We engineered a method for detecting intramolecular and intermolecular phox protein interactions in cells by fluorescence microscopy using fusion proteins of complementary fragments of a coral fluorescent reporter protein (monomeric Kusabira-Green). We confirmed the efficacy of the monomeric Kusabira-Green system by showing that the PX and PB1 domains of p40phox interact in intact cells, which we suggested maintains this protein in an inactive closed conformation. Using this system, we also explored intramolecular interactions within p47phox and showed that the PX domain interacts with the autoinhibited tandem Src homology 3 domains maintained in contact with the autoinhibitory region, along with residues 341–360. Furthermore, we demonstrated sequential interactions of p67phox with phagosomes involving adaptor proteins, p47phox and p40phox, during FcγR-mediated phagocytosis. Although p67phox is not targeted to phagosomes by itself, p47phox functions as an adaptor for the ternary complex (p47phox-p67phox-p40phox) in early stages of phagocytosis before phagosome closure, while p40phox functions in later stages after phagosomal closure. Interestingly, a mutated “open” form of p40phox linked p47phox to closed phagosomes and prolonged p47phox and p67phox retention on phagosomes. These results indicate that binding of the ternary complex to phagosomes can be temporally regulated by switching between adaptor proteins that have PX domains with distinct lipid-binding specificities.

This study investigated the feelings of living donors about adult-to-adult liver transplantation. We interviewed 18 donors about their feelings before and after transplantation using semistructured interviews and then conducted a content analysis of their responses. Before transplantation, many donors reported that they wanted recipients to live for the donor or his or her family, and there was no one else to donate. Many donors were not anxious, did not feel coerced, and did not consider donation dangerous. Some reported being excited at facing a new experience. Some said they would not mind whatever happens. Others were anxious or unsure about the operation. Diagnostic testing and preoperative blood banking were painful. Donors experienced increasing stress just before the operation. After transplantation, some donors verbalized feeling more grateful to others and that they gained maturity. Throughout the process, donors were concerned about their recipients. Our results suggest that donors might act for themselves or their family. It is important to recognize the varied responses of donors' feelings toward liver transplant recipients.

No abstract

Rate-and state-dependent friction law (RSF), proposed on the basis of laboratory experiments, has been extensively applied to modeling of earthquake stick-slip cycles. A simple spring-slider model obeying RSF predicts a significant decrease of the frictional strength (the state of contact) that is localized within a few years preceding the earthquake occurrence. On the other hand, recent laboratory experiments successfully monitored the history of the strength by simultaneously measuring the P-wave transmissivity |T| across the frictional interface using a 1-MHz transducer. This suggests a possibility of earthquake forecast by monitoring the strength of a natural fault by acoustic methods. The present paper explores the feasibility of such monitoring in the field on the basis of the physics of RSF combined with the linear slip model (LSM) employed in the classical acoustic methodology for monitoring an imperfectly welded interface. The characteristic frequency f c , around which |T| (or reflectivity |R|) has a good sensitivity to the interface strength, is shown to be proportional to the strength and inversely proportional to the representative scale of real contacts. For natural faults, f c is estimated to be 1 to 100 Hz, which is practicable in the field. The changes of |T| and |R| depend on the ratio of the strength drop to the absolute strength level, the latter of which is not constrained by RSF simulations. Expected changes in wave amplitude in the preslip period would be several percent for strong faults and several tens percent for weak faults, which may be detectable by acoustic methods such as seismic reflection surveys.