Osteoarthritis (OA) is a complex process affecting many different joint areas in the body. From a pathophysiological point of view some features are crucial for the diagnosis, such as cartilage fibrillation and thinning, subchondral sclerosis and the presence of osteophytes. From a clinical perspective, OA is the most prevalent rheumatic joint disorder, causing pain and stiffness of the joints and

The t(1;19)(q23;p13), which results in a fusion of TCF3 (previously E2A) at 19p13 with PBX1 at 1q23, is one of the most common translocations in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). It is seen either as a balanced t(1;19) or as an unbalanced der(19)t(1;19); occasional cases with coexisting t(1;19)- and der(19)-positive clones also have been described. Although it generally has been assumed that the

Background: Some bees and wasps have evolved nocturnal behavior, presumably to exploit night-flowering plants or avoid predators. Like their day-active relatives, they have apposition compound eyes, a design usually found in diurnal insects. The insensitive optics of apposition eyes are not well suited for nocturnal vision. How well then do nocturnal bees and wasps see? What optical and neural ada

The pattern of variation in characters closely connected with reproductive fitness and in a presumably weakly selected character, leaflet shape, was studied in the forest-herb Lathyrus vernus. Plants from twenty populations, representing three geographically distinct regions (C. Europe, S. Sweden and C. Sweden), were transplanted to a common garden. Leaflet shape, described using elliptic Fourier

We present an exact ab initio theory for describing the motion of interacting electrons through nanoscopic constrictions. Our theory is based on time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) and nonequilibrium Green functions. We consider the system electrode-device-electrode initially contacted and in equilibrium, therefore the scheme is thermodynamically consistent. Besides the steady-state r

We present QSim, a program for simulation of NMR experiments. Pulse sequences are implemented and analyzed in QSim using a mouse driven interface. QSim can handle almost any modern NMR experiment, using multiple channels, shaped pulses, mixing, decoupling, phase-cycling and pulsed field gradients. Any number of spins with any spin quantum number can, in theory, be used in simulations. Relaxation i

We present a cross-sectional scanning-tunneling microscopy investigation of twofold stacked InAs quantum dots in InP, between layers of GaInAs. The dots are vertically aligned, and images with atomic resolution show that the dots consist of pure InAs. Despite the intended twofold stacking of dots, three dots were often found in the stacks. The third dot formed immediately on top of the final InP l

Matrilin-2 is a member of the protein superfamily with von Willebrand factor type A-like modules. Mouse matrilin-2 cDNA fragments were expressed in 293-EBNA cells, and the protein was purified, characterized, and used to immunize rabbits. The affinity-purified antiserum detects matrilin-2 in dense and loose connective tissue structures, subepithelial connective tissue of the skin and digestive tra

This work investigates methods for obtaining reliably clean gold film surfaces. Nine gold cleaning methods are investigated here: UV ozone photoreactor; potassium hydroxide–hydrogen peroxide; potassium hydroxide potential sweep; sulfuric acid hydrogen peroxide; sulfuric acid potential cycling; hydrochloric acid potential cycling; dimethylamine borane reducing agent solutions at 25 and 65 °C; and a

Exopolysaccharide (EPS)-producing Streptococcus thermophilus strains have attracted interest recently, since the EPSs act as natural viscosifiers and texture enhancers of fermented foods. We have previously reported that the low level of EPS production by S. thermophilus LY03 could be improved by altering the activities of enzymes in the central carbon metabolism involved in the nucleotide sugar m

The aggregation behavior of an amphiphilic supramolecular system, with potential application as a tumor-specific magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent, has been studied in detail by dynamic light scattering, small-angle neutron scattering and cryotransmission electron microscopy. The system was constituted of mixed aggregates formed by an anionic unimer containing the DTPAGlu, a chelating agen

Substantial genetic variation is hypothesised to be necessary for the long-term survival of species. Therefore, a major aim in conservation is to maintain and restore variation in small and endangered populations. However, in most populations the amount of genetic variation and, thus, the potential threats posed by limited variation are unknown. In the present study, we assess genetic variation, b

A simple optical dosimeter was used to measure the light intensity in rat liver and muscle in vivo with fibers positioned at different depths to investigate whether the light penetration changed during photodynamic therapy (PDT). The results were then correlated with measurements of the three optical-interaction coefficients mu(s), mu(a), and g for wavelengths in the range 500-800 nm for PDT-treat

A virtual haptic-audio drawing program prototype designed for visually impaired children, has been gradually developed in a design-evaluation loop involving users in four stages. Three qualitative evaluations focused on recognizing drawn shapes and creating drawings have been conducted together with a reference group of 5 visually impaired children. Additionally, one formal pilot test involving I

In recent years, thermographic phosphors used for surface temperature measurements have been developed to suit combustion applications. Pulsed ultraviolet laser radiation at 266 nm and 7 ns duration was used to excite a thermographic phosphor, Mg4FGeO6:Mn, which was adapted to the surface of the investigated material. The laser-induced emission from the phosphor was recorded. A calibration of the

Within the primitive model of electrolytes, partitioning the system free energy into contributions from entropy and energy requires an explicit description of the temperature dependence of the dielectric constant epsilonr. Taking this into account, the authors find that the ion-ion correlation attraction between like charged macroions is governed by entropy and not energy as often argued. The auth

We examine the phase diagram of a Bose-Einstein condensate of atoms, interacting with an attractive pseudopotential, in a quadratic-plus-quartic potential trap rotating at a given rate. Investigating the behavior of the gas as a function of interaction strength and rotational frequency of the trap, we find that the phase diagram has three distinct phases: one with vortex excitation, one with cente