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The different steps in the dissolution process of polydisperse polymers in water have been studied. To that end, poly(ethylene oxide), dextran and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose tablets varying widely in polydispersity have been produced by mixing low molecular weight and high molecular weight samples in different proportions. The individual release of the low and high molecular weight fractions ha
Many wader (Charadrii) populations are declining throughout in Europe, but the underlying causes are often poorly known and diverse. To fully grasp the reasons behind declines in vulnerable wader populations, it is crucial to understand the demography. In my thesis, I have focused on the viability and management of waders occurring on coastal meadows in the Baltic Sea using redshank (Tringa totanu
It has previously been shown that the cerebellum is critical for classical conditioning. The experiments presented in this thesis aimed to study how the cerebellum controls conditioned eyeblink responses (CRs) and specifically the efferent path from the cerebellar cortex to the muscles. Ferrets, decerebrated rostral to the superior colliculus and the red nucleus, were trained in a classical condit
This work demonstrates the determination of absolute stellar radial velocities from geometrical principles, i.e. using astrometry. Such `astrometric radial velocities' are obtained independently of spectroscopic information. While spectroscopic radial velocities are affected by line shifts from astrophysical processes on the stellar surfaces, by gravitational redshift and various other effects, as
In order to identify integral and peripheral proteins associated with the plasma membrane (PM), highly purified Arabidopsis PMs were analyzed by mass spectrometry. In total, 238 putative PM proteins were identified, of which 114 were predicted to have transmembrane domains or to be PM-anchored. Identified proteins were involved in transport, signal transduction, membrane trafficking and stress res
The kinetics and mechanism for interactions of the anticancer active platinum(II) complexes cis-[PtCl2(NH3)2)], cis-[PtCl2(NH3)(c-C6H11NH2)], and trans-[PtCl2-(NH3)(quinoline)] with DNA have been studied using a combination of HPLC, circular dichroism (CD), UV/vis spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Reactions of the monoaqua forms (charge = +1) of these complexes with single
To ensure the beam with an ultralow emittance and high current the possible effects deteriorating the beam stability must be investigated. When ultrarelativistic particles travel in the vacuum chamber they induce electromagnetic fields which can act back on them and the following particles. The interaction of the beam with the surrounding environment can be described by wakefields in time domain a
Aim: To non-invasively detect and explore the changes in atrial fibrillatory cycle length (i.e. changes in the atrial refractory period) in humans with chronic atrial fibrillation (CAF) following autonomic modulation and pharmacological intervention. Furthermore we investigated if the value of the atrial fibrillatory cycle length could predict outcome following DC-cardioversion. Methods: The stud
This thesis deals with the haemorheological aspects of cardiovascular diseases. The resistance of blood to flow is determined by the rheological properties of blood as well as by organic stenoses and regulatory tonus changes in the vessels. Three idiopathic cardiovascular diseases with a reduced ability to increase blood flow in response to demand were studied. Blood rheology was impaired in a wa
β-Mannoside hydrolases are enzymes that are involved in conversion of the major soft-wood hemicellulose O-acetyl-galactoglucomannan, an important renewable biomass resource. They belong to clan A of glycoside hydrolases and share a common (β/α)8-TIM barrel fold. For their catalysis, they use a two-step retaining double displacement mechanism, and may in addition to hydrolysis also perform transgly
Hypertensive individuals, even non-obese, have been shown to be resistant to the insulin-mediated glucose uptake in peripheral tissues {mainly skeletal muscle}. The aim of this study was to investigate hypothetical pathophysiological mechanisms for the development of hypertension with regard to insulin sensitivity in normotensive men with a family history of hypertension (RELs) as compared to men
