An efficient adaptive optics (AO) simulation code was developed, which enables first-order simulations of extremely high-order systems. The Monte-Carlo-type code employs a sparse conjugate gradient algorithm for wavefront reconstruction, and a separation of spatial frequencies into two domains to economize on the number crunching. High-order multi-conjugate adaptive optics (MCAO) systems are there

P>The coordination of swallowing and respiration is essential for a safe swallow. Swallowing consists of several subsecond events. To study this, it is important to use modalities with high temporal resolution. In this study, we have examined young healthy individuals with simultaneous videofluoroscopy, videomanometry and respiratory recording, all with high temporal resolution. The onset of 13 pr

INTRODUCTION: Analogues of vitamin A have been shown to influence growth of malignant tissue, such as pancreatic cancer. AIMS: To study the expression of retinoic acid receptors (RAR) in pancreatic cancer cells and the effect of three different retinoids on the cell number in vitro were studied. METHODOLOGY: Cell lines were established from 13 patients who underwent surgery for pancreatic adenocar

A novel approach for boosting antimicrobial peptides through end tagging with hydrophobic oligopeptide stretches is demonstrated. Focusing on two peptides derived from kininogen, GKHKNKGKKNGKHNGWK (GKH17) and HKHGHGHGKHKNKGKKN (HKH17), tagging resulted in enhanced killing of Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus, Gram-negative Escherichia coli, and fungal Candida albicans. Microbicidal potency incre

The present study had two aims: (1) to investigate potential differences in proportion of myosin heavy chain isoforms in the trapezius muscle between female cleaners with and without trapezius myalgia and healthy teachers, and (2) to elucidate if myosin heavy chain composition and surface electromyogram (EMG) during an isokinetic endurance test of shoulder flexors are significantly related. The su

We report here on the discovery of laser action in the range 0.9-2 μm in several spectral lines of Fe II, which are associated with transitions from "pseudo-metastable" states populated by spontaneous transitions from Lyα pumped Fe II levels. The intense Lyα radiation is formed in the HII region of gas condensations close to the star η Car. The laser transitions form together with spontaneous tran

Aims: To explore the incidence, severity, time course, and risk factors of clinically significant hyponatremia in desmopressin treatment for nocturia. Methods: Data from three multi-center phase 111 trials were pooled. Hyponatremia was categorised as borderline (134-130 mmol/L) or significant (= 65 years of age) with a baseline serum sodium concentration below normal range were at high risk (75%).

Laser techniques were applied to an acoustically levitated droplet for remote investigation of the diameter, species concentration and temperature of the suspended droplet. To this end, the third and the fourth harmonic of a Nd:YAG laser were used for investigation of elastic, fluorescence and phosphorescence signals from the droplet. The droplet was seeded with thermographic phosphors and acetone

Along-strike geological segmentation in the Andean chain has been recognized at various scales and is Usually attributed to changes in plate motion vectors, as well as the upper-plate expression of differing subducted slab age, strength and composition. We present new multi-phase Ar-40/Ar-39, apatite fission-track and zircon and apatite (U-Th)/He data from a north-south-oriented traverse between 3

The present paper reviews existing knowledge with regard to Organic Aerosol ( OA) of importance for global climate modelling and defines critical gaps needed to reduce the involved uncertainties. All pieces required for the representation of OA in a global climate model are sketched out with special attention to Secondary Organic Aerosol ( SOA): The emission estimates of primary carbonaceous parti

Time-domain terahertz spectroscopy allows measuring the complex conductivity spectrum of materials at frequencies on the order of 1 THz. Typically, terahertz (THz) studies produce conductivity spectra that are different from those predicted by the classical Drude model, especially in nanostructured materials. We claim that plasmon resonances in particles that are small compared to the THz waveleng

Moraxella catarrhalis immunoglobulin D (IgD)-binding protein (MID) is an outer membrane protein with specific affinity for soluble and cell-bound human IgD. Here, we demonstrate that mutated M. catarrhalis strains devoid of MID show a 75% decreased activation of human B cells as compared with wild-type bacteria. In contrast to MID-expressing Moraxella, the MID-deficient Moraxella mutants did not b

A high-power (10 TW) laser is employed to generate relativistic channels in an underdense plasma. The lengths of the channels are measured by imaging the Thomson-scattered light, and the gas densities are determined through the forward Raman scattered light. The laser-pulse parameters are varied and their impact on the channel formation is studied. It is found that increasing the laser pulse durat

The influence of intrinsic chain stiffness on surface forces in solutions containing semiflexible polymers is investigated with density functional theory. The solvent is included explicitly, but comparisons are also made with exact results obtained with ideal chains, in the absence of solvent particles. We find that as the intrinsic stiffness increases, the polymers are at intermediate separations

Purpose: To present an evaluation method for three-dimensional Look-Locker (3D-LL) based T1 quantification, calculating correct T1 values independent of local flip angle (FA) variations. The method was evaluated both in phantoms and in vivo in a delayed Gadolinium Enhanced MRI of Cartilage (dGEMRIC) study with 33 subjects. Materials and Methods: T1 was measured with 3D-LL, using both local FA corr

Annual recurrent blooms of the toxic dinoflagellates Alexandrium catenella and Alexandrium minutum were detected from 2000 to 2003 in harbours along the Catalan coast. The interrelation study between the occurrence of the blooms and specific external conditions at the study sites demonstrated that different factors are required for the bloom of each Alexandrium species. Concentrations higher than

Galectins are a family of β-galactose binding lectins associated with functions such as immunological and malignant events. To study the binding affinity of galectins for natural and artificial saccharides and glycoconjugates we have developed an assay using fluorescence polarization. A collection of fluorescein-conjugated saccharides was synthesized and used as probes with galectins-1 and -3 and

Regioselective reductive openings of mixed phenolic-benzylic acetals, using BH3 center dot NMe3 center dot AlCl3, was investigated, and a mechanism where the outcome is directed by the electrostatic potential of the two oxygen atoms is presented. The regioselective acetal opening was used in the synthesis of a fluorescently labeled analogue to antiproliferative xylosides. The fluorescently labeled