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The role of cholesterol differs in the two compartments of the testis. In the interstitial tissue, cholesterol is necessary for the synthesis of testosterone, whereas in the seminiferous tubules, membrane cholesterol content in developing germ cells will influence the gametes' fertility. Here we evaluate the hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) modulation of the cholesterol metabolism in each compartmen
We found that engagement of beta 2 integrins on human neutrophils increased the levels of GTP-bound Rap1 and Rap2. Also, the activation of Rap1 was blocked by PP1, SU6656, LY294002, GF109203X, or BAPTA-AM, which indicates that the downstream signaling events in Rap1 activation involve Src tyrosine kinases, phosphoinositide 3-kinase, protein kinase C, and release of calcium. Surprisingly, the beta
Purpose: To describe, by use of a phenomenological approach, how relatively young trans-femoral amputees experienced their amputation and their coping strategies in the acute phase and over time. Method: Eleven trans-femoral amputees, median age 33.5 years, were interviewed. The amputation was caused by tumour, motorcycle accidents or work-related traumas. Amputation was made in median 7.5 years
Objective: The purpose of the study was to determine if a dose-response relationship exists between obstetric adversity and age at first presentation with schizophrenia. Method: The Dublin Psychiatric Case Register was used to identify subjects with schizophrenia. Data on obstetric complications, social class of origin, and family history of psychiatric illness were obtained for those subjects. Re
Abstract is not available
This study examines the consequences of variation in the laying and hatching date for the time of metamorphosis in the common frog Rana temporaria. Field data are presented showing that eggs laid early tend to take longer to develop. Thus, the time advantage for early eggs is reduced at the time of hatching. There was an among-year variation in this phenomenon; it was not manifest in a phenologica
Mutualists have been suggested to play an important role in the assembly of many plant and animal communities, but it is not clear how this depends on environmental factors. Do, for instance, natural disturbances increase or decrease the role of mutualism? We focused on entire guilds of mutualists, studying seed-dispersing ants and ant-dispersed plants along gradients of inundation disturbances. W
In dipteran insects the most distal telomere-associated DNA known to exist consists of long, complex tandem repeats. We have classified the 340-bp tandemly arranged repeats in Chironomus pallidivittatus. The repeats are distributed in a small number of subfamilies. One type of the repeat has the character of a master unit from which other main units can be derived usually by simple changes. The de
Rubrene single crystals have been grown by a vapor-phase process. Two additional compounds that contaminate rubrene have been identified and their structures determined. Single crystals of rubrene show excellent crystallinity and very small rocking curve width. Field effect transistors based on pure rubrene single crystals with colloidal graphite electrodes and Parylene as a dielectric demonstrate
This is the first report of the International Continence Society (ICS) on the development of comprehensive guidelines for Good Urodynamic Practice for the measurement, quality control, and documentation of urodynamic investigations in both clinical and research environments. This report focuses on the most common urodynamics examinations; uroflowmetry, pressure recording during filling cystometry,
The purpose of safety systems is to reduce dangers to human life or environment to acceptable levels. In order to aid companies in this when developing safety systems for functional safety of machinery, the standard IEC 62061 has recently been released. The standard proposes an outlined design method to follow requirements specification. However, companies that use the standard have to implement a
INTRODUCTION: Some commercial divers have claimed that headache is a frequent symptom related to decompression following a saturation dive, but due to lack of systematic reporting there is limited knowledge of the incidence and clinical characteristics of such headaches. METHODS: During 2001, a questionnaire was distributed to divers participating in offshore saturation diving operations on the No
Concentrations of interleukin 6 (IL-6) and its receptor are increased in human prostate cancer. Prostate cancer LNCaP-IL-6+ cells, established after prolonged treatment with IL-6, have been found to acquire a growth advantage. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) may accelerate the growth of various tumours by stimulation of VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR-2). To understand better the regulation of pr
We report on a method of synthesizing arrays of individually seeded nanowires. An electron beam lithography and metal lift-off method was used to pattern InP(111)B substrates with catalysing gold particles. Vertical InP(111)B nanowire arrays were then grown from the gold particles, using metal-organic vapour phase epitaxy. The lithographic nature of the method allows individual control over each n
Deficiency of mannan-binding lectin (MBL) has been reported to impact susceptibility to severe nfections and atherosclerosis in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In this study, MBL gene polymorphisms were analysed in 143 SLE patients and the frequency of severe infections and organ damage according to SLICC/ACR Damage Index regarding cerebrovascular accidents, angina pectoris, coronary by-pass s
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
