The name 'Acinetobacter venetianus' has been used previously to designate three marine hydrocarbon-degrading Acinetobacter strains, of which strain RAG-1 (=ATCC 31012) has industrial applications for the production of the bioemulsifier emulsan. However, to date, the name of this taxon has not been validly published. In this study, five strains were examined to corroborate the delineation of this t

The receptor tyrosine kinase c-Kit plays a critical role in hematopoiesis and gain-of-function mutations of the receptor are frequently seen in several malignancies, including acute myeloid leukemia (AML), gastrointestinal stromal tumors and testicular carcinoma. The most common mutation of c-Kit in these disorders is a substitution of the aspartic acid residue in position 816 to a valine (D816V),

OBJECTIVE: To explore the hypothesis of an association between current wheeze and other health problems in adolescence and to investigate any sex differences. METHODS: N=8817 adolescents aged 13-19 years completed a self-administered questionnaire including questions on health and lifestyle in Norway (1995-1997). RESULTS: All subjective health problems were significantly more prevalent in current

Lead (Pb) is one of the most important models for biomonitoring of exposure, with the blood Pb concentration as a predominant choice in practice and in epidemiology. In this article the alternatives for biomarkers to blood are reviewed. This overview focuses on a number of different qualities that are of importance in the evaluation of a biomarker's usefulness and performance. The qualities scruti

In this paper, we study the mechanical degradation and changes in conformation of a branched ultrahigh molar mass biomacromolecule, hydrophobically modified starch, as caused by high-pressure homogenization. The characterization was performed with asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AsFlFFF) with multiangle light scattering (MALS) and refractive index detection. The starch which had been c

Participants in an international conference on the management of haemophilia patients with inhibitors developed a jointly authored summary of the findings and conclusions of the conference. Current knowledge of the genetic and immunologic mechanisms underlying inhibitor development was briefly summarized. Concerning the purported treatment-related risk factors, conference participants commented on

Remains of late Campanian and earliest Maastrichtian mosasaurs from southern Sweden are illustrated and briefly described. Plioplatecarpus sp. and Prognathodon sp. have been identified from strata of middle late Campanian age, while earliest Maastrichtian deposits contain remains of Mosasaurus cf. lemonnieri and Plioplatecarpus cf. primaevus. Available data suggest that the mosasaur group increase

Hepatitis G virus (HGV) infection is more common than hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and is frequently found in healthy individuals. Although parenteral spread of HGV is well recognized, other routes of transmission probably occur as well. In a prospective study of mother-to-infant transmission of hepatitis viruses, 69 pregnant women with antibodies to HCV and their 81 newborn children were inc

The adsorption and formation of DNA and cationic surfactant complexes at the silica-aqueous interface have been studied by ellipsometry. The interaction between the DNA-surfactant complexes at the mica-aqueous interface has been determined by the interferometric surface force apparatus. Adsorption was as expected not observed on negatively charged hydrophilic surfaces for DNA and when DNA-cationic

Hamstring muscles play a major role in knee-joint stabilization after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. Weakness of the knee extensors after ACL reconstruction with patellar tendon (PT) graft, and in the knee flexors after reconstruction with hamstring tendons (HT) graft has been observed up to 2 years post surgery, but not later. In these studies, isokinetic muscle torque was used. However

Neutral pion transverse momentum spectra were measured in p+C and p+Pb collisions at root s(NN) = 17.4 GeV at midrapidity (2.3 less than or similar to eta(lab)less than or similar to 3.0) over the range 0.7 less than or similar to p(T)less than or similar to 3.5 GeV/c. The spectra are compared to pi(0) spectra measured in Pb+Pb collisions at root s(NN) = 17.3 GeV in the same experiment. For a wide

Shedding of epithelium, increased venular permeability, and traffic of activated eosinophils and neutrophils may characterize asthmatic airways. This in vivo study involving briefly anesthetized guinea pigs examines whether epithelial denudation itself affects airway venules and granulocytes. Using an oral probe, a de-epithelialized tracheal zone (0.8 x 30 mm) was produced without bleeding or dama

The relaxivity behaviour and the structural characterization of new supramolecular aggregates (bilayer structures and micelles) obtained by combining two different amphiphilic monomers are reported. One monomer, (C18)2DTPAGlu-Gd, contains a very stable gadolinium complex, and the other, DSPE-PEG2000-CCK8, contains the bioactive CCK8 peptide. Samples that contained only DSPE-PEG2000-CCK8, or up to

Human adenosine A2A and rat dopamine D2 receptors (A2A and D2 receptors) were co-transfected in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells to study the interactions between two receptors that are co-localized in striatopallidal gamma-aminobutyric acid-(GABA)ergic neurons. Membranes from transfected cells showed a high density of D2 (3.6 pmol per mg protein) and A2A receptors (0.56 pmol per mg protein). The

A negative calcium balance has previously been described in human hypertension with low levels of plasma ionized calcium (Ca2+) and an increased urinary excretion of calcium. The cause of this disturbance in mineral metabolism is not known, nor is it known if this derangement could be abolished if blood pressure is reduced by antihypertensive treatment. In the present investigation, the effects of