Search results

The camera eyes of fishes and cephalopods have come forth by convergent evolution. In a variety of vertebrates capable of color vision, longitudinal chromatic aberration (LCA) of the optical system is corrected for by the exactly tuned longitudinal spherical aberration (LSA) of the crystalline lens. The LSA leads to multiple focal lengths, such that several wavelengths can be focused on the retina

The objective of the study was to describe 20 matched pairs of children born to psychosocial risk mothers who have been followed from early pregnancy through their first 16 years of life. Interviews and standardized behavior measurements with a focus on the children's development were used. When considering the overall data from the different measurements done over the 16-year study period, the st

A general, dynamic model describing the drying mechanisms of paper has been developed. The model includes shrinkage and predicts temperature, moisture, and pressure profiles. It has been evaluated against steady-state as well as dynamic measurements on a multicylinder paper dryer. The results revealed critical sections where low web strength and maximum gas pressure occur. Measurements of the oute

The macula of the human retina contains high amounts of the xanthophyll carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin [a mixture of (3R,3′R)-zeaxanthin and (3R,3′S-meso)-zeaxanthin]. Recently, it was shown that the uptake and the stabilization of zeaxanthin and lutein into the retina are likely to be mediated by specific xanthophyll-binding proteins (XBP). Here, we have used femtosecond pump–probe spectroscop

Tissue levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) protein were studied using enzyme immunoassay in different forebrain regions in the ipsi- and contralateral hemispheres of rats housed under enriched or standard conditions after the middle cerebral artery ligation. BDNF levels in the ipsilateral to ligation side was significantly higher only in the frontal cortex of standard as compared to

Fibroblast growth factors and receptors are intimately connected to the extracellular matrix by their affinity to heparan sulfate proteoglycans. They mediate multiple processes during embryonic development and adult life. In this study, embryonic stem cell-derived embryoid bodies were used to model fibroblast growth factor signaling during early epithelial morphogenesis. To avoid redundancy caused

A waterworks with an average production rate of 1.3 m3 s(-1), providing several large cities in the province of Scania with drinking water has been studied regarding its capacity to remove several natural and anthropogenic radionuclides. The raw water is surface water from lake Bolmen which is transported through an 80 km long tunnel in the bedrock before it enters the waterworks. The method used

Nuclear DNA is a well characterized target for many low molecular metal-based drugs, with cisplatin and related antineoplastic compounds as typical examples. Much less is known concerning to what extent targeting of RNA may influence the activity spectrum of these types of drugs. In a preliminary communication by us (Papsai et al., Dalton Trans., 2006, 3515) we were able to show that the folded, t

When selection on males and females differs, the sexes may diverge in phenotype. Hormones serve as a proximate regulator of sex differences by mediating sex-biased trait expression. To integrate these perspectives, we consider how suites of traits mediated by the same hormone in both sexes might respond to selection. In male birds, plasma testosterone (T) varies seasonally and among species accord

This paper describes a new approach for the development of an inhibitor of the contractile responses of neuropeptide Y in human blood vessels by the use of an antisense oligodeoxynucleotide complementary to human neuropeptide Y Y1 receptor mRNA. One micromolar of an antisense 18-base oligodeoxynucleotide (hY1-AS), corresponding to the human Y1 receptor NH2-terminus, was incubated with segments of

The aim of this study was to investigate the extent to which parents follow advice from child health nurses about child accident prevention. The study was performed in one of the 10 districts in the city of Malmo, Sweden. Parents to 90, 10-month old children in southern Sweden participated. These parents completed a questionnaire that prompted responses related to parents' background and socio-eco

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) frequently report nasal symptoms. In the present study, we have examined whether or not COPD is associated with any nasal inflammation. Plasma exudation evoked by histamine challenges has been employed to improve the recovery of inflammatory indices in nasal lavage fluids. In 23 COPD-patients and 26 healthy subjects, all without history or

Hirschsprung disease (HD), a developmental disorder, is associated with failure of enteric ganglia formation. Signaling molecules, including secreted basement membrane molecules, derived from the mesenchyme of the gut wall play an important role in the colonization and/or differentiation of the enteric nervous system. The current study aims to define the possible alterations of laminins involved i

This work is concerned with the adsorption of o-phthalate (1,2-benzenedicarboxylate) at the water-metal (hydr)oxide interface. Previously published infrared spectroscopic, potentiometric, and adsorption data characterizing the boehmite (gamma-AlOOH) system are compared with new data collected for o-phthalate adsorption on aged gamma-Al2O3 and goethite (alpha-FeOOH). The study focuses on identifyin

Interaction of mono- and disaccharides, polysaccharide particles and yeast cells with boronate-containing copolymers (BCC) of N-acryloyl-m-aminophenylboronic acid (NAAPBA) with NN-dimethylacrylamide (DMAA) or N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) was studied. The binding of saccharides to BCC of NIPAM resulted in a shift of its phase transition temperature (Delta T-p), which provided a quantitative measur

Philadelphia (Ph) chromosome-positive leukemia is characterized by the BCR/ABL1 fusion protein that affects a wide range of signal transduction pathways. The knowledge about its downstream target genes is, however, still quite limited. To identify novel BCR/ABL1-regulated genes we used global gene expression profiling of several Ph-positive and Ph-negative cell lines treated with imatinib. Followi

The effect of induction of protein production was studied in bioreactor cultures of T. reesei strain Rut-C30 and its transformant expressing endoglucanase I core domain (EGI, Cel7B) fused with a hydrophobic peptide tag. The tag was previously designed for efficient purification of the fusion protein in aqueous two-phase separation. The fungi were first grown on glucose-containing minimal medium af