Takeshi Mori

The thermal properties and temperature-responsive nanoparticle formation of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) grafted with single-stranded DNA (PNIPAAm-g-DNA) were investigated. Copolymerization between nonamer single-stranded DNA with a vinyl group at its 5' terminus (DNA macromonomer) and NIPAAm was carried out so that the DNA macromonomer unit content should be less than 1 mol %. The turbidimetry and differential scanning calorimetry of the copolymer showed that the transition temperature increased

The present multicentre clinical study was conducted to assess the clinical utility of a new diagnostic method for deep mycosis in which (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan, a fungal cell wall component existing in plasma, was quantitatively measured by the kinetic turbidimetric Limulus test (WB003). Plasma (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan concentrations were 0.57 +/- 0.10 microgram/l in 92 healthy subjects and 0.62 +/- 0.32 microgram/l in 26 patients with non-mycotic diseases (disease control group). In comparison with

Two types of cDNA for nonspecific lipid transfer protein (nsLTP), identical to sterol carrier protein 2, of rat liver were cloned; one was 787 base pairs (bp) long containing a 429-bp open reading frame of 143 amino acids, with a mass of 15,303 Da (15-kDa protein). The cDNA from the other type was 1966 bp long, including a 1641-bp open reading frame of 547 amino acids, giving a mass of 59,002 Da (60-kDa protein). The deduced primary sequence for the 15-kDa protein was exactly the same as the pub

The first case of human systemic infection by an Aspergillus flavus isolate demonstrated to produce aflatoxins in vitro and in vivo is described. The patient, a 41-year-old man with acute myelogenous leukaemia, developed a complication of suspected pulmonary Aspergillus infection during remission induction therapy. Antifungal chemotherapy brought about a considerable degree of improvement, but remission of the underlying disease was not attained. Bone marrow transplantation was also not effectiv