The Gram-positive bacterium Streptococcus pyogenes is a major human pathogen causing substantial morbidity and mortality in society. S. pyogenes has evolved numerous molecular mechanisms to avoid the various actions of the human immune system and has established means to modulate both adaptive and innate immune responses. S. pyogenes produces and secretes proteolytic enzymes, which have an importa

Cationic-anionic surfactant mixtures can form aqueous two-phase systems. Such aqueous surfactant two-phase systems (ASTP systems) can be used for separation and purification of biomaterials. In this work we investigated the phase behavior and the partitioning of BSA and lysozyme in the ASTP system formed by mixtures of dodecyltriethylammonium bromide and sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS). The pseudo ter

The introduction of new methodologies into a software organization is a non-trivial problem because it usually requires the alteration of existing business and development processes and the change of habits and beliefs of software engineers and managers. This is particularly true for comprehensive methodologies that integrate e-learning and knowledge management. An example is the web-based collabo

We discuss what happens at the end of the QCD cascades. We show that, with just a few reasonable assumptions, the emission of soft gluons is constrained to produce an ordered field in the form of a helix. We describe how to modify the Lund fragmentation scheme in order to fragment such a field. Our modified fragmentation scheme yields results which are consistent with current experimental measurem

We analyzed a comprehensive set of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and length polymorphisms in the interferon regulatory factor 5 (IRF5) gene for their association with the autoimmune disease systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in 485 Swedish patients and 563 controls. We found 16 SNPs and two length polymorphisms that display association with SLE (P < 0.0005, OR > 1.4). Using a Bayesian mod

If $S$ is a hyponormal operator, then Putnam's inequality gives an estimate on the norm of the self-commutator $[S^*,S]$, while the Berger-Shaw theorem gives (under appropriate cyclicity hypotheses) a corresponding estimate on the trace of $[S^*,S]$. Of course these results hold when $S$ is subnormal. In the subnormal setting, the author obtains useful estimates on the norm and essential norm of

Several studies have demonstrated the hybrid origin of Squalius alburnoides, a complex of diploid, triploid and tetraploid fish, with Squalius pyrenaicus as the maternal ancestor and an Anaecypris hispanica-like species as the paternal ancestor. The aim of this study was to assess patterns of genetic diversity and similarity between sympatric forms of the different ploidy levels of S. alburnoides

Two ADP receptors have been identified on human platelets: P2Y(1) and P2Y(12). The P2Y(12) receptor blocker clopidogrel is widely used to reduce the risks in acute coronary syndromes, but, currently, there is no P2Y(1) blocker in clinical use. Evidence for variable responses to clopidogrel has been described in several reports. The mechanistic explanation for this phenomenon is not fully understoo

Existing literature is overwhelmingly sceptical about the capacity of the Council Presidency to shape the EU agenda. The Presidency's ability to promote private concerns is considered highly limited and, typically, the Presidency is depicted as a "responsabilité sans pouvior'. This article challenges the conventional wisdom on theoretical and empirical grounds. Theoretically, it develops a concept

Altered immunological functions and changes in the monoaminergic neurotransmitter systems are two important observations made previously in the study of possible etiological and pathophysiological factors for psychiatric disorders. In search of tentative autoimmune mechanisms involved in these disorders we studied the presence of immunoglobulin G (DA-IgG) with affinity for the monoamine dopamine (

For the design of a new separation process based on unfolding and refolding of protein, the partitioning behaviour of proteins was studied in thermoseparating polymer two-phase systems with varying pH and temperature. Chymotrypsin inhibitor 2 (CI2), which unfolds reversibly in a simple two-state manner, was partitioned in an aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) composed of a random copolymer of ethylen

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of a computer-based decision support system (DSS) on performance and inter-observer variability of interpretations regarding ischaemia and infarction in myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS). METHODS: Seven physicians independently interpreted 97 MPS studies, first without and then with the advice of a DSS. Four physicians had long

The study, comprising 125 sick-listed women aged 25-64 (m = 46.9 years) with widespread chronic pain, aimed at evaluating biopsychosocial problems as perceived by these women, studying such problems within a contextual framework, relating the findings to sociodemographic and medical data. Musculoskeletal complaints, fatigue, inability to work, sleep disturbances and uncertainty about the future we

Immotile-cilia syndrome is characterized by severe respiratory distress from early infancy, and also often by situs inversus. The first description of the disease was based on just four persons, but reasons were given to suggest that the disorder may not be exceedingly rare. The purpose of the present study was to estimate just how rare or how common it is and to evaluate its association with situ

Juvenile bird migrants are generally believed to use a clock-and-compass migratory orientation strategy. According to such a strategy migrants accomplish their migration by flying a number of successive flight steps with direction and number of steps controlled by an endogenous programme. One powerful way of testing this is by comparing predictions from a model of such a strategy with observed pat

Artikeln analyserar ur ett historiskt perspektiv två förbundssammanslagningar som under 2000-talet berört TCOs och SACOs största förbund inom privat sektor: bildandet av Unionen 1/1 2008 resp. Sveriges Ingenjörer 1/1 2007. Tidigare - mestadels aldrig fullföljda - sammanslagningsförsök som involverat Sif, HTF, Handels, Transport, SKTF, ST m fl fackförbund behandlas också, liksom den fram till HTFs