The sigma-1 receptor (Sig-1R) is a single 25 kD polypeptide and a chaperone protein immersed in lipid rafts of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) where it interacts with mitochondria at the mitochondria-associated ER membrane domain (MAM). Upon activation, the Sig-1R binds to the inositol trisphosphate receptor (IP3R), and modulates cellular calcium (Ca(2+)) homeostasis. Also, the activated Sig-1R mod

Many filamentous organisms, such as fungi, grow by tip-extension and by forming new branches behind the tips. A similar growth mode occurs in filamentous bacteria, including the genus Streptomyces, although here our mechanistic understanding has been very limited. The Streptomyces protein DivIVA is a critical determinant of hyphal growth and localizes in foci at hyphal tips and sites of future bra

Although most ovarian cancers express estrogen (ER), progesterone (PR), and androgen (AR) receptors, they are currently not applied in clinical decision making. We explored the prognostic impact of sex steroid hormone receptor protein and mRNA expression on survival in epithelial ovarian cancer.

Severe acute pancreatitis (AP) is characterized by leukocyte infiltration and tissue injury. Herein, we wanted to examine the potential effects of thrombin-derived host defense peptides (TDPs) in severe AP. Pancreatitis was provoked by infusion of taurocholate into the pancreatic duct or by intraperitoneal administration of L-arginine in C57BL/6 mice. Animals were treated with the TDPs GKY20 and G

Mutations in the gene encoding the catalytic subunit of the cone photoreceptor phosphodiesterase (PDE6C) have been recently reported in patients with autosomal recessive inherited achromatopsia (ACHM) and early-onset cone photoreceptor dysfunction. Here we present the results of a comprehensive study on PDE6C mutations including the mutation spectrum, its prevalence in a large cohort of ACHM/cone

After a brief review of how quantum mechanical weak measurements plus post-selection give rise to the weak value concept, I criticize an interpretation of a weak value as any sort of straightforward, bona fide property of the system under investigation.

The expression of CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP)β in the small airway epithelium of COPD is unknown. C/EBPβ was assessed in peripheral lung tissue of non-smoking/smoking controls and patients with GOLD I-IV COPD by quantitative immunohistochemistry. The expression of C/EBPβ was decreased in smokers compared to never smokers. Furthermore, C/EBPβ was significantly elevated in advanced COPD v

OBJECTIVE: Ra is an alpha particle emitter that targets areas of increased bone turnover in bone metastases. Alpha particles account for 95% of the 27.8 MeV emitted per decay. Less than 2% of the emissions are from photons. This means that a high absorbed dose will be delivered locally, although the number of photons for imaging will be low. The purpose of this study was to investigate the possibi

HUmic-LIke Substances (HULIS) have been identified as major contributors to the organic carbon in atmospheric aerosol. The term "HULIS" is used to describe the organic material found in aerosol particles that resembles the humic organic material in rivers and sea water and in soils. In this study, two sets of filter samples from atmospheric aerosols were collected at different sites. One set of sa

Regenerative cooling system at supercritical conditions can accommodate high heat fluxes effectively in aerospace applications. The potential of nanofluids as regenerative coolants at supercritical pressures was evaluated in this work. Experiments were carried out to study the heat transfer characteristics of Al2O3-kerosene nanofluids flowing upward in a vertical minitube at supercritical pressure

The cave-living and monobasic fungus gnat genus Speolepta Edwards is reviewed with a description of the first Nearctic species, Speolepta vockerothi sp. nov., from Canada (caves in Ontario and British Columbia) and the United States (Alaska). Its morphology, life history, and biology are documented and compared with the single European species Speolepta leptogaster (Winnertz). A further new specie

Stratigraphic boundaries are ideally defined by distinct lithological, geochemical, and palaeobiological signatures, to which a chronological framework can be applied. We present a range of observations that illustrate how the Holocene-Anthropocene transition meets these criteria in its expression in sediments from remote arctic and alpine lakes, removed from direct, catchment-scale, anthropogenic

We report on multiblock copolymers consisting of highly sulfonated hydrophilic poly(arylene sulfone) (SPAS) blocks combined with hydrophobic poly(arylene ether sulfone) (PAES) blocks. Dithiol-terminated precursor blocks of sulfonated poly(arylene thioether sulfone) (SPATS) were first prepared via polycondensations involving a novel tetrasulfonated dichlorotetraphenyldisulfone monomer, followed by

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing has limited accuracy for the early detection of prostate cancer (PCa).

Many ICU-patients have memory-gaps which may affect their recovery. A tool in the recovery can be an ICU-diary to explain and clarify thoughts and events from the ICU-period. There are different standards for the content in the ICU-diary. The aim of this study was to identify the preferred content and usefulness of an ICU-diary as described by ICU-patients. METHOD: A descriptive, exploratory co

Classification of the open abdomen (OA) status is essential for clinical studies on the subject and may help to improve OA therapy. This is a validity and reliability analysis of the OA classification proposed by the World Society of the Abdominal Compartment Syndrome in 2013.

The aim of the study was to determine and compare the degree of swelling and the swelling kinetics of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) hydrophilic matrix tablets without any additives for matrixes with different molecular weight polydispersities. A wide range of "mixed" polydisperse PEO tablets were obtained by mixing two PEO batches with average molecular weights of 10(5) and 2 x 10(6), respectively. T

This paper studies the pricing of IPOs in a tractable model in which an investment bank faces some investors with superior information. We show how this can lead to underpricing and, based on our model, we make a number of empirical predictions.

Specific absorbed fractions (SAFs) have been calculated as a function of the content in the urinary bladder in order to allow more realistic calculations of the absorbed dose to the bladder wall. The SAFs were calculated using the urinary bladder anatomy from the ICRP male and female adult reference computational phantoms. The urinary bladder and its content were approximated by a sphere with a wa