Human cystatin C (HCC) shows a tendency to dimerize. This process is particularly easy in the case of the L68Q HCC mutant and might lead to formation of amyloid deposits in brain arteries of young adults. Our purpose was to find ligands of monomeric HCC that can prevent its dimerization. Eleven antisense peptide ligands of monomeric HCC were designed and synthesized. The influence of these ligands

Background: Official guidelines that promote evidence-based and cost-effective prescribing are of main relevance for obvious reasons. However, to what extent these guidelines are followed and their conditioning factors at different levels of the health care system are still insufficiently known. In January 2004, a decentralized drug budget was implemented in the county of Scania, Sweden. Focusing

The aim of this paper is to investigate the forms, significance and effects of elite identity constructions in four consulting firms based in the UK and Sweden. The paper examines a range of strategic and symbolic mechanisms that were used by the senior members and other actors of these firms to construct an elite organizational identity. In terms of general effects, an elite social identity was f

In this paper, we present a cluster based analysis of an outdoor-to-indoor Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) measurement campaign, and extract model parameters for the COST273 channel model. The measurements were performed at 5.2 GHz for 159 measurement locations in an office building. Multipath component (MPC) parameters have been extracted for these positions using a high-resolution algorith

The cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) is a critical effector of the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We used oligonucleotide microarray (OM) analysis to assess TNF-alpha-modulated gene expression in cultured primary human synoviocytes in vitro. Genes identified include cytokines and inflammatory mediators, extracellular matrix and adhesion molecules, cell cycle and prolife

In this study, user participation is suggested as a means, a process and role-playing between system users and developers in systems development. User participation in object-oriented contexts is observed from methodological and practical perspectives as a combined field of study. From the methodological perspective, three object-oriented methods are assessed according to NIMSAD, a method evaluati

We have studied nanowires with a GaAs core, covered by an AlGaAs shell, using low temperature cathodoluminescence. The main emission from the core is due carbon acceptors, though we observe a weak emission from excitons. A general observation is that the emission is much stronger from the top half of the nanowire. This emission is also more well-defined. The AlGaAs shell emission varies in emissio

A solid phase radio-immunoassay (SPRIA) was developed for the detection of anti-HBc IgM. The assay proved sensitive and easy to perform and rheumatoid factor did not affect the test results. Anti-HBc IgM titres were followed in consecutive samples from 15 patients after uncomplicated acute hepatitis B. In the acute phase anti-HBc IgM titres ranged from 10(-5) to 10(-7) (mean 10(-6.4)). One year af

The kinetics of the alpha-chymotrypsin catalysed transesterification of N-acetyl-l-phenylalanine ethyl ester with 1-butanol and the competing hydrolysis were evaluated at fixed water activity in two ionic liquids and two non-ionic organic solvents. In most respects the four solvents behaved similarly. However, at a water activity of 0.33, higher catalytic activity was observed in the ionic liquid,

Direct electron transfer (DET) reactions and bio(electro)catalytic reduction of H2O2 catalysed by native and recombinant forms of tobacco peroxidase (nTOP and rTOP) were studied in homogeneous-phase catalysis and when TOPs were adsorbed on graphite electrodes. Non-glycosylated wild type and Glu141 -> Phe mutant forms of rTOP were produced using an Escherichia coli expression system. Mutation was i

Polysulfones (PSUs) carrying short pendant alkyl side-chains with terminal sulfonic acid units have been prepared and studied as proton-conducting membrane materials. The first step in the preparation involved quenching of lithiated PSU with SO2 gas, resulting in sulfinated PSU. In the second step, the lithium sulfinate units on the polymer were reacted with sodium 2-bromoethanesulfonate, sodium 3

The diagnosis of tree nutrient demand for nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) is possible using a root bioassay with excised roots, to measure the rate of uptake of the corresponding isotope. In this study, Norway spruce (Picea abies) roots were used to test the uptake response in roots of different diameter. The 15 N bioassay has been developed to test for nitrogen demand by plants, w

One of the major challenges in the fields of computer vision and computer graphics is the construction and representation of life-like virtual 3D scenarios within a computer. The VISIRE project attempts to reconstruct photo-realistic 3D models of large scenarios using as input multiple freehand video sequences, while rendering the technology accessible to the non-expert. VISIRE is application orie

The focus of this paper will be engineering students’ experiences of their 2nd, 3rd and 4th years of their program. In 1999 the implementation of the CDIO curriculum started and in 2002 the first project based course, which was compliant with the CDIO philosophy, was introduced during the 1st and 3rd study year. Results are based on responses from three questionnaires given to all registered stude

Background. Autologous dermal fibroblasts may be useful in the treatment of skin wounds and for the enhancement of keratinocyte proliferation. This paper addressed the following questions: (1) can cultured fibroblasts (CF) be transplanted as suspensions to full-thickness skin wounds and do they influence wound healing; (2) will the transplanted CF be integrated into the new dermis; (3) can a trans