Fimbriae mediate bacterial attachment to host cells and provide a mechanism for tissue attack. They activate a host response by delivery of microbial products such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or through direct fimbriae-dependent signalling mechanisms. By coupling to glycosphingolipid (GSL) receptors, P fimbriae trigger cytokine responses in CD14 negative host cells. Here we show that P fimbriae ut

Autism is a highly heritable disorder but the specific genes involved remain largely unknown. The higher prevalence of autism in men than in women, in conjunction with a number of other observations, has led to the suggestion that prenatal brain exposure to androgens may be of importance for the development of this condition. Prompted by this hypothesis, we investigated the potential influence of

Plant mitochondria contain alternative external NAD(P)H dehydrogenases, which oxidise cytosolic NADH or NADPH and reduce ubiquinone without inherent linkage to proton pumping and ATP production. In potato, St-NDB1 is an external Ca2+-dependent NADPH dehydrogenase. The physiological function of this enzyme was investigated in homozygous Nicotiana sylvestris lines overexpressing St-ndb1 and co-suppr

Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) is held to cause intestinal atrophy and weaken mechanical and immunological barriers. To monitor the degree of atrophy caused by TPN, female Sprague-Dawley rats were, for 8 days, maintained on TPN (n = 6) and compared to identically housed controls given food and water ad libitum (n = 6). Specimens from jejunum, ileum, and colon were taken for histology and morphom

Microfungi were isolated from unpolluted and copper polluted forest soils and their tolerance was tested on agar plates. Species from polluted sites were usually tolerant to Cu. The species were Paecilomyces farinosus, Beauveria bassiana, Verticillium spp. and Penicillium pactum. Sensitive species were found among Mortierella, Oidiodendron and Penicillium. usually rare in polluted sites. Little ev

In nuclear reactors plutonium and transplutonium isotopes are produced by multiple neutron capture of uranium and plutonium and are important for the energy production and their composition reflects the core burnout. Under normal operation these elements are not released to the environment in significant amounts. There are accordingly very few areas or source terms where exotic transplutonium elem

Background. An abnormally high [above mean + 2 standard deviations (SD)] umbilical artery (UA) pulsatility index (PI) indicates impaired fetal outcome, whereas the impact of an "abnormally" low (below mean -2 SD) PI is unknown. Methods. Perinatal outcome was compared between cases with a UA PI less than mean -2 SD (group A: high-risk cases selected from a database, n = 330; group B: unselected ca

Carbon fiber microelectrodes, able to detect catecholamine release from single cells, have significantly contributed to our present understanding of the mechanism of secretory neurotransmission. In spite of their obvious advantages, there are only a few amperometric sensors (characterized by appropriate size, sensitivity, and selectivity) able to measure the release of other (not easily oxidizable

This thesis deals with the carbon balance in a subarctic landscape at different temporal and spatial scales. Its focus is mainly on the peatland and mountain birch forest (Betula pubescens ssp. czerepanovii) ecosystems within the Abisko area in northernmost Sweden. This is an area with a temperature close to the 0 OC mean annual isotherm. The area has during the last 30 years experienced a limited

Popular Abstract in Swedish För att vi människor ska kunna upprätthålla balansen och utföra rörelser behöver vi ett komplext styrsystem som kontinuerligt kontrollerar och samordnar kroppens rörelser. Detta styrsystem, som kallas postural kontroll, får sin information från synen, balanssinnet (vestibularisorganen), led-muskelsinnet (proprioception) och receptorer i huden (mekanoreceptorer). Om någoThe ability to obtain correct balance control information and adjust motor performance appropriately are essential elements in effective postural control. However, functional disorders may affect the reliability of receptor information and ability to carry out corrective motions needed to maintain balance. This emphasizes the importance of rapid and accurate adaptation processes that can optimize

In humans, beta-alanine (BAL) and the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyrate (GABA) are transaminated by a single aminotransferase enzyme. Apparently, yeast originally also had a single enzyme, but the corresponding gene was duplicated in the Saccharomyces kluyveri lineage. SkUGA1 encodes a homologue of Saccharomyces cerevisiae GABA aminotransferase, and SkPYD4 encodes an enzyme involved in both BAL

Popular Abstract in Swedish En utmaning vid design av interaktiva artefakter är att ta i beräkning den mångfald av digitala ting, system och verktyg människor dagligen sig av ? något som i denna text benämns som en interaktionsekologi. Denna avhandling behandlar tre forskningsteman; för det första hur människor uppfattar och varseblir ljud, och hur vi kan dra nytta av detta när interaktiva ting omA contemporary challenge when designing interactive artifacts is to take into account the wealth of devices, systems, and tools people use every day - here termed an 'interaction ecology'. This thesis addresses three research issues. Firstly, the character of sound perception, and how auditory interaction can be applied to ubiquitous computing. Secondly, how everyday sounds make people aware of su

Several interactions of cytokines with extracellular matrix molecules are mediated by proteoglycans, such as biglycan and decorin. Using surface plasmon resonance, we show for the first time that tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) binds to both biglycan and decorin with K(d)s of 0.81 microM and 1.23 microM respectively, a binding that was confirmed by Scatchard plots using a solid phase assa

In 1982, the Swedish diplomat and Turkologist Gunnar Jarring (1907–2002) donated his unique collection of Eastern Turkestan manuscripts to the Lund University Library. The Jarring Collection at Lund is the third biggest collection of Eastern Turkic manuscripts in the world and consists of 560 pieces, many of which are miscellanies. It is a broad collection and represents the history and culture of