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BACKGROUND: Our recently reported finding of rapid bi-exponential elimination of free prostate-specific antigen (PSA) after radical retropubic prostatectomy in patients with moderately elevated PSA levels, which contrasted a very slow, linear elimination of PSA complexed to alpha-1-antichymotrypsin (ACT), prompted us to study whether these elimination rates were applicable for patients selected fo
Abstract A system for multi-colour fluorescence imaging of tissue is described. The instrument is mainly developed for tissue diagnostics to identify and localise malignant tumours, but might also be useful for real-time monitoring of the therapeutic dose delivered during photodynamic therapy. In vivo examples from various malignant skin lesions following topical δ-amino levulinic acid (ALA) admi
Primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT) is associated with cardiac disease. This prospective study was designed to investigate changes in cardiac function before and after parathyroidectomy. Resting and post exercise cardiac function was compared with matched control subjects. Fifty patients (mean age 62.9 +/- 11 years, 45 women) and 50 healthy control subjects, matched for age and sex were studied. Re
Background: Dried blood spots (DBS) are a convenient and inexpensive method for biobanking. Although many countries have established population-based DBS biobanks from neonatal screening programs, the quality and usefulness of DNA from DBS have not been extensively assessed. Methods: We compared 4 common DNA extraction methods (Qiagen, EZNA, Chelex 100, and alkaline lysis) in a pilot study using
Two protected derivatives of beta-D-galactopyranosyl-5-hydroxy-L-lysine, in which HO-4 of galactose has been O-methylated or replaced by fluorine, have been prepared. The building blocks were incorporated at position 264 of the peptide fragment CII259-273 from type II collagen by solid-phase synthesis. The ability of these two glycopeptides, and two CII259-273 glycopeptides in which HO-4 of galact
Objective: Several biological activities have been ascribed to islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP). However, their physiological relevance remains unclear. Previous studies in rats with exogenous administration of IAPP suggest that the peptide may increase splanchnic vascular resistance and redistribute the blood flow within the pancreas to the islets. In this study, the use of IAPP-deficient mice al
Sympatric speciation requires coexistence of the newly formed species. If divergence proceeds by small mutational steps, the new species utilize almost the same resources initially, and full speciation may be impeded by competitive exclusion in stochastic environments. We investigate this primarily ecological problem of sympatric speciation by studying the population dynamics of a diverging asexua
Metal chelate affinity precipitation (MCAP) has been successfully developed as a simple purification process for proteins that have affinity for metal ions. The present lack of widespread applications for this technique as compared to immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC) may be related to the scarcity of well-characterized metal affinity macroligands (AML) and their applications to the
The accumulated experience and path-dependent development of petroleum-based transport fuels and internal combustion engine vehicles has created an apparent technological lock-in. Our analysis of a RApid Future vehicles and Fuels scenario (RAFF) for the EU shows that ambitious carbon emission reductions can be achieved even with projected increases in road transport. Furthermore, escaping the lock
Prolonged inflammation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated around an implanted biosensor are the primary causes of the foreign body response, including encapsulation of biosensor membranes. We have previously demonstrated that TiO2 surfaces reduce ROS. Here we investigated the potential of using the anti-inflammatory properties of TiO2 in the design of biosensor membranes with improved lon
Quantum-state tomography is used to characterize the state of an ensemble based qubit implemented through two hyperfine levels in Pr3+ ions, doped into a Y2SiO5 crystal. We experimentally verify that single-qubit rotation errors due to inhomogeneities of the ensemble can be suppressed using the Roos-Molmer dark-state scheme [Roos and Molmer, Phys. Rev. A 69, 022321 (2004)] Fidelities above > 90%,
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) HBV is DNA virus with a unique replication strategy, which involves reverse transcription of its pregenomic RNA. Essential for this reverse transcription are the 5'- and 3'-ends of its pregenomic RNA (5'-RT-RNA and 3'-RT-RNA, respectively) which form conserved bulged stem-loop structures. The 5'-RT-RNA consists of a 67 nucleotide bulged stein-loop structure, epsilon, which
Purpose: To Study the retinal function, using multifocal electroretinography (mfERG), in diabetic patients with mild and moderate retinopathy, and in diabetics without clinically apparent retinopathy. Methods: Thirty-one patients with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, eleven without any clinically apparent retinopathy, twelve with mild retinopathy and eight with moderate retinopathy, were studi
Issues: HIV/hepatitis coinfection in Europe; WHO European clinical protocols on the management of people coinfected with HIV/AIDS and hepatitis B or C (HBV or HCV); stakeholder recommendations for better HCV services. Introduction: The increasing availability of highly active antiretroviral therapy throughout Europe and central Asia has changed comorbidity and mortality patterns among people livin
Regioselective incorporation of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) into phosphatidylcholine (PC) was carried out using enzymatic and chemical synthesis. Incorporation at the sn-1 position was successfully achieved by lipase-catalysed esterification of 2-palmitoyl-lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), although in most cases, the enzymes incorporated EPA and DHA at lower rates than
In tree-hole frogs, Metaphrynella sundana, the fundamental call frequency varies widely between males. In field playback experiments, females strongly preferred calls from the lower range of frequencies found in the population. There was no correlation, however, between male size and call frequency, as is normally the case for anurans, so large males were not necessarily more attractive to females
A thermodynamic model for cadmium extraction from phosphoric-hydrochloric acid mixtures has been developed. The model enables calculations of cadmium extraction as well as coextraction of phosphoric and hydrochloric acids to be made. In the aqueous phase Bromley's model for the activity coefficients is adopted. In the organic phase simple expressions for the non-ideal behaviour of phosphoric acid
