The N-terminal NC4 domain of collagen IX is a globular structure projecting away from the surface of the cartilage collagen fibril. Several interactions have been suggested for this domain, reflecting its location and its characteristic high isoelectric point. In an attempt to characterize the NC4 domain in more detail, we set up a prokaryotic expression system to produce the domain. The purified

The path and termination point for the rp-process above Ni-56 is uncertain due to a tack of knowledge of nuclear properties, especially masses, near the proton drip line. To address this need we have begun a program to measure masses of nuclei along the rp-process pathway in the A similar to 60-80 region using beta-gamma coincidence spectroscopy. Results for Se-71 are presented and a preliminary e

The capture of human acute mycloid leukemia KG-1 cells expressing the CD34 surface antigen and the fractionation of human blood lymphocytes were evaluated on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-cryogel beads and dimethyl acrylamide (DMAAm) monolithic cryogel with immobilized protein A. The affinity ligand (protein A) was chemically coupled to the reactive PVA-cryogel beads and epoxy-derivatized monolithic cry

This article discusses known or suspected effects of maternal use of antidepressants during pregnancy on pregnancy outcome. It is unlikely that any marked teratogenic effect occurs with the possible exception of an increased risk for cardiovascular defects after maternal use of clomipramine or paroxetine. An increased risk for preterm birth is seen. Transient neonatal symptoms are common after the

ATP-dependent priming of the secretory granules precedes Ca(2+)-regulated neuroendocrine secretion, but the exact nature of this reaction is not fully established in all secretory cell types. We have further investigated this reaction in the insulin-secreting pancreatic B-cell and demonstrate that granular acidification driven by a V-type H(+)-ATPase in the granular membrane is a decisive step in

It is becoming increasingly evident that single-locus effects cannot explain complex multifactorial human diseases like cancer. We applied the multi-factor dimensionality reduction (MDR) method to a large cohort study on gene-environment and gene-gene interactions. The study (case-control nested in the EPIC cohort) was established to investigate molecular changes and genetic susceptibility in rela

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of rosiglitazone treatment on islet ghrelin and insulin gene expressions in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Animals were divided into four groups. 1. Intact controls. 2. Rosiglitazone-treated controls. 3. STZ-induced diabetes. 4. Rosiglitazone-treated diabetes, Rosiglitazone was given for 7 days at a dose of 20 mg/kg body weight. Ghrelin

The olivocerebellar and corticonuclear connections of the forelimb area of the paravermal medial C3 zone were studied in the cat using a combined electrophysiological and fluorescent tracer technique. During an initial operation under barbiturate anaesthesia, lobules IV/V of the cerebellar anterior lobe were exposed and small injections of dextran amines tagged with rhodamine or fluorescein were m

In a forest ecosystem at steady state, net carbon (C) assimilation by plants and C loss through soil and litter decomposition by heterotrophic organisms are balanced. However, a perturbation to the system, such as increased mean soil temperature, will lead to faster decay, enhancing CO2 release from decomposers, and thus upsetting the balance. Recent in situ experiments have indicated that the sti

An assessment of nutrient sustainability has been done for stands of European beech, Sycamore maple, European oak, Norway spruce, Larch, Grandis fir and Douglas fir at Bjornstorp Estate in southern Sweden. To estimate the nutrient sustainability, mass balance was calculated with respect to Ca, Mg, K, N and P. The release from mineral weathering was calculated using the PROFILE model. The leaching

Honeybees, like humans and most other vertebrates, are colour-blind in dim light. Bees are primarily day-active and have apposition compound eyes, the typical eye design of diurnal insects. Most bees are trichromats with photoreceptors sensitive in the UV, blue and green [1]. While their diurnal colour vision was established almost 100 years ago, honeybees are known to be colour-blind in moonlight

Background The relationship between selenium and cancer involves many different aspects. These include the forms of selenium present in the diet and in the body, their functions and mechanisms of action, and methods employed in assessing an individual's selenium nutritional status-both in general, and in epidemiological studies of the risk of cancer in relation to diet, as well as in connection wi

A system for interstitial photodynamic therapy is used in the treatment of thick skin tumors. The system allows simultaneous measurements of light fluence rate, sensitizer fluorescence, and tissue oxygen saturation by using the same fibers as for therapeutic light delivery. Results from ten tumor treatments using delta-aminolevulinic acid (ALA)-induced protoporphyrin IX show a significant, treatme

Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and rheological analysis have been used to investigate the stability of mechanically induced tri-ethylene-glycol-mono-n-decyl-ether (C10E3)/deuterium oxide (D2O) multi-lamellar vesicles (MLVs) and the transition from MLVs to planar lamellae. It was found that MLVs prepared by vortex stirring, relax back to the lamellar phase in a few hours while the relaxati

A major neuropathological feature of Parkinson's disease (PD) is the loss of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neuron. Patients exhibit motor symptoms, including bradykinesia, rigidity, and tremor. Neural grafting has been reported to restore striatial dopaminergic neurotransmission and induce symptomatic relief. The major limitation of cell replacement therapy for PD is the shortage of suitable donor ti

Objective: The aim of this study was to construct a rating scale to predict long-term outcome on the basis of clinical and sociodemographic characteristics in patients with symptoms of psychosis who seek psychiatric help for the first time. Method: Patients (N = 153) experiencing their first episode of psychosis (DSM-IV schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorder, schizoaffective disorder, brief psyc

Objective: To investigate the influence of social capital and individual factors on the level of leisure time physical inactivity in the neighbourhoods. Methods: The public health survey in Malm 1994 is a cross sectional study. A total of 5600 people aged 2080 years were invited to answer a postal questionnaire. The participation rate was 71. A multilevel logistic regression model, with individual