The spin Hall conductivity of a disordered two-dimensional electron gas has been investigated for a general spin-orbit interaction. We have found that in the diffusive regime of electron transport, the dc spin-Hall conductivity of a homogeneous system is zero due to impurity scattering when the spin-orbit coupling contains only the Rashba interaction, in agreement with existing results. However, w

Transoesophageal echocardiography renders a better image than transthoracic echocardiography of cardiac changes especially at the atrial level, and of atherosclerotic changes in the aorta. Although several studies on stroke patients have included transthoracic and transoesophageal echocardiography, the relevance of the reported findings remains unclear because of limited information on the prevale

Lund University has no policies on electronic publishing or self-archiving. Neither does the university require any kind of annual standardized or centralized publication lists from faculties or departments. Electronic publishing and self-archiving is a very decentralized affair where departments or divisions make their own decisions. To increase the use of LU:research, the central university arch

A group of 137 male workers with known exposure (mean 20 fibre years per millilitre) to asbestos cement who had symptoms or signs of pulmonary disease was studied together with a reference group of 49 healthy industrial workers with no exposure to asbestos. Lung function measurements were made at rest and during exercise. Evidence of lung fibrosis was found as well as of obstructive airways diseas

A detailed study of ultraviolet spectra of the symbiotic star AG Peg has been undertaken to derive the atomic excitation mechanisms and origin of formation for the lines common in symbiotic systems. More than 600 emission lines are observed in spectra from IUE, HST and FUSE of which 585 are identified. Population mechanisms and origin of formation are given for a majority of those lines. Based on

1. The perforated patch whole-cell configuration of the patch-clamp technique was applied to superficial cells in intact pancreatic islets. Immunostaining in combination with confocal microscopy revealed that the superficial cells consisted of 35 % insulin-secreting B-cells and 65 % non-B-cells (A- and D-cells). 2. Two types of cell, with distinct electrophysiological properties, could be function

We have developed a computational method that combines extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) refinements with the integrated quantum mechanical and molecular mechanics (QM/MM) method. This method allows us to obtain a structure of a metal site inside a protein that is compatible with both EXAFS data and QM calculations (i.e., that is chemically reasonable). Thereby, the QM/MM calculatio

Decreases in stratospheric ozone caused by chlorofluorocarbons released into the atmosphere lead to an increase in harmful ultraviolet (UV) light received at Earths surface. But UV and ozone also vary naturally as a result of changes in solar activity. In their Perspective, Rozema et al. chart recent efforts to elucidate the relation among the solar UV spectrum, ozone concentrations, and harmful s

OBJECTIVE: To study the impact of adipose tissue removal by liposuction on factors associated with increased risk of cardiovascular atherosclerotic disease within the coagulation and fibrinolytic system and glucose metabolism. DESIGN, SETTING AND SUBJECTS: Liposuction was performed in 53 patients with Dercum's disease. The levels of fibrinogen, von Willebrand factor antigen (VWF:Ag) and plasminoge

Purpose: To characterise the nature and degree of ocular disorders and cerebral morphological and functional abnormalities in a population-based group of visually impaired full-term pre-school children. Methods: Forty-five children who were born at full-term between 1989 and 1995 in Varmland, Sweden, were reported as being visually impaired. An ophthalmological examination was performed and clinic

Caloplaca asserigena is shown to be the correct name for what has been called C. assigena. A description is provided, and it is reported to have a unique anthraquinone not previously known within Teloschistaceae. A recent find from thin twigs of Helianthemum oelandicum on the Swedish island of Öland in the Baltic is reported and its ecology is summarized.

An electric field oscillating at a frequency similar to 1 Hz is found to induce strong modulation of the fluorescence intensity of single poly[2-methoxy,5-(2'-ethyl-hexyloxy)-p-phenylene vinylene] (MEH-PPV) molecules (M-W similar to 10(6)) embedded in a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) matrix. The MEH-PPV polymer chains are carefully isolated from the electrodes to avoid effects of injection. In a

BACKGROUND: The barrier properties of the gastrointestinal mucosa may be studied by measuring its permeability to different-sized marker molecules. Owing to difficulties in obtaining human tissue it is, however, often necessary to extrapolate findings from experimental animals to man. The aim of the present study was to compare regional intestinal mucosal permeability in man, the rat, and the pig,

A macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), originally described as a product of activated lymphocytes, has been defined as a 12 kDa protein, expressed in a wide variety of tissues. Here MIF is identified as a phenylpyruvate tautomerase (EC 5.3.2.1) having p-hydroxyphenylpyruvate and phenylpyruvate as its natural substrates. The definition of MIF as an enzyme may yield insight into the mechani