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Molecular evolution approaches to developing molecules with characteristics particularly suited for specific applications have become important tools in biomedicine and biotechnology. Not only is it possible to identify molecules with specificities that cannot easily be obtained by other means, but it is also possible to fine-tune in an efficient manner the properties for, in principle, any specif
Development of type-II collagen (CII)-induced arthritis (CIA) is dependent on activation of CII-reactive T cells. Dendritic cells (DCs) are believed to play a crucial role in antigen-specific priming of T cells but it is still unclear how the CII-reactive T cells are primed since Langerhans cells (LCs) are poor antigen-presenting cells for CII. In the present study we show that LCs, treated with c
Interferon (IF) was produced in glia and glioma cell lines in titers comparable to those produced by human fibroblasts. It was inducible by both Sendai virus and polyriboinosinic:polyribocytidylic acid. "Superinduction" resulted in up to 500-fold-higher titers of IF. The IF appeared to be of the fibroblast type, as revealed by experiments using heat treatment, assay of antiviral activity in hetero
The volumetric response of polymer gels on cosolute addition depends on the interaction of the polymer with the cosolute and can be used as a simple and sensitive way of elucidating these interactions. Here we report on DNA networks, prepared by crosslinking double-stranded DNA with ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (EGDE); these have been investigated with respect to their swelling in aqueous solu
Oxidative stress, or the production of oxygen-centered free radicals, has been hypothesized as the major source of DNA damage that in turn can lead to altered genetic expression, disease, and aging of humans. Serum protein thiol levels in blood are a direct measure of the in vivo reduction/oxidation (redox) status in humans, because thiols react readily with oxygen-containing free radicals to form
Thymic expression of insulin has been suggested to play a major role in negative selection of autoreactive T cells and tolerance induction against pancreatic beta cells. Furthermore, the expression of insulin in peripheral antigen-presenting cells (APC) has been clearly demonstrated but whether thymic negative selection and tolerance induction also depends on peripheral influx of self-antigens (Ag
The article provides an overview of ongoing research and key characteristics of Cognitive Semiotics, an emerging field dedicated to the transdiciplinary study of meaning, involving above all researchers from semiotics, linguistics, developmental and comparative psychology and philosophy. The combination of the following features distinguishes it from other synthetic approaches: (a) integration of
PRELP is a member of the leucine-rich repeat family of extracellular matrix proteins in connective tissue. In contrast to other members of the family, the amino-terminal domain of PRELP has a high content of proline and positively charged amino acids. This domain has previously been shown to bind chondrocytes and to inhibit osteoclast differentiation. Here we show that PRELP mediates cell adhesion
A very high number of different types of blood cells must be generated daily through a process called haematopoiesis in order to meet the physiological requirements of the organism. All blood cells originate from a population of relatively few haematopoietic stem cells residing in the bone marrow, which give rise to specific progenitors through different lineages. Steady-state dynamics are governe
Mixtures of an amphiphilic graft copolymer in water/sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT)/cyclohexane oil-continuous microemulsions are studied by the PGSE NMR technique and by viscometry. The graft copolymer has an oil-soluble poly(dodecyl methacrylate) backbone and water-soluble poly(ethylene glycol) side chains. Water, surfactant, and polymer self-diffusion coefficients can be measured
By precipitating a complex salt Ly(OS)(8) of the positively charged protein lysozyme and the anionic surfactant octyl sulfate OS-, one can generate a true ternary system: water-Ly(OS)(8)-NaOS. Using NMR diffusometry and U spectroscopy measurements the thermodynamic parameters of the association processes have been determined. The solubility product of the complex salt, K-s, is 10-(28) M-9.(1) On a
Sequence-dependent coordination of alkali ions to the nucleotide bases in the minor groove of AT-tract B-DNA has recently been inferred from X-ray crystallography, solution NMR and computer simulations. Here, we present new Na-23 and Rb-87 magnetic relaxation dispersion (MRD) data that demonstrate competitive and long-lived binding of Na+ and Rb+ ions in the minor groove of the B-DNA duplex [d(CGC
Ethically informed and committed consumers are crucial to the functioning of many alternative food systems. These consumers are poorly understood, though, and their common description as informed and democratically minded finds little resemblance to the real world. Few individuals fit the ideal of the concept of the so-called citizen-consumer. This commentary therefore argues that both researchers
Billions of people are without access to surgical care, in part because of the inequitable distribution of the surgical workforce. Drawing on recently collected data for the number of surgeons, anaesthesiologists, and obstetricians worldwide, we sought to show their global maldistribution by identifying thresholds of surgical workforce densities, and by calculating the number of additional provide
Purpose – This paper presents a questionnaire study of brand-specific perceptions of automotive design using subjective rating methods. The purpose of the paper is to explore the multiple modalities of the visual product experience of automobile design as perceived by the general public. Furthermore, the experiences were analysed using a framework for visual product experience (VPE). Design/method
Abstract is not available
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a new treatment consisting of stretching, posture training, and auricular acupuncture immediately and at a 3-month followup. This method has not been tested previously. From an original pool of 41 potential subjects, we recruited 24 (12 men, 12 women; ages 18-70 years) into this study and divided them from a waiting list into either a treatment g
By analysing N2 mice from a cross between the inbred C57BL strain B10.Q and the NMRI-related NFR/N strain, we recently identified a quantitative trait locus (QTL) influencing litter size. This locus is now denoted Fecq4, and it is present on the murine chromosome 9. In the present paper, we describe how the Fecq4 fragment originating form the NFR/N mouse strain will affect B10.Q mice by means of b
Wear particles commonly used for experiments may carry adherent endotoxin on their surfaces, which may be responsible for the observed effects. In this study, we attached titanium plates to the tibiae of 20 rats. After osseointegration, endotoxin-contaminated or uncontaminated high-density-polyethylene (HDPE) particles were applied. Contaminated specimens showed a dramatic resorption of bone after
