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Interactions between host plasminogen (Plg) and streptokinase (SK) secreted by group A streptococci ( GAS) have been hypothesized to promote bacterial invasion of tissues. The virulence of GAS strain UMAA2616, after being subcutaneously inoculated into mice, was studied. Skin lesions and mortality were observed after inoculation of 7 x 10(6) cfu. Coadministration of human Plg with UMAA2616 markedl

We report, for what we believe to be the first time, on remote imaging laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). Measurements have been performed by using a tripled Nd:YAG laser working at 355 nm with 170 mJ pulse energy, with an expanded beam that is focused onto a target at 60 m distance. The LIBS signal is detected by using an on-axis Newtonian telescope and an optical multichannel analyzer.

In this article, the structure of two-sided ideals in the q-deformed Heisenberg algebras defined by the q-deformed Heisenberg canonical commutation relation AB-qBA=I is investigated. We show that these algebras are simple if and only if q = 1. For q not equal 1, 0 we present an infinite descending chain of non-trivial two-sided ideals, thus deducing by explicit construction that the q-deformed Hei

The Furongian (upper Cambrian) Leptoplastus Zone marks a time of critical changes in the evolution of olenid trilobites. This zone, unexposed at Andrarum in Skane, southern Sweden, has been re-excavated and the sequence of faunas and sediments logged in detail. The faunal succession accords with that previously described from borehole cores by Westergard, and the subzones of L. paucisegmentatus, L

We report on a study of singlet-singlet annihilation kinetics in a series of Zn(II)-porphyrin-appended dendrimers, where the energy transfer efficiency is significantly improved by extending the molecular chain that connects the light-harvesting chromophores to the dendrimeric backbone with one additional carbon. For the largest dendrimer having 64 Zn(II)-porphyrins, only 10% of the excitation int

I present data on seasonal variation in wing length and mass of Red Admirals Vanessa atalanta captured on Capri, Italy, during spring and autumn. The Red Admiral is a migratory butterfly that migrates north throughout Europe each year and then heads back south in the autumn. During the winter they are mostly found in the northern Mediterranean area where they previously were thought to hibernate,

Terrestrial pollen and spores in late Maastrichtian to early Paleocene marine strata at mid-Waipara, New Zealand, permit reconstruction of contemporary vegetation and paleoclimates. During the latest Cretaceous, spore-pollen assemblages reflect a temperate rainforest with a prominent podocarp and tree ferns component, angiosperm pollen being mainly represented by Nothofagus and Proteaceae. Disrupt

The receptor-like protein tyrosine phosphatase RPTPmu contains three intracellular domains: the juxtamembrane (JM) and two phosphatase domains (D1 and D2). D1 is catalytically active in vitro. The functional roles of JM and D2 are still unclear. To find out whether and how they modulate the phosphatase activity of D1, we compared the enzymatic characteristics of two constructs, containing a trunca

Estrogen ( ER) and progesterone receptor (PgR) status was analysed in paraffin-embedded breast cancer material with immunohistochemical (IHC) technique and compared with corresponding analyses in cytosols ( CYT). ER showed the same status (positive/negative) with both methods in 88% of the samples (352/ 402). The concordance was also high for PgR status (81% [321/394]). Besides values near cut-off

Objective: To examine whether smoking is a risk factor for rheumatoid nodules in early rheumatoid arthritis, and if so to determine the quantitative effect of smoking. Methods: From a cohort (n = 1589) in a structured programme for follow up of newly diagnosed cases of rheumatoid arthritis ( symptoms of swollen joints ( 12 months), 112 individuals with rheumatoid nodules at inclusion were identifi

The overall aim of this thesis was to investigate QoL and Health-Related QoL (HRQoL) among people aged 75 years and over in relation to socio-demographic variables, need of ADL help, various degrees of present QoL, self-rated health (SRH), health complaints, everyday activities, social support and sense of coherence (SOC). A further aim was to test a QoL scale and to illuminate older people's expe