Four leachates from two landfills in Sweden were treated for the removal of heavy metals with the aid of sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB). Both continuous and batch experiments were performed. A packed-bed process was used for sulphide production. The metals studied were As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn. The continuous experiments showed that Cd and Cu were most efficiently removed and that Cr w

Calculated absorbed dose distributions from tangential irradiation of the breast have been compared with TLD measurements in a anthropomorfic body-shaped phantom which has gone through all phases of the radiation treatment planning cycle, including mapping of electron densities with a CT scanner, simulation of beam set-up and several treatments with an accelerator. The absorbed doses, measured in

Levodopa is generally regarded the first choice therapy for parkinsonism associated with multiple system atrophy (MSA-P). However, MSA-P patients often show a poor or unsustained levodopa response which inflicts high dose therapy. This is generally attributed to progressive striatal degeneration with loss of dopamine receptors. Experimental evidence suggests that dopaminergic stimulation may accel

Modern econometrics stresses the diagnostic testing of estimated models as an important part of the model-building process. In a survey article published in this journal (Pagan and Vella, 1989), methods for testing the validity of the assumptions underlying the censored regression of the Tobit model were presented. This paper questions the numerical results presented there. Indeed, my results conc

Dactylorhiza traunsteineri is an allotetraploid species that belongs to the large Dactylorhiza incarnata/maculata polyploid complex of the Eurasian genus Dactylorhiza (Orchidaceae). Here, eight polymorphic microsatellite loci were isolated using selective hybridization according to the FIASCO protocol (fast isolation by AFLP of sequences containing repeats) with slight modifications. The number of

A novel method for the synthesis of spherical molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) beads by suspension polymerization in mineral oil is described. The usefulness of the method was demonstrated by the synthesis of a propranolol imprinted MIP library. The composition of the library was generated by statistical experimental design. Multivariate data analysis correlated the screening data, obtained by

Sudden idiopathic unilateral loss of vestibular function without other signs or symptoms is called acute vestibular neuritis. It has been suggested that reactivation of human herpes simplex virus 1 could cause vestibular neuritis, Bell palsy, and sudden unilateral hearing loss. Enhancement of the facial nerve on gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a common finding in Bell palsy

Aims/hypothesis. Fat accumulation in the liver has been shown to be closely correlated with hepatic insulin resistance and features of insulin resistance, also independently of body weight. It remains to be established how fat in the liver correlates with that in other depots, and whether any association differs between men and women. Methods. Liver fat (assessed using proton spectroscopy), intra-

The objective of this study was to calculate indicative ranges of production costs and assess the main sources of cost for a number of energy crops, both annual and perennial, on a regional level in Europe. The production costs were calculated in terms of the economic compensation required by the farmer in order to grow the crop, and therefore include not only the cost of cultivation, but also the

Calbindin D28k is a member of the calmodulin super-family of Ca2+ -binding proteins and contains six EF-hands. The protein is generally believed to function as a Ca2+ buffer, but the studies presented in this work indicate that it may also act as a Ca2+ sensor. The results show that Mg2+ binds to the same sites as Ca2+ with an association constant of approximately 1.4 x 10(3) M-1 in 0.15 M KCl. Th

Objectives. To investigate the association between means of transportation to work and overweight+obesity and obesity. Methods. The 2004 public health survey in Sk (a) over circle ne is a cross-sectional postal questionnaire study of the population aged 18-80 with a 59% response rate including 16,705 employed participants. Results. Forty-six percent of men and 26.6% of women were overweight (BMI

Background: The incidence of Clostridium difficile-associated disease (CDAD) in hospitalised patients is increasing. Critically ill patients are often treated with antibiotics and are at high risk of developing CDAD. Lactobacillus plantarum 299v (Lp299v) has been found to reduce recurrence of CDAD. We investigated intensive care unit (ICU) patients regarding the impact of Lp299v on C. difficile co

Some case reports have shown that patients suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder can be effectively treated with anti-androgenic pharmacological agents with various modes of action. The most effective group of such agents is the long-acting analogues of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone. This investigation was undertaken in order to further elucidate the possibility of using such powerful

Fuel ethanol can be produced from softwood through hydrolysis in an enzymatic process. Prior to enzymatic hydrolysis of the softwood, pretreatment is necessary. In this study two-step steam pretreatment by dilute H2SO4 impregnation to improve the overall sugar and ethanol yield has been investigated. The first pretreatment step was performed under conditions of low severity (180°C, 10 min, 0.5% H2

The paper describes a novel extraction procedure for lipopolysaccharides (LPS) from Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica (PCM 2266). Process parameters for the extraction of LPS from bacterial mass were optimized by carrying out a two-level fractional design experiment. Four parameters, namely temperature, CO2 flow rate, pressure and co-solvent composition were analyzed. The best crude extract yiel

Steroid injections are often employed as an alternative treatment for radicular pain in patients with degenerative spinal disorders. Prospective randomised studies of the lumbar spine reveal contradictory results and non-randomised and most often retrospective studies of the cervical spine indicate pain reduction from steroid injections. No prospective randomised study on transforaminal steroid in

It was hypothesized that stuttering may be related to impaired sensory gating, leading to overflow of superfluous disturbing auditory feedback and breakdown of the speech sequence. This hypothesis was tested using the acoustic startle prepulse inhibition (PPI) paradigm M. A group of 22 adults with developmental stuttering were compared with controls regarding the degree of PPI. No significant diff