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Introduction: Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease, can infect almost any nucleated cell in the mammalian host. Although previous studies have described the transcriptomic changes that occur in host cells during parasite infection, the understanding of the role of post-transcriptional regulation in this process is limited. MicroRNAs, a class of short non-coding RNAs, are key pl
Tuberculosis (TB) is among diseases of global health importance with Sub Saharan Africa (SSA) accounting for 25% of the global TB burden. TB prevalence among miners in SSA is estimated at 3,000-7,000/100,000, which is about 3 to 10-times higher than in the general population. The study's objective was to determine the prevalence of TB and associated risk factors among mining communities in Mereran
Dendritic cells (DC) are a heterogeneous lineage of bone-marrow-derived leukocytes that serve as the link between innate and adaptive immunity. They are professional antigen-presenting cells that play an important protective and regulatory role in both health and disease. This thesis is based upon six original papers that deal with the function and transcription of human DCs, with focus on their r
Characterization of low-dimensional semiconductor structures is a challenging task. The thesis is based on experiments, using cathodoluminescence (CL) as a tool for characterization. The high spatial resolution and the possibility of spectroscopy of small structures make CL one of the most powerful techniques for these types of investigations. QDs were fabricated of InP on GaInP and InAs on GaAs b
The association of L-type Ca(2+) channels to the secretory granules and its functional significance to secretion was investigated in mouse pancreatic B cells. Nonstationary fluctuation analysis showed that the B cell is equipped with <500 alpha1(C) L-type Ca(2+) channels, corresponding to a Ca(2+) channel density of 0.9 channels per microm(2). Analysis of the kinetics of exocytosis during voltage-
We recently described a method to compute accurate quantum mechanical free energies [Rod, T. H.; Ryde, U. Phys. Rev. Lett. 2005, 94, `138302]. The method, which we term quantum mechanical thermodynamic cycle perturbation (QTCP), employs a molecular mechanics force field to sample phase space and, subsequently, a thermodynamic cycle to estimate QM/MM free energy changes. Here, we discuss the method
