Secretagogin is a hexa EF-hand protein, which has been identified as a novel potential tumour marker. In the present study, we show that secretagogin binds four Ca2+ ions (log K-1 = 7.1 +/- 0.4, log K-2 = 4.7 +/- 0.6, log K-3 = 3.6 +/- 0.7 and log K-4 = 4.6 +/- 0.6 in physiological salt buffers) with a [Ca2+](0.5) of approx. 25 mu M. The tertiary structure of secretagogin changes significantly upo

The ATLAS Transition Radiation Tracker (TRT) performance depends critically on the choice of the active gas and on its properties. The most important operational aspects, which have led to the final choice of the active gas for the operation of the TRT at the LHC design luminosity, are presented. The TRT performance expected at these conditions is reviewed, including pile-up effects at high lumino

Background: Gastrin exerts trophic effects on the gastric mucosa by mechanisms not yet completely elucidated. Our aim was to localize the cholecystokinin-2 (CCK2) receptor in epithelial cells of foetal and adult rat stomachs in order to determine the cell types that are directly affected by gastrin. Methods: Gastric tissue was subjected to indirect double immunofluorescence staining with antiserum

This paper aims to identify and review new and unproven emergency department (ED) methods for improved evaluation in cases of suspected acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Systematic news coverage through PubMed from 2000 to 2006 identified papers on new methods for ED assessment of patients with suspected ACS. Articles found described decision support models, new ECG methods, new biomarkers and point-

Increased economic and financial integration and substantial macroeconomic fluctuations require that corporate managers and investment analysts pay more attention than in the past to the link between the "noise" that these fluctuations represent and the company's performance-past and future. For many reasons, company managers must weed out the effects of the noise to obtain a clear picture of the

BACKGROUND: Cholecystokinin (CCK) has been suggested to be involved in the development and course of acute pancreatitis. In the present study we measured plasma CCK concentrations in acute experimental pancreatitis (AEP) in the rat, and evaluated the role of circulating CCK levels on the initial pancreatic damage in pancreatitis. METHODS: Endogenous hyperCCKemia was induced by surgical biliodigest

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: In small trials with control groups that receive no intervention, acupuncture has been reported to improve functional outcome after stroke. We studied effects of acupuncture and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation on functional outcome and quality of life after stroke versus a control group that received subliminal electrostimulation. METHODS: In a multicenter rando

Patients with febrile urinary tract infections with (80 patients) or without (88 patients) positive blood cultures were reviewed. Eighty-nine percent of the infections were community acquired. The bacteremic patients were older, Escherichia coli was the most commonly found organism in both groups. The most important finding in this study was increased frequency of resistance to three common urinar

The previously identified QTL for oleic acid content observed in an Fz population from the Brassica mpn ssp. oleifera cross Jo4002 x Jo4072 (a high-oleic-acid individual) was mapped more precisely by adding markers to the linkage group which harbours the locus. In addition, the fad2 gene, which is known to encode the 18:1 desaturase in Arabidopsis, was mapped in Brassica, too. The results are cons

High quality epitaxial films of A(l)xGa(1-x)N, grown on SiC substrates, were investigated using spatially resolved cathodoluminescence (CL), scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. A variation in the observed peak energy position of the CL was related to alloy fluctuations. CL was used to reveal relative alloy fluctuations of approximately 1% on a sub-micrometer scale, with a pr

The catalytic cycle of cytochrome c oxidase has been simulated by means of quantum mechanical calculations. The experimental energetics of the catalytic cycle is nearly reproduced. The atomic structures of the intermediates are suggested. In particular, the structures of nonactive "resting" intermediates are proposed.

Deposition of N and S has increased since the 1950s in most European countries and N accumulates in ecosystems that are not N saturated. This study shows long-term effects of a (modelled) N deposition of 7-17 kg N ha(-1) per year on biological and chemical processes in soil, vegetation composition, and functional types of field-layer plant species in deciduous forests. Soil pH largely determined t

Genetic and environmental factors contribute to age-dependent susceptibility to type 2 diabetes. Recent studies have reported reduced expression of PPAR{gamma} coactivator 1{alpha} (PGC-1{alpha}) and PGC-1ß genes in skeletal muscle from type 2 diabetic patients, but it is not known whether this is an inherited or acquired defect. To address this question we studied expression of these genes in mus

Quarterly data for the period 1960: 1 to 1997: 2, conventional tests, a bootstrap simulation approach and a multivariate Rao's F-test have been used to investigate if the causality between government spending and revenue in Finland was changed at the beginning of 1990 due to future plans to create the European Monetary Union (EMU). The results indicate that during the period before 1990, the gover

Aim: In this study, we employed chimeric human/ mouse Proteinase 3 ( PR3) proteins as tools to induce an autoantibody response to PR3 in rats and mice. Method: Rats and mice were immunised with recombinant human PR3 ( HPR3), recombinant murine PR3 ( mPR3), single chimeric human/ mouse PR3 ( HHm, HmH, mHH, mmH, mHm, Hmm) or pools of chimeric proteins. Antibodies to mPR3 and HPR3 were measured by EL