Anionic O2 derivatives of methyl 3-deoxy-3-(4-methylbenzamido)-1-thio-beta- d-galactopyranoside have been synthesized as inhibitors against galectin-3. The sulfate, H-phosphonate, and benzyl phosphate derivatives showed an increased affinity as compared to the parent unsubstituted galactopyranoside. Modeling revealed arginine-144 being pinched by the C3 benzamide and O2 anionic substituents in tha

The film of sIgA lining the intestinal epithelium plays a role in the regulation of the commensal microflora and prevention of pathogen invasion. We show that, in the absence of intentional immunization, all sIgA in the gut is produced by B-1a B cells. We also show that B-1a B cells and sIgA derive from lineage-negative precursors found in the fetal liver and located in the spleen after birth. The

Congenital thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is associated with ADAMTS13 mutations. The major site of ADAMTS13 synthesis is the liver. Expression in other tissues, and in TTP, has not been shown. In this study, ADAMTS13 protein expression was investigated in normal kidney and in renal tissue from two TTP patients, with a compound heterozygous mutation (P353L and P457L) and a homozygous mut

Few studies are performed on the sustainability of the pelvic floor extracellular matrix important for preventing development of pelvic organ prolapse (POP). Collagens I and III, the elastin-associated proteins fibrillin-1 and fibulin-5 and the small leucine-rich repeat proteoglycans (SLRPs) decorin, lumican and fibromodulin are involved in giving the tissue its mechanical properties. Para-urethra

The effect of the anionic surfactant SDS (sodium dodecyl sulfate) on the adsorption behavior of cationic hydroxyethyl cellulose (Polymer JR-400) and hydrophobically modified cationic cellulose (Quatrisoft LM-200) at hydrophobized silica has been investigated by null ellipsometry and compared with the previous data for adsorption onto hydrophilic silica surfaces. The adsorbed amount of LM-200 is fo

Nationwide use and costs of anticholinergic drug for overactive bladder are unknown. We performed a nationwide study based on the Swedish Register on Prescribed Pharmaceuticals. From 2000 to 2007, there was a 68.8% increase in dispensed anticholinergic drugs in a population of 9 million. More than 93 million DDDs (calculated average maintenance dose per day) of anticholinergic drugs were dispensed

Radiological examinations of the temporomandibular joints are not so often performed in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, greater abnormalities of the mandibular head and neck may be evaluated at cervical radiography. With a new method, where the perpendicular distance from the palato-occipital line to the mandibular angle was measured, normal values of the distance or of ramal hei

Background: The objective of this study was to determine whether the frequency of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and some reproductive events in women with experience of casual travel sex (CTS) abroad with previously unknown male partners differed when compared to women lacking such experience. Methods: Nine hundred and ninety-six women seeking contraceptive advice from two family planning c

The process of selecting the right set of requirements for a product release is dependent on how well the organisation succeeds in prioritising the requirements candidates. This paper describes two consecutive controlled experiments comparing different requirements prioritisation techniques with the objective of understanding differences in time-consumption, ease of use and accuracy. The first exp

The highly specific relationships between parallel fiber (PF) and climbing fiber (CF) receptive fields in Purkinje cells and interneurons suggest that normal PF receptive fields are established by CF-specific plasticity. To test this idea, we used PF stimulation that was either paired or unpaired with CF activity. Conspicuously, unpaired PF stimulation that induced long-lasting, very large increas

Several authors have reported promising results with vacuum-assisted closure therapy in poststernotomy mediastinitis. The aim of this study was to investigate the hemodynamic outcome following the application of six negative pressures on an open sternotomy wound. Six 70-kg pigs underwent median sternotomy followed by vacuum-assisted closure therapy. Six negative pressures (-50, -75, -100, -125, -1

Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders. Several toxin-induced animals models simulate the motor deficits occurring in PD. Among them, the unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) model is frequently used in rats and has the advantage of presenting side-biased motor impairments. However, the behavioral consequences of a unilateral 6-OHDA-lesion have, so far, not

Despite the variations of length and type of hair (vellus or terminal), the growth of human hair in all body sites is cyclic. Phases of active hair growth, or anagen, are separated by periods of quiescence, or telogen. The duration of both phases varies greatly depending on the body site. Whether hairs are in anagen/telogen at the time of hair removal is important because only anagen hairs are par

We report a clear correspondence between changes in the Curie temperature and carrier density upon annealing in epitaxially grown (Ga,Mn)As layers with thicknesses in the range between 5 and 20 nm. The changes are dependent on the layer thickness, indicating that the (Ga,Mn)As-GaAs interface has importance for the physical properties of the (Ga,Mn)As layer. The magnetoresistance shows additional f

The influence of amylopectin (Ap) (in the form of high amylopectin potato starch, HAPP) on the rheological properties of its mixtures with amylose (Am) has been studied in small-deformation oscillatory rheometry during relatively long times (6 h). The absence of HAPP granule remnants in the samples has been considered important; therefore HAPP, Am, and HAPP-Am mixtures have been prepared at 140deg

Simulations of a cumulonimbus cloud observed in the Cirrus Regional Study of Tropical Anvils and Cirrus Layers-Florida Area Cirrus Experiment (CRYSTAL-FACE) with an advanced version of the Explicit Microphysics Model (EMM) are presented. The EMM has size-resolved aerosols and predicts the time evolution of sizes, bulk densities and axial ratios of ice particles. Observations by multiple aircraft i

We examined the relation between the islet NO system and islet hormone secretion induced by either the non-glucose nutrient alpha-ketoisocaproic acid (KIC) or, in some experiments, glucose. KIC dose dependently stimulated insulin but inhibited glucagon secretion. In a medium devoid of any nutrient, the NO synthase (NOS)-inhibitor N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) induced an increase in b

The present studies examined the effects of oral treatment with cyclosporin A, betamethasone or azelastine administered over the time of sensitization with trimellitic anhydride on allergen-induced airway responses, compared to those of control animals given corn oil alone. Drugs were given for 8 days. The animals were sensitized with trimellitic anhydride (0.1 ml of 0.3% w/v) in corn oil given in