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During protein crystallization and purification, proteins are commonly found in concentrated salt solutions. The exact interplay of the hydration shell, the salt ions, and protein-protein interactions under these conditions is far from being understood on a fundamental level, despite the obvious practical relevance. We have studied a model globular protein (bovine serum albumin, BSA) in concentrat

This thesis takes the process of privatization as its starting point, a process which in Sweden started 20-30 years ago and is still ongoing. Since this process is very likely to be irreversible an open and rational discussion is of particular importance. Hence, one of the aims of this thesis is to problematize the privatization debate. This leads to the primary objective: to take a normative stan

The close relationship between motion (bodily movement) and emotion (feelings) is not an etymological coincidence. While moving ourselves, we move others; in observing others move - we are moved ourselves. The fundamentally interpersonal nature of mind and language has recently received due attention, but the key role of (e)motion in this context has remained something of a blind spot. The present

Glass sheets investigated regarding their Po-210 signal originating from indoor radon exposure will have a depth distribution down to about 100 nm. The geometrical probability of implantation into glass of glass-attached radon daughter activity in one alpha recoil event is 50%. A particulate layer on the glass sheet (dust, grease or other particles) will stop the alpha recoil nucleus partly or tot

Hemicelluloses, which are abundant in nature and have potential use in a wide variety of applications, may make an important contribution in helping relieve society of its dependence on petrochemicals. However, cost-efficient methods for the isolation of hemicelluloses are required. This article presents an economic evaluation of a full-scale process to isolate hemicelluloses from process water fr

The influence of washing chemicals used at car washes on the flux and retention of three ultrafiltration (UF) membranes has been studied. Eleven commercial degreasing agents, two shampoo agents and a wax were included in the investigation. The membrane performance when treating waste water collected at a car wash at different times of the year was also studied. The retention of the different chemi

Background: CD14, a receptor for lipopolysaccharides (LPS), is found in both a membrane-bound form (mCD14) and a soluble form (sCD14). It is suggested that sCD14 is mainly released from blood monocytes by serine protease-mediated shedding. Because alpha(1)-antitrypsin (AAT), an inhibitor of serine proteases, has been shown to regulate CD14 expression in human monocytes in vitro, we sought to inves

In type-1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) with diabetic nephropathy (DN), accumulation of abnormal proteins in the kidney and other tissues may derive from constitutive alterations of intracellular protein recognition, assembly, and turnover. We characterized the proteins involved in these functions in cultured skin fibroblasts from long-term T1DM patients with [DN+] or without [DN-] nephropathy but simi

A dosimetry system based on radioluminescence (RL) and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) from carbon doped aluminium oxide (Al2O3:C) crystals was developed for in vivo absorbed dose measurements in mammography. A small cylindrical crystal of Al2O3:C (diameter 0.48 mm and length 2 mm) was coupled to the end of a 1 mm diameter optical fibre cable. Owing to their small size and characteristic s

Quantitative RT-PCR (QRT-PCR) enables the sensitive and specific detection of mRNA with a small copy number. We used the QRT-PCR method and dual-label analysis of amplification products for the detection of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) mRNA. The QRT-PCR assay employed a PSA-like internal standard (IS) mRNA, which was used to quantify the PSA mRNA copies and to control the variations during the

Water-soluble hemicelluloses were extracted from spruce chips by heat-fractionation using microwave treatment. A screening of conditions (pH, temperature and residence time) was performed for the extraction of O-acetyl-galactoglucomannan (AcGGM). The yield and the average molecular weight of the extracted mannan were analysed using HPLC, size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) and mass-spectrometry. T

In vitro tests are commonly employed to assess nebulizer performance. Whether the square or sine waveforms employed during in vitro tests could alter the nebulizer performance compared to that observed when a patient breathes through the nebulizer is debatable. Accordingly, the aim of this in vitro study was to compare the rates of delivery from nebulizers with simulated human breathing patterns t

In northern Patagonia, macrolichens form species-rich and abundant epiphytic communities in southern beech forests. Five of the most abundant lichen species in the litter were selected in order to study mass loss rate and changes in mineral composition over time. The litter bag method was applied to the foliose lichens Pseudocyphellaria faveolata, Pseudocyphellaria flavicans, Nephroma antarcticum,

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) have attracted much attention recently because of their positive physiological effects. In this work, a rapid and reliable gas chromatographic method for determination of eight SCFAs, in colonic and faecal samples from rats and humans has been developed and validated. The methodology involves extraction of the SCFAs in water before a direct injection procedure on a

Enzymatic hydrolysis is an agro-processing aid that can be utilized in order to improve nutritional quality of protein extracts from many sources. In this study, protein extracts from ungerminated and/or germinated local Egyptian soybean and lupin flours were hydrolyzed using the enzyme papain. The hydrolysis processes were carried out for 2 h and aliquots were withdrawn at different time interval

The evolution of carbon-oxygen-related defects upon isochronal annealing (75-325 degrees C in 25 degrees C steps for 30 min at each temperature) in electron irradiated Si crystals has been studied by means of local vibrational mode (LVM) spectroscopy. A complicated annealing behaviour of the LVMs related to the C4 (ICiOi) defect has been observed. At about 200 degrees C the bands at 940 and 1024 c