The paper describes a computerized method, termed receptive field imaging (RFI), for the rapid mapping of multiple receptive fields and their respective sensitivity distributions. RFI uses random stimulation of multiple sites, in combination with an averaging procedure, to extract the relative contribution from each of the stimulated sites. Automated multi-electrode stimulation and recording, with

Here we present a single-cell-based model of cell-cell interactions in a growing yeast colony. We examine the influence of multiple factors on the colony morphology and switch to a foraging growth behavior. We find that the cell-growth inhibition by neighboring cells along with polar division growth patterns are the most significant factors driving the exploratory behavior of a colony.

Biomass provides the largest reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) emission when it replaces coal, which is the dominating fuel in heat and electricity production in Poland. One means of replacing coal with biomass is to co-fire biofuels in an existing coal-fired boiler. This paper presents an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of co-firing biofuels in Poland with respect to technical, environme

We use a latent factor approach to investigate if the momentum and contrarian profits, observed in the US stock market, should be considered as risk premiums or have nonrisk-based explanations. The model is also employed as a benchmark to assess the explanatory power of the traditional asset-pricing models in this context. Our findings show that the profits of the long-run contrarian strategy are

Effects of heavy metals and soil pH around a smelter detected, including decreased abundance of certain degradative capacities such as: acid formation from maltose, cellobiose, arabinose or xylose, or hydrolysation of starch, pectin, xylan, or cellulose. Soil respiration also decreased, but not phosphatase activity.

The objective of this study was to quantify and compare the effects of sow’s milk and 2 milk replacer diets (containing clotting or nonclotting protein sources) on exocrine pancreatic secretion, plasma cholecystokinin, and immunoreactive cationic trypsin in pigs. In addition, the relationship between exocrine pancreatic secretion and growth in milk-fed pigs was studied. In a changeover experiment,

Background: Symptoms of seasonal allergic rhinitis may vary greatly. Hence, for research purposes, there is a need for disease-like models of allergic rhinitis. In a preliminary study, involving 7 days' challenge with allergen, promising symptom consistency was obtained and dose-response to a glucocorticosteroid could, in part, be demonstrated. Objective: To establish this model of seasonal allerg

An OH-functional polyester has been acrylated via transesterification of ethyl acrylate, catalyzed by Candida antarctica lipase B (CalB) in two different preparations: Novozym(R) 435 and immobilized on Accurel(R) MP1000. The batch process resulted in incomplete acrylation as well as severe degradation of the polyester. A high degree of acrylation was achieved by optimization through the applicatio

A microformat imaging technique in combination with registration of chemiluminescence by a charge-coupled device, CCD camera, were applied for the detection of the herbicide atrazine by two immunoenzyme assay formats - microplate and membrane assays. For the microplate (ELISA) case the detection limit was 95 pg mL(-1), giving a 9.5-fold enhancement in comparison with a traditional colorimetric ass

Monozygous twins share a common genotype. However, most monozygotic twin pairs are not identical; several types of phenotypic discordance may be observed, such as differences in susceptibilities to disease and a wide range of anthropomorphic features. There are several possible explanations for these observations, but one is the existence of epigenetic differences. To address this issue, we examin

The adipocyte-derived hormone leptin is associated with insulin resistance and reduced fibrinolytic status - or dysfibrinolysis - in humans. As leptin associates differentially to the development of cardiovascular disease and diabetes in men and women, we hypothesized that leptin and insulin sensitivity are related to dysfibrinolysis in a sex-dependent manner. Thirty-two men and 40 women were recr

Interferon was found to have both suppressive and enhancing effects on the antibody response in newborn and adult mice. Evidence was obtained that these effects are primarily evoked during the initial steps controlling cell proliferation. Stimulation of thymus and spleen cells with a T-cell mitogen was enhanced by low doses and suppressed by high doses of interferon. Treatment of parental spleen c

Children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have been shown to develop changes on computed tomography (CT) scans of the brain. These changes are seen both during and after therapy. Some of the results have been contradictory. Nine children with ALL were examined by CT of the brain during induction therapy. All children showed normal CT scans on the day of diagnosis. One month later all had di

This article investigates negotiations of librarians’ expertise in relation to information literacy at the micro-level, specifically in the domain of nursing education. A qualitative empirical framework is employed. The study draws on 18 semi-structured interviews, 16 with Swedish nursing students, one with a librarian and one with a nursing professor. Three themes on librarians’ expertise emerge

Two unpolluted streams and one chemically and thermally polluted stream in Skania, Sweden, were investigated in summer 1995 for their temporary chironomid fauna and the occurrence of buccal deformities. The unpolluted streams 'Ovedsan' and 'Skaralidbacken' each contained, respectively, 13 and 16 taxa, with a dominance of Microtendipes pedellus group and Micropsectra spp., respectively. Most taxa w

CO-binding protein (C4BP) is a protein acting as a complement inhibitor and a carrier protein for anticoagulant protein S. Previously, we reported that the in vivo clearance of C4BP involves CD91, and that a CD91-interactive site overlaps the heparin-binding site within COP alpha-chains [26]. Here, we investigated the C4BP-CD91 interaction in more detail. Binding of C4BP to CD91 was unaffected by

Knowledge of the current distribution on a radome can be used to improve radome design, detect manufacturing errors, and to verify numerical simulations. In this paper, the transformation from near-field data to its equivalent current distribution on a surface of arbitrary material, i. e., the radome, is analyzed. The transformation is based on the scalar surface integral representation that relat

Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein was purified in a native form from normal adult human articular cartilage. The key steps in the purification scheme were selective extraction with buffer containing EDTA, wheat germ agglutinin affinity chromatography, and removal of the related protein thrombospondin by heparin affinity chromatography. Particles of cartilage oligomeric matrix protein viewed by e