Pulmonaria officinalis is an understorey spring geophyte, which starts its vegetative period before full foliation of the tree storey. During its early growth phase it is exposed to full solar radiation, therefore the enhanced UV-B radiation could present a threat to this species. An outdoor experiment in which potted plants were exposed to below ambient, ambient, and above ambient (corresponding

C-13 labeled methane and rhenium-boron coated plates were used at the JET tokamak as tracers for studies of the material transport, its erosion and re-deposition. Experimental procedures are described. The results are discussed in terms of processes underlying the material transport and the change of morphology of targets exposed to the plasma: physical sputtering, chemical erosion, prompt re-depo

Aim: The aim of this paper was to review the literature on the clinical importance of monitoring intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) after ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA) repair. Method: The literature was searched for abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) or intra-abdominal pressure and aortic aneurysm. Original articles were studied. Personal experiences were reported. Results: The Consensus

We investigated the dimensions and stability in health-related behaviors (HRBs) among midlife Swedish women, and the factors that predicted change in those behaviors. At age 43, 569 women from a representative longitudinal sample completed questionnaires about lifestyle (diet, exercise, smoking, alcohol) and participated in medical screening. Four years later we mailed a follow-up questionnaire. H

Software development is a complex area and extensive practice and reflection is required in order to obtain a good understanding of the different tasks involved in going from idea to deliverable software. To help in providing this understanding, we have developed a team programming course based on extreme programming and a coaching course. We discuss how these courses affect the curriculum, the de

The mechanism of formation of two different cubic mesoporous silica materials formed with Pluronic triblock copolymers is investigated with in situ time-resolved small-angle synchrotron X-ray scattering, in situ time-resolved H-1 nuclear magnetic resonance, and time-resolved transmission electron microscopy. The materials studied are the micellar cubic (Im (3) over barm) SBA-16 formed with Pluroni

Background & Aims: Gastrin stimulation of the type 2 cholecystokinin (CCK2) receptor results in ECL cell proliferation and histamine secretion. This report describes the effects of targeted disruption of the CCK2 receptor gene on ECL cell morphology and function. Methods: The ECL cells in the oxyntic mucosa of CCK2 receptor-deficient (knockout [KO]) vs. wild-type (WT) mice were investigated by

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of hepatic vein occlusion by stent-graft used in transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS). The experiments were performed in six healthy pigs under general anesthesia. Following percutaneous transhepatic implantation of a port-a-cath in the right hepatic vein, TIPS was created with a stent-graft (Viatorr; W L Gore, Flagstaff, AZ, US

Epidemiologic studies suggest that a high intake of fruits and vegetables is associated with decreased risk of cancers of the upper aero-digestive tract. We studied data from 345,904 subjects of the prospective European Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) recruited in seven European countries, who had completed a dietary questionnaire in 1992-1998. During 2,182,560 person years of obser

Collagen-induced arthritis ( CIA), an approved animal model for rheumatoid arthritis, is thought to be a T cell-dependent disease. There is evidence that CD8(+) T cells are a major subset controlling the pathogenesis of CIA. They probably contribute to certain features of disease, namely tissue destruction and synovial hyperplasia. In this study we examined the role of perforin (pfp), a key molecu

Introduction Methods Results Discussion Conclusion Consistent evidence underlines the utility of human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA testing in the management of women with equivocal cervical cytological abnormalities, but not in case of low-grade lesions. We performed a meta-analysis including studies where the high-risk probe of the Hybrid Capture-II is used to triage these two cytological categories

To increase our knowledge of human peripheral vasospasm we characterized the contractile 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) receptors in human superficial hand vein segments in vitro. The 5-HT1 receptor agonist, sumatriptan, the 5-HT2 receptor agonist, dl-alpha-methyl-5-HT, and the 5-HT3 receptor agonist, 2-methyl-5-HT, all induced concentration-dependent contractions. The contractile response to sumatrip

Eighty-eight subjects with adolescent-onset psychotic disorders (mean age+/-standard deviation 15.7+/-1.5 years), mainly schizophrenia and affective disorders, were followed up 10.6+/-3.6 years later, rediagnosed (DSM-IV) and assessed with the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale, abuse of drugs including nicotine, the Lancashire Quality of Life Profile and occurrence of suicide or suicide attempts

Serotonin-stimulated activation of phospholipase C in primary astroglial cell cultures was studied as a mean of evaluating the effect of acute ethanol exposition on this signal transduction system. The addition of 50-150 mM ethanol prior to stimulation with 10(-5) M serotonin led to a potentiation of the serotonin-induced [3H]-inositol phosphate formation and an increased incorporation of [3H]-ino

A new negligible depletion extraction procedure was proposed for equilibrium sampling of 4-tert-octylphenol (OP) and 4-nonylphenol (NP) into a thin film of 1-octanol supported on a hollow fiber membrane. This thin liquid film extraction technique was directed at the determination of ( 1) freely dissolved concentrations, ( 2) distribution coefficients to 1-octanol (D-ow), and ( 3) binding to dissol

Haemorrhages represent a major complication of treatment with vitamin K antagonists. In cases of severe bleeding, a prompt effect on the increased International Normalized Ratio value is vital to achieve haemostasis. As conventional treatment, that is plasma or plasma-derived concentrates, carries the risk of blood-borne virus transmission, new treatments are needed. An open, multicentre pilot tri

Despite its recognition as an important source of variation in recruitment probability, the ecological processes leading to mortality between fledging and independence are poorly studied. Accordingly, the proximate and ultimate impact of bottom-up (food limitation) and top-down factors (predators, pathogens) for individual survival as well as population productivity is largely unknown in most terr