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We investigated whether exposure to heavy metal pollution affected the immune function of individuals in a free living population of a small insectivorous passerine bird, the pied flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca. We measured humoral immune responses in two study areas: a polluted area in the vicinity of a copper smelter and a control area far from the smelter. Plasma corticosterone level and blood h

From a beginning of small isolated settlements around 1000 B.C., the city-state (polis) emerged in Greece in the course of four centuries as a political, geographical and judicial unit, with an assembly, council, magistrates and written laws. Using a rational-actor perspective, it is shown how this process was driven by competition among the members of the elite. A crucial ingredient was the gradu

Background The prevalence of minor children in families with a severely mentally ill member, these children's needs for support and the situation of the spouses were investigated as part of a multi-centre study of the quality of the mental health services in Sweden performed in 1986, 1991 and 1997. Methods The sample was drawn from relatives of compulsorily and voluntarily admitted inpatients to a

The effectiveness of extracting p,p'-DDT and p,p'-DDE from aged contaminated soil samples by means of pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) was evaluated. Two soil samples, which were contaminated more than 10 years ago, were used in the investigation. The static extraction time was optimised and then validated against the total sum of target analytes obtained from multiple sequential extractions. T

BACKGROUND: Reports of esophageal anastomotic complications often involve more gastric than colonic reconstructions and are incomplete because of fragmented followup by physicians unfamiliar with the surgical procedure. STUDY DESIGN: Three hundred ninety-three consecutive esophagectomy patients had prevalence and risk factors determined for graft ischemia and anastomotic leak; 363 of these patient

Purpose: Evaluation of the possibilities of reducing the accumulation of radiolabeled streptavidin in radiosensitive organs by extracorporeal affinity adsorption (ECAT). Experimental Design: Rats were injected with biotinylated antibody and subjected to removal of the antibodies from the circulation by ECAT 24 h after injection (avidin column). Animals were then injected with In-111-1,4,7,10-tetra

Maternally derived androgens have been shown to influence offspring phenotype in various ways. In birds, the benefits of prenatal androgen exposure, such as increased competitiveness and accelerated growth in nestlings, have been suggested to be balanced by costs, such as reduced immune function. In this study, we used an integrative approach to examine the influence of yolk androgens on the devel

Protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms are central components in intracellular networks that regulate a vast number of cellular processes. It has long been known that in most cell types, one or more PKC isoforms influences the morphology of the F-actin cytoskeleton and thereby regulates processes that are affected by remodelling of the microfilaments. These include cellular migration and neurite outgrowt

The accomplishments of the Nordic Myeloma Study Group (NMSG) during its first 15 yr are briefly surveyed, together with a discussion of principles guiding the group's clinical trials and of problems that need to be addressed in coming years. The group has so far carried out 12 clinical trials, comprising more than 2500 patients, spanning from minor phase II to large randomised phase III trials. At

Phosphodiesterases (PDEs) include a large group of structurally related enzymes that belong to at least seven related gene families (PDEs 1-7) that differ in their primary structure, affinity for cAMP and cGMP, response to specific effectors, sensitivity to specific inhibitors, and regulatory mechanism. One characteristic of PDE3s involves their phosphorylation and activation in response to insuli

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) refers to a genetically heterogeneous group of progressive neurodegenerative diseases that result in dysfunction and/or death of rod and cone photoreceptors in the retina. So far, 18 genes have been identified for autosomal-dominant (ad) RP. Here, we describe an adRP locus (RP42) at chromosome 7p15 through linkage analysis in a six-generation Scandinavian family and ident

P element-mediated mutagenesis has been used to disrupt an estimated 25% of genes essential for Drosophila adult viability. Mutation of all genes in the fly genome, however, poses a problem, because P elements show significant hotspots of integration. In addition, advanced screening scenarios often require the use of P element-based tools like the generation of germ-line mosaics using FLP recombin

Methods for measuring diffusion coefficients in gels are reviewed, and their capacities, limitations and requirements are briefly discussed. With four of these methods, i.e., the diaphragm cell, uptake/release from beads, holographic laser interferometry and nuclear magnetic resonance (FT-PGSE), a comparison is made with regard to accuracy and precision. The comparison is based on a number of stud