A portfolio assessment system has been introduced into a biomedical science programme to promote both continuous learning and deep approaches to learning. Attention has been focused on creating harmony between the assessment system and the PBL curriculum of the programme. Biomedicine and laboratory work are central in the curriculum. The portfolio included evidence of laboratory work, personal ref

The calcipotriol/betamethasone dipropionate two-compound product Dovobet (R)/Daivobet (R)/Taclonex (R)(LEO Pharma A/S, Ballerup, Denmark) has been shown to be safe and effective in the treatment of psoriasis for up to 8 weeks. As psoriasis is a chronic disease, long-term treatment may be required, so there is a need to investigate the safety of its use over a longer period of time. To investigate

Intranasal immunization of mice with Rib, a cell surface protein of group B streptococcus (GBS), conjugated to or simply coadministered with the recombinant cholera toxin B subunit, induces systemic immunoglobulin G (IgG) and local IgA antibody responses and confers protection against lethal GBS infection. These findings have implications for the development of a human GBS vaccine.

Axillary dermatitis is a common problem, particularly in individuals with contact allergy to fragrances. Many individuals suspect their deodorant to be the causal product of their fragrance allergy. It has been shown that deodorants containing cinnamic aldehyde (cinnamal) can elicit axillary dermatitis in patients sensitized to this substance. The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate t

Models of several types of iron-sulfur clusters (e.g., Fe4S4(SCH3)42-/3-/4-) have been studied with the density functional B3LYP method and medium-sized basis sets. In a vacuum, the inner-sphere reorganization energies are 40, 76, 40, 62, 43, and 42 kJ/mol for the rubredoxin, [2Fe-2S] ferredoxin, Rieske, [4Fe-4S] ferredoxin, high-potential iron protein, and desulfoferrodoxin models, respectively.

Mycorrhizal symbioses -- the union of roots and soil fungi -- are universal in terrestrial ecosystems and may have been fundamental to land colonization by plants1,2. Boreal, temperate, and montane forests all depend upon ectomycorrhizae1. Identification of the primary factors that regulate symbiotic development and metabolic activity will therefore open the door to understanding the role of 2 ect

The intestinal epithelial barrier, which is regulated by the actin cytoskeleton, exhibits permeability changes during inflammation. Here we show that activation of the CysLT(1) receptor by the inflammatory mediator leukotriene D-4 (LTD4) causes a rapid increase in stress-fibre formation in intestinal epithelial cells. This effect was mimicked by cytotoxic necrotising factor-1 (CNF-1)-induced activ

Since the first report by Simpson (1957) of the association between premature birth and maternal smoking, the research on the consequences of maternal smoking during pregnancy on perinatal outcome has been intense. Even if some of the findings have been contradictory, it is now evident that maternal smoking is associated with pre-term birth and low birth weight, low birth weight for gestational ag

Inflammation is a key pathology in asthma. In the central airways local inflammation leads to irreversible remodeling and airway dysfunction. Complex inflammatory changes also occur in the nose, sinuses, and small airways. In particular, rhinitis and asthma are linked by a common pathogenic process with common inflammatory cells, mediators, and cytokines. Cross-communication between the airways an

Seasonal variation in home-range size and habitat area requirement of lesser spotted woodpeckers (Dendrocopos minor) were studied by radio-tracking in southern Sweden for 6 years. Home-range size did not vary between age-groups or sexes, but varied with season and decreased successively from 742 ha in winter (n = 10), 355 ha in early spring (n = 15), 103 ha in late spring (n = 22) to 43 ha during

Relatively little is known about the cytogenetic features of multiple myeloma (MM) when compared to other hematologic malignancies. The reasons for this are most likely manifold, and include a low mitotic index of the malignant cells and the presence of cytogenetically cryptic abnormalities as well as of complex karyotypes with poor chromosome morphology. In the present study, we have investigated

Epithelial cells of many mucosal organs have adapted to coexist with microbes and microbial products. In general, most studies suggest that epithelial cells benefit from interactions with commensal microorganisms present at the lumenal surface. However, potentially injurious molecules found in this microenvironment also have the capacity to elicit local inflammatory responses and even systemic dis

Abstract A technique for assessing the metabolically-active fungal biomass by means of fluorescein diacetate (FDA) staining was recently described (Söderström, 1977). In this note some practical details in the application of this technique to studies of FDA-active fungal biomass in the soil are discussed.

Measurements of the frequency-dependent impedance of a thin wire with ground return is performed. We argue that the results from a downscaled experimental setup are useful and relevant for power-line applications. The experimental result is compared with two categories of line models. The first category is a model that uses fixed line parameters and the second category consists of models where the

Although von Willebrand disease (VWD) is now well-described, many facets of diagnosis and management continue to be debated. The diagnosis of type 1 disease can be difficult but recent genetic analyses help to distinguish many factors which can influence von Willebrand factor (VWF) levels and bleeding phenotype. Type 2 disease (functional abnormalities) includes a particularly interesting group of