Rhinovirus infection or dsRNA stimulation increased thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), an upstream pro-allergic cytokine, in asthmatic bronchial epithelial cells. We hypothesized that dsRNA challenges superimposed on established experimental allergic asthma constitute a useful exacerbation model. We further hypothesized that TSLP is induced at dsRNA- and rhinoviral infection-induced exacerbation

This paper reports on a joint numerical and experimental investigation of the release of potassium from biomass during gasification process. In this work, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) was adopted to measure quantitatively the concentration of potassium from gasifying biomass. The effect of temperature on the potassium release is investigated in hot gas mixture of CO2, H2O with diffe

In this paper, we derive compact representations of the depth function for a triangle undergoing motion or defocus blur. Unlike a static primitive, where the depth function is planar, the depth function is a rational function in time and the lens parameters. Furthermore, we show how these compact depth functions can be used to design an efficient depth buffer compressor/decompressor, which signifi

Background: Persistent left superior vena cava (LSVC) is one of the common anomalies of the systemic veins. Its prevalence is 0.1-0.3% in the general population and is more common with congenital heart disease (CHD). The importance of detecting persistent LSVC prior to cardiac surgery is paramount for systemic veins cannulations. Aim: The aim was to evaluate the prevalence of persistent LSVC in pa

Energy security is sometimes used to advocate renewable energy systems. Renewable energy systems can improve some aspects of security, but they will not automatically lead to the removal of all types of security problems and new problems will most certainly arise. This paper analyses energy security aspects of renewable energy systems on the basis of a broad typology on energy and security. Renewa

Studies were conducted in human isolated coronary arteries to explore the vascular effects of the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor antagonist telcagepant, and to compare its coronary vasoconstrictive potential to that of zolmitriptan. KCl-precontracted coronary vessels were shown to relax to human alphaCGRP, with the CGRP-mediated vasorelaxation completely blocked with 30 muM telcag

The monosaccharide anhydrides (MAs) levoglucosan, galactosan and mannosan are products of incomplete combustion and pyrolysis of cellulose and hemicelluloses, and are found to be major constituents of biomass burning (BB) aerosol particles. Hence, ambient aerosol particle concentrations of levoglucosan are commonly used to study the influence of residential wood burning, agricultural waste burning

A Ni-Cu ion exchange has been observed for (5,15-dibromo-10,20-diphenylporphyrinato)nickel(II) (NiDBrDPP) and (5,10,15,20-tetrakis-(4-bromophenyl) porphyrinato)nickel(II) (NiTBrPP) on Cu(111). The ion exchange proceeds at a faster rate for the NiDBrDPP/Cu(111) system compared to NiTBrPP/Cu(111). This is explained in terms of the macrocycle-substrate distance and the distortions

Colostrum is an indispensable source of antibodies (IgG) protecting the newborn pig against infection. We studied the effect of feeding colostrum and purified IgG on early structure and development of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Newborn littermate pigs were fed either colostrum, an elemental diet (ED), or an ED supplemented with purified serum IgG (ED + IgG) for 24 h or then only ED up to 72

When designing compensation payments for biodiversity conservation measures setting appropriate incentives so that landowners select spatially connected land parcels for conservation is of key importance for many species. The proposition of an agglomeration bonus, where landowners receive a homogeneous payment and a bonus on top if the spatial allocation of conserved land benefits biodiversity, ha

We describe and discuss an outsourcing decision project, in which a large public organisation decided to outsource its ICT and IS. Different phases and critical steps in the project are highlighted, and some critical issues are identified. First, it is clear that there were different definitions of “hosting” and these different definitions made it unclear what the project was about. The desired pr

Optimal linearly constrained minimum variance (LCMV) filtering methods have recently been applied to fundamental frequency estimation. Like many other fundamental frequency estimators, these methods are constructed using an estimate of the inverse data covariance matrix. The required matrix inverse is typically formed using the sample covariance matrix via data partitioning, although this is well-

Recent years have seen an increasing interest in asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) as a method for the fractionation and characterization of macromolecules and colloidal particles. In this paper utilization of AF4 in food applications is reviewed. Instrumental considerations are discussed as well as which properties can be assessed by AF4 and adequate detection systems. Furthermore,

The single-module non-ribosomal peptide synthetase BpsA from Streptomyces lavendulae has the unique ability to autonomously synthesize a coloured product (indigoidine) from a single substrate (l-glutamine), conditional upon activation by a 4'-phosphopantetheinyl transferase (PPTase) partner. We show that bpsA can be expressed in an entD PPTase gene deleted mutant of Escherichia coli to yield a sen

Objectives: Based on the integration of attachment and physical self-perception perspectives, the present study examined links between adolescents' engagement in physical activity and their attachment relationships with mothers, fathers, and friends, respectively, and assessed the potential mediation role of physical self-perception in this link. Design and methods: Using a cross-sectional design,

PurposeTo examine the cartilage quality in young adults with recurrent patellar dislocation in childhood using different magnetic resonance imaging parameters. MethodsSixteen young adults with unilateral recurrent patellar dislocation were investigated 5 y (mean, 8.5 y) after the first dislocation. Pre- and postcontrast T1 and precontrast T2 relaxation times were analyzed in four superficial and f

Purpose: To examine and describe the factors promoting sustainable work in women with fibromyalgia (FM). Methods: A qualitative interview study. Twenty-seven gainfully employed women with FM participated in five focus group interviews. Their median age was 52 years, ranging from 33 to 62. The interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed by qualitative latent content analysis. Result

Superantigens are immune-stimulatory toxins produced by Staphylococcus aureus, which are able to interact with host immune receptors to induce a massive release of cytokines, causing toxic shock syndrome and possibly death. In this article, we present the x-ray structure of staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) in complex with its receptors, the TCR and MHC class II, forming a ternary complex. The st

To determine the extent the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines on the care of Low Birth Weight (LBW) newborns are followed in Pakistani hospitals and analyze any difference in policy compliance between different hospitals.