The hot star wind momentum problem η = Ṁ3∞/(L/c) ≫ 1 is revisited, and it is shown that the conventional belief, that it can be solved by a combination of clumping of the wind and multiple scattering of photons, is not self-consistent for optically thick clumps. Clumping does reduce the mass loss rate Ṁ, and hence the momentum supply, required to generate a specified radio emission measure ε, w...

Staphylococcus aureus is responsible for a wide range of infections, including soft tissue infections and potentially fatal bacteremias. The primary niche for S. aureus in humans is the nares, and nasal carriage is a documented risk factor for staphylococcal infection. Previous studies with rodent models of nasal colonization have implicated capsule and teichoic acid as staphylococcal surface f...

THE CLUMPING of platelets is probably the fundamental stage in the formation of thrombi. It was early demonstrated in experimental animals that administration of Dicnmarol (bishydroxyconmarin; Dicoumarol) in doses adequate to prevent thrombus formation was associated with delay or inhibition of platelet clumping.' ~ Although it may not be necessary to delay platelet clumping in order to prevent...

The human complement system plays an important role in the control of Staphylococcus aureus infection. For instance, we previously demonstrated that the central complement component deposited on the organism's surface, C3b, can be cleaved by the host complement control protein, factor I, resulting in diminished phagocytosis of S. aureus. In the present study, we have identified clumping factor ...

High-resolution X-ray grating spectroscopy enables us to measure the kinematics and spatial distribution of the shock-heated wind plasma in O and early B stars, testing the predictions of the embedded wind shock scenario of massive star Xray production. By fitting models to the resolved, Doppler broadened X-ray emission line profiles measured by the Chandra X-ray Observatory’s grating spectrome...

In a recent article, X. Li et al. [mBio 7(1):e02232-15, 2016, http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/mBio.02232-15] investigate the utility of a vaccine composed of the Staphylococcus aureus protein clumping factor A (ClfA) in protecting mice from S. aureus infection. ClfA, one of the first proteins to be identified as a potential vaccine antigen for S. aureus prophylaxis, is currently a component of severa...

We report the humanization and characterization of monoclonal antibody (MAb) T1-2 or tefibazumab, a monoclonal antibody that recognizes clumping factor A expressed on the surface of Staphylococcus aureus. We demonstrate that the binding kinetics of MAb T1-2 is indistinguishable compared to that of its murine parent. Furthermore, MAb T1-2 is shown to enhance the opsonophagocytic uptake of ClfA-c...

The ability of Staphylococcus aureus to adhere to the extracellular matrix and plasma proteins deposited on biomaterials is a significant factor in the pathogenesis of orthopaedic-device related infections. S. aureus possesses many adhesion proteins on its surface, but it is not known how they interact with each other to form stable interactions with the substrate. A novel method was developed ...

The fibrinogen (Fg) binding MSCRAMM Clumping factor A (ClfA) from Staphylococcus aureus interacts with the C-terminal region of the fibrinogen (Fg) gamma-chain. ClfA is the major virulence factor responsible for the observed clumping of S. aureus in blood plasma and has been implicated as a virulence factor in a mouse model of septic arthritis and in rabbit and rat models of infective endocardi...

PURPOSE To describe the features of intraretinal retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) migration documented on a prototype spectral-domain, high-speed, ultrahigh-resolution optical coherence tomography (OCT) device in a group of patients with early to intermediate dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and to correlate intraretinal RPE migration on OCT to RPE pigment clumping on fundus photograp...