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We investigate acoustic and electromagnetic emission from optically excited strained piezoelectric In0.2Ga0.8N/GaN multiple quantum wells (MQWs), using optical pump-probe spectroscopy, time-resolved Brillouin scattering, and THz emission spectroscopy. A direct comparison of detected acoustic signals and THz electromagnetic radiation signals demonstrates that transient strain generation in InGaN/GaN MQWs is correlated with electromagnetic THz generation, and both types of emission find their origin in ultrafast dynamical screening of the built-in piezoelectric field in the MQWs. The measured spectral intensity of the detected Brillouin signal corresponds to a maximum strain amplitude of generated acoustic pulses of 2%. This value coincides with the static lattice-mismatch-induced strain in In0.2Ga0.8N/GaN, demonstrating the total release of static strain in MQWs via impulsive THz acoustic emission. This confirms the ultrafast dynamical screening mechanism in MQWs as a highly efficient method for impulsive strain generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ten sera of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were tested in an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay for their ability to react with glycosaminoglycans, constituents of proteoglycans, in relation to their anti-DNA reactivity. The SLE sera reacted with hyaluronic acid and chondroitin sulphate and this reactivity correlated with the anti-DNA activity of these sera. By contrast, sera obtained from patients with other autoimmune diseases or normal sera lacked any of these reactivities. Anti-DNA antibodies purified by affinity chromatography with either oligo dT cellulose or Cibracon blue F3Ga Sepharose reacted with DNA as well as with hyaluronic acid. The cross-reactivity of anti-DNA antibodies could be confirmed by the reaction of a mouse monoclonal anti-DNA antibody with DNA, hyaluronic acid, and chondroitin sulphate. This pattern of cross-reactivities of anti-DNA antibodies suggests that several compounds can function as antigenic targets for these antibodies provided that their structures contain repeating negatively charged groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using pump-probe spectroscopy, we study the propagation of laser-excited longitudinal, high-amplitude, coherent picosecond acoustic phonon wave packets in thin sapphire slabs at room temperature. We observe significant stretching of the wave packet up to several tens of picoseconds, accompanied by strong steepening of the wave fronts. The results demonstrate the supersonic and subsonic nature of propagation in viscous nonlinear media and more specifically the presence of acoustic frequencies in the wave packet as high as 500 GHz. All experimental data are in excellent agreement with simulations based on Burgers’ equation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A correction to the article "Optical generation and detection of shock waves in sapphire at room temperature," published on September 29, 2006 issue is presented.

WT 1, an IgG2a subclass monoclonal antibody, recognizes a human T lineage specific antigen (mol. wt 40,000). This antigen is strongly expressed on thymic T blasts, and on peripheral T cells activated by phytohaemagglutinin, whereas cortical thymocytes and peripheral T cells are moderately positive for WT 1, In contrast, B lymphocytes, myeloid and erythroid cells, including the progenitor cells of these lineages, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase positive cells in the bone marrow, arc all WT 1 negative. Binding of WT 1 to T cells is blocked by a previously described antibody (3A1) suggesting that both antibodies bind to the same antigen present on human T cells. WT 1, however, is also reactive with T lymphocytes from rhesus monkeys whereas 3A1 is not. Therefore, the biological effects of WT 1 could be studied in a monkey model. In a skin allograft model. WT 1 was immunosuppressive and induced a marked prolongation of graft survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anti-CD3 MoAbs arc widely used in T cell activation studies, and are effective in immunosuppressive therapy. We used a panel of mouse (m) anti-CD3 switch variant MoAbs of five different isotypes to study IL-6 release from accessory cells. Incubation of human (h) mononuclear cells with anti-CD3 MoAbs resulted in increased lL-6 levels with MoAbs of mIgGI and mIgG2a isotypes. with no effect of mIgG2b or mIgA. This suggested involvement of IgG Fc receptors (FcγR) in triggering IL-6 production. To evaluate the role of different FcγR molecules individually we used a panel of hFcγR-transfected mouse fibroblasts. and Jurkat T cells as a model. IL-6 secretion by CD32 transfectants expressing the hFcγRHa high-responder (HR) allelic form was triggered by mIgGl anti-CD3 MoAb, with no effect of four other isotypes. None of theanti-CD3 MoAbs induced IL-6 secretion by CD32 transfectants expressing either a variant of this receptor, containing only a single intracellular amino acid (CT-). the hFcγRIIa low-responder (LR) allelic form, or hFcγRIIb1. hFcγRI (CD64) transfectants exhibited IL-6 production after incubation with mIgG2a anti-CD3 MoAb, and to a lesser extent with mlgG2b. and mIgGI MoAb. Indirect involvement of T cells in triggering IL-6 secretion could be excluded by experiments in which transfectants were cultured with immobilized anti-CD3 MoAb. These data indicate that cross-linking of either hFcγRI, or hFcγRIIaHR by appropriate anti-CD3 MoAbs triggers IL-6 production of accessory cells, and not T cells. This may also take place in vivo during immunosuppressive therapy with anti-CD3 MoAbs. and related antibody-mediated immune responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]