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We present a versatile and compact fiber optic probe for real-time determination of the absorption and the reduced scattering coefficients from spatially resolved continuous wave diffuse reflectance measurements. The probe collects the diffuse reflectance at six distances in the range 0.6 - 7.8 mm at four arbitrary wavelengths, which were 660, 785, 805, and 974 nm in these experiments. The maximum
The plasma membrane H+-ATPase is activated by binding of 14-3-3 protein to the phosphorylated C terminus. Considering the large number of 14-3-3 and H+-ATPase isoforms in Arabidopsis (13 and 11 expressed genes, respectively), specificity in binding may exist between 14-3-3 and H+-ATPase isoforms. We now show that the H'-ATPase is the main target for 14-3-3 binding at the plasma membrane, and that
The effectiveness of extracting p,p'-DDT and p,p'-DDE from aged contaminated soil samples by means of pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) was evaluated. Two soil samples, which were contaminated more than 10 years ago, were used in the investigation. The static extraction time was optimised and then validated against the total sum of target analytes obtained from multiple sequential extractions. T
BACKGROUND: Reports of esophageal anastomotic complications often involve more gastric than colonic reconstructions and are incomplete because of fragmented followup by physicians unfamiliar with the surgical procedure. STUDY DESIGN: Three hundred ninety-three consecutive esophagectomy patients had prevalence and risk factors determined for graft ischemia and anastomotic leak; 363 of these patient
Pili of Neisseria gonorrhoeae mediate binding of the bacteria to human host cells. Membrane cofactor protein (MCP or CD46), a human cell-surface protein involved in regulation of complement activation, acts as a cellular pilus receptor. In this work, we examined which domains of CD46 mediate bacterial adherence. The CD46 expression was quantified and characterized in human epithelial cell lines. N
The aims of this study were to investigate possible age-related changes in the disposition of factor IX procoagulant activity (FIX:C) after administration of recombinant factor IX (rFIX) and to translate the pharmacokinetic findings into suggestions for dosing of rFIX during prophylactic treatment of haemophilia B. Pharmacokinetic data were available from a previous study on 56 patients, aged 4-56
Mucosal Toll-like receptors (TLRs) respond to pathogens, but remain inert to the indigenous flora, suggesting that the TLRs can receive pathogen-specific signals. For example, TLR4 signalling is activated in CD14-negative epithelial cells by P-fimbriated, uropathogenic Escherichia coli, but not by lipopolysaccharide. The fimbriae use glycosphingolipids as recognition receptors and there is release
The main concern about the technology for the production of hydrogen and transport fuels by biomass gasification is the presence of contaminants (H2S, tars, fly ash, alkali, and heavy metals, ammonia) that are poisonous for the catalysts used for upgrading the biomass-generated gas. The impact of the main contaminants on a Ni/MgAl(O) reforming catalyst was studied in a laboratory environment, by e
The reported prevalence of malnutrition in pediatric hospitals ranges from 15% to 30% of patients, with an impact on growth, morbidity and mortality. Major deficits in nutrition care have been highlighted in European hospitals, and the implementation of nutrition support teams (NSTs) has been suggested as a means to improve malnutrition diagnosis and nutrition care for hospitalized patients. This
We compare different procedures for combining fixed-order tree-level matrix-element generators with parton showers. We use the case of W-production at the Tevatron and the LHC to compare different implementations of the so-called CKKW and MLM schemes using different matrix-element generators and different parton cascades. We find that although similar results are obtained in all cases, there are i
Poly(arylene ether sulfone)s have been functionalised with alkyl side chains carrying phosphonic acid and bis(phosphonic acid) in order to investigate their properties as membrane materials. The phosphonated and bisphosphonated polymers were synthesised via lithiation of poly(arylene ether sulfone)s, followed by reactions with triethyl 3-phosphonopropionate and tetraisopropyl vinylidenediphosphona
BACKGROUND. The objective of this study was to identify prognostic factors for predicting survival in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) who had undergone an allogeneic stem cell transplantation after failure on immunotherapy. METHODS. The authors Studied 70 patients with advanced RCC Who underwent allogeneic transplantation with a fludarabine-based, reduced-intensity regimen. Ten p
Heterocyclic amines (HCAs) are potent mutagens/carcinogens to which humans are frequently exposed through the consumption of cooked meat and fish food. The effect of normal intake of HCAs and their role in the aetiology of human cancer is unknown. To some extent, limitations of the existing analytical methods in monitoring the low levels of HCAs in biological samples have hindered obtaining conclu
The aim of this study was to develop, adjust and test two different methods for the estimation of drainage area and potential wetness in ridged fields. The methods were applied to a gridded digital elevation model (DEM) of a potato field in central Sweden. Elevation data were registered by a global positioning system (GPS) receiver. A high-precision real time kinematic (RTK) system was used to rec
A Yersinia PCR-Compatible Enrichment (YPCE) medium was developed, which removes the necessity for sample pretreatment before PCR-based detection of Yersinia enterocolitica. The medium was designed through a sequence of independent screening and factorial design experiments to study the PCR inhibition and growth characteristics of medium components. The compatibility of the YPCE medium was evaluate
Bruchid beetles in the genus Zabrotes are important pests of field and stored beans all around the world and cause enormous economical losses in Mexico and Central America. Native parasitoids have been successfully used to suppress infestations by bruchid beetles in Africa, but few studies have assessed their potential to reduce seed damage in the New World and no successful biological control pro
The microarray technology has revolutionized biological research in the last decade. By monitoring the expression of many genes simultaneously, microarrays can elucidate gene function, as well as scan entire genomes for candidate genes encoding complex traits. However, because of high costs of sequencing and design, microarrays have largely been restricted to a few model species. Cross-species mic
