The prototypical antimicrobial peptide, melittin, is well-known for its ability to induce pores in zwitterionic model lipid membranes. However, the mechanism by which melittin accomplishes this is not fully understood. We have conducted all-atom and coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations which suggest that melittin employs a highly cooperative mechanism for the induction of both small and l

A fundamental issue in speciation research is to evaluate phenotypic variation and the genomics driving the evolution of reproductive isolation between sister taxa. Above all, hybrid zones are excellent study systems for researchers to examine the association of genetic differentiation, phenotypic variation and the strength of selection. We investigated two contact zones in the marine gastropod Li

The purpose of this study is to present a new and improved method for translating the electrocardiographic changes of acute myocardial ischemia into a display which reflects the location and extent of the ischemic area and the associated culprit coronary artery. This method could be automated to present a graphic image of the ischemic area in a manner understandable by all levels of caregivers; fr

In this paper,the problem of enhancing the detection performance of detector for target in partially homogeneous background is addressed. ased on a general measurement model, a new constant false alarm rate (CFAR) adaptive matched detector (AMD) is proposed through a two-step design procedure. The detection performance of the AMD is theoretically analyzed. Then, the correctness of the analytical r

Estrogens contribute to the development and growth of the prostate and are implicated in prostate tumorigenesis. In their target tissues, estrogens mediate their effects via estrogen receptor alpha (ER alpha (ESR1)) and beta (ER beta (ESR2)). Hyperplasia and decreased differentiation of epithelial cells in the prostate have been reported in ER beta knockout (BERKO) mice. Herein, we studied the eff

Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) with a fiber-optic contact probe is a cost-effective, rapid, and non-invasive optical method used to extract diagnosis information of tissue. By combining commercially available VIS- and NIR-spectrometers with various fiber-optic contact-probes, we have access to the full wavelength range from around 400 to 1600 nm. Using this flexible and portable spectrosco

'Amsterdam is standing on Norway' - this was a popular saying in the Dutch Republic of the seventeenth century. There was more than one inflection to the phrase. Amsterdam was, in the first instance, built atop a subterranean forest of Norwegian origin. But southern Norway was also a vital resource zone, subordinated to Amsterdam-based capital. This paper follows the movement of strategic commodit

Measurement of intracardiac kinetic energy (KE) provides new insights into cardiac hemodynamics and may improve assessment and understanding of heart failure. We therefore aimed to investigate left ventricular (LV) KE time curves in patients with heart failure and in controls.

Many key chemical and biochemical reactions, particularly in living cells, take place in confined space at the mesoscopic scale. Toward understanding of physicochemical nature of biomacromolecules confined in nanoscale space, in this work we have elucidated fluorescence effects of a light harvesting complex LH2 in nanoscale chemical environments. Mesoporous silicas (SBA-15 family) with different s

Over the last years an expanding family of small RNAs (i.e. microRNAs, siRNAs and piRNAs) was recognized as key players in diverse forms of gene silencing and chromatin organization. Effectors functions of these small RNAs are achieved through ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes containing at their center an Argonaute/Piwi protein. Although these proteins and their small RNA-associated machinery can

SO2 plays an important role in the atmospheric chemistry of the Earth, Venus, and Io. This paper presents photoabsorption cross sections of SO2 from 213 to 325 nm at 198 K, encompassing the (C) over tilde B-1(2) - (X) over tilde (1)A(1) and (B) over tilde B-1(1) - (X) over tilde (1)A(1) electronic bands. These measurements are part of a series of measurements over the 160 to 300 K temperature rang

There is overwhelming evidence that hypertension is an important risk factor for both macrovascular and microvascular complications in patients with diabetes, but the problem remains to identify appropriate goals for preventive therapies. A number of guidelines (the European Society of Cardiology (ESC)/European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) 2007, the Joint National Committee (JNC)-V

Polyethyleneimine (PEI) is an organic polycation used extensively as a gene- and DNA vaccine delivery reagent. Although the DNA targeting activity of PEI is well documented, its immune activating activity is not. We recently reported that PEI has robust mucosal adjuvanticity when administered intranasally with glycoprotein antigens. Here we show that PEI has strong immune activating activity after

Aqueous two-phase systems have frequently been utilized as an efficient bioseparation tool in the downstream processing of different biomolecules. The poly(ethyleneglycol)/poly(acrylate)/salt system, already explored successfully for purification of proteins and plasmid DNA, is here presented as an alternative approach for the isolation of small DNA fragments generated during in vitro DNA polymera

New research indicates that firms combining the science-based STI (Science, Technology, Innovation) and the experience-based DUI (Doing, Using, Interacting) modes of innovation are more efficient when it comes to improving innovation capacity and competitiveness. With regard to innovation policy, the STI mode calls for a supply-driven policy, typically aimed to commercialize research results. The

Venous thromboembolism is common in the general population with increasing age as one of the most important risk factors. The care of hemophilia and von Willebrand disease has improved in recent decades, resulting in the expectation of a growing population of aging people with these disorders. Thrombosis seems rare in hemorrhagic disorders but studies documenting the true epidemiology are virtuall

A series of nine donor-acceptor polymers, including three new and six polymers from previous work, have been investigated experimentally and theoretically. The investigation focuses on narrow band gaps and strong absorptions of the polymers, where experimentally determined first peak absorption energies range from 1.8 to 2.3 eV, and peak absorption coefficients vary between 19-67 L g(-1) cm(-1). A

The islets of Langerhans are key regulators of glucose homeostasis and have been known as a structure for almost one and a half centurys now. During the twentieth century several different cell types were described in the islets of different species and at different developmental stages. Six cell types with identified hormonal product have been described so far by the use of histochemical staining