The adipocyte-derived hormone leptin is associated with insulin resistance and reduced fibrinolytic status - or dysfibrinolysis - in humans. As leptin associates differentially to the development of cardiovascular disease and diabetes in men and women, we hypothesized that leptin and insulin sensitivity are related to dysfibrinolysis in a sex-dependent manner. Thirty-two men and 40 women were recr

Interferon was found to have both suppressive and enhancing effects on the antibody response in newborn and adult mice. Evidence was obtained that these effects are primarily evoked during the initial steps controlling cell proliferation. Stimulation of thymus and spleen cells with a T-cell mitogen was enhanced by low doses and suppressed by high doses of interferon. Treatment of parental spleen c

Effects of annual variation in rainfall, temperature and humidity on flowering abundance of eight temperate woodland plants (Anemone nemorosa, Cardamine bulbifera, Lamiastrum galeobdolon,Oxalis acetosella , Ranunculus ficaria, Stellaria holostea, Viola reichenbachiana and Viola riviniana) were studied during 12 consecutive years (1989–2000) in a hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) forest in southeast Swed

Both glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and its recently discovered congener, neurturin (NTN), have been shown to exert neuroprotective effects on lesioned nigral dopamine (DA) neurons when administered at the level of the substantia nigra. In the present study, we have explored the relative in vivo potency of these two neurotrophic factors using two alternative routes of administr

Ca2+ sensitivity of smooth muscle contraction is modulated by several systems converging on myosin light chain phosphatase (MLCP). Rho-Rho kinase is considered to inhibit MLCP via phosphorylation, whereas protein kinase C (PKC) induced sensitization has been shown to be dependent on phosphorylation of the inhibitory protein CPI-17. We have explored the interaction of cGMP-dependent protein kinase

Vertical light emitting diodes (LEDs) based on GaAs/InGaP core/shell nanowires, epitaxially grown on GaP and Si substrates, have been fabricated. The devices can be fabricated over large areas and can be precisely positioned on the substrates, by the use of standard lithography techniques, enabling applications such as on-chip optical communication. LED functionality was established on both kinds

Polymer-coated pellets with different coating thicknesses have been studied regarding coating morphology and drug release properties with atomic force microscopy (AFM) and confocal Raman microscopy. The results were compared with those from scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and drug release profiles, which have been measured previously for these systems and found to vary depending on coating thic

In hybrid zones genetically differentiated populations meet and interbreed. As they result from ongoing divergence and potential speciation, such zones provide opportunities to study how different factors affect this process. One well-known avian hybrid zone is that between the Hooded Crow Corvus corone cornix and Carrion Crow C. c. corone, which extends throughout much of Europe. We compare the c

In this paper we empirically test the role of firm-specific financial characteristics as drivers of international investment and production. We hypothesize that financial strength generates advantages that can be exploited through cross-border investment activity. The hypothesis is tested in a series of binary-response models, using a sample of 1379 European non-financial firms' international acqu

Speakers were asked to provide quantitative data on the performance of different xylose- (or, in one instance, arabinose-) fermenting strains in laboratory media and, where possible, in "industrial" media prepared by hydrolysis of native lignocellulosic substrates. The data provided are presented in Table 1, which gives an indication of the performance of the various strains but should not be take

Many universities have experienced an increase in the intake of students and at the same time cuts in the budgets for teaching. Many teachers have experienced, for a number of reasons, they have to adjust their teaching or a course with short notice. These facts pose a challenge to the teachers agility in adapting to changes - and in doing it in a cost efficient way. We propose eXtreme Teaching a

Exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can be defined symptomatically or by healthcare contacts, yet the relationship between these events is unknown. Data were collected during a 1-yr study of the budesonide/formoterol combination in COPD patients, where exacerbations, defined by increases in treatment, were compared with daily records of respiratory symptoms, rescue medica

Background: Symptoms of seasonal allergic rhinitis may vary greatly. Hence, for research purposes, there is a need for disease-like models of allergic rhinitis. In a preliminary study, involving 7 days' challenge with allergen, promising symptom consistency was obtained and dose-response to a glucocorticosteroid could, in part, be demonstrated. Objective: To establish this model of seasonal allerg

Knowledge of the current distribution on a radome can be used to improve radome design, detect manufacturing errors, and to verify numerical simulations. In this paper, the transformation from near-field data to its equivalent current distribution on a surface of arbitrary material, i. e., the radome, is analyzed. The transformation is based on the scalar surface integral representation that relat

In order to produce CO2 for stable isotope analyses (delta(18)O and delta(13)C), carbonate samples are commonly digested in phosphoric acid. The acid recipe here presented is based on phase shifting crystalline orthophosphoric acid of pro-analysis quality to a liquid state through heating, followed by pre-vacuum treatment during a start-up procedure before mass analyses for common acid bath prepar

Phosphoinositides (PIs) constitute a minor fraction of total cellular lipids in all eukaryotic cells. They fulfill many important functions through interaction with a wide range of cellular proteins. Members of distinct inositol lipid kinase families catalyze the synthesis of these phospholipids from phosphatidylinositol. The hydrolysis of PIs involves phosphatases and isoforms of PI-specific phos