The methodology for ready-made matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) target plates covered with an optimized thin layer consisting of matrix and nitrocellulose has been developed. Piezoelectric microdispensing enabled sample depositions in a high-density array format of 2000 sample depositions on a conventionally sized target plate (45 x 47 mm). The sample depositions were made repro

P>1. Ants show complex interactions with plants, both facultative and mutualistic, ranging from grazers through seed predators and dispersers to herders of some herbivores and guards against others. But ants are rarely pollinators, and their visits to flowers may be detrimental to plant fitness. 2. Plants therefore have various strategies to control ant distributions, and restrict them to foliage

Every tripotent e of a generalized Jordan triple system of second order uniquely defines a decomposition of the space of the triple into a direct sum of eight components. This decomposition is a generalization of the Peirce decomposition for the Jordan triple system. The relations between components are studied in the case when e is a left unit.

Catalytic systems based on the clusters [H4RU4(CO)(10)-{mu-1,2-(P-P)}] and [H4RU4(CO)(10){1,1-(P-P)}] (P-P = (R)-(R)-Ph(2)PPhFcCHCH(3)PR(2); Fc = ferrocenyl; R = 3,5-CF3Ph (W001), Ph (W002)) have been used successfully in asymmetric hydrogenation of prochiral alpha-unsaturated carboxylic acids under mild conditions. Enantiomeric excesses of 42-92% and conversion rates in excess of 99% were observe

Pseudoachondroplasia (PSACH) is one of the more common skeletal dysplasias and results from mutations in cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP). Most COMP mutations identified to date cluster in the TSP3 repeat region of COMP and the mutant protein is retained in the rough endoplasmic reticulum (rER) of chondrocytes and may result in increased cell death. In contrast, the pathomolecular mechan

Objective: In the quadrivalent (types 6/11/16/18) HPV vaccine (GARDASIL (R)/SILGARD (R)) clinical program, 73% of women aged 16-26 were naive to all vaccine HPV types. In these women, prophylactic administration of the vaccine was highly effective in preventing HPV 6/11/16/18-related cervical disease. Of the remaining women, 15% of had evidence of past infection with one or more vaccine HPV types

We show that isolated magnetic dipoles centred at the position of manganese impurities in a gallium arsenide lattice lead to spin polarized states in the bandgap of the III-V semiconductor. Spectroscopy simulations with a tungsten tip agree well with experimental data; in this case, no difference can be observed for the two magnetic groundstates. But if the signal is read with a magnetic iron tip,

We compared 12-lead electrocardiograms (ECGs) derived with an improved transformation matrix from EASI leads and standard 12-lead ECGs in the detection of acute myocardial ischemia and old infarction (MI). For the ischemia test, we used ECGs of 40 patients recorded prior to and at peak inflation during percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, and for old MI we used test ECGs of 382 non-MI s

The interaction between DNA and positively charged dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide (DODAB) and DODAB/disteroylphosphatidylcholine (DSPC) monolayers at the air-aqueous interface was studied by a combination of the surface film balance and Brewster angle microscopy. In presence of DNA, the &UPi;-A isotherm of the cationic monolayer shifts to larger mean molecular areas due to the electrostat

Two general attacks that can be applied to all versions and variants of the Pomaranch stream cipher are presented. The attacks are demonstrated on all versions and succeed with complexity less than exhaustive keysearch. The first attack is a distinguisher which needs keystream from only one or a few IVs to succeed. The attack is not only successful on Pomaranch Version 3 but has also less computat

A series of copolymers of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) and the more hydrophobic comonomer N-tert-butylacrylamide (NTBAM), with increasing NTBAM content (i.e., increasing hydrophobicity) were prepared. The adhesion of human epithelial cells on polymer films prepared from copolymers of NIPAM: NTBAM was observed to increase with increasing polymer hydrophobicity. However, in the absence of serum, ce

Human exposure to methylmercury occurs mainly via consumption of fish. The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of freshwater fish consumption on mercury levels in hair, blood, urine, and end-exhaled air. Twenty subjects without dental amalgam fillings were recruited from sport-fishing societies. They ranged in age from 61 to 87 yr. Six individuals ate freshwater fish at least once a

Mating behaviour and mating patterns are affected to a large extent by body size in both hermaphrodites and gonochorists. Detailed research on mating patterns, mate choice, pre- and post-copulatory sexual selection in marine pulmonates is wanting, thus warranting more attention as a study system in the future. The simultaneous hermaphroditic limpet Siphonaria capensis (Pulmonata: Basommatophora) s

The aim of this research was to analyze the effects and the modes of action of elemental sulfur (So) in bioluminescence and respiration of Vibrio fischeri cells and the enzymes crude luciferase, pure catalase, and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH). Metallic copper removed sulfur and reduced the toxicity of acetone extracts of sediment samples analyzed in the bioluminescence test. The sulfur inhibition o

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to define the scales and test the validity, reliability, and sensitivity of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ)-H&N35, a questionnaire designed to assess the quality of life of head and neck (H&N) cancer patients in conjunction with the general cancer-specific EORTC QLQ-C30. PATIENTS AND