The properties of a sol-gel prepared Mn-modified TiO2 film have been studied with X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) using synchrotron radiation. The chemical composition and oxidation state of the elements have been determined. The manganese content estimated by PES of the Mn-modified film is about 10% and both Mn2+ and Mn3+ are observed. Addition of Mn is fo

In vivo studies on rats have demonstrated that considerable amounts of iodide are transported from the bloodstream into the gastric lumen. The mechanisms for and functional significance of this transport are poorly understood. Active (driven by Na+/K+-ATPase) iodide transport into thyroid follicular cells is mediated by the sodium-iodide symporter (NIS), which is also abundantly expressed in gastr

Objective: Vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) is a recently introduced method for the treatment of poststernotomy mediastinitis. The aim was to examine the effects of VAC negative pressure on peristernal soft tissue, blood flow after internal mammary artery harvesting. Methods: Microvascular blood flow was measured using laser Doppler velocimetry in a porcine sternotomy wound model. The effect of VAC n

We report on a method of synthesizing arrays of individually seeded nanowires. An electron beam lithography and metal lift-off method was used to pattern InP(111)B substrates with catalysing gold particles. Vertical InP(111)B nanowire arrays were then grown from the gold particles, using metal-organic vapour phase epitaxy. The lithographic nature of the method allows individual control over each n

To increase our knowledge of human peripheral vasospasm we characterized the contractile 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) receptors in human superficial hand vein segments in vitro. The 5-HT1 receptor agonist, sumatriptan, the 5-HT2 receptor agonist, dl-alpha-methyl-5-HT, and the 5-HT3 receptor agonist, 2-methyl-5-HT, all induced concentration-dependent contractions. The contractile response to sumatrip

A new negligible depletion extraction procedure was proposed for equilibrium sampling of 4-tert-octylphenol (OP) and 4-nonylphenol (NP) into a thin film of 1-octanol supported on a hollow fiber membrane. This thin liquid film extraction technique was directed at the determination of ( 1) freely dissolved concentrations, ( 2) distribution coefficients to 1-octanol (D-ow), and ( 3) binding to dissol

Haemorrhages represent a major complication of treatment with vitamin K antagonists. In cases of severe bleeding, a prompt effect on the increased International Normalized Ratio value is vital to achieve haemostasis. As conventional treatment, that is plasma or plasma-derived concentrates, carries the risk of blood-borne virus transmission, new treatments are needed. An open, multicentre pilot tri

The residual algal-bacterial biomass from photosynthetically supported, organic pollutant biodegradation processes, in enclosed photobioreactors, was tested for its ability to accumulate Cu(II), Ni(II), Cd(II), and Zn(II). Salicylate was chosen as a model contaminant. The algal-bacterial biomass combined the high adsorption capacity of microalgae with the low cost of the residual biomass, which ma

The magnetism of square lattices of quantum dots with up to 12 electrons per dot is studied using the spin-density functional formalism. At small values of the lattice constant, all lattices are nonmagnetic and gapless. When the lattice constant is increased, the shell structure of the single dots governs the magnetism of the lattice. At closed shells, the lattices are nonmagnetic and have a gap a

Resonant Auger spectra of large argon clusters have been measured at the Ar 2p edge. The decay spectra can give some information on the states reached in photon absorption. For example, the observation of the 3p(4)4p final states indicates the occurrence of the 2p(3/2)-> 4p excitation in clusters, whereas in atoms this excitation is dipole forbidden. Also the 3p(4)3d final states are identified in

In this paper propagation of transient electromagnetic waves in a reciprocal bi-isotropic medium is presented. The constitutive relations are convolution integrals with two susceptibility kernels that model the medium. The propagation problem is solved by the introduction of a wave-splitting technique. This wave-splitting is used to solve the propagation problem using either an imbedding approach

Objective The aim of this work was to study the histologic and manometric changes in the distal esophagus beyond 2 years following endoscopic sclerotherapy (EST) and/or surgical intervention, and to try to understand the etiological factors associated with these changes. Patients and interventions Forty patients, with an average age of 61.5 years, were studied for 2-12 years following sclerotherap

The high resolution infrared gas phase spectrum of isoxazole in the range 600-1400 cm(-1) has been recorded and more precise centres obtained for a number of bands; analyses of the nu(7)(A') band at 1370.9 cm(-1) and the nu(16)(A") band at 764.9 cm(-1) have been performed. Use of the Watson Hamiltonian, A-reduction, IIIr-representation and simultaneous analysis of the present IR and previous micro

Plasma cell differentiation is induced in vitro by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation but can be blocked by including anti-CD40 antibodies. Using subtractive cDNA hybridization we have identified the cell surface protein Ly6C as differentially expressed on B cells stimulated with LPS only. Ly6C has been shown to be expressed on certain T cell subsets and on subsets of macrophages and NK cells, b

Objective: The aim of this study was to construct a rating scale to predict long-term outcome on the basis of clinical and sociodemographic characteristics in patients with symptoms of psychosis who seek psychiatric help for the first time. Method: Patients (N = 153) experiencing their first episode of psychosis (DSM-IV schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorder, schizoaffective disorder, brief psyc

The early marsh orchid, Dactylorhiza incarnata (L.) Soo s. l., grows in medium-rich to rich fens and marshes over much of Europe and parts of Asia. The species is highly polymorphic and different forms may grow together at the same site. In the present study, I tested the hypothesis that these forms represent different migrant populations that have colonized Scandinavia independently of each other

Ferrochelatase is the terminal enzyme in haem biosynthesis, i.e. the enzyme that inserts a ferrous ion into the porphyrin ring. Suggested reaction mechanisms for this enzyme involve a distortion of the porphyrin ring when it is bound to the enzyme. We have examined the energetics of such distortions using various theoretical calculations. With the density functional B3LYP method we calculate how m

Background-The time course and magnitude of infarct involution, functional recovery, and normalization of infarct-related electrocardiographic (ECG) changes after acute myocardial infarction (MI) are not completely known in humans. We sought to explore these processes early after MI and during infarct-healing using cardiac MRI. Methods and Results-Twenty-two patients with reperfused first-time MI