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Background. Respiratory tract infections (RTI) in children is the most common cause of prescription of antibiotics. It is important to describe and analyse non-medical factors in order to develop more rational use of antibiotics. Objectives. To compare families with high and low concern about infectious illness with regard to social variables, perception of infection proneness and beliefs in antib

A detailed experimental investigation has been made of the pyrolysis-the first step in biomass combustion-of single birchwood particles. In addition to mass spectrometric and gravimetric analysis, the pyrolysis volatiles were characterized by different optical techniques. Absorption measurements showed a nearly featureless absorption in the ultraviolet spectral region with a continuously stronger

AIM: To study the interactions between human gastric carcinoma cell (HGCC) and human vascular endothelial cell (HVEC), and if the expression of sphingosine kinase (SPK) gene was involved in these interactions. METHODS: The specific inhibitor to SPK, dimethyl sphingosine (DMS), was added acting on HGCC and HVEC, then the cell proliferation was measured by MTT. The conditioned mediums (CMs) of HGCC

Objective and design: Leukocyte recruitment is a key feature in ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) -provoked tissue injury. This study evaluated the role of P-selectin-glycoprotein ligand-1 (PSGL-1) in CXC chemokine- and ischemia-reperfusion- induced leukocyte rolling and adhesion in the colon. Materials Balb/c mice were used in an inverted intravital fluorescence microscopy study of the microvascular bed

We have studied the mechanism of A- 769662, a new activator of AMP- activated protein kinase ( AMPK). Unlike other pharmacological activators, it directly activates native rat AMPK by mimicking both effects of AMP, i. e. allosteric activation and inhibition of dephosphorylation. We found that it has no effect on the isolated alpha subunit kinase domain, with or without the associated autoinhibitor

'Primitive intelligence' in audition refers to the capacity of the auditory system to adaptatively model the acoustic regularity and react neurophysiologically to violations of such regularity, thus supporting the ability to predict future auditory events. In the present study, event-related brain potentials to pairs of tones were recorded in 11 human newborns to determine the infants' ability to

The Permian-Triassic boundary within the Amery Group of the Lambert Graben is placed at the contact between the Bainmedart Coal Measures and overlying Flagstone Bench Formation, based on the first regular occurrence of Lunatisporites pellucidus and the first appearance of Aratrisporites and Lepidopteris species. The Permian-Triassic boundary is marked by the extinction of glossopterid and cordaita

The characteristics and benefits of two types of cross-linking prepolymers with low glass transition temperature (T-g) for nanoimprinting are reported. They are soluble in organic solvents and their solutions can be processed like those of common thermoplastics. The imprinted patterns receive high thermal and mechanical stability through cross-linking polymerization. The course of the polymerizati

The presence of man-made gamma emitting radionuclides in the region within 32 km radius of the Ignalina NPP/Lithuania has been investigated during the period 2001-2004, prior to the closure of the first 4 the two operating RBMK 1500-type reactors. Gamma spectrometric measurements of various terrestrial and aquatic plants as well as of soil samples showed moderate environmental contamination with t

Fetal cell transplantation for the treatment of Parkinsonrsquos and Huntingtonrsquos diseases has been developed over the past two decades and is now in early clinical testing phase. Direct assessment of the graftrsquos survival, integration into the host brain and impact on neuronal functions requires advanced in vivo neuroimaging techniques. Owing to its high sensitivity, positron emission tomog

Experimental and epidemiological studies suggest that calcium-regulating hormones-parathyroid hormone (PTH) and vitamin D-may be associated with breast cancer risk. No prospective cohort study has investigated the association between pre-diagnostic calcium levels and subsequent risk of breast cancer. We have examined this in a cohort of 7,847 women where serum calcium levels and established risk f

Analyses of testate amoebae and aeolian sediment influx (ASI) were used to reconstruct effective humidity changes and aeolian activity in the coastal zone of south-west Sweden. Cores were taken from an ombrotrophic peat sequence from the Undarsmosse bog. Since both types of analysis were carried out on the same core, a direct comparison between humidity fluctuations in the bog and aeolian activity

Human activated protein C (APC) is a key component of a natural anticoagulant system that regulates blood coagulation. In vivo, the catalytic activity of APC is regulated by two serpins, alpha1-antitrypsin and the protein C inhibitor (PCI), the inhibition by the latter being stimulated by heparin. We have identified a heparin-binding site in the serine protease domain of APC and characterized the

Little is known about the tissue reactions to various implant materials which coincide with an inflammatory reaction. We used the avridine arthritis rat model to evaluate the tissue response in the synovial, interstitial and subcutaneous tissues after implant insertion. Quantitative immunohistochemistry showed that normal joint synovial tissue is dominated by ED2-positive resident macrophages. Pol

We report on the development of planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) for CH imaging with improved detection sensitivity for single-shot investigations of turbulent, lean, premixed flames. A ringcavity, pulsed Alexandrite laser was frequency-doubled to excite the lines in the R-branch band-head of the B-X (0,0) band and broadband fluorescence from the B-X (0,1), A-X (1,1) and (0,0) bands, overl

Using polarization sensitive ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy we have studied energy transfer and excited state relaxation pathways in a tetranuclear transition metal [( osmium)( ruthenium)(3)] polypyridine complex. Contrary to the generally accepted picture of transition metal complex photochemistry we find that ultrafast energy transfer ( less than or equal to 60 fs) occurs from the e