Deoxyuridine 5′-triphosphate nucleotidohydrolase (dUTPase, EC 3.6.1.23) catalyzes the hydrolysis of dUTP to dUMP and pyrophosphate, and plays important roles in nucleotide metabolism and DNA replication. The dUTPase gene of the retrovirus equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) was cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli using the T7 RNA polymerase expression system. The recombinant vector (pET

Background: The aim of this study was to determine whether relative qualitative and quantitative differences in protein expression could be related to smoke exposure or smoke-induced airway inflammation. We therefore explored and characterized the protein components found in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid sampled from either lifelong smokers or never-smokers. Methods: BAL fluid samples obtaine

Abstract Food is frequently packed in a controlled environment of gas, in order to extend shelf life. It is of great importance to be able to monitor the status of the packed food to ensure quality. We demonstrate a technique to monitor the gas inside packages non-intrusively by using a laser spectroscopicmethod in scattering solid materials. The technique named GASMAS (GAs in Scattering Media Abs

The early Russian researchers working in central Siberia seem to have preferred scenarios in which glaciations, in accordance with the classical glaciological concept, originated in the mountains. However, during the last 30 years or so the interest in the glacial history of the region has concentrated on ice sheets spreading from the Kara Sea shelf. There, they could have originated from ice caps

Background/Aim: The aim was to identify subjects with incipient Alzheimer's disease (AD) among patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) using brief cognitive tests. Methods: A total of 147 MCI patients were followed for 4-6 years and the incidence of AD was 11.6%/year. At baseline, the cube copying test, clock drawing test, MMSE and measurements of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and cere

It has recently been proposed that X-rays can be switched on sub-picosecond time-scales by using laser-generated coherent optical phonons: The so called phonon Bragg switch. We present here detailed simulations of the efficiency of such a switch by solving the time-dependent generalized Takagi-Taupin equations utilizing a perturbative approach. We explore the switching efficiency in diffraction fr

The formation of segmental grooves during mid embryogenesis in the Drosophila epidermis depends on the specification of a single row of groove cells posteriorly adjacent to cells that express the Hedgehog signal. However, the mechanism of groove formation and the role of the parasegmental organizer, which consists of adjacent rows of hedgehog- and wingless-expressing cells, are not well understood

The pathogenic mechanism of inflammatory bowel diseases is not fully understood but colonic microflora including Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species may affect the induction of colonic inflammation. In this study the relative efficacy of different probiotic organisms in the prevention of colitis was compared in an induced rat colitis model. Three Lactobacillus strains and two Bifidobacterium

Purpose: To determine how image quality linked to tumor detection is affected by reducing the absorbed dose to 50% and 30% of the clinical levels represented by an average glandular dose (AGD) level of 1.3 mGy for a standard breast according to European guidelines. Materials and methods: 90 normal, unprocessed images were acquired from the screening department using a full-field digital mammograph

Men with prostate cancer (n=25) were interviewed, focusing on experiences of micturition problems, indwelling catheter treatment and sexual life consequences. Narrations were found to be practical and technical descriptions rather than emotional, and experiences were described with reduction and negligence regarding personal well-being and the impact of problems. Phenomenological-hermeneutic analy

Antidepressant drugs and electroconvulsive seizure (ECS)-treatment, an animal model of electroconvulsive therapy, induce neurogenesis in adult rats. Stress and high levels of corticosterone (CORT) on the contrary inhibit neurogenesis. Hippocampal neurogenesis has been described to occur in an angiogenic niche where proliferation of neural progenitors takes place in an environment with active vascu

Objective. To measure the effect of low-dose systemic glucocorticoid treatment on the adrenal response to adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods. Patients with RA who took part in a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial of budesonide (3 mg/day and 9 mg/day) and prednisolone (7.5 mg/day) underwent a short (60-minute) test with injection of

Mutations in the CEBPA gene are present in 7%-10% of human patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, no genetic models exist that demonstrate their etiological relevance. To mimic the most common mutations affecting CEBPA-that is, those leading to loss of the 42 kDa C/EBP alpha isoform (p42) while retaining the 30kDa isoform (p30)-we modified the mouse Cebpa locus to express only p30. p

Cervical cancer remains a significant public health concern, both at a global and a European level. A number of new technologies such as diagnostic tests for human papillomavirus (HPV) have a potential to assist with the reduction of this disease. However, both the efficacy and the cost-effectiveness of these new technologies must be established in properly designed trials before they can be imple

In the Nordic Society for Paediatric Haematology and Oncology paediatric study acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) 93, event-free survival was 50% and overall survival was 66%, indicating that many patients were cured following relapse. Factors influencing outcome in children with relapsed AML were investigated. The study included all 146 children in the Nordic countries diagnosed with AML between 1988

The stability of the recently discovered b-BN/Ru(0001) nanomesh is of crucial importance for potential applications as a nanotemplate. In particular, thermal stability in oxygen environment is important for nanocatalysis applications. We report here on the etching experiments of the h-BN layer by molecular oxygen exposure at elevated temperatures. This process is studied both by scanning tunneling