Serine-threonine kinase receptor-associated protein (STRAP) interacts with transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) receptors and inhibits TGF-beta signaling. Here, we identify STRAP as an interacting partner of ASK1 (apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1). The association between ASK1 and STRAP is mediated through the C-terminal domain of ASK1 and the fourth and sixth WD40 repeats of STRAP. U...

The serine-threonine kinase receptor-associated protein (STRAP) was initially identified as a putative inhibitor of the canonical TGF-beta signaling pathway. Because the Smad-dependent TGF-beta pathway negatively regulates cellular growth, early functional studies suggested that STRAP behaves as an oncogene. Indeed, a correlation between STRAP overexpression and various cancers has been identif...

BACKGROUND Bra straps are a primary source of discomfort during sport and exercise, particularly for women with large breasts. This study aimed to investigate the effects of altering bra strap orientation and design on bra strap comfort, pressure and breast support in women with large breasts. This is a descriptive laboratory study. METHODS Bra strap discomfort (visual analogue scale, 0 to 10...

Fifteen subjects underwent three replicates of quantitative respirator fit-testing with N95 filtering facepiece respirators that were donned with the upper strap high on the occiput, as per the manufacturers' donning instructions. Each fit-test was immediately followed by repeat fit-testing with the upper strap downwardly displaced to the level of the ear sulcus to determine any change in fit f...

STRAP is a comfortable and extensible tool for the generation and refinement of multiple alignments of protein sequences. Various sequence ordered input file formats are supported. These are the SwissProt-,GenBank-, EMBL-, DSSP- PDB-, MSF-, and plain ASCII text format. The special feature of STRAP is the simple visualization of spatial distances C(alpha)-atoms within the alignment. Thus structu...

OBJECTIVES To determine the efficacy and optimal application parameters of circumferential compression to reduce external rotation-type pelvic fractures. DESIGN Biomechanical investigation on human cadaveric specimens. SETTING Biomechanics laboratory. INTERVENTION Partially stable and unstable external rotation injuries of the pelvic ring (OTA classification 61-B1 and 61-C1) were created ...

Pull-out experiments were performed on four carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) ground anchors simulating their applications in rock and soil. The CFRP tendons used in these anchors comprise a single-strap end on both the ground and air sides. On the ground side, the single-strap end is embedded in a cylinder of high-strength grout which fits into the borehole. In rock applications, the grou...

NOTCH signaling exerts essential roles in normal and malignant intestinal physiology and the homeostasis of cancer stem-like cells (CSC), but the basis for this latter role remains obscure. The signaling scaffold protein STRAP is upregulated in several cancers, where it promotes tumorigenicity and metastasis. Here we report a novel oncogenic function for STRAP in maintaining CSC subpopulations ...

Twenty-seven patients who presented with tennis elbow had their grip strengths measured without a forearm strap, with an elastic strap and with an inelastic strap. Of these 85% displayed an increased pain-free grip strength with one or both straps. The increase in pain-free grip strength was statistically significant for both types of strap (p less than 0.001) and the results showed no consiste...