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In veal calf production, growth promoters are still illicitly used. Surveillance of misuse of such molecules is necessary to preserve human health. Methods currently adopted for their analysis are based on liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry, but their efficacy can be affected by undetectable residual concentrations in biological matrices due to treatments at low-dosage or based on unkn
Purpose: The aim of this work is to examine the relationship between aspects of objective and perceived housing and aspects of healthy aging, defined as independence in daily activities and subjective wellbeing. Furthermore, this research examined the comparability of relationships between housing and healthy aging in the five European countries. Design and Methods: Data were drawn from the ENABLE
The aim of this study is to examine the two novels Le Rouge et le Noir and La Chartreuse de Parme in the light of the theory of 'triangular desire', elaborated by René Girard in Mensonge romantique et vérité romanesque (1961). According to this theory, desire in Stendhal's novels – that is desire in a very general sense – is not spontaneous, but derived from a third part, that Girard labels the 'm
Highly malignant tumors, such as glioblastomas, are characterized by hypoxia, endothelial cell (EC) hyperplasia, and hypercoagulation. However, how these phenomena of the tumor microenvironment may be linked at the molecular level during tumor development remains ill-defined. Here, we provide evidence that hypoxia up-regulates protease-activated receptor 2 (PAR-2), i.e., a G-protein-coupled recept
BACKGROUND. Serum response factor (SRF) is an important transcription factor in castrate-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Since CRPC is associated with androgen receptor (AR) hypersensitivity, we investigated the relationship between SRF and AR. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Transcriptional activity was assessed by luciferase assay. Cell proliferation was measured by MTT and flow cytometry. Protein expr
Streptococcus pyogenes is an important human pathogen that causes a variety of diseases including life-threatening invasive diseases, such as toxic shock and deep tissue infections. Although S. pyogenes are classically considered extracellular pathogens, a clinical significance of an intracellular source has been emphasized. In patients with deep tissue infections, an intracellular reservoir of S.
Background: Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) of the skin is the most common neoplasm among the Caucasian population of the western world. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation-induced p53 activation promotes cutaneous pigmentation by increasing transcriptional activity of pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) in the skin. Induction of POMC/alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) activates the melanocortin 1 recepto
Introduction of a conjugated vaccine against encapsulated Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) has led to a dramatic reduction of invasive Hib disease. However, an increasing incidence of invasive disease by H. influenzae non-type b has recently been reported. Non-type b strains have been suggested to be opportunists in an invasive context, but information on clinical consequences and related medic
The innate immune system relies to a great deal on the interaction of pattern recognition receptors with pathogen- or damage-associated molecular pattern molecules. Extracellular histones belong to the latter group and their release has been described to contribute to the induction of systemic inflammatory reactions. However, little is known about their functions in the early immune response to an
This thesis, which is based on five original papers, covers different aspects of antibody specificity and diversity, with the overall goal to understand the makeup of antibody repertoires and their functionality as they occur in vivo or as they are developed in the laboratory. Besides their importance in the adaptive immune response, antibodies have emerged as an invaluable tool in applications r
This dissertation is a study of the Christian thematics in the novels of Christine Falkenland. It has two basic aims. First, to demonstrate how Christine Falkenland writes herself into, and becomes a distinct voice in, a Christian literary tradition, while simultaneously breaking with this tradition by staging and portraying modern people’s questioning of the Christian worldview. Second, to uncove
Bikunin is a Kunitz-type proteinase inhibitor, which is cross-linked to heavy chains via a chondroitin sulfate chain, forming inter-alpha-inhibitor and related molecules. Rat bikunin was produced by baculovirus-infected insect cells. The protein could be purified with a total yield of 20 mg/liter medium. Unlike naturally occuring bikunin the recombinant protein had no galactosaminoglycan chain. En
Bacteria-controlled regulation of host responses to infection is an important virulence mechanism that has been demonstrated to contribute to disease progression. Here we report that the human pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes employs the procarboxypeptidase TAR (thrombin-activatablefibrinolysis inhibitor) to modulate the kallikrein/kinin system. To this end, bacteria initiate a chain of events star
BACKGROUND: Thylakoid-stabilised emulsions have been reported to possess satiety-promoting effects and inhibit pancreatic lipase-colipase activity in vitro, which prompted the investigation of their interfacial properties.RESULTS: Thylakoid membranes isolated from spinach were used as an emulsifier/stabiliser in oil (triglyceride)-in-water emulsions. Emulsions were characterised with respect to dr
Objective: Primary adrenal insufficiency [Addison's disease (AD)] is rare, and systematic studies are few, mostly conducted on small patient samples. We aimed to determine the clinical, immunological, and genetic features of a national registry-based cohort. Design: Patients with AD identified through a nationwide search of diagnosis registries were invited to participate in a survey of clinical f
BACKGROUND: It is difficult to estimate the diagnostic accuracy of biopsy for prostate cancer because men with negative biopsy do not undergo radical prostatectomy and thus have no confirmation of biopsy findings. METHODS: We performed 18-core needle biopsies on autopsy prostates from 164 men who had no history of prostate cancer. Six-core biopsies were taken from each of the mid peripheral zone (
The complement system plays an important role in eliminating invading pathogens. Activation of complement results in C3b deposition (opsonization), phagocytosis, anaphylatoxin (C3a, C5a) release, and consequently cell lysis. Moraxella catarrhalis is a human respiratory pathogen commonly found in children with otitis media and in adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The species has ev
This work deals with the problem of direction of arrival estimation of interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) signals in presence of layover. The focus here is on realistic acquisition systems with a low number of phase centres and nonuniform array geometry. An interpolated array approach is proposed, in order to apply spectral estimation techniques designed for uniform linear arrays. In
