Specifically, the expression level of recombinant mature BMP-7 protein in mammalian cells is very low, the molecule has poor solubility at neutral pH, and intracellular proteolytic processing events result in a secreted BMP-7 having multiple amino-termini, creating a heterogeneous mixture of proteins. Utilizing structural information, we have designed and generated a number of rational

BMP-7 mutations that improved both expression levels in mammalian cells and solubility at neutral pH, while limiting the amino-terminal ABT-737 supplier heterogeneity of the mature protein. Introduction of these mutations did not compromise BMP-7 in vitro bioactivity. This improved BMP-7 molecule is better suited for pharmaceutical development and clinical advancement for indications where systemic delivery may be required. (C) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.”
“While the self has been extensively explored in amnesic patients with severe episodic but not semantic memory disturbance, little is known about the self in semantic dementia (SD), which generally features the reverse pattern of impairment. In the present study, we investigated the structural (self-representations) and functional (consciousness) dimensions of the self in a group of eight SD patients in the early to moderate

stages of the disease. We used two original tasks designed to probe both structural characteristics, namely the strength and the certainty of self-concept and the episodic/semantic nature of GSK461364 cell line self-representations, and functional characteristics, namely autonoetic/noetic level of consciousness, self-evaluation and self-projection into the past, present and future. Results for the structural self showed impairment on the semantic aspects of the self-representations, except for those related to the present. Moreover, SD patients were affected regardless of the episodic or semantic nature

of self-representations into the future. As regards the functional self, self-projection and level of consciousness were only impaired for the future. This study confirms the persistence of a feeling of identity in SD over time for the past BLZ945 and present selves. However, it also highlights the loss of the future self in SD patients. These results are discussed in relation to models of long-term memory and future thinking focusing on the interplay of episodic and semantic memory and mental time travel. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Plant lipid-transfer proteins (LTPs) are abundant, small, lipid binding proteins that are capable of exchanging lipids between membranes in vitro. Despite their name, a role in intracellular lipid transport is considered unlikely, based on their extracellular localization.