Objective: To evaluate whether T cells expressing CCR5 and CXCR3 from multiple sclerosis (MS) patients are more resistant to apoptosis. Methods: Expression of CD69, TNF-R1, Fas, FasL, bcl-2, and bax was investigated in 41 MS patients and 12 healthy controls by flow cytometry in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells expressing CCR5 and CXCR3. Results: In MS patients, the percentage of CD69 was increased and Fas ex

The scope of this presentation is a new methodology to correct conventional NIR data for scattering effects. The technique aims at measuring the absorption coefficient of the samples rather than the total attenuation, measured by conventional NIR spectroscopy. The main advantage of this is that the absorption coefficient is independent of the path length of the light inside the sample, and therefo

We describe a patient with facial cellulitis/erysipelas due to cowpox virus inoculation in the respiratory epithelium of the nose. A cytopathic agent was isolated in cell culture, and the diagnosis of cowpox was confirmed by electron microscopy and polymerase chain reaction. The most likely source of infection was exposure to the family cats. In addition to the severe edematous cellulitis of the f

Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDEs) include a large group of structurally related enzymes that are responsible for the hydrolysis of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP). These enzymes belong to at least nine related gene families (PDEs 1–9) (1–5), which differ in their primary structures, affinities for cAMP and cGMP, responses to specific effect

A substantial part of nuclear containments in US and Europe are designed with an outer bearing concrete structure and an inner sealing consisting of a tight-welded steel liner. The liner constitutes the ultimate leak-barrier, which prevents leakage at high internal pressure loads. The purpose of this paper is to show which influence a through-wall concrete crack may have on the strain level in the

A comparatively simple way to generate time series of atmospherically distorted wave fronts is described and tested. Temporal power spectra of Zernike aberrations, extracted from the time series, agree very well with theoretical predictions. A method for generation of longer time series is also shown to give results in accordance with theory, except for the lowest temporal frequencies modeled. A w

A series of analogs with nitro or serinamide substituents at the C-2'-, C-5'-, or C-C-position of the combretastatin A-4 (CA4) B-ring was synthesized and evaluated for cytotoxic effects against heart endothelioma cells, blood flow reduction to tumors in SCID mice, and as inhibitors of tubulin polymerization. The synthesis of these analogs typically featured a Wittig reaction between a suitably fun

Gel electrolytes based on comb-shaped polyethers have been prepared and characterised. The comb-shaped polyethers consisted of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) or poly(ethylene oxide-co-propylene oxide) (PEOPO) side chains tethered to styrenic backbone polymers. All the polyether side chains were terminated by hydrocarbon (C-16) chain ends. Polymer gel electrolytes were prepared by adding 10-70 wt.% of

Statistics show that large amounts of goods moved in distribution chains incur the risk for being stolen, counterfeited or contaminated. At the same time terror threats for smuggling weapons of mass destructions, or intentionally altering products, are pushing governments to require higher security from logistics and transport operators. As a consequence, supply chain managers have to face the dif

Heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) is induced in cells by a variety of stress conditions, is known to be cytoprotective, and has been proposed to be neuroprotective during brain ischemia. A recently developed mouse model of 12-min global cerebral ischemia by bilateral common carotid artery occlusion with artificial ventilation and bilateral monitoring of regional cerebral blood flow by laser Doppler wa

Aqueous mixtures of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes undergo associative phase separation, resulting in coacervation, gelation, or precipitation. This phenomenon has been exploited here to form DNA gel particles by interfacial diffusion. We report the formation of DNA gel particles by mixing solutions of DNA (either single-stranded (ssDNA) or double-stranded (dsDNA)) with solutions of cationic

Type II NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductases are single polypeptide proteins widespread in the living world. They bypass the first site of respiratory energy conservation, constituted by the type I NADH dehydrogenases. To investigate substrate specificities and Ca2+ binding properties of seven predicted type II NAD(P)H dehydrogenases of Arabidopsis thaliana we have produced them as T7-tagged fusion pro

In an attempt to identify diagnostically meaningful subgroups in a group of sixty women 18–34 years of age, 19 of them having a DSM-IV diagnosis of anorexia nervosa and 41 of bulimia nervosa, a hierarchical cluster analysis was performed on their data obtained from the Defense Mechanism Technique modified (DMTm) and the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI). Variables also taken into account in the clus

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a synthesis of transnational tendencies in multinational enterprises (MNEs), to theoretically analyse the result and to study whether managers in MNEs have experienced the predicted tendencies. Design/methodology/approach – The synthesis is based on an extensive literature review which is analysed by transaction cost economics. Identified tendenc

The gene PTPN22 is located on chromosome 1p13 and encodes a protein tyrosine phosphatase called the lymphoid-specific phosphatase (Lyp). Lyp is expressed in lymphocytes, where it physically associates through its proline-rich motif ( called P1) with the SH3 domain of the protein tyrosine kinase Csk, an important suppressor of the Src family of kinases Lck and Fyn, which mediate TCR signaling. Ther

The paper analyses the ability of a non-linear asset pricing model suggested by Dittmar [Dittmar, R.F., 2002. Non-linear pricing kernels, kurtosis preference, and the cross-section of equity returns. Journal of Finance 57, 369–403] to explain the returns on international value and growth portfolios. For comparison we use competing pricing models such as the ICAPM, the exchange rate risk augmented

The aim of the present study was to gain information about adrenergic-, cholinergic- and nonadrenergic, non-cholinergic (NANC)- transmitter systems/mediators in the rat vagina, and to characterize its smooth muscles functionally. Tissue sections from vagina of Sprague Dawley rats were immunolabelled with antibodies against protein gene product 9.5 (PGP), synaptophysin (Syn), tyrosine hydroxylase (