A duster of a Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C strain causing invasive disease was investigated. Five out of seven cases were associated with a particular discotheque. The strains were indistinguishable, as revealed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and sequencing of variable regions of the porA gene, but caused strikingly different clinical presentations during 5 months.

Tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) is one of the main regulators of the tissue factor (TF) pathway of coagulation. To tether human TFPI to the cell surface, full length or truncated TFPI lacking the third Kunitz domain were fused with domains three and four and the carboxy-terminal sequence of human CD4. Constructs were transfected into a mouse fibroblast cell line and individual clones were c

In this report, we show that desensitization regulates ligand- independent, spontaneous activity of the human B2 bradykinin (BK) receptor, and the level of spontaneous receptor activity determines the action of the BK antagonists and partial receptor agonists NPC17731 and HOE140 as agonists or inverse agonists. Spontaneous receptor activity was monitored by measuring basal cellular phosphoinositid

In this report, we show that the vasoactive peptide agonist bradykinin (BK) when bound to B2 BK receptors on DDT1 MF-2 smooth muscle cells promotes the recruitment and sequestration of the occupied receptors and the receptor- coupled G-protein α subunits Gα(q) and Gα(i) in caveolae. Association of ligand receptor complexes and Gα subunits with caveolae was indicated by their co-enrichment on densi

Although hoarding has been studied intensively for many decades, few studies have attempted to measure its actual fitness consequences. To fill this gap, we used ptilochronology, the growth of replacement feathers as a measure of nutritional status, and thus a reflection of starvation risk, of individual European nuthatches (Sitta europaea) during winter. We found that nuthatches are long-term hoa

Flow velocity in left atrial appendage decreases when paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) progresses to longer episodes, suggesting that the temporal PAF episode pattern may be related to risk of thrombus formation. This study investigates the feasibility of discriminating episode patterns based on two descriptors: the aggregation characterizes the temporal distribution of PAF episodes, whereas t

Background: Despite a strong desire among most older adults to age in place, there are few widely available services to support planning and preparing for one’s future housing needs. Objective: To develop a prototype of a web-based housing counselling intervention for use in later life, by employing a user-centred design. Material and Methods: As the first step in intervention development, we empl

Fatty acid esters of hydroxy fatty acids (FAHFAs) are a recently discovered class of biologically active lipids. Here we identify the linoleic acid ester of 13-hydroxy linoleic acid (13-LAHLA) as an anti-inflammatory lipid. An oat oil fraction and FAHFA-enriched extract from this fraction showed anti-inflammatory activity in a lipopolysaccharide-induced cytokine secretion assay. Structural studies

The B1 and B2 bradykinin (BK) receptor subtypes belong to the GPCR faro ily, and they discriminate between peptides that differ only by the absence and presence of a C-terminal Arg, To identify receptor residues conferring tigand spe.cificity, chimeric constructs in which TM-III were exchanged between the receptors were expressed and assayed by radioligand binding and fluorescence Ca2+ imaging in

Artificiell intelligens bryter med invanda sätt att tänka kring å ena sidan objekt, ting, teknologiska artefakter och, å andra sidan, handlande subjekt. Somliga tänker rent av på artificiell intelligens som en ny form av liv. En sfär där artificiell intelligens står inför ett genombrott är i krig. Av förklarliga skäl finns starka åsikter om detta. Utvecklingen förkastas som innebärandes slutet på

Duplicate, bilateral structures of individual animals are usually symmetrical. In cases where such structures are asymmetrical, the degree of asymmetry may indicate the propensity of an individual to stray from the genetically programmed outcome during the development of the structure. Asymmetries have recently been assumed to constitute an honest signal of male quality and, as such, a cue for fem

In this paper, the role and significance of opinion-shaping and persuasion activities are explored through an analysis of the activation of women in the Swedish labour market in the 1960s, highlighting the ways in which gender equality ideals became infused in these activities through a process of ‘transformative state feminism’. The analysis draws on qualitative data including archival material aIn this paper, the role and significance of opinion-shaping and persuasion activities are explored through an analysis of the activation of women in the Swedish labour market in the 1960s, highlighting the ways in which gender equality ideals became infused in these activities through a process of ‘transformative state feminism’. The analysis draws on qualitative data including archival material a