The millisecond stalk contraction of the sessile ciliate Vorticella convallaria is powered by energy from Ca(2+) binding to generate contractile forces of ∼10 nN. Its contractile organelle, the spasmoneme, generates higher contractile force under increased stall resistances. By applying viscous drag force to contracting V. convallaria in a microfluidic channel, we observed that the mechanical f...

lon polypectomy. A colonoscopic examination had been carried out in another hospital several days earlier due to hematochezia and a polyp had been found in the sigmoid colon. The 1.5-cm, pedunculated polyp (●" Fig. 1) had a slight bulge in the stalk, and there was a mucosal bridge at the attachment to the intestinal wall, mimicking a submucosal tumor. The polyp was resected at the midportion of...

A deletion of ∼20 amino acids in the stalk of neuraminidase is frequently observed upon transmission of influenza A viruses from waterfowl to domestic poultry. A pair of recombinant H7N1 viruses bearing either a short- or long-stalk neuraminidase was genetically engineered. Inoculation of the long-stalk-neuraminidase virus resulted in a higher cloacal excretion in ducks and led conversely to lo...

We have carried out Monte Carlo simulation of the fusion of bilayers of single chain amphiphiles which show phase behavior similar to that of biological lipids. The fusion mechanism we observe is very different from the " stalk " hypothesis. Stalks do form on the first stage of fusion, but they do not grow radially to form a hemifused state. Instead, stalk formation destabilizes the membranes a...

BACKGROUND Farm workers and female cotton pickers are exposed to residual impacts of pesticide use in cotton production, in addition to dust, ultraviolet radiation, etc. Cotton picking causes various health hazards among cotton pickers with varied health cost. A soil bacterium known as Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is incorporated in cotton seed through genetic modification and it has resistance ...

PURPOSE Distinguishing non-neoplastic pituitary stalk lesions (non-NPSLs) from neoplastic pituitary stalk lesions (NPSLs) is a major concern in guiding treatment for a thickened pituitary stalk. Our study aimed to aid provide preoperative diagnostic assistance by combining clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings to distinguish non-NPSLs from NPSLs. MATERIALS AND METHODS We recr...

Caulobacter crescentus cells treated with amdinocillin, an antibiotic which specifically inhibits the cell elongation transpeptidase penicillin binding protein 2 in Escherichia coli, exhibit defects in stalk elongation and morphology, indicating that stalk synthesis may be a specialized form of cell elongation. In order to investigate this possibility further, we examined the roles of two other...

Agave americana is one of commonly grown agave species but currently less valuable because its large flower stalk cannot be used for producing alcoholic beverage. In the present study, the stalk was pretreated with dilute acid (DA), sulfite (SPORL), and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) to preliminarily assess its potential as feedstock for bioethanol production. The changes of cell wall components durin...

Canine influenza virus (CIV) is a newly identified, highly contagious respiratory pathogen in dogs. Recent studies indicate that avian-origin H3N2 CIV are circulating in Chinese dogs. To investigate the effects of a two-amino acid (2-aa) insertion naturally occurring at the distal end of the neuraminidase (NA) stalk found in Chinese isolates since 2010 on virus replication and virulence, we res...