Transmembrane (TM) alpha-helical peptides with neutral flanking residues such as tryptophan form highly ordered striated domains when incorporated in gel-state 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) bilayers and inspected by atomic force microscopy (AFM) (1). In this study, we analyze the molecular organization of these striated domains using AFM, photo-cross-linking, fluorescence spec

Background: CD14, a receptor for lipopolysaccharides (LPS), is found in both a membrane-bound form (mCD14) and a soluble form (sCD14). It is suggested that sCD14 is mainly released from blood monocytes by serine protease-mediated shedding. Because alpha(1)-antitrypsin (AAT), an inhibitor of serine proteases, has been shown to regulate CD14 expression in human monocytes in vitro, we sought to inves

The purpose of our study was to investigate the temporal malignant tumor incidence rates among the 70,000 residents at the relatively isolated Nanao Island in South China Sea. The data on all malignant tumor cases from Nanao Cancer Registry during 1995-2004 were coded, computerized, and analyzed using the software SPSS10.0. The tumor incident cases, crude incident rate, age-standardized incidence

A novel photodynamic therapy system based on interstitial illumination using multiple fibres is under development. The aim with this system is to enable treatment of large tumour volumes and also to utilise real-time measurements to allow on-line dosimetry. Important dosimetric parameters to measure are light fluence rate, sensitizer fluorescence intensity and local blood oxygenation. A constructi

Objective. To determine the short-term and medium-term risks of cancer in patients receiving antitumor necrosis factor alpha (anti-TNF alpha) therapies that have proven effective in the treatment of chronic inflammatory conditions. Methods. By linking together data from the Swedish Biologics Register, Swedish registers of RA, and the Swedish Cancer Register, we identified and analyzed for cancer o

Pollen analyses and AMS C-14 measurements were performed on lacustrine sediments and peat sequences from two former crater lakes (Preluca Tiganului, Steregoiu) situated in the Gutaiului Mountains in northwestern Romania, in order to reconstruct the vegetation development during the Lateglacial and Early Holocene. Before c. 14,700 cal. years BP (GS-2) open vegetation with shrubs (Salix, Juniperus),

Haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are important target cells for gene therapy of blood disorders due to their pluripotency and ability to reconstitute haematopoiesis following myeloablation and transplantation. HSCs can 'self-renew' and generate new stem cells. Genetically modified stem cells are therefore expected to last a lifetime in the recipient following blood and marrow transplantation, and

We propose and demonstrate a technique combining micro-photoluminescence imaging with scanning photolithography at Cryogenic temperatures for creating photoresist masks at designated locations relative to single selected self-assembled quantum dots. The technique is demonstrated by producing a photoresist mask on top of a single selected InP quantum dot imbedded in GaInP. A mesa containing the qua

We prove under quite general assumptions the global existence of classical solutions for elliptic equations with dynamic boundary conditions.

Purpose To evaluate retinal function and histopathology in rabbits treated orally with the antiepileptic drug topiramate. Methods Six rabbits were treated with a daily oral dose of topiramate during a period of eight months. Six rabbits receiving water served as controls. Blood samples were analyzed for determination of topiramate serum levels in order to ensure successful drug exposition. Standar

Various parts of Piper obliquum Ruíz & Pavon yielded the new alkenylphenols obliquol A (1) and obliquol B (2), the new 4-chromanone 3 together with the known compounds 4 and 5. A synthesis of obliquol B (2) was developed in order to confirm its structure and to provide sufficient amounts for biological testing. Compounds 1 and 2 have antibacterial activity comparable to that of ampicillin, 2 i

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication is initiated by HBV RT binding to the highly conserved encapsidation signal, epsilon, at the 5' end of the RNA pregenome. Epsilon contains an apical stem-loop, whose residues are either totally conserved or show rare non-disruptive mutations. Here we present the structure of the apical stem-loop based on NOE, RDC and H-1 chemical shift NMR data. The H-1 chemical

Monte Carlo simulations and density functional calculations have been performed for charged macromolecules confined to planar slits. The force between the confining walls has been evaluated as a function of separation, while keeping the chemical potential of the macromolecules constant. Highly charged spherical particles and flexible polyelectrolyte chains in confinement give rise to depletion and

Human actions towards land, freshwater and oceans have already caused biodiversity to decline. This study aims to investigate attitudes towards the conservation of biological biodiversity among different groups in a Swedish city, Kristianstad. An inquiry including statements measuring attitudes towards the conservation of habitats, animals and plants, to the biological diversity within selected lo

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to delineate the use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) among women who were born between December 2, 1935, and December 1, 1945, and living in the Lund area of southern Sweden and to analyze factors that contribute to the acceptance and continuation of HRT. METHODS: All women received a generic questionnaire pertaining to demographic background, lifestyle, h

We consider the minimum line covering problem: given a set S of n points in the plane, we want to find the smallest number l of straight lines needed to cover all n points in S. We show that this problem can be solved in O(n log l) time if l is an element of O(log(1-is an element of) n), and that this is optimal in the algebraic computation tree model (we show that the Omega(n log l) lower bound h

We assess relative time courses of motor development in ferrets and rats and evaluate ferrets as experimental animals for studies of motor development. Motor behaviour of ferret pups was characterized in daily sessions from postnatal day (P) 2 to P63. Observations concerning rotational locomotion ('pivoting'), crawling, walking, upright standing ('rearing') and walking on a narrow path; righting o