University of Marburg

About: University of Marburg is a education organization based out in Marburg, Germany. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Virus. The organization has 23195 authors who have published 42907 publications receiving 1506069 citations. The organization is also known as: Philipps University of Marburg & Philipps-Universität.

Polymer, Metal, and Hybrid Nano‐ and Mesotubes by Coating Degradable Polymer Template Fibers (TUFT Process)

Abstract: ). Selective reaction with the silver atoms at the interface of the particles occurred and the coated particles were then extracted from reverse micelles. The powder of coated nanocrystals thus obtained was then dispersed in hexane, giving an optically clear solution. The size distribution was still rather large (30 %), and to reduce it a size-selected precipitation process [20] was used. In this process two solvents, such as hexane and pyridine, are mixed. The first is a good solvent and the second a poor solvent for the alkyl chains. With this solvent mixture, the larger coated particles flocculated whereas the smaller ones remain in the solution, thus providing size selection. By repeating this process several times, a homogenous clear colloidal solution of dispersed 4.3 nm nanocrystals is obtained. The concentration of nanocrystals with final size distribution around 13 % was controlled.

Narcolepsy is strongly associated with the T-cell receptor alpha locus.

Abstract: Narcolepsy with cataplexy, characterized by sleepiness and rapid onset into REM sleep, affects 1 in 2,000 individuals. Narcolepsy was first shown to be tightly associated with HLA-DR2 (ref. 3) and later sublocalized to DQB1*0602 (ref. 4). Following studies in dogs and mice, a 95% loss of hypocretin-producing cells in postmortem hypothalami from narcoleptic individuals was reported. Using genome-wide association (GWA) in Caucasians with replication in three ethnic groups, we found association between narcolepsy and polymorphisms in the TRA@ (T-cell receptor alpha) locus, with highest significance at rs1154155 (average allelic odds ratio 1.69, genotypic odds ratios 1.94 and 2.55, P < 10(-21), 1,830 cases, 2,164 controls). This is the first documented genetic involvement of the TRA@ locus, encoding the major receptor for HLA-peptide presentation, in any disease. It is still unclear how specific HLA alleles confer susceptibility to over 100 HLA-associated disorders; thus, narcolepsy will provide new insights on how HLA-TCR interactions contribute to organ-specific autoimmune targeting and may serve as a model for over 100 other HLA-associated disorders.

Different Ks values for hydrogen of methanogenic bacteria and sulfate reducing bacteria: An explanation for the apparent inhibition of methanogenesis by sulfate

Abstract: Desulfovibrio vulgaris (Marburg) and Methanobrevibacter arboriphilus (AZ) are anaerobic sewage sludge bacteria which grow on H2 plus sulfate and H2 plus CO2 as sole energy sources, respectively. Their apparent Ks values for H2 were determined and found to be approximately 1 μM for the sulfate reducing bacterium and 6 μM for the methanogenic bacterium. In mixed cell suspensions of the two bacteria (adjusted to equal Vmax) the rate of H2 consumption by D. vulgaris was five times that of M. arboriphilus, when the hydrogen supply was rate limiting. The apparent inhibition of methanogenesis was of the same order as expected from the different Ks values for H2. Difference in substrate affinities can thus account for the inhibition of methanogenesis from H2 and CO2 in sulfate rich environments, where the H2 concentration is well below 5 μM.

Radioimmunoassay for type III procollagen peptide and its application to human liver disease.

Abstract: . A sensitive and specific radioimmunoassay was developed for the precursor-specific peptide segment located at the amino end of bovine type III procollagen. Human material showed high cross-reactivity in this assay. Two forms of human procollagen peptides were detected in body fluids. The larger peptide (45K) was found in serum and ascites, and resembled the whole precursor-specific segment which is presumably released from human type III procollagen by a single enzymatic cleavage. The smaller peptide (10K) was found mainly in urine indicating that further degradation of circulating procollagen peptides is required prior to their passage through the kidney. Compared to peptide concentrations in normal human serum, two to twenty-fold increases were observed in all patients with alcoholic liver disease, in fifteen of seventeen patients with acute hepatitis, and in ten of fourteen patients with chronic active hepatitis. Much higher levels were detected in ascites fluid. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis and other diseases showed far smaller elevations of the serum peptide. In alcoholic liver disease peptide levels correlated well with inflammation and necrosis observed in liver biopsies, but not with other laboratory parameters.