Search Results (3)

We are developing cytotoxic immunoconjugates (CICs) targeting the envelope protein (Env) of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, type 1 (HIV) to purge the persistent reservoirs of viral infection. We have previously studied the ability of multiple monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to deliver CICs to an HIV-infected cell. We have found that CICs targeted to the membrane-spanning gp41 domain of Env are most efficacious, in part because their killing is enhanced in the presence of soluble CD4. The ability of a mAb to deliver a CIC does not correlate with its ability to neutralize nor mediate Ab-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. In the current study, we seek to define the most effective anti-gp41 mAbs for delivering CICs to HIV-infected cells. To do this, we have evaluated a panel of human anti-gp41 mAbs for their ability to bind and kill two different Env-expressing cell lines: persistently infected H9/NL4-3 and constitutively transfected HEK293/92UG. We measured the binding and cytotoxicity of each mAb in the presence and absence of soluble CD4. We found that mAbs to the immunodominant helix-loop-helix region (ID-loop) of gp41 are most effective, whereas neutralizing mAbs to the fusion peptide, gp120/gp41 interface, and the membrane proximal external region (MPER) are relatively ineffective at delivering CICs. There was only a weak correlation between antigen exposure and killing activity. The results show that the ability to deliver an effective IC and neutralization are distinct functions of mAbs. Full article

The purpose of this study was to identify the influence of drying method on flavor profiles of mulberry fruit using purge and trap (P&T) flavor extraction followed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and descriptive sensory analysis using a highly trained sensory panel. Mulberry fruit samples were prepared at different temperatures (−20, 0, 50, and 60 °C). The results showed that more diverse volatile compound profiles were produced overall and had increased levels of benzaldehyde, nonanal, and 3,3-dimethylhexane in Sample 3 and 4, which were dried at higher temperature (50 °C and 60 °C). The mulberry fruit samples that received heat treatment had higher grape juice, raisin, and sour aromatics, while samples that did not received heat treatment were characterized as having cucumber, green/grassy, and sweet aromatics. Full article

Wafers are usually placed in a front opening unified pod (FOUP) while waiting in the line of manufacturing processes; a conventional way for preventing (or removing) contamination is to purge an FOUP with a gas, so as to maintain the cleanliness level. This study investigates the effect of the flow rate of clean dry air (CDA), supplied to the purge system and air curtain, on the moisture prevention performance, while opening the FOUP door in a mini-environment. An initial relative humidity (RH) in the pre-purged FOUP was approximately 0%, whereas an RH in the mini-environment was about 43%. Conventional, diffuser, and panel purge approaches were tested. The results showed that the moisture in the surroundings rapidly entered the FOUP when the door was opened, without using either the purge system or air curtain. When the CDA was then supplied to both the purge system and the air curtain, the RH values decreased significantly; the drop slope of the RH for the diffuser- and panel-purge processes was much larger than that of the conventional-purge process. In addition, the moisture prevention performance when the developed panel-purge system was used was slightly lower than when using the diffuser-purge system. However, the use of the panel-purge method could sufficiently suppress the vibration problem. In the present study, the case with CDA flow rates of 150 L/min to the air curtain and 250 L/min to the panel-purge device had the best moisture prevention performance, because of the smallest values for both the mean and maximum RH values (i.e., 1.3% and 9.5%, respectively) in the FOUP. Full article