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 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

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

Two native grasses, Festuca ovina of dry and Agrostis stolonifera mainly of moist habitats of calcareous grasslands, were studied in an experiment with the objective of elucidating the effect of soil moisture level on soil solution chemistry, biomass production and shoot mineral nutrients. Eight levels of moisture, corresponding to 30-100% of the water-holding capacity (WHC) of the soil, were test

OBJECTIVE: Congestive heart failure (CHF) is accompanied by impaired peripheral blood flow and endothelial dysfunction with decreased release of nitric oxide (NO). Strong evidence supports the existence of another vasodilatory substance, endothelium derived hyperpolarising factor (EDHF), which has not previously been studied in CHF. METHOD: CHF was induced by left coronary artery ligation resultin

Maternal hormones can have substantial phenotypic effects in the progeny of many vertebrates. It has been proposed that mothers adaptively adjust hormone levels experienced by particular young to optimize their reproductive output. In birds, systematic variation in egg hormone levels has been related to different female reproductive strategies. Because in many bird species prospects of the offspri

To describe lifetime mental disorders among perpetrators of severe inter-personal crimes and to identify the problem domains most closely associated with aggression and a history of repeated violent criminality, we used structured interviews, clinical assessments, analyses of intellectual functioning, medical and social files, and collateral interviews in 100 consecutive subjects of pretrial foren

In this work, we studied the influence of fusion affinity tags containing both hydrophobic and histidines residues on the partitioning of the green fluorescent protein, GFPuv, in aqueous two-phase system. The tags were fused to the N-terminal of GFPuv and tested by immobilized metal affinity partitioning, in a PEG/salt system. The presence of both types of residues in the tag increased the partiti

Increased mucin expression is a feature of nasal polyposis. Corticosteroids reduce polyp size and symptoms, but their effect on mucin production remains unknown. In this study, the effects of intranasal corticosteroids on MUC5AC mucin expression, nasal resistance, eosinophil and neutrophil infiltration, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), interleukin (IL)-8, and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-a

Objective. To compare choice of actions and justifying reasons among the general public, GPs and oncologists. Design. A postal questionnaire using four vignettes: a healthy patient reluctant to quit smoking and one demanding an X-ray, a pulmonary cancer patient reluctant to quit smoking and one demanding immunotherapy. Subjects. A random sample of the general public (n=1000), GPs (n=200), and onco

Level-set G-equation and stationary flamelet chemistry are used in large eddy simulation of a propane/air premixed turbulent flame stabilized by a bluff body. The aim was to study the interaction between the flame front and turbulent eddies, and in particular to examine the effect of sub-grid scale (SGS) eddies on the wrinkling of the flame surface. The results indicated that the two types of turb

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of two different fresh gas flows on inspired and end-tidal sevoflurane concentration for a given vaporizer setting in a low-flow anesthesia system.DESIGN: Prospective clinical study.SETTING: Department of Anesthesiology of a university teaching hospital.PATIENTS: 56 ASA physical status I and II patients without systemic diseases, having elective surgery w

Although predation is thought to affect species divergence, the effects of predator-mediated natural selection on species divergence and in nonadaptive radiations have seldom been studied. Wing melanization in Calopteryx damselflies has important functions in sexual selection and interspecific interactions and in species recognition. The genus Calopteryx and other damselfly genera have also been p

In population-based studies, a cluster of cardiovascular risk factors comprising the metabolic syndrome (MetS) has been documented as predictive of cardiovascular disease events and type 2 diabetes. Currently, there are several proposed definitions of the MetS, although data support some advantages of using the 2005 National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III definition, which

Hartwig, Larsson and Silvestrov in [J.T. Hartwig, D. Larsson, S.D. Silvestrov, Deformations of Lie algebras using σ-derivations, J. Algebra 295 (2) (2006) 314–361] defined a bracket on σ-derivations of a commutative algebra. We show that this bracket preserves inner derivations, and based on this obtain structural results providing new insights into σ-derivations on Laurent polynomials in one vari

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

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

Intrastriatal transplants of embryonic ventral mesencephalon can cause dyskinesia in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). We assessed the impact of transplant size on the development of graft-induced dyskinesia. Rats with unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine lesions were primed to exhibit l-DOPA-induced dyskinesia. They were then intrastriatally grafted with different quantities of embryonic ventral me