Our starting point is the observation that if graphs in a class C have low descriptive complexity, then the isomorphism problem for C is solvable by a fast parallel algorithm. More precisely, we prove that if every graph in C is definable in a finite-variable first order logic with counting quantifiers within logarithmic quantifier depth, then Graph Isomorphism for C is in TC1 ⊆ NC2. If no coun...

Model-based geoacoustic inversion in range-dependent underwater environments is a challenging task constrained by data quality (synthetic or measured) and propagation-model efficiency and accuracy. The Inversion Techniques Workshop (ITW), held in Gulfport, MS, May 15–18, 2001, was organized for the acoustics community to present state-of-the-art numerical geoacoustic inversion capabilities in r...

In the last years the chloro-s-triazine active substance terbuthylazine has been increasingly used as an herbicide and may leave residues in the environment which can be of concern. The present study aimed at developing a bioaugmentation tool based on the soil bacterium Arthrobacter aurescens strain TC1 for the remediation of terbuthylazine contaminated soils and at examining its efficacy for b...

Cross-talk between TGF-beta and IL-6 has been shown to direct the differentiation of CD4(+) cells into special IL-17-secreting cells, which are termed Th17 cells. In this study, we demonstrated that TGF-beta and IL-6 could stimulate CD8(+) cells to differentiate into noncytotoxic, IL-17-producing cells in MLC. These IL-17-producing CD8(+) cells exhibit a unique granzyme B(-)IFN-gamma(-)IL-10(-)...

The Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 insertion sequence ISY100 (ISTcSa) belongs to the Tc1/mariner/IS630 family of transposable elements. ISY100 transposase was purified and shown to promote transposition in vitro. Transposase binds specifically to ISY100 terminal inverted repeat sequences via an N-terminal DNA-binding domain containing two helix-turn-helix motifs. Transposase is the only protein requ...

IL-17-secreting CD8 T cells (Tc17) have been described in several settings, but little is known regarding their functional characteristics. While Tc1 cells produced IFN-gamma and efficiently killed targets, Tc17 cells lacked lytic function in vitro. Interestingly, the small numbers of IFN-gamma-positive or IL-17/IFN-gamma-double-positive cells generated under Tc17 conditions also lacked lytic a...

OBJECTIVE Few inflammatory markers closely reflect the activity of tuberculosis and only a few surrogate markers are available. The purpose of this study was to clarify the usefulness of measuring the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), and serum amyloid A (SAA), and the association between these markers and T-cell profiles. METHODS One hundred one patients with ac...

Marine-derived sulfated polysaccharides have been shown to possess certain anti-virus, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory and anti-coagulant activities. However, the in vivo immunomodulatory effects of marine-derived pure compounds have been less well characterized. In this study, we investigated the effect of ascophyllan, a sulfated polysaccharide purified from Ascophyllum nodosum, on the maturatio...

Adoptive T-cell therapy using CD3/CD28 co-stimulation likely requires in vivo generation of antigen specificity. Because CD28 promotes TH1/TC1 (T1) or TH2/TC2 (T2) differentiation, costimulation may generate donor T1 or T2 cells capable of differentially mediating allogeneic graft-versus-tumor (GVT) effects and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Costimulation under T1 or T2 conditions indeed gen...

Titanium alloy TC1 and Aluminum alloy LF6 were butt jointed and lap jointed by friction stir welding (FSW), and the influence of process parameters on formation of weld surface, cross-section morphology and strength were studied. The results show that, Titanium and Aluminum dissimilar alloy is difficult to be butt joined by FSW, and some defects such as cracks and grooves are easy to occur. Whe...