The intracellular signal cascade transducing muscarinic-receptor-stimulation to gene expression was investigated in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. Naive and ethanol-exposed SH-SU5Y cells were stimulated with carbachol (CCh) and inositol 1,4-5-trisphosphate (IP3), 1,2-diacylglycerol (DAG), and c-fos mRNA levels were analyzed using a radioreceptor assay (IP3) thin-layer chromatography (DAG) and

Background: Current models of group and team development generally favour a linear progressive developmental pattern (Tuckman-Wheelan), taking for granted that all groups move from relative irrationality and inefficency to rationality and efficiency through learning or maturation in sequential stages. Aims: (i) To question the generality of the linear progressive models of group development, (ii)

We have identified and characterized a human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) gag transcript in the human pre-B cell leukemia line Reh. The transcript was found to be a splice product of a structurally intact HERV element located on chromosome 6q13. Its primer binding site is complementary to phenylalanine (F) tRNA, common for the HERV-F family, but the overall genome sequence is closely related to th

The influence of subphase characteristics (ionic strength, pH, and the presence of bridging cations) on the conformation and lateral orientation of the hydrophobic polypeptide poly-(L)-leucine (p-leu) has been investigated at the air-water interface with the surface film balance technique as well as with Brewster angle microscopy (BAM). In addition, Langmuir-Blodgett films of p-leu deposited on qu

A newly isolated and purified glutamate oxidase was used to construct amperometric biosensors for glutamate monitoring. The enzyme-producing microorganism belongs to the genus of Streptomyces - Streptomyces sp. Z-11-6 - and is capable of producing extracellular L-glutamate oxidase. The microorganism was obtained by mutagenesis with HNo2 from a parent strain isolated from soil of Lypetskaya region,

Human Legionella infections mainly consist of community-acquired and nosocomial pneumonia and rarely affect children. We describe a nosocomial infection with Legionella pneumophila, serogroup 1, subgroup OLDA, in an immunocompromized 2-y-old girl at a paediatric clinic. L. pneumophila identical to that of the patient was found in the hospital's cold-water but not in the hot-water distribution syst

Objective: To examine nicotine use and its correlates among psychotic patients. Method: Longitudinal naturalistic study of 176 patients, diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizophrenia-related psychotic disorders, and treated with risperidone at study entry. Levels of nicotine use (smoking, snuffing) were measured along with other relevant ratings and measurements (symptoms, drug treatment, side eff

Registered nurses' lived experience of preceptorship was studied in this phenomenological study. To illuminate the meaning of registered nurses' experience of being a preceptor for student nurses, individual tape-recorded interviews were conducted with 17 registered nurses. They narrated their experience of being a personal preceptor for student nurses during practical training on a hospital unit,

There is growing evidence that chronic wounds show specific temporospatial patterns with respect to the expression of various molecules such as proteinases and their inhibitors. A careful analysis of molecules in the exudate of chronic wounds can be expected to provide useful information regarding events in the underlying tissue. In this connection there is a need for a method applicable to large

In this thesis, the biochemical mechanisms for complement activation by endogenous proteins are explored. The short leucine-rich repeat proteins (SLRPs) help organise extracellular matrices. We found that several SLRPs bind C1q and of these, fibromodulin and osteoadherin trigger complement. These two glycoproteins also bind the complement regulator factor H (FH). Our findings may have implication

In order to study the effect of heparin in inducing osteoporosis, 30 female rats were divided in two groups and treated with daily injections of 2 IU heparin/g body weight for 33 and 65 days and compared with the same number of rats acting as controls. The mineral bone mass in the femora of the animals was measured quantitatively. A significant (p less than 0.001) reduction in bone mineral mass wa

An investigation of the polar glycosidic fraction from the leaves of myrtle afforded four galloylated nonprenylated phloroglucinol glucosides (3a-d) related to the endoperoxide hormone G3 (4) in terms of structure and biogenesis. Despite their close similarity, significant antibacterial activity was shown only by one of these compounds (3b, gallomyrtucommulone B), while the G3 hormone (4) was inac

In the course of a screening for compounds inhibiting the growth of two human breast cancer cells lines, two highly cytotoxic compounds were isolated from fermentations of Myrothecium roridum. The elucidation of their structures revealed that they are macrocyclic trichothecenes of the verrucarin type, 16-hydroxyverrucarin A (1), reported here as a natural product for the first time, and verrucarin