A new setup for pump-flow-probe X-ray absorption spectroscopy has been implemented at the SuperXAS beamline of the Swiss Light Source. It allows recording X-ray absorption spectra with a time resolution of tens of microseconds and high detection efficiency for samples with sub-millimolar concentrations. A continuous wave laser is used for the photoexcitation, with the distance between laser and X-

A new analysis for monitoring host cell proteins in preparations of transgenically produced protein pharmaceuticals is described. A capacitive biosensor with a very high sensitivity is used to monitor trace amounts of host cell proteins. The sensor consists of a gold electrode, the surface of which is well insulated and on which a preparation of a population of polyclonal antibodies raised against

Vasoconstriction accompanied by changes in skin color is a normal physiologic response to cold. The distinction between this normal physiology and Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) has yet to be well characterized. In anticipation of the 9th International Congress on Autoimmunity, a panel of 12 RP experts from 9 different institutes and four different countries were assembled for a Delphi exercise to esta

The IGHV3-21 gene has been shown to be overrepresented in Scandinavian patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). By investigating a population-based cohort of 337 Swedish patients with CLL, a lower (6.5%) IGHV3-21 frequency was determined relative to our previous hospital-based studies (10.1%-12.7%), yet this frequency remained higher compared to other Western CLL cohorts (2.6%-4.1%). Furt

Cambrian trilobites mainly lived on the sea floor, and up till now few, if any, unequivocally planktonic trilobites have been reported from earlier than the Ordovician. The late Cambrian (Furongian) to late Ordovician olenids are a distinctive group of benthic (sea-floor dwelling) or nekto-benthic trilobites. Here we show, however, that one recently described, miniaturized and very spiny olenid sp

Adsorption of thymine on a defined Cu(110) surface was studied using reflection-absorption infrared spectroscopy (RAIRS), temperature programmed desorption (TPD), and scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM). In addition, density functional theory (DFT) calculations were undertaken in order to further understand the energetics of adsorption and self-assembly. The combination of RAIRS, TPD, and DFT res

Abstract in UndeterminedEmployees working across multiple cultures are exposed to a vast number of different norms and values, and consequentially work is often a struggle to retain a coherent sense of self. However, when international workers travel, they also encounter more bland spaces where familiarity and similarity are important. These spaces appear culturally generic to the Western traveler

We recently demonstrated that recombinant adeno-associated viral vector-induced hippocampal overexpression of neuropeptide Y receptor, Y2, exerts a seizure-suppressant effect in kindling and kainate-induced models of epilepsy in rats. Interestingly, additional overexpression of neuropeptide Y in the hippocampus strengthened the seizure-suppressant effect of transgene Y2 receptors. Here we show for

We apply a panel of 331 microfinance institutions from 37 countries to investigate the relationship between social beliefs and microfinance financial performance over the period of 2003-2011. We find that microfinance institutions in countries with higher levels of trust and more collectivist culture have lower operating and default costs and charge lower interest rates. These results provide the

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to look more closely at the residents’ attitude to individual heat metering and charging systems (IMC) of multi-family dwellings in residential properties, and to evaluate the tenant’s perception of IMC and how it may affect the continued expansion of such systems. Design/methodology/approach – The research in this paper is based on a questionnaire and interv

Global land-use change has drastic consequences for biodiversity leading to losses of ecological functioning, ecosystem services and human well-being. While species dependent on undisturbed natural habitat are most affected by conversion to agriculture, even populations of disturbance-tolerant species can be endangered in landscapes dominated by high-input mono-cultural cropping systems. This has

Aims: To test if islet autoantibodies at diagnosis of type 1 diabetes (T1DM) and after 3-6 years with T1D predict residual beta-cell function (RBF) after 3-6 years with T1D. Methods: T1D children (n = 260, median age at diagnosis 9.4, range 0.9-14.7 years) were tested for GAD65, IA-2, ZnT8R, ZnT8W and ZnT8Q autoantibodies (A) at diagnosis, and 3-6 years after diagnosis when also fasting and stimul

B-cell leukemia 3 (Bcl-3) is a member of the inhibitor of κB family, which regulates a wide range of biological processes by functioning as a transcriptional activator or as a repressor of target genes. As high levels of Bcl-3 expression and activation have been detected in different types of human cancer, Bcl-3 has been labeled a proto-oncogene. Our study uncovered a markedly upregulated Bcl-3 ex

Abstract—The all spectrum absorption efficiency appears in the physical bounds on antennas expressed in the polarizability dyadics. Here, it is shown that this generalized absorption efficiency is close to 1/2 for small idealized dipole antennas and for antennas with a dominant resonance in their absorption. Also, the usefulness of this parameter is analyzed for estimation of antenna performance.

Intermediate filament (IF)-like cytoskeleton emerges as a versatile tool for cellular organization in all kingdoms of life, underscoring the importance of mechanistically understanding its diverse manifestations. We showed previously that, in Streptomyces (a bacterium with a mycelial lifestyle similar to that of filamentous fungi, including extreme cell and growth polarity), the IF protein FilP co

This study presents the institutional experience of the use of vomer flap for early closure of hard palate during unilateral complete cleft-lip repair. The purpose of this study was to determine the survival rate of the vomer flap and to investigate its effect on the subsequent palatoplasty.

Abstract Purpose: To investigate genotype-phenotype correlation and to analyze functional and structural changes in the retina of patients with von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease. Methods: Thirteen patients from four families (A, B, C and D) with known VHL disease and known mutations in the VHL gene were examined. All patients underwent clinical examination and optical coherence tomography (OCT). Ful

Large-scale bioethanol production from lignocellulosic biomass will require high solids loading in the enzymatic hydrolysis step. However, slurries of pretreated lignocelluloses are complex fluids due to the fibrous nature, especially at high concentrations of water insoluble solids (WIS). A prerequisite for dealing with transport issues and for developing efficient full-scale processes is a funda

Animals relying on a celestial compass for spatial orientation may use the position of the sun, the chromatic or intensity gradient of the sky, the polarization pattern of the sky, or a combination of these cues as compass signals. Behavioral experiments in bees and ants, indeed, showed that direct sunlight and sky polarization play a role in sky compass orientation, but the relative importance of