β-Mannans are abundant and diverse plant structural and storage polysaccharides. Certain human gut microbiota members including health-promoting Bifidobacterium spp. catabolize dietary mannans. Little insight is available on the enzymology of mannan deconstruction in the gut ecological niche. Here, we report the biochemical properties of the first family 5 subfamily 8 glycoside hydrolase (GH5_8) m

Patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) are usually obese and concurrent obesity results into activation of the renin-angiotensin-system (RAS) which is a risk factor for diabetic nephropathy (DN). Gene-gene interaction between acetyl-coenzymeA carboxylase beta (ACAC beta) gene, which is involved in fatty acid metabolism and angiotensin II receptors (AGTR1) gene, which mediates RAS proteins actions on

We investigate the interaction between surface acoustic waves on a piezoelectric LiNbO3 substrate and charge carriers in InAs nanowire transistors. Interdigital transducers are used to excite electromechanical waves on the chip surface and their influence on the transport in the nanowire devices is studied at room temperature. Charge pumping is studied in different biasing conditions and in pulsed

For the assessment of personal exposure, information about the concentration of pollutants when people are in given indoor environments (occupancy time) are of prime importance. However this kind of data frequently is not reported. The aim of this study was to assess differences in particle characteristics between occupancy time and the total monitoring period, with the latter being the most frequ

This thesis presents methods for improving the accuracy and efficiency of tasks performed using different kinds of industrial manipulators, with a focus on the application of machining. Industrial robots offer a flexible and cost-efficient alternative to machine tools for machining, but cannot achieve as high accuracy out of the box. This is mainly caused by non-ideal properties in the robot joint

Although Rac and its activator Tiam1 are known to stimulate cell-cell adhesion, the mechanisms regulating their activity in cell-cell junction formation are poorly understood. Here, we identify beta 2-syntrophin as a Tiam1 interactor required for optimal cell-cell adhesion. We show that during tight-junction (TJ) assembly beta 2-syntrophin promotes Tiam1-Rac activity, in contrast to the function o

The present study describes the development and testing of a tool for dolphin research. This tool was able to visualize the dolphin echolocation signals as well as function as an acoustically operated “touch screen”. The system consisted of a matrix of hydrophones attached to a semi-transparent screen, which was lowered in front of an underwater acrylic panel in a dolphin pool. When a dolphin aime

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate how food manufacturers in Sweden define and view innovations, how they view their role and those of other actors and the interaction/collaboration regarding innovations in the food supply/value chain. Design/methodology/approach – After an exploratory pre-study with 12 participants, a full study of Swedish manufacturers comprised of represent

The complement (C') cascade is an important part of the innate immunity. It acts through three major pathways: classical (CP), alternative (AP) and mannose-binding-lectin (MP). C' reduction is a key feature in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), for its pathogenesis and for disease relapse. The aims of our study are to correlate C' variations with disease activity and verify the presence of C' def

The use of a transport system for out-oftreatment room set-up in external beam radiotherapy has been verified. We have looked into the vibrations which a patient is subject to during movement of the trolley as well as the accuracy achieved when using a reclining table for patient set-up and immobilization. The accuracy that can be achieved by the reclining approach is compared to conventional meth

In two papers, Pekala et al. (2010a, 2010b) reviewed and empirically assessed the relationships among response expectancies, hypnotic suggestibility, spontaneous alterations in consciousness following a hypnotic induction, and hypnotic depth. We appreciate their attempt to integrate diverse facets of hypnotic responding and reconcile seemingly competing accounts of hypnosis. In addition, we applau

This paper elaborates on the debate whether safety investigations are obsolete and should be replaced by more modern safety assessment approaches. Despite their past performance, in particular in aviation, accident investigations are criticized for their reactive nature and the lack of learning potential they provide. Although safety management systems are considered a modern method with a more pr

Background: Endothelial dysfunction plays a central role in atherosclerotic progression and cardiovascular complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Given the role of nitric oxide in the vascular system, we aimed to test hypotheses of synergy between the common endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) Asp(298) allele and T2DM in predisposing to acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Methods: I

The feasibility of applying laser-induced phosphorescence in a combustion environment was shown by testing the consistency of the emission-temperature relations of thermographic phosphor particles (YAG:Dy). The relations were calibrated before and after the phosphor particles had passed a flame front. The calibrations were performed in air and in pure oxygen. The emission-temperature relation prev

Molecular interactions for proline in a highly concentrated aqueous solution (up to 1:5 proline:water molecular ratio) have been investigated using a variety of experimental and computational techniques. Rather than the solution containing either small crystallites or large aggregates of proline, three-dimensional structural analysis reveals the presence of prolineproline dimers. These dimers appe