The use of continuous prognostic variables is clinically impractical, and arbitrarily chosen cut-off points can result in a loss of prognostic information. Here we report findings from a study of primary breast cancer, showing how the prognostic value of the fraction of cells in the S-phase of the cell cycle (SPF), as measured by flow cytometry, can be affected by the SPF cut-off level(s) adopted.

The Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition Engine, HCCI has the potential to combine the best of the Spark Ignition and Compression Ignition Engines. With high octane number fuel, the engine operates with high compression ratio and lean mixtures giving Cl engine equivalent fuel consumption or better. Owing to pre-mixed charge without rich or stoichiometric zones, the production of soot and NO, ca

The apposition compound eye of a nocturnal bee, the halictid Megalopta genalis, is described for the first time. Compared to the compound eye of the worker honeybee Apis mellifera and the diurnal halictid bee Lasioglossum leucozonium, the eye of M. genalis shows specific retinal and optical adaptations for vision in dim light. The major anatomical adaptations within the eye of the nocturnal bee ar

Lipooligosaccharide (LOS) heptose (Hep) glycan substitutions influence gonococcal serum resistance. Several gonococcal strains bind the classical complement pathway inhibitor, C4b-binding protein (C4BP), via their porin (Por) molecule to escape complement-dependent killing by normal human serum (NHS). We show that the proximal glucose (Glc) on HepI is required for C4BP binding to Por1B-bearing gon

A persistent vegetative state (severe dementia) developed in a 30-year-old man following hypoglycemic coma. Despite the poor clinical outcome, sensory evoked response recovered between 6 and 34 months after the insult. The cerebral blood flow level at rest after 34 months was slightly above the normal range. This finding contrasts with the low cerebral blood flow regularly reported in patients who

Background: The goal of this study was to investigate whether Interactive Voice Response is a technology with which to perform real-time assessments of alcohol consumption and stress. Methods: Fifteen subjects (men and women) were recruited from a previous 4-year intervention study (n = 2,032). The Interactive Voice Response technique was based on mobile telephones. During 1 week, stress and alcoh

The S-phase fraction (SPF) in flow cytometric DNA histograms in soft tissue sarcoma (STS) can be calculated in various ways. The traditional planimetric method of Baisch has been shown to be prognostic, but is hampered by a failure rate of around 40%. We therefore tested other models to see if this rate could be decreased with retained prognostic value. In 259 STS of the locomotor system the SPF w

The interaction between fungal laccases from Trametes basidiomycetes and different lignins has been studied using electrochemical and chromatographic methods. The kinetic parameters for the oxidation reaction of hydroquinone and for Kraft lignin by molecular oxygen catalysed by Trametes hirsuta laccase have been investigated. Polymerisation of lignin by laccase was shown. The process was independe

This paper draws on extensive theoretical research and literature reviews, and presents two cases to illustrate practical applications. It addresses the problem of how learning both from extracorporate sources, like universities, as well as across internal corporate functions, like R&D and manufacturing, can enhance company flexibility and performance in innovation. This paper aims at deliveri

In fragmented landscapes, mobility is an important trait for population persistence but the predictions on the relationship between habitat fragmentation and extinction risk are contradictory. Here, we test the effects of the two main aspects of fragmentation, patch area and isolation, on the species richness of groups of butterflies associated with semi-natural grasslands, differing in mobility.

The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of estradiol and tamoxifen alone and in combination on the estrogen binding site status of the urogenital tract in the rabbit. Bilaterally ovariectomized rabbits were divided into four groups of six. Wereas the control group received no treatment, the remaining rabbits were treated with estrogen orland tamoxifen. Cytosolic and nuclear fractions w

The authors studied the association between female and male alcohol intakes at the time of conception and the risk of spontaneous abortion, including early pregnancy loss detected by urinary human chorionic gonadotropin. After a nationwide mailing to about 50,000 members of four trade unions in Denmark in 1992-1994, 430 couples without previous pregnancy attempts were enrolled when birth control w

To study different aspects of regional pre-synaptic brain 123I-β-CIT uptake on serotonin and dopamine re-uptake sites in drug-free suicide attempters in comparison with age- and sex matched control subjects, single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) measurements were analysed for regional serotonin re-uptake (5HTT) and dopamine re-uptake (DAT) capacity (binding potential, BPlow asterisk)

A core drilling at Almbacken in the village Sodra Sandby, Scania, southern Sweden, penetrated a c. 30 in thick succession of upper lower Cambrian and middle Cambrian strata. Only the uppermost part of the lower Cambrian (Gislov Formation) was recovered, comprising c. 1.50 m of unfossiliferous siltstones and a thin limestone bed at the base of the core. The core contains the most complete middle Ca

Lipids have been shown to play a dual role in pancreatic beta-cells - a lipid-derived signal appears to be necessary for glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, whereas lipid accumulation causes impaired insulin secretion and apoptosis. The ability of the protein perilipin to regulate lipolysis prompted an investigation of the presence of perilipin in the islets of Langerhans. In this study evidence

To contribute to an understanding of the evolutionary processes that shape variation in immune responses, we compared several components of the innate and acquired arms of the immune system in five related, but ecologically diverse, migratory shorebirds (ruff Philomachus pugnax L., ruddy turnstone Arenaria interpres L., bar-tailed godwit Limosa lapponica L., sanderling Calidris alba Pallas and red