The recent dramatic decline in farmland biodiversity is often attributed to agricultural intensification and structural changes in the agricultural landscape. One suggested farm practice seen to benefit biodiversity and reverse declines is organic farming. Because organic farming is viewed as a more sustainable form of agriculture it is currently subsidized by European agri-environment schemes. Ho

BACKGROUND. High resolution spatial details of the distribution of activity in three dimensions is required to evaluate the localization and dosimetric properties of radiolabelled monoclonal antibodies in tumors and normal tissues. Planar imaging of small animals with a resolution of 5-10 mm is usually the imaging modality of choice. The authors investigated high resolution single-photon emission

Species of Phragmoceras in the Silurian of Gotland and Britain are reviewed and revised. One new species P. exaggeratus is described from the Ludlow Series of the Welsh Borderland. There are comments on the broader distribution of the genus and on its mode of life.

Using an approach of combining Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy with resonant illumination from a secondary external light source, we have measured the photocurrent (PC) for multiple layers of self-assembled InAs dots embedded in a matrix of InP. Without external illumination, we observe photoexcitation of electrons from bound states in the dots to the InP barrier. By additional illuminatio

Several experimental evidences suggested that beta1 integrin-mediated adhesion of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) is important for their function in the bone marrow (BM). Using induced deletion of the beta1 integrin gene restricted to the hematopoietic system, we show that beta1 integrin is not essential for HSC retention in the BM, hematopoiesis, and trafficking of lymphocytes. However, immunizati

A plasma source free from characteristic emission lines is described, based on laser irradiation of a water jet in a helium atmosphere. Various key aspects of the laser interaction are presented along with practical characterization of the observed isotropic ~4–10 keV x-ray emissions, measurements of which indicate subpicosecond duration. Observations are consistent with a vacuum heating plasma me

PURPOSE: Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) defined biochemical recurrence (BCR) of prostate cancer is widely used for reporting the outcome of radical prostatectomy (RP). A standardized BCR definition is lacking, and overall progression-free probability and risk of subsequent metastatic disease progression may vary greatly depending on the PSA criterion used. Ten definitions of BCR were evaluated to

Real-time PCR is fast, sensitive, specific, and can deliver quantitative data; however, two disadvantages are that this technology is sensitive to inhibition by food and that it does not distinguish between DNA originating from viable, viable nonculturable (VNC), and dead cells. For this reason, real-time PCR has been combined with a novel discontinuous buoyant density gradient method, called flot

In platelets, coagulation cofactor V is stored in complex with multimerin 1 in alpha-granules for activation- induced release during clot formation. The molecular nature of multimerin 1 factor V binding has not been determined, although multimerin 1 is known to interact with the factor V light chain. We investigated the region in factor V important for multimerin 1 binding using modified enzyme-li

Objective: To evaluate the internal consistency of the Hip disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score-Physical Function Short-form (HOOS-PS) and the Knee injury and Ostecarthritis Outcome Score-Physical Function Short-form (KOOS-PS) in total hip replacement (THR) and total knee (TKR) replacement. Construct validity and responsiveness were compared to the Western Ontario McMaster Universities' Ost

Water soluble plasma proteins were fractionated from hen's egg yolk, and the molecular weight and pI of the most abundant protein species were characterized with gel electrophoresis. The proteins were identified by mass spectrometry. The protein fraction was used to produce oil-in-water emulsions, both at various protein concentrations and at various pH values, and the surface load was determined

Besides the bioavailability of nitric oxide (NO), downstream guanine monophosphate (cGMP) effector proteins are also considered to play a significant role in penile vascular disease. In animal studies, a downregulation of the cGMP-dependent protein kinase-1 (cGKI) alpha isoform has been linked to erectile dysfunction and diabetes mellitus. So far, the expression of cGKI alpha and beta isoforms has

Background Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a major cause of mortality in women. Women have also been identified as late presenters in seeking medical care. Aim The aim of this study was to explore and describe women's symptoms and the reasons for delay in seeking medical care at the time of the first myocardial infarction (MI). Methods The study had an explorative and descriptive design based o

The middle Holocene Hekla-S/Kebister tephra originates in the Hekla volcanic system on SW Iceland. The distal distribution of the tephra includes the Faroe Islands, Shetland and Central Sweden, indicating a main dispersal towards the east. The chemical composition of the tephra follows the pattern of other major eruptions of Hekla, and ratios between selected oxides may in some cases allow separat

BACKGROUND: Recombinant human activated protein C (rhAPC) is an anticoagulant that can be used for treatment of patients with severe sepsis. The use of rhAPC is accompanied by an increased risk of severe bleeding. Rotational thromboelastometry is a method for measuring the status of the coagulation. The aim of the study was to investigate whether rotational thromboelastometry could be used for mon

The glycosylation status of IgG has been implicated in the pathology of rheumatoid arthritis. Earlier, we reported the identification of a novel secreted endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase (EndoS), secreted by Streptococcus pyogenes that specifically hydrolyzes the beta-1,4-di-N-acetylchitobiose core of the asparagine-linked glycan of human IgG. Here, we analyzed the arthritogenicity of EndoS-treat

Purpose Although there is evidence for interaction between epidermal growth factor receptor ( EGFR) and estrogen receptor ( ER), it is still not clear how this affects response to endocrine therapies like tamoxifen. Here we assess the relationship between EGFR expression and tamoxifen response, with a new quantitative technology. Patients and Methods A tissue microarray was constructed from breast

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES. The authors compared the physiologic and nephrotoxic effects of the magnetic resonance imaging contrast medium gadopentetate with two conventional radiographic contrast media. METHODS. Rabbits were injected intravenously with one of the following solutions: 1) gadopentetate (0.1 M); 2) iohexol (300 mg I/mL); 3) metrizoate (300 mg I/mL); and 4) NaCl (0.9%). Blood samples w

Streptococcus pyogenes adheres to epithelial cells of the human pharynx where it can cause pharyngitis. To counteract infection. inflamed epithelium produces peptide antibiotics, among them the CXC chemokine MIG/CXCL9. M protein is both a surface-associated and released virulence factor of S. pyogenes. Here we show that soluble M1 protein enhances MIG gene expression and synthesis in IFN-gamma sti