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Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) is the most common cause of community-acquired pneumonia, with high morbidity and mortality worldwide. A major feature of pneumococcal pneumonia is an abundant neutrophil infiltration . It was recently shown that activated neutrophils release neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), which contain antimicrobial proteins bound to a DNA scaffold. NETs provide a h
Diffusion of medical technology and the growing proportion of elderly people in the population are generally regarded as major contributors to the increasing health care expenditure in the industrialised world. This study explores the importance of one specific factor in this process, the change in the use of technology among elderly patients. In some instances, a new technology is first used amon
Many fish depend primarily on their tail beat for propulsion. Such a tail is commonly modeled as a two-dimensional flapping foil. Here we demonstrate a novel experimental setup of such a foil that heaves and pitches in a soap film. The vortical flow field generated by the foil correlates with thickness variations in the soap film, which appear as interference fringes when the film is illuminated w
A method is introduced for quantitative detection of cell surface protein expression. The method is based on immunocytochemistry, the use of long decay time europium(III) chelate and platinum(II) porphyrin labels, and detection of photoluminescence emission from adhered cells by time-resolved fluorimetry. After immunocytochemistry, the assay wells are evaporated to dryness and measured in the dry
Background: The early diastolic downward slope (EDS) of the left atrioventricular plane displacement (AVPD) is a parameter of early left ventricular (LV) diastolic filling, particularly useful in revealing pseudonormalisation of the transmitral Doppler early to atrial (E/A) ratio. In recent studies LV early diastolic function seems to be closely linked to LV systolic function. In order to further
The aim of this study was to investigate the use of various pain relief methods among older people in chronic pain and in need of help to manage activities of daily living. People who reported pain and were in need of help to manage activities of daily living were included in the study. The Multidimensional Pain Inventory-Swedish version and a modified version of the Pain Management Inventory were
An exact theoretical framework based on Time Dependent Density Functional Theory (TDDFT) is proposed in order to deal with the time-dependent quantum transport in fully interacting systems. We use a partition-free approach by Cini in which the whole system is in equilibrium before an external electric field is switched on. Our theory includes the interactions between the leads and between the lead
Fourteen 3-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats were housed in pairs in standard cages (5 controls) and in individual cages with a running wheel. Four of these rats had run 27-36 km/week (low training-LT) and 5 had run 56-92 km/week (high training-HT). After 4 weeks, the rats were euthanized and Achilles tendons were fixed for electron microscopy. The ultrastructural distribution of cartilage oligomeric m
Sputum samples from 25 patients with bronchiectasis were assayed enzymatically for myeloperoxidase, neutrophil elastase and cathepsin B, and immunologically for cystatin A, cystatin B, cystatin C, cystatin S and kininogen. High myeloperoxidase and neutrophil elastase levels were found in those sputum samples that were assessed visually to be purulent. These samples were also found to contain high
The breeding biology of great tits (Parus major) was studied in two forests of maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) on the west coast of Portugal, 200 km apart: Leiria (north) and Apostica (south). These two forests are located in a transition zone between Atlantic climate in the north, and Mediterranean climate in the south. Breeding onset was, on average, in the second and third week of March, which a
Plants counteract fluctuations in water supply by regulating all aquaporins in the cell plasma membrane. Channel closure results either from the dephosphorylation of two conserved serine residues under conditions of drought stress, or from the protonation of a conserved histidine residue following a drop in cytoplasmic pH due to anoxia during flooding. Here we report the X-ray structure of the spi
High intake of fish has been associated with reduced risk of CHD. The high content of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in fish has been suggested to be a protective factor. In addition, fish is the entirely dominating source of methylmercury for the general population, and the concentration of Hg in erythrocytes (Ery-Hg) is often used as an index of fish consumption. Our aim was to study the
We have previously shown that patch test preparations of polymeric diphenylmethane diisocyanate (PMDI) are more stable than preparations of diphenylmethane-4,4'-diisocyanate (4,4'-MDI). This study was conducted to (i) investigate whether PMDIs yield as many positive reactions as 4,4'-MDI, (ii) study concurrent reactions to 4,4'-MDI and 4,4'-diaminodiphenylmethane (4,4'-MDA), and (iii) follow the c
Upon sustained insult, kinins are released and many kinin responses, such as inflammatory pain, adapt from a B2 receptor (B2R) type in the acute phase to a B1 receptor (B1R) type in the chronic phase. In this study, we show that kinins modulate receptor endocytosis to rapidly decrease B2R and increase B1R on the cell surface. B2Rs, which require agonist for activity, are stable plasma membrane com
BACKGROUND: The aim was to investigate the effect of calcium in organ preservation solutions with respect to 36-hour preservation of vascular smooth muscle function and endothelium-dependent relaxation. METHODS: The infrarenal aortas of 60 Sprague-Dawley rats were studied in organ baths as fresh controls and after 36 hours of cold (4 degrees C) storage in different preservation solutions with and
Several matrix metalloproteinases and serine proteinases are upregulated in migrating keratinocytes during cutaneous wound repair. Single cell culture studies indicate the necessity for matrix metalloproteinases but not for serine proteinases in keratinocyte locomotion. To account for epithelial-mesenchymal interactions, an ex vivo human skin wound model was used to investigate the contribution of
Allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation remains the only curative treatment of myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia (MMM). Previous reports have indicated significant treatment-related mortality (TRM) for patients transplanted after myeloablative conditioning but superior survival has been reported after reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC). We report the results of a survey of all al
Some strains of group B streptococci express a cell surface protein which binds IgA. This report describes some properties of such an IgA receptor and compares it with a previously described IgA receptor from group A streptococci. The group B receptor was released in an almost pure form from bacteria incubated at elevated pH, and could be isolated by IgA-Sepharose affinity chromatography. The sequ
