BACKGROUND: Asthma-like symptoms, methacholine hyperresponsiveness, use of inhaled steroids, airway inflammation, and increased tenascin expression in the reticular basement membrane have been reported in competitive cross-country skiers. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of inhaled budesonide, 400 mug twice daily, on indices of airway inflammation in 'ski asthma', defined as asthma-like sympto

Common bacterial pathogens are becoming progressively more resistant to traditional antibiotics, representing a major public-health crisis. Therefore, there is a need for a variety of antibiotics with alternative modes of action. In our study, several nucleoside analogs were tested against pathogenic staphylococci and streptococci. We show that pyrimidine-based nucleoside analogs, like 3'-azido-3'

A simplification of the laminin nomenclature is presented. Laminins are multidomain heterotrimers composed of alpha, beta and gamma chains. Previously, laminin trimers were numbered with Arabic numerals in the order discovered, that is laminins-1 to -5. We introduce a new identification system for a trimer using three Arabic numerals, based on the alpha, beta and gamma chain numbers. For example,

beta-lactoglobulin (beta LG) belongs to the lipocalin superfamily. Its DNA and protein sequences have been determined and showed that it had nine residue changes from bovine beta LG. Reindeer beta LG, the structure of which was finally determined at 2.1 angstrom resolution in space group P1, crystallized in a unit cell that is both P2-like and P2(1)-like owing to the presence of an almost perfect

Biological and physical processes in the Arctic system operate at various temporal and spatial scales to impact large-scale feedbacks and interactions with the earth system. There are four main potential feedback mechanisms between the impacts of climate change on the Arctic and the global climate system: albedo, greenhouse gas emissions or uptake by ecosystems, greenhouse gas emissions from metha

Radiative lifetime measurements have been performed, with a time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence technique, for 20 odd-parity levels of La I belonging to the configurations 5d(2)6p, 5d6s6p and 4f5d6s. The new results are compared with the few experimental data available in the literature and with theoretical calculations including configuration interaction effects. The agreement theory-experim

Specific granule protein of 28 kDa (SGP28), also termed cysteine-rich secretory protein 3 (CRISP-3), is a glycoprotein that belongs to a family of cysteine-rich secretory proteins (CRISPs). SGP28 was originally discovered in human neutrophils, but transcripts are widely distributed in exocrine glands (salivary glands, pancreas, and prostate) and also found at lower levels in epididymis, ovary, thy

BACKGROUND: Infusion of sulphated cholecystokinin-8 (CCK-8S) in rats transiently increased the proliferation of pancreatic acinar cells, whereas the CCK-A receptor antagonist devazepide decreased such proliferation. This effect ceased after 3 days. CCK-8S or devazepide injected twice daily induced a persistent effect on the cell proliferation involving the major cells of the exocrine pancreas. The

Lutheran theology, contextual theology

Autonomic and peripheral nerve functions as well as the possible short-term effect of a novel aldose reductase inhibitor (ARI) on neuropathy were evaluated in 30 male type I diabetics (age 25-44 years, mean 34; duration of diabetes 10-20 years, mean 34) with neurographic signs of peripheral neuropathy (PN). Autonomic neuropathy (AN) was established by the heart rate reactions to deep breathing (E/

The influence of a beet-fibre enriched diet (mean 40 g FibrexR, 27 g dietary fibre per day) on blood pressure, plasma lipoproteins and glycaemic control was studied in 12 non-insulin-dependent diabetic (NIDD) patients. The effect on gastrointestinal hormones was also investigated. Beet-fibre and control diets were given in randomized order for 8 weeks each. During the beet-fibre diet the systolic

The flame propagation in a spark-ignition engine has been studied using laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) of species formed during the first ignition stage of hydrocarbon combustion. The detected two-dimensional LIF images showed the distribution of unburned regions. For the excitation, two Nd:YAG lasers operating at 355 mn were used for two consecutive measurements within the same engine cycle wit

In this article an experimental and numerical study of the long-term interaction between silica fume and Portland cement in concrete subjected to air, water or sealed curing is outlined. For this purpose about 250 kg of eight qualities of each concrete were studied at 4 different ages each over a period of 7 years. Parallel studies of strength, hydration and internal relative humidity were perform