The properties of a sol-gel prepared Mn-modified TiO2 film have been studied with X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) using synchrotron radiation. The chemical composition and oxidation state of the elements have been determined. The manganese content estimated by PES of the Mn-modified film is about 10% and both Mn2+ and Mn3+ are observed. Addition of Mn is fo

Objective: Body mass index (BMI) is associated with increased incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, the risk could be very different for individuals with the same body mass. The present study explored whether regional fat distribution, as measured by waist-hip ratio (WHR), could modify the impact of BMI on the risk of CVD in men and women. Design: Prospective population-based study.

Drug-induced dyskinesias (DID) manifested as hyperkinetic and/or dystonic movements or postures are common problems in Parkinson's disease (PD). Novel therapeutic interventions may offer possibilities to counteract these common adverse effects of an otherwise necessary treatment. To be able to evaluate the effects of such interventions on DID, reliable and relevant clinical assessment tools are ne

The early marsh orchid, Dactylorhiza incarnata (L.) Soo s. l., grows in medium-rich to rich fens and marshes over much of Europe and parts of Asia. The species is highly polymorphic and different forms may grow together at the same site. In the present study, I tested the hypothesis that these forms represent different migrant populations that have colonized Scandinavia independently of each other

Ferrochelatase is the terminal enzyme in haem biosynthesis, i.e. the enzyme that inserts a ferrous ion into the porphyrin ring. Suggested reaction mechanisms for this enzyme involve a distortion of the porphyrin ring when it is bound to the enzyme. We have examined the energetics of such distortions using various theoretical calculations. With the density functional B3LYP method we calculate how m

Background A genetic component of early-onset lung cancer has been suggested. The role of metabolic gene polymorphisms has never been studied in young lung cancer cases. Phase 1 and Phase 2 gene polymorphisms are involved in tobacco carcinogens' metabolism and therefore in lung cancer risk. Methods The effect of metabolic gene polymorphisms on lung cancer at young ages was studied by pooling data

In an attempt to elucidate the effect of mixing on the rate and extent of enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulosic substrates, alpha -cellulose was hydrolysed using a commercial cellulase preparation at varying levels of substrate concentration (2.5,5 and 7.5% (w/v)) and by using three shaking regimes: continuous at low-speed (25 rpm), continuous at high-speed (150 rpm) and an intermittent regime compri

We propose a new method to reconstruct the electric field of attosecond pulse trains. The phase of the high-order harmonic emission electric field is Taylor expanded around the maximum of the laser pulse envelope in the time domain and around the central harmonic in the frequency domain. Experimental measurements allow us to determine the coefficients of this expansion and to characterize the radi

The paper compares two lexical items, Icelandic ma@?ur and Swedish man, for the construction of a detached, general discourse stance (Berman, Ragnarsdottir and Stromqvist, 2002). Both forms mean 'man', but they can also be used in a generic sense. In that usage, Icelandic ma@?ur is associated with several semantic, pragmatic, and stylistic constraints, whereas Swedish man is more freely applicable

We investigated whether local biotic and abiotic conditions could explain the occurrence of calling males of the declining spadefoot toad Pelobates fuscus in 72 ponds in southern Sweden. The ponds covered the entire distribution range of P. fuscus and were monitored during the breeding season in 2000. Calling males were found in 33 ponds. representing ca 50% of all known ponds for the species ill

BACKGROUND: Human papillomavirus types 16 (HPV-16) and 18 (HPV-18) cause approximately 70% of cervical cancers worldwide. A phase 3 trial was conducted to evaluate a quadrivalent vaccine against HPV types 6, 11, 16, and 18 (HPV-6/11/16/18) for the prevention of high-grade cervical lesions associated with HPV-16 and HPV-18. METHODS: In this randomized, double-blind trial, we assigned 12,167 women b

Previous studies have shown that ventilation patterns affect absorption of inhaled compounds. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of large tidal volume ventilation (LTVV) on the absorption of inhaled insulin in rabbits. Mechanically ventilated rabbits were given human insulin via a nebuliser system, and plasma insulin was measured for the following 120 min. Ventilation was ad

The European Study on Adult Well-being (ESAW), funded by the European Union, was conducted during 2002 and 2003 in Austria, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, United Kingdom and Sweden. The aim of the interdisciplinary study was the conceptual clarification and the identification of factors contributing to life satisfaction for older people. Five key components were included in the study: (1) phy

Secretoneurin is a neuropeptide potentially involved in migration of eosinophils, monocytes, and dendritic cells. Whether secretoneurin is present in the human airway mucosa and whether it is released at ongoing allergic airway inflammation is currently unknown. In patients with allergic rhinitis, we have explored the occurrence of secretoneurin in nasal mucosal biopsies and lavage fluids before a

Background-The time course and magnitude of infarct involution, functional recovery, and normalization of infarct-related electrocardiographic (ECG) changes after acute myocardial infarction (MI) are not completely known in humans. We sought to explore these processes early after MI and during infarct-healing using cardiac MRI. Methods and Results-Twenty-two patients with reperfused first-time MI

Animals foraging in a heterogeneous environment may combine prior information on patch qualities and patch sample information to maximize intake rate. Prior information dictates the long-term expectations, whereas prior information in combination with patch sample information determines when to leave an individual food patch. We examined patch use behaviour of benthic feeding fish in their natural

Objectives: To assess the prevalence of pharyngeal and oesophageal symptoms and dysmotility in patients with primary Sjogren's syndrome ( pSS) and relate these to autonomic nervous function. Methods: Twenty consecutive pSS patients, according to the American - European Consensus Criteria ( AECC), and 30 age- and sex- matched controls from the Swedish general population registry were studied. All s

In vivo studies on rats have demonstrated that considerable amounts of iodide are transported from the bloodstream into the gastric lumen. The mechanisms for and functional significance of this transport are poorly understood. Active (driven by Na+/K+-ATPase) iodide transport into thyroid follicular cells is mediated by the sodium-iodide symporter (NIS), which is also abundantly expressed in gastr

Genetic engineering has been used for fusion of peptides, with different length and composition, on a protein to study the effect on partitioning in an aqueous two-phase system. The system was composed of dextran and the thermoseparating ethylene oxide-propylene oxide random copolymer, EO30PO70. Peptides containing tryptophan, proline, arginine or aspartate residues were fused at the C-terminus of