During pregnancy, specific variants of Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes (IEs) can accumulate in the placenta through adhesion to chondroitin sulfate A (CSA) mediated by expression of PfEMP1 encoded by var2csa-type genes. Antibodies against these variants are associated with protection from maternal malaria. We evaluated antibodies among Kenyan, Papua New Guinean, and Malawian men and Ke

An investigation of the behavior of O-2 molecules in and on O-2-doped large (< N > similar or equal to 8000) Ar host clusters has been performed by means of core and valence photoelectron spectroscopy. Data from pure O-2 and Ar clusters, as well as from O-2-doped Ar clusters, are presented. The experimental data together with calculations of the binding energy shifts of oxygen molecular ions in an

The existence and mode of selection operating on heritable adaptive traits can be inferred by comparing population differentiation in neutral genetic variation between populations (often using F-ST values) with the corresponding estimates for adaptive traits. Such comparisons indicate if selection acts in a diversifying way between populations, in which case differentiation in selected traits is e

In order to assess the role of striatal dopamine (DA) afferents in L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia, we have studied a large series of rats sustaining 2, 3, or 4 unilateral injections of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) in the lateral striatum. This type of lesion produced a dose-dependent depletion of DA fibers in the caudate-putamen, which was most pronounced in the lateral aspects of this structure. An addi

A system has been developed for selective partitioning of membrane proteins. For the first time, an integral membrane protein, cytochrome bo3 ubiquinol oxidase from Escherichia coli, has been affinity partitioned in an aqueous two-phase system. The systems used were different detergent/polymer aqueous two-phase systems containing a metal-chelating polymer, such as poly(ethyleneglycol)-iminodiaceti

The lengths of fallows have decreased in many parts of the Sahel due to agricultural expansion, which can have negative impacts on crop production when few other ways to improve soil fertility exist. However, the dynamics of agricultural expansion may change because of the changing role of agriculture in society due to increased livelihood diversification outside of agriculture. The results of thi

The influence of solar radiation on the ability of dissolved organic matter (DOM) to support bacterial growth, was studied in the eastern Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean during the SWEDARP 1997/1998 cruise with SA Agulhas December 1997-February 1998. Vertical profiles of water samples (2-3000m) were obtained from the Spring Ice Edge (SIE, 60degreesS, high chlorophyll-a) and from the Winter I

Vacuum-assisted closure has been adopted as the first-line treatment for poststernotomy mediastinitis as a result of the excellent clinical outcome achieved with its use. Scientific evidence regarding the mechanisms by which vacuum-assisted closure promotes wound healing has started to emerge, although knowledge regarding the effects on heart and lung function is still limited. The organs in the m

Only a small percentage of alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG) administered lumenally to pigs appears in the portal circulation. This has been attributed to mucosal metabolism, and possibly by limited absorption. Although transporters for di- and tricarboxylic acids, which includes the sodium-dependent transporter NaDC-1, have been detected in the small intestine, correlations with functional assays are lac

Aim. This paper reports a study comparing the socio-demographic data, quality of life (QoL) and symptoms of older people living at home with and without help. Background. Despite growing numbers of older people worldwide, little is know about the differences between older people receiving help to live at home and those not receiving this, especially as regards QoL and symptoms. Not only symptoms b

Phenotypic plasticity is the ability of a genotype to modify its phenotypic characteristics in response to different environments. Theory predicts that adaptive plasticity should primarily evolve in organisms that experience heterogeneous environments. An organism's dispersal rate is a key component in these models, because the degree of dispersal partly determines the extent of environmental hete

In view of the rising proportion of elderly in the population, diffusion of medical technologies to the elderly is a particularly interesting phenomenon, with respect to both quality of life and health care costs. Using data on all carotid endarterectomies (CEAs) performed in Sweden, we explore the pattern of age diffusion 1982-1999. The overall rates of CEA are considerably lower in Sweden than i

Earlier research performed on axially loaded concrete prisms shows that crack widths close to reinforcement are smaller and less dependent on concrete cover than crack widths at the concrete surface. To check practical applicability of these results a similar experimental investigation of cracking behaviour has been undertaken for beams loaded in bending. The influence of steel stress and concrete

The molecular relationship of placental mammals has attracted great interest in recent years. However, 2 crucial and conflicting hypotheses remain, one with respect to the position of the root of the eutherian tree and the other the relationship between the orders Rodentia, Lagomorpha (rabbits, hares), and Primates. Although most mitochondrial (mt) analyses have suggested that rodents have a basal

Radiative lifetimes of 11 odd-parity levels of neutral rhenium (Re I) were measured using time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence techniques. For ten levels, there were no previous results available. The new results have been used to assess the accuracy of calculations with a Hartree-Fock-plus-relativistic-corrections model that takes configuration interaction and core-polarization effects into a