F1 Type Research Articles

Kinetic investigation and lifetime prediction of Cs–NIPAM–MBA-based thermo-responsive hydrogels

This study attempted to clarify the influence of a cross-linker, N,N-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA), and N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) on the non-isothermal kinetic degradation, solid state and lifetime of hydrogels using the Flynn–Wall–Ozawa (F–W–O), Kissinger, and Coats–Redfern (C–Red) methods. The series of dual-responsive Cs–PNIPAM–MBA microgels were synthesized by soapless-emulsion free radical copolymerization in an aqueous medium at 70°C. The thermal properties were investigated using thermogravimetric analysis (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) under nitrogen atmosphere. The apparent activation energy using the chosen Flynn–Wall–Ozawa and Kissinger methods showed that they fitted each other. Meanwhile, the type of solid state mechanism was determined using the Coats–Redfern method proposed for F1 (pure Cs) and F2 (Cs–PNIPAM–MBA hydrogel series) types, which comprise random nucleation with one nucleus reacting on individual particles, and random nucleation with two nuclei reacting on individual particles, respectively. On average, a higher Ea was attributed to the greater cross-linking density of the Cs hydrogel.

Fluid-present deformation aids chemical modification of chromite: Insights from chromites from Golyamo Kamenyane, SE Bulgaria

Chemical signatures of chromitites are commonly used to track the evolution of the Earth's mantle. However, chemical modification during deformation may have important implications for the interpretation of chromites' signatures. Here, we describe the details of how deformation promotes chemical modification in chromite. Physicochemical characteristics of the chromites were quantified by measuring crystallographic orientation relationships using Electron Back-Scattered Diffraction (EBSD) and electron microprobe analysis (EMP). Chromites show porphyroclastic textures with coarse-grained porphyroclasts (ca. 0.2–5mm) and fine-grained neoblasts (<200μm). Coarse-grained chromites are chemically zoned in terms of major elements from core to rim, preserving this initial igneous feature in the cores, while the outer rims reveal a metamorphic signature. Large chromite grains are characterized by local crystal-plastic deformation, exhibiting distinct inter-crystalline deformation including continuous crystal bending and subgrain boundaries as well as chemical modification in their outer, deformed parts. Two types of fine-grained chromite, F1 and F2, are present. While F1 exhibits a well-developed polygonal texture, straight grain boundaries and low intercrystal misorientation (<1°), F2 shows low-angle boundaries and significant intercrystalline misorientation (2–8°). Both F1 and F2 have higher Fe3+ and Cr and lower Mg# values than the cores of large grains. We interpret F1 and F2 to represent chromite recrystallized by heterogeneous nucleation and subgrain rotation recrystallization, respectively. Crystallographic preferred orientation (CPO) and misorientation data on the well-developed low-angle (subgrain) boundaries in coarse grains and F2 grains indicate that deformation in chromite was accommodated mainly by dislocation creep with the dominant activation of the {111}<100> slip system. The retrograde P–T exhumation path predicted by thermodynamic and chemical modeling suggests that these fine-grained chromites were produced when the initial chromitites reacted with oxidizing fluids during retrograde metamorphism (~1.0GPa and 500–700°C). Our results show that deformation in the dislocation-creep regime in a chemically open system has induced chemical modification and homogenization within chromite aggregates as well as strain localization. This close physicochemical link offers new avenues of interpreting the chemical signatures of chromites, utilizing their microstructurally controlled variation or lack thereof.

No clear effect of admixture between two European invading outbreaks of Diabrotica virgifera virgifera in natura.

In this study, we challenged the hypothesis that admixture may have had a positive impact in the context of the European invasion of the western corn rootworm (WCR), Diabrotica virgifera virgifera, LeConte. This beetle was introduced in Europe from the USA several times since the 1980’s. The multiple introductions of this major pest of cultivated corn led to the formation of two major outbreaks in North Western (NW) Italy and in Central and South Eastern (CSE) Europe that eventually merged into a secondary contact zone where insects from both outbreaks interbreed. We collected about 600 insects from this contact zone and genotyped them using 13 microsatellite markers. Three types of information were obtained from the collected individuals: (i) their survival under starvation; (ii) their admixed status, determined through a Bayesian method of genetic clustering and (iii) their mating probability, studied via the detection, isolation and genotyping of sperm in female spermathecae. Twenty six % and 12% of the individuals were assigned to the NW Italy or the CSE Europe parental types, respectively, and 23% and 39% to the F1 and backcross hybrid types, respectively. Globally, our results do not reveal any significant impact of the admixed status on the mating probability and on the choice of mating partners. However the admixed status had a sex- and sampling site-dependent effect on survival in adults under starvation. In addition sex had an effect on survival, with mortality hazard about 3 times larger in males than in females. The consequences of these findings for the evolution of the admixture zone of northern Italy are discussed.

Thermal and kinetic studies of epoxidized natural rubber in lithium salts-epoxidized natural rubber polymer electrolytes

The thermal and kinetic studies of epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) and its polymer electrolytes, LiX/ENR PEs, (where X = ClO 4 − , CF3SO 3 − , COOCF 3 − , I−, and BF 4 − ) were carried out using thermogravimetric analysis at different heating rates. The thermal behaviors for LiX/ENR PEs are closely related to the morphology and interactions between the LiX and ENR chains. The LiCF3SO3, LiCOOCF3, and LiI form pseudo-crosslinking within the ENR; their thermal behavior resembled purified ENR. The LiClO4 tends to form aggregates within the ENR. This phenomenon has promoted a much earlier decomposition of epoxide in the ENR. The occurrence of ring-opening and complexation or cross-linking reactions in and between the ENR chains in the LiBF4/ENR has produced a thermally stable macrostructure. The activation energy for the thermal degradation (E d) of purified ENR was 239.8 and 239.9 kJ mol−1 using Kissinger and FWO methods, respectively. According to the Coats–Redfern method, the degradation mechanism of purified ENR follows the F1 type model, while the Criado method revealed that the degradation starts with F1 followed by D3 type models. The E d for LiX/ENR (X = COOCF 3 − , CF3SO 3 − , I−, and BF 4 − ) PE’s obtained via the Kissinger method are 258.5, 257.0, 251.0, and 198.9 kJ mol−1, respectively, and the corresponding E d values obtained by FWO are 236.0, 223.6, 349.7, and 206.6 kJ mol−1, respectively. The degradation of ENR in these PEs followed the D3 type model. However, for LiClO4/ENR, the presence of two distinct degradations of ENR gave two E d values. These are 174.5 and 234.7 kJ mol−1 using Kissinger and 117.8 and 293.6 kJ mol−1 using FWO method. The degradation mechanism of ENR in the LiClO4/ENR PE was similar to purified ENR that is F1 followed by D3 type models.

A novel classification to guide total hip arthroplasty for adult acetabular dysplasia

In the field of hip arthroplasties, the secondary fixation of the implants depends directly on the quality of the primary stability. A good acetabular fit and metaphyseal filling between the prostheses and implants improve the initial stabilization, and optimize the transmission of forces to the bone. A precise knowledge of the three-dimensional acetabular or femoral shape is essential to the selection of adapted implants. A total of 63 patients diagnosed with developmental dysplasia were analyzed by three-dimensional computed tomography (3DCT), and the preoperative radiographic and 3DCT images were used to assess the acetabular/femoral deformities and variations of the hips. All joints were classified as Crowe type I, and bilateral measurements were taken for 10 patients. The acetabular abnormalities were classified according to the type of deficiency and the section angles of the acetabulum, with 26 hips (36%) classified as an anterior deficiency, 13 hips (18%) as a posterior deficiency and 34 hips (46%) as a lateral deficiency. The femoral side deformities were divided into three types according to the anteversion angle of the femur. A gradual increase in anteversion angle led to secondary rotational anomalies, and a narrowing of the canal at the isthmus. A total of 35 hips (48%) were classified as an F1 type deficiency, femur anteversion angle (FAVA) <30°; 32 hips (44%) as F2-type, 30°≤ FAVA ≤40°, with mild abnormalities of the femoral canal rotation and the diameter of the isthmus; and 6 hips (8%) as F3 type, FAVA >40°, with significant abnormalities of the femoral canal rotation and the diameter of the isthmus. This novel classification for adult acetabular dysplasia may provide a useful guide for surgery, and enable an improved selection of a suitable prosthesis.

Preparation, Mechanical Properties and Thermal Degradation Kinetics of a Novel Poly(ester-ether-imide) Elastomer Based on N′,N-Bis(2-hydroxyethyl)-Pyromellitimide Unit

A novel poly(ester-ether-imide) (PEEI) based on N′,N-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)-pyromellitimide unit was synthesized via a conventional two-stage procedure with 1,4-butanediol (BD), dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) and poly(tetramethylene glycol) (PTMG1000). The structures of imide dihydric alcohol and PEEI were confirmed by FT-IR and 1H-NMR spectra, respectively. The thermal properties and mechanical properties were investigated. The results show PEEI possesses good mechanical properties and excellent thermal stability with the 5% weight loss temperature of the PEEI at 367.3°C, and melting temperature of hard segments (Tmh) at 209.7°C. In addition, the kinetic parameters of thermal degradation of the PEEI were studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) at different heating rates. The activation energy of the solid-state process was determined to be 174.83 and 175.83 kJ/mol using Kissinger and Flynn–Wall–Ozawa methods, respectively. The degradation mechanism model of PEEI was determined bythe Coats-Redfern method. Compared with the values obtained from the Kissinger and Flynn–Wall–Ozawa methods, the actual reaction mechanism of the novel PEEI is a F1 type (Random nucleation with one nucleus on the individual particle nucleation) and growth model with integral g(a)=−ln(1−a)).

Effect of cognitive load on articulation rate and formant frequencies during simulator flights

It was explored how three types of intensive cognitive load typical of military aviation (load on situation awareness, information processing, or decision-making) affect speech. The utterances of 13 male military pilots were recorded during simulated combat flights. Articulation rate was calculated from the speech samples, and the first formant (F1) and second formant (F2) were tracked from first-syllable short vowels in pre-defined phoneme environments. Articulation rate was found to correlate negatively (albeit with low coefficients) with loads on situation awareness and decision-making but not with changes in F1 or F2. Changes were seen in the spectrum of the vowels: mean F1 of front vowels usually increased and their mean F2 decreased as a function of cognitive load, and both F1 and F2 of back vowels increased. The strongest associations were seen between the three types of cognitive load and F1 and F2 changes in back vowels. Because fluent and clear radio speech communication is vital to safety in aviation and temporal and spectral changes may affect speech intelligibility, careful use of standard aviation phraseology and training in the production of clear speech during a high level of cognitive load are important measures that diminish the probability of possible misunderstandings.

Converse Conformational Control of Smoothened Activity by Structurally Related Small Molecules

The seven-pass transmembrane protein Smoothened (Smo) is an essential component of the Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway that is critically involved in normal animal development as well as pathological malignancies. In studying Hh-related biological processes, it would be highly desirable if Smo activity could be instantly switched between activation and inhibition. Using Gli1-dependent GFP transgenic zebrafish and in vitro biochemical assays, we identified and characterized two potent Smo inhibitors, SANT74 and 75 (Smoothened antagonist 74 and 75), by screening a small molecule library designed based on the scaffold of Smo agonist SAG. These compounds are structural analogs of SAG with the methyl group substituted by a propyl or allyl group in SANTs. We show that SANTs and SAG exert opposite effects on Smo activity by regulating protein conformation. Our study represents the first demonstration of conformational regulation of Smo by small molecule analogs, and the combinational use of these Smo modulators in a temporal controlled fashion should be useful for studying Hh biology.

Meteorological environment of a tornado outbreak in Southern Romania

Abstract. On 7 May 2005, a squall line with an embedded bow echo formed over Southern Romania causing severe wind damage. The length of the wind damage was around 150 km. Three tornadoes have been reported, two of them being recorded by video camera. One of the tornadoes occurred in Buftea (near Bucharest), the second in Ciobanu village (near Medgidia radar site) and the third in Movilita village, 40 km to the northeast of Bucharest. The site surveys confirmed wind damage associated with these tornadoes. Based on damage, the Movilita village tornado was classified as an F1 type on the Fujita scale, and the Buftea and Ciobanu village tornadoes were classified as F0. Large scale forcing was provided by a vigorous upper level trough. The squall line developed in the warm sector of a low, ahead of the cold front. The Bucharest EEC-DWSR-2500C Doppler velocity depicted cyclonically rotational structures associated with the left end of the bow echo. In two hours this squall line traversed the southern part of the country. The northern end of the line preserved the bowed structures and high reflectivity gradient in front of them. The dry air associated with the descending rear inflow jet was evident as rear inflow notches in the reflectivity field of the Bucharest C-band radar and the Medgidia S-band WSR-98 D radar. The synoptic and mesoscale environment associated with 7 May 2005 bow echo had many similarities to the "dynamic" pattern described by John and Hirt (1987). Herein are analyzed the combined effects of synoptic and mesoscale circulations, together with the data provided by C-band EEC-DWSR-2500C and S-band WSR-98D radars, and the ECMWF and ALADIN model output data. Some operational aspects of the warning process are also discussed.

Two Types of β-Fructofuranosidases from Aspergillus oryzae KB

Aspergillus oryzae KB produces two types of beta-fructofuranosidases, F1 and F2. F1 produces 1-kestose, nystose, and fructosyl nystose from sucrose through its transfructosylation action. F2 hydrolyzes sucrose to glucose and fructose. N-Terminal amino acid sequences of the purified enzymes were DYNAAPPNLST for F1 and YSGDLRPQ for F2. Each enzyme encoding gene was identified in the genome of Aspergillus oryzae. Although the KB strain showed a higher production of F2 than F1 in a low sucrose liquid medium, F2 production gradually decreased, whereas F1 production increased with increasing sucrose concentration in the medium. Synthesis of F1 and F2 mRNAs analyzed on reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction corresponded to individual enzymatic production. During liquid culture of the KB strain, F1 synthesizes fructooligosaccharides from sucrose through transfructosylation, and F2 gradually hydrolyzes it. In a highly concentrated sucrose medium, intake of sucrose into the KB strain was depressed by F1 through synthesis of transfer products, fructooligosaccharides.

Analysis on surface texture software measurement standards and their application

For surface texture measuring instruments, the embedded analysing and evaluating software is as important as its hardware for accurate and integral performance. To evaluate the precision and correctness of the software, software measurement standards have been proposed in ISO 5436-2 (2001). As the traditional hardgauge specimens, which are used to calibrate the instrument hardware, the software measurement standards were designed for calibrating the software of the instrument. In this paper, the software measurement standards, including two types of standards Type F1—reference data, Type F2—reference software and data file formats of Type F1, are described. Their recent developments worldwide are reviewed, and differences among software measurement standards for the surface texture developed by different organizations are compared and analyzed in the light of a practical application example of the standards. (PACS, Measurement Science and Technology)

Thermal degradation behaviors of polybenzoxazine and silicon-containing polyimide blends

Thermal behaviors of polymer blends between common-type polybenzoxazine (PBA-a) and polysiloxane- block-polyimide (SPI) were studied using Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). The polymer blends showed only one glass-transition temperature ( T g) that increased as the content of SPI increased. Synergistic behavior in the char formation of the alloys was clearly observed. The DTG curves showed three stages and two stages of decomposition reaction in neat PBA-a and SPI, respectively. For the blending systems with 25 wt%, 50 wt%, and 75 wt% of SPI, the DTG thermograms of the blends exhibited four stages of thermal decomposition reaction. The apparent activation energies ( E a) of each step were determined using Kissinger method, Flynn–Wall–Ozawa method and Coats–Redfern method. The type of solid state mechanism was determined by Criado method. From the calculation, the solid state thermal degradation mechanism is proposed to be F1 (random nucleation with one nucleus on the individual particle) type for PBA-a, SPI, and their blends.

Kinetics and mechanism of non-isothermal dehydration of nickel acetate tetrahydrate in air

The non-isothermal decomposition of nickel acetate tetrahydrate in air was studied using thermogravimetry (TG)–DTG, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and XRD techniques. The decomposition occurs in two major steps and the final product is NiO. The dependence of mass loss on heating rates in TG measurements imply that the dehydration and hydrolysis concur at temperature below 240 °C; the apparent activation energies calculated by Flynn, Wall and Ozawa (FWO) isoconversional method indicate the existence of a consecutive process. The kinetics of the first major decomposition step (below 240 °C) was obtained with multivariate non-linear regression of four measurements at different heating rates. According to the kinetics results from non-linear regression, the dehydration reaction (F1 type with an activation energy E of 167.7 kJ/mol) goes first. After the loss of almost half of water, the retained water and acetate are linked to each other by hydrogen bonding, so dehydration and hydrolysis concur. The pathway with a lower E is related to the hydrolysis process and the other is corresponding to the dehydration process. The simulations of reactants at different heating rates were used to verify the correctness of the reaction model. With the kinetics results, the dehydration mechanism was discussed for the first time.

Benefits of Conservation of Plant Genetic Diversity to Arthropod Diversity

Abstract: We argue that the genetic diversity of a dominant plant is important to the associated dependent community because dependent species such as herbivores are restricted to a subset of genotypes in the host‐plant population. For plants that function as habitat, we predicted that greater genetic diversity in the plant population would be associated with greater diversity in the dependent arthropod community. Using naturally hybridizing cottonwoods ( Populus spp.) in western North America as a model system, we tested the general hypothesis that arthropod alpha (within cross‐type richness) and beta (among cross‐type composition) diversities are correlated with cottonwood cross types from local to regional scales. In common garden experiments and field surveys, leaf‐modifying arthropod richness was significantly greater on either the F1 (1.54 times) or backcross (1.46 times) hybrid cross types than on the pure broadleaf cross type ( P. deltoides Marshallor P. fremontii Watson). Composition was significantly different among three cross types of cottonwoods at all scales. Within a river system, cottonwood hybrid zones had 1.49 times greater richness than the broadleaf zone, and community composition was significantly different between each parental zone and the hybrid zone, demonstrating a hierarchical concentration of diversity. Overall, the habitats with the highest cottonwood cross‐type diversity also had the highest arthropod diversity. These data show that the genetics of habitat is an important conservation concept and should be a component of conservation theory.

A PCI DAQ board for MWPC detectors with high-rate 2D delay line position readout

For high rate thermal neutron (and e.g. also synchrotron radiation) detection a PCI data acquisition (DAQ) board for readout of two-dimensional position-sensitive multi-wire proportional chamber (MWPC) detectors with delay line position encoding was developed, and a first series of boards was produced and tested. The MWPC board comprises a deadtime-less 8-channel multihit TDC chip of the F1 type with ∼120 ps LSB, a 40 MHz flash ADC, a FPGA, a FIFO, a 0.9 GFLOP DSP chip TMS320C6711 and a 256 MB histogram memory. For position encoding a position-independent start and four position-dependent stop signals are recorded from the MWPC anode and from either end of X and Y delay lines connected to the MWPC cathodes, respectively. Time-of-flight (TOF) can be measured with reference to a pulsed beam or chopper signal either with ⩾25 ns bin size for TOF ranges of up to ∼420 ms or alternatively with ∼120 ps LSB for ranges ⩽16 ms . The pulse height of the MWPC anode signal is digitized in the flash ADC for neutron-gamma and background discrimination. Hardware event filtering in the FPGA allows event rates up to 1 Mevents/s by disentangling of two events occurring within the delay line time length of e.g. 250 ns . Whilst list mode data are recorded with full rate and full resolution on the host PC disk, 1D–3D histograms can be accumulated online in the on-board HM for a fraction of the data and with reduced resolution.

Macrophage Metalloelastase, MMP-12, Cleaves Human Apolipoprotein(a) in the Linker Region between Kringles IV-4 and IV-5: POTENTIAL RELEVANCE TO LIPOPROTEIN(a) BIOLOGY

In this study we found that macrophage metalloelastase, MMP-12 cleaves, in vitro, apolipoprotein(a) (apo(a)) in the Asn3518-Val3519 bond located in the linker region between kringles IV-4 and IV-5, a bond immediately upstream of the Ile3520-Leu3521 bond, shown previously to be the site of action by neutrophil elastase (NE). We have also shown that human apo(a) injected into the tail vein of control mice undergoes degradation as reflected by the appearance of immunoreactive fragments in the plasma and in the urine of these animals. To define whether either or both of these enzymes may be responsible for the in vivo apo(a) cleavage, we injected intravenously MMP-12(-/-), NE -/- mice and litter mates, all of the same strain, with either lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)), full-length free apo(a), or its N-terminal fragment, F1, obtained by the in vitro cleavage of apo(a) by NE. In the plasma of Lp(a)/apo(a)-injected mice, F1 was detected in control and NE -/- mice but was virtually absent in the MMP-12(-/-) mice. Moreover, fragments of the F1 type were present in the urine of the animals except for the MMP-12(-/-) mice. These fragments were significantly smaller in size than those observed in the plasma. All of the animals injected with F1 exhibited small sized fragments in their urine. These observations provide evidence that, in the mouse strain used, MMP-12 plays an important role in the generation of F1 from injected human Lp(a)/apo(a) and that this fragment undergoes further cleavage during renal transit via a mechanism that is neither NE- nor MMP-12-dependent. Thus, factors influencing the expression of MMP-12 may have a modulating action on the biology of Lp(a).

The Salmonella typhimurium InvH protein is an outer membrane lipoprotein required for the proper localization of InvG.

The secretion of pathogenicity factors by Salmonella typhimurium is mediated by a type III secretion system that includes an outer membrane protein of the secretin family. Related secretins are also required for f1 phage assembly and type II secretion. When the C-terminal 43 amino acids of the S. typhimurium secretin InvG are added to f1 pIV, the chimeric f1 pIV-'InvG43 protein becomes dependent on the co-expression of another gene, invH, for function in phage assembly. [3H]-palmitic acid labelling, globomycin sensitivity and density gradient flotation were used to demonstrate that InvH is an outer membrane lipoprotein that is processed by signal peptidase II. A complex between chimeric f1 pIV-'InvG43 and InvH was demonstrated in vivo. InvH was shown to be required for the proper localization of InvG in the outer membrane and for the secretion of the virulence factor SipC. These results suggest that InvH and InvG are part of the functional outer membrane translocation complex in type III secretion systems.

Pallidal afferent territory of the Macaca mulatta thalamus: neuronal and synaptic organization of the VAdc.

Ventral anterior thalamic nucleus pars densicellularis (VAdc) as delineated earlier (Ilinsky and Kultas-Ilinsky [1987] J. Comp. Neurol. 262:331-364) was analyzed by using qualitative and quantitative neuroanatomical techniques. Projection neurons (PN), retrogradely labeled with wheat germ agglutinin conjugated horseradish peroxidase from the cortex, were small to medium in size (mean area, 312 microm2) with numerous primary dendrites displaying a tufted branching pattern. Local circuit neurons (LCN), immunoreactive for gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamic acid decarboxylase, were small (mean area, 110 microm2), and gave off few dendrites. Two subpopulations of GABA positive boutons (F1 type) were distinguished: large (mean area, 2.6 microm2) terminals with symmetric synapses containing few pleomorphic vesicles and numerous mitochondria densely covered proximal PN sites; smaller F1 boutons with a slightly different morphology contacted mostly distal PN dendrites. Two subpopulations of terminals containing round vesicles and forming asymmetric synapses were distinguished by bouton size (mean areas, 0.4 microm2 and 1.6 microm2, respectively). These targeted mainly distal PN dendrites, but some synapsed proximally next to large F1 boutons. On distal dendrites, representatives of both types were labeled from the cortex. The density of boutons with symmetric and asymmetric synapses (the number of boutons per 100 microm of PN membrane length) was 3.3:0.2 on primary, 2.5:1.2 on secondary, and 0.8:12 on distal dendrites. The numerical density of synapses formed by presynaptic LCN dendrites on all PN levels was 20 to 40 times less than that of axon terminals at the same sites. Afferent input to LCN from boutons of all types, including that from 50% of labeled cortical boutons, mainly targeted distal dendrites. Overall, the findings suggest that PN in VAdc receive massive inhibitory input proximally intermingled with some presumably excitatory input, and that LCN contribution to PN inhibition is modest.

Localization of the in vivoexpression of P and F1 fimbriae in chickens experimentally inoculated with pathogenic Escherichia coli

Escherichia colicausing septicemia in poultry often possess F1 (type 1) and/or P fimbriae which may be involved in bacterial colonization and infection. To investigate the expression of these fimbriae in vivo, two pathogenic E. colistrains with different fimbrial profiles, TK3 ( fim + / pap + ) and MT78 ( fim + / pap − ), were administered to 2-week-old chickens by either the intratracheal or caudal thoracic air sac inoculation route. Antibodies specific for native F1 fimbriae were detected by ELISA and immunodot in the serum of chickens inoculated with either strain MT78 or strain TK3, irrespective of the route of inoculation. Antibodies specific for P fimbriae of serotype F11 were detected by ELISA and immunoblotting in the serum of chickens inoculated by either route with strain TK3. F1, but not P fimbriae, were expressed by bacteria colonizing the trachea of chickens inoculated by the air sac route with strain MT78 or TK3, as demonstrated by examination of frozen tissue sections using immunofluorescence. F1 fimbriae were also expressed by bacteria colonizing the air sacs and lungs, but not by bacteria in the blood or other internal organs, of chickens inoculated with either strain. P fimbriae were expressed by bacteria colonizing the air sacs, lungs, kidney, blood, and pericardial fluid, but not by bacteria colonizing the trachea, of chickens inoculated with strain TK3. Fimbriae-like structures were observed by electron microscopy on bacteria adhering to the epithelial cells of the air sacs of chickens inoculated with strain TK3. These results demonstrate that both strains MT78 and TK3 undergo in vivophase variation with respect to their fimbrial profiles and site of bacterial colonization in different organs of infected chickens and suggest that F1 fimbriae are important for initial bacterial colonization of the upper respiratory tract whereas P fimbriae are important for later stages of the infection.

Structure and function of fibronectin modules.

Fibronectin is an important component of the extracellular matrix and is involved in a diverse range of physiological processes. It is a mosaic protein composed almost entirely of three types of module, F1, F2 and F3. Although the structures of single F1, F2 and F3 modules have been available for a number of years, in many cases the key to understanding the structure-function relationships in fibronectin and other proteins containing these modules lies in studies of module pairs and larger domains. This review focuses on recent advances in the understanding of the structure and function of fibronectin modules.