH3(+), methods, respectively. Additionally, the limit of detection (LOD) for PSA utilizing Fab fragments immobilized via UV-NBS(Biotin) method was significantly lower than that of the other immobilization methods, with an LOD of 0.4 pM PSA. In summary, site-specific biotinylation of Fab fragments without structural damage or loss in antigen binding activity provides a wide range of application potential for UV-NBS immobilization technique across numerous diagnostic devices and nanotechnologies.

  10. Strategy optimization for mask rule check in wafer fab

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Chuen Huei; Lin, Shaina; Lin, Roger; Wang, Alice; Lee, Rachel; Deng, Erwin

    2015-07-01

    Photolithography process is getting more and more sophisticated for wafer production following Moore's law. Therefore, for wafer fab, consolidated and close cooperation with mask house is a key to achieve silicon wafer success. However, generally speaking, it is not easy to preserve such partnership because many engineering efforts and frequent communication are indispensable. The inattentive connection is obvious in mask rule check (MRC). Mask houses will do their own MRC at job deck stage, but the checking is only for identification of mask process limitation including writing, etching, inspection, metrology, etc. No further checking in terms of wafer process concerned mask data errors will be implemented after data files of whole mask are composed in mask house. There are still many potential data errors even post-OPC verification has been done for main circuits. What mentioned here are the kinds of errors which will only occur as main circuits combined with frame and dummy patterns to form whole reticle. Therefore, strategy optimization is on-going in UMC to evaluate MRC especially for wafer fab concerned errors. The prerequisite is that no impact on mask delivery cycle time even adding this extra checking. A full-mask checking based on job deck in gds or oasis format is necessary in order to secure acceptable run time. Form of the summarized error report generated by this checking is also crucial because user friendly interface will shorten engineers' judgment time to release mask for writing. This paper will survey the key factors of MRC in wafer fab.

  11. Functional Dissection of the Blocking and Bypass Activities of the Fab-8 Boundary in the Drosophila Bithorax Complex.

    PubMed

    Kyrchanova, Olga; Mogila, Vladic; Wolle, Daniel; Deshpande, Girish; Parshikov, Alexander; Cléard, Fabienne; Karch, Francois; Schedl, Paul; Georgiev, Pavel

    2016-07-01

    Functionally autonomous regulatory domains direct the parasegment-specific expression of the Drosophila Bithorax complex (BX-C) homeotic genes. Autonomy is conferred by boundary/insulator elements that separate each regulatory domain from its neighbors. For six of the nine parasegment (PS) regulatory domains in the complex, at least one boundary is located between the domain and its target homeotic gene. Consequently, BX-C boundaries must not only block adventitious interactions between neighboring regulatory domains, but also be permissive (bypass) for regulatory interactions between the domains and their gene targets. To elucidate how the BX-C boundaries combine these two contradictory activities, we have used a boundary replacement strategy. We show that a 337 bp fragment spanning the Fab-8 boundary nuclease hypersensitive site and lacking all but 83 bp of the 625 bp Fab-8 PTS (promoter targeting sequence) fully rescues a Fab-7 deletion. It blocks crosstalk between the iab-6 and iab-7 regulatory domains, and has bypass activity that enables the two downstream domains, iab-5 and iab-6, to regulate Abdominal-B (Abd-B) transcription in spite of two intervening boundary elements. Fab-8 has two dCTCF sites and we show that they are necessary both for blocking and bypass activity. However, CTCF sites on their own are not sufficient for bypass. While multimerized dCTCF (or Su(Hw)) sites have blocking activity, they fail to support bypass. Moreover, this bypass defect is not rescued by the full length PTS. Finally, we show that orientation is critical for the proper functioning the Fab-8 replacement. Though the inverted Fab-8 boundary still blocks crosstalk, it disrupts the topology of the Abd-B regulatory domains and does not support bypass. Importantly, altering the orientation of the Fab-8 dCTCF sites is not sufficient to disrupt bypass, indicating that orientation dependence is conferred by other factors.

  12. Functional Dissection of the Blocking and Bypass Activities of the Fab-8 Boundary in the Drosophila Bithorax Complex

    PubMed Central

    Wolle, Daniel; Deshpande, Girish; Parshikov, Alexander; Cléard, Fabienne; Karch, Francois; Schedl, Paul; Georgiev, Pavel

    2016-01-01

    Functionally autonomous regulatory domains direct the parasegment-specific expression of the Drosophila Bithorax complex (BX-C) homeotic genes. Autonomy is conferred by boundary/insulator elements that separate each regulatory domain from its neighbors. For six of the nine parasegment (PS) regulatory domains in the complex, at least one boundary is located between the domain and its target homeotic gene. Consequently, BX-C boundaries must not only block adventitious interactions between neighboring regulatory domains, but also be permissive (bypass) for regulatory interactions between the domains and their gene targets. To elucidate how the BX-C boundaries combine these two contradictory activities, we have used a boundary replacement strategy. We show that a 337 bp fragment spanning the Fab-8 boundary nuclease hypersensitive site and lacking all but 83 bp of the 625 bp Fab-8 PTS (promoter targeting sequence) fully rescues a Fab-7 deletion. It blocks crosstalk between the iab-6 and iab-7 regulatory domains, and has bypass activity that enables the two downstream domains, iab-5 and iab-6, to regulate Abdominal-B (Abd-B) transcription in spite of two intervening boundary elements. Fab-8 has two dCTCF sites and we show that they are necessary both for blocking and bypass activity. However, CTCF sites on their own are not sufficient for bypass. While multimerized dCTCF (or Su(Hw)) sites have blocking activity, they fail to support bypass. Moreover, this bypass defect is not rescued by the full length PTS. Finally, we show that orientation is critical for the proper functioning the Fab-8 replacement. Though the inverted Fab-8 boundary still blocks crosstalk, it disrupts the topology of the Abd-B regulatory domains and does not support bypass. Importantly, altering the orientation of the Fab-8 dCTCF sites is not sufficient to disrupt bypass, indicating that orientation dependence is conferred by other factors. PMID:27428541

  13. A rapid fluorometric assay for the S-malonyltransacylase FabD and other sulfhydryl utilizing enzymes.

    PubMed

    Marcella, Aaron M; Barb, Adam W

    The development of biorenewable chemicals will support green chemistry initiatives and supplement the catalog of starting materials available to the chemical industry. Bacterial fatty acid biosynthesis is being pursued as a source of protein catalysts to synthesize novel reduced carbon molecules in fermentation systems. The availability of methods to measure enzyme catalysis for native and engineered enzymes from this pathway remains a bottleneck because a simple quantitative enzyme assay for numerous enzymes does not exist. Here we present two variations of a fluorescence assay that is readily extendable to high-throughput screening and is appropriate for thiol consuming and generating enzymes including the Escherichia coli enzymes malonyl-coenzyme A transacylase (FabD) and keto-acylsynthase III (FabH). We measured K M values of 60 ± 20 µM (acetyl-CoA) and 20 ± 10 µM (malonyl-ACP) and a k cat of 7.4-9.0 s -1 with FabH. Assays of FabD included a precipitation step to remove the thiol-containing substrate holo-ACP from the reaction product coenzyme-A to estimate reaction rates. Analysis of initial velocity measurements revealed K M values of 60 ± 20 µM (malonyl-CoA) and 40 ± 10 µM (holo-ACP) and a k cat of 2100-2600 s -1 for the FabD enzyme. Our data show similar results when compared to existing radioactive and continuous coupled assays in terms of sensitivity while providing the benefit of simplicity, scalability and repeatability. Fluorescence detection also eliminates the need for radioactive substrates traditionally used to assay these enzymes.

  14. Quantitative glycan profiling of normal human plasma derived immunoglobulin and its fragments Fab and Fc.

    PubMed

    Anumula, Kalyan Rao

    2012-08-31

    Typical clinical grade human IgG (intravenous immunoglobulin, IVIG), used for carbohydrate analysis, is derived from thousands of healthy donors. Quantitative high-resolution glycan profiles of IgG and its Fc-Fab fragments are presented here. Glycan profiles were established following digestions with Fc specific endoglycosidase S and generic PNGase F under denaturing and non-denaturing (native) conditions. The native PNGase F glycan profile of IgG was similar (but not identical) to that of Endo S. Endo S profiles did not contain the glycans with bisecting GlcNAc. PNGase F glycan profiles were the same for Fc fragments that were isolated from pepsin and Ide S protease digests. Both isolated Fab fragments and the previously deglycosylated IVIG (native conditions) yielded the same glycan profile. Glycan profiles were established using high resolution HPLC with 2-aminobenzoic acid (2AA) labeling. An accurate determination of sialylation levels can be made by this method. Carbohydrate content in Fc and Fab was determined using an internal standard and corrected for both protein and glycan recoveries. Fab portion contained about 14% of the total carbohydrate which translates to 2.3 sugar chains per mol in IVIG where 2 chains are located in the CH2 domain of the Fc. Fc glycans consisted of neutral (N) 84.5%; mono-sialylated (S1) 15% and di-sialylated (S2) 0.5%. In contrast, Fab contained N, 21%; S1, 43% and S2, 36%. The distribution of bisecting N-acetylglucosamine and fucose was found to be very different in various glycans (N, S1 and S2) found in Fab and Fc. Total IgG glycan profile (Fab plus Fc) contained N, 78.5%; S1, 17% and S2, 4.5%. Percent distribution of glycans G0, G1 and G2 (with 0, 1 and 2 two galactoses) was 26, 49 and 25 respectively within the 78% of the neutral glycans. Glycan profiles were nearly the same for various clinical grade IVIG preparations from various manufacturers. A fast HPLC profiling method was developed for the separation and quantitation

  15. IgG4 autoantibodies against muscle-specific kinase undergo Fab-arm exchange in myasthenia gravis patients.

    PubMed

    Koneczny, Inga; Stevens, Jo A A; De Rosa, Anna; Huda, Saif; Huijbers, Maartje G; Saxena, Abhishek; Maestri, Michelangelo; Lazaridis, Konstantinos; Zisimopoulou, Paraskevi; Tzartos, Socrates; Verschuuren, Jan; van der Maarel, Silvère M; van Damme, Philip; De Baets, Marc H; Molenaar, Peter C; Vincent, Angela; Ricciardi, Roberta; Martinez-Martinez, Pilar; Losen, Mario

    2017-02-01

    Autoimmunity mediated by IgG4 subclass autoantibodies is an expanding field of research. Due to their structural characteristics a key feature of IgG4 antibodies is the ability to exchange Fab-arms with other, unrelated, IgG4 molecules, making the IgG4 molecule potentially monovalent for the specific antigen. However, whether those disease-associated antigen-specific IgG4 are mono- or divalent for their antigens is unknown. Myasthenia gravis (MG) with antibodies to muscle specific kinase (MuSK-MG) is a well-recognized disease in which the predominant pathogenic IgG4 antibody binds to extracellular epitopes on MuSK at the neuromuscular junction; this inhibits a pathway that clusters the acetylcholine (neurotransmitter) receptors and leads to failure of neuromuscular transmission. In vitro Fab-arm exchange-inducing conditions were applied to MuSK antibodies in sera, purified IgG4 and IgG1-3 sub-fractions. Solid-phase cross-linking assays were established to determine the extent of pre-existing and inducible Fab-arm exchange. Functional effects of the resulting populations of IgG4 antibodies were determined by measuring inhibition of agrin-induced AChR clustering in C2C12 cells. To confirm the results, κ/κ, λ/λ and hybrid κ/λ IgG4s were isolated and tested for MuSK antibodies. At least fifty percent of patients had IgG4, but not IgG1-3, MuSK antibodies that could undergo Fab-arm exchange in vitro under reducing conditions. Also MuSK antibodies were found in vivo that were divalent (monospecific for MuSK). Fab-arm exchange with normal human IgG4 did not prevent the inhibitory effect of serum derived MuSK antibodies on AChR clustering in C2C12 mouse myotubes. The results suggest that a considerable proportion of MuSK IgG4 could already be Fab-arm exchanged in vivo. This was confirmed by isolating endogenous IgG4 MuSK antibodies containing both κ and λ light chains, i.e. hybrid IgG4 molecules. These new findings demonstrate that Fab-arm exchanged antibodies

  16. Native MS and ECD Characterization of a Fab-Antigen Complex May Facilitate Crystallization for X-ray Diffraction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Ying; Cui, Weidong; Wecksler, Aaron T.; Zhang, Hao; Molina, Patricia; Deperalta, Galahad; Gross, Michael L.

    2016-07-01

    Native mass spectrometry (MS) and top-down electron-capture dissociation (ECD) combine as a powerful approach for characterizing large proteins and protein assemblies. Here, we report their use to study an antibody Fab (Fab-1)-VEGF complex in its near-native state. Native ESI with analysis by FTICR mass spectrometry confirms that VEGF is a dimer in solution and that its complex with Fab-1 has a binding stoichiometry of 2:2. Applying combinations of collisionally activated dissociation (CAD), ECD, and infrared multiphoton dissociation (IRMPD) allows identification of flexible regions of the complex, potentially serving as a guide for crystallization and X-ray diffraction analysis.

  17. Relative stabilities of IgG1 and IgG4 Fab domains: Influence of the light–heavy interchain disulfide bond architecture

    PubMed Central

    Heads, James T; Adams, Ralph; D'Hooghe, Lena E; Page, Matt J T; Humphreys, David P; Popplewell, Andrew G; Lawson, Alastair D; Henry, Alistair J

    2012-01-01

    The stability of therapeutic antibodies is a prime pharmaceutical concern. In this work we examined thermal stability differences between human IgG1 and IgG4 Fab domains containing the same variable regions using the thermofluor assay. It was found that the IgG1 Fab domain is up to 11°C more stable than the IgG4 Fab domain containing the same variable region. We investigated the cause of this difference with the aim of developing a molecule with the enhanced stability of the IgG1 Fab and the biological properties of an IgG4 Fc. We found that replacing the seven residues, which differ between IgG1 CH1 and IgG4 CH1 domains, while retaining the native IgG1 light-heavy interchain disulfide (L–H) bond, did not affect thermal stability. Introducing the IgG1 type L–H interchain disulfide bond (DSB) into the IgG4 Fab resulted in an increase in thermal stability to levels observed in the IgG1 Fab with the same variable region. Conversely, replacement of the IgG1 L–H interchain DSB with the IgG4 type L–H interchain DSB reduced the thermal stability. We utilized the increased stability of the IgG1 Fab and designed a hybrid antibody with an IgG1 CH1 linked to an IgG4 Fc via an IgG1 hinge. This construct has the expected biophysical properties of both the IgG4 Fc and IgG1 Fab domains and may therefore be a pharmaceutically relevant format. PMID:22761163

  18. Production and Characterization of F(Ab')2 Fragments Obtained by Enzymatic Digestion from Murine Anti-MRSA PBP2a Monoclonal Antibodies.

    PubMed

    de Araujo, Anna Erika Vieira; de Souza, Natalia Plinio; de Sousa, Alvaro Paiva Braga; Lara, Flavio Alves; Senna, Jose Procopio Moreno

    2018-05-01

    Infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are a worldwide health problem. In a previous study, a murine monoclonal antibody (mMAB), capable of binding to PBP2a within MRSA strains, was generated. F(ab') 2 antibody fragments are widely described in the literature as immunochemical tools and reagents for diagnostics and therapeutics, particularly because of their low immunogenicity and rapid pharmacokinetics. In this study, F(ab') 2 fragments from mMAB were generated by enzymatic digestion, using pepsin. They were purified by affinity chromatography using protein A and concentrated by a MWCO 50 kDa filtration unit. The results indicate that it is possible to obtain F(ab') 2 fragments by pepsin digestion. ELISA, western blotting, and fluorescence microscopy data demonstrated that F(ab') 2 affinity for PBP2a is not lost even after the enzymatic digestion process. As expected, in the pharmacokinetics tests, F(ab') 2 presented a faster elimination (between 12 and 18 h) compared to IgG. These F(ab') 2 fragments could be used in future immunodiagnostic applications, including in vitro or in situ radiolabeling and in the treatment of infections caused by this important pathogen.

  19. 20 CFR 30.312 - What will the FAB do if the claimant objects to the recommended decision but does not request a...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false What will the FAB do if the claimant objects....312 What will the FAB do if the claimant objects to the recommended decision but does not request a... period of time allotted in § 30.310 but does not request a hearing, the FAB will consider any objections...

  20. 20 CFR 30.317 - Can the FAB request a further response from the claimant or return a claim to the district office?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Can the FAB request a further response from....317 Can the FAB request a further response from the claimant or return a claim to the district office? At any time before the issuance of its final decision, the FAB may request that the claimant submit...

  1. dSAP18 and dHDAC1 contribute to the functional regulation of the Drosophila Fab-7 element.

    PubMed

    Canudas, Silvia; Pérez, Silvia; Fanti, Laura; Pimpinelli, Sergio; Singh, Navjot; Hanes, Steven D; Azorín, Fernando; Espinás, M Lluïsa

    2005-01-01

    It was described earlier that the Drosophila GAGA factor [Trithorax-like (Trl)] interacts with dSAP18, which, in mammals, was reported to be a component of the Sin3-HDAC co-repressor complex. GAGA-dSAP18 interaction was proposed to contribute to the functional regulation of the bithorax complex (BX-C). Here, we show that mutant alleles of Trl, dsap18 and drpd3/hdac1 enhance A6-to-A5 transformation indicating a contribution to the regulation of Abd-B expression at A6. In A6, expression of Abd-B is driven by the iab-6 enhancer, which is insulated from iab-7 by the Fab-7 element. Here, we report that GAGA, dSAP18 and dRPD3/HDAC1 co-localize to ectopic Fab-7 sites in polytene chromosomes and that mutant Trl, dsap18 and drpd3/hdac1 alleles affect Fab-7-dependent silencing. Consistent with these findings, chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis shows that, in Drosophila embryos, the endogenous Fab-7 element is hypoacetylated at histones H3 and H4. These results indicate a contribution of GAGA, dSAP18 and dRPD3/HDAC1 to the regulation of Fab-7 function.

  2. Elderly patients with suspected chronic digoxin toxicity: A comparison of clinical characteristics of patients receiving and not receiving digoxin-Fab.

    PubMed

    Arbabian, Hooman; Lee, Hwee Min; Graudins, Andis

    2018-04-01

    The aim of the present study was to compare clinical features of patients with elevated serum digoxin concentrations who were treated with digoxin-Fab with those where the immunotherapy was not given by a tertiary hospital toxicology service. This was a retrospective series of patients with supratherapeutic serum digoxin concentrations referred to the toxicology service from August 2013 to October 2015. Data collected included demographics, presenting complaint, digoxin dose, other medications taken, serum digoxin, potassium and creatinine concentration on presentation and initial and post-digoxin-Fab heart rate. There were 47 referrals. Digoxin-Fab was administered in 21 cases. It was given more commonly when the heart rate was <51/min or serum potassium was >5.0 mmol/L. Patients receiving digoxin-Fab were more likely to be on maintenance therapy with beta-blockers or calcium channel blockers (95% vs 61%; OR 13.1; 95% CI 1.5-113) and/or potassium-sparing medications (95% vs 54%; OR 17.1; 95% CI 2.0-147). They had elevated serum creatinine (76% vs 42%; OR 8.2; 95% CI 1.9-34), higher serum potassium (median: 5.1 mmol/L vs 4.2 mmol/L, P = 0.02), higher serum digoxin concentration (median: 3.5 nmol/L vs 2.3 nmol/L, P = 0.02) and pretreatment heart rate <51/min (66% vs 31%; OR 4.5; 95% CI 1.3-15). There were no patients with ventricular arrhythmias or hypotension. Median heart rate increased by 10/min 1 and 4 h after digoxin-Fab. However, individual heart rate response to digoxin-Fab was variable. Digoxin-Fab was more commonly administered when heart rate was <51/min. It had a small effect on increasing heart rate; however, individual response to digoxin-Fab was variable as patients were using other negative chronotropic medications. In symptomatic bradycardic patients on multiple heart failure medications, positive chronotropic and potassium-lowering therapies should be considered in concert with digoxin-Fab. © 2018 Australasian College for

  3. Efficient production of antibody Fab fragment by transient gene expression in insect cells.

    PubMed

    Mori, Keita; Hamada, Hirotsugu; Ogawa, Takafumi; Ohmuro-Matsuyama, Yuki; Katsuda, Tomohisa; Yamaji, Hideki

    2017-08-01

    Transient gene expression allows a rapid production of diverse recombinant proteins in early-stage preclinical and clinical developments of biologics. Insect cells have proven to be an excellent platform for the production of functional recombinant proteins. In the present study, the production of an antibody Fab fragment by transient gene expression in lepidopteran insect cells was investigated. The DNA fragments encoding heavy-chain (Hc; Fd fragment) and light-chain (Lc) genes of an Fab fragment were individually cloned into the plasmid vector pIHAneo, which contained the Bombyx mori actin promoter downstream of the B. mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) IE-1 transactivator and the BmNPV HR3 enhancer for high-level expression. Trichoplusia ni BTI-TN-5B1-4 (High Five) cells were co-transfected with the resultant plasmid vectors using linear polyethyleneimine. When the transfection efficiency was evaluated, a plasmid vector encoding an enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) gene was also co-transfected. Transfection and culture conditions were optimized based on both the flow cytometry of the EGFP expression in transfected cells and the yield of the secreted Fab fragments determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Under optimal conditions, a yield of approximately 120 mg/L of Fab fragments was achieved in 5 days in a shake-flask culture. Transient gene expression in insect cells may offer a promising approach to the high-throughput production of recombinant proteins. Copyright © 2017 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. A study on EUV reticle surface molecular contamination under different storage conditions in a HVM foundry fab

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Singh, SherJang; Yatzor, Brett; Taylor, Ron; Wood, Obert; Mangat, Pawitter

    2017-03-01

    The prospect of EUVL (Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography) insertion into HVM (High Volume Manufacturing) has never been this promising. As technology is prepared for "lab to fab" transition, it becomes important to comprehend challenges associated with integrating EUVL infrastructure within existing high volume chip fabrication processes in a foundry fab. The existing 193nm optical lithography process flow for reticle handling and storage in a fab atmosphere is well established and in-fab reticle contamination concerns are mitigated with the reticle pellicle. However EUVL reticle pellicle is still under development and if available, may only provide protection against particles but not molecular contamination. HVM fab atmosphere is known to be contaminated with trace amounts of AMC's (Atmospheric Molecular Contamination). If such contaminants are organic in nature and get absorbed on the reticle surface, EUV photon cause photo-dissociation resulting into carbon generation which is known to reduce multilayer reflectivity and also degrades exposure uniformity. Chemical diffusion and aggregation of other ions is also reported under the e-beam exposure of a EUV reticle which is known to cause haze issues in optical lithography. Therefore it becomes paramount to mitigate absorbed molecular contaminant concerns on EUVL reticle surface. In this paper, we have studied types of molecular contaminants that are absorbed on an EUVL reticle surface under HVM fab storage and handling conditions. Effect of storage conditions (gas purged vs atmospheric) in different storage pods (Dual pods, Reticle Clamshells) is evaluated. Absorption analysis is done both on ruthenium capping layer as well as TaBN absorber. Ru surface chemistry change as a result of storage is also studied. The efficacy of different reticle cleaning processes to remove absorbed contaminant is evaluated as well.

  5. Fab(nimotuzumab)-HYNIC-99mTc: Antibody Fragmentation for Molecular Imaging Agents.

    PubMed

    Calzada, Victoria; García, María Fernanda; Alonso-Martínez, Luis Michel; Camachoc, Ximena; Goicochea, Enzo; Fernández, Marcelo; Castillo, Abmel Xiques; Díaz-Miqueli, Arlhee; Iznaga-Escobar, Normando; Montaña, René Leyva; Alonso, Omar; Gambini, Juan Pablo; Cabral, Pablo

    2016-01-01

    Finally, fast blood clearance nimotuzumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody that recognise, with high specific affinity, the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R) which play an important role in the growth process associated with many solid tumors. In this work, the whole antibody was digested with papain in order to generate a Fab fragment, derivatized with NHS-HYNIC-Tfa and radiolabel with technetium-99m (99mTc) as a potential agent of molecular imaging of cancer. Both, whole and fragment radiolabels were in-vivo and in-vitro characterized. Radiolabeling conditions with Tricine as coligand and quality controls were assessed to confirm the integrity of the labeled fragment. Biodistribution and imaging studies in normal and spontaneous adenocarcinoma mice were performed at different times to determine the in-vivo characteristics of the radiolabel fragment. Tumor localization was visualized by conventional gamma camera imaging studies, and the results were compared with the whole antibody. Also, an immunoreactivity assay was carried out for both. The results showed clearly the integrity of the nimotuzumab fragment and the affinity by the receptor was verified. Fab(nimotuzumab)-HYNIC was obtained with high purity and a simple strategy of radiolabeling was performed. Finally, a fast blood clearance was observed in the biodistribution studies increasing the tumor uptake of Fab(nimotuzumab)- HYNIC-99mTc over time, with tumor/muscle ratios of 3.81 ± 0.50, 5.16 ± 1.97 and 6.32 ± 1.98 at 1 h, 4 h and 24 h post injection. Urinary excretion resulted in 32.89 ± 3.91 %ID eliminated at 24 h. Scintigraphy images showed uptake in the tumor and the activity in non-target organs was consistent with the biodistribution data at the same time points. Hence, these preliminary results showed important further characteristic of Fab(nimotuzumab)-HYNIC-99mTc as a molecular imaging agent of cancer.

  6. Linkage of Recognition and Replication Functions by Assembling Combinatorial Antibody Fab Libraries Along Phage Surfaces

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kang, Angray S.; Barbas, Carlos F.; Janda, Kim D.; Benkovic, Stephen J.; Lerner, Richard A.

    1991-05-01

    We describe a method based on a phagemid vector with helper phage rescue for the construction and rapid analysis of combinatorial antibody Fab libraries. This approach should allow the generation and selection of many monoclonal antibodies. Antibody genes are expressed in concert with phage morphogenesis, thereby allowing incorporation of functional Fab molecules along the surface of filamentous phage. The power of the method depends upon the linkage of recognition and replication functions and is not limited to antibody molecules.

  7. Feasibility study of the Fab fragment of a monoclonal antibody against tissue factor as a diagnostic tool.

    PubMed

    Tsumura, Ryo; Sato, Ryuta; Furuya, Fumiaki; Koga, Yoshikatsu; Yamamoto, Yoshiyuki; Fujiwara, Yuki; Yasunaga, Masahiro; Matsumura, Yasuhiro

    2015-12-01

    Tissue factor (TF) is expressed strongly in various types of cancer, especially cancers that are often refractory to treatment, such as pancreatic cancer. In this study, we compared the differences in the biophysical and pharmacological properties of whole IgG and the Fab fragment of anti-human TF monoclonal antibody (1849 antibodies), in order to determine their suitability for application in the diagnosis and treatment of cancers. In the biophysical examination, we investigated the characteristics of 1849-whole IgG and 1849-Fab by SPR sensing and confocal fluorescence microscopy analysis using recombinant human TF antigen and TF-overexpressing human pancreatic cancer cell line, BxPC3, respectively. After conjugation with Alexa-Flour-647, in vivo imaging was conducted in mice bearing BxPC3 xenograft tumors. Furthermore, the distribution of the conjugates in tumors and major organs was evaluated by ex vivo study. The in vitro experiments showed that 1849 antibodies had high affinity against TF antigen. In addition, 1849-Fab showed a faster dissociation rate from the antigen than 1849-whole IgG. In mice, 1849-Fab-Alexa-Flour-647 showed rapid renal clearance and faster tumor accumulation, achieving a high contrast signal over nearby normal tissues in the early phase and enhanced tumor penetration after administration. On the other hand, 1849-whole IgG-Alexa-Flour-647 showed slow clearance from the blood and sustained high tumor accumulation. These results suggest that 1849-Fab may be a useful tool for pancreatic cancer diagnosis.

  8. Opening the Arms: The FAB Projects and Digital Resilience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Longden, Alison; Monaghan, Tom; Mycroft, Lou; Kelly, Claire

    2018-01-01

    A chance observation in a staff training session led to a series of action research projects, which dug into why some educators are digitally resistant whilst others, however experienced, are not. The Education and Training Foundation-funded "FAB Projects" have so far spanned three years and three small-scale research investigations and…

  9. Clustering and group selection of multiple criteria alternatives with application to space-based networks.

    PubMed

    Malakooti, Behnam; Yang, Ziyong

    2004-02-01

    In many real-world problems, the range of consequences of different alternatives are considerably different. In addition, sometimes, selection of a group of alternatives (instead of only one best alternative) is necessary. Traditional decision making approaches treat the set of alternatives with the same method of analysis and selection. In this paper, we propose clustering alternatives into different groups so that different methods of analysis, selection, and implementation for each group can be applied. As an example, consider the selection of a group of functions (or tasks) to be processed by a group of processors. The set of tasks can be grouped according to their similar criteria, and hence, each cluster of tasks to be processed by a processor. The selection of the best alternative for each clustered group can be performed using existing methods; however, the process of selecting groups is different than the process of selecting alternatives within a group. We develop theories and procedures for clustering discrete multiple criteria alternatives. We also demonstrate how the set of alternatives is clustered into mutually exclusive groups based on 1) similar features among alternatives; 2) ideal (or most representative) alternatives given by the decision maker; and 3) other preferential information of the decision maker. The clustering of multiple criteria alternatives also has the following advantages. 1) It decreases the set of alternatives to be considered by the decision maker (for example, different decision makers are assigned to different groups of alternatives). 2) It decreases the number of criteria. 3) It may provide a different approach for analyzing multiple decision makers problems. Each decision maker may cluster alternatives differently, and hence, clustering of alternatives may provide a basis for negotiation. The developed approach is applicable for solving a class of telecommunication networks problems where a set of objects (such as routers

  10. [Molecular dynamics of immune complex of photoadduct-containing DNA with Fab-Anti-DNA antibody fragment].

    PubMed

    Akberova, N I; Zhmurov, A A; Nevzorova, T A; Litvinov, R I

    2016-01-01

    Antibodies to DNA play an important role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. The elucidation of structural mechanisms of both the antigen recognition and the interaction of anti-DNA antibodies with DNA will help to understand the role of DNA-containing immune complexes in various pathologies and can provide a basis for new treatment modalities. Moreover, the DNA-antibody complex is an analog of specific intracellular DNA-protein interactions. In this work, we used in silico molecular dynamic simulations of bimolecular complexes of the dsDNA segment containing the Fab fragment of an anti-DNA antibody to obtain the detailed thermodynamic and structural characteristics of dynamic intermolecular interactions. Using computationally modified crystal structure of the Fab-DNA complex (PDB ID: 3VW3), we studied the equilibrium molecular dynamics of the 64M-5 antibody Fab fragment associated with the dsDNA fragment containing the thymine dimer, the product of DNA photodamage. Amino acid residues that constitute paratopes and the complementary nucleotide epitopes for the Fab-DNA construct were identified. Stacking and electrostatic interactions were found to play the main role in mediating the most specific antibody-dsDNA contacts, while hydrogen bonds were less significant. These findings may shed light on the formation and properties of pathogenic anti-DNA antibodies in autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus associated with skin photosensitivity and DNA photodamage.

  11. Biophysical characterization and structure of the Fab fragment from the NIST reference antibody, RM 8671.

    PubMed

    Karageorgos, Ioannis; Gallagher, Elyssia S; Galvin, Connor; Gallagher, D Travis; Hudgens, Jeffrey W

    2017-11-01

    Monoclonal antibody pharmaceuticals are the fastest-growing class of therapeutics, with a wide range of clinical applications. To assure their safety, these protein drugs must demonstrate highly consistent purity and stability. Key to these objectives is higher order structure measurements validated by calibration to reference materials. We describe preparation, characterization, and crystal structure of the Fab fragment prepared from the NIST Reference Antibody RM 8671 (NISTmAb). NISTmAb is a humanized IgG1κ antibody, produced in murine cell culture and purified by standard biopharmaceutical production methods, developed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to serve as a reference material. The Fab fragment was derived from NISTmAb through papain cleavage followed by protein A based purification. The purified Fab fragment was characterized by SDS-PAGE, capillary gel electrophoresis, multi-angle light scattering, size exclusion chromatography, mass spectrometry, and x-ray crystallography. The crystal structure at 0.2 nm resolution includes four independent Fab molecules with complete light chains and heavy chains through Cys 223, enabling assessment of conformational variability and providing a well-characterized reference structure for research and engineering applications. This nonproprietary, publically available reference material of known higher-order structure can support metrology in biopharmaceutical applications, and it is a suitable platform for validation of molecular modeling studies. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  12. Characterization of a recombinant humanized anti-cocaine monoclonal antibody and its Fab fragment.

    PubMed

    Kirley, Terence L; Norman, Andrew B

    2015-01-01

    Variations of post-translational modifications are important for stability and in vivo behavior of therapeutic antibodies. A recombinant humanized anti-cocaine monoclonal antibody (h2E2) was characterized for heterogeneity of N-linked glycosylation and disulfide bonds. In addition, charge heterogeneity, which is partially due to the presence or absence of C-terminal lysine on the heavy chains, was examined. For cocaine overdose therapy, Fab fragments may be therapeutic, and thus, a simplified method of generation, purification, and characterization of the Fab fragment generated by Endoproteinase Lys-C digestion was devised. Both the intact h2E2 antibody and purified Fab fragments were analyzed for their affinities for cocaine and 2 of its metabolites, benzoylecgonine and cocaethylene, by fluorescence quenching of intrinsic antibody tyrosine and tryptophan fluorescence resulting from binding of these drugs. Binding constants obtained from fluorescence quenching measurements are in agreement with recently published radioligand and ELISA binding assays. The dissociation constants determined for the h2E2 monoclonal and its Fab fragment are approximately 1, 5, and 20 nM for cocaethylene, cocaine, and benzoylecgonine, respectively. Tryptophan fluorescence quenching (emission at 330 nm) was measured after either excitation of tyrosine and tryptophan (280 nm) or selective excitation of tryptophan alone (295 nm). More accurate binding constants are obtained using tryptophan selective excitation at 295 nm, likely due to interfering absorption of cocaine and metabolites at 280 nm. These quenching results are consistent with multiple tryptophan and tyrosine residues in or near the predicted binding location of cocaine in a previously published 3-D model of this antibody's variable region.

  13. A novel antibody-drug conjugate anti-CD19(Fab)-LDM in the treatment of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma xenografts with enhanced anticancer activity.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Linlin; Yang, Ming; Zhang, Xiaoyun; Bao, Shiqi; Ma, Li; Fan, Dongmei; Zhou, Yuan; Xiong, Dongsheng; Zhen, Yongsu

    2016-01-01

    Rituximab is widely used in clinical setting for the treatment of B malignant lymphoma and has achieved remarkable success. However, in most patients, the disease ultimately relapses and become resistant to rituximab. To overcome the limitation, there is still a need to find novel strategy for improving therapeutic efficacy. To construct genetically engineered antibody anti-CD19(Fab)-LDM, and verify the anticancer activity targeted toward B-lymphoma. The anticancer activity of anti-CD19(Fab)-LDM in vitro and in vivo was examined. In vitro, the binding activity and internalization of anti-CD19(Fab)-LDP were measured. Using comet assay and apoptosis, the cytotoxicity of energized fusion proteins was observed. From in vivo experiments, targeting of therapeutic effect and anticancer efficacy bythe fusion protein was verified. Data showed that anti-CD19(Fab)-LDM does not only binding the cell surface but is also internalized into the cell. The energized fusion proteins anti-CD19(Fab)-LDM can induce DNA damage. Furthermore, significant in vivo therapeutic efficacy was observed. The present study demonstrated that the genetically engineered antibody anti-CD19(Fab)-LDM exhibited enhanced cytotoxicity compared to LDM alone. One of the most powerful advantages of anti-CD19(Fab)-LDM, however, is that it can be internalized within the cells and carry out cytotoxic effects. Therefore, anti-CD19(Fab)-LDM may be as a useful targeted therapy for B-cell lymphoma.

  14. Synthetic Fab Fragments that Bind the HIV-1 gp41 Heptad Repeat Regions

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Yanyun; Regula, Lauren K.; Stewart, Alex; Lai, Jonathan R.

    2011-01-01

    Recent work has demonstrated that antibody phage display libraries containing restricted diversity in the complementarity determining regions (CDRs) can be used to target a wide variety of antigens with high affinity and specificity. In the most extreme case, antibodies whose combining sites are comprised of only two residues – tyrosine and serine – have been identified against several protein antigens. [F. A. Fellouse, B. Li, D. M. Compaan, A. A. Peden, S. G. Hymowitz, and S. S. Sidhu, J. Mol. Biol., 348 (2005) 1153–1162.] Here, we report the isolation and characterization of antigen-binding fragments (Fabs) from such “minimalist” diversity synthetic antibody libraries that bind the heptad repeat regions of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) gp41. We show that these Fabs are highly specific for the HIV-1 epitope and comparable in affinity to a single chain variable fragment (scFv) derived from a natural antibody repertoire that targets the same region. Since the heptad repeat regions of HIV-1 gp41 are required for viral entry, these Fabs have potential for use in therapeutic, research, or diagnostic applications. PMID:21925149

  15. EphB4-targeted imaging with antibody h131, h131-F(ab′)2 and h131-Fab

    PubMed Central

    Li, Dan; Liu, Shuanglong; Liu, Ren; Zhou, Yue; Park, Ryan; Naga, Kranthi; Krasnoperov, Valery; Gill, Parkash S.; Li, Zibo; Shan, Hong; Conti, Peter S.

    2013-01-01

    Accumulating evidence suggests that overexpression of the tyrosine kinase receptor EphB4, a mediator of vascular development, is a novel target for tumor diagnosis, prognosis and therapy. Noninvasive imaging of EphB4 expression could therefore be valuable for evaluating disease course and therapeutic efficacy at the earliest stages of anti-EphB4 treatment. In this study, we systematically investigated the use of anti-EphB4 antibody h131 (150 kD) and its fragments (h131-F(ab′)2, 110 kD; h131-Fab, 50 kD) for near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) imaging of EphB4 expression in vivo. h131-F(ab′)2 and h131-Fab were produced through pepsin and papain digestion of h131 respectively, whose purity was confirmed by FPLC and SDS-PAGE. After conjugation with Cy5.5, in vivo characteristics of h131, h131-F(ab′)2 and h131-Fab were evaluated in EphB4-positive HT29 tumor model. Although h131-Cy5.5 demonstrated highest tumor uptake among these probes, its optimal tumor uptake level was obtained at 2 d post injection (p.i.). For h131-Fab-Cy5.5, maximum tumor uptake was achieved at 4 h p.i.. However, no significant difference was observed between h131-Fab-Cy5.5 and hIgG-Fab-Cy5.5, indicating the tumor accumulation was mainly caused by passive targeting. In contrast, h131-F(ab′)2-Cy5.5 demonstrated prominent tumor uptake at 6 h p.i. The target specificity was confirmed by hIgG-F(ab′)2-Cy5.5 control and immunofluorescent staining. Collectively, h131-F(ab′)2 exhibited prominent and specific tumor uptake at early time points, which suggests it is a promising agent for EphB4-targeted imaging. PMID:24147882

  16. Extracorporeal life support and digoxin-specific Fab fragments for successful management of Taxus baccata intoxication with low output and ventricular arrhythmia.

    PubMed

    Farag, Mina; Badowski, Dominika; Koschny, Ronald; Skopp, Gisela; Brcic, Andreas; Szabo, Gabor B

    2017-12-01

    Yew plants are evergreen shrubs which are widely spread throughout the northern hemisphere. Taxane alkaloid derivatives, mainly taxine B, represent the main toxins of Taxus baccata and are highly cardiotoxic. Due to the lack of randomized clinical trials, case reports on accidental or suicidal yew intoxications build the only source of knowledge of clinical treatment options. We report the case of a suicidal yew ingestion admitted to our hospital under prolonged cardiopulmonary resuscitation due to pulseless electrical activity. Extra-corporeal life support (ECLS) was established to maintain adequate organ perfusion. Repeated administration of digoxin-specific Fab antibody fragments, which cross-react with taxine, was associated with an immediate conversion from asystole to broad-complex bradycardia and a gradual normalization of the electrocardiogram (ECG). This was paralleled by a recovery of the cardiac function and weaning from the ECLS. The taxine metabolite 3,5-dimethoxyphenol could be detected by mass spectrometry before but not after the first Fab-fragment treatment. In contrast, the total amount of taxine (including the neutralized, Fab fragment-bound fraction) was increased after each Fab fragment administration, suggesting an accumulation of neutralized, since antibody-bound taxine in the blood by anti-digoxin Fab fragments. In conclusion, the successful clinical course of this case suggests a benefit of an early anti-digoxin Fab-fragment administration for the treatment of yew intoxication. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Fab Four self-interaction in quantum regime

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arbuzov, A. B.; Latosh, B. N.

    2017-10-01

    Quantum behavior of the John Lagrangian from the Fab Four class of covariant Galileons is studied. We consider one-loop corrections to the John interaction due to cubic scalar field interaction. Counter terms are calculated, one appears because of massless scalar field theory infrared issues, another one lies in the George class, and the rest of them can be reduced to the initial Lagrangian up to surface terms. The role of quantum corrections in the context of cosmological applications is discussed.

  18. Incidence of immediate hypersensitivity reaction and serum sickness following administration of Crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab antivenom: a meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Schaeffer, Tammi H; Khatri, Vaishali; Reifler, Liza M; Lavonas, Eric J

    2012-02-01

      Crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab (ovine) (FabAV) is commonly used in the treatment of symptomatic North American crotaline snake envenomation. When approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2000, the incidences of immediate hypersensitivity reactions and serum sickness were reported as 0.14 and 0.18, respectively. The objective of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the incidence of immediate hypersensitivity reactions and serum sickness reported in studies of patients treated with FabAV therapy after North American crotaline envenomation.   The authors searched PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, and EMBASE from January 1, 1997, to September 20, 2010, for English-language medical literature and cross-referenced bibliographies of reviewed articles. The published abstracts of the major toxicology conferences were also searched. All prospective and retrospective cohort studies with patients receiving FabAV therapy for North American crotaline envenomations were eligible for data abstraction. Two content experts reviewed full-text articles and extracted relevant study design and outcome data. Proportions of immediate hypersensitivity and serum sickness for each study were analyzed in a random-effects model to produce an overall estimate of immediate hypersensitivity and serum sickness incidence associated with FabAV administration.   The literature search revealed 11 unique studies of patients who received FabAV that contained information on immediate hypersensitivity reactions and serum sickness. The meta-analysis produced a combined estimate of the incidence of immediate hypersensitivity of 0.08 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.05 to 0.11) and a combined estimate of the incidence of serum sickness of 0.13 (95% CI = 0.07 to 0.21).   In this systematic literature review and meta-analysis, the combined estimates of the incidence of immediate hypersensitivity reactions and serum sickness from FabAV in the treatment of symptomatic North American crotaline

  19. Anti-colchicine Fab fragments prevent lethal colchicine toxicity in a porcine model: a pharmacokinetic and clinical study.

    PubMed

    Eddleston, Michael; Fabresse, Nicolas; Thompson, Adrian; Al Abdulla, Ibrahim; Gregson, Rachael; King, Tim; Astier, Alain; Baud, Frederic J; Clutton, R Eddie; Alvarez, Jean-Claude

    2018-08-01

    Colchicine poisoning is commonly lethal. Colchicine-specific Fab fragments increase rat urinary colchicine clearance and have been associated with a good outcome in one patient. We aimed to develop a porcine model of colchicine toxicity to study the pharmacokinetics and efficacy of ovine Fab. A Göttingen minipig critical care model was established and serial blood samples taken for colchicine and Fab pharmacokinetics, clinical chemistry, and haematology. Animals were euthanised when the mean arterial pressure fell below 45 mmHg without response to vasopressor, or at study completion. Initial studies indicated that oral dosing produced variable pharmacokinetics and time-to-euthanasia. By contrast, intravenous infusion of 0.25 mg/kg colchicine over 1 h produced reproducible pharmacokinetics (AUC 0-20 343 [SD = 21] µg/L/h), acute multi-organ injury, and cardiotoxicity requiring euthanasia a mean of 22.5 (SD = 3.2) h after dosing. A full-neutralising equimolar Fab dose given 6 h after the infusion (50% first hour, 50% next 6 h [to reduce renal-loss of unbound Fab]) produced a 7.35-fold increase in plasma colchicine (AUC 0-20 2,522 [SD = 14] µg/L/h), and removed all free plasma colchicine, but did not prevent toxicity (euthanasia at 29.1 [SD = 3.4] h). Earlier administration over 1 h of the full-neutralising dose, 1 or 3 h after the colchicine, produced a 12.9-fold (AUC 0-20 4,433 [SD = 607] µg/L/h) and 6.0-fold (AUC 0-20 2,047 [SD = 51] µg/L/h) increase in plasma colchicine, respectively, absence of free plasma colchicine until 20 h, and survival to study end without marked cardiotoxicity. Colchicine-specific Fab given early, in equimolar dose, bound colchicine, eliciting its movement into the blood, and preventing severe toxicity. Clinical studies are now needed to determine how soon this antidote must be given to work in human poisoning.

  20. An Item Response Theory Analysis of DSM–IV Personality Disorder Criteria Across Younger and Older Age Groups

    PubMed Central

    Balsis, Steve; Gleason, Marci E. J.; Woods, Carol M.; Oltmanns, Thomas F.

    2015-01-01

    Many of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition (DSM–IV; American Psychiatric Association, 1994) personality disorder (PD) diagnostic criteria focus on a younger social and occupational context. The absence of age-appropriate criteria for older adults forces researchers and clinicians to draw conclusions based on existing criteria, which are likely inadequate. To explore which DSM–IV PD criteria contain age group measurement bias, the authors report 2 analyses of data on nearly 37,000 participants, ages 18–98 years, taken from a public data set that includes 7 of the 10 PDs (antisocial, avoidant, dependent, histrionic, obsessive–compulsive, paranoid, and schizoid). The 1st analysis revealed that older age groups tend to endorse fewer PD criteria than younger age groups. The 2nd analysis revealed that 29% of the criteria contain measurement bias. Although the latent variable structure for each PD was quite similar across younger and older age groups, some individual criteria were differentially endorsed by younger and older adults with equivalent PD pathology. The presence of measurement bias for these criteria raises questions concerning the assessment of PDs in older adults and the interpretation of existing data. PMID:17385993

  1. Aerial image measurement technique for automated reticle defect disposition (ARDD) in wafer fabs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zibold, Axel M.; Schmid, Rainer M.; Stegemann, B.; Scheruebl, Thomas; Harnisch, Wolfgang; Kobiyama, Yuji

    2004-08-01

    The Aerial Image Measurement System (AIMS)* for 193 nm lithography emulation has been brought into operation successfully worldwide. A second generation system comprising 193 nm AIMS capability, mini-environment and SMIF, the AIMS fab 193 plus is currently introduced into the market. By adjustment of numerical aperture (NA), illumination type and partial illumination coherence to match the conditions in 193 nm steppers or scanners, it can emulate the exposure tool for any type of reticles like binary, OPC and PSM down to the 65 nm node. The system allows a rapid prediction of wafer printability of defects or defect repairs, and critical features, like dense patterns or contacts on the masks without the need to perform expensive image qualification consisting of test wafer exposures followed by SEM measurements. Therefore, AIMS is a mask quality verification standard for high-end photo masks and established in mask shops worldwide. The progress on the AIMS technology described in this paper will highlight that besides mask shops there will be a very beneficial use of the AIMS in the wafer fab and we propose an Automated Reticle Defect Disposition (ARDD) process. With smaller nodes, where design rules are 65 nm or less, it is expected that smaller defects on reticles will occur in increasing numbers in the wafer fab. These smaller mask defects will matter more and more and become a serious yield limiting factor. With increasing mask prices and increasing number of defects and severability on reticles it will become cost beneficial to perform defect disposition on the reticles in wafer production. Currently ongoing studies demonstrate AIMS benefits for wafer fab applications. An outlook will be given for extension of 193 nm aerial imaging down to the 45 nm node based on emulation of immersion scanners.

  2. PEGylation prolongs the pulmonary retention of an anti-IL-17A Fab' antibody fragment after pulmonary delivery in three different species.

    PubMed

    Freches, Danielle; Patil, Harshad P; Machado Franco, Maria; Uyttenhove, Catherine; Heywood, Sam; Vanbever, Rita

    2017-04-15

    The PEGylation of antibody fragments has been shown to greatly prolong their residence time in the lungs in mice. The purpose of this research was to confirm the effect of PEGylation in higher animal species, that is, the rat and the rabbit. An anti-IL-17A Fab' antibody fragment was conjugated to a two-armed 40kDa polyethylene glycol (PEG) via site-selective thiol PEGylation. PEGylation did not significantly alter the binding activity of the Fab' fragment but it largely enhanced its inhibitory potency. PEGylation increased the residence time of the Fab' in the lungs of mice, rats and rabbits. Following intratracheal administration, the unconjugated Fab' was cleared from the lungs within 24h while large quantities of the PEGylated Fab' remained present up to 48h. No significant differences in clearance were noted between the three animal species although there was a tendency of longer residence time in higher species. PEGylation represents a promising approach to sustain the presence of antibody fragments in the lungs and to enhance their therapeutic efficacy in respiratory diseases. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. A dual host vector for Fab phage display and expression of native IgG in mammalian cells.

    PubMed

    Tesar, Devin; Hötzel, Isidro

    2013-10-01

    A significant bottleneck in antibody discovery by phage display is the transfer of immunoglobulin variable regions from phage clones to vectors that express immunoglobulin G (IgG) in mammalian cells for screening. Here, we describe a novel phagemid vector for Fab phage display that allows expression of native IgG in mammalian cells without sub-cloning. The vector uses an optimized mammalian signal sequence that drives robust expression of Fab fragments fused to an M13 phage coat protein in Escherichia coli and IgG expression in mammalian cells. To allow the expression of Fab fragments fused to a phage coat protein in E.coli and full-length IgG in mammalian cells from the same vector without sub-cloning, the sequence encoding the phage coat protein was embedded in an optimized synthetic intron within the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene. This intron is removed from transcripts in mammalian cells by RNA splicing. Using this vector, we constructed a synthetic Fab phage display library with diversity in the heavy chain only and selected for clones binding different antigens. Co-transfection of mammalian cells with DNA from individual phage clones and a plasmid expressing the invariant light chain resulted in the expression of native IgG that was used to assay affinity, ligand blocking activity and specificity.

  4. Successful application of the dual-vector system II in creating a reliable phage-displayed combinatorial Fab library.

    PubMed

    Song, Suk-yoon; Hur, Byung-ung; Lee, Kyung-woo; Choi, Hyo-jung; Kim, Sung-soo; Kang, Goo; Cha, Sang-hoon

    2009-03-31

    The dual-vector system-II (DVS-II), which allows efficient display of Fab antibodies on phage, has been reported previously, but its practical applicability in a phage-displayed antibody library has not been verified. To resolve this issue, we created two small combinatorial human Fab antibody libraries using the DVS-II, and isolation of target-specific antibodies was attempted. Biopanning of one antibody library, termed DVFAB-1L library, which has a 1.3 x 10(7) combinatorial antibody complexity, against fluorescein-BSA resulted in successful isolation of human Fab clones specific for the antigen despite the presence of only a single light chain in the library. By using the unique feature of the DVS-II, an antibody library of a larger size, named DVFAB-131L, which has a 1.5 x 10(9) combinatorial antibody complexity, was also generated in a rapid manner by combining 1.3 x 10(7) heavy chains and 131 light chains and more diverse anti-fluorescein-BSA Fab antibody clones were successfully obtained. Our results demonstrate that the DVS-II can be applied readily in creating phage-displayed antibody libraries with much less effort, and target-specific antibody clones can be isolated reliably via light chain promiscuity of antibody molecule.

  5. Pharmacological efficacy of anti-IL-1β scFv, Fab and full-length antibodies in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

    PubMed

    Qi, Jianying; Ye, Xianlong; Ren, Guiping; Kan, Fangming; Zhang, Yu; Guo, Mo; Zhang, Zhiyi; Li, Deshan

    2014-02-01

    Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease that mainly causes the synovial joint inflammation and cartilage destruction. Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) is an important proinflammatory cytokine involved in the pathogenesis of RA. In this study, we constructed and expressed anti-IL-1β-full-length antibody in CHO-K1-SV, anti-IL-1β-Fab and anti-IL-1β-scFv in Rosetta. We compared the therapeutic efficacy of three anti-IL-1β antibodies for CIA mice. Mice with CIA were subcutaneously injected with humanized anti-IL-1β-scFv, anti-IL-1β-Fab or anti-IL-1β-full-length antibody. The effects of treatment were determined by arthritis severity score, autoreactive humoral, cellular immune responses, histological lesion and cytokines production. Compared with anti-IL-1β-scFv treatments, anti-IL-1β-Fab and anti-IL-1β-full-length antibody therapy resulted in more significant effect in alleviating the severity of arthritis by preventing bone damage and cartilage destruction, reducing humoral and cellular immune responses, and down-regulating the expression of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-2, IFN-γ, TNF-α and MMP-3 in inflammatory tissue. The therapeutic effects of anti-IL-1β-Fab and anti-IL-1β-full-length antibodies on CIA mice had no significant difference. However, production of anti-IL-1β-full-length antibody in eukaryotic system is, in general, time-consuming and more expensive than that of anti-IL-1β-Fab in prokaryotic systems. In conclusion, as a small molecule antibody, anti-IL-1β-Fab is an ideal candidate for RA therapy. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Severe adverse drug reaction following Crotalidae Polyvalent Immune Fab (Ovine) administration for copperhead snakebite.

    PubMed

    Lepak, Maryjoy R; Bochenek, Samantha H; Bush, Sean P

    2015-01-01

    To present the case of a severe anaphylactic/anaphylactoid reaction to Crotalidae Polyvalent Immune Fab (Ovine) in a patient bitten by a copperhead snake. A 68-year-old man presented with progressive envenomation after receiving a copperhead snakebite on each hand. Crotalinae Fab antivenom was administered. While the initial and only dose was partially infusing, the patient developed an adverse drug reaction (ADR) of urticaria and hypotension, which resolved with cessation of the infusion, recurred with resumption of the infusion, and ultimately was completed with supportive care. An additional episode of hypotension, urticaria, and angioedema occurred shortly after antivenom therapy completion. Epinephrine was administered, resolving the reaction with complete patient recovery. The event received a Naranjo score of 10, indicating a definite ADR. Treating copperhead snakebites with antivenom is a matter of debate. Concern over adverse events and cost induce some physicians to manage copperhead bites without antivenom because they are generally milder in severity. As demonstrated in this case, severe ADR can occur with Crotalinae Fab antivenom, and its efficacy for copperhead envenoming needs to be better established via placebo-controlled, randomized trials. © The Author(s) 2014.

  7. Conjugation of 10 kDa Linear PEG onto Trastuzumab Fab' Is Sufficient to Significantly Enhance Lymphatic Exposure while Preserving in Vitro Biological Activity.

    PubMed

    Chan, Linda J; Ascher, David B; Yadav, Rajbharan; Bulitta, Jürgen B; Williams, Charlotte C; Porter, Christopher J H; Landersdorfer, Cornelia B; Kaminskas, Lisa M

    2016-04-04

    The lymphatic system is a major conduit by which many diseases spread and proliferate. There is therefore increasing interest in promoting better lymphatic drug targeting. Further, antibody fragments such as Fabs have several advantages over full length monoclonal antibodies but are subject to rapid plasma clearance, which can limit the lymphatic exposure and activity of Fabs against lymph-resident diseases. This study therefore explored ideal PEGylation strategies to maximize biological activity and lymphatic exposure using trastuzumab Fab' as a model. Specifically, the Fab' was conjugated with single linear 10 or 40 kDa PEG chains at the hinge region. PEGylation led to a 3-4-fold reduction in binding affinity to HER2, but antiproliferative activity against HER2-expressing BT474 cells was preserved. Lymphatic pharmacokinetics were then examined in thoracic lymph duct cannulated rats after intravenous and subcutaneous dosing at 2 mg/kg, and the data were evaluated via population pharmacokinetic modeling. The Fab' displayed limited lymphatic exposure, but conjugation of 10 kDa PEG improved exposure by approximately 11- and 5-fold after intravenous (15% dose collected in thoracic lymph over 30 h) and subcutaneous (9%) administration, respectively. Increasing the molecular weight of the PEG to 40 kDa, however, had no significant impact on lymphatic exposure after intravenous (14%) administration and only doubled lymphatic exposure after subcutaneous administration (18%) when compared to 10 kDa PEG-Fab'. The data therefore suggests that minimal PEGylation has the potential to enhance the exposure and activity of Fab's against lymph-resident diseases, while no significant benefit is achieved with very large PEGs.

  8. Sortase-catalyzed in vitro functionalization of a HER2-specific recombinant Fab for tumor targeting of the plant cytotoxin gelonin

    PubMed Central

    Kornberger, Petra; Skerra, Arne

    2014-01-01

    We report on the preparation of a new type of immunotoxin via in vitro ligation of the αHer2 antigen binding fragment (Fab) of the clinically-validated antibody trastuzumab to the plant toxin gelonin, employing catalysis by the bacterial enzyme sortase A (SrtA). The αHer2 Fab was fused with the extended SrtA recognition motif LPET↓GLEH6 at the C-terminus of its heavy chain, thereby preventing interference with antigen binding, while the toxin was equipped with a Gly2 sequence at its N-terminus, distant to the catalytically active site in the C-terminal region. Site-specific in vitro transpeptidation led to a novel antibody-toxin conjugate wherein gelonin had effectively replaced the Fc region of a conventional (monomerized) immunoglobulin. After optimization of reaction conditions and incubation time, the resulting Fab-Gelonin ligation product was purified to homogeneity in a two-step procedure by means of Strep-Tactin affinity chromatography—utilizing the Strep-tag II appended to gelonin—and size exclusion chromatography. Binding activity of the immunotoxin for the Her2 ectodomain was indistinguishable from the unligated Fab as measured by real-time surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy. Specific cytotoxic potency of Fab-Gelonin was demonstrated against two Her2-positive cell lines, resulting in EC50 values of ~1 nM or lower, indicating a 1000-fold enhanced cell-killing activity compared with gelonin itself. Thus, our strategy provides a convenient route to the modular construction of functional immunotoxins from Fabs of established tumor-specific antibodies with gelonin or related proteotoxins, also avoiding the elevated biosafety levels that would be mandatory for the direct biotechnological preparation of corresponding fusion proteins. PMID:24492291

  9. Successful use of digoxin-specific immune Fab in the treatment of severe Nerium oleander toxicosis in a dog.

    PubMed

    Pao-Franco, Amaris; Hammond, Tara N; Weatherton, Linda K; DeClementi, Camille; Forney, Scott D

    2017-09-01

    To describe a case in which digoxin-specific immune Fab was used successfully in a dog with severe oleander toxicosis secondary to ingesting plant material. A 6-year-old intact female Rhodesian Ridgeback mixed breed dog was presented for severe oleander toxicosis and was refractory to all antiarrhythmic therapies and supportive care. Digoxin-specific immune Fab was successful in treating this dog. The dog recovered but suffered ischemic injuries, the long-term effects of which are unknown. This report describes the successful use of digoxin-specific immune Fab in the treatment of oleander toxicosis in a dog, which has not previously been published in veterinary literature. Oleander poisoning can be associated with permanent cardiac arrhythmias due to the ischemic damage. © Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society 2017.

  10. Structural and biophysical characterization of an epitope-specific engineered Fab fragment and complexation with membrane proteins: implications for co-crystallization.

    PubMed

    Johnson, Jennifer L; Entzminger, Kevin C; Hyun, Jeongmin; Kalyoncu, Sibel; Heaner, David P; Morales, Ivan A; Sheppard, Aly; Gumbart, James C; Maynard, Jennifer A; Lieberman, Raquel L

    2015-04-01

    Crystallization chaperones are attracting increasing interest as a route to crystal growth and structure elucidation of difficult targets such as membrane proteins. While strategies to date have typically employed protein-specific chaperones, a peptide-specific chaperone to crystallize multiple cognate peptide epitope-containing client proteins is envisioned. This would eliminate the target-specific chaperone-production step and streamline the co-crystallization process. Previously, protein engineering and directed evolution were used to generate a single-chain variable (scFv) antibody fragment with affinity for the peptide sequence EYMPME (scFv/EE). This report details the conversion of scFv/EE to an anti-EE Fab format (Fab/EE) followed by its biophysical characterization. The addition of constant chains increased the overall stability and had a negligible impact on the antigen affinity. The 2.0 Å resolution crystal structure of Fab/EE reveals contacts with larger surface areas than those of scFv/EE. Surface plasmon resonance, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and size-exclusion chromatography were used to assess Fab/EE binding to EE-tagged soluble and membrane test proteins: namely, the β-barrel outer membrane protein intimin and α-helical A2a G protein-coupled receptor (A2aR). Molecular-dynamics simulation of the intimin constructs with and without Fab/EE provides insight into the energetic complexities of the co-crystallization approach.

  11. Label-free Fab and Fc affinity/avidity profiling of the antibody complex half-life for polyclonal and monoclonal efficacy screening.

    PubMed

    Read, Thomas; Olkhov, Rouslan V; Williamson, E Diane; Shaw, Andrew M

    2015-09-01

    A unified approach to affinity screening for Fab and Fc interactions of an antibody for its antigen and FcγR receptor has been developed. An antigen array is used for the Fab affinity and cross-reactivity screening and protein A/G proxy is the FcγR receptor. The affinities are derived using a simple 1:1 binding model with a consistent error analysis. The association and dissociation kinetics are measured over optimised times for accurate determination. The Fab/Fc affinities are derived for ten antibodies: mAb-actin (mouse), pAb-BSA (sheep), pAb-collagen V (rabbit), pAb-CRP (goat), mAb-F1 (mouse), mAbs (mouse) 7.3, 12.3, 29.3, 36.3 and 46.3 raised against LcrV in Yersinia pestis. The rate of the dissociation of antigen-antibody complexes relates directly to their immunological function as does the Fc-FcγR complex and a new half-life plot has been defined with a Fab/Fc half-life range of 17-470 min. The upper half-life value points to surface avidity. Two antibodies that are protective as an immunotherapy define a Fab half-life >250 min and an Fc half-life >50 min as characteristics of ideal interactions which can form the basis of an antibody screen for immunotherapy.

  12. Studies of nontarget-mediated distribution of human full-length IgG1 antibody and its FAb fragment in cardiovascular and metabolic-related tissues.

    PubMed

    Davidsson, Pia; Söderling, Ann-Sofi; Svensson, Lena; Ahnmark, Andrea; Flodin, Christine; Wanag, Ewa; Screpanti-Sundqvist, Valentina; Gennemark, Peter

    2015-05-01

    Tissue distribution and pharmacokinetics (PK) of full-length nontargeted antibody and its antigen-binding fragment (FAb) were evaluated for a range of tissues primarily of interest for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Mice were intravenously injected with a dose of 10 mg/kg of either human IgG1or its FAb fragment; perfused tissues were collected at a range of time points over 3 weeks for the human IgG1 antibody and 1 week for the human FAb antibody. Tissues were homogenized and antibody concentrations were measured by specific immunoassays on the Gyros system. Exposure in terms of maximum concentration (Cmax ) and area under the curve was assessed for all nine tissues. Tissue exposure of full-length antibody relative to plasma exposure was found to be between 1% and 10%, except for brain (0.2%). Relative concentrations of FAb antibody were the same, except for kidney tissue, where the antibody concentration was found to be ten times higher than in plasma. However, the absolute tissue uptake of full-length IgG was significantly higher than the absolute tissue uptake of the FAb antibody. This study provides a reference PK state for full-length whole and FAb antibodies in tissues related to cardiovascular and metabolic diseases that do not include antigen or antibody binding. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

  13. Cytosolic expression of functional Fab fragments in Escherichia coli using a novel combination of dual SUMO expression cassette and EnBase® cultivation mode.

    PubMed

    Rezaie, F; Davami, F; Mansouri, K; Agha Amiri, S; Fazel, R; Mahdian, R; Davoudi, N; Enayati, S; Azizi, M; Khalaj, V

    2017-05-08

    The Escherichia coli expression system is highly effective in producing recombinant proteins. However, there are some limitations in this system, especially in obtaining correctly folded forms of some complex proteins such as Fab fragments. To improve the solubility and folding quality of Fab fragments, we have examined the effect of simultaneous application of a SUMO fusion tag, EnBase ® cultivation mode and a redox mutant strain in the E. coli expression system. A bicistronic gene construct was designed to express an antivascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) Fab fragment as a model system. The construct contained a dual SUMO fusion gene fragment to encode SUMO-tagged heavy and light chains. While the expression of the construct in batch cultures of BL21 or SHuffle ® transformants produced insoluble and unfolded products, the induction of the transformants in EnBase ® medium resulted in soluble and correctly folded Fab fragment, reaching as high as 19% of the total protein in shuffle strain. The functional assays indicated that the biological activity of the target Fab is similar to the commercial anti-VEGF, Lucentis ® . This study demonstrated that the combination of SUMO fusion technology, EnBase ® cultivation system and recruiting a redox mutant of E. coli can efficiently enhance the solubility and productivity of recombinant Fab fragments. The presented strategy provides not only a novel method to produce soluble and active form of an anti-VEGF Fab but also may use in the efficient production of other antibody fragments. © 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  14. Chimeric rabbit/human Fab antibodies against the hepatitis Be-antigen and their potential applications in assays, characterization, and therapy.

    PubMed

    Zhuang, Xiaolei; Watts, Norman R; Palmer, Ira W; Kaufman, Joshua D; Dearborn, Altaira D; Trenbeath, Joni L; Eren, Elif; Steven, Alasdair C; Rader, Christoph; Wingfield, Paul T

    2017-10-06

    Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection afflicts millions worldwide, causing cirrhosis and liver cancer. HBV e-antigen (HBeAg), a clinical marker for disease severity, is a soluble variant of the viral capsid protein. HBeAg is not required for viral replication but is implicated in establishing immune tolerance and chronic infection. The structure of recombinant e-antigen (rHBeAg) was recently determined, yet to date, the exact nature and quantitation of HBeAg still remain uncertain. Here, to further characterize HBeAg, we used phage display to produce a panel of chimeric rabbit/human monoclonal antibody fragments (both Fab and scFv) against rHBeAg. Several of the Fab/scFv, expressed in Escherichia coli , had unprecedentedly high binding affinities ( K d ∼10 -12 m) and high specificity. We used Fab/scFv in the context of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for HBeAg quantification, which we compared with commercially available kits and verified with seroconversion panels, the WHO HBeAg standard, rHBeAg, and patient plasma samples. We found that the specificity and sensitivity are superior to those of existing commercial assays. To identify potential fine differences between rHBeAg and HBeAg, we used these Fabs in microscale immunoaffinity chromatography to purify HBeAg from individual patient plasmas. Western blotting and MS results indicated that rHBeAg and HBeAg are essentially structurally identical, although HBeAg from different patients exhibits minor carboxyl-terminal heterogeneity. We discuss several potential applications for the humanized Fab/scFv.

  15. A comparison of 111In- or 64Cu-DOTA-trastuzumab Fab fragments for imaging subcutaneous HER2-positive tumor xenografts in athymic mice using microSPECT/CT or microPET/CT.

    PubMed

    Chan, Conrad; Scollard, Deborah A; McLarty, Kristin; Smith, Serena; Reilly, Raymond M

    2011-08-17

    Our objective was to compare 111In- or 64Cu-DOTA-trastuzumab Fab fragments for imaging small or large s.c. tumor xenografts in athymic mice that display a wide range of human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) expression using microSPECT/CT or microPET/CT. Trastuzumab Fab were labeled with 111In or 64Cu by conjugation to 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane N, N', N'', N'''-tetraacetic acid (DOTA). The purity of 111In- and 64Cu-DOTA-trastuzumab Fab was measured by SDS-PAGE and HPLC. HER2 binding affinity was determined in saturation radioligand binding assays using SKBR-3 cells (1.3 × 106 HER2/cell). MicroSPECT/CT and microPET/CT were performed in athymic mice bearing s.c. BT-20 and MDA-MB-231 xenografts with low (0.5 to 1.6 × 105 receptors/cell), MDA-MB-361 tumors with intermediate (5.1 × 105 receptors/cell) or SKOV-3 xenografts with high HER2 expression (1.2 × 106 receptors/cell) at 24 h p.i. of 70 MBq (10 μg) of 111In-DOTA-trastuzumab Fab or 22 MBq (10 μg) of 64Cu-DOTA-trastuzumab Fab or irrelevant 111In- or 64Cu-DOTA-rituximab Fab. Tumor and normal tissue uptake were quantified in biodistribution studies. 111In- and 64Cu-DOTA-trastuzumab were > 98% radiochemically pure and bound HER2 with high affinity (Kd = 20.4 ± 2.5 nM and 40.8 ± 3.5 nM, respectively). MDA-MB-361 and SKOV-3 tumors were most clearly imaged using 111In- and 64Cu-DOTA-trastuzumab Fab. Significantly higher tumor/blood (T/B) ratios were found for 111In-DOTA-trastuzumab Fab than 111In-DOTA-rituximab Fab for BT-20, MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-361 xenografts, and there was a direct association between T/B ratios and HER2 expression. In contrast, tumor uptake of 64Cu-DOTA-trastuzumab Fab was significantly higher than 64Cu-DOTA-rituximab Fab in MDA-MB-361 tumors but no direct association with HER2 expression was found. Both 111In- and 64Cu-DOTA-trastuzumab Fab imaged small (5 to 10 mm) or larger (10 to 15 mm) MDA-MB-361 tumors. Higher blood, liver, and spleen radioactivity were observed for 64Cu

  16. A comparison of 111In- or 64Cu-DOTA-trastuzumab Fab fragments for imaging subcutaneous HER2-positive tumor xenografts in athymic mice using microSPECT/CT or microPET/CT

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Our objective was to compare 111In- or 64Cu-DOTA-trastuzumab Fab fragments for imaging small or large s.c. tumor xenografts in athymic mice that display a wide range of human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) expression using microSPECT/CT or microPET/CT. Methods Trastuzumab Fab were labeled with 111In or 64Cu by conjugation to 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane N, N', N'', N'''-tetraacetic acid (DOTA). The purity of 111In- and 64Cu-DOTA-trastuzumab Fab was measured by SDS-PAGE and HPLC. HER2 binding affinity was determined in saturation radioligand binding assays using SKBR-3 cells (1.3 × 106 HER2/cell). MicroSPECT/CT and microPET/CT were performed in athymic mice bearing s.c. BT-20 and MDA-MB-231 xenografts with low (0.5 to 1.6 × 105 receptors/cell), MDA-MB-361 tumors with intermediate (5.1 × 105 receptors/cell) or SKOV-3 xenografts with high HER2 expression (1.2 × 106 receptors/cell) at 24 h p.i. of 70 MBq (10 μg) of 111In-DOTA-trastuzumab Fab or 22 MBq (10 μg) of 64Cu-DOTA-trastuzumab Fab or irrelevant 111In- or 64Cu-DOTA-rituximab Fab. Tumor and normal tissue uptake were quantified in biodistribution studies. Results 111In- and 64Cu-DOTA-trastuzumab were > 98% radiochemically pure and bound HER2 with high affinity (Kd = 20.4 ± 2.5 nM and 40.8 ± 3.5 nM, respectively). MDA-MB-361 and SKOV-3 tumors were most clearly imaged using 111In- and 64Cu-DOTA-trastuzumab Fab. Significantly higher tumor/blood (T/B) ratios were found for 111In-DOTA-trastuzumab Fab than 111In-DOTA-rituximab Fab for BT-20, MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-361 xenografts, and there was a direct association between T/B ratios and HER2 expression. In contrast, tumor uptake of 64Cu-DOTA-trastuzumab Fab was significantly higher than 64Cu-DOTA-rituximab Fab in MDA-MB-361 tumors but no direct association with HER2 expression was found. Both 111In- and 64Cu-DOTA-trastuzumab Fab imaged small (5 to 10 mm) or larger (10 to 15 mm) MDA-MB-361 tumors. Higher blood, liver, and spleen

  17. Rational optimization of drug-target residence time: Insights from inhibitor binding to the S. aureus FabI enzyme-product complex

    PubMed Central

    Chang, Andrew; Schiebel, Johannes; Yu, Weixuan; Bommineni, Gopal R.; Pan, Pan; Baxter, Michael V.; Khanna, Avinash; Sotriffer, Christoph A.; Kisker, Caroline; Tonge, Peter J.

    2013-01-01

    Drug-target kinetics has recently emerged as an especially important facet of the drug discovery process. In particular, prolonged drug-target residence times may confer enhanced efficacy and selectivity in the open in vivo system. However, the lack of accurate kinetic and structural data for series of congeneric compounds hinders the rational design of inhibitors with decreased off-rates. Therefore, we chose the Staphylococcus aureus enoyl-ACP reductase (saFabI) - an important target for the development of new anti-staphylococcal drugs - as a model system to rationalize and optimize the drug-target residence time on a structural basis. Using our new, efficient and widely applicable mechanistically informed kinetic approach, we obtained a full characterization of saFabI inhibition by a series of 20 diphenyl ethers complemented by a collection of 9 saFabI-inhibitor crystal structures. We identified a strong correlation between the affinities of the investigated saFabI diphenyl ether inhibitors and their corresponding residence times, which can be rationalized on a structural basis. Due to its favorable interactions with the enzyme, the residence time of our most potent compound exceeds 10 hours. In addition, we found that affinity and residence time in this system can be significantly enhanced by modifications predictable by a careful consideration of catalysis. Our study provides a blueprint for investigating and prolonging drug-target kinetics and may aid in the rational design of long-residence-time inhibitors targeting the essential saFabI enzyme. PMID:23697754

  18. Structure of Mycobacterium tuberculosis mtFabD, a malonyl-CoA:acyl carrier protein transacylase (MCAT)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ghadbane, Hemza; Brown, Alistair K.; Kremer, Laurent

    2007-10-01

    Binding of Ni{sup 2+} ions to the uncleaved affinity tag facilitated de novo phasing of the crystal structure of M. tuberculosis mtFabD to 3.0 Å resolution. Mycobacteria display a unique and unusual cell-wall architecture, central to which is the membrane-proximal mycolyl-arabinogalactan-peptidoglycan core (mAGP). The biosynthesis of mycolic acids, which form the outermost layer of the mAGP core, involves malonyl-CoA:acyl carrier protein transacylase (MCAT). This essential enzyme catalyses the transfer of malonyl from coenzyme A to acyl carrier protein AcpM, thus feeding these two-carbon units into the chain-elongation cycle of the type II fatty-acid synthase. The crystal structure of M. tuberculosismore » mtFabD, the mycobacterial MCAT, has been determined to 3.0 Å resolution by multi-wavelength anomalous dispersion. Phasing was facilitated by Ni{sup 2+} ions bound to the 20-residue N-terminal affinity tag, which packed between the two independent copies of mtFabD.« less

  19. A new web-based framework development for fuzzy multi-criteria group decision-making.

    PubMed

    Hanine, Mohamed; Boutkhoum, Omar; Tikniouine, Abdessadek; Agouti, Tarik

    2016-01-01

    Fuzzy multi-criteria group decision making (FMCGDM) process is usually used when a group of decision-makers faces imprecise data or linguistic variables to solve the problems. However, this process contains many methods that require many time-consuming calculations depending on the number of criteria, alternatives and decision-makers in order to reach the optimal solution. In this study, a web-based FMCGDM framework that offers decision-makers a fast and reliable response service is proposed. The proposed framework includes commonly used tools for multi-criteria decision-making problems such as fuzzy Delphi, fuzzy AHP and fuzzy TOPSIS methods. The integration of these methods enables taking advantages of the strengths and complements each method's weakness. Finally, a case study of location selection for landfill waste in Morocco is performed to demonstrate how this framework can facilitate decision-making process. The results demonstrate that the proposed framework can successfully accomplish the goal of this study.

  20. Nurturing Creativity and Innovation through FabKids: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Beyers, Ronald Noel

    2010-01-01

    This paper will report on a case study that was conducted involving Grade 10 learners who were exposed to a high-tech rapid-prototyping environment of a Fabrication Laboratory as part of a FabKids experience. This project must be viewed in the context of a global shortage of key skills placing a higher priority on the initiation and development of…

  1. Family of Advanced Beyond Line-of-Sight Terminals (FAB-T)

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-12-01

    Architecture (DoD IEA), excepting tactical and non- operational (OP) communications 3) Compliant with GIG Technical Guidance ( GTG ) to include...Information Technology (IT) standards identified in the Standards FAB-T December 2015 SAR March 21, 2016 15:24:15 UNCLASSIFIED 24 Technical Guidance ( GTG ...Availability Anti-spoofing Module (SAASM), Spectrum and Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) requirements. Compliant GTG to include IT standards

  2. Identification of a new binding site in E. coli FabH using Molecular dynamics simulations: validation by computational alanine mutagenesis and docking studies.

    PubMed

    Ramamoorthy, Divya; Turos, Edward; Guida, Wayne C

    2013-05-24

    FabH (Fatty acid biosynthesis, enzyme H, also referred to as β-ketoacyl-ACP-synthase III) is a key condensing enzyme in the type II fatty acid synthesis (FAS) system. The FAS pathway in bacteria is essential for growth and survival and vastly differs from the human FAS pathway. Enzymes involved in this pathway have arisen as promising biomolecular targets for discovery of new antibacterial drugs. However, currently there are no clinical drugs that selectively target FabH, and known inhibitors of FabH all act within the active site. FabH exerts its catalytic function as a dimer, which could potentially be exploited in developing new strategies for inhibitor design. The aim of this study was to elucidate structural details of the dimer interface region by means of computational modeling, including molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, in order to derive information for the structure-based design of new FabH inhibitors. The dimer interface region was analyzed by MD simulations, trajectory snapshots were collected for further analyses, and docking studies were performed with potential small molecule disruptors. Alanine mutation and docking studies strongly suggest that the dimer interface could be a potential target for anti-infection drug discovery.

  3. Introducing the fit-criteria assessment plot - A visualisation tool to assist class enumeration in group-based trajectory modelling.

    PubMed

    Klijn, Sven L; Weijenberg, Matty P; Lemmens, Paul; van den Brandt, Piet A; Lima Passos, Valéria

    2017-10-01

    Background and objective Group-based trajectory modelling is a model-based clustering technique applied for the identification of latent patterns of temporal changes. Despite its manifold applications in clinical and health sciences, potential problems of the model selection procedure are often overlooked. The choice of the number of latent trajectories (class-enumeration), for instance, is to a large degree based on statistical criteria that are not fail-safe. Moreover, the process as a whole is not transparent. To facilitate class enumeration, we introduce a graphical summary display of several fit and model adequacy criteria, the fit-criteria assessment plot. Methods An R-code that accepts universal data input is presented. The programme condenses relevant group-based trajectory modelling output information of model fit indices in automated graphical displays. Examples based on real and simulated data are provided to illustrate, assess and validate fit-criteria assessment plot's utility. Results Fit-criteria assessment plot provides an overview of fit criteria on a single page, placing users in an informed position to make a decision. Fit-criteria assessment plot does not automatically select the most appropriate model but eases the model assessment procedure. Conclusions Fit-criteria assessment plot is an exploratory, visualisation tool that can be employed to assist decisions in the initial and decisive phase of group-based trajectory modelling analysis. Considering group-based trajectory modelling's widespread resonance in medical and epidemiological sciences, a more comprehensive, easily interpretable and transparent display of the iterative process of class enumeration may foster group-based trajectory modelling's adequate use.

  4. Student-Chosen Criteria for Peer Assessment of Tertiary Rock Groups in Rehearsal and Performance: What's Important?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blom, Diana; Encarnacao, John

    2012-01-01

    The study investigates criteria chosen by music students for peer and self assessment of both the rehearsal process and performance outcome of their rock groups. The student-chosen criteria and their explanations of these criteria were analysed in relation to Birkett's skills taxonomy of "soft" and "hard" skills. In the rehearsal process, students…

  5. Generation of human Fab antibody libraries: PCR amplification and assembly of light- and heavy-chain coding sequences.

    PubMed

    Andris-Widhopf, Jennifer; Steinberger, Peter; Fuller, Roberta; Rader, Christoph; Barbas, Carlos F

    2011-09-01

    The development of therapeutic antibodies for use in the treatment of human diseases has long been a goal for many researchers in the antibody field. One way to obtain these antibodies is through phage-display libraries constructed from human lymphocytes. This protocol describes the construction of human Fab (fragment antigen binding) antibody libraries. In this method, the individual rearranged heavy- and light-chain variable regions are amplified separately and are linked through a series of overlap polymerase chain reaction (PCR) steps to give the final Fab products that are used for cloning.

  6. Cocrystal structures of NC6.8 Fab identify key interactions for high potency sweetener recognition: implications for the design of synthetic sweeteners.

    PubMed

    Gokulan, Kuppan; Khare, Sangeeta; Ronning, Donald R; Linthicum, Scott D; Sacchettini, James C; Rupp, Bernhard

    2005-07-26

    The crystal structures of the murine monoclonal IgG2b(kappa) antibody NC6.8 Fab fragment complexed with high-potency sweetener compound SC45647 and nontasting high-affinity antagonist TES have been determined. The crystal structures show how sweetener potency is fine-tuned by multiple interactions between specific receptor residues and the functionally different groups of the sweeteners. Comparative analysis with the structure of NC6.8 complexed with the super-potency sweetener NC174 reveals that although the same residues in the antigen binding pocket of NC6.8 interact with the zwitterionic, trisubstituted guanidinium sweeteners as well as TES, specific differences exist and provide guidance for the design of new artificial sweeteners. In case of the nonsweetener TES, the interactions with the receptor are indirectly mediated through a hydrogen bonded water network, while the sweeteners bind with high affinity directly to the receptor. The presence of a hydrophobic group interacting with multiple receptor residues as a major determinant for sweet taste has been confirmed. The nature of the hydrophobic group is likely a discriminator for super- versus high-potency sweeteners, which can be exploited in the design of new, highly potent sweetener compounds. Overall similarities and partial conservation of interactions indicate that the NC6.8 Fab surrogate is representing crucial features of the T1R2 taste receptor VFTM binding site.

  7. Antistaphylococcal activities of CG400549, a new bacterial enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase (FabI) inhibitor.

    PubMed

    Park, Hee Soo; Yoon, Yu Min; Jung, Sung Ji; Kim, Cheol Min; Kim, Jeong Mi; Kwak, Jin-Hwan

    2007-09-01

    This study was performed to analyse in vitro and in vivo activities of CG400549, a new FabI inhibitor, against clinical isolates of staphylococci. The mode of action of CG400549 and resistance mechanism of Staphylococcus aureus against CG400549 were also investigated by genetic approaches. In vitro activity of CG400549 was evaluated by the 2-fold agar sdilution method as described by the CLSI, and compared with those of oxacillin, erythromycin, ciprofloxacin, sparfloxacin, moxifloxacin, gemifloxacin, vancomycin, linezolid and quinupristin-dalfopristin. In vivo activity of CG400549 was determined against systemic infections in mice. Time-kill curves of CG400549 were analysed at concentrations of 1 x , 2 x and 4 x MIC against S. aureus strains. CG400549 had the lowest MICs among the test compounds against 238 clinical isolates of S. aureus (MIC90, 0.25 mg/L) and 51 clinical isolates of coagulase-negative staphylococci (MIC90, 1 mg/L). The activity of CG400549 was irrespective of whether the strains were methicillin-susceptible or -resistant. Furthermore, CG400549 was effective by oral or subcutaneous administration against systemic infections in mice. In a time-kill study, CG400549 at concentrations of 1 x MIC, 2 x MIC and 4 x MIC had a bacteriostatic activity during 24 h. A FabI-overexpressing S. aureus strain gave rise to an increase in the MIC of CG400549 compared with the parental strain, while the susceptibilities of the FabI-overexpressing S. aureus strain to the other antibacterial agents such as oxacillin, erythromycin and ciprofloxacin were not affected. This result showed that the mode of action of CG400549 was via inhibition of FabI, which is involved in biosynthesis of fatty acids in bacteria. Study of the resistance mechanism of S. aureus showed that CG400549-resistant mutants of S. aureus had an alteration in FabI at Phe-204 to Leu. CG400549 had potent in vitro and in vivo activity against staphylococci, including methicillin-, ciprofloxacin- and

  8. Fab-based inhibitors reveal ubiquitin independent functions for HIV Vif neutralization of APOBEC3 restriction factors

    PubMed Central

    Smith, Amber M.; Hultquist, Judd F.; Caretta Cartozo, Nathalie; Campbell, Melody G.; Burton, Lily; La Greca, Florencia; McGregor, Michael J.; Ta, Hai M.; Bartholomeeusen, Koen; Peterlin, B. Matija; Krogan, Nevan J.; Sevillano, Natalia

    2018-01-01

    The lentiviral protein Viral Infectivity Factor (Vif) counteracts the antiviral effects of host APOBEC3 (A3) proteins and contributes to persistent HIV infection. Vif targets A3 restriction factors for ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation by recruiting them to a multi-protein ubiquitin E3 ligase complex. Here, we describe a degradation-independent mechanism of Vif-mediated antagonism that was revealed through detailed structure-function studies of antibody antigen-binding fragments (Fabs) to the Vif complex. Two Fabs were found to inhibit Vif-mediated A3 neutralization through distinct mechanisms: shielding A3 from ubiquitin transfer and blocking Vif E3 assembly. Combined biochemical, cell biological and structural studies reveal that disruption of Vif E3 assembly inhibited A3 ubiquitination but was not sufficient to restore its packaging into viral particles and antiviral activity. These observations establish that Vif can neutralize A3 family members in a degradation-independent manner. Additionally, this work highlights the potential of Fabs as functional probes, and illuminates how Vif uses a multi-pronged approach involving both degradation dependent and independent mechanisms to suppress A3 innate immunity. PMID:29304101

  9. Impact of Fab Lab Tulsa on Student Self-Efficacy toward STEM Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dubriwny, Nicholas; Pritchett, Nathan; Hardesty, Michelle; Hellman, Chan M.

    2016-01-01

    Student self-confidence is important to any attempt to increase interest and achievement in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education. This study presents a longitudinal examination of Fab Lab Tulsa's impact on attitude and self-efficacy toward STEM education among middle-school aged students. Paired samples t-test showed a…

  10. Evaluation of 177Lu[Lu]-CHX-A″-DTPA-6A10 Fab as a radioimmunotherapy agent targeting carbonic anhydrase XII.

    PubMed

    Fiedler, L; Kellner, M; Gosewisch, A; Oos, R; Böning, G; Lindner, S; Albert, N; Bartenstein, P; Reulen, H-J; Zeidler, R; Gildehaus, F J

    2018-05-01

    Due to their infiltrative growth behavior, gliomas have, even after surgical resection, a high recurrence tendency. The approach of intracavitary radioimmunotherapy (RIT) is aimed at inhibiting tumor re-growth by directly administering drugs into the resection cavity (RC). Direct application of the radioconjugate into the RC has the advantage of bypassing the blood-brain barrier, which allows the administration of higher radiation doses than systemic application. Carbonic anhydrase XII (CA XII) is highly expressed on glioma cells while being absent from normal brain and thus an attractive target molecule for RIT. We evaluated a CA XII-specific 6A10 Fab (fragment antigen binding) labelled with 177 Lu as an agent for RIT. 6A10 Fab fragment was modified and radiolabelled with 177 Lu and characterized by MALDI-TOF, flow cytometry and radio-TLC. In vitro stability was determined under physiological conditions. Biodistribution studies, autoradiography tumor examinations and planar scintigraphy imaging were performed on SCID-mice bearing human glioma xenografts. The in vitro CA XII binding capacity of the modified Fab was confirmed. Radiochemical purity was determined to be >90% after 72 h of incubation under physiological conditions. Autoradiography experiments proved the specific binding of the Fab to CA XII on tumor cells. Biodistribution studies revealed a tumor uptake of 3.0%ID/g after 6 h and no detectable brain uptake. The tumor-to-contralateral ratio of 10/1 was confirmed by quantitative planar scintigraphy. The radiochemical stability in combination with a successful in vivo tumor uptake shows the potential suitability for future RIT applications with the 6A10 Fab. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Early post-transplant immune monitoring can predict long-term kidney graft survival: soluble CD30 levels, anti-HLA antibodies and IgA-anti-Fab autoantibodies.

    PubMed

    Amirzargar, Mohammad Ali; Amirzargar, Aliakbar; Basiri, Abbas; Hajilooi, Mehrdad; Roshanaei, Ghodratollah; Rajabi, Gholamreza; Mohammadiazar, Sina; Solgi, Ghasem

    2014-01-01

    This study aimed to investigate the predictive power of anti-HLA antibodies, sCD30 levels and IgA-anti-Fab autoantibody before and early after transplantation in relation to long-term kidney allograft survival. Pre- and post-transplant sera samples of 59 living-unrelated donor kidney recipients were tested for above risk factors by enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay. 15 out of 59 cases experienced rejection episodes (failure group). Pre- and post-transplant high sCD30 levels were significantly associated with graft failure (P=0.02 and P=0.004) and decreased 4 year graft survival (P = 0.009 and P = 0.001). Higher frequency of post-transplant HLA class-II antibody in the absence of class-I antibody was observed in failure group (P=0.007). Patients with post-transplant HLA class-I and class-II antibodies either alone or in combination showed significant lower 4 year graft survival. Recipients with high sCD30 levels in the presence of HLA class-I or class-II antibodies within 2 weeks post-transplant had poor graft survival (P = 0.004 and P = 0.002, respectively). High levels of post-transplant IgA-anti-Fab antibody was more frequent in functioning-graft patients (P = 0.00001), correlated with decreased serum creatinine levels (P = 0.01) and associated with improved graft survival (P = 0.008). Our findings indicate the deleterious effect of early post-transplant HLA antibodies and increased sCD30 levels dependently and protective effect of IgA-anti-Fab antibodies on long-term renal graft outcomes. Copyright © 2013 American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. On-line immunoaffinity solid-phase extraction capillary electrophoresis mass spectrometry using Fab´antibody fragments for the analysis of serum transthyretin.

    PubMed

    Pont, Laura; Benavente, Fernando; Barbosa, José; Sanz-Nebot, Victoria

    2017-08-01

    This paper describes an on-line immunoaffinity solid-phase extraction capillary electrophoresis mass spectrometry (IA-SPE-CE-MS) method using an immunoaffinity sorbent with Fab' antibody fragments (Fab'-IA) for the analysis of serum transthyretin (TTR), a homotetrameric protein (M r ~56,000) involved in different types of amyloidosis. The IA sorbent was prepared by covalent attachment of Fab' fragments obtained from a polyclonal IgG antibody against TTR to succinimidyl silica particles. The Fab'-IA-SPE-CE-MS methodology was first established analyzing TTR standard solutions. Under optimized conditions, repeatability and reproducibility were acceptable, the method was linear between 1 and 25µgmL -1 , limits of detection (LODs) were around 0.5µgmL -1 (50-fold lower than by CE-MS, ~25µgmL -1 ) and different TTR conformations were observed (folded and unfolded). The applicability of the developed method to screen for familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy type I (FAP-I), which is the most common hereditary systemic amyloidosis, was evaluated analyzing serum samples from healthy controls and FAP-I patients. For the analysis of sera, the most abundant proteins were precipitated with 5% (v/v) of phenol before Fab'-IA-SPE-CE-MS. The current method enhanced our previous results for the analysis of TTR using intact antibodies immobilized on magnetic beads. It allowed a slight improvement on LODs (2-fold), the detection of proteoforms found at lower concentrations and the preparation of microcartridges with extended durability. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  13. Criteria-based evaluation of group 3 level memory telefacsimile equipment for interlibrary loan.

    PubMed Central

    Bennett, V M; Wood, M S; Malcom, D L

    1990-01-01

    The Interlibrary Loan, Document Delivery, and Union List Task Force of the Health Sciences Libraries Consortium (HSLC)--with nineteen libraries located in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Hershey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware--accepted the charge of evaluating and recommending for purchase telefacsimile hardware to further interlibrary loan among HSLC members. To allow a thorough and scientific evaluation of group 3 level telefacsimile equipment, the task force identified ninety-six hardware features, which were grouped into nine broad criteria. These features formed the basis of a weighted analysis that identified three final candidates, with one model recommended to the HSLC board. This article details each of the criteria and discusses features in terms of library applications. The evaluation grid developed in the weighted analysis process should aid librarians charged with the selection of level 3 telefacsimile equipment. PMID:2328361

  14. Extending the half-life of a fab fragment through generation of a humanized anti-human serum albumin Fv domain: An investigation into the correlation between affinity and serum half-life.

    PubMed

    Adams, Ralph; Griffin, Laura; Compson, Joanne E; Jairaj, Mark; Baker, Terry; Ceska, Tom; West, Shauna; Zaccheo, Oliver; Davé, Emma; Lawson, Alastair Dg; Humphreys, David P; Heywood, Sam

    2016-10-01

    We generated an anti-albumin antibody, CA645, to link its Fv domain to an antigen-binding fragment (Fab), thereby extending the serum half-life of the Fab. CA645 was demonstrated to bind human, cynomolgus, and mouse serum albumin with similar affinity (1-7 nM), and to bind human serum albumin (HSA) when it is in complex with common known ligands. Importantly for half-life extension, CA645 binds HSA with similar affinity within the physiologically relevant range of pH 5.0 - pH 7.4, and does not have a deleterious effect on the binding of HSA to neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn). A crystal structure of humanized CA645 Fab in complex with HSA was solved and showed that CA645 Fab binds to domain II of HSA. Superimposition with the crystal structure of FcRn bound to HSA confirmed that CA645 does not block HSA binding to FcRn. In mice, the serum half-life of humanized CA645 Fab is 84.2 h. This is a significant extension in comparison with < 1 h for a non-HSA binding CA645 Fab variant. The Fab-HSA structure was used to design a series of mutants with reduced affinity to investigate the correlation between the affinity for albumin and serum half-life. Reduction in the affinity for MSA by 144-fold from 2.2 nM to 316 nM had no effect on serum half-life. Strikingly, despite a reduction in affinity to 62 µM, an extension in serum half-life of 26.4 h was still obtained. CA645 Fab and the CA645 Fab-HSA complex have been deposited in the Protein Data Bank (PDB) with accession codes, 5FUZ and 5FUO, respectively.

  15. Functional and proteomic comparison of different techniques to produce equine anti-tetanus immunoglobulin F(ab')2 fragments.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Xue-Jun; Li, Hai-Ling; Deng, Da-Yi; Ji, Chong; Yao, Xiao-Dong; Liu, Jia-Xin

    2018-05-29

    Tetanus is still a major cause of human deaths in several developing countries. In particular, the neonatal form remains a significant public health problem. According to the World Health Organization, administration of tetanus toxoid is recommended for neonatal tetanus patients. Furthermore, tetanus antitoxin or anti-tetanus immunoglobulin (Ig) are used for mild case or intensive care. This paper discusses a novel purification technique for improving equine anti-tetanus Ig production. First, equine plasma dealt with two steps salting out with ammonium sulfate; second, ultrafiltration concentration liquid purified by one successive protein G based affinity chromatography steps; finally, the purified F(ab')2 fragments was characterized using biochemical and proteomic methods and shown to be pure and homogeneous. Compared with the original technique product, specific activity increased by 80% (about 90,000 IU/g) and recovery of F(ab')2 is approximately equal 75%. Furthermore, Proteomic profiling of total technique process is demonstrated by nano-HPLC-MS and bioinformatics analysis. New technique to produce equine anti-tetanus immunoglobulin F(ab')2 fragments from crude plasma in high quality and yield. And it also could be used for industrial amplification. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Activation of Exogenous Fatty Acids to Acyl-Acyl Carrier Protein Cannot Bypass FabI Inhibition in Neisseria*

    PubMed Central

    Yao, Jiangwei; Bruhn, David F.; Frank, Matthew W.; Lee, Richard E.; Rock, Charles O.

    2016-01-01

    Neisseria is a Gram-negative pathogen with phospholipids composed of straight chain saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, the ability to incorporate exogenous fatty acids, and lipopolysaccharides that are not essential. The FabI inhibitor, AFN-1252, was deployed as a chemical biology tool to determine whether Neisseria can bypass the inhibition of fatty acid synthesis by incorporating exogenous fatty acids. Neisseria encodes a functional FabI that was potently inhibited by AFN-1252. AFN-1252 caused a dose-dependent inhibition of fatty acid synthesis in growing Neisseria, a delayed inhibition of growth phenotype, and minimal inhibition of DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis, showing that its mode of action is through inhibiting fatty acid synthesis. Isotopic fatty acid labeling experiments showed that Neisseria encodes the ability to incorporate exogenous fatty acids into its phospholipids by an acyl-acyl carrier protein-dependent pathway. However, AFN-1252 remained an effective antibacterial when Neisseria were supplemented with exogenous fatty acids. These results demonstrate that extracellular fatty acids are activated by an acyl-acyl carrier protein synthetase (AasN) and validate type II fatty acid synthesis (FabI) as a therapeutic target against Neisseria. PMID:26567338

  17. 33 CFR 155.1052 - Response plan development and evaluation criteria for vessels carrying group V petroleum oil as a...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... evaluation criteria for vessels carrying group V petroleum oil as a primary cargo. 155.1052 Section 155.1052....1052 Response plan development and evaluation criteria for vessels carrying group V petroleum oil as a primary cargo. (a) Owners and operators of vessels that carry group V petroleum oil as a primary cargo...

  18. Multi-criteria group decision making for evaluating the performance of e-waste recycling programs under uncertainty.

    PubMed

    Wibowo, Santoso; Deng, Hepu

    2015-06-01

    This paper presents a multi-criteria group decision making approach for effectively evaluating the performance of e-waste recycling programs under uncertainty in an organization. Intuitionistic fuzzy numbers are used for adequately representing the subjective and imprecise assessments of the decision makers in evaluating the relative importance of evaluation criteria and the performance of individual e-waste recycling programs with respect to individual criteria in a given situation. An interactive fuzzy multi-criteria decision making algorithm is developed for facilitating consensus building in a group decision making environment to ensure that all the interest of individual decision makers have been appropriately considered in evaluating alternative e-waste recycling programs with respect to their corporate sustainability performance. The developed algorithm is then incorporated into a multi-criteria decision support system for making the overall performance evaluation process effectively and simple to use. Such a multi-criteria decision making system adequately provides organizations with a proactive mechanism for incorporating the concept of corporate sustainability into their regular planning decisions and business practices. An example is presented for demonstrating the applicability of the proposed approach in evaluating the performance of e-waste recycling programs in organizations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Stable expression and purification of a functional processed Fab' fragment from a single nascent polypeptide in CHO cells expressing the mCAT-1 retroviral receptor.

    PubMed

    Camper, Nicolas; Byrne, Teresa; Burden, Roberta E; Lowry, Jenny; Gray, Breena; Johnston, James A; Migaud, Marie E; Olwill, Shane A; Buick, Richard J; Scott, Christopher J

    2011-09-30

    Monoclonal antibodies and derivative formats such as Fab' fragments are used in a broad range of therapeutic, diagnostic and research applications. New systems and methodologies that can improve the production of these proteins are consequently of much interest. Here we present a novel approach for the rapid production of processed Fab' fragments in a CHO cell line that has been engineered to express the mouse cationic amino acid transporter receptor 1 (mCAT-1). This facilitated the introduction of the target antibody gene through retroviral transfection, rapidly producing stable expression. Using this system, we designed a single retroviral vector construct for the expression of a target Fab' fragment as a single polypeptide with a furin cleavage site and a FMDV 2A self-cleaving peptide introduced to bridge the light and truncated heavy chain regions. The introduction of these cleavage motifs ensured equimolar expression and processing of the heavy and light domains as exemplified by the production of an active chimeric Fab' fragment against the Fas receptor, routinely expressed in 1-2mg/L yield in spinner-flask cell cultures. These results demonstrate that this method could have application in the facile production of bioactive Fab' fragments. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Crystal structure of FabZ-ACP complex reveals a dynamic seesaw-like catalytic mechanism of dehydratase in fatty acid biosynthesis.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Lin; Xiao, Jianfeng; Xu, Jianrong; Fu, Tianran; Cao, Zhiwei; Zhu, Liang; Chen, Hong-Zhuan; Shen, Xu; Jiang, Hualiang; Zhang, Liang

    2016-12-01

    Fatty acid biosynthesis (FAS) is a vital process in cells. Fatty acids are essential for cell assembly and cellular metabolism. Abnormal FAS directly correlates with cell growth delay and human diseases, such as metabolic syndromes and various cancers. The FAS system utilizes an acyl carrier protein (ACP) as a transporter to stabilize and shuttle the growing fatty acid chain throughout enzymatic modules for stepwise catalysis. Studying the interactions between enzymatic modules and ACP is, therefore, critical for understanding the biological function of the FAS system. However, the information remains unclear due to the high flexibility of ACP and its weak interaction with enzymatic modules. We present here a 2.55 Å crystal structure of type II FAS dehydratase FabZ in complex with holo-ACP, which exhibits a highly symmetrical FabZ hexamer-ACP 3 stoichiometry with each ACP binding to a FabZ dimer subunit. Further structural analysis, together with biophysical and computational results, reveals a novel dynamic seesaw-like ACP binding and catalysis mechanism for the dehydratase module in the FAS system, which is regulated by a critical gatekeeper residue (Tyr100 in FabZ) that manipulates the movements of the β-sheet layer. These findings improve the general understanding of the dehydration process in the FAS system and will potentially facilitate drug and therapeutic design for diseases associated with abnormalities in FAS.

  1. Metabolic Flux Between Unsaturated and Saturated Fatty Acids is Controlled by the FabA:FabB Ratio in the Fully Reconstituted Fatty Acid Biosynthetic Pathway of E. coli#

    PubMed Central

    Xiao, Xirui; Yu, Xingye; Khosla, Chaitan

    2013-01-01

    The entire fatty acid biosynthetic pathway from Escherichia coli, starting from the acetyl-CoA carboxylase, has been reconstituted in vitro from fourteen purified protein components. Radiotracer analysis verified stoichiometric conversion of acetyl-CoA and NAD(P)H into the free fatty acid product, allowing implementation of a facile spectrophotometric assay for kinetic analysis of this multi-enzyme system. At steady state, a maximum turnover rate of 0.5 s−1 was achieved. Under optimal turnover conditions, the predominant products were C16 and C18 saturated as well as monounsaturated fatty acids. The reconstituted system allowed us to quantitatively interrogate the factors that influence metabolic flux toward unsaturated versus saturated fatty acids. In particular, the concentrations of the dehydratase FabA and the β-ketoacyl synthase FabB were found to be crucial for controlling this property. By altering these variables, the percentage of unsaturated fatty acid produced could be adjusted between 10 and 50% without significantly affecting the maximum turnover rate of the pathway. Our reconstituted system provides a powerful tool to understand and engineer rate-limiting and regulatory steps in this complex and practically significant metabolic pathway. PMID:24147979

  2. Aptamers, antibody scFv, and antibody Fab' fragments: An overview and comparison of three of the most versatile biosensor biorecognition elements.

    PubMed

    Crivianu-Gaita, Victor; Thompson, Michael

    2016-11-15

    The choice of biosensing elements is crucial for the development of the optimal biosensor. Three of the most versatile biosensing elements are antibody single-chain Fv fragments (scFv), antibody fragment-antigen binding (Fab') units, and aptamers. This article provides an overview of these three biorecognition elements with respects to their synthesis/engineering, various immobilization techniques, and examples of their use in biosensors. Furthermore, the final section of the review compares and contrasts their characteristics (time/cost of development, ease and variability of immobilization, affinity, stability) illustrating their advantages and disadvantages. Overall, scFv fragments are found to display the highest customizability (i.e. addition of functional groups, immobilizing peptides, etc.) due to recombinant synthesis techniques. If time and cost are an issue in the development of the biosensor, Fab' fragments should be chosen as they are relatively cheap and can be developed quickly from whole antibodies (several days). However, if there are sufficient funds and time is not a factor, aptamers should be utilized as they display the greatest affinity towards their target analytes and are extremely stable (excellent biosensor regenerability). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. PET imaging of osteosarcoma in dogs using a fluorine-18-labeled monoclonal antibody fab fragment

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Page, R.L.; Garg, P.K.; Gard, S.

    Four dogs with histologically confirmed osteogenic sarcoma were studied with PET following intravenous injection of the {sup 18}F-labeled Fab fragment of TP-3, a monoclonal antibody specific for human and canine osteosarcomas. The antibody fragment was labeled using the N-succinimidyl (8-(4{prime}-({sup 18}F)fluorobenzyl)amino)suberate acylation agent. Blood clearance of activity was biphasic in all dogs but half-times were variable (T{sub 1/2{beta}} = 2-13 hr). Catabolism of labeled Fab was reflected by the decrease in protein-associated activity in serum from more than 90% at 1 min to 60%-80% at 4 hr. PET images demonstrated increased accumulation of {sup 18}F at the primary tumor sitemore » relative to normal contralateral bone in one dog as early as 15 min after injection. Biopsies obtained after euthanasia indicated higher uptake at the edges of the tumor as observed on the PET scans. Tumor uptake was 1-3 x 10{sup -3}% injected dose/g, a level similar to that reported for other Fab fragments in human tumors. In the three dogs with metastatic disease, early PET images reflected activity in the blood pool but later uptake was observed in suspected metastatic sites. These results, although preliminary, suggest that PET imaging of {sup 18}F-labeled antibody fragments is feasible and that dogs with spontaneous tumors could be a valuable model for preclinical research with radioimmunoconjugates. 34 refs., 6 figs., 2 tabs.« less

  4. Discovery of a novel and potent class of F. tularensis enoyl-reductase (FabI) inhibitors by molecular shape and electrostatic matching

    PubMed Central

    Hevener, Kirk E.; Mehboob, Shahila; Su, Pin-Chih; Truong, Kent; Boci, Teuta; Deng, Jiangping; Ghassemi, Mahmood; Cook, James L.; Johnson, Michael E.

    2011-01-01

    Enoyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) reductase, FabI, is a key enzyme in the bacterial fatty acid biosynthesis pathway (FAS II). FabI is an NADH-dependent oxidoreductase that acts to reduce enoyl-ACP substrates in a final step of the pathway. The absence of this enzyme in humans makes it an attractive target for the development of new antibacterial agents. FabI is known to be unresponsive to structure-based design efforts due to a high degree of induced fit and a mobile flexible loop encompassing the active site. Here we discuss the development, validation, and careful application of a ligand-based virtual screen used for the identification of novel inhibitors of the Francisella tularensis FabI target. In this study, four known classes of FabI inhibitors were used as templates for virtual screens that involved molecular shape and electrostatic matching. The program ROCS was used to search a high-throughput screening library for compounds that matched any of the four molecular shape queries. Matching compounds were further refined using the program EON, which compares and scores compounds by matching electrostatic properties. Using these techniques, 50 compounds were selected, ordered, and tested. The tested compounds possessed novel chemical scaffolds when compared to the input query compounds. Several hits with low micromolar activity were identified and follow-up scaffold-based searches resulted in the identification of a lead series with sub-micromolar enzyme inhibition, high ligand efficiency, and a novel scaffold. Additionally, one of the most active compounds showed promising whole-cell antibacterial activity against several Gram-positive and Gram-negative species, including the target pathogen. The results of a preliminary structure-activity relationship analysis are presented. PMID:22098466

  5. Tumour detection and localization using 99Tcm-labelled OV-TL 3 Fab' in patients suspected of ovarian cancer.

    PubMed

    Tibben, J G; Massuger, L F; Claessens, R A; Schijf, C P; Pak, K Y; Strijk, S P; Kenemans, P; Corstens, F H

    1992-12-01

    Fab' fragments of the monoclonal antibody OV-TL 3, that recognizes an ovarian carcinoma-associated antigen (OA3), were labelled with 99Tcm using D-glucarate as a ligand. Twenty patients suspected of having primary or recurrent ovarian cancer received intravenously 1 mg of the Fab' labelled with 740 MBq 99Tcm. Both planar and single photon emission computed tomographic (SPECT) scintigraphy were performed up to 30 h after intravenous infusion. In 19 out of 20 patients surgical and histopathological evaluation was performed between 2 and 6 days postinfusion. Imaging results were compared with X-ray computed tomography (CT), ultrasonography (US) and CA 125 serum level. Blood clearance was fast with median t1/2 beta of 9.5 h. Thirty-seven per cent of the injected dose (% ID) was excreted in the urine within the first 24 h, whereas 7% ID was excreted in the 24 h faeces. In one patient with an OA3 negative ovarian carcinoma, radioimmunoscintigraphy (RIS) did not visualize the tumour. In two other patients a benign ovarian cyst was found, also showing no elevated uptake. In 13 out of 17 patients ovarian cancer lesions were detected with RIS, whereas CT and US detected lesions in, respectively, 15 and 12 patients. Of 36 surgically defined tumour deposits larger than 1 cm in diameter, 53% were detected and localized with RIS, whereas CT and US detected 61 and 40%, respectively. Radioimmunoscintigraphy with 99Tcm-OV-TL 3 Fab' is less distressing for the patients but the overall imaging performance is not improved when compared with 111In-OV-TL 3 F(ab')2.

  6. The R117A variant of the Escherichia coli transacylase FabD synthesizes novel acyl-(acyl carrier proteins).

    PubMed

    Marcella, Aaron M; Barb, Adam W

    2017-12-01

    The commercial impact of fermentation systems producing novel and biorenewable chemicals will flourish with the expansion of enzymes engineered to synthesize new molecules. Though a small degree of natural variability exists in fatty acid biosynthesis, the molecular space accessible through enzyme engineering is fundamentally limitless. Prokaryotic fatty acid biosynthesis enzymes build carbon chains on a functionalized acyl carrier protein (ACP) that provides solubility, stability, and a scaffold for interactions with the synthetic enzymes. Here, we identify the malonyl-coenzyme A (CoA)/holo-ACP transacylase (FabD) from Escherichia coli as a platform enzyme for engineering to diversify microbial fatty acid biosynthesis. The FabD R117A variant produced novel ACP-based primer and extender units for fatty acid biosynthesis. Unlike the wild-type enzyme that is highly specific for malonyl-CoA to produce malonyl-ACP, the R117A variant synthesized acetyl-ACP, succinyl-ACP, isobutyryl-ACP, 2-butenoyl-ACP, and β-hydroxybutyryl-ACP among others from holo-ACP and the corresponding acyl-CoAs with specific activities from 3.7 to 120 nmol min -1  mg -1 . FabD R117A maintained K M values for holo-ACP (~ 40 μM) and displayed small changes in K M for acetoacetyl-CoA (110 ± 30 μM) and acetyl-CoA (200 ± 70 μM) when compared to malonyl-CoA (80 ± 30 μM). FabD R117A represents a novel catalyst that synthesizes a broad range of acyl-acyl-ACPs.

  7. Anticomplementary activity of horse IgG and F(ab')2 antivenoms.

    PubMed

    Squaiella-Baptistão, Carla Cristina; Marcelino, José Roberto; Ribeiro da Cunha, Luiz Eduardo; Gutiérrez, José María; Tambourgi, Denise V

    2014-03-01

    Envenomation by poisonous animals is a neglected condition according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Antivenoms are included in the WHO Essential Medicines List. It has been assumed that immunoglobulin G (IgG) antivenoms could activate the complement system through Fc and induce early adverse reactions (EARs). However, data in the literature indicate that F(ab')2 fragments can also activate the complement system. Herein, we show that several batches of IgG and F(ab')2 antivenoms from the Butantan, Vital Brazil, and Clodomiro Picado Institutes activated the complement classical pathway and induced the production of C3a; however, only those antivenoms from Clodomiro Picado generated C5a. Different protein profiles (IgG heavy chain, protein contaminants, and aggregates) were observed by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and Western blot analyses. Our results show that various antivenoms from different producers are able to activate the classical pathway of the complement system and generate anaphylatoxins, and these findings suggest that factors, such as composition, contaminant proteins, and aggregates, may influence the anticomplementary activity of antivenoms in vitro. Therefore, there is a need to further improve antivenom production methods to reduce their anticomplementary activity and potential to cause EARs.

  8. A fully synthetic human Fab antibody library based on fixed VH/VL framework pairings with favorable biophysical properties

    PubMed Central

    Tiller, Thomas; Schuster, Ingrid; Deppe, Dorothée; Siegers, Katja; Strohner, Ralf; Herrmann, Tanja; Berenguer, Marion; Poujol, Dominique; Stehle, Jennifer; Stark, Yvonne; Heßling, Martin; Daubert, Daniela; Felderer, Karin; Kaden, Stefan; Kölln, Johanna; Enzelberger, Markus; Urlinger, Stefanie

    2013-01-01

    This report describes the design, generation and testing of Ylanthia, a fully synthetic human Fab antibody library with 1.3E+11 clones. Ylanthia comprises 36 fixed immunoglobulin (Ig) variable heavy (VH)/variable light (VL) chain pairs, which cover a broad range of canonical complementarity-determining region (CDR) structures. The variable Ig heavy and Ig light (VH/VL) chain pairs were selected for biophysical characteristics favorable to manufacturing and development. The selection process included multiple parameters, e.g., assessment of protein expression yield, thermal stability and aggregation propensity in fragment antigen binding (Fab) and IgG1 formats, and relative Fab display rate on phage. The framework regions are fixed and the diversified CDRs were designed based on a systematic analysis of a large set of rearranged human antibody sequences. Care was taken to minimize the occurrence of potential posttranslational modification sites within the CDRs. Phage selection was performed against various antigens and unique antibodies with excellent biophysical properties were isolated. Our results confirm that quality can be built into an antibody library by prudent selection of unmodified, fully human VH/VL pairs as scaffolds. PMID:23571156

  9. Matching the Decay Half-Life with the Biological Half-Life: ImmunoPET Imaging with 44Sc-Labeled Cetuximab Fab Fragment

    PubMed Central

    2015-01-01

    Scandium-44 (t1/2 = 3.9 h) is a relatively new radioisotope of potential interest for use in clinical positron emission tomography (PET). Herein, we report, for the first time, the room-temperature radiolabeling of proteins with 44Sc for in vivo PET imaging. For this purpose, the Fab fragment of Cetuximab, a monoclonal antibody that binds with high affinity to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), was generated and conjugated with N-[(R)-2-amino-3-(para-isothiocyanato-phenyl)propyl]-trans-(S,S)-cyclohexane-1,2-diamine-N,N,N′,N″,N″-pentaacetic acid (CHX-A″-DTPA). The high purity of Cetuximab-Fab was confirmed by SDS-PAGE and mass spectrometry. The potential of the bioconjugate for PET imaging of EGFR expression in human glioblastoma (U87MG) tumor-bearing mice was investigated after 44Sc labeling. PET imaging revealed rapid tumor uptake (maximum uptake of ∼12% ID/g at 4 h postinjection) of 44Sc–CHX-A″-DTPA–Cetuximab-Fab with excellent tumor-to-background ratio, which might allow for same day PET imaging in future clinical studies. Immunofluorescence staining was conducted to correlate tracer uptake in the tumor and normal tissues with EGFR expression. This successful strategy for immunoPET imaging of EGFR expression using 44Sc–CHX-A″-DTPA–Cetuximab-Fab can make clinically translatable advances to select the right population of patients for EGFR-targeted therapy and also to monitor the therapeutic efficacy of anti-EGFR treatments. PMID:25389697

  10. Automated reticle inspection data analysis for wafer fabs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Summers, Derek; Chen, Gong; Reese, Bryan; Hutchinson, Trent; Liesching, Marcus; Ying, Hai; Dover, Russell

    2008-10-01

    To minimize potential wafer yield loss due to mask defects, most wafer fabs implement some form of reticle inspection system to monitor photomask quality in high-volume wafer manufacturing environments. Traditionally, experienced operators review reticle defects found by an inspection tool and then manually classify each defect as 'pass, warn, or fail' based on its size and location. However, in the event reticle defects are suspected of causing repeating wafer defects on a completed wafer, potential defects on all associated reticles must be manually searched on a layer-by-layer basis in an effort to identify the reticle responsible for the wafer yield loss. This 'problem reticle' search process is a very tedious and time-consuming task and may cause extended manufacturing line-down situations. Often times, Process Engineers and other team members need to manually investigate several reticle inspection reports to determine if yield loss can be tied to a specific layer. Because of the very nature of this detailed work, calculation errors may occur resulting in an incorrect root cause analysis effort. These delays waste valuable resources that could be spent working on other more productive activities. This paper examines an automated software solution for converting KLA-Tencor reticle inspection defect maps into a format compatible with KLA-Tencor's Klarity DefecTM data analysis database. The objective is to use the graphical charting capabilities of Klarity Defect to reveal a clearer understanding of defect trends for individual reticle layers or entire mask sets. Automated analysis features include reticle defect count trend analysis and potentially stacking reticle defect maps for signature analysis against wafer inspection defect data. Other possible benefits include optimizing reticle inspection sample plans in an effort to support "lean manufacturing" initiatives for wafer fabs.

  11. Automated reticle inspection data analysis for wafer fabs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Summers, Derek; Chen, Gong; Reese, Bryan; Hutchinson, Trent; Liesching, Marcus; Ying, Hai; Dover, Russell

    2009-04-01

    To minimize potential wafer yield loss due to mask defects, most wafer fabs implement some form of reticle inspection system to monitor photomask quality in high-volume wafer manufacturing environments. Traditionally, experienced operators review reticle defects found by an inspection tool and then manually classify each defect as 'pass, warn, or fail' based on its size and location. However, in the event reticle defects are suspected of causing repeating wafer defects on a completed wafer, potential defects on all associated reticles must be manually searched on a layer-by-layer basis in an effort to identify the reticle responsible for the wafer yield loss. This 'problem reticle' search process is a very tedious and time-consuming task and may cause extended manufacturing line-down situations. Often times, Process Engineers and other team members need to manually investigate several reticle inspection reports to determine if yield loss can be tied to a specific layer. Because of the very nature of this detailed work, calculation errors may occur resulting in an incorrect root cause analysis effort. These delays waste valuable resources that could be spent working on other more productive activities. This paper examines an automated software solution for converting KLA-Tencor reticle inspection defect maps into a format compatible with KLA-Tencor's Klarity Defect(R) data analysis database. The objective is to use the graphical charting capabilities of Klarity Defect to reveal a clearer understanding of defect trends for individual reticle layers or entire mask sets. Automated analysis features include reticle defect count trend analysis and potentially stacking reticle defect maps for signature analysis against wafer inspection defect data. Other possible benefits include optimizing reticle inspection sample plans in an effort to support "lean manufacturing" initiatives for wafer fabs.

  12. Automated reticle inspection data analysis for wafer fabs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Summers, Derek; Chen, Gong; Reese, Bryan; Hutchinson, Trent; Liesching, Marcus; Ying, Hai; Dover, Russell

    2009-03-01

    To minimize potential wafer yield loss due to mask defects, most wafer fabs implement some form of reticle inspection system to monitor photomask quality in high-volume wafer manufacturing environments. Traditionally, experienced operators review reticle defects found by an inspection tool and then manually classify each defect as 'pass, warn, or fail' based on its size and location. However, in the event reticle defects are suspected of causing repeating wafer defects on a completed wafer, potential defects on all associated reticles must be manually searched on a layer-by-layer basis in an effort to identify the reticle responsible for the wafer yield loss. This 'problem reticle' search process is a very tedious and time-consuming task and may cause extended manufacturing line-down situations. Often times, Process Engineers and other team members need to manually investigate several reticle inspection reports to determine if yield loss can be tied to a specific layer. Because of the very nature of this detailed work, calculation errors may occur resulting in an incorrect root cause analysis effort. These delays waste valuable resources that could be spent working on other more productive activities. This paper examines an automated software solution for converting KLA-Tencor reticle inspection defect maps into a format compatible with KLA-Tencor's Klarity DefectTM data analysis database. The objective is to use the graphical charting capabilities of Klarity Defect to reveal a clearer understanding of defect trends for individual reticle layers or entire mask sets. Automated analysis features include reticle defect count trend analysis and potentially stacking reticle defect maps for signature analysis against wafer inspection defect data. Other possible benefits include optimizing reticle inspection sample plans in an effort to support "lean manufacturing" initiatives for wafer fabs.

  13. Structure of Mycobacterium tuberculosis mtFabD, a malonyl-CoA:acyl carrier protein transacylase (MCAT).

    PubMed

    Ghadbane, Hemza; Brown, Alistair K; Kremer, Laurent; Besra, Gurdyal S; Fütterer, Klaus

    2007-10-01

    Mycobacteria display a unique and unusual cell-wall architecture, central to which is the membrane-proximal mycolyl-arabinogalactan-peptidoglycan core (mAGP). The biosynthesis of mycolic acids, which form the outermost layer of the mAGP core, involves malonyl-CoA:acyl carrier protein transacylase (MCAT). This essential enzyme catalyses the transfer of malonyl from coenzyme A to acyl carrier protein AcpM, thus feeding these two-carbon units into the chain-elongation cycle of the type II fatty-acid synthase. The crystal structure of M. tuberculosis mtFabD, the mycobacterial MCAT, has been determined to 3.0 A resolution by multi-wavelength anomalous dispersion. Phasing was facilitated by Ni2+ ions bound to the 20-residue N-terminal affinity tag, which packed between the two independent copies of mtFabD.

  14. 64Cu-Labeled Trastuzumab Fab-PEG24-EGF Radioimmunoconjugates Bispecific for HER2 and EGFR: Pharmacokinetics, Biodistribution, and Tumor Imaging by PET in Comparison to Monospecific Agents.

    PubMed

    Kwon, Luke Yongkyu; Scollard, Deborah A; Reilly, Raymond M

    2017-02-06

    Heterodimerization of EGFR with HER2 coexpressed in breast cancer (BC) promotes tumor growth, and increased EGFR expression is associated with trastuzumab resistance. Our aim was to construct 64 Cu-labeled bispecific radioimmunoconjugates (bsRIC) composed of trastuzumab Fab, which binds HER2 linked through a polyethylene glycol (PEG 24 ) spacer to EGF, and to compare their pharmacokinetic, biodistribution, and tumor imaging characteristics by positron-emission tomography (PET). bsRICs were generated by linking maleimide modified trastuzumab Fab with thiolated EGF through a thioether bond. HER2 and EGFR binding were assessed in vitro in MDA-MB-231 (EGFR mod /HER2 low ), MDA-MB-468 (EGFR high /HER2 neg ), MDA-MB-231-H2N (EGFR mod /HER2 mod ), and SKOV3 (EGFR low /HER2 high ) cells by competition and saturation cell binding assays to estimate the dissociation constant (K d ). The elimination of the 64 Cu-NOTA-trastuzumab Fab-PEG 24 -EGF bsRICs from the blood of Balb/c mice was compared to monospecific 64 Cu-NOTA-trastuzumab Fab and 64 Cu-NOTA-EGF. MicroPET/CT imaging was performed in NOD/SCID mice bearing subcutaneous MDA-MB-468, MDA-MB-231/H2N, or SKOV3 human BC xenografts at 24 and 48 h postinjection (p.i.) of bsRICs. Tumor and normal tissue uptake were quantified by biodistribution studies and compared to monospecific agents. The binding of bsRICs to MDA-MB-231 cells was decreased to 24.5 ± 5.2% by excess EGF, while the binding of bsRICs to SKOV3 cells was decreased to 38.6 ± 5.4% by excess trastuzumab Fab, demonstrating specific binding to both EGFR and HER2. 64 Cu-labeled bsRICs incorporating the PEG 24 spacer were eliminated more slowly from the blood than 64 Cu-bsRICs without the PEG spacer and were cleared much more slowly than 64 Cu-NOTA-Fab or 64 Cu-NOTA-EGF. All three tumor xenografts were visualized by microPET/CT at 24 and 48 h p.i. of bsRICs. Biodistribution studies at 48 h p.i. in NOD/SCID mice with MDA-MB-231/H2N tumors demonstrated significantly

  15. Treatment of chronically digoxin-poisoned patients with a newer digoxin immune fab--a retrospective study.

    PubMed

    Schaeffer, Tammi H; Mlynarchek, Sara L; Stanford, Christopher F; Delgado, João; Holstege, Christopher P; Olsen, Dean; Bogdan, Gregory M

    2010-10-01

    Digoxin is used in the treatment of patients with cardiac dysfunction, though toxicity sometimes results from the use of this medication. In 1986, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a digoxin immune Fab for the treatment of such patients. In 2001, the FDA approved a newer digoxin immune Fab, a digoxin-specific antibody (DSAb) known as DigiFab (Protherics Inc, Brentwood, Tennessee), though minimal literature exists on the clinical effects of this DSAb. To characterize a cohort of patients presenting with chronic digoxin toxicity and to describe the clinical course of these patients with the use of DSAb. A retrospective study included patients with life-threatening cardiotoxicity and serum digoxin level greater than 2 ng/mL who were treated at two US hospitals from 2003 to 2006. Trained investigators abstracted data from patients' medical records and assessed changes in clinical and laboratory parameters at regular intervals (0-4, >4-12, >12-24, and >24-72 hours) after treatment with DSAb. An expert panel reviewed electrocardiogram results to identify life-threatening manifestations of digoxin toxicity before and after DSAb treatment. Efficacy of treatment was assessed as rates of improvement in clinical parameters and cardiotoxic effects. Rates of adverse drug reactions were used to characterize safety. All data were analyzed with descriptive statistics. Fourteen patients (mean [SD] age, 71.3 [10.4] years) were treated for chronic digoxin toxicity. At presentation, 12 patients had a heart rate of less than 45 beats per minute, 1 had third-degree heart block, and 1 had asystole. Mean serum digoxin level was 3.6 ng/mL. Eleven patients had abnormal renal function. After administration of DSAb, clinical parameters improved in all patients. Within 24 hours, cardiotoxicity resolved in 7 of 9 evaluable patients. Two adverse drug reactions possibly related to DigiFab occurred, both of which resolved with conventional measures. Two patients died from

  16. Impact of FAB classification on predicting outcome in acute myeloid leukemia, not otherwise specified, patients undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplantation in CR1: An analysis of 1690 patients from the acute leukemia working party of EBMT.

    PubMed

    Canaani, Jonathan; Beohou, Eric; Labopin, Myriam; Socié, Gerard; Huynh, Anne; Volin, Liisa; Cornelissen, Jan; Milpied, Noel; Gedde-Dahl, Tobias; Deconinck, Eric; Fegueux, Nathalie; Blaise, Didier; Mohty, Mohamad; Nagler, Arnon

    2017-04-01

    The French, American, and British (FAB) classification system for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is extensively used and is incorporated into the AML, not otherwise specified (NOS) category in the 2016 WHO edition of myeloid neoplasm classification. While recent data proposes that FAB classification does not provide additional prognostic information for patients for whom NPM1 status is available, it is unknown whether FAB still retains a current prognostic role in predicting outcome of AML patients undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Using the European Society of Blood and Bone Marrow Transplantation registry we analyzed outcome of 1690 patients transplanted in CR1 to determine if FAB classification provides additional prognostic value. Multivariate analysis revealed that M6/M7 patients had decreased leukemia free survival (hazard ratio (HR) of 1.41, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.01-1.99; P = .046) in addition to increased nonrelapse mortality (NRM) rates (HR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.06-3.01; P = .028) compared with other FAB types. In the NPM1 wt AML, NOS cohort, FAB M6/M7 was also associated with increased NRM (HR, 2.17; 95% CI, 1.14-4.16; P = .019). Finally, in FLT3-ITD + patients, multivariate analyses revealed that specific FAB types were tightly associated with adverse outcome. In conclusion, FAB classification may predict outcome following transplantation in AML, NOS patients. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  17. The Fab1/PIKfyve phosphoinositide phosphate kinase is not necessary to maintain the pH of lysosomes and of the yeast vacuole.

    PubMed

    Ho, Cheuk Y; Choy, Christopher H; Wattson, Christina A; Johnson, Danielle E; Botelho, Roberto J

    2015-04-10

    Lysosomes and the yeast vacuole are degradative and acidic organelles. Phosphatidylinositol 3,5-bisphosphate (PtdIns(3,5)P2), a master architect of endolysosome and vacuole identity, is thought to be necessary for vacuolar acidification in yeast. There is also evidence that PtdIns(3,5)P2 may play a role in lysosomal acidification in higher eukaryotes. Nevertheless, these conclusions rely on qualitative assays of lysosome/vacuole pH. For example, quinacrine, an acidotropic fluorescent base, does not accumulate in the vacuoles of fab1Δ yeast. Fab1, along with its mammalian ortholog PIKfyve, is the lipid kinase responsible for synthesizing PtdIns(3,5)P2. In this study, we employed several assays that quantitatively assessed the lysosomal and vacuolar pH in PtdIns(3,5)P2-depleted cells. Using ratiometric imaging, we conclude that lysosomes retain a pH < 5 in PIKfyve-inhibited mammalian cells. In addition, quantitative fluorescence microscopy of vacuole-targeted pHluorin, a pH-sensitive GFP variant, indicates that fab1Δ vacuoles are as acidic as wild-type yeast. Importantly, we also employed fluorimetry of vacuoles loaded with cDCFDA, a pH-sensitive dye, to show that both wild-type and fab1Δ vacuoles have a pH < 5.0. In comparison, the vacuolar pH of the V-ATPase mutant vph1Δ or vph1Δ fab1Δ double mutant was 6.1. Although the steady-state vacuolar pH is not affected by PtdIns(3,5)P2 depletion, it may have a role in stabilizing the vacuolar pH during salt shock. Overall, we propose a model in which PtdIns(3,5)P2 does not govern the steady-state pH of vacuoles or lysosomes. © 2015 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  18. The Fab1/PIKfyve Phosphoinositide Phosphate Kinase Is Not Necessary to Maintain the pH of Lysosomes and of the Yeast Vacuole*

    PubMed Central

    Ho, Cheuk Y.; Choy, Christopher H.; Wattson, Christina A.; Johnson, Danielle E.; Botelho, Roberto J.

    2015-01-01

    Lysosomes and the yeast vacuole are degradative and acidic organelles. Phosphatidylinositol 3,5-bisphosphate (PtdIns(3,5)P2), a master architect of endolysosome and vacuole identity, is thought to be necessary for vacuolar acidification in yeast. There is also evidence that PtdIns(3,5)P2 may play a role in lysosomal acidification in higher eukaryotes. Nevertheless, these conclusions rely on qualitative assays of lysosome/vacuole pH. For example, quinacrine, an acidotropic fluorescent base, does not accumulate in the vacuoles of fab1Δ yeast. Fab1, along with its mammalian ortholog PIKfyve, is the lipid kinase responsible for synthesizing PtdIns(3,5)P2. In this study, we employed several assays that quantitatively assessed the lysosomal and vacuolar pH in PtdIns(3,5)P2-depleted cells. Using ratiometric imaging, we conclude that lysosomes retain a pH < 5 in PIKfyve-inhibited mammalian cells. In addition, quantitative fluorescence microscopy of vacuole-targeted pHluorin, a pH-sensitive GFP variant, indicates that fab1Δ vacuoles are as acidic as wild-type yeast. Importantly, we also employed fluorimetry of vacuoles loaded with cDCFDA, a pH-sensitive dye, to show that both wild-type and fab1Δ vacuoles have a pH < 5.0. In comparison, the vacuolar pH of the V-ATPase mutant vph1Δ or vph1Δ fab1Δ double mutant was 6.1. Although the steady-state vacuolar pH is not affected by PtdIns(3,5)P2 depletion, it may have a role in stabilizing the vacuolar pH during salt shock. Overall, we propose a model in which PtdIns(3,5)P2 does not govern the steady-state pH of vacuoles or lysosomes. PMID:25713145

  19. Evaluating Thermodynamic Integration Performance of the New Amber Molecular Dynamics Package and Assess Potential Halogen Bonds of Enoyl-ACP Reductase (FabI) Benzimidazole Inhibitors

    PubMed Central

    Su, Pin-Chih; Johnson, Michael E.

    2015-01-01

    Thermodynamic integration (TI) can provide accurate binding free energy insights in a lead optimization program, but its high computational expense has limited its usage. In the effort of developing an efficient and accurate TI protocol for FabI inhibitors lead optimization program, we carefully compared TI with different Amber molecular dynamics (MD) engines (sander and pmemd), MD simulation lengths, the number of intermediate states and transformation steps, and the Lennard-Jones and Coulomb Softcore potentials parameters in the one-step TI, using eleven benzimidazole inhibitors in complex with Francisella tularensis enoyl acyl reductase (FtFabI). To our knowledge, this is the first study to extensively test the new AMBER MD engine, pmemd, on TI and compare the parameters of the Softcore potentials in the one-step TI in a protein-ligand binding system. The best performing model, the one-step pmemd TI, using 6 intermediate states and 1 ns MD simulations, provides better agreement with experimental results (RMSD = 0.52 kcal/mol) than the best performing implicit solvent method, QM/MM-GBSA from our previous study (RMSD = 3.00 kcal/mol), while maintaining similar efficiency. Briefly, we show the optimized TI protocol to be highly accurate and affordable for the FtFabI system. This approach can be implemented in a larger scale benzimidazole scaffold lead optimization against FtFabI. Lastly, the TI results here also provide structure-activity relationship insights, and suggest the para-halogen in benzimidazole compounds might form a weak halogen bond with FabI, which is a well-known halogen bond favoring enzyme. PMID:26666582

  20. Induced simplified neutrosophic correlated aggregation operators for multi-criteria group decision-making

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Şahin, Rıdvan; Zhang, Hong-yu

    2018-03-01

    Induced Choquet integral is a powerful tool to deal with imprecise or uncertain nature. This study proposes a combination process of the induced Choquet integral and neutrosophic information. We first give the operational properties of simplified neutrosophic numbers (SNNs). Then, we develop some new information aggregation operators, including an induced simplified neutrosophic correlated averaging (I-SNCA) operator and an induced simplified neutrosophic correlated geometric (I-SNCG) operator. These operators not only consider the importance of elements or their ordered positions, but also take into account the interactions phenomena among decision criteria or their ordered positions under multiple decision-makers. Moreover, we present a detailed analysis of I-SNCA and I-SNCG operators, including the properties of idempotency, commutativity and monotonicity, and study the relationships among the proposed operators and existing simplified neutrosophic aggregation operators. In order to handle the multi-criteria group decision-making (MCGDM) situations where the weights of criteria and decision-makers usually correlative and the criterion values are considered as SNNs, an approach is established based on I-SNCA operator. Finally, a numerical example is presented to demonstrate the proposed approach and to verify its effectiveness and practicality.

  1. Matching the decay half-life with the biological half-life: ImmunoPET imaging with 44 Sc-labeled Cetuximab Fab fragment

    DOE PAGES

    Chakravarty, Rubel; Goel, Shreya; Valdovinos, Hector F.; ...

    2014-11-11

    Scandium-44 (t 1/2 = 3.9 h) is a relatively new radioisotope of potential interest for use in clinical positron emission tomography (PET). Herein, we report, for the first time, the room-temperature radiolabeling of proteins with 44Sc for in vivo PET imaging. For this purpose, the Fab fragment of Cetuximab, a monoclonal antibody that binds with high affinity to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), was generated and conjugated with N-[(R)-2-amino-3-( para-isothiocyanato-phenyl)propyl]- trans-(S,S)-cyclohexane-1,2-diamine- N,N,N',N'',N''-pentaacetic acid (CHX-A"-DTPA). The high purity of Cetuximab-Fab was confirmed by SDS-PAGE and mass spectrometry. The potential of the bioconjugate for PET imaging of EGFR expression in human glioblastomamore » (U87MG) tumor-bearing mice was investigated after 44Sc labeling. PET imaging revealed rapid tumor uptake (maximum uptake of ~12% ID/g at 4 h postinjection) of 44Sc–CHX-A"-DTPA–Cetuximab-Fab with excellent tumor-to-background ratio, which might allow for same day PET imaging in future clinical studies. Immunofluorescence staining was conducted to correlate tracer uptake in the tumor and normal tissues with EGFR expression. As a result, this successful strategy for immunoPET imaging of EGFR expression using 44Sc–CHX-''-DTPA–Cetuximab-Fab can make clinically translatable advances to select the right population of patients for EGFR-targeted therapy and also to monitor the therapeutic efficacy of anti-EGFR treatments.« less

  2. The role of the PI(3,5)P2 kinase TbFab1 in endo/lysosomal trafficking in Trypanosoma brucei.

    PubMed

    Gilden, Julia K; Umaer, Khan; Kruzel, Emilia K; Hecht, Oliver; Correa, Renan O; Mansfield, John M; Bangs, James D

    2017-06-01

    Protein trafficking through endo/lysosomal compartments is critically important to the biology of the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei, but the routes material may take to the lysosome, as well as the molecular factors regulating those routes, remain incompletely understood. Phosphoinositides are signaling phospholipids that regulate many trafficking events by recruiting specific effector proteins to discrete membrane subdomains. In this study, we investigate the role of one phosphoinositide, PI(3,5)P 2 in T. brucei. We find a low steady state level of PI(3,5)P 2 in bloodstream form parasites comparable to that of other organisms. RNAi knockdown of the putative PI(3)P-5 kinase TbFab1 decreases the PI(3,5)P 2 pool leading to rapid cell death. TbFab1 and PI(3,5)P 2 both localize strongly to late endo/lysosomes. While most trafficking functions were intact in TbFab1 deficient cells, including both endocytic and biosynthetic trafficking to the lysosome, lysosomal turnover of an endogenous ubiquitinylated membrane protein, ISG65, was completely blocked suggesting that TbFab1 plays a role in the ESCRT-mediated late endosomal/multivesicular body degradative pathways. Knockdown of a second component of PI(3,5)P 2 metabolism, the PI(3,5)P 2 phosphatase TbFig4, also resulted in delayed turnover of ISG65. Together, these results demonstrate an essential role for PI(3,5)P 2 in the turnover of ubiquitinylated membrane proteins and in trypanosome endomembrane biology. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. A randomized multicenter trial of Crotalidae polyvalent immune F(ab) antivenom for the treatment of rattlesnake envenomation in dogs.

    PubMed

    Peterson, Michael E; Matz, Michael; Seibold, Karen; Plunkett, Signe; Johnson, Scott; Fitzgerald, Kevin

    2011-08-01

    To determine clinical efficacy of the Crotalidae polyvalent immune F(ab) (ovine) antivenom (OPCA) against progressive crotalid envenomation in the dog as reflected in stabilization or improvement of snakebite severity scores (SSS). Additionally, due to the potential decreased half-life of the F(ab) antibodies in dogs we compared SSS between dogs receiving 2 different dosing regimes. Prospective, clinical trial. Five veterinary emergency and critical care facilities. One hundred and fifteen client-owned Crotalid (rattlesnake) snake bitten dogs in whom worsening of the envenomation syndrome was observed before OPCA treatment. In a multicenter randomized clinical trial a single dose (1 vial) of OPCA alone was compared with 2 doses (1/2 vial each) administered 6 hours apart. Standard supportive care was provided in all cases. Data were available for 115 patients, 9 of which were fatalities. All patients' clinical condition was documented with a standardized SSS system accounting for each major body system. Each fatality received maximum severity scores of 20. The mean severity score of the 115 patients decreased from 4.19 to 3.29 points and there was no difference between the 2 treatment groups. The mean severity score of the 107 patients without fatalities decreased from 4.16 to 2.15. Antivenin-related acute reactions occurred in 6 dogs (6%), and no serum sickness occurred within the 95 cases contacted at the 2-week posttreatment follow-up. In the first randomized trial in dogs of antivenin in the United States, OPCA effectively stabilized or terminated venom effects. There were no statistical differences detected between treatment groups within the study time frame. © Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society 2011.

  4. Dissection of epitope-specific mechanisms of neutralization of influenza virus by intact IgG and Fab fragments.

    PubMed

    Williams, James A; Gui, Long; Hom, Nancy; Mileant, Alexander; Lee, Kelly K

    2017-12-20

    The neutralizing antibody (nAb) response against the influenza virus's hemagglutinin (HA) fusion glycoprotein is important for preventing viral infection, but we lack a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms by which these antibodies act. Here we investigated the effect of nAb binding and the role of IgG bivalency on inhibition of HA function for nAbs targeting distinct HA epitopes. HC19 targets the receptor-binding pocket at HA's distal end, while FI6v3 binds primarily to the HA2 fusion subunit towards the base of the stalk. Surprisingly, HC19 inhibited HA's ability to induce lipid mixing by preventing structural rearrangement of HA under fusion activating conditions. These results suggest that nAbs such as HC19 not only act by blocking receptor binding, but also inhibit key late-stage HA conformational changes required for fusion. Intact HC19 IgG was also shown to crosslink separate virus particles, burying large proportions of HA within aggregates where they are blocked from interacting with target membranes; Fabs yielded no such aggregation and displayed weaker neutralization than IgG, emphasizing the impact of bivalency on the ability to neutralize virus. In contrast, the stem-targeting nAb FI6v3 did not aggregate particles. The Fab was significantly less effective than IgG in preventing both membrane disruption and fusion. We infer that inter-spike crosslinking within a given particle by FI6v3 IgG may be critical to its potent neutralization, as no significant neutralization occurred with Fabs. These results demonstrate that IgG bivalency enhances HA inhibition through functionally important modes not evident in pared down Fab-soluble HA structures. IMPORTANCE The influenza virus's hemagglutinin (HA) fusion glycoprotein mediates entry into target cells and is the primary antigenic target of neutralizing antibodies (nAbs). Our current structural understanding of mechanisms of Ab-mediated neutralization largely relies on high resolution characterization

  5. Molecular dynamics and docking simulations as a proof of high flexibility in E. coli FabH and its relevance for accurate inhibitor modeling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pérez-Castillo, Yunierkis; Froeyen, Matheus; Cabrera-Pérez, Miguel Ángel; Nowé, Ann

    2011-04-01

    Bacterial β-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein synthase III (FabH) has become an attractive target for the development of new antibacterial agents which can overcome the increased resistance of these pathogens to antibiotics in clinical use. Despite several efforts have been dedicated to find inhibitors for this enzyme, it is not a straightforward task, mainly due its high flexibility which makes difficult the structure-based design of FabH inhibitors. Here, we present for the first time a Molecular Dynamics (MD) study of the E. colil FabH enzyme to explore its conformational space. We compare the flexibility of this enzyme for the unliganded protein and an enzyme-inhibitor complex and find a correspondence between our modeling results and the experimental evidence previously reported for this enzyme. Furthermore, through a 100 ns MD simulation of the unliganded enzyme we extract useful information related to the concerted motions that take place along the principal components of displacement. We also establish a relation between the presence of water molecules in the oxyanion hole with the conformational stability of structural important loops. Representative conformations of the binding pocket along the whole trajectory of the unliganded protein are selected through cluster analysis and we find that they contain a conformational diversity which is not provided by the X-ray structures of ecFabH. As a proof of this last hypothesis, we use a set of 10 FabH inhibitors and show that they cannot be correctly modeled in any available X-ray structure, while by using our set of conformations extracted from the MD simulations, this task can be accomplish. Finally, we show the ability of short MD simulations for the refinement of the docking binding poses and for MM-PBSA calculations to predict stable protein-inhibitor complexes in this enzyme.

  6. Evaluating thermodynamic integration performance of the new amber molecular dynamics package and assess potential halogen bonds of enoyl-ACP reductase (FabI) benzimidazole inhibitors.

    PubMed

    Su, Pin-Chih; Johnson, Michael E

    2016-04-05

    Thermodynamic integration (TI) can provide accurate binding free energy insights in a lead optimization program, but its high computational expense has limited its usage. In the effort of developing an efficient and accurate TI protocol for FabI inhibitors lead optimization program, we carefully compared TI with different Amber molecular dynamics (MD) engines (sander and pmemd), MD simulation lengths, the number of intermediate states and transformation steps, and the Lennard-Jones and Coulomb Softcore potentials parameters in the one-step TI, using eleven benzimidazole inhibitors in complex with Francisella tularensis enoyl acyl reductase (FtFabI). To our knowledge, this is the first study to extensively test the new AMBER MD engine, pmemd, on TI and compare the parameters of the Softcore potentials in the one-step TI in a protein-ligand binding system. The best performing model, the one-step pmemd TI, using 6 intermediate states and 1 ns MD simulations, provides better agreement with experimental results (RMSD = 0.52 kcal/mol) than the best performing implicit solvent method, QM/MM-GBSA from our previous study (RMSD = 3.00 kcal/mol), while maintaining similar efficiency. Briefly, we show the optimized TI protocol to be highly accurate and affordable for the FtFabI system. This approach can be implemented in a larger scale benzimidazole scaffold lead optimization against FtFabI. Lastly, the TI results here also provide structure-activity relationship insights, and suggest the parahalogen in benzimidazole compounds might form a weak halogen bond with FabI, which is a well-known halogen bond favoring enzyme. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. Investigation on the suitability of the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Group diagnostic criteria for gestational diabetes mellitus in China.

    PubMed

    Shang, M; Lin, L; Ma, L; Yin, L

    2014-02-01

    The aim of this study was to compare pregnancy outcomes of Chinese women diagnosed with gestational hyperglycaemia by the well-established American Diabetes Association (ADA) criteria, with those women meeting the newer criteria established by International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups (IADPSG). The study subjects consisted of 6,201 pregnant Chinese women with a singleton pregnancy who had received prenatal care and delivered between December 2008 and December 2011. Women who were screened positive with 1 h glucose load of ≥ 7.8 mmol/l underwent a diagnostic 3 h oral glucose tolerance test. Gestational hyperglycaemia was diagnosed using the ADA criteria and re-diagnosed according to the IADPSG criteria. The correlation between the incidences of adverse pregnant outcomes with gestational hyperglycaemia was analysed. In total, 570 patients (9.19% of 6,201) met the ADA criteria and 676 (10.90% of 6,201) met the IADPSG criteria. The 518 patients who met both standards showed a reduced caesarean section rate, as compared with 158 patients who only met the IADPSG standard and received no intervention (71.2% vs 79.7%, p < 0.05). The IADPSG-only group also had a higher rate of macrosomia and pre-eclampsia than the control group. The IADPSG criteria identified a group of women previously classified as normal according to the ADA criteria, but revealing poor pregnancy outcomes and requiring management. Therefore, we conclude that the IADPSG criteria are more suitable for the diagnosis of gestational hyperglycaemia in China.

  8. Charge-mediated Fab-Fc interactions in an IgG1 antibody induce reversible self-association, cluster formation, and elevated viscosity.

    PubMed

    Arora, Jayant; Hu, Yue; Esfandiary, Reza; Sathish, Hasige A; Bishop, Steven M; Joshi, Sangeeta B; Middaugh, C Russell; Volkin, David B; Weis, David D

    Concentration-dependent reversible self-association (RSA) of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) poses a challenge to their pharmaceutical development as viable candidates for subcutaneous delivery. While the role of the antigen-binding fragment (Fab) in initiating RSA is well-established, little evidence supports the involvement of the crystallizable fragment (Fc). In this report, a variety of biophysical tools, including hydrogen exchange mass spectrometry, are used to elucidate the protein interface of such non-covalent protein-protein interactions. Using dynamic and static light scattering combined with viscosity measurements, we find that an IgG1 mAb (mAb-J) undergoes RSA primarily through electrostatic interactions and forms a monomer-dimer-tetramer equilibrium. We provide the first direct experimental mapping of the interface formed between the Fab and Fc domains of an antibody at high protein concentrations. Charge distribution heterogeneity between the positively charged interface spanning complementarity-determining regions CDR3H and CDR2L in the Fab and a negatively charged region in C H 3/Fc domain mediates the RSA of mAb-J. When arginine and NaCl are added, they disrupt RSA of mAb-J and decrease the solution viscosity. Fab-Fc domain interactions between mAb monomers may promote the formation of large transient antibody complexes that ultimately cause increases in solution viscosity. Our findings illustrate how limited specific arrangements of amino-acid residues can cause mAbs to undergo RSA at high protein concentrations and how conserved regions in the Fc portion of the antibody can also play an important role in initiating weak and transient protein-protein interactions.

  9. Applying voting theory in natural resource management: a case of multiple-criteria group decision support.

    PubMed

    Laukkanen, Sanna; Kangas, Annika; Kangas, Jyrki

    2002-02-01

    Voting theory has a lot in common with utility theory, and especially with group decision-making. An expected-utility-maximising strategy exists in voting situations, as well as in decision-making situations. Therefore, it is natural to utilise the achievements of voting theory also in group decision-making. Most voting systems are based on a single criterion or holistic preference information on decision alternatives. However, a voting scheme called multicriteria approval is specially developed for decision-making situations with multiple criteria. This study considers the voting theory from the group decision support point of view and compares it with some other methods applied to similar purposes in natural resource management. A case study is presented, where the approval voting approach is introduced to natural resources planning and tested in a forestry group decision-making process. Applying multicriteria approval method was found to be a potential approach for handling some challenges typical for forestry group decision support. These challenges include (i) utilising ordinal information in the evaluation of decision alternatives, (ii) being readily understandable for and treating equally all the stakeholders in possession of different levels of knowledge on the subject considered, (iii) fast and cheap acquisition of preference information from several stakeholders, and (iv) dealing with multiple criteria.

  10. Slow-Onset Inhibition of the FabI Enoyl Reductase from Francisella Tularensis: Residence Time and In Vivo Activity

    PubMed Central

    Lu, Hao; England, Kathleen; Ende, Christopher am; Truglio, James J.; Luckner, Sylvia; Reddy, B. Gopal; Marlenee, Nikki; Knudson, Susan E.; Knudson, Dennis L.; Bowen, Richard A.; Kisker, Caroline; Slayden, Richard A.; Tonge, Peter J.

    2009-01-01

    Francisella tularensis is a highly virulent and contagious gram-negative intracellular bacterium that causes the disease tularemia in mammals. The high infectivity and the ability of the bacterium to survive for weeks in a cool, moist environment have raised the possibility that this organism could be exploited deliberately as a potential biological weapon. Fatty acid biosynthesis (FAS-II) is essential for bacterial viability and has been validated as a target for the discovery of novel antibacterials. The FAS-II enoyl reductase ftuFabI has been cloned and expressed, and a series of diphenyl ethers have been identified that are subnanomolar inhibitors of the enzyme with MIC90 values as low as 0.00018 μg/ml. The existence of a linear correlation between the Ki and MIC values strongly suggests that the antibacterial activity of the diphenyl ethers results from direct inhibition of ftuFabI within the cell. The compounds are slow onset inhibitors of ftuFabI, and the residence time of the inhibitors on the enzyme correlates with their in vivo activity in a mouse model of tularemia infection. Significantly, the rate of breakdown of the enzyme-inhibitor complex is a better predictor of in vivo activity than the overall thermodynamic stability of the complex, a concept that has important implications for the discovery of novel chemotherapeutics that normally rely on equilibrium measurements of potency. PMID:19206187

  11. The Response Regulator YycF Inhibits Expression of the Fatty Acid Biosynthesis Repressor FabT in Streptococcus pneumoniae

    PubMed Central

    Mohedano, Maria L.; Amblar, Mónica; de la Fuente, Alicia; Wells, Jerry M.; López, Paloma

    2016-01-01

    The YycFG (also known as WalRK, VicRK, MicAB, or TCS02) two-component system (TCS) is highly conserved among Gram-positive bacteria with a low G+C content. In Streptococcus pneumoniae the YycF response regulator has been reported to be essential due to its control of pcsB gene expression. Previously we showed that overexpression of yycF in S. pneumoniae TIGR4 altered the transcription of genes involved in cell wall metabolism and fatty acid biosynthesis, giving rise to anomalous cell division and increased chain length of membrane fatty acids. Here, we have overexpressed the yycFG system in TIGR4 wild-type strain and yycF in a TIGR4 mutant depleted of YycG, and analyzed their effects on expression of proteins involved in fatty acid biosynthesis during activation of the TCS. We demonstrate that transcription of the fab genes and levels of their products were only altered in the YycF overexpressing strain, indicating that the unphosphorylated form of YycF is involved in the regulation of fatty acid biosynthesis. In addition, DNA-binding assays and in vitro transcription experiments with purified YycF and the promoter region of the FabTH-acp operon support a direct inhibition of transcription of the FabT repressor by YycF, thus confirming the role of the unphosphorylated form in transcriptional regulation. PMID:27610104

  12. Dual Constant Domain-Fab: A novel strategy to improve half-life and potency of a Met therapeutic antibody.

    PubMed

    Cignetto, Simona; Modica, Chiara; Chiriaco, Cristina; Fontani, Lara; Milla, Paola; Michieli, Paolo; Comoglio, Paolo M; Vigna, Elisa

    2016-06-01

    The kinase receptor encoded by the Met oncogene is a sensible target for cancer therapy. The chimeric monovalent Fab fragment of the DN30 monoclonal antibody (MvDN30) has an odd mechanism of action, based on cell surface removal of Met via activation of specific plasma membrane proteases. However, the short half-life of the Fab, due to its low molecular weight, is a severe limitation for the deployment in therapy. This issue was addressed by increasing the Fab molecular weight above the glomerular filtration threshold through the duplication of the constant domains, in tandem (DCD-1) or reciprocally swapped (DCD-2). The two newly engineered molecules showed biochemical properties comparable to the original MvDN30 in vitro, acting as full Met antagonists, impairing Met phosphorylation and activation of downstream signaling pathways. As a consequence, Met-mediated biological responses were inhibited, including anchorage-dependent and -independent cell growth. In vivo DCD-1 and DCD-2 showed a pharmacokinetic profile significantly improved over the original MvDN30, doubling the circulating half-life and reducing the clearance. In pre-clinical models of cancer, generated by injection of tumor cells or implant of patient-derived samples, systemic administration of the engineered molecules inhibited the growth of Met-addicted tumors. Copyright © 2016 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Minority Group Status and Bias in College Admissions Criteria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Silverman, Bernie I.; And Others

    1976-01-01

    Cleary's and Thorndike's definition of bias in college admissions criteria (ACT scores and high school percentile rank) were examined for black, white, and Jewish students. Use of the admissions criteria tended to overpredict blacks' performance, accurately predict whites' performance, and underpredict that of Jews. In light of Cleary's…

  14. Bacterial production and structure-functional validation of a recombinant antigen-binding fragment (Fab) of an anti-cancer therapeutic antibody targeting epidermal growth factor receptor.

    PubMed

    Kim, Ji-Hun; Sim, Dae-Won; Park, Dongsun; Jung, Tai-Geun; Lee, Seonghwan; Oh, Taeheun; Ha, Jong-Ryul; Seok, Seung-Hyeon; Seo, Min-Duk; Kang, Ho Chul; Kim, Young Pil; Won, Hyung-Sik

    2016-12-01

    Fragment engineering of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) has emerged as an excellent paradigm to develop highly efficient therapeutic and/or diagnostic agents. Engineered mAb fragments can be economically produced in bacterial systems using recombinant DNA technologies. In this work, we established recombinant production in Escherichia coli for monovalent antigen-binding fragment (Fab) adopted from a clinically used anticancer mAB drug cetuximab targeting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Recombinant DNA constructs were designed to express both polypeptide chains comprising Fab in a single vector and to secrete them to bacterial periplasmic space for efficient folding. Particularly, a C-terminal engineering to confer an interchain disulfide bond appeared to be able to enhance its heterodimeric integrity and EGFR-binding activity. Conformational relevance of the purified final product was validated by mass spectrometry and crystal structure at 1.9 Å resolution. Finally, our recombinant cetuximab-Fab was found to have strong binding affinity to EGFR overexpressed in human squamous carcinoma model (A431) cells. Its binding ability was comparable to that of cetuximab. Its EGFR-binding affinity was estimated at approximately 0.7 nM of Kd in vitro, which was quite stronger than the binding affinity of natural ligand EGF. Hence, the results validate that our construction could serve as an efficient platform to produce a recombinant cetuximab-Fab with a retained antigen-binding functionality.

  15. Structure of a human monoclonal antibody Fab fragment against gp41 of human immunodeficiency virus type

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    He, X. M.; Ruker, F.; Casale, E.; Carter, D. C.

    1992-01-01

    The three-dimensional structure of a human monoclonal antibody (Fab), which binds specifically to a major epitope of the transmembrane protein gp41 of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1, has been determined by crystallographic methods to a resolution of 2.7 A. It has been previously determined that this antibody recognizes the epitope SGKLICTTAVPWNAS, belongs to the subclass IgG1 (kappa), and exhibits antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. The quaternary structure of the Fab is in an extended conformation with an elbow bend angle between the constant and variable domains of 175 degrees. Structurally, four of the hypervariable loops can be classified according to previously recognized canonical structures. The third hypervariable loops of the heavy (H3) and light chain (L3) are structurally distinct. Hypervariable loop H3, residues 102H-109H, is unusually extended from the surface. The complementarity-determining region forms a hydrophobic binding pocket that is created primarily from hypervariable loops L3, H3, and H2.

  16. Fluoxetine for Autistic Behaviors (FAB trial): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial in children and adolescents with autism.

    PubMed

    Mouti, Anissa; Reddihough, Dinah; Marraffa, Catherine; Hazell, Philip; Wray, John; Lee, Katherine; Kohn, Michael

    2014-06-16

    Serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are commonly prescribed off-label for children with autism. To date, clinical trials examining the use of SSRIs in autism have been limited by small sample sizes and inconclusive results. The efficacy and safety of SSRIs for moderating autistic behaviors is yet to be adequately examined to provide evidence to support current clinical practice. The aim of the Fluoxetine for Autistic Behaviors (FAB) study is to determine the efficacy and safety of low dose fluoxetine compared with placebo, for reducing the frequency and severity of repetitive stereotypic behaviors in children and adolescents with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The relationship between the effectiveness of fluoxetine treatment and serotonin transporter genotype will also be explored. The FAB study is a multicenter, double-blinded, randomized controlled trial, funded by the Australian Government's National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) grant. Participants will be aged between 7.5 and 17 years with a confirmed diagnosis of ASD. Eligible participants will be randomized to either placebo or fluoxetine for a 16-week period. Medication will be titrated over the first four weeks. Reponses to medication will be monitored fortnightly using the Clinical Global Impressions Scale (CGI). The primary outcome measure is the Children's Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale-Modified for Pervasive Developmental Disorders (CYBOCS-PDD), administered at baseline and 16 weeks. Secondary outcome measures include the Aberrant Behaviour Scale (ABC), the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale Parent Report (SCAS-P), and the Repetitive Behaviors Scale (RBS-R), measured at baseline and 16 weeks. Participants will be invited to undergo genetic testing for SLC6A4 allele variants using a cheek swab. Continuous outcomes, including the primary outcome will be compared between the active and placebo groups using unadjusted linear regression. Binary outcomes will be compared using

  17. GingisKHAN™ protease cleavage allows a high-throughput antibody to Fab conversion enabling direct functional assessment during lead identification of human monoclonal and bispecific IgG1 antibodies

    PubMed Central

    Moelleken, Jörg; Gassner, Christian; Lingke, Sabine; Tomaschek, Simone; Tyshchuk, Oksana; Lorenz, Stefan; Mølhøj, Michael

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT The determination of the binding strength of immunoglobulins (IgGs) to targets can be influenced by avidity when the targets are soluble di- or multimeric proteins, or associated to cell surfaces, including surfaces introduced from heterogeneous assays. However, for the understanding of the contribution of a second drug-to-target binding site in molecular design, or for ranking of monovalent binders during lead identification, affinity-based assessment of the binding strength is required. Typically, monovalent binders like antigen-binding fragments (Fabs) are generated by proteolytic cleavage with papain, which often results in a combination of under- and over-digestion, and requires specific optimization and chromatographic purification of the desired Fabs. Alternatively, the Fabs are produced by recombinant approaches. Here, we report a lean approach for the functional assessment of human IgG1s during lead identification based on an in-solution digestion with the GingisKHAN™ protease, generating a homogenous pool of intact Fabs and Fcs and enabling direct assaying of the Fab in the digestion mixture. The digest with GingisKHAN™ is highly specific and quantitative, does not require much optimization, and the protease does not interfere with methods typically applied for lead identification, such as surface plasmon resonance or cell-based assays. GingisKHAN™ is highly suited to differentiate between affinity and avidity driven binding of human IgG1 monoclonal and bispecific antibodies during lead identification. PMID:28805498

  18. Relevance of spontaneous fabT mutations to a streptococcal toxic shock syndrome to non-streptococcal toxic shock syndrome transition in the novel-type Streptococcus pyogenes isolates that lost a salRK.

    PubMed

    Tatsuno, Ichiro; Okada, Ryo; Matsumoto, Masakado; Hata, Nanako; Matsui, Hideyuki; Zhang, Yan; Isaka, Masanori; Hasegawa, Tadao

    2016-05-01

    Streptococcus pyogenes is a causative agent of streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS). Mutations in covR/S or rgg, negative regulators, can reportedly modulate the severity of infection in this pathogen. Recently, we showed that the regions encoding the SalR-SalK, a two-component regulatory system, were deleted in some emm 1-type isolates (named as 'novel-type'). In this study, the two novel 'STSS' isolates 10-85stss and 11-171stss were more virulent than the two novel 'non-STSS' isolates 11O-2non and 11T-3non when examined using a mouse model of invasive infection. Genome-sequencing experiments using the three strains 10-85stss , 11-171stss , and 11O-2non detected only one single nucleotide polymorphism that causes a non-synonymous mutation in fabT encoding a transcriptional regulator in strain 11O-2non . Loss of fabT reduced the high level of virulence observed in the STSS isolates to that in the non-STSS isolates, and introduction of an intact fabT compensated the lower virulence of 11O-2non , suggesting that the mutation in fabT, but not in covR/S or rgg, is involved in the differential virulence among the novel-type clinical isolates. This type of non-synonymous fabT mutation was also identified in 12 non-STSS isolates (including 11O-2non and 11T-3non ), and most of those 12 isolates showed impaired FabT function. © 2016 APMIS. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  19. 2013 American College of Rheumatology/European League against rheumatism classification criteria for systemic sclerosis outperform the 1980 criteria: data from the Canadian Scleroderma Research Group.

    PubMed

    Alhajeri, Hebah; Hudson, Marie; Fritzler, Marvin; Pope, Janet; Tatibouet, Solène; Markland, Janet; Robinson, David; Jones, Niall; Khalidi, Nader; Docherty, Peter; Kaminska, Elzbieta; Masetto, Ariel; Sutton, Evelyn; Mathieu, Jean-Pierre; Ligier, Sophie; Grodzicky, Tamara; LeClercq, Sharon; Thorne, Carter; Gyger, Geneviève; Smith, Douglas; Fortin, Paul R; Larché, Maggie; Baron, Murray

    2015-04-01

    The goal of this study was to determine the sensitivity of the new 2013 classification criteria for systemic sclerosis (SSc; scleroderma) in an independent cohort of SSc subjects and to assess the contribution of individual items of the criteria to the overall sensitivity. SSc subjects from the Canadian Scleroderma Research Group cohort were assessed. Sensitivity was determined in several subgroups of patients. In patients without the criterion of skin thickening proximal to the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints, we recalculated sensitivity after removing the individual criterion. A total of 724 SSc patients were included. Most were women (86%), mean age was 55.8 years, mean disease duration was 10.9 years, and 59% had limited cutaneous SSc (lcSSc). Overall, the sensitivity of the 2013 criteria was 98.3% compared to 88.3% for the 1980 criteria. This pattern was consistent among those with lcSSc (98.8% versus 85.6%), anticentromere antibodies (98.9% versus 79.8%), disease duration ≤3 years (98.7% versus 84.7%), and no skin involvement proximal to the MCP joints (97% versus 60%). In the latter subgroup, removing Raynaud's phenomenon and sclerodactyly from the criteria reduced the sensitivity to 77% and 79%, respectively. Removing both sclerodactyly and puffy fingers reduced the sensitivity to 62%. The 2013 SSc classification criteria classify more SSc patients than the 1980 criteria. The improvement in sensitivity is most striking in those with lcSSc, especially those without skin involvement proximal to the MCP joints. The addition of Raynaud's phenomenon and puffy fingers to the 2013 criteria accounts for important gains in sensitivity. Copyright © 2015 by the American College of Rheumatology.

  20. Isolation of a human anti-epidermal growth factor receptor Fab antibody, EG-19-11, with subnanomolar affinity from naïve immunoglobulin repertoires using a hierarchical antibody library system.

    PubMed

    Hur, Byung-ung; Yoon, Jae-bong; Liu, Li-Kun; Cha, Sang-hoon

    2010-11-30

    Specific antibodies that possess a subnanomolar affinity are very difficult to obtain from human naïve immunoglobulin repertoires without the use of lengthy affinity optimization procedures. Here, we designed a hierarchical phage-displayed antibody library system to generate an enormous diversity of combinatorial Fab fragments (6×10(17)) and attempted to isolate high-affinity Fabs against the human epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). A primary antibody library, designated HuDVFab-8L, comprising 4.5×10(9) human naïve heavy chains and eight unspecified human naïve light chains was selected against the EGFR-Fc protein by biopanning, and four anti-EGFR Fab clones were isolated. Because one of the Fab clones, denoted EG-L2-11, recognized a native EGFR expressed on A431 cells, the heavy chain of the Fab was shuffled with a human naïve light chain repertoire with a diversity of 1.4×10(8) and selected a second time against the EGFR-Fc protein again. One EG-L2-11 variant, denoted EG-19-11, recognized an EGFR epitope that was almost the same as that bound by cetuximab and had a K(D) of approximately 540 pM for soluble EGFR, which is about 7-fold higher than that of the FabC225 derived from cetuximab. This variant was also internalized by A431 cells, likely via receptor-mediated endocytosis, and it efficiently inhibited EGF-mediated tyrosine phosphorylation of the EGFR. These results demonstrate that the use of our hierarchical antibody library system is advantageous in generating fully human antibodies especially with a therapeutic purpose. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Characterization of the complex formed between a potent neutralizing ovine-derived polyclonal anti-TNFα Fab fragment and human TNFα

    PubMed Central

    Abbott, W. Mark; Snow, Melanie; Eckersley, Sonia; Renshaw, Jonathan; Davies, Gareth; Norman, Richard A.; Ceuppens, Peter; Slootstra, Jerry; Benschop, Joris J.; Hamuro, Yoshitomo; Lee, Jessica E.; Newham, Peter

    2013-01-01

    TNFα (tumour necrosis factor α) is an early mediator in the systemic inflammatory response to infection and is therefore a therapeutic target in sepsis. AZD9773 is an ovine-derived, polyclonal anti-TNFα Fab fragment derived from a pool of serum and currently being developed as a treatment for severe sepsis and septic shock. In the present study, we show that although AZD9773 has a modest affinity for TNFα in a binding assay, the Ki in a cell-based assay is approximately four orders of magnitude lower. We show using SEC (size exclusion chromatography) that the maximum size of the complex between AZD9773 and TNFα is consistent with approximately 12 Fabs binding to one TNFα trimer. A number of approaches were taken to map the epitopes recognized by AZD9773. These revealed that a number of different regions on TNFα are involved in binding to the polyclonal Fab. The data suggest that there are probably three epitopes per monomer that are responsible for most of the inhibition by AZD9773 and that all three can be occupied at the same time in the complex. We conclude that AZD9773 is clearly demonstrated to bind to multiple epitopes on TNFα and suggest that the polyclonal nature may account, at least in part, for the very high potency observed in cell-based assays. PMID:23863106

  2. Slow-Onset Inhibition of the FabI Enoyl Reductase from Francisella tularensis: Residence Time and in Vivo Activity

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lu, H.; England, K; Ende, C

    2009-01-01

    Francisella tularensis is a highly virulent and contagious Gram-negative intracellular bacterium that causes the disease tularemia in mammals. The high infectivity and the ability of the bacterium to survive for weeks in a cool, moist environment have raised the possibility that this organism could be exploited deliberately as a potential biological weapon. Fatty acid biosynthesis (FAS-II) is essential for bacterial viability and has been validated as a target for the discovery of novel antibacterials. The FAS-II enoyl reductase ftuFabI has been cloned and expressed, and a series of diphenyl ethers have been identified that are subnanomolar inhibitors of the enzymemore » with MIC90 values as low as 0.00018 ?g mL-1. The existence of a linear correlation between the Ki and MIC values strongly suggests that the antibacterial activity of the diphenyl ethers results from direct inhibition of ftuFabI within the cell. The compounds are slow-onset inhibitors of ftuFabI, and the residence time of the inhibitors on the enzyme correlates with their in vivo activity in a mouse model of tularemia infection. Significantly, the rate of breakdown of the enzyme-inhibitor complex is a better predictor of in vivo activity than the overall thermodynamic stability of the complex, a concept that has important implications for the discovery of novel chemotherapeutics that normally rely on equilibrium measurements of potency.« less

  3. Molecular modeling and simulation of FabG, an enzyme involved in the fatty acid pathway of Streptococcus pyogenes.

    PubMed

    Shafreen, Rajamohmed Beema; Pandian, Shunmugiah Karutha

    2013-09-01

    Streptococcus pyogenes (SP) is the major cause of pharyngitis accompanied by strep throat infections in humans. 3-keto acyl reductase (FabG), an important enzyme involved in the elongation cycle of the fatty acid pathway of S. pyogenes, is essential for synthesis of the cell-membrane, virulence factors and quorum sensing-related mechanisms. Targeting SPFabG may provide an important aid for the development of drugs against S. pyogenes. However, the absence of a crystal structure for FabG of S. pyogenes limits the development of structure-based drug designs. Hence, in the present study, a homology model of FabG was generated using the X-ray crystallographic structure of Aquifex aeolicus (PDB ID: 2PNF). The modeled structure was refined using energy minimization. Furthermore, active sites were predicted, and a large dataset of compounds was screened against SPFabG. The ligands were docked using the LigandFit module that is available from Discovery Studio version 2.5. From this list, 13 best hit ligands were chosen based on the docking score and binding energy. All of the 13 ligands were screened for Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion and Toxicity (ADMET) properties. From this, the two best descriptors, along with one descriptor that lay outside the ADMET plot, were selected for molecular dynamic (MD) simulation. In vitro testing of the ligands using biological assays further substantiated the efficacy of the ligands that were screened based on the in silico methods. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Tuning the specificity of a Two-in-One Fab against three angiogenic antigens by fully utilizing the information of deep mutational scanning.

    PubMed

    Koenig, Patrick; Sanowar, Sarah; Lee, Chingwei V; Fuh, Germaine

    Monoclonal antibodies developed for therapeutic or diagnostic purposes need to demonstrate highly defined binding specificity profiles. Engineering of an antibody to enhance or reduce binding to related antigens is often needed to achieve the desired biologic activity without safety concern. Here, we describe a deep sequencing-aided engineering strategy to fine-tune the specificity of an angiopoietin-2 (Ang2)/vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) dual action Fab, 5A12.1 for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration. This antibody utilizes overlapping complementarity-determining region (CDR) sites for dual Ang2/VEGF interaction with K D in the sub-nanomolar range. However, it also exhibits significant (K D of 4 nM) binding to angiopoietin-1, which has high sequence identity with Ang2. We generated a large phage-displayed library of 5A12.1 Fab variants with all possible single mutations in the 6 CDRs. By tracking the change of prevalence of each mutation during various selection conditions, we identified 35 mutations predicted to decrease the affinity for Ang1 while maintaining the affinity for Ang2 and VEGF. We confirmed the specificity profiles for 25 of these single mutations as Fab protein. Structural analysis showed that some of the Fab mutations cluster near a potential Ang1/2 epitope residue that differs in the 2 proteins, while others are up to 15 Å away from the antigen-binding site and likely influence the binding interaction remotely. The approach presented here provides a robust and efficient method for specificity engineering that does not require prior knowledge of the antigen antibody interaction and can be broadly applied to antibody specificity engineering projects.

  5. International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Group criteria is suitable for gestational diabetes mellitus diagnosis: further evidence from China.

    PubMed

    Wei, Yumei; Yang, Huixia; Zhu, Weiwei; Yang, Hongyun; Li, Haixia; Yan, Jie; Zhang, Cuilin

    2014-01-01

    The International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Group (IADPSG) recommended new diagnostic criteria for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) after extensive analyses of the Hyperglycemia and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes (HAPO) study. Unfortunately, there was no data from mainland of China in this study. We evaluated the feasibility of IADPSG criteria for GDM diagnosis in China. A large prospective study was conducted. We reviewed medical records of a total of 25 674 pregnant women who underwent GDM screening and diagnosis between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2012 in the Peking University First Hospital. The prevalence of gestational glucose metabolism abnormalities was calculated according to different cut off values defined by the National Diabetes Data Group (NDDG) or the IADPSG, and the incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes related to GDM was analyzed. According to the cut off values of NDDG and IADPSG criteria, the prevalence of gestational glucose metabolism abnormalities was 8.4% and 18.9% (P < 0.01) respectively, and the prevalence of cesarean section (52.5% vs. 46.0%, P < 0.01), macrosomia (7.5% vs. 6.3%, P < 0.05), neonatal hypoglycemia (1.6% vs. 1.0%, P < 0.01), and perinatal death (0.5% vs. 0.2%, P < 0.01); the prevalence was significantly lower when IADPSG criteria were applied. The prevalence of macrosomia, cesarean section, neonatal hypoglycemia, pregnancy induced hypertension, etc. was also higher in the GDM group than in the normal group. The prevalence of cesarean section (62.3%) and macrosomia (14.8%) was the highest in untreated mild GDM patients. Our results indicated that treatment/intervention of women with GDM identified by IADPSG criteria was related to significantly lower risk of multiple adverse pregnancy outcomes. Such findings provide support for applying IADPSG criteria in China.

  6. Fab antibodies capable of blocking T cells by competitive binding have the identical specificity but a higher affinity to the MHC-peptide-complex than the T cell receptor.

    PubMed

    Neumann, Frank; Sturm, Christine; Hülsmeyer, Martin; Dauth, Nina; Guillaume, Philippe; Luescher, Immanuel F; Pfreundschuh, Michael; Held, Gerhard

    2009-08-15

    In transplant rejection, graft versus host or autoimmune diseases T cells are mediating the pathophysiological processes. Compared to unspecific pharmacological immune suppression specific inhibition of those T cells, that are involved in the disease, would be an alternative and attractive approach. T cells are activated after their T cell receptor (TCR) recognizes an antigenic peptide displayed by the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC). Molecules that interact with MHC-peptide-complexes in a specific fashion should block T cells with identical specificity. Using the model of the SSX2 (103-111)/HLA-A*0201 complex we investigated a panel of MHC-peptide-specific Fab antibodies for their capacity blocking specific T cell clones. Like TCRs all Fab antibodies reacted with the MHC complex only when the SSX2 (103-111) peptide was displayed. By introducing single amino acid mutations in the HLA-A*0201 heavy chain we identified the K66 residue as the most critical binding similar to that of TCRs. However, some Fab antibodies did not inhibit the reactivity of a specific T cell clone against peptide pulsed, artificial targets, nor cells displaying the peptide after endogenous processing. Measurements of binding kinetics revealed that only those Fab antibodies were capable of blocking T cells that interacted with an affinity in the nanomolar range. Fab antibodies binding like TCRs with affinities on the lower micromolar range did not inhibit T cell reactivity. These results indicate that molecules that block T cells by competitive binding with the TCR must have the same specificity but higher affinity for the MHC-peptide-complex than the TCR.

  7. ⁸⁹Zr-Labeled Versus ¹²⁴I-Labeled αHER2 Fab with Optimized Plasma Half-Life for High-Contrast Tumor Imaging In Vivo.

    PubMed

    Mendler, Claudia T; Gehring, Torben; Wester, Hans-Jürgen; Schwaiger, Markus; Skerra, Arne

    2015-07-01

    Immuno-PET imaging of the tumor antigen HER2/neu allows for the noninvasive detection and monitoring of oncogene expression; such detection and monitoring are of prognostic value in patients with breast cancer. Compared with the full-size antibody trastuzumab, smaller protein tracers with more rapid blood clearance permit higher imaging contrast at earlier time points. Antigen-binding fragments (Fabs) of antibodies with moderately prolonged circulation achieved through the genetic fusion with a long, conformationally disordered chain of the natural amino acids Pro, Ala, and Ser (PASylation)-a biologic alternative to chemical conjugation with polyethylene glycol, PEG-offer a promising tracer format with improved pharmacokinetics for in vivo imaging. Recently, the transition metal radionuclide (89)Zr has attracted increasing interest for immuno-PET studies, complementing the conventional halogen radionuclide (124)I. To allow direct comparison of these 2 radioactive labels for the same protein tracer, the recombinant αHER2 Fab fused with 200 Pro, Ala, and Ser (PAS200) residues was either conjugated with (124)I via an iodination reagent or coupled with deferoxamine (Df) and complexed with (89)Zr. After confirmation of the stability of both radioconjugates and quality control in vitro, immuno-PET and biodistribution studies were performed with CD1-Foxn1(nu) mice bearing HER2-positive human tumor xenografts. (89)Zr⋅Df-Fab-PAS200 and (124)I-Fab-PAS200 showed specific tumor uptake of 11 and 2.3 percentage injected dose per gram 24 h after injection, respectively; both led to high tumor-to-blood (3.6 and 4.4, respectively) and tumor-to-muscle (20 and 43, respectively) ratios. With regard to off-target accumulation, overt (124)I activity was seen in the thyroid, as expected, whereas high kidney uptake was evident for (89)Zr; the latter was probably due to glomerular filtration and reabsorption of the protein tracer in proximal tubular cells. Both (89)Zr- and (124)I

  8. Effective prophylaxis of influenza A virus pneumonia in mice by topical passive immunotherapy with polyvalent human immunoglobulins or F(ab')2 fragments.

    PubMed

    Ramisse, F; Deramoudt, F X; Szatanik, M; Bianchi, A; Binder, P; Hannoun, C; Alonso, J M

    1998-03-01

    The effectiveness of polyvalent plasma-derived human immunoglobulins (IVIG) in passive immunotherapy of influenza virus pneumonia was assessed, using the Strain Scotland (A/Scotland/74 (H3N2)) adapted to BALB/c mice by repeated lung passages. Haemagglutinin antibodies in two batches of IVIG at 10 mg/ml had a titre of 1/16. Intravenous injection of 1000-5000 microg of IVIG, 3 h after infection, gave 60-70% protection, whereas intranasal injection of 25-50 microg protected 90% of mice infected with a lethal dose of influenza virus. F(ab')2 fragments were at least as protective as intact IVIG, suggesting that complement or Fcgamma receptor-bearing cells were not required. Topical passive immunotherapy with IVIG or F(ab')2 gave protection up to 8 h after infection, but not at 24 h, suggesting that anti-influenza A antibodies in IVIG, delivered locally, are only effective at early stages of the infectious process. The potential value of topical administration of IVIG or F(ab')2 fragments for influenza A pneumonia prophylaxis was further demonstrated by the protective effects of their intranasal administration 24 h before challenge.

  9. Structure of a human monoclonal antibody Fab fragment against gp41 of human immunodeficiency virus type 1

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    He, Xiao M.; Rueker, Florian; Casale, Elena; Carter, Daniel C.

    1992-01-01

    The three-dimensional structure of a human monoclonal antibody (Fab), which binds specifically to a major epitope of the transmembrane protein gp41 of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1, has been determined by crystallographic methods to a resolution of 2.7 A. It has been previously determined that this antibody recognizes the epitope SGKLICTTAVPWNAS, belongs to the subclass IgG1 (kappa), and exhibits antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. The quaternary structure of the Fab is in an extended conformation with an elbow bend angle between the constant and variable domains of 175 deg. Structurally, four of the hypervariable loops can be classified according to previously recognized canonical structures. The third hypervariable loops of the heavy (H3) and light chain (L3) are structurally distinct. Hypervariable loop H3, residues 102H-109H, is unusually extended from the surface. The complementarity-determining region forms a hydrophobic binding pocket that is created primarily from hypervariable loops L3, H3, and H2.

  10. Fab MAbs specific to HA of influenza virus with H5N1 neutralizing activity selected from immunized chicken phage library.

    PubMed

    Pitaksajjakul, Pannamthip; Lekcharoensuk, Porntippa; Upragarin, Narin; Barbas, Carlos F; Ibrahim, Madiha Salah; Ikuta, Kazuyoshi; Ramasoota, Pongrama

    2010-05-14

    Hemagglutinin protein (HA) was considered to be the primary target for monoclonal antibody production. This protein not only plays an important role in viral infections, but can also be used to differentiate H5N1 virus from other influenza A viruses. Hence, for diagnostic and therapeutic applications, it is important to develop anti-HA monoclonal antibody (MAb) with high sensitivity, specificity, stability, and productivity. Nine unique Fab MAbs were generated from chimeric chicken/human Fab phage display library constructed from cDNA derived from chickens immunized with recombinant hemagglutinin protein constructed from H5N1 avian influenza virus (A/Vietnam/1203/04). The obtained Fab MAbs showed several characteristics for further optimization and development-three clones were highly specific to only H5N1 virus. This finding can be applied to the development of H5N1 diagnostic testing. Another clone showed neutralization activity that inhibited H5N1 influenza virus infection in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells. In addition, one clone showed strong reactivity with several of the influenza A virus subtypes tested. The conversion of this clone to whole IgG is a promising study for a cross-neutralization activity test. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Effect of Polysorbate 20 and Polysorbate 80 on the Higher-Order Structure of a Monoclonal Antibody and Its Fab and Fc Fragments Probed Using 2D Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy.

    PubMed

    Singh, Surinder M; Bandi, Swati; Jones, David N M; Mallela, Krishna M G

    2017-12-01

    We examined how polysorbate 20 (PS20; Tween 20) and polysorbate 80 (PS80; Tween 80) affect the higher-order structure of a monoclonal antibody (mAb) and its antigen-binding (Fab) and crystallizable (Fc) fragments, using near-UV circular dichroism and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Both polysorbates bind to the mAb with submillimolar affinity. Binding causes significant changes in the tertiary structure of mAb with no changes in its secondary structure. 2D 13 C- 1 H methyl NMR indicates that with increasing concentration of polysorbates, the Fab region showed a decrease in crosspeak volumes. In addition to volume changes, PS20 caused significant changes in the chemical shifts compared to no changes in the case of PS80. No such changes in crosspeak volumes or chemical shifts were observed in the case of Fc region, indicating that polysorbates predominantly affect the Fab region compared to the Fc region. This differential effect of polysorbates on the Fab and Fc regions was because of the lesser thermodynamic stability of the Fab compared to the Fc. These results further indicate that PS80 is the preferred polysorbate for this mAb formulation, because it offers higher protection against aggregation, causes lesser structural perturbation, and has weaker binding affinity with fewer binding sites compared to PS20. Copyright © 2017 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. California State University, Bakersfield Fab Lab: "Making" a Difference in Middle School Students' STEM Attitudes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Medina, Andrea Lee

    2017-01-01

    The digital fabrication lab, or Fab Lab, at California State University, Bakersfield provided a 1-week, half-day summer program for local area middle school students. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect this summer program had on their attitudes towards math and science. The theoretical framework used for this study was based on…

  13. Staphylococcus aureus but not Listeria monocytogenes adapt to triclosan and adaptation correlates with increased fabI expression and agr deficiency

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background The ability of pathogens to adapt to the widely used biocide, triclosan, varies substantially. The purpose of the study was to examine bacterial adaptation over an extended period of time to low increments of triclosan concentrations. Focus was two human pathogens, S. aureus and L. monocytogenes that previously have displayed inherent high and low adaptability, respectively. Results Three strains of L. monocytogenes and two strains of S. aureus including the community-acquired USA300 were exposed to increasing, sub-lethal concentrations of triclosan in triclosan-containing agar gradients. Following 25 days of exposure on agar plates to sub-lethal concentrations of triclosan with a twofold concentration increase every second day, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for S. aureus increased from 0.125 (8325–4) and 0.0625 (USA 300) mg/L to 4 mg/L. The MIC of all three L. monocytogenes strains was initially 4 mg/L and remained unaltered by the exposure. The adapted S. aureus isolates retained normal colony size but displayed increased expression of fabI encoding an essential enzyme in bacterial fatty acid synthesis. Also, they displayed decreased or no expression of the virulence associated agrC of the agr quorum sensing system. While most adapted strains of USA300 carried mutations in fabI, none of the adapted strains of 8325–4 did. Conclusions Adaptability to triclosan varies substantially between Gram positive human pathogens. S. aureus displayed an intrinsically lower MIC for triclosan compared to L. monocytogenes but was easily adapted leading to the same MIC as L. monocytogenes. Even though all adapted S. aureus strains over-expressed fabI and eliminated expression of the agr quorum sensing system, adaptation in USA300 involved fabI mutations whereas this was not the case for 8325–4. Thus, adaptation to triclosan by S. aureus appears to involve multiple genetic pathways. PMID:23898801

  14. Defining quality criteria for online continuing medical education modules using modified nominal group technique.

    PubMed

    Shortt, S E D; Guillemette, Jean-Marc; Duncan, Anne Marie; Kirby, Frances

    2010-01-01

    The rapid increase in the use of the Internet for continuing education by physicians suggests the need to define quality criteria for accredited online modules. Continuing medical education (CME) directors from Canadian medical schools and academic researchers participated in a consensus process, Modified Nominal Group Technique, to develop agreement on the most important quality criteria to guide module development. Rankings were compared to responses to a survey of a subset of Canadian Medical Association (CMA) members. A list of 17 items was developed, of which 10 were deemed by experts to be important and 7 were considered secondary. A quality module would: be needs-based; presented in a clinical format; utilize evidence-based information; permit interaction with content and experts; facilitate and attempt to document practice change; be accessible for later review; and include a robust course evaluation. There was less agreement among CMA members on criteria ranking, with consensus on ranking reached on only 12 of 17 items. In contrast to experts, members agreed that the need to assess performance change as a result of an educational experience was not important. This project identified 10 quality criteria for accredited online CME modules that representatives of Canadian organizations involved in continuing education believe should be taken into account when developing learning products. The lack of practitioner support for documentation of change in clinical behavior may suggest that they favor traditional attendance- or completion-based CME; this finding requires further research.

  15. Biodistribution of iodine-125 and indium-111 labeled OV-TL 3 intact antibodies and F(ab')2 fragments in tumor-bearing athymic mice.

    PubMed

    Massuger, L F; Boerman, O C; Corstens, F H; Verheijen, R H; Claessens, R A; Poels, L G; van den Broek, W J; Kenemans, P

    1991-01-01

    The monoclonal antibody OV-TL 3, directed against an ovarian carcinoma-associated antigenic determinant, was tested as a vehicle for radioimmunolocalization of ovarian carcinomas in athymic mice bearing NIH:OVCAR-3 xenografts. The biodistribution of intact. OV-TL 3 was compared with the distribution of OC 125. Tumor uptake with OV-TL 3 was significantly higher than with OC 125, and almost 7 times higher than with a non-specific control antibody (OV-TL 19). Administration of a mixture of intact OV-TL 3 and OC 125 did not improve tumor uptake in comparison with OV-TL 3 alone. Subsequently, intact OV-TL 3 and its F(ab')2 fragments were labeled with either 111In or 125I. The highest tumor uptake was obtained with 111In-labeled intact OV-TL 3 (14.7% ID/g, 48 hr p.i.). For both antibody forms uptake of 111In in liver, spleen and kidneys was very high. Furthermore, 111In cleared more slowly from most tissues than 125I. As a result, tumor/tissue ratios with 111In-labeled OV-TL 3 were lower than with 125I-labeled OV-TL 3. The highest tumor/tissue ratios (6.9 to 53) were obtained with 125I-labeled OV-TL 3 F(ab')2 fragments, 48 hr post injection. 111In-labeled OV-TL 3 F(ab')2 has already been shown to be a clinically useful label for the detection of ovarian cancer. The results of our comparative animal study suggest that these clinical results may even be improved by using 123I-labeled OV-TL 3 F(ab')2.

  16. Engineering an improved IgG4 molecule with reduced disulfide bond heterogeneity and increased Fab domain thermal stability.

    PubMed

    Peters, Shirley J; Smales, C Mark; Henry, Alistair J; Stephens, Paul E; West, Shauna; Humphreys, David P

    2012-07-13

    The integrity of antibody structure, stability, and biophysical characterization are becoming increasingly important as antibodies receive increasing scrutiny from regulatory authorities. We altered the disulfide bond arrangement of an IgG4 molecule by mutation of the Cys at the N terminus of the heavy chain constant domain 1 (C(H)1) (Kabat position 127) to a Ser and introduction of a Cys at a variety of positions (positions 227-230) at the C terminus of C(H)1. An inter-LC-C(H)1 disulfide bond is thus formed, which mimics the disulfide bond arrangement found in an IgG1 molecule. The antibody species present in the supernatant following transient expression in Chinese hamster ovary cells were analyzed by immunoblot to investigate product homogeneity, and purified product was analyzed by a thermofluor assay to determine thermal stability. We show that the light chain can form an inter-LC-C(H)1 disulfide bond with a Cys when present at several positions on the upper hinge (positions 227-230) and that such engineered disulfide bonds can consequently increase the Fab domain thermal stability between 3 and 6.8 °C. The IgG4 disulfide mutants displaying the greatest increase in Fab thermal stability were also the most homogeneous in terms of disulfide bond arrangement and antibody species present. Importantly, mutations did not affect the affinity for antigen of the resultant molecules. In combination with the previously described S241P mutation, we present an IgG4 molecule with increased Fab thermal stability and reduced product heterogeneity that potentially offers advantages for the production of IgG4 molecules.

  17. Catastrophic acute ischemic stroke after Crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab (ovine)-treated rattlesnake envenomation.

    PubMed

    Bush, Sean P; Mooy, Graham G; Phan, Tammy H

    2014-06-01

    We report 2 cases of catastrophic ischemic stroke after Crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab (ovine)-treated rattlesnake envenomation, 1 fatal and the other resulting in significant permanent disability. It is possible these serious adverse events may have been related to venom factor(s), an interaction between venom and antivenom, occult patient blood dyscrasia, or to random unrelated events. We present the rationale for each possibility, and submit the experiences to elicit alternate postulation and communication of similar presentations. Copyright © 2014 Wilderness Medical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Reagents for astatination of biomolecules. 2. Conjugation of anionic boron cage pendant groups to a protein provides a method for direct labeling that is stable to in vivo deastatination.

    PubMed

    Wilbur, D Scott; Chyan, Ming-Kuan; Hamlin, Donald K; Vessella, Robert L; Wedge, Timothy J; Hawthorne, M Frederick

    2007-01-01

    Cancer-targeting biomolecules labeled with 211At must be stable to in vivo deastatination, as control of the 211At distribution is critical due to the highly toxic nature of alpha-particle emission. Unfortunately, no astatinated aryl conjugates have shown in vivo stability toward deastatination when (relatively) rapidly metabolized proteins, such as monoclonal antibody Fab' fragments, are labeled. As a means of increasing the in vivo stability of 211At-labeled proteins, we have been investigating antibody conjugates of boron cage moieties. In this investigation, protein-reactive derivatives containing a nido-carborane (2), a bis-nido-carborane derivative (Venus Flytrap Complex, 3), and four 2-nonahydro-closo-decaborate(2-) derivatives (4-7) were prepared and conjugated with an antibody Fab' fragment such that subsequent astatination and in vivo tissue distributions could be obtained. To aid in determination of stability toward in vivo deastatination, the Fab'-borane conjugates were also labeled with 125I, and that material was coinjected with the 211At-labeled Fab'. For comparison, direct labeling of the Fab' with 125I and 211At was conducted. Direct labeling with Na[125I]I and Chloramine-T gave an 89% radiochemical yield. However, direct labeling of the Fab' with Na[211At]At and Chloramine-T resulted in a yield of <1% after quenching with NaS2O5. As another comparison, the same Fab' was conjugated with p-[211At]astatobenzoate NHS ester, [211At]1c-Fab', and (separately) with p-[125I]iodobenzoate NHS ester, [125I]1b-Fab'. An evaluation in athymic mice demonstrated that [211At]1c-Fab' underwent deastatination. In contrast, the high in vivo stability of [125I]1b-Fab' allowed it to be used as a tracer control for the natural distribution of Fab'. Although found to be much more stable in vivo than [211At]1c-Fab', the biodistributions of nido-carborane conjugated Fab' ([125I]2-Fab'/ [211At]2-Fab') and the bis-nido-carborane (VFC) ([125I]3-Fab'/[211At]3-Fab') had very

  19. Effects on interaction kinetics of mutations at the VH-VL interface of Fabs depend on the structural context.

    PubMed

    Khalifa, M B; Weidenhaupt, M; Choulier, L; Chatellier, J; Rauffer-Bruyère, N; Altschuh, D; Vernet, T

    2000-01-01

    The influence of framework residues belonging to VH and VL modules of antibody molecules on antigen binding remains poorly understood. To investigate the functional role of such residues, we have performed semi-conservative amino acid replacements at the VH-VL interface. This work was carried out with (i) variants of the same antibody and (ii) with antibodies of different specificities (Fab fragments 145P and 1F1h), in order to check if functional effects are additive and/or similar for the two antibodies. Interaction kinetics of Fab mutants with peptide and protein antigens were measured using a BIACORE instrument. The substitutions introduced at the VH-VL interface had no significant effects on k(a) but showed small, significant effects on k(d). Mutations in the VH module affected k(d) not only for the two different antibodies but also for variants of the same antibody. These effects varied both in direction and in magnitude. In the VL module, the double mutation F(L37)L-Q(L38)L, alone or in combination with other mutations, consistently decreased k(d) about two-fold in Fab 145P. Other mutations in the VL module had no effect on k(d) in 145P, but always decreased k(d) in 1F1h. Moreover, in both systems, small-magnitude non-additive effects on k(d) were observed, but affinity variations seemed to be limited by a threshold. When comparing functional effects in antibodies of different specificity, no general rules could be established. In addition, no clear relationship could be pointed out between the nature of the amino acid change and the observed functional effect. Our results show that binding kinetics are affected by alteration of framework residues remote from the binding site, although these effects are unpredictable for most of the studied changes. Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  20. In vitro activities of CG400549, a novel FabI inhibitor, against recently isolated clinical staphylococcal strains in Korea.

    PubMed

    Yum, Jong Hwa; Kim, Chang Ki; Yong, Dongeun; Lee, Kyungwon; Chong, Yunsop; Kim, Cheol Min; Kim, Jeong Mi; Ro, Seonggu; Cho, Joong Myung

    2007-07-01

    The in vitro activities of CG400549, a novel FabI inhibitor, were compared to those of linezolid and commonly used antimicrobials against recent bacterial isolates. CG400549 had an MIC(90) of 0.5 microg/ml for Staphylococcus aureus strains and was more potent than either linezolid or vancomycin.

  1. Clinical Application of the UK Working Party's Criteria for the Diagnosis of Atopic Dermatitis in the Chinese Population by Age Group.

    PubMed

    Wang, Li; Li, Lin-Feng

    2016-12-05

    Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common inflammatory skin disease with an increasingly significant prevalence. The prevalence of AD depends greatly on how its diagnosis is done. The UK Working Party's diagnostic criteria for AD are simple and easy to apply without invasive laboratory tests. This study assessed the clinical utility of these criteria in China. Data were collected from 6208 patients at 31 tertiary hospitals in 13 Chinese provinces/municipalities from March 2014 to May 2014. . The agreement between the UK diagnostic criteria and the clinical records for AD was assessed by Cohen's kappa. The overall agreement between the UK diagnostic criteria and clinical diagnosis was fair (kappa = 0.40). A slightly better agreement was found in patients aged between 4 and 9 years (kappa = 0.48), while fair agreement was found in the group <4 years and the group ≥10 years (kappa = 0.27 and 0.39, respectively). Using the UK party's criteria as the standard, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the clinical diagnosis of AD were 62.3%, 89.2%, 38.0%, and 95.7%, respectively. Our study indicates a modest ability among Chinese dermatologists to apply the UK Working Party's diagnostic criteria for AD, especially in patients aged <4 years and ≥10 years. Since there is no gold standard for AD diagnosis, it is important to determine how AD is identified when evaluating a diagnostic tool.

  2. In Vitro Activities of CG400549, a Novel FabI Inhibitor, against Recently Isolated Clinical Staphylococcal Strains in Korea▿

    PubMed Central

    Yum, Jong Hwa; Kim, Chang Ki; Yong, Dongeun; Lee, Kyungwon; Chong, Yunsop; Kim, Cheol Min; Kim, Jeong Mi; Ro, Seonggu; Cho, Joong Myung

    2007-01-01

    The in vitro activities of CG400549, a novel FabI inhibitor, were compared to those of linezolid and commonly used antimicrobials against recent bacterial isolates. CG400549 had an MIC90 of 0.5 μg/ml for Staphylococcus aureus strains and was more potent than either linezolid or vancomycin. PMID:17420210

  3. [Mutants of bacterium Azospirillum brasilense Sp245 with Omegon insertion in mmsB or fabG genes of lipid metabolism are defective in motility and flagellation].

    PubMed

    Kovtunov, E A; Shelud'ko, A V; Chernyshova, M P; Petrova, L P; Katsy, E I

    2013-11-01

    Bacteria Azospirillum brasilense have mixed flagellation: in addition to the polar flagellum, numerous lateral flagella are formed in their cells on medium with increased density. Flagella determine the active swimming and swarming capacities of azospirilla. Using A. brasilense Sp245 as an example, we showed that the Omegon-Km artificial transposon insertion into the chromosomal gene for 3-hydroxyisobutyrate dehydrogenase (mmsB) was concurrent with the appearance of significant defects in the formation of polar flagella and with the paralysis of lateral flagella. The Sp245 mutant with the Omegon insertion into the plasmid AZOBR_p1-borne gene for 3-oxoacyl-[acyl-carrier protein]-reductase (fabG) showed the complete loss of flagella and the swarming capacity, as well as significant defects in polar flagellar assembly (though some cells are still motile in liquid medium). The viability of the A. brasilense Sp245 mutants with the Omegon insertion into the mmsB or fabG gene was not reduced. No considerable differences in the fatty acid composition of whole cell lipid extracts were found for the A. brasilense Sp245 strain and its mmsB and fabG mutants.

  4. Water molecules in the antibody-antigen interface of the structure of the Fab HyHEL-5-lysozyme complex at 1.7 A resolution: comparison with results from isothermal titration calorimetry.

    PubMed

    Cohen, Gerson H; Silverton, Enid W; Padlan, Eduardo A; Dyda, Fred; Wibbenmeyer, Jamie A; Willson, Richard C; Davies, David R

    2005-05-01

    The structure of the complex between hen egg-white lysozyme and the Fab HyHEL-5 at 2.7 A resolution has previously been reported [Cohen et al. (1996), Acta Cryst. D52, 315-326]. With the availability of recombinant Fab, the X-ray structure of the complex has been re-evaluated at 1.7 A resolution. The refined structure has yielded a detailed picture of the Fab-lysozyme interface, showing the high complementarity of the protein surfaces as well as several water molecules within the interface that complete the good fit. The model of the full complex has improved significantly, yielding an R(work) of 19.5%. With this model, the structural results can be compared with the results of isothermal titration calorimetry. An attempt has been made to estimate the changes in bound waters that accompany complex formation and the difficulties inherent in using the crystal structures to provide the information necessary to make this calculation are discussed.

  5. Human recombinant Fab fragment from combinatorial libraries of a B-cell lymphoma patient recognizes core protein of chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan 4.

    PubMed

    Egami, Yoko; Narushima, Yuta; Ohshima, Motohiro; Yoshida, Akira; Yoneta, Naruki; Masaki, Yasufumi; Itoh, Kunihiko

    2018-01-01

    CD antigens are well known as therapeutic targets of B-cell lymphoma. To isolate therapeutic antibodies that recognize novel targets other than CD antigens, we constructed a phage display combinatorial antibody Fab library from bone marrow lymphocytes of B-cell lymphoma patient. To eliminate antibodies reactive with known B-cell lymphoma antigen, non-hematopoietic and patient's sera reactive HeLaS3 cells was selected as a target of whole cell panning. Five rounds of panning against live HeLaS3 cells retrieved single Fab clone, termed AHSA (Antibody to HeLa Surface Antigen). Using phage display random peptide library, LSYLEP was identified as an epitope sequence of AHSA. LC-MS/MS analysis of AHSA-precipitated HeLaS3 cell lysates detected several fragments corresponding to the sequence of chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan 4 (CSPG4) core protein. Since LSYLEP sequence was at the position of 313-318 of CSPG4, we considered that CSPG4 was AHSA-associated antigen. Double staining of CSPG4-postive MDA-MB-435S cells with AHSA and anti-CSPG4 rabbit antibody showed identical staining position, and reduced AHSA reactivity was observed in CSPG4-siRNA treated MDA-MB-435S cells. In conclusion, we retrieved a human Fab from antibody library of B-cell lymphoma patient, and identified CSPG4 as a recognizing antigen. AHSA may have potential benefits for development of CSPG4-targeting theranostics for B-cell lymphoma. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Japanese Biochemical Society. All rights reserved.

  6. Geometric criteria for the non-existence of cycles in predator-prey systems with group defense.

    PubMed

    Liu, Yaping

    2007-07-01

    In this paper, we study the existence of cycles in a predator-prey system in which the prey species is equipped with the group defense capability. Some geometric criteria are developed, relating the location of the two positive equilibria on the prey isocline and the non-existence of cycles. We show that under a general geometric condition, if both positive equilibria lie on a downslope or both lie on an upslope of the prey isocline, cycles do not exist.

  7. The antibacterial efficacy of an aceraceous plant [Shantung maple (Acer truncatum Bunge)] may be related to inhibition of bacterial beta-oxoacyl-acyl carrier protein reductase (FabG).

    PubMed

    Zhang, Feng; Luo, Shi-Yun; Ye, Yan-Bin; Zhao, Wen-Hua; Sun, Xu-Guang; Wang, Zhi-Qun; Li, Ran; Sun, Ying-Hui; Tian, Wei-Xi; Zhang, Ying-Xia

    2008-10-01

    Polyphenols, including flavonoids, are the major components of the extracts from aceraceous plants. They possess remarkable antibacterial and antitumour activity. Our study focused on whether the inhibition of the bacterial type II fatty acid synthesis system is the mechanism for the antibacterial effect of the related plant polyphenols. Extracts obtained from the fallen leaves of the Shantung maple (Acer truncatum Bunge) using different solvents, and the related pure compound PGG (1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-galloyl-beta-D-glucose), potently inhibited the FabG (beta-oxoacyl-ACP reductase) steps in the fatty-acid-elongation cycle with the IC(50) values between 0.9 and 7.2 microg/ml. An ethyl acetate extract appeared to inhibit FabG reductase in a mixed manner with NADPH, as did PGG with NADPH, demonstrating that they interfered with the binding of the cofactor to the enzyme. Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and some fungi were used to evaluate the antibacterial abilities of different extract samples. The experiments showed that a higher polyphenol content of the extracts led to a more potent inhibitory capacity against FabG, thus enhancing the antibacterial efficacy.

  8. In-situ intestinal rat perfusions for human Fabs prediction and BCS permeability class determination: Investigation of the single-pass vs. the Doluisio experimental approaches.

    PubMed

    Lozoya-Agullo, Isabel; Zur, Moran; Wolk, Omri; Beig, Avital; González-Álvarez, Isabel; González-Álvarez, Marta; Merino-Sanjuán, Matilde; Bermejo, Marival; Dahan, Arik

    2015-03-01

    Intestinal drug permeability has been recognized as a critical determinant of the fraction dose absorbed, with direct influence on bioavailability, bioequivalence and biowaiver. The purpose of this research was to compare intestinal permeability values obtained by two different intestinal rat perfusion methods: the single-pass intestinal perfusion (SPIP) model and the Doluisio (closed-loop) rat perfusion method. A list of 15 model drugs with different permeability characteristics (low, moderate, and high, as well as passively and actively absorbed) was constructed. We assessed the rat intestinal permeability of these 15 model drugs in both SPIP and the Doluisio methods, and evaluated the correlation between them. We then evaluated the ability of each of these methods to predict the fraction dose absorbed (Fabs) in humans, and to assign the correct BCS permeability class membership. Excellent correlation was obtained between the two experimental methods (r(2)=0.93). An excellent correlation was also shown between literature Fabs values and the predictions made by both rat perfusion techniques. Similar BCS permeability class membership was designated by literature data and by both SPIP and Doluisio methods for all compounds. In conclusion, the SPIP model and the Doluisio (closed-loop) rat perfusion method are both equally useful for obtaining intestinal permeability values that can be used for Fabs prediction and BCS classification. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Groups of homeomorphisms of the line. Criteria for the existence of invariant and projectively invariant measures in terms of the commutator subgroup

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Beklaryan, L A

    2014-12-31

    Existence criteria for invariant and projectively invariant measures are obtained for a group G of homeomorphisms of the line. These criteria are formulated in terms of the commutator subgroup [G,G]. For the special (but very important) case of groups of homeomorphisms of the line containing a freely acting element we obtain a criterion for the existence of a projectively invariant measure in the form of the absence of a special subgroup with two generators in which one of the generating elements is a freely acting element. Bibliography: 20 titles.

  10. Development of an immunoassay for determination of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) based upon the recombinant Fab fragment of 2,4-D specific antibody

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nguyen, Van C.; Nguyen, Thi D. T.; Dau, Hung A.; Tham, Thu N.; Quyen, Dinh T.; Bachmman, Till; Schmid, Rolf D.

    2001-09-01

    To develop an immunoassay and further an immunosensor for 2,4-D based upon recombinant antibody, the Fab fragments of 2,4-D specific antibody were expressed in E. coli. Western blotting analysis of the periplasmic cell fractions shown that under the non-reducing condition only a single protein band at a molecular mass of 45-kDa, corresponding to the whole Fab fragment was detected. Antigen binding activity for 2,4-D was found only in the extract of cells bearing the 2,4-D plasmid. An immunoassay based on the competitive reaction of 2,4-D and enzyme tracer with 2,4-D Fab fragments immobilized on micro titer plates via rabbit anti-mouse IgC was developed. Using this assay, 2,4-D could be detected at concentration range of 0.5 (mu) g/1 to 10(mu) g/1. The center point of the 2,4-D test was found at a concentration of 5 (mu) g/l. The assay was applied for detection of 2,4-D in spiked orange samples, resulting in recovery rate of 90 percent. The immunoassay could be applied to monitor human exposure to 2,4-D from contamination in fruit samples.

  11. Physical functional outcome assessment of patients with major burns admitted to a UK Burn Intensive Care Unit.

    PubMed

    Smailes, Sarah T; Engelsman, Kayleen; Dziewulski, Peter

    2013-02-01

    Determining the discharge outcome of burn patients can be challenging and therefore a validated objective measure of functional independence would assist with this process. We developed the Functional Assessment for Burns (FAB) score to measure burn patients' functional independence. FAB scores were taken on discharge from ICU (FAB 1) and on discharge from inpatient burn care (FAB 2) in 56 patients meeting the American Burn Association criteria for major burn. We retrospectively analysed prospectively collected data to measure the progress of patients' physical functional outcomes and to evaluate the predictive validity of the FAB score for discharge outcome. Mean age was 38.6 years and median burn size 35%. Significant improvements were made in the physical functional outcomes between FAB 1 and FAB 2 scores (p<0.0001). 48 patients were discharged home, 8 of these with social care. 8 patients were transferred to another hospital for further inpatient rehabilitation. FAB 1 score (≤ 9) is strongly associated with discharge outcome (p<0.006) and as such can be used to facilitate early discharge planning. FAB 2 score (≤ 26) independently predicts discharge outcome (p<0.0001) and therefore is a valid outcome measure to determine discharge outcome of burn patients. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

  12. Control system of the inspection robots group applying auctions and multi-criteria analysis for task allocation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Panfil, Wawrzyniec; Moczulski, Wojciech

    2017-10-01

    In the paper presented is a control system of a mobile robots group intended for carrying out inspection missions. The main research problem was to define such a control system in order to facilitate a cooperation of the robots resulting in realization of the committed inspection tasks. Many of the well-known control systems use auctions for tasks allocation, where a subject of an auction is a task to be allocated. It seems that in the case of missions characterized by much larger number of tasks than number of robots it will be better if robots (instead of tasks) are subjects of auctions. The second identified problem concerns the one-sided robot-to-task fitness evaluation. Simultaneous assessment of the robot-to-task fitness and task attractiveness for robot should affect positively for the overall effectiveness of the multi-robot system performance. The elaborated system allows to assign tasks to robots using various methods for evaluation of fitness between robots and tasks, and using some tasks allocation methods. There is proposed the method for multi-criteria analysis, which is composed of two assessments, i.e. robot's concurrency position for task among other robots and task's attractiveness for robot among other tasks. Furthermore, there are proposed methods for tasks allocation applying the mentioned multi-criteria analysis method. The verification of both the elaborated system and the proposed tasks' allocation methods was carried out with the help of simulated experiments. The object under test was a group of inspection mobile robots being a virtual counterpart of the real mobile-robot group.

  13. Possibility-induced simplified neutrosophic aggregation operators and their application to multi-criteria group decision-making

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Şahin, Rıdvan; Liu, Peide

    2017-07-01

    Simplified neutrosophic set (SNS) is an appropriate tool used to express the incompleteness, indeterminacy and uncertainty of the evaluation objects in decision-making process. In this study, we define the concept of possibility SNS including two types of information such as the neutrosophic performance provided from the evaluation objects and its possibility degree using a value ranging from zero to one. Then by extending the existing neutrosophic information, aggregation models for SNSs that cannot be used effectively to fusion the two different information described above, we propose two novel neutrosophic aggregation operators considering possibility, which are named as a possibility-induced simplified neutrosophic weighted arithmetic averaging operator and possibility-induced simplified neutrosophic weighted geometric averaging operator, and discuss their properties. Moreover, we develop a useful method based on the proposed aggregation operators for solving a multi-criteria group decision-making problem with the possibility simplified neutrosophic information, in which the weights of decision-makers and decision criteria are calculated based on entropy measure. Finally, a practical example is utilised to show the practicality and effectiveness of the proposed method.

  14. Integrating the ACR Appropriateness Criteria Into the Radiology Clerkship: Comparison of Didactic Format and Group-Based Learning.

    PubMed

    Stein, Marjorie W; Frank, Susan J; Roberts, Jeffrey H; Finkelstein, Malka; Heo, Moonseong

    2016-05-01

    The aim of this study was to determine whether group-based or didactic teaching is more effective to teach ACR Appropriateness Criteria to medical students. An identical pretest, posttest, and delayed multiple-choice test was used to evaluate the efficacy of the two teaching methods. Descriptive statistics comparing test scores were obtained. On the posttest, the didactic group gained 12.5 points (P < .0001), and the group-based learning students gained 16.3 points (P < .0001). On the delayed test, the didactic group gained 14.4 points (P < .0001), and the group-based learning students gained 11.8 points (P < .001). The gains in scores on both tests were statistically significant for both groups. However, the differences in scores were not statistically significant comparing the two educational methods. Compared with didactic lectures, group-based learning is more enjoyable, time efficient, and equally efficacious. The choice of educational method can be individualized for each institution on the basis of group size, time constraints, and faculty availability. Copyright © 2016 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Effective EUVL mask cleaning technology solutions for mask manufacturing and in-fab mask maintenance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dietze, Uwe; Dress, Peter; Waehler, Tobias; Singh, Sherjang; Jonckheere, Rik; Baudemprez, Bart

    2011-03-01

    Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUVL) is considered the leading lithography technology choice for semiconductor devices at 16nm HP node and beyond. However, before EUV Lithography can enter into High Volume Manufacturing (HVM) of advanced semiconductor devices, the ability to guarantee mask integrity at point-of-exposure must be established. Highly efficient, damage free mask cleaning plays a critical role during the mask manufacturing cycle and throughout the life of the mask, where the absence of a pellicle to protect the EUV mask increases the risk of contamination during storage, handling and use. In this paper, we will present effective EUVL mask cleaning technology solutions for mask manufacturing and in-fab mask maintenance, which employs an intelligent, holistic approach to maximize Mean Time Between Cleans (MBTC) and extend the useful life span of the reticle. The data presented will demonstrate the protection of the capping and absorber layers, preservation of pattern integrity as well as optical and mechanical properties to avoid unpredictable CD-linewidth and overlay shifts. Experiments were performed on EUV blanks and pattern masks using various process conditions. Conditions showing high particle removal efficiency (PRE) and minimum surface layer impact were then selected for durability studies. Surface layer impact was evaluated over multiple cleaning cycles by means of UV reflectivity metrology XPS analysis and wafer prints. Experimental results were compared to computational models. Mask life time predictions where made using the same computational models. The paper will provide a generic overview of the cleaning sequence which yielded best results, but will also provide recommendations for an efficient in-fab mask maintenance scheme, addressing handling, storage, cleaning and inspection.

  16. Modernizing Clinical Trial Eligibility Criteria: Recommendations of the American Society of Clinical Oncology–Friends of Cancer Research HIV Working Group

    PubMed Central

    Uldrick, Thomas S.; Ison, Gwynn; Rudek, Michelle A.; Noy, Ariela; Schwartz, Karl; Bruinooge, Suanna; Schenkel, Caroline; Miller, Barry; Dunleavy, Kieron; Wang, Judy; Zeldis, Jerome; Little, Richard F.

    2018-01-01

    Purpose People with HIV are living longer as a result of effective antiretroviral therapy. Cancer has become a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in this patient population. However, studies of novel cancer therapeutics have historically excluded patients with HIV. Critical review of eligibility criteria related to HIV is required to accelerate development of and access to effective therapeutics for HIV-infected patients with cancer and make studies more generalizable to this patient population. Methods From January through April 2016, the HIV Working Group conducted a series of teleconferences; a review of 46 New Drug Applications from registration studies of unique agents studied in adults with cancer that led to the initial US Food and Drug Administration approval of that agent from 2011 to 2015; and a review of HIV-related eligibility criteria from National Cancer Institute–sponsored studies. Results were discussed and refined at a multistakeholder workshop held May 12, 2016. The HIV Working Group developed recommendations for eligibility criteria that focus on pharmacologic and immunologic considerations in this patient population and that balance patient safety, access to appropriate investigational agents, and study integrity. Results Exclusion of patients with HIV remains common in most studies of novel cancer agents. Models for HIV-related eligibility criteria in National Cancer Institute–sponsored studies are instructive. HIV infection itself should no longer be an exclusion criterion for most studies. Eligibility criteria related to HIV infection that address concurrent antiretroviral therapy and immune status should be designed in a manner that is appropriate for a given cancer. Conclusion Expanding clinical trial eligibility to be more inclusive of patients with HIV is justified in most cases and may accelerate the development of effective therapies in this area of unmet clinical need. PMID:28968173

  17. Modernizing Clinical Trial Eligibility Criteria: Recommendations of the American Society of Clinical Oncology-Friends of Cancer Research HIV Working Group.

    PubMed

    Uldrick, Thomas S; Ison, Gwynn; Rudek, Michelle A; Noy, Ariela; Schwartz, Karl; Bruinooge, Suanna; Schenkel, Caroline; Miller, Barry; Dunleavy, Kieron; Wang, Judy; Zeldis, Jerome; Little, Richard F

    2017-11-20

    Purpose People with HIV are living longer as a result of effective antiretroviral therapy. Cancer has become a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in this patient population. However, studies of novel cancer therapeutics have historically excluded patients with HIV. Critical review of eligibility criteria related to HIV is required to accelerate development of and access to effective therapeutics for HIV-infected patients with cancer and make studies more generalizable to this patient population. Methods From January through April 2016, the HIV Working Group conducted a series of teleconferences; a review of 46 New Drug Applications from registration studies of unique agents studied in adults with cancer that led to the initial US Food and Drug Administration approval of that agent from 2011 to 2015; and a review of HIV-related eligibility criteria from National Cancer Institute-sponsored studies. Results were discussed and refined at a multistakeholder workshop held May 12, 2016. The HIV Working Group developed recommendations for eligibility criteria that focus on pharmacologic and immunologic considerations in this patient population and that balance patient safety, access to appropriate investigational agents, and study integrity. Results Exclusion of patients with HIV remains common in most studies of novel cancer agents. Models for HIV-related eligibility criteria in National Cancer Institute-sponsored studies are instructive. HIV infection itself should no longer be an exclusion criterion for most studies. Eligibility criteria related to HIV infection that address concurrent antiretroviral therapy and immune status should be designed in a manner that is appropriate for a given cancer. Conclusion Expanding clinical trial eligibility to be more inclusive of patients with HIV is justified in most cases and may accelerate the development of effective therapies in this area of unmet clinical need.

  18. Cloning and Characterization of a Hybridoma Secreting a 4-(Methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK)-Specific Monoclonal Antibody and Recombinant F(ab)

    PubMed Central

    Wanczyk, Heather; Barker, Tolga; Rood, Debra; Zapata, Daniel I.; Howell, Amy R.; Richardson, Stewart K.; Zinckgraf, John; Marusov, Gregory P.; Lynes, Michael A.; Silbart, Lawrence K.

    2013-01-01

    Smokeless tobacco products have been associated with increased risks of oro-pharyngeal cancers, due in part to the presence of tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) such as 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK). These potent carcinogens are formed during tobacco curing and as a result of direct nitrosation reactions that occur in the oral cavity. In the current work we describe the isolation and characterization of a hybridoma secreting a high-affinity, NNK-specific monoclonal antibody. A structurally-related benzoyl derivative was synthesized to facilitate coupling to NNK-carrier proteins, which were characterized for the presence of the N-nitroso group using the Griess reaction, and used to immunize BALB/c mice. Splenocytes from mice bearing NNK-specific antibodies were used to create hybridomas. Out of four, one was selected for subcloning and characterization. Approximately 99% of the monoclonal antibodies from this clone were competitively displaced from plate-bound NNKB conjugates in the presence of free NNK. The affinity of the monoclonal antibody to the NNKB conjugates was Kd = 2.93 nM as determined by surface plasmon resonance. Free nicotine was a poor competitor for the NNKB binding site. The heavy and light chain antibody F(ab) fragments were cloned, sequenced and inserted in tandem into an expression vector, with an FMDV Furin 2A cleavage site between them. Expression in HEK 293 cells revealed a functional F(ab) with similar binding features to that of the parent hybridoma. This study lays the groundwork for synthesizing transgenic tobacco that expresses carcinogen-sequestration properties, thereby rendering it less harmful to consumers. PMID:23518474

  19. Potential Health Implications of the MTM Eligibility Criteria in the Affordable Care Act Across Racial and Ethnic Groups

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Junling; Qiao, Yanru; Tina Shih, Ya-Chen; Jamison, JoEllen Jarrett; Spivey, Christina A.; Wan, Jim Y.; White-Means, Shelley I.; Dagogo-Jack, Samuel; Cushman, William C.; Chisholm-Burns, Marie

    2015-01-01

    Background The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act (MMA) requires Part D plans to establish programs to provide medication therapy management (MTM) services starting from 2006. MTM services have been found to improve patient outcomes from pharmacotherapy, reduce emergency room visits and hospitalizations, and reduce health care costs in a cost-effective fashion. However, previous research found that Non-Hispanic Blacks (Blacks) and Hispanics may be less likely to be eligible for MTM services than Non-Hispanic Whites (Whites) among the Medicare population according to current Medicare MTM eligibility criteria. This is because the Medicare MTM eligibility criteria are predominantly based on medication utilization and costs, while Blacks and Hispanics tend to use fewer prescription medications and incur lower prescription medication costs. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) laid out a set of MTM eligibility criteria for eligible entities to target patients for MTM services: “(1) take 4 or more prescribed medications …; (2) take any ‘high risk’ medications; (3) have 2 or more chronic diseases… or (4) have undergone a transition of care, or other factors… that are likely to create a high risk of medication-related problems.” Objectives This study aimed to examine (1) racial/ethnic disparities in meeting the eligibility criteria for MTM services in PPACA among the Medicare population; and (2) whether there would be greater disparities in health and economic outcomes among MTM-ineligible than MTM-eligible groups. (If so, the PPACA MTM eligibility criteria may aggravate existing disparities.) Methods This was a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of Medicare Current Beneficiaries Survey (MCBS; 2007–2008). To determine medication characteristics, the Food and Drug Administration’s Electronic Orange Book was also used. Proportions of population eligible for MTM services based on the PPACA MTM eligibility

  20. Control of VOCs emissions by condenser pre-treatment in a semiconductor fab.

    PubMed

    Lin, Yu-Chih; Chang, Feng-Tang; Bai, Hsunling; Pei, Bau-Shei

    2005-04-11

    The performance of a modified design of local condensers to pre-treat a variety of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from the stripping process of a semiconductor fab was tested in this study. The reaction temperature of the condensers was controlled at around 10 degrees C, it is relatively higher than the traditional condenser reaction temperature. Both VOCs and water vapors were condensed and formed liquid films. This resulted in an enhancement of the VOCs removals, especially for VOCs of high boiling points or solubility. This can help to prevent the follow up zeolite concentrator from damage. The performance of the integrated system of condenser/zeolite concentrator could, therefore, remain highly efficient for a longer operation time. Its annualized cost would also be lower than installing the zeolite concentrator only.

  1. Neutralizing activity and protective immunity to ricin toxin conferred by B subunit (RTB)-specific Fab fragments.

    PubMed

    Yermakova, Anastasiya; Mantis, Nicholas J

    2013-09-01

    SylH3 and 24B11 are murine monoclonal antibodies directed against different epitopes on ricin toxin's binding (RTB) subunit that have been shown to passively protect mice against ricin challenge. Here we report that Fab fragments of SylH3 and 24B11 neutralize ricin in a cell based assay, and in a mouse challenge model as effectively as their respective full length parental IgGs. These data demonstrate that immunity to ricin can occur independent of Fc-mediated clearance. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Comparison of the pharmacokinetics, biodistribution and dosimetry of monoclonal antibodies OC125, OV-TL 3, and 139H2 as IgG and F(ab')2 fragments in experimental ovarian cancer.

    PubMed

    Molthoff, C F; Pinedo, H M; Schlüper, H M; Nijman, H W; Boven, E

    1992-05-01

    Monoclonal antibody (MAb) 139H2 was previously shown to localise specifically into ovarian cancer xenografts in nude mice. MAb 139H2 was compared with MAbs OC125 and OV-TL 3, all reactive with ovarian carcinomas, for the binding characteristics as IgG and F(ab')2 fragments with the use of the OVCAR-3 cell line grown in vitro and as s.c. xenografts. Immunoperoxidase staining of OVCAR-3 tissue sections with MAbs OC125 and 139H2 was heterogeneous, whereas MAb OV-TL 3 showed homogeneity. No differences in binding were observed between IgG and F(ab')2. The avidity expressed as apparent affinity constants of MAbs OC125, OV-TL 3 and 139H2 for OVAR-3 cells were 1 x 10(9) M-1, 1 x 10(9) M-1, and 1 x 10(8) M-1, while the number of antigenic determinants were 5 x 10(6), 1 x 10(6) and 7 x 10(6), respectively. In OVCAR-3 bearing nude mice the blood half-lives of the MAbs as IgG and F(ab')2 were approximately 50 h and 6 h, respectively. Maximum tumour uptake for the whole MAbs OC125, OV-TL 3, 139H2 and a control MAb 2C7 was 8.5%, 17.7%, 11.1% and 2.5% of the injected dose g-1, reached at 72 h after injection. For the respective F(ab')2 fragments, the maximum values were 5.2%, 10.0%, 5.5% and 1.9% of the injected dose g-1, reached between 6 h and 15 h. Tumour to non-tumour ratios were more favourable for the F(ab')2 fragments as compared to those for MAbs as IgG. Biodistribution in mice bearing a control tumour confirmed the specificity of tumour localisation of MAbs OC125, OV-TL 3 and 139H2. After injection of a tracer dose of 10 microCi of radiolabelled MAbs OC125, OV-TL 3 and 139H2 as IgG, tumours received 38 cGy, and 9 cGy. In our OVCAR-3 model, a ranking in efficiency in tumour localisation would indicate MAb OV-TL 3 as most favourable MAb, but cross-reactivity with subpopulations of human white blood cells might hamper its clinical use. Dosimetric data indicate a 4-fold higher radiation absorbed dose to tumours for IgG compared with F(ab')2 fragments.

  3. A Multi Criteria Group Decision-Making Model for Teacher Evaluation in Higher Education Based on Cloud Model and Decision Tree

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chang, Ting-Cheng; Wang, Hui

    2016-01-01

    This paper proposes a cloud multi-criteria group decision-making model for teacher evaluation in higher education which is involving subjectivity, imprecision and fuzziness. First, selecting the appropriate evaluation index depending on the evaluation objectives, indicating a clear structural relationship between the evaluation index and…

  4. Neutralization of West Nile virus by cross-linking of its surface proteins with Fab fragments of the human monoclonal antibody CR4354

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kaufmann, Bärbel; Vogt, Matthew R.; Goudsmit, Jaap

    2010-11-15

    Many flaviviruses are significant human pathogens, with the humoral immune response playing an essential role in restricting infection and disease. CR4354, a human monoclonal antibody isolated from a patient, neutralizes West Nile virus (WNV) infection at a postattachment stage in the viral life-cycle. Here, we determined the structure of WNV complexed with Fab fragments of CR4354 using cryoelectron microscopy. The outer glycoprotein shell of a mature WNV particle is formed by 30 rafts of three homodimers of the viral surface protein E. CR4354 binds to a discontinuous epitope formed by protein segments from two neighboring E molecules, but does notmore » cause any detectable structural disturbance on the viral surface. The epitope occurs at two independent positions within an icosahedral asymmetric unit, resulting in 120 binding sites on the viral surface. The cross-linking of the six E monomers within one raft by four CR4354 Fab fragments suggests that the antibody neutralizes WNV by blocking the pH-induced rearrangement of the E protein required for virus fusion with the endosomal membrane.« less

  5. Melt-and-mold fabrication (MnM-Fab) of reconfigurable low-cost devices for use in resource-limited settings.

    PubMed

    Li, Zhi; Tevis, Ian D; Oyola-Reynoso, Stephanie; Newcomb, Lucas B; Halbertsma-Black, Julian; Bloch, Jean-Francis; Thuo, Martin

    2015-12-01

    Interest in low-cost analytical devices (especially for diagnostics) has recently increased; however, concomitant translation to the field has been slow, in part due to personnel and supply-chain challenges in resource-limited settings. Overcoming some of these challenges require the development of a method that takes advantage of locally available resources and/or skills. We report a Melt-and-mold fabrication (MnM Fab) approach to low-cost and simple devices that has the potential to be adapted locally since it requires a single material that is recyclable and simple skills to access multiple devices. We demonstrated this potential by fabricating entry level bio-analytical devices using an affordable low-melting metal alloy, Field's metal, with molds produced from known materials such as plastic (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS)), glass, and paper. We fabricated optical gratings then 4×4 well plates using the same recycled piece of metal. We then reconfigured the well plates into rapid prototype microfluidic devices with which we demonstrated laminar flow, droplet generation, and bubble formation from T-shaped channels. We conclude that this MnM-Fab method is capable of addressing some challenges typically encountered with device translation, such as technical know-how or material supply, and that it can be applied to other devices, as needed in the field, using a single moldable material. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Determination of criteria weights in solving multi-criteria problems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kasim, Maznah Mat

    2014-12-01

    A multi-criteria (MC) problem comprises of units to be analyzed under a set of evaluation criteria. Solving a MC problem is basically the process of finding the overall performance or overall quality of the units of analysis by using certain aggregation method. Based on these overall measures of each unit, a decision can be made whether to sort them, to select the best or to group them according to certain ranges. Prior to solving the MC problems, the weights of the related criteria have to be determined with the assumption that the weights represent the degree of importance or the degree of contribution towards the overall performance of the units. This paper presents two main approaches which are called as subjective and objective approaches, where the first one involves evaluator(s) while the latter approach depends on the intrinsic information contained in each criterion. The subjective and objective weights are defined if the criteria are assumed to be independent with each other, but if they are dependent, there is another type of weight, which is called as monotone measure weight or compound weights which represent degree of interaction among the criteria. The measure of individual weights or compound weights must be addressed in solving multi-criteria problems so that the solutions are more reliable since in the real world, evaluation criteria always come with different degree of importance or are dependent with each other. As the real MC problems have their own uniqueness, it is up to the decision maker(s) to decide which type of weights and which method are the most applicable ones for the problem under study.

  7. Prevalence of Sjögren's syndrome in ambulatory patients according to the American-European Consensus Group criteria.

    PubMed

    Sánchez-Guerrero, J; Pérez-Dosal, M R; Cárdenas-Velázquez, F; Pérez-Reguera, A; Celis-Aguilar, E; Soto-Rojas, A E; Avila-Casado, C

    2005-02-01

    To estimate the prevalence of Sjögren's syndrome (SS) in ambulatory patients attending a tertiary care centre, according to the American-European Consensus Group criteria, using a structured approach. Three hundred patients from rheumatology and internal medicine clinics were randomly chosen. During the screening phase, a face-to-face interview, a screening questionnaire, a Schirmer-I test and a wafer test were carried out in all patients. During the second phase, patients with positive screening had confirmatory tests including fluorescein staining test, non-stimulated whole salivary flow and autoantibody testing. Confirmatory tests were also done in 13 patients with negative screening. In the last phase, lip biopsy was proposed to those patients who met pre-established criteria. Females constituted 79% of the study population. The mean age of the subjects was 42.8+/-15.7 yr. Two hundred and twenty patients (73%) had positive screening. Fifty-five (27%) out of 204 patients evaluated showed keratoconjunctivitis sicca and 28 (13%) out of 215 patients xerostomia. One hundred and sixty-eight patients met criteria for lip biopsy and it was performed in 80 subjects who accepted the procedure. Focal sialoadenitis was demonstrated in 39 patients (49%), but only 28 of them met criteria for SS. In total, 40 patients were classified as SS. The minimum prevalence of SS in the population studied was 13.3% (95% CI 9.5-17.1%). The structured approach used in this study allowed 24 (60%) undiagnosed cases of SS to be identified. SS is common among ambulatory patients attending a tertiary care centre and in most of them it is undiagnosed.

  8. Diagnostic criteria for vascular cognitive disorders: a VASCOG statement.

    PubMed

    Sachdev, Perminder; Kalaria, Raj; O'Brien, John; Skoog, Ingmar; Alladi, Suvarna; Black, Sandra E; Blacker, Deborah; Blazer, Dan G; Chen, Christopher; Chui, Helena; Ganguli, Mary; Jellinger, Kurt; Jeste, Dilip V; Pasquier, Florence; Paulsen, Jane; Prins, Niels; Rockwood, Kenneth; Roman, Gustavo; Scheltens, Philip

    2014-01-01

    Several sets of diagnostic criteria have been published for vascular dementia since the 1960s. The continuing ambiguity in vascular dementia definition warrants a critical reexamination. Participants at a special symposium of the International Society for Vascular Behavioral and Cognitive Disorders (VASCOG) in 2009 critiqued the current criteria. They drafted a proposal for a new set of criteria, later reviewed through multiple drafts by the group, including additional experts and the members of the Neurocognitive Disorders Work Group of the fifth revision of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5) Task Force. Cognitive disorders of vascular etiology are a heterogeneous group of disorders with diverse pathologies and clinical manifestations, discussed broadly under the rubric of vascular cognitive disorders (VCD). The continuum of vascular cognitive impairment is recognized by the categories of Mild Vascular Cognitive Disorder, and Vascular Dementia or Major Vascular Cognitive Disorder. Diagnostic thresholds are defined. Clinical and neuroimaging criteria are proposed for establishing vascular etiology. Subtypes of VCD are described, and the frequent cooccurrence of Alzheimer disease pathology emphasized. The proposed criteria for VCD provide a coherent approach to the diagnosis of this diverse group of disorders, with a view to stimulating clinical and pathologic validation studies. These criteria can be harmonized with the DSM-5 criteria such that an international consensus on the criteria for VCD may be achieved.

  9. Diagnostic criteria for vascular cognitive disorders: a VASCOG statement

    PubMed Central

    Sachdev, Perminder; Kalaria, Raj; O’Brien, John; Skoog, Ingmar; Alladi, Suvarna; Black, Sandra E; Blacker, Deborah; Blazer, Dan; Chen, Christopher; Chui, Helena; Ganguli, Mary; Jellinger, Kurt; Jeste, Dilip V.; Pasquier, Florence; Paulsen, Jane; Prins, Niels; Rockwood, Kenneth; Roman, Gustavo; Scheltens, Philip

    2014-01-01

    Background Several sets of diagnostic criteria have been published for vascular dementia (VaD) since the 1960s. The continuing ambiguity in VaD definition warrants a critical re-examination. Methods Participants at a special symposium of the International Society for Vascular Behavioral and Cognitive Disorders (VASCOG) in 2009 critiqued the current criteria. They drafted a proposal for a new set of criteria, later reviewed through multiple drafts by the group, including additional experts and the members of the Neurocognitive Disorders Work Group of the DSM-5 Task Force. Results Cognitive disorders of vascular etiology are a heterogeneous group of disorders with diverse pathologies and clinical manifestations, discussed broadly under the rubric of vascular cognitive disorders (VCD). The continuum of vascular cognitive impairment is recognized by the categories of Mild Vascular Cognitive Disorder, and Vascular Dementia or Major Vascular Cognitive Disorder. Diagnostic thresholds are defined. Clinical and neuroimaging criteria are proposed for establishing vascular etiology. Subtypes of VCD are described, and the frequent co-occurrence of Alzheimer’s disease pathology emphasized. Conclusions The proposed criteria for VCD provide a coherent approach to the diagnosis of this diverse group of disorders, with a view to stimulating clinical and pathological validation studies. These criteria can be harmonized with the DSM-5 criteria such that an international consensus on the criteria for VCD may be achieved. PMID:24632990

  10. Extramedullary leukemia in children with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia: a report from the Children's Cancer Group.

    PubMed

    Dusenbery, Kathryn E; Howells, William B; Arthur, Diane C; Alonzo, Todd; Lee, Jae Won; Kobrinsky, Nathan; Barnard, Dorothy R; Wells, Robert J; Buckley, Jonathan D; Lange, Beverly J; Woods, William G

    2003-10-01

    To describe features of patients with acute myeloid leukemia presenting with extramedullary leukemic tumors (EML). Among 1,832 patients entered on Children's Cancer Group's chemotherapy trials with acute myeloid leukemia, 199 patients had EML, defined as any leukemic collection outside the bone marrow cavity. Three patient groups were denoted: group 1 (n=109) with EML involving skin (with or without other sites of EML), group 2 (n=90) with EML in sites other than skin, and group 3 (n=1,633) without EML. The incidence of EML was 10.9%. Group 1 patients tended to be younger, had higher white blood cell counts, were more often CNS positive, had FAB M4 or M5 subtypes, and possessed more abnormalities of chromosome 11 than group 3 patients. Group 2 patients were younger, more often had the FAB M2 subtype, and had a higher incidence of t(8;21)(q22;q22) abnormality than group 3, but had similar white blood cell counts and incidence of CNS positivity at diagnosis. For group 1 the 5-year event-free survival was 26%, significantly worse than for group 3 at 29%. Event-free survival was better for group 2 patients (5-year estimate 46%), which remained a favorable prognostic factor by multivariate analysis. The authors retrospectively determined whether 118 (59%) of the EML patients received localized radiotherapy to the site of EML: 42 did and 76 did not. There were no differences in estimated event-free survival between patients who did and did not receive radiotherapy. Non-skin (group 2) EML appeared to be an independent favorable prognostic factor. Localized radiotherapy to the site of EML at the end of induction chemotherapy did not improve outcome.

  11. Atomic structure of an alphabeta T cell receptor (TCR) heterodimer in complex with an anti-TCR fab fragment derived from a mitogenic antibody.

    PubMed Central

    Wang, J; Lim, K; Smolyar, A; Teng, M; Liu, J; Tse, A G; Liu, J; Hussey, R E; Chishti, Y; Thomson, C T; Sweet, R M; Nathenson, S G; Chang, H C; Sacchettini, J C; Reinherz, E L

    1998-01-01

    Each T cell receptor (TCR) recognizes a peptide antigen bound to a major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecule via a clonotypic alphabeta heterodimeric structure (Ti) non-covalently associated with the monomorphic CD3 signaling components. A crystal structure of an alphabeta TCR-anti-TCR Fab complex shows an Fab fragment derived from the H57 monoclonal antibody (mAb), interacting with the elongated FG loop of the Cbeta domain, situated beneath the Vbeta domain. This loop, along with the partially exposed ABED beta sheet of Cbeta, and glycans attached to both Cbeta and Calpha domains, forms a cavity of sufficient size to accommodate a single non-glycosylated Ig domain such as the CD3epsilon ectodomain. That this asymmetrically localized site is embedded within the rigid constant domain module has implications for the mechanism of signal transduction in both TCR and pre-TCR complexes. Furthermore, quaternary structures of TCRs vary significantly even when they bind the same MHC molecule, as manifested by a unique twisting of the V module relative to the C module. PMID:9427737

  12. Simplified neutrosophic sets and their applications in multi-criteria group decision-making problems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Peng, Juan-juan; Wang, Jian-qiang; Wang, Jing; Zhang, Hong-yu; Chen, Xiao-hong

    2016-07-01

    As a variation of fuzzy sets and intuitionistic fuzzy sets, neutrosophic sets have been developed to represent uncertain, imprecise, incomplete and inconsistent information that exists in the real world. Simplified neutrosophic sets (SNSs) have been proposed for the main purpose of addressing issues with a set of specific numbers. However, there are certain problems regarding the existing operations of SNSs, as well as their aggregation operators and the comparison methods. Therefore, this paper defines the novel operations of simplified neutrosophic numbers (SNNs) and develops a comparison method based on the related research of intuitionistic fuzzy numbers. On the basis of these operations and the comparison method, some SNN aggregation operators are proposed. Additionally, an approach for multi-criteria group decision-making (MCGDM) problems is explored by applying these aggregation operators. Finally, an example to illustrate the applicability of the proposed method is provided and a comparison with some other methods is made.

  13. Generation, Diversity Determination, and Application to Antibody Selection of a Human Naïve Fab Library

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Sangkyu; Park, Insoo; Park, Seung Gu; Cho, Seulki; Kim, Jin Hong; Ipper, Nagesh S.; Choi, Sun Shim; Lee, Eung Suk; Hong, Hyo Jeong

    2017-01-01

    We constructed a large naïve human Fab library (3 × 1010 colonies) from the lymphocytes of 809 human donors, assessed available diversities of the heavy-chain variable (VH) and κ light-chain variable (VK) domain repertoires, and validated the library by selecting Fabs against 10 therapeutically relevant antigens by phage display. We obtained a database of unique 7,373 VH and 41,804 VK sequences by 454 pyrosequencing, and analyzed the repertoires. The distribution of VH and VK subfamilies and germline genes in our antibody repertoires slightly differed from those in earlier published natural antibody libraries. The frequency of somatic hypermutations (SHMs) in heavy-chain complementarity determining region (HCDR)1 and HCDR2 are higher compared with the natural IgM repertoire. Analysis of position-specific SHMs in CDRs indicates that asparagine, threonine, arginine, aspartate and phenylalanine are the most frequent non-germline residues on the antibody-antigen interface and are converted mostly from the germline residues, which are highly represented in germline SHM hotspots. The amino acid composition and length-dependent changes in amino acid frequencies of HCDR3 are similar to those in previous reports, except that frequencies of aspartate and phenylalanine are a little higher in our repertoire. Taken together, the results show that this antibody library shares common features of natural antibody repertoires and also has unique features. The antibody library will be useful in the generation of human antibodies against diverse antigens, and the information about the diversity of natural antibody repertoires will be valuable in the future design of synthetic human antibody libraries with high functional diversity. PMID:28927259

  14. Generation, Diversity Determination, and Application to Antibody Selection of a Human Naïve Fab Library.

    PubMed

    Kim, Sangkyu; Park, Insoo; Park, Seung Gu; Cho, Seulki; Kim, Jin Hong; Ipper, Nagesh S; Choi, Sun Shim; Lee, Eung Suk; Hong, Hyo Jeong

    2017-09-30

    We constructed a large naïve human Fab library (3 × 10 10 colonies) from the lymphocytes of 809 human donors, assessed available diversities of the heavy-chain variable (VH) and κ light-chain variable (VK) domain repertoires, and validated the library by selecting Fabs against 10 therapeutically relevant antigens by phage display. We obtained a database of unique 7,373 VH and 41,804 VK sequences by 454 pyrosequencing, and analyzed the repertoires. The distribution of VH and VK subfamilies and germline genes in our antibody repertoires slightly differed from those in earlier published natural antibody libraries. The frequency of somatic hypermutations (SHMs) in heavy-chain complementarity determining region (HCDR)1 and HCDR2 are higher compared with the natural IgM repertoire. Analysis of position-specific SHMs in CDRs indicates that asparagine, threonine, arginine, aspartate and phenylalanine are the most frequent non-germline residues on the antibody-antigen interface and are converted mostly from the germline residues, which are highly represented in germline SHM hotspots. The amino acid composition and length-dependent changes in amino acid frequencies of HCDR3 are similar to those in previous reports, except that frequencies of aspartate and phenylalanine are a little higher in our repertoire. Taken together, the results show that this antibody library shares common features of natural antibody repertoires and also has unique features. The antibody library will be useful in the generation of human antibodies against diverse antigens, and the information about the diversity of natural antibody repertoires will be valuable in the future design of synthetic human antibody libraries with high functional diversity.

  15. Solid state of CG-400549, a novel FabI inhibitor: characterization, dissolution, transformation.

    PubMed

    Kim, Bo-Yeon; Sohn, Young-Taek

    2011-05-01

    The polymorphic and pseudopolymorphic forms of CG-400549, a novel FabI inhibitor with potent in vivo activity were prepared and characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), powder X-ray diffractometry (PXRD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TG). Seven crystal forms of CG-400549, one anhydrate and six solvates, have been isolated by recrystallization and the DSC and PXRD patterns of the seven crystal forms of CG-400549 were different respectively. The dissolution patterns of these seven crystal forms of CG-400549 were studied and they showed significant differences in the dissolution rate. After storage of 1 month at 0% RH (silica gel, 20°C), 52% RH (saturated solution of Na(2)Cr(2)O(7)2H(2)O/20°C) and 95% RH (saturated solution of Na(2)HPO(4)/20°C), all crystal forms were not transformed.

  16. Radiolabeled F(ab')2-cetuximab for theranostic purposes in colorectal and skin tumor-bearing mice models.

    PubMed

    Bellaye, P-S; Moreau, M; Raguin, O; Oudot, A; Bernhard, C; Vrigneaud, J-M; Dumont, L; Vandroux, D; Denat, F; Cochet, A; Brunotte, F; Collin, B

    2018-05-17

    This study aimed to investigate theranostic strategies in colorectal and skin cancer based on fragments of cetuximab, an anti-EGFR mAb, labeled with radionuclide with imaging and therapeutic properties, 111 In and 177 Lu, respectively. We designed F(ab') 2 -fragments of cetuximab radiolabeled with 111 In and 177 Lu. 111 In-F(ab') 2 -cetuximab tumor targeting and biodistribution were evaluated by SPECT in BalbC nude mice bearing primary colorectal tumors. The efficacy of 111 In-F(ab') 2 -cetuximab to assess therapy efficacy was performed on BalbC nude mice bearing colorectal tumors receiving 17-DMAG, an HSP90 inhibitor. Therapeutic efficacy of the radioimmunotherapy based on 177 Lu-F(ab') 2 -cetuximab was evaluated in SWISS nude mice bearing A431 tumors. Radiolabeling procedure did not change F(ab') 2 -cetuximab and cetuximab immunoreactivity nor affinity for HER1 in vitro. 111 In-DOTAGA-F(ab') 2 -cetuximab exhibited a peak tumor uptake at 24 h post-injection and showed a high tumor specificity determined by a significant decrease in tumor uptake after the addition of an excess of unlabeled-DOTAGA-F(ab') 2 -cetuximab. SPECT imaging of 111 In-DOTAGA-F(ab') 2 -cetuximab allowed an accurate evaluation of tumor growth and successfully predicted the decrease in tumor growth induced by 17-DMAG. Finally, 177 Lu-DOTAGA-F(ab') 2 -cetuximab radioimmunotherapy showed a significant reduction of tumor growth at 4 and 8 MBq doses. 111 In-DOTAGA-F(ab') 2 -cetuximab is a reliable and stable tool for specific in vivo tumor targeting and is suitable for therapy efficacy assessment. 177 Lu-DOTAGA-F(ab') 2 -cetuximab is an interesting theranostic tool allowing therapy and imaging.

  17. Comparative analysis of anti-polyglutamine Fab crystals grown on Earth and in microgravity.

    PubMed

    Owens, Gwen E; New, Danielle M; Olvera, Alejandra I; Manzella, Julia Ashlyn; Macon, Brittney L; Dunn, Joshua C; Cooper, David A; Rouleau, Robyn L; Connor, Daniel S; Bjorkman, Pamela J

    2016-10-01

    Huntington's disease is one of nine neurodegenerative diseases caused by a polyglutamine (polyQ)-repeat expansion. An anti-polyQ antigen-binding fragment, MW1 Fab, was crystallized both on Earth and on the International Space Station, a microgravity environment where convection is limited. Once the crystals returned to Earth, the number, size and morphology of all crystals were recorded, and X-ray data were collected from representative crystals. The results generally agreed with previous microgravity crystallization studies. On average, microgravity-grown crystals were 20% larger than control crystals grown on Earth, and microgravity-grown crystals had a slightly improved mosaicity (decreased by 0.03°) and diffraction resolution (decreased by 0.2 Å) compared with control crystals grown on Earth. However, the highest resolution and lowest mosaicity crystals were formed on Earth, and the highest-quality crystal overall was formed on Earth after return from microgravity.

  18. Comparative analysis of anti-polyglutamine Fab crystals grown on Earth and in microgravity

    PubMed Central

    Owens, Gwen E.; New, Danielle M.; Olvera, Alejandra I.; Manzella, Julia Ashlyn; Macon, Brittney L.; Dunn, Joshua C.; Cooper, David A.; Rouleau, Robyn L.; Connor, Daniel S.; Bjorkman, Pamela J.

    2016-01-01

    Huntington’s disease is one of nine neurodegenerative diseases caused by a polyglutamine (polyQ)-repeat expansion. An anti-polyQ antigen-binding fragment, MW1 Fab, was crystallized both on Earth and on the International Space Station, a microgravity environment where convection is limited. Once the crystals returned to Earth, the number, size and morphology of all crystals were recorded, and X-ray data were collected from representative crystals. The results generally agreed with previous microgravity crystallization studies. On average, microgravity-grown crystals were 20% larger than control crystals grown on Earth, and microgravity-grown crystals had a slightly improved mosaicity (decreased by 0.03°) and diffraction resolution (decreased by 0.2 Å) compared with control crystals grown on Earth. However, the highest resolution and lowest mosaicity crystals were formed on Earth, and the highest-quality crystal overall was formed on Earth after return from microgravity. PMID:27710941

  19. Antibacterial activity of flavonoid isolated from Trianthema decandra against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and molecular docking study of FabZ.

    PubMed

    Geethalakshmi, Rajarathinam; Sundaramurthi, Jagadish Chandrabose; Sarada, Dronamraju V L

    2018-05-12

    The natural product flavonoid demonstrates an extensive sort of pharmacological properties including antimicrobial activity. Although its Pseudomonas aeruginosa inhibition has been discovered, no target for action against flavonoid has been revealed to date. The anti - P. aeruginosa activity of the 2 - (3', 4' dihydroxy-phenyl) - 3, 5, 7-trihydroxy-chromen-4-one isolated from T. decandra was evaluated by disc diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration methods. The molecular docking of the flavonoid isolated from T. decandra was carried out using CDOCKER (Discovery Studio 2.0). The flavonoid isolated from T. decandra was found to inhibit the growth of P. aeruginosa and the zone of inhibition was found to be 22 ± 0.04 mm at 20 μg/ml while chloramphenicol showed 23 ± 0.05 mm at 30 μg/ml. P. aeruginosa was found to be the most sensitive to both isolated flavonoid and standard control chloramphenicol with MIC values 39.05 μg/ml and 25 μg/ml respectively. Further, the FAS II β-hydroxyacyl-ACP (FabZ) of P. aeruginosa was found to be a potential target of the flavonoid as it docked in silico effectively. Our work has demonstrated the anti - P. aeruginosa activity of flavonoid isolated from T. decandra and also resulted in the elucidation of a plausible mechanism of action of the isolated flavonoid by inhibiting the FabZ using in silico analysis. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Galactosylated streptavidin for improved clearance of biotinylated intact and F(ab')2 fragments of an anti-tumour antibody.

    PubMed

    Marshall, D; Pedley, R B; Melton, R G; Boden, J A; Boden, R; Begent, R H

    1995-01-01

    Persistence of high levels of radiolabelled antibody in the circulation is a major limitation of radioimmunotherapy. Biotinylation of the radiolabelled anti-tumour antibody followed by administration of streptavidin is known to give much improved tumour to blood ratios as the radioantibody is complexed and subsequently cleared via the reticuloendothelial system, although prolonged splenic uptake is a problem. We have investigated the effect on the clearance pattern and tumour localisation of a 125I-labelled biotinylated anti-CEA antibody (A5B7) after administration of a galactosylated form of streptavidin (gal-streptavidin) in nude mice bearing a human colon carcinoma xenograft. Fifteen minutes to 1 h after gal-streptavidin administration the complexes were cleared via the liver alone (as opposed to liver and spleen after native streptavidin). Twenty-four hours after administration of gal-streptavidin, the tumour to blood ratio for biotinylated A5B7 IgG increased from 2.9 to 13.2 and for biotinylated F(ab')2 fragments an increase from 4.9 to 33.2 was achieved. The reduction in tumour accumulation of F(ab')2 24 h after injection of the clearing agent was less than that seen with intact antibody. Injection of asialofetuin inhibited clearance, confirming that removal of the gal-streptavidin-biotinylated antibody complexes from the blood was via the asialoglycoprotein receptor on liver hepatocytes. Therefore, galactosylation of the streptavidin clearing agent allows rapid removal of radiolabelled biotinylated antibodies via the liver asialoglycoprotein receptor, as opposed to the reticuloendothelial system.

  1. Earthquake Vulnerability Assessment for Hospital Buildings Using a Gis-Based Group Multi Criteria Decision Making Approach: a Case Study of Tehran, Iran

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Delavar, M. R.; Moradi, M.; Moshiri, B.

    2015-12-01

    Nowadays, urban areas are threatened by a number of natural hazards such as flood, landslide and earthquake. They can cause huge damages to buildings and human beings which necessitates disaster mitigation and preparation. One of the most important steps in disaster management is to understand all impacts and effects of disaster on urban facilities. Given that hospitals take care of vulnerable people reaction of hospital buildings against earthquake is vital. In this research, the vulnerability of hospital buildings against earthquake is analysed. The vulnerability of buildings is related to a number of criteria including age of building, number of floors, the quality of materials and intensity of the earthquake. Therefore, the problem of seismic vulnerability assessment is a multi-criteria assessment problem and multi criteria decision making methods can be used to address the problem. In this paper a group multi criteria decision making model is applied because using only one expert's judgments can cause biased vulnerability maps. Sugeno integral which is able to take into account the interaction among criteria is employed to assess the vulnerability degree of buildings. Fuzzy capacities which are similar to layer weights in weighted linear averaging operator are calculated using particle swarm optimization. Then, calculated fuzzy capacities are included into the model to compute a vulnerability degree for each hospital.

  2. Comparison of different criteria for diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus

    PubMed Central

    Sagili, Haritha; Kamalanathan, Sadishkumar; Sahoo, Jayaprakash; Lakshminarayanan, Subitha; Rani, Reddi; Jayalakshmi, D.; Kumar, K. T. Hari Chandra

    2015-01-01

    Introduction: The International Association of Diabetes in Pregnancy Study Group (IADPSG) criteria for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has been adopted by most associations across the world including the American Diabetes Association and World Health Organization (WHO). We conducted a study comparing the IADPSG and previous WHO criteria and their effects on neonatal birth weight. Methods: The study was carried out in Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department of a tertiary care institute in South India in collaboration with Endocrinology Department. Thousand two hundred and thirty-one antenatal cases with at least one risk factor for GDM and gestational age of more than 24 weeks were included in the study. Both criteria were compared on the basis of 75 g oral glucose tolerance test results. Results: The prevalence of GDM using IADPSG and previous WHO criteria were 12.6% and 12.4%, respectively. The prevalence of GDM was 9.9% when both criteria had to be satisfied. Both GDM criteria groups did not differ in neonatal birth weight and macrosomia rate. However, there was a significant increase in lower segment cesarean section in IADPSG criteria group. Elevated fasting plasma glucose alone picked up only one GDM in the previous WHO criteria group. Conclusions: A single 2 h plasma glucose is both easy to perform and economical. A revised WHO criterion using a 2 h threshold of ≥140 mg % can be adopted as a one-step screening and diagnostic procedure for GDM in our country. PMID:26693435

  3. Consensus recommendations for the postmortem diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. The National Institute on Aging, and Reagan Institute Working Group on Diagnostic Criteria for the Neuropathological Assessment of Alzheimer's Disease.

    PubMed

    1997-01-01

    This report summarizes the consensus recommendations of a panel of neuropathologists from the United States and Europe to improve the postmortem diagnostic criteria for Alzheimer's disease. The recommendations followed from a two-day workshop sponsored by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the Ronald and Nancy Reagan Institute of the Alzheimer's Association to reassess the original NIA criteria for the postmortem diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease published in 1985. The consensus recommendations for improving the neuropathological criteria for the postmortem diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease are reported here, and the "position papers" by members of the Working Group that accompany this report elaborate on the research findings and concepts upon which these recommendations were based. Further, commentaries by other experts in the field also are included here to provide additional perspectives on these recommendations. Finally, it is anticipated that future meetings of the Working Group will reassess these recommendations and the implementation of postmortem diagnostic criteria for Alzheimer's disease.

  4. [Microbiota of lower urine tract and genital organs of healthy men and in infertility].

    PubMed

    Naboka, Iu L; Kogan, M I; Gudima, I A; Ibishev, Kh S; Pasechnik, D G; Logvinov, A K; Ilmdarov, Sh B

    2015-01-01

    Study microflora of urine, ejaculate, urethra scrape in normal state and infertility. 2 groups of men were examined: I (28)--control, conditionally healthy men (20 - 25 years of age), II (26)--infertile patients (25 - 35 years of age). Middle portion of morning urine, ejaculate, urethra scrape were studied in group I, in II--ejaculate. Bacteriologic study of urine and ejaculate was carried out in an extended kit of nutrient media (HiMedia) for facultative- anaerobic (FAB) and non-clostridia anaerobic bacteria (NAB). Urethra scrape and ejaculate were studied by PCR in group I. In urethra scrape and ejaculate a wide spectrum of FAB and NAB was detected in group I. Corynebacterium spp. and coagulase-negative staphylococci (67.9% each) were the dominant cluster of FAB. Eubacterium spp.--in NAB. Bacteriologic study of ejaculate corresponded in PCR with similar results of dominating bacteria. Among FAB the same clusters dominated during bacteriologic study of ejaculate from group II patients, among NAB--Propionibacterium spp., Peptococcus spp. and Peptostreptococcus spp. Quantitative characteristics of ejaculate of group I and II differed insignificantly. The frequency of detection of certain genera of FAB and NAB was significantly higher in patients with infertility than in conditionally healthy men, however quantitative parameters of the isolated microorganisms practically did not differ between groups.

  5. Prophylactic or therapeutic administration of Agaricus blazei Murill is effective in treatment of murine visceral leishmaniasis.

    PubMed

    Valadares, Diogo G; Duarte, Mariana C; Ramírez, Laura; Chávez-Fumagalli, Miguel A; Martins, Vivian T; Costa, Lourena E; Lage, Paula S; Ribeiro, Tatiana G; Castilho, Rachel O; Fernandes, Ana Paula; Régis, Wiliam C B; Soto, Manuel; Tavares, Carlos A P; Coelho, Eduardo A F

    2012-10-01

    The present study aimed to investigate the in vitro antileishmanial activity of five fractions obtained from Agaricus blazei water extract (AbM), namely, Fab1, Fab2, Fab3, Fab4, and Fab5; and use the selected leishmanicidal fraction to treat BALB/c mice infected with Leishmania chagasi. A curve dose-titration was performed to obtain the concentration to be test in infected animals. In this context, Fab5 fraction and AbM were used in the doses of 20 and 100 mg/kg/day, respectively, with the product been administered once a day. The effect induced by a chemo-prophylactic regimen, based on the administration Fab5 fraction and AbM 5 days before infection, and maintained for an additional 20 days post-infection was compared to a therapeutic regimen, in which the compounds were administered from 0 to 20 days of infection. Control animals were either treated with amphotericin B deoxycholate (AmpB) or received distilled water. All groups were followed up for 10 weeks post-infection, when parasitological and immunological parameters were analyzed. The Fab5 presented the best results of in vitro leishmanicidal activity. In the in vivo experiments, the use of Fab5 or AbM, as compared to control groups, resulted in significant reduced parasite burdens in the liver, spleen, and draining lymph nodes of the infected animals, as compared to control groups. A Type 1 immune response was observed in the Fab5 or AbM treated animals. No significant toxicity was observed. The chemo-prophylactic regimen proved to be more effective to induce theses responses. In this context, the data presented in this study showed the potential of the purified Fab5 fraction of AbM as a therapeutic alternative to treat visceral leishmaniasis. In addition, it can be postulated that this fraction can be also employed in a chemo-prophylactic regimen associated or not with other therapeutic products. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Crystallization of the receptor-binding domain of parathyroid hormone-related protein in complex with a neutralizing monoclonal antibody Fab fragment

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    McKinstry, William J.; Polekhina, Galina; Diefenbach-Jagger, Hannelore

    Parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) plays an important role in regulating embryonic skeletal development and is abnormally regulated in the pathogenesis of skeletal complications observed with many cancers and osteoporosis. It exerts its action through binding to a G-protein-coupled seven-transmembrane cell-surface receptor (GPCR). Structurally, GPCRs are very difficult to study by X-ray crystallography. In this study, a monoclonal antibody Fab fragment which recognizes the same region of PTHrP as its receptor, PTH1R, was used to aid in the crystallization of PTHrP. The resultant protein complex was crystallized using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method with polyethylene glycol as a precipitant. The crystals belongedmore » to the orthorhombic space group P2{sub 1}2{sub 1}2, with unit-cell parameters a = 72.6, b = 96.3, c = 88.5 {angstrom}, and diffracted to 2.0 {angstrom} resolution using synchrotron radiation. The crystal structure will shed light on the nature of the key residues of PTHrP that interact with the antibody and will provide insights into how the antibody is able to discriminate between PTHrP and the related molecule parathyroid homone.« less

  7. Executive dysfunction, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Evidence for basal ganglia dysfunction?

    PubMed

    Maciel, Ricardo Oliveira Horta; Ferreira, Gilda Aparecida; Akemy, Bárbara; Cardoso, Francisco

    2016-01-15

    Chorea is well described in a group of patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). There is less information, however, on other movement disorders as well as non-motor neuropsychiatric features such as obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS), executive dysfunction and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in subjects with SLE. Fifty-four subjects with SLE underwent a battery of neuropsychiatric tests that included the Mini Mental State Examination, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB), the FAS verbal and the categorical (animals) semantic fluency tests, the Obsessive and Compulsive Inventory - Revised, the Yale-Brown Obsessive and Compulsive Scale and Beck's Anxiety and Depression Scales. ADHD was diagnosed according to DSM-IV criteria. SLE disease activity and cumulative damage were evaluated according to the modified SLE Disease Activity Index 2000 (mSLEDAI-2K) and the SLICC/ACR, respectively. Six (11.1%) and 33 (61.1%) patients had cognitive impairment according to the MMSE and MoCA, respectively. Eleven (20.4%) had abnormal FAB scores, and 5 (9.3%) had lower semantic fluency scores than expected. The overall frequency of cognitive dysfunction was 72.2% (39 patients) and of neuropsychiatric SLE was 77.8% (42 patients). Two patients (3.7%) had movement disorders. Fifteen (27.8%) had OCS and 17 (31.5%) met diagnostic criteria for ADHD. ADHD and OCS correlated with higher disease activity, p=0.003 and 0.006, respectively. Higher cumulative damage correlated with lower FAB scores (p 0.026). Executive dysfunction, ADHD, OCS, and movement disorders are common in SLE. Our finding suggests that there is frequent basal ganglia dysfunction in SLE. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. The N14 anti-afamin antibody Fab: a rare VL1 CDR glycosylation, crystallographic re-sequencing, molecular plasticity and conservative versus enthusiastic modelling.

    PubMed

    Naschberger, Andreas; Fürnrohr, Barbara G; Lenac Rovis, Tihana; Malic, Suzana; Scheffzek, Klaus; Dieplinger, Hans; Rupp, Bernhard

    2016-12-01

    The monoclonal antibody N14 is used as a detection antibody in ELISA kits for the human glycoprotein afamin, a member of the albumin family, which has recently gained interest in the capture and stabilization of Wnt signalling proteins, and for its role in metabolic syndrome and papillary thyroid carcinoma. As a rare occurrence, the N14 Fab is N-glycosylated at Asn26L at the onset of the V L 1 antigen-binding loop, with the α-1-6 core fucosylated complex glycan facing out of the L1 complementarity-determining region. The crystal structures of two non-apparent (pseudo) isomorphous crystals of the N14 Fab were analyzed, which differ significantly in the elbow angles, thereby cautioning against the overinterpretation of domain movements upon antigen binding. In addition, the map quality at 1.9 Å resolution was sufficient to crystallographically re-sequence the variable V L and V H domains and to detect discrepancies in the hybridoma-derived sequence. Finally, a conservatively refined parsimonious model is presented and its statistics are compared with those from a less conservatively built model that has been modelled more enthusiastically. Improvements to the PDB validation reports affecting ligands, clashscore and buried surface calculations are suggested.

  9. Comparison of the efficiency of antibody selection from semi-synthetic scFv and non-immune Fab phage display libraries against protein targets for rapid development of diagnostic immunoassays.

    PubMed

    Chan, Conrad E Z; Chan, Annie H Y; Lim, Angeline P C; Hanson, Brendon J

    2011-10-28

    Rapid development of diagnostic immunoassays against novel emerging or genetically modified pathogens in an emergency situation is dependent on the timely isolation of specific antibodies. Non-immune antibody phage display libraries are an efficient in vitro method for selecting monoclonal antibodies and hence ideal in these circumstances. Such libraries can be constructed from a variety of sources e.g. B cell cDNA or synthetically generated, and use a variety of antibody formats, typically scFv or Fab. However, antibody source and format can impact on the quality of antibodies generated and hence the effectiveness of this methodology for the timely production of antibodies. We have carried out a comparative screening of two antibody libraries, a semi-synthetic scFv library and a human-derived Fab library against the protective antigen toxin component of Bacillus anthracis and the epsilon toxin of Clostridium botulinum. We have shown that while the synthetic library produced a diverse collection of specific scFv-phage, these contained a high frequency of unnatural amber stops and glycosylation sites which limited their conversion to IgG, and also a high number which lost specificity when expressed as IgG. In contrast, these limitations were overcome by the use of a natural human library. Antibodies from both libraries could be used to develop sandwich ELISA assays with similar sensitivity. However, the ease and speed with which full-length IgG could be generated from the human-derived Fab library makes screening this type of library the preferable method for rapid antibody generation for diagnostic assay development. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. A comparison of the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups Recommendations with Former Criteria for Diagnosing Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

    PubMed

    Telejko, Beata; Kuzmicki, Mariusz; Kretowska, Monika Zbucka; Szamatowicz, Jacek; Kretowski, Adam

    2018-06-11

    The aim of the study was to compare the frequency of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and pregnancy outcomes in women diagnosed by WHO 1999 and IADPSG criteria. This was a retrospective cohort study comprising 1508 women who underwent a 75-g OGTT after the 24th week of gestation at the University Hospital of Bialystok between 2004 and 2012. GDM was diagnosed by WHO 1999 criteria in 486 (32.2%) patients and by IADPSG criteria in 397 (26.3%) women. Three hundred fifty five (23.5%) patients fulfilled both criteria, whereas 111 (7.4%) and 39 (2.6%) subjects met only WHO 1999 or IADPSG criteria, respectively. Isolated fasting hyperglycemia was found in 3.4% of patients fulfilling WHO 1999 criteria and in 17.6% of women who met IADPSG criteria. In total, fasting glycemic value was diagnostic in 42.8% of the participants fulfilling the new criteria. The main risk factor for GDM was family history of diabetes (OR 2.285 [95%CI: 1.772-2.945], p=0.00001). The rates of cesarean section and macrosomia were higher in the group with GDM than in the healthy women (54.7% vs 41.9% and 18.9% vs 13.9%, respectively), but the differences were not significant. Three months postpartum the disturbances of glucose tolerance were found in 21% of the patients with GDM. The introduction of the IADPS criteria did not increase the prevalence of GDM, but increased the number of patients with fasting hyperglycemia. Twelve weeks postpartum the patients with prior GDM had significantly higher post-load glucose levels than the healthy women. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  11. Standardization of terminology, definitions and outcome criteria in immune thrombocytopenic purpura of adults and children: report from an international working group.

    PubMed

    Rodeghiero, Francesco; Stasi, Roberto; Gernsheimer, Terry; Michel, Marc; Provan, Drew; Arnold, Donald M; Bussel, James B; Cines, Douglas B; Chong, Beng H; Cooper, Nichola; Godeau, Bertrand; Lechner, Klaus; Mazzucconi, Maria Gabriella; McMillan, Robert; Sanz, Miguel A; Imbach, Paul; Blanchette, Victor; Kühne, Thomas; Ruggeri, Marco; George, James N

    2009-03-12

    Diagnosis and management of immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) remain largely dependent on clinical expertise and observations more than on evidence derived from clinical trials of high scientific quality. One major obstacle to the implementation of such studies and in producing reliable meta-analyses of existing data is a lack of consensus on standardized critical definitions, outcome criteria, and terminology. Moreover, the demand for comparative clinical trials has dramatically increased since the introduction of new classes of therapeutic agents, such as thrombopoietin receptor agonists, and innovative treatment modalities, such as anti-CD 20 antibodies. To overcome the present heterogeneity, an International Working Group of recognized expert clinicians convened a 2-day structured meeting (the Vicenza Consensus Conference) to define standard terminology and definitions for primary ITP and its different phases and criteria for the grading of severity, and clinically meaningful outcomes and response. These consensus criteria and definitions could be used by investigational clinical trials or cohort studies. Adoption of these recommendations would serve to improve communication among investigators, to enhance comparability among clinical trials, to facilitate meta-analyses and development of therapeutic guidelines, and to provide a standardized framework for regulatory agencies.

  12. In vivo characterization of the novel CD44v6-targeting Fab fragment AbD15179 for molecular imaging of squamous cell carcinoma: a dual-isotope study

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background Patients with squamous cell carcinoma in the head and neck region (HNSCC) offer a diagnostic challenge due to difficulties to detect small tumours and metastases. Imaging methods available are not sufficient, and radio-immunodiagnostics could increase specificity and sensitivity of diagnostics. The objective of this study was to evaluate, for the first time, the in vivo properties of the radiolabelled CD44v6-targeting fragment AbD15179 and to assess its utility as a targeting agent for radio-immunodiagnostics of CD44v6-expressing tumours. Methods The fully human CD44v6-targeting Fab fragment AbD15179 was labelled with 111In or 125I, as models for radionuclides suitable for imaging with SPECT or PET. Species specificity, antigen specificity and internalization properties were first assessed in vitro. In vivo specificity and biodistribution were then evaluated in tumour-bearing mice using a dual-tumour and dual-isotope setup. Results Both species-specific and antigen-specific binding of the conjugates were demonstrated in vitro, with no detectable internalization. The in vivo studies demonstrated specific tumour binding and favourable tumour targeting properties for both conjugates, albeit with higher tumour uptake, slower tumour dissociation, higher tumour-to-blood ratio and higher CD44v6 sensitivity for the 111In-labelled fragment. In contrast, the 125I-Fab demonstrated more favourable tumour-to-organ ratios for liver, spleen and kidneys. Conclusions We conclude that AbD15179 efficiently targets CD44v6-expressing squamous cell carcinoma xenografts, and particularly, the 111In-Fab displayed high and specific tumour uptake. CD44v6 emerges as a suitable target for radio-immunodiagnostics, and a fully human antibody fragment such as AbD15179 can enable further clinical imaging studies. PMID:24598405

  13. The Pediatric Oncology Group experience with the international staging system criteria for neuroblastoma. Member Institutions of the Pediatric Oncology Group.

    PubMed

    Castleberry, R P; Shuster, J J; Smith, E I

    1994-11-01

    An international consensus on the criteria for surgicopathologic staging (INSS) of patients with neuroblastoma has been published, but has not been validated. A retrospective study was conducted to assess if the INSS definitions identified prognostic subsets of patients with neuroblastoma. The initial operative and pathology reports were reviewed from 675 patients on Pediatric Oncology Group (POG) #8104, a stage- and age-related treatment study that used the POG surgicopathologic staging system. Of 596 eligible cases, there was concordance between the POG and INSS stages for the 193 patients with localized, resected disease (POG stage A), the 202 with distant metastases, the 51 with POG stage Ds (IVs) tumors, and 40 of the cases with grossly unresected, localized tumor without lymph node involvement (POG stage B). Of the remaining 19 patients with POG stage B tumors, five were INSS stage 2B and 14 INSS stage 3. All of the 91 cases with nonadherent, regional lymph node metastases (POG stage C) conformed to the definitions for INSS stage 2B (n = 42) or 3 (n = 49). In infants, there was no difference in event-free survival (EFS) among INSS stages 2A, 2B, or 3. In contrast, older children with INSS stage 3 disease had inferior EFS compared with INSS stage 2A or 2B tumors. We conclude the following: (1) the INSS identifies distinct patient subsets, particularly in children; (2) infants remain a favorable group, regardless of INSS/POG stage; and (3) the INSS deserves further prospective study especially in the light of recent biologic prognostic variables.

  14. The DSM diagnostic criteria for pedophilia.

    PubMed

    Blanchard, Ray

    2010-04-01

    This paper contains the author's report on pedophilia, submitted on June 2, 2008, to the work group charged with revising the diagnoses concerning sexual and gender identity disorders for the fifth edition of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). The author reviews the previously published criticisms and empirical research concerning the diagnostic criteria for pedophilia and presents criticism and relevant research of his own. The review shows that the DSM diagnostic criteria for pedophilia have repeatedly been criticized as unsatisfactory on logical or conceptual grounds, and that published empirical studies on the reliability and validity of these criteria have produced ambiguous results. It therefore seems that the current (i.e., DSM-IV-TR) diagnostic criteria need to be examined with an openness to major changes in the DSM-V.

  15. Abnormal glucose tolerance post-gestational diabetes mellitus as defined by the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups criteria.

    PubMed

    Noctor, Eoin; Crowe, Catherine; Carmody, Louise A; Saunders, Jean A; Kirwan, Breda; O'Dea, Angela; Gillespie, Paddy; Glynn, Liam G; McGuire, Brian E; O'Neill, Ciarán; O'Shea, P M; Dunne, F P

    2016-10-01

    An increase in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) prevalence has been demonstrated across many countries with adoption of the International Association of the Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups (IADPSG) diagnostic criteria. Here, we determine the cumulative incidence of abnormal glucose tolerance among women with previous GDM, and identify clinical risk factors predicting this. Two hundred and seventy women with previous IADPSG-defined GDM were prospectively followed up for 5years (mean 2.6) post-index pregnancy, and compared with 388 women with normal glucose tolerance (NGT) in pregnancy. Cumulative incidence of abnormal glucose tolerance (using American Diabetes Association criteria for impaired fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes) was determined using the Kaplan-Meier method of survival analysis. Cox regression models were constructed to test for factors predicting abnormal glucose tolerance. Twenty-six percent of women with previous GDM had abnormal glucose tolerance vs 4% with NGT, with the log-rank test demonstrating significantly different survival curves (P<0.001). Women meeting IADPSG, but not the World Health Organization (WHO) 1999 criteria, had a lower cumulative incidence than women meeting both sets of criteria, both in the early post-partum period (4.2% vs 21.7%, P<0.001) and at longer-term follow-up (13.7% vs 32.6%, P<0.001). Predictive factors were glucose levels on the pregnancy oral glucose tolerance test, family history of diabetes, gestational week at testing, and BMI at follow-up. The proportion of women developing abnormal glucose tolerance remains high among those with IADPSG-defined GDM. This demonstrates the need for continued close follow-up, although the optimal frequency and method needs further study. © 2016 European Society of Endocrinology.

  16. Development and validation of a pediatric sports activity rating scale: the Hospital for Special Surgery Pediatric Functional Activity Brief Scale (HSS Pedi-FABS).

    PubMed

    Fabricant, Peter D; Robles, Alex; Downey-Zayas, Timothy; Do, Huong T; Marx, Robert G; Widmann, Roger F; Green, Daniel W

    2013-10-01

    Having simple and reliable validated outcome measures is vital to conducting high-quality outcomes research in the field of orthopaedic surgery. Activity level is a key prognostic variable for patients with sports injuries. There is a paucity of such activity scales for children and adolescents who are otherwise healthy and athletically active. In addition to frequency and intensity of athletic activity, level of play and coach/trainer supervision are important variables unique to children and adolescents that are not captured in available adult scoring systems. To create and validate a concise and comprehensive activity rating scale for athletically active children and adolescents 10 to 18 years of age. Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 2. Item generation was performed with a panel of orthopaedic surgeons and adolescent athletes. Item reduction, pilot testing and scale refinement resulted in a final 8-item instrument, the Hospital for Special Surgery Pediatric Functional Activity Brief Scale (HSS Pedi-FABS). Existing methods were used to determine reliability and validation. The Flesch-Kincaid score was calculated at a 6.6th-grade reading level (approximately 13 years old); therefore, although all subjects provided their own answers, parents were allowed to assist children younger than 13 years with reading the questionnaire. Scale reliability was excellent (test-retest reliability, intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.91; internal consistency, Cronbach alpha = .914), and there were no floor or ceiling effects. There was also robust construct validity: Convergent validity testing revealed positive correlations between the HSS Pedi-FABS and level of competition in athletic activity, number of reported hours of athletic activity per week, and existing comparable adult and pediatric scales. Discriminant validity was shown with age, body mass index, and type of sport as measured by the Daniel scale. The 8-item HSS Pedi-FABS can be used to reliably and

  17. Heterologous co-expression of accA, fabD, and thioesterase genes for improving long-chain fatty acid production in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli.

    PubMed

    Lee, Sunhee; Jeon, Eunyoung; Jung, Yeontae; Lee, Jinwon

    2012-05-01

    The goal of the present study was to increase the content of intracellular long-chain fatty acids in two bacterial strains, Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA14 and Escherichia coli K-12 MG1655, by co-overexpressing essential enzymes that are involved in the fatty acid synthesis metabolic pathway. Recently, microbial fatty acids and their derivatives have been receiving increasing attention as an alternative source of fuel. By introducing two genes (accA and fabD) of P. aeruginosa into the two bacterial strains and by co-expressing with them the fatty acyl-acyl carrier protein thioesterase gene of Streptococcus pyogenes (strain MGAS10270), we have engineered recombinant strains that are efficient producers of long-chain fatty acids (C16 and C18). The recombinant strains exhibit a 1.3-1.7-fold increase in the production of long-chain fatty acids over the wild-type strains. To enhance the production of total long-chain fatty acids, we researched the carbon sources for optimized culture conditions and results were used for post-culture incubation period. E. coli SGJS17 (containing the accA, fabD, and thioesterase genes) produced the highest content of intracellular total fatty acids; in particular, the unsaturated fatty acid content was about 20-fold higher than that in the wild-type E. coli.

  18. Crystal structure of a glycosylated Fab from an IgM cryoglobulin with properties of a natural proteolytic antibody

    PubMed Central

    Ramsland, Paul A.; Terzyan, Simon S.; Cloud, Gwendolyn; Bourne, Christina R.; Farrugia, William; Tribbick, Gordon; Geysen, H. Mario; Moomaw, Carolyn R.; Slaughter, Clive A.; Edmundson, Allen B.

    2006-01-01

    The 2.6 Å (1 Å=0.1 nm) resolution structure has been determined for the glycosylated Fab (fragment antigen binding) of an IgM (Yvo) obtained from a subject with Waldenström's macroglobulinaemia. Dynamic light scattering was used to estimate the gel point and monitor the formation of an ordered hydroscopic gel of Yvo IgM upon cooling. If a cryoglobulin forms gels in peripheral tissues and organs, the associated swelling and damage to microvasculature can result in considerable morbidity and mortality. The three-dimensional structure of the branched N-linked oligosaccharide associated with the CH1 domain (first constant domain of heavy chain) is reported. The carbohydrate may act to shield part of the lateral surface of the CH1 domain and crowd the junction between the CH1 and CH2 domains, thereby limiting the segmental flexibility of the Fab arms in intact Yvo IgM, especially at low temperatures. Recently, Yvo IgM was shown to have the properties of a naturally occurring proteolytic antibody [Paul, Karle, Planque, Taguchi, Salas, Nishiyama, Handy, Hunter, Edmundson and Hanson (2004) J. Biol. Chem. 279, 39611–39619; Planque, Bangale, Song, Karle, Taguchi, Poindexter, Bick, Edmundson, Nishiyama and Paul (2004) J. Biol Chem. 279, 14024–14032]. The Yvo protein displayed the ability to cleave, by a nucleophilic mechanism, the amide bonds of a variety of serine protease substrates and the gp120 coat protein of HIV. An atypical serine, arginine and glutamate motif is located in the middle of the Yvo antigen-binding site and displays an overall geometry that mimics the classical serine, histidine and aspartate catalytic triad of serine proteases. Our present findings indicate that pre-existing or natural antibodies can utilize at least one novel strategy for the cleavage of peptide bonds. PMID:16422668

  19. Automated identification of social interaction criteria in Drosophila melanogaster.

    PubMed

    Schneider, J; Levine, J D

    2014-10-01

    The study of social behaviour within groups has relied on fixed definitions of an 'interaction'. Criteria used in these definitions often involve a subjectively defined cut-off value for proximity, orientation and time (e.g. courtship, aggression and social interaction networks) and the same numerical values for these criteria are applied to all of the treatment groups within an experiment. One universal definition of an interaction could misidentify interactions within groups that differ in life histories, study treatments and/or genetic mutations. Here, we present an automated method for determining the values of interaction criteria using a pre-defined rule set rather than pre-defined values. We use this approach and show changing social behaviours in different manipulations of Drosophila melanogaster. We also show that chemosensory cues are an important modality of social spacing and interaction. This method will allow a more robust analysis of the properties of interacting groups, while helping us understand how specific groups regulate their social interaction space. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

  20. Criteria for radiologic diagnosis of hypochondroplasia in neonates.

    PubMed

    Saito, Tomoko; Nagasaki, Keisuke; Nishimura, Gen; Wada, Masaki; Nyuzuki, Hiromi; Takagi, Masaki; Hasegawa, Tomonobu; Amano, Naoko; Murotsuki, Jun; Sawai, Hideaki; Yamada, Takahiro; Sato, Shuhei; Saitoh, Akihiko

    2016-04-01

    A radiologic diagnosis of hypochondroplasia is hampered by the absence of age-dependent radiologic criteria, particularly in the neonatal period. To establish radiologic criteria and scoring system for identifying neonates with fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3)-associated hypochondroplasia. This retrospective study included 7 hypochondroplastic neonates and 30 controls. All subjects underwent radiologic examination within 28 days after birth. We evaluated parameters reflecting the presence of (1) short ilia, (2) squared ilia, (3) short greater sciatic notch, (4) horizontal acetabula, (5) short femora, (6) broad femora, (7) metaphyseal flaring, (8) lumbosacral interpedicular distance narrowing and (9) ovoid radiolucency of the proximal femora. Only parameters 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6 were statistically different between the two groups. Parameters 3, 5 and 6 did not overlap between the groups, while parameters 1 and 4 did. Based on these results, we propose a scoring system for hypochondroplasia. Two major criteria (parameters 3 and 6) were assigned scores of 2, whereas 4 minor criteria (parameters 1, 4, 5 and 9) were assigned scores of 1. All neonates with hypochondroplasia in our material scored ≥6. Our set of diagnostic radiologic criteria might be useful for early identification of hypochondroplastic neonates.

  1. Potential Health Implications of Medication Therapy Management Eligibility Criteria in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Across Racial and Ethnic Groups.

    PubMed

    Wang, Junling; Qiao, Yanru; Shih, Ya-Chen Tina; Jarrett-Jamison, JoEllen; Spivey, Christina A; Wan, Jim Y; White-Means, Shelley I; Dagogo-Jack, Samuel; Cushman, William C; Chisholm-Burns, Marie

    2015-11-01

    The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act requires Part D plans to establish programs to provide medication therapy management (MTM) services starting from 2006. MTM services have been found to improve patient outcomes from pharmacotherapy, reduce emergency room visits and hospitalizations, and reduce health care costs in a cost-effective fashion. However, previous research found that non-Hispanic blacks (blacks) and Hispanics may be less likely to be eligible for MTM services than non-Hispanic whites (whites) among the Medicare population, according to current Medicare MTM eligibility criteria. This finding is because Medicare MTM eligibility criteria are predominantly based on medication use and costs, and blacks and Hispanics tend to use fewer prescription medications and incur lower prescription medication costs. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) laid out a set of MTM eligibility criteria for eligible entities to target patients for MTM services: "(1) take 4 or more prescribed medications ...; (2) take any 'high risk' medications; (3) have 2 or more chronic diseases ... or (4) have undergone a transition of care, or other factors ... that are likely to create a high risk of medication-related problems." To (a) examine racial/ethnic disparities in meeting the eligibility criteria for MTM services in PPACA among the Medicare population and (b) determine whether there would be greater disparities in health and economic outcomes among MTM-ineligible than MTM-eligible groups. This was a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of the Medicare Current Beneficiaries Survey (2007-2008). To determine medication characteristics, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Electronic Orange Book was also used. Proportions of the population eligible for MTM services based on PPACA MTM eligibility criteria were compared across racial and ethnic groups using a chi-square test; a logistic regression model was used to adjust for

  2. Discussions about safety criteria and guidelines for radioactive waste management.

    PubMed

    Yamamoto, Masafumi

    2011-07-01

    In Japan, the clearance levels for uranium-bearing waste have been established by the Nuclear Safety Commission (NSC). The criteria for uranium-bearing waste disposal are also necessary; however, the NSC has not concluded the discussion on this subject. Meanwhile, the General Administrative Group of the Radiation Council has concluded the revision of its former recommendation 'Regulatory exemption dose for radioactive solid waste disposal', the dose criteria after the institutional control period for a repository. The Standardization Committee on Radiation Protection in the Japan Health Physics Society (The Committee) also has developed the relevant safety criteria and guidelines for existing exposure situations, which are potentially applicable to uranium-bearing waste disposal. A new working group established by The Committee was initially aimed at developing criteria and guidelines specifically for uranium-bearing waste disposal; however, the aim has been shifted to broader criteria applicable to any radioactive wastes.

  3. Diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis by Amsel's criteria.

    PubMed

    Iftikhar, Razia

    2003-02-01

    To evaluate Amsel's criteria for the diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis in reproductive age group. Prospective study. This study was conducted in a private hospital in Jeddah, K.S.A between January, 2001 and January, 2002. Patients attending the clinic with complaint of vaginal discharge were selected and screened out for bacterial vaginosis on the basis of Amsel's criteria. Ot of 100 cases 35 (35%) cases were diagnosed as bacterial vaginosis, 25 (25%) were of Candida albicans and 15 (15%) were suffering from trichomoniasis. No pathogen was found in 25 patients. Amsel's criteria is an accurate test for the diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis.

  4. Systemic inflammatory response syndrome criteria in defining severe sepsis.

    PubMed

    Kaukonen, Kirsi-Maija; Bailey, Michael; Pilcher, David; Cooper, D Jamie; Bellomo, Rinaldo

    2015-04-23

    The consensus definition of severe sepsis requires suspected or proven infection, organ failure, and signs that meet two or more criteria for the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). We aimed to test the sensitivity, face validity, and construct validity of this approach. We studied data from patients from 172 intensive care units in Australia and New Zealand from 2000 through 2013. We identified patients with infection and organ failure and categorized them according to whether they had signs meeting two or more SIRS criteria (SIRS-positive severe sepsis) or less than two SIRS criteria (SIRS-negative severe sepsis). We compared their characteristics and outcomes and assessed them for the presence of a step increase in the risk of death at a threshold of two SIRS criteria. Of 1,171,797 patients, a total of 109,663 had infection and organ failure. Among these, 96,385 patients (87.9%) had SIRS-positive severe sepsis and 13,278 (12.1%) had SIRS-negative severe sepsis. Over a period of 14 years, these groups had similar characteristics and changes in mortality (SIRS-positive group: from 36.1% [829 of 2296 patients] to 18.3% [2037 of 11,119], P<0.001; SIRS-negative group: from 27.7% [100 of 361] to 9.3% [122 of 1315], P<0.001). Moreover, this pattern remained similar after adjustment for baseline characteristics (odds ratio in the SIRS-positive group, 0.96; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.96 to 0.97; odds ratio in the SIRS-negative group, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.94 to 0.98; P=0.12 for between-group difference). In the adjusted analysis, mortality increased linearly with each additional SIRS criterion (odds ratio for each additional criterion, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.11 to 1.15; P<0.001) without any transitional increase in risk at a threshold of two SIRS criteria. The need for two or more SIRS criteria to define severe sepsis excluded one in eight otherwise similar patients with infection, organ failure, and substantial mortality and failed to define a transition point in

  5. From the Paper to the Tablet: On the Design of an AR-Based Tool for the Inspection of Pre-Fab Buildings. Preliminary Results of the SIRAE Project

    PubMed Central

    Fernández, Marcos; Poza, Montse

    2018-01-01

    Energy-efficient Buildings (EeB) are demanded in today’s constructions, fulfilling the requirements for green cities. Pre-fab buildings, which are modularly fully-built in factories, are a good example of this. Although this kind of building is quite new, the in situ inspection is documented using traditional tools, mainly based on paper annotations. Thus, the inspection process is not taking advantage of new technologies. In this paper, we present the preliminary results of the SIRAE project that aims to provide an Augmented Reality (AR) tool that can seamlessly aid in the regular processes of pre-fab building inspections to detect and eliminate the possible existing quality and energy efficiency deviations. In this regards, we show a description of the current inspection process and how an interactive tool can be designed and adapted to it. Our first results show the design and implementation of our tool, which is highly interactive and involves AR visualizations and 3D data-gathering, allowing the inspectors to quickly manage it without altering the way the inspection process is done. First trials on a real environment show that the tool is promising for massive inspection processes. PMID:29671799

  6. From the Paper to the Tablet: On the Design of an AR-Based Tool for the Inspection of Pre-Fab Buildings. Preliminary Results of the SIRAE Project.

    PubMed

    Portalés, Cristina; Casas, Sergio; Gimeno, Jesús; Fernández, Marcos; Poza, Montse

    2018-04-19

    Energy-efficient Buildings (EeB) are demanded in today’s constructions, fulfilling the requirements for green cities. Pre-fab buildings, which are modularly fully-built in factories, are a good example of this. Although this kind of building is quite new, the in situ inspection is documented using traditional tools, mainly based on paper annotations. Thus, the inspection process is not taking advantage of new technologies. In this paper, we present the preliminary results of the SIRAE project that aims to provide an Augmented Reality (AR) tool that can seamlessly aid in the regular processes of pre-fab building inspections to detect and eliminate the possible existing quality and energy efficiency deviations. In this regards, we show a description of the current inspection process and how an interactive tool can be designed and adapted to it. Our first results show the design and implementation of our tool, which is highly interactive and involves AR visualizations and 3D data-gathering, allowing the inspectors to quickly manage it without altering the way the inspection process is done. First trials on a real environment show that the tool is promising for massive inspection processes.

  7. Speaking the same language: underestimating financial impact when using diagnosis-related group versus ICD-9-based definitions for trauma inclusion criteria.

    PubMed

    Deppe, Sharon; Truax, Christopher B; Opalek, Judy M; Santanello, Steven A

    2009-04-01

    Hospital accounting methods use diagnosis-related group (DRG) data to identify patients and derive financial analyses and reports. The National Trauma Data Bank and trauma programs identify patients with trauma by International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Edition (ICD-9)-based definitions for inclusion criteria. These differing methods of identifying patients result in economic reports that vary significantly and fail to accurately identify the financial impact of trauma services. Routine financial data were collected for patients admitted to our Trauma Service from July 1, 2005 to June 30, 2006 using two methods of identifying the cases; by trauma DRGs and by trauma registry database inclusion criteria. The resulting data were compared and stratified to define the financial impact on hospital charges, reimbursement, costs, contribution to margin, downstream revenue, and estimated profit or loss. The results also defined the impact on supporting services, market share and total revenue from trauma admissions, return visits, discharged trauma alerts, and consultations. A total of 3,070 patients were identified by the trauma registry as meeting ICD-9 inclusion criteria. Trauma-associated DRGs accounted for 871 of the 3,070 admissions. The DRG-driven data set demonstrated an estimated profit of $800,000 dollars; the ICD-9 data set revealed an estimated 4.8 million dollar profit, increased our market share, and showed substantial revenue generated for other hospital service lines. Trauma DRGs fail to account for most trauma admissions. Financial data derived from DRG definitions significantly underestimate the trauma service line's financial contribution to hospital economics. Accurately identifying patients with trauma based on trauma database inclusion criteria better defines the business of trauma.

  8. The pediatric Rome IV criteria: what's new?

    PubMed

    Koppen, Ilan J N; Nurko, Samuel; Saps, Miguel; Di Lorenzo, Carlo; Benninga, Marc A

    2017-03-01

    Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) are common in children of all ages and comprise of a wide range of conditions related to the gastrointestinal tract that cannot be attributed to structural or biochemical abnormalities. FGIDs are diagnosed according to the symptom-based Rome criteria. Areas covered: In 2016, the revised pediatric Rome IV criteria were published, these revised criteria are discussed in this review article. For the youngest age group (neonates/toddlers), the criteria for infant colic have undergone the most notable revisions. The most prominent changes in Rome IV were made in the criteria for children/adolescents, with the definition of two new FGIDs (functional nausea and functional vomiting) and the restructuring of the criteria for functional abdominal pain disorders, including the definition of FGID subtypes for functional dyspepsia and irritable bowel syndrome. Expert commentary: Overall, the Rome IV have been refined and are expected to improve the process of diagnosing FGIDs in the pediatric population and to better facilitate the healthcare professional in distinguishing different clinical entities. These changes will likely benefit future research and clinical care.

  9. Participatory flood vulnerability assessment: a multi-criteria approach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Madruga de Brito, Mariana; Evers, Mariele; Delos Santos Almoradie, Adrian

    2018-01-01

    This paper presents a participatory multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approach for flood vulnerability assessment while considering the relationships between vulnerability criteria. The applicability of the proposed framework is demonstrated in the municipalities of Lajeado and Estrela, Brazil. The model was co-constructed by 101 experts from governmental organizations, universities, research institutes, NGOs, and private companies. Participatory methods such as the Delphi survey, focus groups, and workshops were applied. A participatory problem structuration, in which the modellers work closely with end users, was used to establish the structure of the vulnerability index. The preferences of each participant regarding the criteria importance were spatially modelled through the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and analytical network process (ANP) multi-criteria methods. Experts were also involved at the end of the modelling exercise for validation. The final product is a set of individual and group flood vulnerability maps. Both AHP and ANP proved to be effective for flood vulnerability assessment; however, ANP is preferred as it considers the dependences among criteria. The participatory approach enabled experts to learn from each other and acknowledge different perspectives towards social learning. The findings highlight that to enhance the credibility and deployment of model results, multiple viewpoints should be integrated without forcing consensus.

  10. Impaired frontal lobe functions in patients with Parkinson's disease and psychosis.

    PubMed

    Thota, Naveen; Lenka, Abhishek; George, Lija; Hegde, Shantala; Arumugham, Shyam Sundar; Prasad, Shweta; Stezin, Albert; Kamble, Nitish; Yadav, Ravi; Pal, Pramod Kumar

    2017-12-01

    Patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) may develop several non-motor symptoms (NMS). Psychosis is one of the debilitating NMS of PD. The neurobiology of psychosis is not fully understood. This study aims to compare the frontal lobe functions of PD patients with and without psychosis using the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB). This study included 69 patients with PD; 34 with psychosis (PD-P) and 35 without psychosis (PD-NP). Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE) was used to screen for cognitive impairment. Unified Parkinson's disease Rating scale part-III (UPDRS-III) was used to measure the severity and Hoehn and Yahr score (H&Y) was used to measure the stage of PD. Frontal lobe functions were assessed by FAB. The PD-P and PD-NP groups were comparable for age (58.7±8.4 vs 55.7±8.2, p=0.14), age at onset of symptoms (51.4±8.1 vs 50.0±8.8, p=0.48), gender distribution (men: 88%vs 80%, p=0.51), MMSE (28.2±1.9 vs 28.7±1.2 p=0.12), levodopa equivalent dose/day (736.0±376.3 vs 625.2±332.2, p=0.19), UPDRS-III OFF-score (36.7±8.8 vs 35.4±13.2, p=0.64), UPDRS-III ON-score (13.2±5.4 vs 12.4±6.6, p=0.44) and H&Y stage (2.3±0.3 vs 2.3±0.3, p=0.07). PD-P group had lower total FAB score compared to PD-NP group (13.9±2.2 vs 16.5±1.8, p<0.01). On the FAB, PD-P group had lower scores compared to PD-NP in lexical fluency (FAB-2), programming (FAB-3), sensitivity to interference (FAB-4) and inhibitory control (FAB-5). Patients with PD-P had significant frontal lobe dysfunction compared to PD-NP. FAB may be a simple and useful bedside tool to assess frontal dysfunction in patients with PD in a busy neurological set up. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Lithography hotspot discovery at 70nm DRAM 300mm fab: process window qualification using design base binning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Daniel; Chen, Damian; Yen, Ray; Cheng, Mingjen; Lan, Andy; Ghaskadvi, Rajesh

    2008-11-01

    Identifying hotspots--structures that limit the lithography process window--become increasingly important as the industry relies heavily on RET to print sub-wavelength designs. KLA-Tencor's patented Process Window Qualification (PWQ) methodology has been used for this purpose in various fabs. PWQ methodology has three key advantages (a) PWQ Layout--to obtain the best sensitivity (b) Design Based Binning--for pattern repeater analysis (c) Intelligent sampling--for the best DOI sampling rate. This paper evaluates two different analysis strategies for SEM review sampling successfully deployed at Inotera Memories, Inc. We propose a new approach combining the location repeater and pattern repeaters. Based on a recent case study the new sampling flow reduces the data analysis and sampling time from 6 hours to 1.5 hour maintaining maximum DOI sample rate.

  12. Internet Interventions for Long-Term Conditions: Patient and Caregiver Quality Criteria

    PubMed Central

    Murray, Elizabeth; Stevenson, Fiona; Gore, Charles; Nazareth, Irwin

    2006-01-01

    Background Interactive health communication applications (IHCAs) that combine high-quality health information with interactive components, such as self-assessment tools, behavior change support, peer support, or decision support, are likely to benefit people with long-term conditions. IHCAs are now largely Web-based and are becoming known as "Internet interventions." Although there are numerous professionally generated criteria to assess health-related websites, to date there has been scant exploration of patient-generated assessment criteria even though patients and professionals use different criteria for assessing the quality of traditional sources of health information. Objective We aimed to determine patients' and caregivers' requirements of IHCAs for long-term conditions as well as their criteria for assessing the quality of different programs. Methods This was a qualitative study with focus groups. Patients and caregivers managing long-term conditions used three (predominantly Web-based) IHCAs relevant to their condition and subsequently discussed the strengths and weaknesses of the different IHCAs in focus groups. Participants in any one focus group all shared the same long-term condition and viewed the same three IHCAs. Patient and caregiver criteria for IHCAs emerged from the data. Results There were 40 patients and caregivers who participated in 10 focus groups. Participants welcomed the potential of Internet interventions but felt that many were not achieving their full potential. Participants generated detailed and specific quality criteria relating to information content, presentation, interactivity, and trustworthiness, which can be used by developers and purchasers of Internet interventions. Conclusions The user-generated quality criteria reported in this paper should help developers and purchasers provide Internet interventions that better meet user needs. PMID:16954123

  13. Fabrication of Quench Condensed Thin Films Using an Integrated MEMS Fab on a Chip

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lally, Richard; Reeves, Jeremy; Stark, Thomas; Barrett, Lawrence; Bishop, David

    Atomic calligraphy is a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)-based dynamic stencil nanolithography technique. Integrating MEMS devices into a bonded stacked array of three die provides a unique platform for conducting quench condensed thin film mesoscopic experiments. The atomic calligraphy Fab on a Chip process incorporates metal film sources, electrostatic comb driven stencil plate, mass sensor, temperature sensor, and target surface into one multi-die assembly. Three separate die are created using the PolyMUMPs process and are flip-chip bonded together. A die containing joule heated sources must be prepared with metal for evaporation prior to assembly. A backside etch of the middle/central die exposes the moveable stencil plate allowing the flux to pass through the stencil from the source die to the target die. The chip assembly is mounted in a cryogenic system at ultra-high vacuum for depositing extremely thin films down to single layers of atoms across targeted electrodes. Experiments such as the effect of thin film alloys or added impurities on their superconductivity can be measured in situ with this process.

  14. 101 Criteria for Appraising Interactive Video. A Futuremedia Guide.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Copeland, Peter

    The criteria in this guide for evaluating interactive video instructional programs are based on principles of learning and motivation, and emphasize the design, production, presentation, and usage of interactive video programs. Presented in the format of a rating scale, the criteria are grouped into nine broad categories: (1) information about the…

  15. Structural Mimicry of the Dengue Virus Envelope Glycoprotein Revealed by the Crystallographic Study of an Idiotype–Anti-idiotype Fab Complex

    PubMed Central

    Wong, Yee Hwa; Goh, Boon Chong; Lim, She Yah; Teo, En Wei; Lim, Angeline P. C.; Dedon, Pete C.; Hanson, Brendon J.

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT A detailed understanding of the fine specificity of serotype-specific human antibodies is vital for the development and evaluation of new vaccines for pathogenic flaviviruses such as dengue virus (DENV) and Zika virus. In this study, we thoroughly characterize the structural footprint of an anti-idiotype antibody (E1) specific for a potent, fully human DENV serotype 1-specific antibody, termed HM14c10, derived from a recovered patient. The crystal structure at a resolution of 2.5 Å of a complex between the Fab fragments of E1 and HM14c10 provides the first detailed molecular comparison of an anti-idiotype paratope specific for a human antibody with its analogous epitope, a discontinuous quaternary structure located at the surface of the viral particle that spans adjacent envelope (E) proteins. This comparison reveals that the footprints left by E1 and E on HM14c10 largely overlap, explaining why the formation of binary complexes is mutually exclusive. Structural mimicry of the DENV E epitope by the E1 combining site is achieved via the formation of numerous interactions with heavy chain complementarity domain regions (CDRs) of HM14c10, while fewer interactions are observed with its light chain than for the E protein. We show that E1 can be utilized to detect HM14c10-like antibodies in sera from patients who recovered from DENV-1, infection suggesting that this is a public (common) idiotype. These data demonstrate the utility of employing an anti-idiotype antibody to monitor a patient's specific immune responses and suggest routes for the improvement of E “mimicry” by E1 by increasing its recognition of the Fab HM14c10 light chain CDRs. IMPORTANCE A chimeric yellow fever-dengue live-attenuated tetravalent vaccine is now being marketed. Dengue remains a significant public health problem, because protection conferred by this vaccine against the four circulating serotypes is uneven. Reliable tools must be developed to measure the immune responses of

  16. Structural mimicry of the dengue virus envelope glycoprotein revealed by the crystallographic study of an idiotype-anti-idiotype Fab complex.

    PubMed

    Wong, Yee Hwa; Goh, Boon Chong; Lim, She Yah; Teo, En Wei; Lim, Angeline P C; Dedon, Pete C; Hanson, Brendon J; MacAry, Paul A; Lescar, Julien

    2017-06-21

    A detailed understanding of the fine specificity of serotype-specific human antibodies is vital for the development and evaluation of new vaccines for pathogenic Flaviviruses such as Dengue virus (DENV) and Zika virus. In this study, we thoroughly characterize the structural footprint of an anti-idiotype antibody (E1) specific for a potent, fully human DENV serotype 1-specific antibody termed HM14c10, derived from a recovered patient. The crystal structure at a resolution of 2.5 Å of a complex between the Fab fragments of E1 and HM14c10 provides the first detailed molecular comparison of an anti-idiotype paratope specific for a human antibody with its analogous epitope- a discontinuous quaternary structure located at the surface of the viral particle that spans adjacent envelope (E) proteins. This comparison reveals that the footprints left by E1 and E on HM14c10 largely overlap, explaining why formation of the binary complexes are mutually exclusive. Structural mimicry of the DENV E epitope by the E1 combining site is achieved via the formation of numerous interactions with heavy chain CDRs of HM14c10, while fewer interactions are observed with its light chain, compared to the E protein. We show that E1 can be utilized to detect HM14c10-like antibodies in sera from patients recovered from a DENV-1 infection suggesting that this is a public (common) idiotype. These data demonstrate the utility of employing an anti-idiotype antibody to monitor a patient's specific immune responses and suggest routes for improvement of E 'mimicry' by E1 through increasing its recognition of the FabHM14c10 light chain CDRs. IMPORTANCE A chimeric yellow fever/dengue live-attenuated tetravalent vaccine is now marketed. Dengue remains a significant public health problem, because protection conferred by this vaccine is uneven against the four circulating serotypes. Reliable tools must be developed to measure the immune response of individuals exposed to DENV, either via viral infection

  17. Sustainability criteria: their indicators, control, and monitoring (with examples from the biofuel sector).

    PubMed

    Pavlovskaia, Evgenia

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of the article is to research and analyze the notion of sustainability criteria in their function of an emerging tool to promote and safeguard sustainable products and their sustainable production. The article addresses critical issues, which are important for deeper understanding of sustainability criteria and their practical use. In this, the article examines the existing definitions of sustainability criteria, explores what indicators for sustainability criteria are, researches the issue of costs for following sustainability criteria, and discusses what groups of actors can be responsible for setting and supporting sustainability criteria. The research is done from a legal perspective, which involves much attention on how sustainability criteria can efficiently be implemented and used in legal constructions. Examples from the biofuel sector, which is regulated through a variety of legal frameworks and voluntary sustainability standards with sustainability criteria, are provided. The research results highlight that sustainability criteria is not a clearly defined concept. Their content should be linked to the understanding of what sustainable development and sustainability in each particular branch are. Purposes of sustainability criteria have to be explained and clarified so that it is easier to interpret and fulfill them. In some cases, sustainability criteria can set an upper limit to the use of natural resources and provide institutional guidance. It is desirable that sustainability criteria are applied at initial stages of an industry development. Control of how sustainability criteria are fulfilled and its quality are very important. Thoroughly elaborated regulations on control mechanisms and their components, such as monitoring, reporting, verification, and transparency, should be included into legal frameworks and voluntary sustainability standards. Different groups of actors at different levels can be responsible for setting and supporting

  18. Structures of Pseudomonas aeruginosa β-ketoacyl-(acyl-carrier-protein) synthase II (FabF) and a C164Q mutant provide templates for antibacterial drug discovery and identify a buried potassium ion and a ligand-binding site that is an artefact of the crystal form

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Baum, Bernhard; Lecker, Laura S. M.; Zoltner, Martin

    Three crystal structures of recombinant P. aeruginosa FabF are reported: the apoenzyme, an active-site mutant and a complex with a fragment of a natural product inhibitor. The characterization provides reagents and new information to support antibacterial drug discovery. Bacterial infections remain a serious health concern, in particular causing life-threatening infections of hospitalized and immunocompromised patients. The situation is exacerbated by the rise in antibacterial drug resistance, and new treatments are urgently sought. In this endeavour, accurate structures of molecular targets can support early-stage drug discovery. Here, crystal structures, in three distinct forms, of recombinant Pseudomonas aeruginosa β-ketoacyl-(acyl-carrier-protein) synthase II (FabF)more » are presented. This enzyme, which is involved in fatty-acid biosynthesis, has been validated by genetic and chemical means as an antibiotic target in Gram-positive bacteria and represents a potential target in Gram-negative bacteria. The structures of apo FabF, of a C164Q mutant in which the binding site is altered to resemble the substrate-bound state and of a complex with 3-(benzoylamino)-2-hydroxybenzoic acid are reported. This compound mimics aspects of a known natural product inhibitor, platensimycin, and surprisingly was observed binding outside the active site, interacting with a symmetry-related molecule. An unusual feature is a completely buried potassium-binding site that was identified in all three structures. Comparisons suggest that this may represent a conserved structural feature of FabF relevant to fold stability. The new structures provide templates for structure-based ligand design and, together with the protocols and reagents, may underpin a target-based drug-discovery project for urgently needed antibacterials.« less

  19. [Revision of McDonald's new diagnostic criteria for multiple sclerosis].

    PubMed

    Wiendl, H; Kieseier, B C; Gold, R; Hohlfeld, R; Bendszus, M; Hartung, H-P

    2006-10-01

    In 2001, an international panel suggested new diagnostic criteria for multiple sclerosis (MS). These criteria integrate clinical, imaging (MRI), and paraclinical results in order to facilitate diagnosis. Since then, these so-called McDonald criteria have been broadly accepted and widely propagated. In the meantime a number of publications have dealt with the sensitivity and specificity for MS diagnosis and with implementing these new criteria in clinical practice. Based on these empirical values and newer data on MS, an international expert group recently proposed a revision of the criteria. Substantial changes affect (1) MRI criteria for the dissemination of lesions over time, (2) the role of spinal cord lesions in the MRI and (3) diagnosis of primary progressive MS. In this article we present recent experiences with the McDonald and revised criteria.

  20. DSM-5 Criteria for Substance Use Disorders: Recommendations and Rationale

    PubMed Central

    Hasin, Deborah S.; O’Brien, Charles P.; Auriacombe, Marc; Borges, Guilherme; Bucholz, Kathleen; Budney, Alan; Compton, Wilson M.; Crowley, Thomas; Ling, Walter; Petry, Nancy M.; Schuckit, Marc; Grant, Bridget F.

    2013-01-01

    Since DSM-IV was published in 1994, its approach to substance use disorders has come under scrutiny. Strengths were identified (notably, reliability and validity of dependence), but concerns have also arisen. The DSM-5 Substance-Related Disorders Work Group considered these issues and recommended revisions for DSM-5. General concerns included whether to retain the division into two main disorders (dependence and abuse), whether substance use disorder criteria should be added or removed, and whether an appropriate substance use disorder severity indicator could be identified. Specific issues included possible addition of withdrawal syndromes for several substances, alignment of nicotine criteria with those for other substances, addition of biomarkers, and inclusion of nonsubstance, behavioral addictions. This article presents the major issues and evidence considered by the work group, which included literature reviews and extensive new data analyses. The work group recommendations for DSM-5 revisions included combining abuse and dependence criteria into a single substance use disorder based on consistent findings from over 200,000 study participants, dropping legal problems and adding craving as criteria, adding cannabis and caffeine withdrawal syndromes, aligning tobacco use disorder criteria with other substance use disorders, and moving gambling disorders to the chapter formerly reserved for substance-related disorders. The proposed changes overcome many problems, while further studies will be needed to address issues for which less data were available. PMID:23903334

  1. DSM-5 criteria for substance use disorders: recommendations and rationale.

    PubMed

    Hasin, Deborah S; O'Brien, Charles P; Auriacombe, Marc; Borges, Guilherme; Bucholz, Kathleen; Budney, Alan; Compton, Wilson M; Crowley, Thomas; Ling, Walter; Petry, Nancy M; Schuckit, Marc; Grant, Bridget F

    2013-08-01

    Since DSM-IV was published in 1994, its approach to substance use disorders has come under scrutiny. Strengths were identified (notably, reliability and validity of dependence), but concerns have also arisen. The DSM-5 Substance-Related Disorders Work Group considered these issues and recommended revisions for DSM-5. General concerns included whether to retain the division into two main disorders (dependence and abuse), whether substance use disorder criteria should be added or removed, and whether an appropriate substance use disorder severity indicator could be identified. Specific issues included possible addition of withdrawal syndromes for several substances, alignment of nicotine criteria with those for other substances, addition of biomarkers, and inclusion of nonsubstance, behavioral addictions.This article presents the major issues and evidence considered by the work group, which included literature reviews and extensive new data analyses. The work group recommendations for DSM-5 revisions included combining abuse and dependence criteria into a single substance use disorder based on consistent findings from over 200,000 study participants, dropping legal problems and adding craving as criteria, adding cannabis and caffeine withdrawal syndromes, aligning tobacco use disorder criteria with other substance use disorders, and moving gambling disorders to the chapter formerly reserved for substance-related disorders. The proposed changes overcome many problems, while further studies will be needed to address issues for which less data were available.

  2. A Stakeholder-Informed Approach to the Identification of Criteria for the Prioritization of Zoonoses in Canada

    PubMed Central

    Ng, Victoria; Sargeant, Jan M.

    2012-01-01

    Background Zoonotic diseases account for over 60% of all communicable diseases causing illness in humans and 75% of recently emerging infectious diseases. As limited resources are available for the control and prevention of zoonotic diseases, it is necessary to prioritize diseases in order to direct resources into those with the greatest needs. The selection of criteria for prioritization has traditionally been on the basis of expert opinion; however, details of the methods used to identify criteria from expert opinion often are not published and a full range of criteria may not be captured by expert opinion. Methodology/Principal Findings This study used six focus groups to identify criteria for the prioritization of zoonotic diseases in Canada. Focus groups included people from the public, animal health professionals and human health professionals. A total of 59 criteria were identified for prioritizing zoonotic diseases. Human-related criteria accounted for the highest proportion of criteria identified (55%), followed by animal-related criteria (26%) then pathogen/disease-related criteria (19%). Similarities and differences were observed in the identification and scoring of criteria for disease prioritization between groups; the public groups were strongly influenced by the individual-level of disease burden, the responsibility of the scientific community in disease prioritization and the experiences of recent events while the professional groups were influenced by the societal- and population-level of disease burden and political and public pressure. Conclusions/Significance This was the first study to describe a mixed semi-quantitative and qualitative approach to deriving criteria for disease prioritization. This was also the first study to involve the opinion of the general public regarding disease prioritization. The number of criteria identified highlights the difficulty in prioritizing zoonotic diseases. The method presented in this paper has formulated a

  3. Impact of ethnicity on gestational diabetes identified with the WHO and the modified International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups criteria: a population-based cohort study.

    PubMed

    Jenum, Anne K; Mørkrid, Kjersti; Sletner, Line; Vangen, Siri; Vange, Siri; Torper, Johan L; Nakstad, Britt; Voldner, Nanna; Rognerud-Jensen, Odd H; Berntsen, Sveinung; Mosdøl, Annhild; Skrivarhaug, Torild; Vårdal, Mari H; Holme, Ingar; Yajnik, Chittaranjan S; Birkeland, Kåre I

    2012-02-01

    The International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups (IADPSG) recently proposed new criteria for diagnosing gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). We compared prevalence rates, risk factors, and the effect of ethnicity using the World Health Organization (WHO) and modified IADPSG criteria. This was a population-based cohort study of 823 (74% of eligible) healthy pregnant women, of whom 59% were from ethnic minorities. Universal screening was performed at 28±2 weeks of gestation with the 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Venous plasma glucose (PG) was measured on site. GDM was diagnosed as per the definition of WHO criteria as fasting PG (FPG) ≥7.0 or 2-h PG ≥7.8 mmol/l; and as per the modified IADPSG criteria as FPG ≥5.1 or 2-h PG ≥8.5 mmol/l. OGTT was performed in 759 women. Crude GDM prevalence was 13.0% with WHO (Western Europeans 11%, ethnic minorities 15%, P=0.14) and 31.5% with modified IADPSG criteria (Western Europeans 24%, ethnic minorities 37%, P< 0.001). Using the WHO criteria, ethnic minority origin was an independent predictor (South Asians, odds ratio (OR) 2.24 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.26-3.97); Middle Easterners, OR 2.13 (1.12-4.08)) after adjustments for age, parity, and prepregnant body mass index (BMI). This increased OR was unapparent after further adjustments for body height (proxy for early life socioeconomic status), education and family history of diabetes. Using the modified IADPSG criteria, prepregnant BMI (1.09 (1.05-1.13)) and ethnic minority origin (South Asians, 2.54 (1.56-4.13)) were independent predictors, while education, body height and family history had little impact. GDM prevalence was overall 2.4-times higher with the modified IADPSG criteria compared with the WHO criteria. The new criteria identified many subjects with a relatively mild increase in FPG, strongly associated with South Asian origin and prepregnant overweight.

  4. Utility of the American-European Consensus Group and American College of Rheumatology Classification Criteria for Sjögren's syndrome in patients with systemic autoimmune diseases in the clinical setting.

    PubMed

    Hernández-Molina, Gabriela; Avila-Casado, Carmen; Nuñez-Alvarez, Carlos; Cárdenas-Velázquez, Francisco; Hernández-Hernández, Carlos; Luisa Calderillo, María; Marroquín, Verónica; Recillas-Gispert, Claudia; Romero-Díaz, Juanita; Sánchez-Guerrero, Jorge

    2015-03-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and performance of the American-European Consensus Group (AECG) and ACR Classification Criteria for SS in patients with systemic autoimmune diseases. Three hundred and fifty patients with primary SS, SLE, RA or scleroderma were randomly selected from our patient registry. Each patient was clinically diagnosed as probable/definitive SS or non-SS following a standardized evaluation including clinical symptoms and manifestations, confirmatory tests, fluorescein staining test, autoantibodies, lip biopsy and medical chart review. Using the clinical diagnosis as the gold standard, the degree of agreement with each criteria set and between the criteria sets was estimated. One hundred fifty-four (44%) patients were diagnosed with SS. The AECG criteria were incomplete in 36 patients (10.3%) and the ACR criteria in 96 (27.4%; P < 0.001). Nevertheless, their ability to classify patients was almost identical, with a sensitivity of 61.6 vs 62.3 and a specificity of 94.3 vs 91.3, respectively. Either set of criteria was met by 123 patients (80%); 95 (61.7%) met the AECG criteria and 96 (62.3%) met the ACR criteria, but only 68 (44.2%) patients met both sets. The concordance rate between clinical diagnosis and AECG or ACR criteria was moderate (k statistic 0.58 and 0.55, respectively). Among 99 patients with definitive SS sensitivity was 83.3 vs 77.7 and specificity was 90.8 vs 85.6, respectively. A discrepancy between clinical diagnosis and criteria was seen in 59 patients (17%). The feasibility of the SS AECG criteria is superior to that of the ACR criteria, however, their performance was similar among patients with systemic autoimmune diseases. A subset of SS patients is still missed by both criteria sets. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  5. Comparative study between kidney transplantation with deceased donor expanded criteria and donor standard criteria in a single center in Brazil.

    PubMed

    Mota, Luana Soriano; Oliveira, Claudia Maria Costa de; Pinheiro, Francisco Martho Leal; Santos, Larissa Costa de Oliveira; Nóbrega, Danilo Gonçalves; Fernandes, Paula Fbc; Costa, Alda Angélica de Melo; Silva, Sônia Leite da

    2016-01-01

    Kidney transplants with expanded criteria donor have been associated with improved patient survival compared to those who remain on dialysis. To compare renal function and survival of the kidney graft of deceased donor with expanded criteria and standard criteria over a year in a single transplant center. 255 kidney transplant recipients with deceased donor were included in the study between the years 2011 to 2013 and they were separated into two groups according to the type of donor (expanded criteria donor - ECD - and standard criteria donor - SCD). 231 deceased donor transplants (90.6%) were performed with standard criteria donor (SCD) and 24 (9.4%) with expanded criteria donor (ECD). There was no difference in the prevalence of delayed graft function - DGF - (62.9% vs. 70.8%; p = 0.44). Expanded criteria donor group had lower glomerular filtration rate (GFR) at the end of the 1st year (56.8 ± 26.9 vs. 76.9 ± 23.7; p = 0.001). Patient survival was significantly lower in the ECD group, but the graft survival was not different after death-censored analysis. The ECD group was associated with significantly lower levels of GFR during the first year of transplant and a lower patient survival at the 1st year when compared to the SCD. A aceitação dos rins com critério expandido de doação tem sido associada com melhor sobrevida do paciente em comparação àqueles que permanecem em terapia dialítica. Comparar a função renal e a sobrevida do enxerto renal de doador falecido critério expandido com os de doador falecido critério padrão ao longo de um ano em um único centro de transplantes. Foram incluídos 255 receptores de transplante renal com doador falecido, realizados entre os anos de 2011 a 2013, sendo divididos em dois grupos segundo o tipo de doador (critério expandido - DCE - ou padrão -DCP). Foram avaliados 231 receptores com doador critério ideal (90,6%) e 24 com doador critério expandido (9,4%). Não houve diferença na prevalência de fun

  6. Multi-criteria evaluation methods in the production scheduling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kalinowski, K.; Krenczyk, D.; Paprocka, I.; Kempa, W.; Grabowik, C.

    2016-08-01

    The paper presents a discussion on the practical application of different methods of multi-criteria evaluation in the process of scheduling in manufacturing systems. Among the methods two main groups are specified: methods based on the distance function (using metacriterion) and methods that create a Pareto set of possible solutions. The basic criteria used for scheduling were also described. The overall procedure of evaluation process in production scheduling was presented. It takes into account the actions in the whole scheduling process and human decision maker (HDM) participation. The specified HDM decisions are related to creating and editing a set of evaluation criteria, selection of multi-criteria evaluation method, interaction in the searching process, using informal criteria and making final changes in the schedule for implementation. According to need, process scheduling may be completely or partially automated. Full automatization is possible in case of metacriterion based objective function and if Pareto set is selected - the final decision has to be done by HDM.

  7. Analyses related to the development of DSM-5 criteria for substance use related disorders: 3. An assessment of Pathological Gambling criteria.

    PubMed

    Denis, Cécile; Fatséas, Mélina; Auriacombe, Marc

    2012-04-01

    The DSM-5 Substance-Related Disorders Work Group proposed to include Pathological Gambling within the current Substance-Related Disorders section. The objective of the current report was to assess four possible sets of diagnostic criteria for Pathological Gambling. Gamblers (N=161) were defined as either Pathological or Non-Pathological according to four classification methods. (a) Option 1: the current DSM-IV criteria for Pathological Gambling; (b) Option 2: dropping the "Illegal Acts" criterion, while keeping the threshold at 5 required criteria endorsed; (c) Option 3: the proposed DSM-5 approach, i.e., deleting "Illegal Acts" and lowering the threshold of required criteria from 5 to 4; (d) Option 4: to use a set of Pathological Gambling criteria modeled on the DSM-IV Substance Dependence criteria. Cronbach's alpha and eigenvalues were calculated for reliability, Phi, discriminant function analyses, correlations and multivariate regression models were performed for validity and kappa coefficients were calculated for diagnostic consistency of each option. All criteria sets were reliable and valid. Some criteria had higher discriminant properties than others. The proposed DSM-5 criteria in Options 2 and 3 performed well and did not appear to alter the meanings of the diagnoses of Pathological Gambling from DSM-IV. Future work should further explore if Pathological Gambling might be assessed using the same criteria as those used for Substance Use Disorders. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Kinetics and biodistribution in relation to tumour detection with 111In-labelled OV-TL 3 F(ab')2 in patients with ovarian cancer.

    PubMed

    Massuger, L F; Claessens, R A; Kenemans, P; Verheijen, R H; Boerman, O C; Meeuwis, A P; Schijf, C P; Buijs, W C; Hanselaar, T G; Corstens, F H

    1991-07-01

    The biological behaviour of 111In-labelled OV-TL 3 F(ab')2 was studied in 22 patients with suspected ovarian cancer. After i.v. injection with 140 MBq 111In-OV-TL 3 F(ab')2 (1 mg) blood samples were taken up to 96 h and urine and faeces were collected throughout the whole study. At surgery, 5 to 7 days post-injection, primary and metastatic tumour tissues, as well as fragments of several normal tissues, were removed and 111In uptake was measured. Blood activity disappeared with half-life values of 6.1 +/- 1.1 and 17.9 +/- 6.5 h. Within 96 h excretion in urine and faeces was 16.1 +/- 2.0% i.d. (mean +/- S.D.) and 3.1 +/- 1.9% i.d., respectively. Mean tissue uptake, expressed as % i.d. kg-1 was 3.9 +/- 1.0 for primary tumour, 11.5 +/- 5.0 for liver and 0.4 +/- 0.1 for several normal background tissues. Higher tumour uptake correlated with a higher detection rate at immunoscintigraphy. However, no strict correlation was found between the amount of tumour uptake and the expression of the monoclonal antibody defined OA3 antigen. Quantitation of organ activity, using region of interest analysis, resulted in mean peak organ activities for the liver of 16% i.d., spleen 9% i.d. and kidney 4% i.d. Distribution data indicate that besides specific antibody-antigen interaction several other mechanisms play a role in uptake in tumour and other tissues.

  9. Clinical outcome comparison of patients with septic shock defined by the new sepsis-3 criteria and by previous criteria

    PubMed Central

    Ryoo, Seung Mok; Kang, Gu Hyun; Shin, Tae Gun; Hwang, Sung Yeon; Kim, Kyuseok; Jo, You Hwan; Park, Yoo Seok; Choi, Sung-Hyuk; Yoon, Young Hoon; Kwon, Woon Yong; Suh, Gil Joon; Lim, Tae Ho; Han, Kap Su; Choi, Han Sung; Chung, Sung Phil

    2018-01-01

    Background We compared the clinical characteristics and outcomes between the new definition of sepsis-3 septic shock and the definition previously used from 1991 until recently. Methods We conducted an observational study using a prospective, multi-center registry of septic shock from October 2015 to February 2017. Registry data were collected by 10 emergency departments (EDs) in tertiary hospitals that are members of the Korean Shock Society. Data on septic shock patients who met the previous septic shock definition were collected. The patients were divided into a sepsis-3 defined septic shock group, made up of those who met the new criteria for refractory hypotension with hyperlactatemia, and a group of those who met only the 1991 definition for septic shock. The primary outcome was 90-day mortality, and secondary outcomes were 28-day mortality and in-hospital mortality. Results Of all 1,028 included patients, 574 (55.8%) met the septic shock criteria for sepsis-3, leaving 454 patients who met only the previous definition. Those who met the sepsis-3 criteria demonstrated higher comorbidity than those who met the previous definition (83.1% vs. 75.3%, P<0.01), but there was no difference in infection focus. The sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) (initial/maximal), the acute physiology, and the chronic health evaluation II scores were significantly higher in for those who met the sepsis-3 criteria [6.5±3.1 vs. 5.0±2.9, 9.3±3.8 vs. 6.6±3.4, and 20.0 (15.0–26.0) vs. 15.0 (10.0–20.3), respectively; P<0.01]. The 90-day mortality was significantly higher in the sepsis-3 group (32.1% vs. 23.3%; P<0.01). In-hospital and 28-day mortality were also higher in the sepsis-3 group (26.8% vs. 17.1% and 25.1% vs. 16.5%, respectively; P<0.01). Conclusions The new definition of septic shock successfully selected patients with greater severities and worse outcomes. PMID:29607156

  10. Safety of intravenous equine F(ab')2: insights following clinical trials involving 1534 recipients of scorpion antivenom.

    PubMed

    Boyer, Leslie; Degan, Janice; Ruha, Anne-Michelle; Mallie, Joanne; Mangin, Emmanuelle; Alagón, Alejandro

    2013-12-15

    The technology of antivenom production has gradually changed since the earliest production of antisera around the turn of the 20th century. Use of early antisera was associated with frequent acute adverse reactions and serum sickness. New F(ab')2 products, manufactured using pepsin degradation of immunoglobulin together with precipitation of unwanted protein and albumin serum fractions, should in concept cause fewer immune reactions in clinical use. A linked set of five prospective clinical trials of an equine F(ab')2 antivenom, together with one historical control study, were completed during development of the product for a Biological License Application through the US FDA. Adverse events were recorded and categorized, with particular attention to the frequency of immune reactions. A total of 1534 patients ages 0.1-90.5 years received antivenom, in Arizona and in Mexico, for treatment of scorpion envenomation. Total dosing ranged from 1 to 5 vials except for one outlier who received 10 vials. Estimated protein exposure was 12-275 mg per patient (outlier, up to 550 mg). Three patients (0.2%) had acute reactions to antivenom infusion (one urticaria, one urticaria and dyspnea, and one panic attack). Eight (0.5%) had rashes suggestive of Type 3 immune reactions, although none had the full syndrome of serum sickness. Two women were treated for envenomation during the first trimester of pregnancy, one of whom subsequently experienced a spontaneous abortion. Rates of immune reaction to this product were two orders of magnitude lower than the range (up to 75% for early and 81% for late reactions) historically reported with use of minimally refined whole immunoglobulin products against a variety of infections and envenomations. Lower protein dose, greater purity of the active component, lack of the immunogenic Fc portion of the immunoglobulin molecule, and slow intravenous infusion are likely to be the reason for this. Clinical implications of a safer product include that

  11. D-Side: A Facility and Workforce Planning Group Multi-criteria Decision Support System for Johnson Space Center

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Tavana, Madjid

    2005-01-01

    "To understand and protect our home planet, to explore the universe and search for life, and to inspire the next generation of explorers" is NASA's mission. The Systems Management Office at Johnson Space Center (JSC) is searching for methods to effectively manage the Center's resources to meet NASA's mission. D-Side is a group multi-criteria decision support system (GMDSS) developed to support facility decisions at JSC. D-Side uses a series of sequential and structured processes to plot facilities in a three-dimensional (3-D) graph on the basis of each facility alignment with NASA's mission and goals, the extent to which other facilities are dependent on the facility, and the dollar value of capital investments that have been postponed at the facility relative to the facility replacement value. A similarity factor rank orders facilities based on their Euclidean distance from Ideal and Nadir points. These similarity factors are then used to allocate capital improvement resources across facilities. We also present a parallel model that can be used to support decisions concerning allocation of human resources investments across workforce units. Finally, we present results from a pilot study where 12 experienced facility managers from NASA used D-Side and the organization's current approach to rank order and allocate funds for capital improvement across 20 facilities. Users evaluated D-Side favorably in terms of ease of use, the quality of the decision-making process, decision quality, and overall value-added. Their evaluations of D-Side were significantly more favorable than their evaluations of the current approach. Keywords: NASA, Multi-Criteria Decision Making, Decision Support System, AHP, Euclidean Distance, 3-D Modeling, Facility Planning, Workforce Planning.

  12. Molecular Characterization of Lactobacillus plantarum Genes for β-Ketoacyl-Acyl Carrier Protein Synthase III (fabH) and Acetyl Coenzyme A Carboxylase (accBCDA), Which Are Essential for Fatty Acid Biosynthesis

    PubMed Central

    Kiatpapan, Pornpimon; Kobayashi, Hajime; Sakaguchi, Maki; Ono, Hisayo; Yamashita, Mitsuo; Kaneko, Yoshinobu; Murooka, Yoshikatsu

    2001-01-01

    Genes for subunits of acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase (ACC), which is the enzyme that catalyzes the first step in the synthesis of fatty acids in Lactobacillus plantarum L137, were cloned and characterized. We identified six potential open reading frames, namely, manB, fabH, accB, accC, accD, and accA, in that order. Nucleotide sequence analysis suggested that fabH encoded β-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein synthase III, that the accB, accC, accD, and accA genes encoded biotin carboxyl carrier protein, biotin carboxylase, and the β and α subunits of carboxyltransferase, respectively, and that these genes were clustered. The organization of acc genes was different from that reported for Escherichia coli, for Bacillus subtilis, and for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. E. coli accB and accD mutations were complemented by the L. plantarum accB and accD genes, respectively. The predicted products of all five genes were confirmed by using the T7 expression system in E. coli. The gene product of accB was biotinylated in E. coli. Northern and primer extension analyses demonstrated that the five genes in L. plantarum were regulated polycistronically in an acc operon. PMID:11133475

  13. Rebound coagulopathy in patients with snakebite presenting with marked initial coagulopathy.

    PubMed

    Witham, Willam R; McNeill, Cathy; Patel, Sunny

    2015-06-01

    An estimated 70% of patients with pit viper snakebites require antivenom to treat serious complications such as coagulopathy. Evidence-based guidance is limited for the appropriate administration of Crotalinae Polyvalent Immune Fab (FabAV) and the duration of laboratory follow-up. The objective of our study was to assess the incidence of marked and recurrent envenomation coagulopathy at our trauma center and identify practice patterns that may prevent serious complications. A retrospective case review was conducted over a 3-year period on patients treated for symptomatic snakebite injury. Case records were reviewed for the inclusion criteria of international normalized ratio (INR) greater than 2.0. The exclusion criterion was limited to patients receiving anticoagulant therapy. In all, 61 patients were identified on retrospective chart review and 3 patients (4.9%) met inclusion criteria. Two of the 3 patients had marked rebound coagulopathy requiring readmission and additional treatment. In our small series, 2 patients presenting after crotaline envenomation with increased INR (>6.0), decreased fibrinogen (<60 mg/dL), and decreased platelet count (<100,000/mL) had recurrent coagulopathy and were asymptomatic, and recurrence was noted only with follow-up laboratory testing. All patients responded positively within a matter of hours to repeat FabAV administration, with resolution of rebound coagulopathy. We recommend periodic monitoring of patients with increased INR, decreased fibrinogen, and decreased platelet count. Patients should be monitored for 10 to 14 days after envenomation to identify asymptomatic rebound coagulopathy. Prompt readministration of FabAV appears to correct the coagulopathy. Copyright © 2015 Wilderness Medical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Utilization of International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups criteria vs. a two-step approach to screening for gestational diabetes mellitus in Chinese women with twin pregnancies.

    PubMed

    Liu, X; Chen, Y; Zhou, Q; Shi, H; Cheng, W W

    2015-03-01

    To evaluate prevalence and pregnancy outcomes using the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups (IADPSG) criteria and screening protocol vs. a standard two-step screening approach for gestational diabetes mellitus in Chinese twin pregnancies. A retrospective cohort study for pregnancies during 2007-2013 was performed in a tertiary hospital in Shanghai, China. Data were abstracted from the medical records of twin pregnancies delivered at the hospital. During the period 2007-2011, this hospital used a two-step approach with a 50 g screening with a cut-off value of ≥ 7.8 mmol/l followed by a 100 g diagnostic oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) utilizing Carpenter-Coustan criteria. In 2012-2013, the hospital switched to the IADPSG protocol of universal 75 g OGTT. Among 1461 twin pregnancies, 643 were screened utilizing IADPSG criteria and 818 using the two-step protocol. Gestational diabetes mellitus was diagnosed more frequently in the IADPSG group than in the two-step group [20.4% and 7.0%, respectively; adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 3.22; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.30-4.52]. During the IADPSG period, the incidence of pre-eclampsia was 38% lower in non-gestational diabetes mellitus affected pregnancies compared with the two-step period (aOR = 0.62; 95% CI = 0.44-0.87). We observed no significant differences in most perinatal outcomes between the two groups. Compared with a standard two-step approach to screening and diagnosis, the IADPSG screening method resulted in a three-fold increase in the incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus in twin pregnancies, with a 38% lower risk of pre-eclampsia but no significant difference in most perinatal outcomes in non-gestational diabetes mellitus affected pregnancies. © 2014 The Authors. Diabetic Medicine © 2014 Diabetes UK.

  15. Data on crystal organization in the structure of the Fab fragment from the NIST reference antibody, RM 8671.

    PubMed

    Gallagher, D T; Karageorgos, I; Hudgens, J W; Galvin, C V

    2018-02-01

    The reported data describe the crystallization, crystal packing, structure determination and twinning of the unliganded Fab (antigen-binding fragment) from the NISTmAb (standard reference material 8671). The raw atomic coordinates are available as Protein Data Bank structure 5K8A and biological aspects are described in the article, (Karageorgos et al., 2017) [1]. Crystal data show that the packing is unique, and show the basis for the crystal's twinned growth. Twinning is a common and often serious problem in protein structure determination by x-ray crystallography [2]. In the present case the twinning is due to a small deviation (about 0.3 nm) from 4-fold symmetry in the primary intermolecular interface. The deviation produces pseudosymmetry, generating slightly different conformations of the protein, and alternating strong and weak forms of key packing interfaces throughout the lattice.

  16. The effects of performance-based assessment criteria on student performance and self-assessment skills

    PubMed Central

    van der Klink, Marcel R.; van Merriënboer, Jeroen J. G.

    2010-01-01

    This study investigated the effect of performance-based versus competence-based assessment criteria on task performance and self-assessment skills among 39 novice secondary vocational education students in the domain of nursing and care. In a performance-based assessment group students are provided with a preset list of performance-based assessment criteria, describing what students should do, for the task at hand. The performance-based group is compared to a competence-based assessment group in which students receive a preset list of competence-based assessment criteria, describing what students should be able to do. The test phase revealed that the performance-based group outperformed the competence-based group on test task performance. In addition, higher performance of the performance-based group was reached with lower reported mental effort during training, indicating a higher instructional efficiency for novice students. PMID:20054648

  17. Clinical Criteria Versus a Possible Research Case Definition in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.

    PubMed

    Jason, Leonard A; McManimen, Stephanie; Sunnquist, Madison; Newton, Julia L; Strand, Elin Bolle

    2017-01-01

    The Institute of Medicine (IOM) recently developed clinical criteria for what had been known as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Given the broad nature of the clinical IOM criteria, there is a need for a research definition that would select a more homogenous and impaired group of patients than the IOM clinical criteria. At the present time, it is unclear what will serve as the research definition. The current study focused on a research definition which selected homebound individuals who met the four IOM criteria, excluding medical and psychiatric co-morbidities. Our research criteria were compared to those participants meeting the IOM criteria. Those not meeting either of these criteria sets were placed in a separate group defined by 6 or more months of fatigue. Data analyzed were from the DePaul Symptom Questionnaire and the SF-36. Due to unequal sample sizes and variances, Welch's F tests and Games-Howell post hoc tests were conducted. Using a large database of over 1,000 patients from several countries, we found that those meeting a more restrictive research definition were even more impaired and more symptomatic than those meeting criteria for the other two groups. Deciding on a particular research case definition would allow researchers to select more comparable patient samples across settings, and this would represent one of the most significant methodologic advances for this field of study.

  18. Long-Term Outcomes and Discard Rate of Kidneys by Decade of Extended Criteria Donor Age.

    PubMed

    Messina, Maria; Diena, Davide; Dellepiane, Sergio; Guzzo, Gabriella; Lo Sardo, Luca; Fop, Fabrizio; Segoloni, Giuseppe P; Amoroso, Antonio; Magistroni, Paola; Biancone, Luigi

    2017-02-07

    Extended criteria donors represent nowadays a main resource for kidney transplantation, and recovery criteria are becoming increasingly inclusive. However, the limits of this approach are not clear as well as the effects of extreme donor ages on long-term kidney transplantation outcomes. To address these issues, we performed a retrospective study on extended criteria donor kidney transplantation. In total, 647 consecutive extended criteria donor kidney transplantations performed over 11 years (2003-2013) were included. Donor, recipient, and procedural variables were classified according to donor age decades (group A, 50-59 years old [n=91]; group B, 60-69 years old [n=264]; group C, 70-79 years old [n=265]; and group D, ≥80 years old [n=27]). Organs were allocated in single- or dual-kidney transplantation after a multistep evaluation including clinical and histologic criteria. Long-term outcomes and main adverse events were analyzed among age groups and in either single- or dual-kidney transplantation. Kidney discard rate incidence and causes were evaluated. Median follow-up was 4.9 years (25th; 75th percentiles: 2.7; 7.6 years); patient and graft survival were comparable among age groups (5-year patient survival: group A, 87.8%; group B, 88.1%; group C, 88.0%; and group D, 90.1%; P=0.77; graft survival: group A, 74.0%; group B, 74.2%; group C, 75.2%; and group D, 65.9%; P=0.62) and between dual-kidney transplantation and single-kidney transplantation except for group D, with a better survival for dual-kidney transplantation (P=0.04). No difference was found analyzing complications incidence or graft function over time. Kidney discard rate was similar in groups A, B, and C (15.4%, 17.7%, and 20.1%, respectively) and increased in group D (48.2%; odds ratio, 5.1 with A as the reference group; 95% confidence interval, 2.96 to 8.79). Discard rate and long-term outcomes are similar among extended criteria donor kidney transplantation from donors ages 50-79 years old

  19. Dysexecutive performance of healthy oldest old subjects on the Frontal Assessment Battery.

    PubMed

    Iavarone, Alessandro; Lorè, Elisa; De Falco, Caterina; Milan, Graziella; Mosca, Raffaela; Pappatà, Sabina; Galeone, Filomena; Sorrentino, Paolo; Scognamiglio, Mario; Postiglione, Alfredo

    2011-01-01

    Frontal lobes and executive functions appear to be more vulnerable to normal aging than other cerebral regions and domains. The aim of the study was to evaluate executive functions by the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) in healthy oldest old subjects free of dementia. Thirty-two healthy oldest old subjects (age range 85-97 yrs) and 32 young old subjects (aged 61-74 yrs) were studied. All subjects were living with their families or alone and were considered normal, since they were fully independent in their activities of daily living and without signs or symptoms characteristic of any type of dementia. Mental status was assessed by the Mini- Mental State Examination (MMSE) and executive functions by the FAB. Mean MMSE scores were 23.12 ± 4.68 in oldest old and 26.78 ± 2.60 in young old subjects (p<0.005). Delayed recall was the most impaired domain, followed by executive (Serial 7). Mean FAB scores were 9.37 ± 4.14 in the oldest old and 13.53 ± 2.12 in the young old (p<0.0001). Among the FAB subtests, conceptualization was the most impaired in both groups, with sensitivity to interference and inhibitory control exhibiting higher discrimination between the oldest old and young old. Education influenced performance on MMSE and FAB in both groups. On the FAB test, healthy oldest old subjects showed executive impairment with respect to the young olds, due to the involvement of functions depending on activities of different regions of the frontal lobes. FAB results were consistent with the hypothesis that frontal lobes have a high vulnerability to normal aging. Short composite batteries like the FAB are suitable for rapid and reliable description of patterns of executive functioning in the oldest old.

  20. Applicability and agreement of different diagnostic criteria for sarcopenia estimation in the elderly.

    PubMed

    Pagotto, Valéria; Silveira, Erika Aparecida

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study cross-sectional study comprising 132 community dwelling elderly (≥ 60 years) was to identify sarcopenia prevalence in the Brazilian elderly, utilizing different diagnostic criteria and analyze agreement between criteria. Sarcopenia was assessed by nine muscle mass diagnostic criteria, by two muscle strength criteria and also by the combination of criteria. Prevalence was analyzed for each method, along with differences by gender and age group through calculation of the prevalence ratio (PR) and confidence interval (CI) 95%. The Kappa coefficient was used to analyze the level of agreement between all criteria. Sarcopenia prevalence varied between 60.6% and 8.3% with the application of muscle mass criteria, and between 54.2% and 48.8% with the application of strength criteria. The combination muscle mass+strength resulted in a decrease of prevalence in all criteria, varying between 36.6% and 6.1%. There was an increase in prevalence according to age groups for all methods. Prevalence was higher for men according to three muscle mass criteria, and higher in women for strength criteria and by two combined mass+strength criteria. The best level of agreement was obtained for two methods that utilized dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). The prevalence of sarcopenia differs by gender and age and definition criteria. The low agreement levels obtained between methods and the different prevalence values encountered indicate the necessities of an operational definition for the estimation of sarcopenia in different population. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Implementation of Subjective Cognitive Decline criteria in research studies

    PubMed Central

    Molinuevo, José L; Rabin, Laura A.; Amariglio, Rebecca; Buckley, Rachel; Dubois, Bruno; Ellis, Kathryn A.; Ewers, Michael; Hampel, Harald; Klöppel, Stefan; Rami, Lorena; Reisberg, Barry; Saykin, Andrew J.; Sikkes, Sietske; Smart, Colette M.; Snitz, Beth E.; Sperling, Reisa; van der Flier, Wiesje M.; Wagner, Michael; Jessen, Frank

    2017-01-01

    INTRODUCTION Subjective Cognitive Decline (SCD) manifesting prior to clinical impairment could serve as a target population for early intervention trials in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). A working group, the Subjective Cognitive Decline Initiative (SCD-I), published SCD research criteria in the context of preclinical AD. To successfully apply them, a number of issues regarding assessment and implementation of SCD needed to be addressed. METHODS Members of the SCD-I met to identify and agree upon topics relevant to SCD criteria operationalization in research settings. Initial ideas and recommendations were discussed with other SCD-I working group members and modified accordingly. RESULTS Topics included SCD inclusion and exclusion criteria, together with the informant’s role in defining SCD presence and the impact of demographic factors. DISCUSSION Recommendations for the operationalization of SCD in differing research settings, with the aim of harmonization of SCD measurement across studies are proposed, to enhance comparability and generalizability across studies. PMID:27825022

  2. Review and Synthesis: Criteria for the Evaluation of Organizational Communication Effectiveness.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Farace, Richard V.; And Others

    Twenty-one criteria for assessing communication effectiveness in organizations provide the basis for discussion in this document. Grouped under the general heading of communication rules, the criteria are described according to five categories: structure, messages, media, communicator, and potpourri (factors that affect the decision making of…

  3. Characteristics and Psychiatric Symptoms of Internet Gaming Disorder among Adults Using Self-Reported DSM-5 Criteria.

    PubMed

    Kim, Na Ri; Hwang, Samuel Suk-Hyun; Choi, Jung-Seok; Kim, Dai-Jin; Demetrovics, Zsolt; Király, Orsolya; Nagygyörgy, Katalin; Griffiths, Mark D; Hyun, So Yeon; Youn, Hyun Chul; Choi, Sam-Wook

    2016-01-01

    The Section III of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) proposed nine diagnostic criteria and five cut-point criteria for Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD). We aimed to examine the efficacy of such criteria. Adults (n=3041, men: 1824, women: 1217) who engaged in internet gaming within last 6 months completed a self-report online survey using the suggested wordings of the criteria in DSM-5. Major characteristics, gaming behavior, and psychiatric symptoms of IGD were analyzed using ANOVA, chi-square, and correlation analyses. The sociodemographic variables were not statistically significant between the healthy controls and the risk group. Among the participants, 419 (13.8%) were identified and labeled as the IGD risk group. The IGD risk group scored significantly higher on all motivation subscales (p<0.001). The IGD risk group showed significantly higher scores than healthy controls in all nine psychiatric symptom dimensions, i.e., somatization, obsession-compulsion, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, hostility, phobic anxiety, paranoid ideation, and psychoticism (p<0.001). The IGD risk group showed differential psychopathological manifestations according to DSM-5 IGD diagnostic criteria. Further studies are needed to evaluate the reliability and validity of the specific criteria, especially for developing screening instruments.

  4. Characteristics and Psychiatric Symptoms of Internet Gaming Disorder among Adults Using Self-Reported DSM-5 Criteria

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Na Ri; Hwang, Samuel Suk-Hyun; Choi, Jung-Seok; Kim, Dai-Jin; Demetrovics, Zsolt; Király, Orsolya; Nagygyörgy, Katalin; Griffiths, Mark. D.; Hyun, So Yeon; Youn, Hyun Chul

    2016-01-01

    Objective The Section III of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) proposed nine diagnostic criteria and five cut-point criteria for Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD). We aimed to examine the efficacy of such criteria. Methods Adults (n=3041, men: 1824, women: 1217) who engaged in internet gaming within last 6 months completed a self-report online survey using the suggested wordings of the criteria in DSM-5. Major characteristics, gaming behavior, and psychiatric symptoms of IGD were analyzed using ANOVA, chi-square, and correlation analyses. Results The sociodemographic variables were not statistically significant between the healthy controls and the risk group. Among the participants, 419 (13.8%) were identified and labeled as the IGD risk group. The IGD risk group scored significantly higher on all motivation subscales (p<0.001). The IGD risk group showed significantly higher scores than healthy controls in all nine psychiatric symptom dimensions, i.e., somatization, obsession-compulsion, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, hostility, phobic anxiety, paranoid ideation, and psychoticism (p<0.001). Conclusion The IGD risk group showed differential psychopathological manifestations according to DSM-5 IGD diagnostic criteria. Further studies are needed to evaluate the reliability and validity of the specific criteria, especially for developing screening instruments. PMID:26766947

  5. Postoperative Changes in Metabolic Parameters of Patients with Surgically Controlled Acromegaly: Assessment of New Stringent Cure Criteria.

    PubMed

    Yonenaga, Masanori; Fujio, Shingo; Habu, Mika; Arimura, Hiroshi; Hiwatari, Takaaki; Tanaka, Shunichi; Kinoshita, Yasuyuki; Hosoyama, Hiroshi; Hirano, Hirofumi; Arita, Kazunori

    2018-04-15

    The criteria for surgical cure of acromegaly have become more stringent during the past decades and a change from Cortina to new consensus criteria has recently been proposed. However, the superiority of the new consensus over Cortina criteria with respect to postoperative metabolic parameters remains to be ascertained. We retrospectively assessed metabolic parameters, the body habitus, and other health-related parameters of 48 patients with surgically controlled acromegaly who met the Cortina criteria [normalized insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) level and nadir growth hormone (GH) level <1.0 ng/ml during postoperative oral glucose tolerance test]. The 48 patients were divided into two groups. Group A (n = 33) met the new consensus criteria (normalized IGF-1 and nadir GH level <0.4 ng/ml). Group B (n = 15) met Cortina criteria, but their nadir GH ranged from 0.4 to 1.0 ng/ml. In both groups, the level of triglyceride and homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was significantly decreased 1 year after the operation (P < 0.05). High-density lipoprotein cholesterol showed a significant increase only in group B (P = 0.02). However, the two groups did not differ with respect to the postoperative improvement rate of these parameters and the other health-related parameters including body mass index, blood pressure, anterior pituitary function, and self-estimated quality of life scale. In conclusion, our findings show that with respect to changes in metabolic parameters and the body habitus assessed 1 year after surgery, the stricter consensus criteria seemed not to be superior to Cortina criteria.

  6. Environmental Criteria in the Spanish Public Works Procurement Process

    PubMed Central

    Fuentes-Bargues, José Luis; González-Cruz, Mª Carmen; González-Gaya, Cristina

    2017-01-01

    Green Public Procurement (GPP) is defined as a process of contracting products, services, and works with the least possible damage to the environment during their life cycle. In order to improve the knowledge about GPP, a study of the use of environmental tendering criteria in the Spanish public construction sector has been performed. The results of this study show that the use of environmental criteria in Spanish public sector construction procurement is low in comparison to a certain group of countries, known as “Green 7”, in the European Union. Environmental criteria is the fourth criterion in importance, but its weight in the global of the process is much lower than other criteria such as price, memory of the construction process and the delivery time. National administrations use environmental criteria more frequently because they have more resources and staff training about environmental issues. Environmental criteria are more used in the tendering of civil projects and works whose budget exceeds ten million euro due to the environmental impact of these kind and/or size of projects. PMID:28218706

  7. Environmental Criteria in the Spanish Public Works Procurement Process.

    PubMed

    Fuentes-Bargues, José Luis; González-Cruz, Mª Carmen; González-Gaya, Cristina

    2017-02-18

    Green Public Procurement (GPP) is defined as a process of contracting products, services, and works with the least possible damage to the environment during their life cycle. In order to improve the knowledge about GPP, a study of the use of environmental tendering criteria in the Spanish public construction sector has been performed. The results of this study show that the use of environmental criteria in Spanish public sector construction procurement is low in comparison to a certain group of countries, known as "Green 7", in the European Union. Environmental criteria is the fourth criterion in importance, but its weight in the global of the process is much lower than other criteria such as price, memory of the construction process and the delivery time. National administrations use environmental criteria more frequently because they have more resources and staff training about environmental issues. Environmental criteria are more used in the tendering of civil projects and works whose budget exceeds ten million euro due to the environmental impact of these kind and/or size of projects.

  8. [Evaluation of a two-dimensional scale for the assessment of fear avoidance beliefs in elderly chronic low back pain patients].

    PubMed

    Quint, S; Raich, M; Luckmann, J

    2011-06-01

    There is evidence on the importance of fear avoidance beliefs (FAB) as prognostic risk factors in elderly patients suffering from chronic low back pain (CLBP). However, so far there is no validated German instrument for measuring FAB in elderly CLBP patients. The aim of the study presented was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Catastrophizing Avoidance Scale D-65+ (CAS-D-65+) within a population of elderly patients with CLBP. A cross-sectional study was conducted with measurement repeated after 4 weeks in 68 CLBP patients aged 64 years and older. The CAS-D-65+ was analyzed performing an item analysis and retest reliability. For validation standardized assessment methods (Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia [TSK], Photography of Daily Activity - Short electronic Version [Phoda-SeV], 5-Item-FAB, pain, disability, well-being and strain) were used. Internal consistency (Cronbach's α) ranged from 0.87 to 0.92 for total scale and from 0.71 to 0.89 for the sub-scales "catastrophizing" and "avoidance", retest reliability (r(tt)) ranged from 0.67 for the sub-scale "catastrophizing" to 0.70 for total scale and sub-scale "avoidance". The CAS-D-65+ showed moderate and strong effect sizes (Cohen's d) with other related FAB scales and external criteria. As shown in this study the CAS-D-65+ is a reliable and a valid instrument for the assessment of FAB in older patients with CLBP.

  9. Axial spondyloarthritis criteria and modified NY criteria: issues and controversies.

    PubMed

    Deodhar, Atul

    2014-06-01

    The Assessment of Spondyloarthritis International Society (ASAS) classification criteria for axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) developed in 2009 was a major step forward, since the 1984 modified New York (mNY) criteria for classification of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) were too insensitive to identify patients with early signs of axial inflammation. In the absence of "diagnostic" criteria for either axSpA or AS, both of these "classification" criteria are routinely used in clinical practice to diagnose patients. However, there is a real danger of "misdiagnosis" if classification criteria are applied erroneously by ticking "yes" or "no" boxes in an undiagnosed patient. This concern was raised and discussed at the FDA Arthritis Advisory Committee meeting in June 2013, and the committee warned that if TNF inhibitors are approved to treat axSpA, such misdiagnosis could lead to serious consequences. To gauge the SPARTAN members' familiarity with these criteria and these issues surrounding them, as well as to investigate how they are using these criteria in daily practice, two questionnaires (one each for mNY and ASAS axSpA criteria) were sent to the "full" members of SPARTAN before the annual meeting. The results showed that more than 60% of the responders used these criteria most of the time in practice to help them diagnose a patient, and nearly three fourth of responders agreed with the FDA Advisory Committee and would like to see some objective signs before prescribing TNF inhibitors to axSpA patients. A majority of responders looked at the sacroiliac joint x-rays themselves to diagnose sacroiliitis, even though they had difficulty in grading the x-rays. In a live vote at the meeting, 88% of the members suggested that SPARTAN should engage in either modifying the existing criteria or develop new diagnostic criteria for axial spondyloarthritis.

  10. 42 CFR 483.130 - PASARR determination criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... criteria. (a) Basis for determinations. Determinations made by the State mental health or intellectual... determinations by category. Advance group determinations by category developed by the State mental health or... records, physician's evaluations, election of hospice status, records of community mental health centers...

  11. 42 CFR 483.130 - PASARR determination criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... criteria. (a) Basis for determinations. Determinations made by the State mental health or mental... determinations by category. Advance group determinations by category developed by the State mental health or... records, physician's evaluations, election of hospice status, records of community mental health centers...

  12. 42 CFR 483.130 - PASARR determination criteria.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... criteria. (a) Basis for determinations. Determinations made by the State mental health or intellectual... determinations by category. Advance group determinations by category developed by the State mental health or... records, physician's evaluations, election of hospice status, records of community mental health centers...

  13. Clinical Criteria Versus a Possible Research Case Definition in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

    PubMed Central

    Jason, Leonard A.; McManimen, Stephanie; Sunnquist, Madison; Newton, Julia L.; Strand, Elin Bolle

    2017-01-01

    Background The Institute of Medicine (IOM) recently developed clinical criteria for what had been known as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Given the broad nature of the clinical IOM criteria, there is a need for a research definition that would select a more homogenous and impaired group of patients than the IOM clinical criteria. At the present time, it is unclear what will serve as the research definition. Purpose The current study focused on a research definition which selected homebound individuals who met the four IOM criteria, excluding medical and psychiatric co-morbidities. Methods Our research criteria were compared to those participants meeting the IOM criteria. Those not meeting either of these criteria sets were placed in a separate group defined by 6 or more months of fatigue. Data analyzed were from the DePaul Symptom Questionnaire and the SF-36. Due to unequal sample sizes and variances, Welch’s F tests and Games-Howell post hoc tests were conducted. Results Using a large database of over 1,000 patients from several countries, we found that those meeting a more restrictive research definition were even more impaired and more symptomatic than those meeting criteria for the other two groups. Conclusion Deciding on a particular research case definition would allow researchers to select more comparable patient samples across settings, and this would represent one of the most significant methodologic advances for this field of study. PMID:29062593

  14. Long-Term Outcomes and Discard Rate of Kidneys by Decade of Extended Criteria Donor Age

    PubMed Central

    Messina, Maria; Diena, Davide; Dellepiane, Sergio; Guzzo, Gabriella; Lo Sardo, Luca; Fop, Fabrizio; Segoloni, Giuseppe P.; Amoroso, Antonio; Magistroni, Paola

    2017-01-01

    Background and objectives Extended criteria donors represent nowadays a main resource for kidney transplantation, and recovery criteria are becoming increasingly inclusive. However, the limits of this approach are not clear as well as the effects of extreme donor ages on long-term kidney transplantation outcomes. To address these issues, we performed a retrospective study on extended criteria donor kidney transplantation. Design, setting, participants, & measurements In total, 647 consecutive extended criteria donor kidney transplantations performed over 11 years (2003–2013) were included. Donor, recipient, and procedural variables were classified according to donor age decades (group A, 50–59 years old [n=91]; group B, 60–69 years old [n=264]; group C, 70–79 years old [n=265]; and group D, ≥80 years old [n=27]). Organs were allocated in single- or dual-kidney transplantation after a multistep evaluation including clinical and histologic criteria. Long-term outcomes and main adverse events were analyzed among age groups and in either single- or dual-kidney transplantation. Kidney discard rate incidence and causes were evaluated. Results Median follow-up was 4.9 years (25th; 75th percentiles: 2.7; 7.6 years); patient and graft survival were comparable among age groups (5-year patient survival: group A, 87.8%; group B, 88.1%; group C, 88.0%; and group D, 90.1%; P=0.77; graft survival: group A, 74.0%; group B, 74.2%; group C, 75.2%; and group D, 65.9%; P=0.62) and between dual-kidney transplantation and single-kidney transplantation except for group D, with a better survival for dual-kidney transplantation (P=0.04). No difference was found analyzing complications incidence or graft function over time. Kidney discard rate was similar in groups A, B, and C (15.4%, 17.7%, and 20.1%, respectively) and increased in group D (48.2%; odds ratio, 5.1 with A as the reference group; 95% confidence interval, 2.96 to 8.79). Conclusions Discard rate and long-term outcomes

  15. Comparative venomics of the Prairie Rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis viridis) from Colorado: Identification of a novel pattern of ontogenetic changes in venom composition and assessment of the immunoreactivity of the commercial antivenom CroFab®.

    PubMed

    Saviola, Anthony J; Pla, Davinia; Sanz, Libia; Castoe, Todd A; Calvete, Juan J; Mackessy, Stephen P

    2015-05-21

    Here we describe and compare the venomic and antivenomic characteristics of both neonate and adult Prairie Rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis viridis) venoms. Although both neonate and adult venoms contain unique components, similarities among protein family content were seen. Both neonate and adult venoms consisted of myotoxin, bradykinin-potentiating peptide (BPP), phospholipase A2 (PLA2), Zn(2+)-dependent metalloproteinase (SVMP), serine proteinase, L-amino acid oxidase (LAAO), cysteine-rich secretory protein (CRISP) and disintegrin families. Quantitative differences, however, were observed, with venoms of adults containing significantly higher concentrations of the non-enzymatic toxic compounds and venoms of neonates containing higher concentrations of pre-digestive enzymatic proteins such as SVMPs. To assess the relevance of this venom variation in the context of snakebite and snakebite treatment, we tested the efficacy of the common antivenom CroFab® for recognition of both adult and neonate venoms in vitro. This comparison revealed that many of the major protein families (SVMPs, CRISP, PLA2, serine proteases, and LAAO) in both neonate and adult venoms were immunodepleted by the antivenom, whereas myotoxins, one of the major toxic components of C. v. viridis venom, in addition to many of the small peptides, were not efficiently depleted by CroFab®. These results therefore provide a comprehensive catalog of the venom compounds present in C. v. viridis venom and new molecular insight into the potential efficacy of CroFab® against human envenomations by one of the most widely distributed rattlesnake species in North America. Comparative proteomic analysis of venoms of neonate and adult Prairie Rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis viridis) from a discrete population in Colorado revealed a novel pattern of ontogenetic shifts in toxin composition for viperid snakes. The observed stage-dependent decrease of the relative content of disintegrins, catalytically active D49-PLA2s

  16. Behavior Change Outcomes of Marathon Group Treatment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Uhlemann, Max R.; Weigel, Richard G.

    1977-01-01

    This study evaluated behavior change occurring after a marathon group experience, with a focus on individualized rather than shared behavioral change criteria. The individualization of behavior change criteria is based on the assertion that few, if any, single change criteria are appropriate or realistic for assessing change in all individuals.…

  17. Tackling Complex Emergency Response Solutions Evaluation Problems in Sustainable Development by Fuzzy Group Decision Making Approaches with Considering Decision Hesitancy and Prioritization among Assessing Criteria.

    PubMed

    Qi, Xiao-Wen; Zhang, Jun-Ling; Zhao, Shu-Ping; Liang, Chang-Yong

    2017-10-02

    In order to be prepared against potential balance-breaking risks affecting economic development, more and more countries have recognized emergency response solutions evaluation (ERSE) as an indispensable activity in their governance of sustainable development. Traditional multiple criteria group decision making (MCGDM) approaches to ERSE have been facing simultaneous challenging characteristics of decision hesitancy and prioritization relations among assessing criteria, due to the complexity in practical ERSE problems. Therefore, aiming at the special type of ERSE problems that hold the two characteristics, we investigate effective MCGDM approaches by hiring interval-valued dual hesitant fuzzy set (IVDHFS) to comprehensively depict decision hesitancy. To exploit decision information embedded in prioritization relations among criteria, we firstly define an fuzzy entropy measure for IVDHFS so that its derivative decision models can avoid potential information distortion in models based on classic IVDHFS distance measures with subjective supplementing mechanism; further, based on defined entropy measure, we develop two fundamental prioritized operators for IVDHFS by extending Yager's prioritized operators. Furthermore, on the strength of above methods, we construct two hesitant fuzzy MCGDM approaches to tackle complex scenarios with or without known weights for decision makers, respectively. Finally, case studies have been conducted to show effectiveness and practicality of our proposed approaches.

  18. Tackling Complex Emergency Response Solutions Evaluation Problems in Sustainable Development by Fuzzy Group Decision Making Approaches with Considering Decision Hesitancy and Prioritization among Assessing Criteria

    PubMed Central

    Qi, Xiao-Wen; Zhang, Jun-Ling; Zhao, Shu-Ping; Liang, Chang-Yong

    2017-01-01

    In order to be prepared against potential balance-breaking risks affecting economic development, more and more countries have recognized emergency response solutions evaluation (ERSE) as an indispensable activity in their governance of sustainable development. Traditional multiple criteria group decision making (MCGDM) approaches to ERSE have been facing simultaneous challenging characteristics of decision hesitancy and prioritization relations among assessing criteria, due to the complexity in practical ERSE problems. Therefore, aiming at the special type of ERSE problems that hold the two characteristics, we investigate effective MCGDM approaches by hiring interval-valued dual hesitant fuzzy set (IVDHFS) to comprehensively depict decision hesitancy. To exploit decision information embedded in prioritization relations among criteria, we firstly define an fuzzy entropy measure for IVDHFS so that its derivative decision models can avoid potential information distortion in models based on classic IVDHFS distance measures with subjective supplementing mechanism; further, based on defined entropy measure, we develop two fundamental prioritized operators for IVDHFS by extending Yager’s prioritized operators. Furthermore, on the strength of above methods, we construct two hesitant fuzzy MCGDM approaches to tackle complex scenarios with or without known weights for decision makers, respectively. Finally, case studies have been conducted to show effectiveness and practicality of our proposed approaches. PMID:28974045

  19. Expanding the taxonomy of the diagnostic criteria for temporomandibular disorders.

    PubMed

    Peck, C C; Goulet, J-P; Lobbezoo, F; Schiffman, E L; Alstergren, P; Anderson, G C; de Leeuw, R; Jensen, R; Michelotti, A; Ohrbach, R; Petersson, A; List, T

    2014-01-01

    There is a need to expand the current temporomandibular disorders' (TMDs) classification to include less common but clinically important disorders. The immediate aim was to develop a consensus-based classification system and associated diagnostic criteria that have clinical and research utility for less common TMDs. The long-term aim was to establish a foundation, vis-à-vis this classification system, that will stimulate data collection, validity testing and further criteria refinement. A working group [members of the International RDC/TMD Consortium Network of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR), members of the Orofacial Pain Special Interest Group (SIG) of the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP), and members from other professional societies] reviewed disorders for inclusion based on clinical significance, the availability of plausible diagnostic criteria and the ability to operationalise and study the criteria. The disorders were derived from the literature when possible and based on expert opinion as necessary. The expanded TMDs taxonomy was presented for feedback at international meetings. Of 56 disorders considered, 37 were included in the expanded taxonomy and were placed into the following four categories: temporomandibular joint disorders, masticatory muscle disorders, headache disorders and disorders affecting associated structures. Those excluded were extremely uncommon, lacking operationalised diagnostic criteria, not clearly related to TMDs, or not sufficiently distinct from disorders already included within the taxonomy. The expanded TMDs taxonomy offers an integrated approach to clinical diagnosis and provides a framework for further research to operationalise and test the proposed taxonomy and diagnostic criteria. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. Geriatric-specific triage criteria are more sensitive than standard adult criteria in identifying need for trauma center care in injured older adults.

    PubMed

    Ichwan, Brian; Darbha, Subrahmanyam; Shah, Manish N; Thompson, Laura; Evans, David C; Boulger, Creagh T; Caterino, Jeffrey M

    2015-01-01

    We evaluate the sensitivity of Ohio's 2009 emergency medical services (EMS) geriatric trauma triage criteria compared with the previous adult triage criteria in identifying need for trauma center care among older adults. We studied a retrospective cohort of injured patients aged 16 years or older in the 2006 to 2011 Ohio Trauma Registry. Patients aged 70 years or older were considered geriatric. We identified whether each patient met the geriatric and the adult triage criteria. The outcome measure was need for trauma center care, defined by surrogate markers: Injury Severity Score greater than 15, operating room in fewer than 48 hours, any ICU stay, and inhospital mortality. We calculated sensitivity and specificity of both triage criteria for both age groups. We included 101,577 patients; 33,379 (33%) were geriatric. Overall, 57% of patients met adult criteria and 68% met geriatric criteria. Using Injury Severity Score, for older adults geriatric criteria were more sensitive for need for trauma center care (93%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 92% to 93%) than adult criteria (61%; 95% CI 60% to 62%). Geriatric criteria decreased specificity in older adults from 61% (95% CI 61% to 62%) to 49% (95% CI 48% to 49%). Geriatric criteria in older adults (93% sensitivity, 49% specificity) performed similarly to the adult criteria in younger adults (sensitivity 87% and specificity 44%). Similar patterns were observed for other outcomes. Standard adult EMS triage guidelines provide poor sensitivity in older adults. Ohio's geriatric trauma triage guidelines significantly improve sensitivity in identifying Injury Severity Score and other surrogate markers of the need for trauma center care, with modest decreases in specificity for older adults. Copyright © 2014 American College of Emergency Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Warning Signals: Basic Criteria for Tracking At-Risk Infants and Toddlers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blackman, James

    Developed by a multidisciplinary group (convened by Project Zero to Three) of 17 experts in the identification and evaluation of high risk infants and young children, this manual presents basic criteria for tracking at risk infants and toddlers. The first section answers such questions about the criteria as the following: What is a tracking system…

  2. The Role of Intralipid Emulsion in the Rat Model of Digoxin Intoxication.

    PubMed

    Turan, Cansu Arslan; Ozturk, Tuba Cimilli; Akoglu, Ebru Unal; Ak, Rohat; Aygun, Kemal; Sahiner, Ali; Sumer, Engin; Somay, Adnan; Onur, Ozge Ecmel

    2018-02-03

    Although the mechanism of action is not well known, intravenous lipid emulsion (ILE) has been shown to be effective in the treatment of lipophilic drug intoxications. It is thought that, ILE probably separates the lipophilic drugs from target tissue by creating a lipid-rich compartment in the plasma. The second theory is that ILE provides energy to myocardium with high-dose free fatty acids activating the voltage-gated calcium channels in the myocytes. In this study, effects of ILE treatment on digoxin overdose were searched in an animal model in terms of cardiac side effects and survival. Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into five groups. As the pre-treatment, the groups were administered saline, ILE, DigiFab and DigiFab and ILE. Following that, digoxin was infused to all groups until death except the control group. First arrhythmia and cardiac arrest observation times were recorded. According to the results, there was no statistically significant difference among the group in terms of first arrhythmia time and cardiac arrest times. However, when the saline group compared with ILE-treated group separately, significant difference was observed. DigiFab, ILE or ILE-DigiFab treatment make no significant difference in terms of the first arrhythmia and cardiac arrest duration in digoxin-intoxicated rats. However, it is not possible to say that at the given doses, ILE treatment might be successful at least as a known antidote. The fact that the statistical significance between the two groups is not observed in the subgroup analysis, the study should be repeated with larger groups.

  3. Natural environment design criteria for the space station program definition phase

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Vaughan, W. W.

    1984-01-01

    The natural environment design criteria requirements for use in the Space Station and its Elements (SSPE) definition phase studies are presented. The atmospheric dynamic and thermodynamic environments, meteoroids, radiation, physical constants are addressed. It is intended to enable all groups involved in the definition phase studies to proceed with a common and consistent set of natural environment criteria requirements.

  4. A respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) anti-G protein F(ab')2 monoclonal antibody suppresses mucous production and breathing effort in RSV rA2-line19F-infected BALB/c mice.

    PubMed

    Boyoglu-Barnum, Seyhan; Gaston, Kelsey A; Todd, Sean O; Boyoglu, Cemil; Chirkova, Tatiana; Barnum, Thomas R; Jorquera, Patricia; Haynes, Lia M; Tripp, Ralph A; Moore, Martin L; Anderson, Larry J

    2013-10-01

    Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) belongs to the family Paramyxoviridae and is the single most important cause of serious lower respiratory tract infections in young children, yet no highly effective treatment or vaccine is available. Increased airway resistance and increased airway mucin production are two manifestations of RSV infection in children. RSV rA2-line19F infection induces pulmonary mucous production and increased breathing effort in BALB/c mice and provides a way to assess these manifestations of RSV disease in an animal model. In the present study, we investigated the effect of prophylactic treatment with the F(ab')2 form of the anti-G protein monoclonal antibody (MAb) 131-2G on disease in RSV rA2-line19F-challenged mice. F(ab')2 131-2G does not affect virus replication. It and the intact form that does decrease virus replication prevented increased breathing effort and airway mucin production, as well as weight loss, pulmonary inflammatory-cell infiltration, and the pulmonary substance P and pulmonary Th2 cytokine levels that occur in mice challenged with this virus. These data suggest that the RSV G protein contributes to prominent manifestations of RSV disease and that MAb 131-2G can prevent these manifestations of RSV disease without inhibiting virus infection.

  5. The Spanish version of the 2010 American College of Rheumatology Preliminary Diagnostic Criteria for fibromyalgia: reliability and validity assessment.

    PubMed

    Casanueva, Benigno; García-Fructuoso, Ferrán; Belenguer, Rafael; Alegre, Cayetano; Moreno-Muelas, José V; Hernández, José L; Pina, Tinitario; González-Gay, Miguel Á

    2016-01-01

    To investigate the reliability and validity of the Spanish version of the 2010 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Preliminary Diagnostic Criteria for Fibromyalgia (FM) in patients with chronic pain. The 2010 ACR Preliminary Diagnostic Criteria for FM were adapted to a Spanish version following the guidelines of the Rheumatology Spanish Society Study Group of FM. Based on the 1990 ACR classi cation criteria for FM, patients with chronic pain were initially divided into two groups: a FM group and another group of non-FM individuals. Patients from the FM group were evaluated by tender points (TP) examination, Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), Widespread Pain Index (WPI), and Symptom Severity Scale (SSS). The non-FM (control) group included patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA). They were evaluated by WPI and SSS. We included 1,169 patients divided into two groups: FM group (n=803; 777 women and 26 men) and non-FM group (n= 366; 147 patients with RA, and 219 with OA). The median value of TP and FIQ in the FM group was 16 and 74 respectively. The preliminary 2010 ACR criteria were met by 665 (82.8%) FM patients and by 112 (30.6%) patients from the non-FM group (p<0.0001). Statistically signi cant differences in the number of TP (p<0.03), FIQ (p<0.0001), WPI (p<0.0001) and SSS (p<0.0001) were observed when FM patients fulfilling the 2010 ACR criteria were compared with the remaining FM patients who did not fulfill these criteria. Sensitivity of the Spanish version of the 2010 ACR criteria was 85.6% (95%CI: 83.1-88.1), speci city 73.2% (95%CI: 68.4-78), positive predictive value 87.7% (95%CI: 85.3-90.1) and negative predictive value 69.4% (95%CI: 64.5-74.2). Our results indicate that the 2010 ACR Preliminary Diagnostic Criteria for FM may be useful to establish a diagnosis of FM in Spanish individuals with chronic pain.

  6. Clinical characteristics of vaginal discharge in bacterial vaginosis diagnosed by Nugent's criteria.

    PubMed

    Hapsari, E D; Hayashi, M; Matsuo, H

    2006-01-01

    To determine which clinical signs have an important contribution in bacterial vaginosis (BV) diagnosed by Nugent's criteria. This was a cross-sectional study of 58 women undergoing vaginal examination at Hayashi women's clinic, Hyogo Prefecture. Characteristics of vaginal discharge (color, amount, odor, and pH level) and the number of clue cells were compared among normal, intermediate, and BV groups. BV was diagnosed by using Nugent's criteria. The incidence of BV in our study population was 25.9%. Compared to the non-BV group, women in the BV group were found more often to have yellowish color and a moderate amount of discharge (66.67% vs 33.33%, NS; 55.56% vs 44.44%, NS), odorous discharge (100% vs 0%, p < 0.05) and furthermore, pH level and the number of clue cells were significantly higher. Odor, pH level and the number of clue cells in the vaginal discharge were helpful clinical signs for early detection of BV diagnosed by Nugent's criteria.

  7. Developing research criteria to define medical necessity in emergency medical services.

    PubMed

    Cone, David C; Schmidt, Terri A; Mann, N Clay; Brown, Lawrence

    2004-01-01

    "The Neely Conference: Developing Research Criteria to Define Medical Necessity in EMS" convened emergency medical services (EMS) physicians, researchers, administrators, providers, and federal agency representatives to begin the development of a set of uniform triage criteria and outcome measures that could be used to study and evaluate medical necessity among EMS patients. These standardized criteria might be used in research studies examining EMS dispatch and response (e.g., dispatch triage protocols, alternative response configurations), and EMS treatment and transport (e.g., field triage protocols, alternative care destinations). The conference process included review and analysis of the literature, expert judgment, and consensus building. There was general agreement on the following: 1. Any dispatch triage or field triage system that is developed must be designed to offer patients alternatives to EMS, not to refuse care to patients. 2. It is theoretically possible to develop a set of clinical criteria for need. Some groups of patients will clearly need a traditional EMS response and other groups will not, but this has yet to be defined. 3. In addition to clinical criteria, certain social and other nonclinical criteria such as pain or potential abuse may be used to justify a response. 4. Communication barriers, patient age, special needs, and other conditions complicate patient assessment but should not exclude patients from consideration for alternate triage or transport. 5. These research questions are important, and standard sets of outcome measures are needed so that different studies and innovative programs can be compared.

  8. State-of-Science Approaches to Determine Sensitive Taxa for Water Quality Criteria Derivation

    EPA Science Inventory

    Current Ambient Water Quality Criteria (AWQC) guidelines specify pre-defined taxa diversity requirements, which has limited chemical-specific criteria development in the U.S. to less than 100 chemicals. A priori knowledge of sensitive taxa to toxicologically similar groups of che...

  9. Validation of the classification criteria commonly used in Korea and a modified set of preliminary criteria for Behçet's disease: a multi-center study.

    PubMed

    Chang, H K; Lee, S S; Bai, H J; Lee, Y W; Yoon, B Y; Lee, C H; Lee, Y H; Song, G G; Chung, W T; Lee, S W; Choe, J Y; Kim, C G; Chang, D K

    2004-01-01

    Recently we have proposed a modified set of criteria to settle the questions raised regarding the International Study Group (ISG) criteria for Behçet's disease (BD). The aim of the present study was to validate the two pre-existing criteria sets commonly used in Korea, the ISG criteria and the criteria of the Behçet's Disease Research Committee of Japan (Japanese criteria), as well as the proposed modified criteria. The study population included 155 consecutive patients with BD and 170 controls with non-Behçet's rheumatic diseases. Detailed data for all of the subjects were recorded prospectively by the participating physicians on a standard form that listed the clinical features of BD. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of each set of the criteria were measured. Of the three criteria sets employed, the modified criteria were the most accurate, with an accuracy of 96.3%. The ISG criteria often failed to classify the following patients with BD: patients with only oral and genital ulcerations, certain patients with intestinal ulcerations, patients who did not manifest oral ulcerations, and patients with acute disease but fewer than three recurrent oral ulceration relapses in a 1-year period. The Japanese criteria also failed to categorize the following patients with BD: patients with oral and genital ulcerations, and patients with oral ulcerations, skin lesions, and a positive pathergy reaction. In addition, the Japanese criteria misclassified some of the control subjects with non-Behçet's uveitis as having BD. The results of this study suggest that there are some points that need to be reconsidered in the clinical application of the two pre-existing sets of criteria. Although the modified criteria were the most accurate, further validation studies will be required in other ethnic populations.

  10. Use of subjective and objective criteria to categorise visual disability.

    PubMed

    Kajla, Garima; Rohatgi, Jolly; Dhaliwal, Upreet

    2014-04-01

    Visual disability is categorised using objective criteria. Subjective measures are not considered. To use subjective criteria along with objective ones to categorise visual disability. Ophthalmology out-patient department; teaching hospital; observational study. Consecutive persons aged >25 years, with vision <20/20 (in one or both eyes) due to chronic conditions, like cataract and refractive errors, were categorized into 11 groups of increasing disability; group-zero: normal range of vision, to group-X: no perception of light, bilaterally. Snellen's vision; binocular contrast sensitivity (Pelli-Robson chart); automated binocular visual field (Humphrey; Esterman test); and vision-related quality of life (Indian Visual Function Questionnaire-33; IND-VFQ33) were recorded. SPSS version-17; Kruskal-wallis test was used to compare contrast sensitivity and visual fields across groups, and Mann-Whitney U test for pair-wise comparison (Bonferroni adjustment; P < 0.01). One-way ANOVA compared quality of life data across groups; for pairwise significance, Dunnett T3 test was applied. In 226 patients, contrast sensitivity and visual fields were comparable for differing disability grades except when disability was severe (P < 0.001), or moderately severe (P < 0.01). Individual scales of IND-VFQ33 were also mostly comparable; however, global scores showed a distinct pattern, being different for some disability grades but comparable for groups III (78.51 ± 6.86) and IV (82.64 ± 5.80), and groups IV and V (77.23 ± 3.22); these were merged to generate group 345; similarly, global scores were comparable for adjacent groups V and VI (72.53 ± 6.77), VI and VII (74.46 ± 4.32), and VII and VIII (69.12 ± 5.97); these were merged to generate group 5678; thereafter, contrast sensitivity and global and individual IND-VFQ33 scores could differentiate between different grades of disability in the five new groups. Subjective criteria made it possible to objectively reclassify visual

  11. Viability criteria for steelhead of the south-central and southern California coast

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Boughton, David A.; Adams, Peter B.; Anderson, Eric; Fusaro, Craig; Keller, Edward A.; Kelley, Elsie; Lentsch, Leo; Nielsen, Jennifer L.; Perry, Katie; Regan, Helen; Smith, Jerry; Swift, Camm C.; Thompson, Lisa; Watson, Fred

    2007-01-01

    Recovery planning for threatened and endangered steelhead requires measurable, objective criteria for determining an acceptably low risk of extinction. Here we propose viability criteria for two levels of biological organization: individual populations, and groups of populations within the SouthCentral/Southern California Coast Steelhead Recovery Planning Domain. For populations, we adapt criteria commonly used by the IUCN (The World Conservation Union) for identifying at-risk species. For groups of populations we implement a diversity-based “representation and redundancy rule,” in which diversity includes both life-history diversity and biogeographic groupings of populations. The resulting criteria have the potential for straightforward assessment of the risks posed by evolutionary, demographic, environmental, and catastrophic factors; and are designed to use data that are readily collected. However, our prescriptive approach led to one criterion whose threshold could not yet be specified due to inadequate data, and others in which the simplicity of the criteria may render them inefficient for populations with stable run sizes or stable life-history polymorphisms. Both of these problems could likely be solved by directed programs of research and monitoring aimed at developing more efficient (but equally risk-averse) “performance-based criteria.” Of particular utility would be data on the natural fluctuations of populations, research into the stabilizing influence of life-history polymorphisms, and research on the implications of drought, wildfires, and fluvial sediment regimes. Research on estuarine habitat could also yield useful information on the generality and reliability of its role as nursery habitat. Currently, risk assessment at the population level is not possible due to data deficiency, highlighting the need to implement a comprehensive effort to monitor run sizes, anadromous fractions, spawner densities and perhaps marine survival. Assessment at

  12. Structures of Pseudomonas aeruginosa β-ketoacyl-(acyl-carrier-protein) synthase II (FabF) and a C164Q mutant provide templates for antibacterial drug discovery and identify a buried potassium ion and a ligand-binding site that is an artefact of the crystal form

    PubMed Central

    Baum, Bernhard; Lecker, Laura S. M.; Zoltner, Martin; Jaenicke, Elmar; Schnell, Robert; Hunter, William N.; Brenk, Ruth

    2015-01-01

    Bacterial infections remain a serious health concern, in particular causing life-threatening infections of hospitalized and immunocompromised patients. The situation is exacerbated by the rise in antibacterial drug resistance, and new treatments are urgently sought. In this endeavour, accurate structures of molecular targets can support early-stage drug discovery. Here, crystal structures, in three distinct forms, of recombinant Pseudomonas aeruginosa β-ketoacyl-(acyl-carrier-protein) synthase II (FabF) are presented. This enzyme, which is involved in fatty-acid biosynthesis, has been validated by genetic and chemical means as an antibiotic target in Gram-positive bacteria and represents a potential target in Gram-negative bacteria. The structures of apo FabF, of a C164Q mutant in which the binding site is altered to resemble the substrate-bound state and of a complex with 3-(benzoylamino)-2-hydroxybenzoic acid are reported. This compound mimics aspects of a known natural product inhibitor, platensimycin, and surprisingly was observed binding outside the active site, interacting with a symmetry-related molecule. An unusual feature is a completely buried potassium-binding site that was identified in all three structures. Comparisons suggest that this may represent a conserved structural feature of FabF relevant to fold stability. The new structures provide templates for structure-based ligand design and, together with the protocols and reagents, may underpin a target-based drug-discovery project for urgently needed antibacterials. PMID:26249693

  13. Prevalence of Eligibility Criteria for the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial in US Adults Among Excluded Groups: Age <50 Years, Diabetes Mellitus, or a History of Stroke.

    PubMed

    Bress, Adam P; Tanner, Rikki M; Hess, Rachel; Gidding, Samuel S; Colantonio, Lisandro D; Shimbo, Daichi; Muntner, Paul

    2016-07-12

    Adults <50 years old, with diabetes mellitus, or a history of stroke were not enrolled in the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT). Estimating the size and characteristics of these excluded groups who meet the other SPRINT eligibility criteria may provide information on the potential impact of providers extending the SPRINT findings to these populations. We analyzed the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003-2012 (n=25 076) to estimate the percentage and characteristics of US adults ≥20 years in 3 populations (age <50 years, diabetes mellitus, or history of stroke) excluded from SPRINT who otherwise meet the trial eligibility criteria: age ≥50 years, systolic blood pressure (SBP) 130-180 mm Hg, high cardiovascular disease risk, and not having trial exclusion criteria. Overall, 1.0% (95% CI 0.8-1.3) of US adults age <50 years, 25.4% (95% CI 23.4-27.6) with diabetes mellitus, and 19.0% (95% CI 16.0-22.4) with history of stroke met the other SPRINT eligibility criteria. Among US adults with SBP ≥130 mm Hg, other SPRINT eligibility criteria were met by 7.5% (95% CI 6.1-9.2) of those age <50 years, 32.9% (95% CI 30.5-35.4) with diabetes mellitus, and 23.0% (95% CI 19.4-27.0) with history of stroke. Among US adults meeting the other SPRINT eligibility criteria, antihypertensive medication was being taken by 31.0% (95% CI 23.9-41.3) of those <50 years, 63.0% (95% CI 58.2-67.6) with diabetes mellitus, and 68.9% (95% CI 59.4-77.1) with a history of stroke. A substantial percentage of US adults with diabetes mellitus or history of stroke and a small percentage <50 years old meet the other SPRINT eligibility criteria. © 2016 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley Blackwell.

  14. Sensitivity and specificity of Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination, Mattis Dementia Rating Scale, Frontal Assessment Battery and Mini Mental State Examination for diagnosing dementia in Parkinson's disease.

    PubMed

    Kaszás, B; Kovács, N; Balás, I; Kállai, J; Aschermann, Z; Kerekes, Z; Komoly, S; Nagy, F; Janszky, J; Lucza, T; Karádi, K

    2012-06-01

    Among the non-motor features of Parkinson's disease (PD), cognitive impairment is one of the most troublesome problems. Highly sensitive and specific screening instruments for detecting dementia in PD (PDD) are required in the clinical practice. In our study we evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of different neuropsychological tests (Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination, ACE; Frontal Assessment Battery, FAB and Mattis Dementia Rating Scale, MDRS) in 73 Parkinson's disease patients without depression. By receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, these screening instruments were tested against the recently established clinical diagnostic criteria of PDD. Best cut-off score for ACE to identify PDD was 80 points (sensitivity = 74.0%, specificity = 78.1%). For FAB the most optimal cut-off value was 12 points (sensitivity = 66.3%, specificity = 72.2%); whereas for MDRS it was 125 points (sensitivity = 89.8%, specificity = 98.3%). Among the examined test batteries, MDRS had the best clinicometric profile for detecting PDD. Although the types of applied screening instruments might differ from movement disorder clinic to clinic within a country, determination of the most specific and sensitive test for the given population remains to be an important task. Our results demonstrated that the specificity and sensitivity of MDRS was better than those of ACE, FAB and MMSE in Hungary. However, further studies with larger sample size and more uniform criteria for participation are required to determine the most suitable screening instrument for cognitive impairment. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Targeting Sleep, Food, and Activity in Infants for Obesity Prevention: An RCT.

    PubMed

    Taylor, Barry J; Gray, Andrew R; Galland, Barbara C; Heath, Anne-Louise M; Lawrence, Julie; Sayers, Rachel M; Cameron, Sonya; Hanna, Maha; Dale, Kelly; Coppell, Kirsten J; Taylor, Rachael W

    2017-03-01

    The few existing early-life obesity prevention initiatives have concentrated on nutrition and physical activity, with little examination of sleep. This community-based, randomized controlled trial allocated 802 pregnant women (≥16 years, <34 weeks' gestation) to: control, FAB (food, activity, and breastfeeding), sleep, or combination (both interventions) groups. All groups received standard well-child care. FAB participants received additional support (8 contacts) promoting breastfeeding, healthy eating, and physical activity (antenatal-18 months). Sleep participants received 2 sessions (antenatal, 3 weeks) targeting prevention of sleep problems, as well as a sleep treatment program if requested (6-24 months). Combination participants received both interventions (9 contacts). BMI was measured at 24 months by researchers blinded to group allocation, and secondary outcomes (diet, physical activity, sleep) were assessed by using a questionnaire or accelerometry at multiple time points. At 2 years, 686 women remained in the study (86%). No significant intervention effect was observed for BMI at 24 months ( P = .086), but there was an overall group effect for the prevalence of obesity ( P = .027). Exploratory analyses found a protective effect for obesity among those receiving the "sleep intervention" (sleep and combination compared with FAB and control: odds ratio, 0.54 [95% confidence interval, 0.35-0.82]). No effect was observed for the "FAB intervention" (FAB and combination compared with sleep and control: odds ratio, 1.20 [95% confidence interval, 0.80-1.81]). A well-developed food and activity intervention did not seem to affect children's weight status. However, further research on more intensive or longer running sleep interventions is warranted. Copyright © 2017 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

  16. Establishing criteria for human mesenchymal stem cell potency.

    PubMed

    Samsonraj, Rebekah M; Rai, Bina; Sathiyanathan, Padmapriya; Puan, Kia Joo; Rötzschke, Olaf; Hui, James H; Raghunath, Michael; Stanton, Lawrence W; Nurcombe, Victor; Cool, Simon M

    2015-06-01

    This study sought to identify critical determinants of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) potency using in vitro and in vivo attributes of cells isolated from the bone marrow of age- and sex-matched donors. Adherence to plastic was not indicative of potency, yet capacity for long-term expansion in vitro varied considerably between donors, allowing the grouping of MSCs from the donors into either those with high-growth capacity or low-growth capacity. Using this grouping strategy, high-growth capacity MSCs were smaller in size, had greater colony-forming efficiency, and had longer telomeres. Cell-surface biomarker analysis revealed that the International Society for Cellular Therapy (ISCT) criteria did not distinguish between high-growth capacity and low-growth capacity MSCs, whereas STRO-1 and platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha were preferentially expressed on high-growth capacity MSCs. These cells also had the highest mean expression of the mRNA transcripts TWIST-1 and DERMO-1. Irrespective of these differences, both groups of donor MSCs produced similar levels of key growth factors and cytokines involved in tissue regeneration and were capable of multilineage differentiation. However, high-growth capacity MSCs produced approximately double the volume of mineralized tissue compared to low-growth capacity MSCs when assessed for ectopic bone-forming ability. The additional phenotypic criteria presented in this study when combined with the existing ISCT minimum criteria and working proposal will permit an improved assessment of MSC potency and provide a basis for establishing the quality of MSCs prior to their therapeutic application. © 2015 AlphaMed Press.

  17. Establishing Criteria for Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell Potency

    PubMed Central

    Samsonraj, Rebekah M.; Rai, Bina; Sathiyanathan, Padmapriya; Puan, Kia Joo; Rötzschke, Olaf; Hui, James H.; Raghunath, Michael; Stanton, Lawrence W.; Nurcombe, Victor

    2015-01-01

    Abstract This study sought to identify critical determinants of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) potency using in vitro and in vivo attributes of cells isolated from the bone marrow of age‐ and sex‐matched donors. Adherence to plastic was not indicative of potency, yet capacity for long‐term expansion in vitro varied considerably between donors, allowing the grouping of MSCs from the donors into either those with high‐growth capacity or low‐growth capacity. Using this grouping strategy, high‐growth capacity MSCs were smaller in size, had greater colony‐forming efficiency, and had longer telomeres. Cell‐surface biomarker analysis revealed that the International Society for Cellular Therapy (ISCT) criteria did not distinguish between high‐growth capacity and low‐growth capacity MSCs, whereas STRO‐1 and platelet‐derived growth factor receptor alpha were preferentially expressed on high‐growth capacity MSCs. These cells also had the highest mean expression of the mRNA transcripts TWIST‐1 and DERMO‐1. Irrespective of these differences, both groups of donor MSCs produced similar levels of key growth factors and cytokines involved in tissue regeneration and were capable of multilineage differentiation. However, high‐growth capacity MSCs produced approximately double the volume of mineralized tissue compared to low‐growth capacity MSCs when assessed for ectopic bone‐forming ability. The additional phenotypic criteria presented in this study when combined with the existing ISCT minimum criteria and working proposal will permit an improved assessment of MSC potency and provide a basis for establishing the quality of MSCs prior to their therapeutic application. Stem Cells 2015;33:1878–1891 PMID:25752682

  18. Performance of the new ACR/EULAR classification criteria for systemic sclerosis in clinical practice.

    PubMed

    Jordan, Suzana; Maurer, Britta; Toniolo, Martin; Michel, Beat; Distler, Oliver

    2015-08-01

    The preliminary classification criteria for SSc lack sensitivity for mild/early SSc patients, therefore, the new ACR/EULAR classification criteria for SSc were developed. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of the new classification criteria for SSc in clinical practice in a cohort of mild/early patients. Consecutive patients with a clinical diagnosis of SSc, based on expert opinion, were prospectively recruited and assessed according to the EULAR Scleroderma Trials and Research group (EUSTAR) and very early diagnosis of SSc (VEDOSS) recommendations. In some patients, missing values were retrieved retrospectively from the patient's records. Patients were grouped into established SSc (fulfilling the old ACR criteria) and mild/early SSc (not fulfilling the old ACR criteria). The new ACR/EULAR criteria were applied to all patients. Of the 304 patients available for the final analysis, 162/304 (53.3%) had established SSc and 142/304 (46.7%) had mild/early SSc. All 162 established SSc patients fulfilled the new ACR/EULAR classification criteria. The remaining 142 patients had mild/early SSc. Eighty of these 142 patients (56.3%) fulfilled the new ACR/EULAR classification criteria. Patients with mild/early SSc not fulfilling the new classification criteria were most often suffering from RP, had SSc-characteristic autoantibodies and had an SSc pattern on nailfold capillaroscopy. Taken together, the sensitivity of the new ACR/EULAR classification criteria for the overall cohort was 242/304 (79.6%) compared with 162/304 (53.3%) for the ACR criteria. In this cohort with a focus on mild/early SSc, the new ACR/EULAR classification criteria showed higher sensitivity and classified more patients as definite SSc patients than the ACR criteria. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  19. How valid are current diagnostic criteria for dental erosion?

    PubMed Central

    2008-01-01

    In principle, there is agreement about the clinical diagnostic criteria for dental erosion, basically defined as cupping and grooving of the occlusal/incisal surfaces, shallow defects on smooth surfaces located coronal from the enamel–cementum junction with an intact cervical enamel rim and restorations rising above the adjacent tooth surface. This lesion characteristic was established from clinical experience and from observations in a small group of subjects with known exposure to acids rather than from systematic research. Their prevalence is higher in risk groups for dental erosion compared to subjects not particularly exposed to acids, but analytical epidemiological studies on random or cluster samples often fail to find a relation between occurrence or severity of lesions and any aetiological factor. Besides other aspects, this finding might be due to lack of validity with respect to diagnostic criteria. In particular, cupping and grooving might be an effect of abrasion as well as of erosion and their value for the specific diagnosis of erosion must be doubted. Knowledge about the validity of current diagnostic criteria of different forms of tooth wear is incomplete, therefore further research is needed. PMID:18228062

  20. Reliability of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy by ECG Criteria in Children with Syncope: Do the Criteria Need to be Revised?

    PubMed

    Banerjee, Maalika M; Ramesh Iyer, V; Nandi, Deipanjan; Vetter, Victoria L; Banerjee, Anirban

    2016-04-01

    In the outpatient setting, children who present with syncope routinely undergo electrocardiograms (ECG). Because of concerns for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, children with syncope meeting ECG criteria for left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) will frequently undergo an echocardiogram. Our objectives were to determine whether Davignon criteria for ECG waves overestimate LVH in children presenting with syncope, and to study the usefulness of echocardiography in these children. We hypothesize that the Davignon criteria presently used for interpretation of ECGs overestimate LVH, resulting in unnecessary echocardiography in this clinical setting. The clinical database of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia was evaluated from 2002 to 2012 to identify children between 9 and 16 years of age, who presented with non-exercise-induced, isolated syncope. From this group of patients, only those with clear-cut evidence of LVH (by Davignon criteria), who also underwent an echocardiogram, were selected. A total of 136 children with syncope were identified as having LVH by Davignon ECG criteria. None of these patients manifested any evidence of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, with normal ventricular septum (average Z-score -0.68 ± 0.84), LV posterior wall (average Z-score -0.66 ± 1.18) and LV mass (average Z-score 0.52 ± 1.29). No significant correlation was found between summed RV6 plus SV1 and LV mass. Correlations between additional ECG parameters and measures of LVH by echocardiography were similarly poor. In children presenting with syncope and LVH by ECG, there was no evidence of true LVH by echocardiography. We propose that the Davignon ECG criteria for interpreting LVH in children overestimate the degree of hypertrophy in these children and the yield of echocardiography is extremely low.

  1. [Group therapy of aphasia patients--a professional report].

    PubMed

    Königsbüscher, S; Meyer-Königsbüscher, J; Ostermann, F

    1987-08-01

    Theoretical considerations in, and an exemplary instance of, group speech therapy with aphasic patients are submitted for discussion. Contrary to current practice, individual and group therapy are considered of equal rank, as all aspects of speech and language can be realized in the latter, with both approaches having similar goals. Group work contents is characterized as verbal coping with guided verbal tasks. Group composition is recommended to emphasize speech and language criteria, as opposed to social and psychosocial criteria. Also dealt with is the position of the speech therapist.

  2. YeastFab: the design and construction of standard biological parts for metabolic engineering in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

    PubMed Central

    Guo, Yakun; Dong, Junkai; Zhou, Tong; Auxillos, Jamie; Li, Tianyi; Zhang, Weimin; Wang, Lihui; Shen, Yue; Luo, Yisha; Zheng, Yijing; Lin, Jiwei; Chen, Guo-Qiang; Wu, Qingyu; Cai, Yizhi; Dai, Junbiao

    2015-01-01

    It is a routine task in metabolic engineering to introduce multicomponent pathways into a heterologous host for production of metabolites. However, this process sometimes may take weeks to months due to the lack of standardized genetic tools. Here, we present a method for the design and construction of biological parts based on the native genes and regulatory elements in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We have developed highly efficient protocols (termed YeastFab Assembly) to synthesize these genetic elements as standardized biological parts, which can be used to assemble transcriptional units in a single-tube reaction. In addition, standardized characterization assays are developed using reporter constructs to calibrate the function of promoters. Furthermore, the assembled transcription units can be either assayed individually or applied to construct multi-gene metabolic pathways, which targets a genomic locus or a receiving plasmid effectively, through a simple in vitro reaction. Finally, using β-carotene biosynthesis pathway as an example, we demonstrate that our method allows us not only to construct and test a metabolic pathway in several days, but also to optimize the production through combinatorial assembly of a pathway using hundreds of regulatory biological parts. PMID:25956650

  3. Does Cognitive Impairment Affect Rehabilitation Outcome in Parkinson’s Disease?

    PubMed Central

    Ferrazzoli, Davide; Ortelli, Paola; Maestri, Roberto; Bera, Rossana; Giladi, Nir; Ghilardi, Maria Felice; Pezzoli, Gianni; Frazzitta, Giuseppe

    2016-01-01

    Background: The cognitive status is generally considered as a major determinant of rehabilitation outcome in Parkinson’s disease (PD). No studies about the effect of cognitive impairment on motor rehabilitation outcomes in PD have been performed before. Objective: This study is aimed to evaluate the impact of cognitive decline on rehabilitation outcomes in patients with PD. Methods: We retrospectively identified 485 patients with PD hospitalized for a 4-week Multidisciplinary Intensive Rehabilitation Treatment (MIRT) between January 2014 and September 2015. According to Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), patients were divided into: group 1—normal cognition (score 27–30), group 2—mild cognitive impairment (score 21–26), group 3—moderate or severe cognitive impairment (score ≤ 20). According to Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB), subjects were divided into patients with normal (score ≥13.8) and pathological (score <13.8) executive functions. The outcome measures were: Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), Parkinson’s Disease Disability Scale (PDDS), Six Minutes Walking Test (6MWT), Timed Up and Go Test (TUG) and Berg Balance Scale (BBS). Results: All scales had worse values with the increase of cognitive impairment and passing from normal to pathological executive functions. After rehabilitation, all the outcome measures improved in all groups (p < 0.0001). Between groups, the percentage of improvement was significantly different for total UPDRS (p = 0.0009, best improvement in normal MMSE group; p = 0.019, best improvement in normal FAB group), and BBS (p < 0.0001, all pairwise comparisons significant, best improvement in patients with worse MMSE score; p < 0.0001, best improvement in patients with pathological FAB). TUG (p = 0.006) and BBS (p < 0.0001) improved in patients with pathological FAB score, more than in those with normal FAB score. Conclusions: Patients gain benefit in the rehabilitative outcomes, regardless of cognition

  4. Response evaluation criteria for solid tumours in dogs (v1.0): a Veterinary Cooperative Oncology Group (VCOG) consensus document.

    PubMed

    Nguyen, S M; Thamm, D H; Vail, D M; London, C A

    2015-09-01

    In veterinary medical oncology, there is currently no standardized protocol for assessing response to therapy in solid tumours. The lack of such a formalized guideline makes it challenging to critically compare outcome measures across various treatment protocols. The Veterinary Cooperative Oncology Group (VCOG) membership consensus document presented here is based on the recommendations of a subcommittee of American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) board-certified veterinary oncologists. This consensus paper has used the human response evaluation criteria in solid tumours (RECIST v1.1) as a framework to establish standard procedures for response assessment in canine solid tumours that is meant to be easy to use, repeatable and applicable across a variety of clinical trial structures in veterinary oncology. It is hoped that this new canine RECIST (cRECIST v1.0) will be adopted within the veterinary oncology community and thereby facilitate the comparison of current and future treatment protocols used for companion animals with cancer. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  5. Live birth rates in the different combinations of the Bologna criteria poor ovarian responders: a validation study.

    PubMed

    La Marca, Antonio; Grisendi, Valentina; Giulini, Simone; Sighinolfi, Giovanna; Tirelli, Alessandra; Argento, Cindy; Re, Claudia; Tagliasacchi, Daniela; Marsella, Tiziana; Sunkara, Sesh Kamal

    2015-06-01

    to compare the baseline characteristics and chance of live birth in the different categories of poor responders identified by the combinations of the Bologna criteria and establish whether these groups comprise a homogenous population. database containing clinical and laboratory information on IVF treatment cycles carried out at the Mother-Infant Department of the University Hospital of Modena between year 2007 and 2011 was analysed. This data was collected prospectively and recorded in the registered database of the fertility centre. Eight hundred and thirty women fulfilled the inclusion/ exclusion criteria of the study and 210 women fulfilled the Bologna criteria definition for poor ovarian response (POR). Five categories of poor responders were identified by different combinations of the Bologna criteria. There were no significant differences in female age, AFC, AMH, cycle cancellation rate and number of retrieved oocytes between the five groups. The live birth rate ranged between 5.5 and 7.4 % and was not statistically different in the five different categories of women defined as poor responders according to the Bologna criteria. The study demonstrates that the different groups of poor responders based on the Bologna criteria have similar IVF outcomes. This information validates the Bologna criteria definition as women having a uniform poor prognosis and also demonstrates that the Bologna criteria poor responders in the various subgroups represent a homogenous population with similar pre-clinical and clinical outcomes.

  6. Endoscopic Criteria for Evaluating Tumor Stage after Preoperative Chemoradiation Therapy in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer.

    PubMed

    Han, Kyung Su; Sohn, Dae Kyung; Kim, Dae Yong; Kim, Byung Chang; Hong, Chang Won; Chang, Hee Jin; Kim, Sun Young; Baek, Ji Yeon; Park, Sung Chan; Kim, Min Ju; Oh, Jae Hwan

    2016-04-01

    Local excision may be an another option for selected patients with markedly down-staged rectal cancer after preoperative chemoradiation therapy (CRT), and proper evaluation of post-CRT tumor stage (ypT) is essential prior to local excision of these tumors. This study was designed to determine the correlations between endoscopic findings and ypT of rectal cancer. In this study, 481 patients with locally advanced rectal cancer who underwent preoperative CRT followed by surgical resection between 2004 and 2013 at a single institution were evaluated retrospectively. Pathological good response (p-GR) was defined as ypT ≤ 1, and pathological minimal or no response (p-MR) as ypT ≥ 2. The patients were randomly classified according to two groups, a testing (n=193) and a validation (n=288) group. Endoscopic criteria were determined from endoscopic findings and ypT in the testing group and used in classifying patients in the validation group as achieving or not achieving p-GR. Based on findings in the testing group, the endoscopic criteria for p-GR included scarring, telangiectasia, and erythema, whereas criteria for p-MR included nodules, ulcers, strictures, and remnant tumors. In the validation group, the kappa statistic was 0.965 (p < 0.001), and the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 0.362, 0.963, 0.654, and 0.885, respectively. The endoscopic criteria presented are easily applicable for evaluation of ypT after preoperative CRT for rectal cancer. These criteria may be used for selection of patients for local excision of down-staged rectal tumors, because patients with p-MR could be easily ruled out.

  7. Brand-specific consumption of flavored alcoholic beverages among underage youth in the United States.

    PubMed

    Fortunato, Erin K; Siegel, Michael; Ramirez, Rebecca L; Ross, Craig; DeJong, William; Albers, Alison B; Jernigan, David H

    2014-01-01

    Although several studies have identified flavored alcoholic beverages (FABs) as being popular among underage drinkers, no previous study has ascertained the prevalence of brand-specific FAB consumption among a national sample of underage youth. To ascertain the brand-specific consumption prevalence and consumption share of FABs among a national sample of underage drinkers in the United States. In 2012, we conducted an online, self-administered survey of a national sample of 1031 underage drinkers, ages 13-20 years, to determine the prevalence of past 30-day consumption for each of 898 alcoholic beverage brands, including 62 FABs, and each brand's youth consumption share, based on the estimated total number of standard drinks consumed. There were three brand-specific outcome measures: prevalence of consumption, prevalence of consumption during heavy episodic drinking, and consumption share, defined as the percentage of the total drinks consumed by all respondents combined that was attributable to a particular brand. The FAB brands with the highest prevalence of past 30-day consumption were Smirnoff malt beverages, 17.7%; Mike's, 10.8%; Bacardi malt beverages, 8.0%; and Four Loko/Four MaXed, 6.1%. Just five brands accounted for almost half (49.1%) of the total consumption share by volume within the FAB category. Flavored alcoholic beverages are highly popular among underage drinkers, and the FAB brand preferences of this group are highly concentrated among a small number of brands. To decrease the consumption of FABs by underage youth, all states should reclassify these beverages as distilled spirits rather than beer.

  8. The changing purpose of Prader-Willi syndrome clinical diagnostic criteria and proposed revised criteria.

    PubMed

    Gunay-Aygun, M; Schwartz, S; Heeger, S; O'Riordan, M A; Cassidy, S B

    2001-11-01

    results indicate that the sensitivities of most of the published criteria are acceptable. However, 16.7% of patients with molecular diagnosis did not meet the 1993 clinical diagnostic criteria retrospectively, suggesting that the published criteria may be too exclusive. A less strict scoring system may ensure that all appropriate people are tested. Accordingly, we suggest revised clinical criteria to help identify the appropriate patients for DNA testing for PWS. The suggested age groupings are based on characteristic phases of the natural history of PWS. Some of the features (eg, neonatal hypotonia, feeding problems in infancy) serve to diagnose the syndrome in the first few years of life, whereas others (eg, excessive eating) are useful during early childhood. Similarly, hypogonadism is most useful during and after adolescence. Some of the features like neonatal hypotonia and infantile feeding problems are less likely to be missed, whereas others such as characteristic facial features and hypogonadism (especially in prepubertal females) may require more careful and/or expert examination. The issue of who should have diagnostic testing is distinct from the determination of features among confirmed patients. Based on the sensitivities of the published criteria and our experience, we suggest testing all newborns/infants with otherwise unexplained hypotonia with poor suck. For children between 2 and 6 years of age, we consider hypotonia with history of poor suck associated with global developmental delay sufficient criteria to prompt testing. Between 6 and 12 years of age, we suggest testing those with hypotonia (or history of hypotonia with poor suck), global developmental delay, and excessive eating with central obesity (if uncontrolled). At the ages of 13 years and above, we recommend testing patients with cognitive impairment, excessive eating with central obesity (if uncontrolled), and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and/or typical behavior problems (including temper

  9. Structural and biological evaluation of a novel series of benzimidazole inhibitors of Francisella tularensis enoyl-ACP reductase (FabI)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Mehboob, Shahila; Song, Jinhua; Hevener, Kirk E.

    Francisella tularensis, the causative agent of tularemia, presents a significant biological threat and is a Category A priority pathogen due to its potential for weaponization. In the bacterial FASII pathway we found it a viable target for the development of novel antibacterial agents treating Gram-negative infections. Here, we report the advancement of a promising series of benzimidazole FabI (enoyl-ACP reductase) inhibitors to a second-generation using a systematic, structure-guided lead optimization strategy, and the determination of several co-crystal structures that confirm the binding mode of designed inhibitors. Furthermore, these compounds display an improved low nanomolar enzymatic activity as well as promisingmore » low microgram/mL antibacterial activity against both F. tularensis and Staphylococcus aureus and its methicillin-resistant strain (MRSA). Finally, the improvements in activity accompanying structural modifications lead to a better understanding of the relationship between the chemical structure and biological activity that encompasses both enzymatic and whole-cell activity.« less

  10. Structural and biological evaluation of a novel series of benzimidazole inhibitors of Francisella tularensis enoyl-ACP reductase (FabI)

    DOE PAGES

    Mehboob, Shahila; Song, Jinhua; Hevener, Kirk E.; ...

    2015-01-29

    Francisella tularensis, the causative agent of tularemia, presents a significant biological threat and is a Category A priority pathogen due to its potential for weaponization. In the bacterial FASII pathway we found it a viable target for the development of novel antibacterial agents treating Gram-negative infections. Here, we report the advancement of a promising series of benzimidazole FabI (enoyl-ACP reductase) inhibitors to a second-generation using a systematic, structure-guided lead optimization strategy, and the determination of several co-crystal structures that confirm the binding mode of designed inhibitors. Furthermore, these compounds display an improved low nanomolar enzymatic activity as well as promisingmore » low microgram/mL antibacterial activity against both F. tularensis and Staphylococcus aureus and its methicillin-resistant strain (MRSA). Finally, the improvements in activity accompanying structural modifications lead to a better understanding of the relationship between the chemical structure and biological activity that encompasses both enzymatic and whole-cell activity.« less

  11. New simple radiological criteria proposed for multiple primary lung cancers.

    PubMed

    Matsunaga, Takeshi; Suzuki, Kenji; Takamochi, Kazuya; Oh, Shiaki

    2017-11-01

    Controversies remain as to the differential diagnosis between multiple primary lung cancer (MPLC) and intrapulmonary metastasis (IM) in lung cancers. We have investigated the clinical criteria for MPLC and here propose a set of new and simple criteria from the stand point of prognosis. A retrospective study was conducted on 588 consecutive patients with resected lung cancer of clinical Stage IA between 2009 and 2012. Multiple lung cancers (MLCs) were observed in 103 (17.5%) of the 588 patients. All main and other tumors were divided into solid tumor (ST) and non-solid tumor (non-ST). We defined Group A as MLCs having at least one non-ST and Group B as all tumors being ST. Cox's proportional hazard model was used for the multivariate analyses to investigate the preoperative prognostic factors. We divided the MLCs into MPLC and IM based on the preoperative prognostic factors, and survival was estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method. A multivariate analysis with Cox's proportional hazards model revealed that Group A independently predicted good overall survival (HR = 0.165, 95% CI: 0.041-0.672).Differences in the 3- and 5-year overall survivals between Groups A and B were statistically significant (96.3%/92.2% vs. 70.0%/60.0%, Pvalue = 0.0002). We suggest that Group A, defined as the presence of at least one tumor with a ground glass opacity component and clinical N0, should be excluded from the conventional concept of multiple lung cancers based on the criteria of Martini and Melamed as it has a very good prognosis. This group would be considered to be radiological MPLC. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  12. Plutonium storage criteria

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Chung, D.; Ascanio, X.

    1996-05-01

    The Department of Energy has issued a technical standard for long-term (>50 years) storage and will soon issue a criteria document for interim (<20 years) storage of plutonium materials. The long-term technical standard, {open_quotes}Criteria for Safe Storage of Plutonium Metals and Oxides,{close_quotes} addresses the requirements for storing metals and oxides with greater than 50 wt % plutonium. It calls for a standardized package that meets both off-site transportation requirements, as well as remote handling requirements from future storage facilities. The interim criteria document, {open_quotes}Criteria for Interim Safe Storage of Plutonium-Bearing Solid Materials{close_quotes}, addresses requirements for storing materials with less thanmore » 50 wt% plutonium. The interim criteria document assumes the materials will be stored on existing sites, and existing facilities and equipment will be used for repackaging to improve the margin of safety.« less

  13. Coastal zone management with stochastic multi-criteria analysis.

    PubMed

    Félix, A; Baquerizo, A; Santiago, J M; Losada, M A

    2012-12-15

    The methodology for coastal management proposed in this study takes into account the physical processes of the coastal system and the stochastic nature of forcing agents. Simulation techniques are used to assess the uncertainty in the performance of a set of predefined management strategies based on different criteria representing the main concerns of interest groups. This statistical information as well as the distribution function that characterizes the uncertainty regarding the preferences of the decision makers is fed into a stochastic multi-criteria acceptability analysis that provides the probability of alternatives obtaining certain ranks and also calculates the preferences of a typical decision maker who supports an alternative. This methodology was applied as a management solution for Playa Granada in the Guadalfeo River Delta (Granada, Spain), where the construction of a dam in the river basin is causing severe erosion. The analysis of shoreline evolution took into account the coupled action of atmosphere, ocean, and land agents and their intrinsic stochastic character. This study considered five different management strategies. The criteria selected for the analysis were the economic benefits for three interest groups: (i) indirect beneficiaries of tourist activities; (ii) beach homeowners; and (iii) the administration. The strategies were ranked according to their effectiveness, and the relative importance given to each criterion was obtained. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. [Comparison of diagnostic criteria for the metabolic syndrome among Japanese university faculty].

    PubMed

    Hayashi, Emi; Dote, Tomotaro; Nakayama, Shin; Imanishi, Masafumi; Hirota, Chika; Mitsui, Go; Ohnishi, Keiko; Sugiura, Yumiko; Tanimoto, Yoshimi; Watanabe, Misuzu; Inoue, Sumie; Iida, Norihiko; Kono, Koichi

    2011-04-01

    Diagnostic criteria for the metabolic syndrome (Mets) in Japan have been set by the Medical Committee of the Japanese Association of Medical Sciences (Med), the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (Nat), specific health checkups (Ckup), and second medical examination by Worker's Accident Compensation Insurance System (Wor). The purpose of this study was to compare classification of the metabolic syndrome by different organizational criteria and to investigate underlying differences. All faculty members of a university in Osaka, Japan, underwent mandatory health checkups in September 2008. The demographic distribution included 769 males (mean age, 49 +/- 12 years) and 415 females (mean age, 43 +/- 10 years). Using the Med, Nat, Ckup and Wor criteria, individuals were assessed for the MetS and pre-metabolic syndrome (pre-Mets), strongly suspected metabolic syndrome (S-Mets) and assumed pre-metabolic syndrome (A-pre-Mets), as well as a positive support level (PSL) and a motivational support level (MSL). All faculty members were categorized into a morbid group (Mets, S-Mets, PSL, and FB) or a pre-morbid group (pre-Mets, A-pre-Mets, and MSL) based on medical data and smoking habits. The incidence of morbid and pre-morbid individuals was compared across the four criteria and analyzed based on gender and age (under 40 and 40 or over). Male incidences for the morbid and pre-morbid classifications were 17% and 20% with Med, 9% and 23% with Nat, 27% and 14% with Ckup, and 1.4% and 0% with Wor. There were significant differences across criteria sets in both the morbid and pre-morbid groups, with significantly greater numbers of males than females, and higher prevalences in those aged 40 or over than in their younger counterparts. Males aged under 40 classified into the pre-morbid group comprised 18% in Med, 16% in Nat, and 13% in Ckup. The different disease incidences found between Med and Ckup data in males aged 40 or over might be attributed to varying criteria

  15. Web Site Design Benchmarking within Industry Groups.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kim, Sung-Eon; Shaw, Thomas; Schneider, Helmut

    2003-01-01

    Discussion of electronic commerce focuses on Web site evaluation criteria and applies them to different industry groups in Korea. Defines six categories of Web site evaluation criteria: business function, corporate credibility, contents reliability, Web site attractiveness, systematic structure, and navigation; and discusses differences between…

  16. Statistical study of some Lee galaxy groups

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mohamed, Sabry A.; Fouad, Ahmed M.

    2017-12-01

    Compact groups of galaxies are systems of small number of galaxies close to each other. They are a good laboratory to study galaxy properties, such as structure, morphology and evolution which are affected by the environment and galaxy interactions. We applied the tree clustering technique (the Euclidean separation distance coefficients) to test the physical reality of groups and used certain criteria (Sabry et al., 2009) depending on the physical attributes of the galaxies. The sample of the data is the quintets groups of Lee compact groups of galaxies (Lee et al., 2004). It is based on a modified version of Hickson's criteria (Hickson, 1982). The results reveal the membership of each galaxy and how it is related to its group. The tables of groups and their members are included. Our results indicates that 12 Groups are real groups with real members while 18 Groups have one galaxy that has attribute discordant and should be discarded from its group.

  17. The three-dimensional structure of a complex of a murine Fab (NC10. 14) with a potent sweetener (NC174): an illustration of structural diversity in antigen recognition by immunoglobulins.

    PubMed

    Guddat, L W; Shan, L; Broomell, C; Ramsland, P A; Fan, Z; Anchin, J M; Linthicum, D S; Edmundson, A B

    2000-09-29

    The three-dimensional structure of a complex of an Fab from a murine IgG2b(lambda) antibody (NC10.14) with a high potency sweet tasting hap- ten, N-(p-cyanophenyl)-N'-(diphenylmethyl)-N"-(carboxymethyl)guan idine (NC174), has been determined to 2.6 A resolution by X-ray crystallography. This complex crystallized in the triclinic space group P1, with two molecules in the asymmetric unit. In contrast to a companion monoclonal antibody (NC6.8) with a kappa-type light chain and similar high affinity for the NC174 ligand, the NC10.14 antibody possessed a large and deep antigen combining site bounded primarily by the third complementarity-determining regions (CDR3s) of the light and heavy chains. CDR3 of the heavy chain dominated the site and its crown protruded into the external solvent as a type 1' beta-turn. NC174 was nested against HCDR3 and was held in place by two tryptophan side-chains (L91 and L96) from LCDR3. The diphenyl rings were accommodated on an upper tier of the binding pocket that is largely hydrophobic. At the floor of the site, a positively charged arginine side-chain (H95) stabilized the orientation of the electronegative cyano group of the hapten. The negative charge on the acetate group was partially neutralized by a hydrogen bond with the phenolic hydroxyl group of tyrosine H58. Comparisons of the modes of binding of NC174 to the NC6.8 and NC10.14 antibodies illustrate the enormous structural and mechanistic diversity manifest by immune responses. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

  18. Course Criteria.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Petersen, Allan L.

    In March 1983, the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges mandated the preparation of criteria for the identification of courses that should be ineligible for state support, in lieu of the continuation of specific course deletions. An Ad Hoc Committee on Course Criteria was formed to assist in the identification of the issues and…

  19. Multi-criteria decision making--an approach to setting priorities in health care.

    PubMed

    Nobre, F F; Trotta, L T; Gomes, L F

    1999-12-15

    The objective of this paper is to present a multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) approach to support public health decision making that takes into consideration the fuzziness of the decision goals and the behavioural aspect of the decision maker. The approach is used to analyse the process of health technology procurement in a University Hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The method, known as TODIM, relies on evaluating alternatives with a set of decision criteria assessed using an ordinal scale. Fuzziness in generating criteria scores and weights or conflicts caused by dealing with different viewpoints of a group of decision makers (DMs) are solved using fuzzy set aggregation rules. The results suggested that MCDM models, incorporating fuzzy set approaches, should form a set of tools for public health decision making analysis, particularly when there are polarized opinions and conflicting objectives from the DM group. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  20. Dream features in the early stages of Parkinson's disease.

    PubMed

    Bugalho, Paulo; Paiva, Teresa

    2011-11-01

    Few studies have investigated the relation between dream features and cognition in Parkinson's disease (PD), although vivid dreams, hallucinations and cognitive decline have been proposed as successive steps of a pathological continuum. Our objectives were therefore to characterize the dreams of early stage PD and to study the relation between dream characteristics, cognitive function, motor status, depression, dopaminergic treatment, and the presence of REM sleep behaviour disorder (RBD) and hallucinations. Dreams of 19 male PD patients and 21 matched control subjects were classified according to Hall and van de Castle system. h statistics was used to compare the dream content between patients and controls. We tested the relation between patients' dreams characteristics and cognitive function (Frontal assessment battery (FAB) and Mini-Mental State Examination tests) depression (Beck depression inventory), motor function (UPDRS), dopaminergic treatment, the presence of RBD (according to clinical criteria) and hallucinations, using general linear model statistics. Patients and controls differed only on FAB scores. Relevant differences in the Hall and van de Castle scale were found between patient's dreams and those of the control group, regarding animals, aggression/friendliness, physical aggression, befriender (higher in the patient group) and aggressor and bodily misfortunes (lower in the patient group) features. Cognitive and particularly frontal dysfunction had a significant influence on the frequency of physical aggression and animal related features, while dopaminergic doses, depressive symptoms, hallucinations and RBD did not. We found a pattern of dream alteration characterized by heightened aggressiveness and the presence of animals. These were related to more severe frontal dysfunction, which could be the origin of such changes.