A new experimental model, the two-tracer method (TTM), based on the planar laser-induced fluorescence technique (PLIF), is presented for the measurement of the local concentration of a fluorescent tracer in the liquid phase of a bubbly two-phase system. Light scattering and shading effects due to the bubbles were compensated for using the new model. The TTM results were found to give more accurate

The genes man26a and man2A from Cellulomonas fimi encode mannanase 26A (Man26A) and -mannosidase 2A (Man2A), respectively. Mature Man26A is a secreted, modular protein of 951 amino acids, comprising a catalytic module in family 26 of glycosyl hydrolases, an S-layer homology module, and two modules of unknown function. Exposure of Man26A produced by Escherichia coli to C. fimi protease generates ac

Identification of antigens that elicit protective immunity is essential for effective vaccine development. We investigated the related surface proteins of group B Streptococcus, Rib and alpha, as potential vaccine candidates. Paradoxically, nonimmunodominant regions proved to be of particular interest as vaccine components. Mouse antibodies elicited by Rib and alpha were directed almost exclusivel

This paper analyses the potential biomass Supply in the 15 EU countries (EU15), 8 new member states and 2 candidate countries (ACC10), plus Belarus and the Ukraine. The objective of this study is to make a more detailed assessment of the potential in Europe than previously undertaken. For this purpose five scenarios were designed to describe the short-, medium- and long-term potential of biomass f

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

Abstract. Deliberate self-harm was studied in 14-year-old adolescents from four schools in southern Sweden with a test–retest design, using a nine-item version of the Deliberate Self-Harm Inventory. At Time 1, 40.2% of the adolescents indicated deliberate self-harm on at least one occasion compared with 36.5% at Time 2. Test–retest data showed high stability over periods of up to 2 months in durat

Solid state quantum computer hardware may be based on rare-earth-ion-doped crystals. The qubits can be encoded as nuclear spin states of an ensemble of, e.g., Pr3+ ions, randomly doped into a Y2SiO5 crystal. Two such qubits can control each other through the dipole blockade effect, and transfers between the two qubit states can be done at a high fidelity, despite the strongly inhomogeneous nature

Coherent control of collective spontaneous emission in an extended atomic ensemble resonantly interacting with single-photon wave packets is analyzed. A scheme for coherent manipulation of collective atomic states is developed such that superradiant states of the atomic system can be converted into subradiant ones and vice versa. Possible applications of such a scheme for optical quantum-state sto

Background Postoperative policies of "wait-and-see" and radiotherapy for low-grade glioma are poorly defined. A trial in the mid 1980s established the radiation dose. In 1986 the EORTC Radiotherapy and Brain Tumor Groups initiated a prospective trial to compare early radiotherapy with delayed radiotherapy. An interim analysis has been reported. We now present the long-term results. Methods After s

We investigated whether flow cytometric DNA index and/or ploidy status are predictors of response to chemotherapy and survival. Fifty consecutive patients with previously untreated locally advanced squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck received induction chemotherapy consisting of three courses of cisplatin (100 mg/m2) and a subsequent 120-hour infusion of fluorouracil (1000 mg/m2 per 24 h

The effects of temperature changes and polymer addition on the behavior of droplet microemulsions of nonionic surfactant, water, and decane are reported and analyzed within polymer depletion theory. Dilution viscometry and dynamic light scattering were used to confirm that these microemulsions behave essentially as hard-sphere dispersions, providing us with an ideal reference system. Addition of p

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is a mitogenic stimulus in many tissues and occurs in large amounts in the pancreas and salivary glands. Whether EGF is mitogenic in the pancreas is controversial, and the EGF effect has not been studied in the salivary glands. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the possible effects on the pancreas and parotid and submandibular glands at differ

Abnormalities of micturition occur in many different diseases, have a variety of causes and take several forms. This review will focus exclusively on those abnormalities in which antidiuretic therapy may be of benefit. These conditions are primarily characterized by an increase in the total amount of urine produced (polyuria) or a circadian shift in the control of urine production and/or voiding (

Lipase-mediated acrylation is an attractive alternative to more traditional chemical processes, since it provides specific catalysis under mild conditions. A detailed study of the effects of solvent choice and substrate concentrations on the acrylation of octanol by Candida antarctica lipase B (Novozyme(R) 435) is presented. Acrylic acid was found to have a pronounced inhibitory effect. Partial ne

We report electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) studies on photosystem II (PSII) from higher plants in five different domains of the thylakoid membrane prepared by sonication and two-phase partitioning. The domains studied were the grana core, the entire grana stack, the grana margins, the stroma lamellae and the purified stromal fraction, Y100. The electron transport properties of both donor and

Delayed hydride cracking (DHC) velocity was determined at 203,227,250 and 283 degrees C using 17 mm width curved compact toughness specimens machined from an unirradiated Zr-2.5 wt.% Nb pressure tube spool, gaseously charged with 60 ppm of hydrogen by weight. Single CT specimen was used to determine DHC velocity at a constant temperature for a range of stress intensity factor (K-1) obtained by loa

We have investigated the dissolution of a natural oxide layer on a Nb(110) surface upon heating, combining x-ray reflectivity, grazing incidence diffuse scattering, and core-level spectroscopy. The natural oxide reduces after heating to 145 degrees C partially from Nb2O5 to NbO2, and an enrichment in subsurface interstitial oxygen by similar to 70% in a depth of 100 A is observed. After heating to

Background The yeast Malassezia is considered to be one of the factors that can contribute to atopic dermatitis (AD). Objectives To investigate the reactivity to Malassezia allergens, measured as specific serum IgE, positive skin prick test and positive atopy patch test (APT), in adult patients with AD. Methods In total, 132 adult patients with AD, 14 with seborrhoeic dermatitis (SD) and 33 heal