Sputum samples from 25 patients with bronchiectasis were assayed enzymatically for myeloperoxidase, neutrophil elastase and cathepsin B, and immunologically for cystatin A, cystatin B, cystatin C, cystatin S and kininogen. High myeloperoxidase and neutrophil elastase levels were found in those sputum samples that were assessed visually to be purulent. These samples were also found to contain high

The breeding biology of great tits (Parus major) was studied in two forests of maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) on the west coast of Portugal, 200 km apart: Leiria (north) and Apostica (south). These two forests are located in a transition zone between Atlantic climate in the north, and Mediterranean climate in the south. Breeding onset was, on average, in the second and third week of March, which a

Plants counteract fluctuations in water supply by regulating all aquaporins in the cell plasma membrane. Channel closure results either from the dephosphorylation of two conserved serine residues under conditions of drought stress, or from the protonation of a conserved histidine residue following a drop in cytoplasmic pH due to anoxia during flooding. Here we report the X-ray structure of the spi

High intake of fish has been associated with reduced risk of CHD. The high content of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in fish has been suggested to be a protective factor. In addition, fish is the entirely dominating source of methylmercury for the general population, and the concentration of Hg in erythrocytes (Ery-Hg) is often used as an index of fish consumption. Our aim was to study the

We have previously shown that patch test preparations of polymeric diphenylmethane diisocyanate (PMDI) are more stable than preparations of diphenylmethane-4,4'-diisocyanate (4,4'-MDI). This study was conducted to (i) investigate whether PMDIs yield as many positive reactions as 4,4'-MDI, (ii) study concurrent reactions to 4,4'-MDI and 4,4'-diaminodiphenylmethane (4,4'-MDA), and (iii) follow the c

Upon sustained insult, kinins are released and many kinin responses, such as inflammatory pain, adapt from a B2 receptor (B2R) type in the acute phase to a B1 receptor (B1R) type in the chronic phase. In this study, we show that kinins modulate receptor endocytosis to rapidly decrease B2R and increase B1R on the cell surface. B2Rs, which require agonist for activity, are stable plasma membrane com

BACKGROUND: The aim was to investigate the effect of calcium in organ preservation solutions with respect to 36-hour preservation of vascular smooth muscle function and endothelium-dependent relaxation. METHODS: The infrarenal aortas of 60 Sprague-Dawley rats were studied in organ baths as fresh controls and after 36 hours of cold (4 degrees C) storage in different preservation solutions with and

Several matrix metalloproteinases and serine proteinases are upregulated in migrating keratinocytes during cutaneous wound repair. Single cell culture studies indicate the necessity for matrix metalloproteinases but not for serine proteinases in keratinocyte locomotion. To account for epithelial-mesenchymal interactions, an ex vivo human skin wound model was used to investigate the contribution of

Allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation remains the only curative treatment of myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia (MMM). Previous reports have indicated significant treatment-related mortality (TRM) for patients transplanted after myeloablative conditioning but superior survival has been reported after reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC). We report the results of a survey of all al

Some strains of group B streptococci express a cell surface protein which binds IgA. This report describes some properties of such an IgA receptor and compares it with a previously described IgA receptor from group A streptococci. The group B receptor was released in an almost pure form from bacteria incubated at elevated pH, and could be isolated by IgA-Sepharose affinity chromatography. The sequ

The gas-phase high-resolution infrared spectrum of isothiazole in the range 600-1500 cm(-1) has been recorded, and revised band centres obtained for a number of vibrations. An analysis of the nu(11)(A') band at 818 cm(-1) and the nu(16)(A") band at 727cm(-1) has been performed, using the Watson Hamiltonian, A-reduction, IIIr representation. These were combined with previous microwave spectral data

Methods of imaging and intervention in acute non-traumatic vascular arterial conditions has changed substantially during recent years. Computed tomography, MRI angiography and, more recently, intravascular ultrasonography (IVUS) have replaced to a large extent conventional diagnostic angiography. An increasing number of patients are treated by endovascular interventions and numerous new treatment

Lipolysis in adipocytes governs the release of fatty acids for the supply of energy to various tissues of the body. This reaction is mediated by hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL), a cytosolic enzyme, and perilipin, which coats the lipid droplet surface in adipocytes. Both HSL and perilipin are substrates for polyphosphorylation by protein kinase A (PKA), and phosphorylation of perilipin is required t

"I have dealt with many different transformations with various periods of time, but the quickest that I have met was my own transformation in one moment from a physicist to a chemist." Ernest Rutherford (Nobel Banquet, 1908) This article is about how Ernest Rutherford (1871-1937) got the 1908 Nobel Prize in Chemistry and why he did not get a second Prize for his subsequent outstanding discoveries

The recently measured yeast transcriptional network is analyzed in terms of simplified Boolean network models, with the aim of determining feasible rule structures, given the requirement of stable solutions of the generated Boolean networks. We find that, for ensembles of generated models, those with canalyzing Boolean rules are remarkably stable, whereas those with random Boolean rules are only m

In this study, insomnia in 80-year-olds was related to medical, psychological and social factors. The data were based on examinations every year in people aged between 80 and 89 years. Of 333 people living in the city of Lund and born in 1908, 67% participated. Increased severity of insomnia was significantly associated with use of diuretics, other cardiovascular drugs, hypnotics and laxatives, an

Generalized reaction classes for the consumption and decomposition of aldehydes, ketones, and olefins are described. These classes are important for generating not only reactions for the consumption of the branching agents of low-temperature hydrocarbon combustion but also reactions of the oxidation of alkenes and the decomposition of cyclic ethers. These reaction classes have been extrapolated fr

Adsorption of cationic high molecular weight polyacrylamides (CPAM) (M-w is about 800 kDa) with different fractions of cationic units tau = 0.09 and tau = 0.018 onto silica surface was studied over a wide range of pH (4-9) and KCl concentration (c(s) = 10(-3)-10(-1) M) by in-situ null ellipsometry. We discuss how the adsorbed layer depends on the bulk conditions as well as kinetically responds to