Proteolytic cleavage of the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX) by calpains impairs calcium homeostasis, leading to a delayed calcium overload and excitotoxic cell death. However, it is not known whether reversal of the exchanger contributes to activate calpains and trigger neuronal death. We investigated the role of the reversal of the NCX in Ca2+ dynamics, calpain activation and cell viability, in alpha-am

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The control of balance is vital in many sporting activities as well as in activities of daily life. In order to treat deficiencies properly valid and reliable methods are needed to evaluate different aspects of stability. Muscle fatigue has been proposed to cause a change in postural control strategy, and the use of different tools and variables might therefore elucidate th

The anharmonic properties of a surface intermediate, methoxy, adsorbed on Cu(100) are investigated by surface infrared overtone spectroscopy and density-functional-theory electronic structure calculations. The anharmonicity is measured in the zero-coverage limit, and it is observed that the anharmonicity is increased upon adsorption as compared with the free methanol. By combining experiments with

Two novel methods for the determination of diffusion coefficients of redox species combining the special properties of microdispensing devices and microelectrodes are presented Both are based on the local application of tiny volumes of the redox-active species by means of a dispenser nozzle at a defined distance from the surface of a microelectrode. The microelectrode, which is inserted through th

Cathepsin D is a lysosomal protease implicated in cancer metastasis. Its concentration in breast tumours has also been shown to be of prognostic importance, although to what extent this is subject to lymph node status, the use of adjuvant therapy and menopausal status has not been clearly evaluated. At a cut-off level of 45 pmol/mg protein (61% of the 623 samples were classified as high cathepsin

We prove several approximation theorems of the complex Monge-Ampere operator on a compact Kahler manifold. As an application we give a new proof of a recent result of Guedj and Zeriahi on a complete description of the range of the complex Monge-Ampere operator in the class of w-plurisubharmonic functions with vanishing complex Monge-Ampere mass on all pluripolar sets. As a by-product we obtain a s

Objective: Resistin is a secreted factor that is elevated in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and believed to drive joint inflammation in vivo. This study was undertaken to determine if resistin is present in the joint following joint injury and to elucidate the role of resistin in cartilage degradation. Methods: The level of resistin was measured in paired synovial fluid (SF) and serum samples from pati

The merger of the head offices of two public service organizations in Sweden was used to examine differences in the meanings that employees attach to the organizations involved and their expectations of the new merged organization, nine months prior to the merger. A two-stage methodology was used, combining the repertory grid method with a survey questionnaire based on the elicited constructs. Pre

Two studies are presented, with the aim of establishing the dose potency ratio for salbutamol given via Turbuhaler and via a pressurized metered-dose inhaler (pMDI). Both studies were of a double-blind, randomized design. Outpatients with mild-to-moderate chronic reversible airway obstruction were given single doses of salbutamol administered via Turbuhaler and via pMDI. Efficacy and safety variab

We have employed Lu-Hf apatite chronology to determine the age of a magnetite-rich melatroctolite in southern Sweden, known as the Smalands Taberg Fe-Ti ore deposit. The melatroctolite is poor in incompatible elements and minerals forming at more advanced stages of differentiation, which precludes the use of minerals (baddeleyite, zircon, titanite or apatite) commonly used for dating the emplaceme

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the health-related quality of life in survivors of endometrial cancer (EC); and to identify common problems that they may encounter, in the hope of paving the way to improving their quality of life. STUDY DESIGN: We investigated and compared the health conditions and quality of life between EC survivors and the general population as a control group.

Nuclei near the prolate single-particle energy gap at proton number Z = 38 (epsilon(2) approximate to +0.38) and neutron number N approximate to Z offer unique possibilities to study the pn-interaction at large quadrupole deformation, In the yrast band of the Z = N = 37 nucleus Rb-74, We have identified a crossing of the T = 1 pn-paired band (even spins) with the T = 0 pn-unpaired band (odd spins)

We present a structural determination of the surface reconstruction of the Sm(0001) surface using surface x-ray diffraction, scanning tunneling microscopy, and ab initio calculations. The reconstruction is associated with a large (22%) expansion of the atomic radius for the top monolayer surface Sm atoms. The mechanism driving the surface reconstruction in Sm is unique among all elements and is co

P-mode oscillations in the Sun and stars are excited stochastically byReynolds stress and entropy fluctuations produced by convection in theirouter envelopes. The excitation rate of radial oscillations of starsnear the main sequence from K to F and a subgiant K IV star have beencalculated from numerical simulations of their surface convection zones.P-mode excitation increases with increasing effec

The lifetimes of the first excited states of the N=30 isotones Ca-50 and Sc-51 have been determined using the Recoil Distance Doppler Shift method in combination with the CLARA-PRISMA spectrometers. This is the first time such a method is applied to measure lifetimes of neutron-rich nuclei populated via a multinucleon transfer reaction. This extends the lifetime knowledge beyond the f(7/2) shell c

In skin, hemidesmosomal protein complexes attach the epidermis to the dermis and are critical for stable connection of the basal epithelial cell cytoskeleton with the basement membrane (BM). In muscle, a similar supramolecular aggregate, the dystrophin glycoprotein complex links the inside of muscle cells with the BM. A component of the muscle complex, dystroglycan (DG), also occurs in epithelia.