The most precise method of investigating possible space-time variations of the fine-structure constant, alpha equivalent to (1/hc)(e(2)/4 pi epsilon(0)), using high-redshift quasar absorption lines is the many-multiplet (MM) method. For reliable results this method requires very accurate relative laboratory wavelengths for a number of UV resonance transitions from several different ionic species.

Photoabsorption cross sections of sulfur dioxide over a range of temperatures are required to interpret observations and to support models of the atmospheres of Io and Venus. We report high-resolution (lambda/Delta lambda approximate to 450,000) photoabsorption cross-section measurements by Fourier transform spectrometry of SO2 at 160 K in the wavelength region 199 to 220 nm, which encompasses the

Current genome-wide association studies (GWAS) are moving towards the use of large cohorts of primary cell lines to study a disease of interest and to assign biological relevance to the genetic signals identified. Here, we use a panel of human osteoblasts (HObs) to carry out a transcriptomic survey, similar to recent studies in lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs). The distinct nature of HObs and LCLs

Objectives. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of iron status on cadmium dose among pregnant women. Methods. Iron status and cadmium concentration in blood, urine, and placenta were determined among women followed for 2 years from early pregnancy. Results. Blood cadmium and urinary cadmium were correlated with iron status throughout the study period. Urinary cadmium increased lo

BACKGROUND: Propofol, a popular intravenous (iv) anaesthetic induction agent for brief cases or day surgery, is associated with smooth induction, pleasant sleep, rapid recovery and little postoperative nausea. A major disadvantage is pain at the site of injection. The aim of the present study was to examine the influence of simultaneous iv infusion of carrier fluid on propofol-induced local pain.

The microbiota is part of the gastrointestinal ecosystem. A more detailed understanding should provide insight into multiple human disease states. This study investigated inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis). Previous analyses have suggested a role of gram-negative bacteria including Escherichia coli. An integrated procedure is presented where gas chromatography-mass

BACKGROUND: In early breast cancer, variations in local treatment that substantially affect the risk of locoregional recurrence could also affect long-term breast cancer mortality. To examine this relationship, collaborative meta-analyses were undertaken, based on individual patient data, of the relevant randomised trials that began by 1995. METHODS: Information was available on 42,000 women in 78

Calcineurin inhibitor toxicity is a major reason for long-term graft loss (chronic rejection). Here is a snap shot of the ongoing quest to balance continuing efficacy against toxicity.

A 120 kHz echo sounder, with two split-beam transducers, was used horizontally to monitor the behaviour of 0+ roach Rutilus rutilis, from June to August, in field enclosures. 0+ roach outside the vegetated area of the enclosures were registered both as schools and as single swimming fish. Combining echo counting and tracking with direct observation of echograms, an estimate of relative abundance o

An early and accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is required to initiate symptomatic treatment with currently approved drugs and will be of even greater importance if disease modifying compounds in development display a clinical effect. Protein profiles of human cerebrospinal fluid samples from AD patients (n = 95) and population-based healthy controls (n = 72) were analyzed by SELDI-TO

Lactococcus lactis grows homofermentatively on glucose, while its growth on maltose under anaerobic conditions results in mixed acid product formation in which formate, acetate, and ethanol are formed in addition to lactate. Maltose was used as a carbon source to study mixed acid product formation as a function of the growth rate. In batch and nitrogen-limited chemostat cultures mixed acid product

A series of analogs with nitro or serinamide substituents at the C-2'-, C-5'-, or C-C-position of the combretastatin A-4 (CA4) B-ring was synthesized and evaluated for cytotoxic effects against heart endothelioma cells, blood flow reduction to tumors in SCID mice, and as inhibitors of tubulin polymerization. The synthesis of these analogs typically featured a Wittig reaction between a suitably fun

The lanthanide elements (Z=57?71) are characterized by the filling of the 4f electronic subshell, which lies close in energy to the 5d and 6s subshells. As a result, the lanthanide spectra can be quite complicated in terms of the number of optical spectral lines, and in some cases their hyperfine structure and isotopic shifts are extremely large. These characteristics have great implications for a

Lewis rats that are known to be addiction-prone, develop compulsive running if they have access to running wheels. The present experiments were aimed 1) to evaluate the activation of stress systems following chronic and acute voluntary wheel running in Lewis rats by measurement of hormone release and gene expression of neuropeptides related to hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis activ

Recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae harbouring the xylose reductase (XR) gene XYL1 from Pichia stipitis was grown in anoxic chemostat culture at two different dilution rates. At each dilution rate a transient experiment, encompassing a shift in the sugar content of the medium from glucose to glucose plus xylose was performed. The steady states at the beginning and the end of the transients were c

The heat transfer rates in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are controlled by various operating and design parameters and have significant effects on chemical reactions and coupled transport processes. In this article, the considered composite duct consists of a porous anode layer for the internal reforming reactions of methane, the fuel gas flow duct, and the solid plate. A fully three-dimensional