| 1. |
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| 2. |
- van Ree, R, et al.
(författare)
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The CREATE project: development of certified reference materials for allergenic products and validation of methods for their quantification.
- 2008
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Ingår i: Allergy. - : Wiley. - 1398-9995 .- 0105-4538. ; 63:3, s. 310-26
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Allergen extracts have been used for diagnosis and treatment of allergy for around 100 years. During the second half of 20th century, the notion increasingly gained foothold that accurate standardization of such extracts is of great importance for improvement of their quality. As a consequence, manufacturers have implemented extensive protocols for standardization and quality control. These protocols have overall IgE-binding potencies as their focus. Unfortunately, each company is using their own in-house reference materials and their own unique units to express potencies. This does not facilitate comparison of different products. During the last decades, most major allergens of relevant allergen sources have been identified and it has been established that effective immunotherapy requires certain minimum quantities of these allergens to be present in the administered maintenance dose. Therefore, the idea developed to introduce major allergens measurements into standardization protocols. Such protocols based on mass units of major allergen, quantify the active ingredients of the treatment and will at the same time allow comparison of competitor products. In 2001, an EU funded project, the CREATE project, was started to support introduction of major allergen based standardization. The aim of the project was to evaluate the use of recombinant allergens as reference materials and of ELISA assays for major allergen measurements. This paper gives an overview of the achievements of the CREATE project.
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| 3. |
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| 4. |
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| 5. |
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| 6. |
- Dias, Rita, et al.
(författare)
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Polyion adsorption onto catanionic surfaces. A Monte Carlo study
- 2005
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Ingår i: The Journal of Physical Chemistry Part B. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1520-5207 .- 1520-6106. ; 109:23, s. 11781-11788
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The adsorption of a single and negatively charged polyion with varying flexibility onto a surface carrying both negative and positive charges representing a charged membrane surface has been investigated by using a simple model employing Monte Carlo simulations. The polyion was represented by a sequence of negatively charged hard spheres connected with harmonic bonds. The charged surface groups were also represented by charged hard spheres, and they were positioned on a hard surface slightly protruding into the solution. The surface charges were either frozen in a liquidlike structure or laterally mobile. With a large excess of positive surface charges, the classical picture of a strongly adsorbed polyion with an extended and flat configuration emerged. However, adsorption also appeared at a net neutral surface or at a weakly negatively charged surface, and at these conditions the adsorption was stronger with a flexible polyion as compared to a semiflexible one, two features not appearing in simpler models containing homogeneously charged surfaces. The presence of charged surface patches (frozen surface charges) and the ability of polarization of the surface charges (mobile surface charges) are the main reasons for the enhanced adsorption. The stronger adsorption with the flexible chain is caused by its greater ability to spatially correlate with the surface charges.
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| 7. |
- Gaweda, Sylwia, et al.
(författare)
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Cationic agents for DNA compaction
- 2008
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Ingår i: Journal of Colloid and Interface Science. - : Elsevier BV. - 1095-7103 .- 0021-9797. ; 323:1, s. 75-83
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Fluorescence microscopy was used to investigate the conformational changes of individual T4 DNA molecules induced by different compacting agents, namely the cationic surfactants, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and chloride (CTAC), iron(III), lysozyme, and protamine sulfate. A protocol for establishing size estimates is suggested to obtain reproducible results. Observations show that in the presence of lysozyme and protamine sulfate, DNA molecules exhibit a conformational change from an elongated coil structure to compact globules, usually interpreted as a first-order transition. The maximum degree of compaction that is attained when iron(III) or CTAB (CrAC) are used as compacting agents is considerably smaller, and intermediate structures (less elongated coils) are visible even for high concentrations of these agents. Dynamic light scattering experiments were carried out, for some of the systems, to assess the reliability of size estimates from fluorescence microscopy.
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
- Giralt, S., et al.
(författare)
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International myeloma working group (IMWG) consensus statement and guidelines regarding the current status of stem cell collection and high-dose therapy for multiple myeloma and the role of plerixafor (AMD 3100)
- 2009
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Ingår i: Leukemia. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1476-5551 .- 0887-6924. ; 23:10, s. 1904-1912
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Multiple myeloma is the most common indication for high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell support (ASCT) in North America today. Stem cell procurement for ASCT has most commonly been performed with stem cell mobilization using colony-stimulating factors with or without prior chemotherapy. The target CD34+ cell dose to be collected as well as the number of apheresis performed varies throughout the country, but a minimum of 2 million CD34+ cells/kg has been traditionally used for the support of one cycle of high-dose therapy. With the advent of plerixafor (AMD3100) (a novel stem cell mobilization agent), it is pertinent to review the current status of stem cell mobilization for myeloma as well as the role of autologous stem cell transplantation in this disease. On June 1, 2008, a panel of experts was convened by the International Myeloma Foundation to address issues regarding stem cell mobilization and autologous transplantation in myeloma in the context of new therapies. The panel was asked to discuss a variety of issues regarding stem cell collection and transplantation in myeloma especially with the arrival of plerixafor. Herein, is a summary of their deliberations and conclusions. Leukemia (2009) 23, 1904-1912; doi: 10.1038/leu.2009.127; published online 25 June 2009
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| 10. |
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| 11. |
- Gridneva, Lidia, et al.
(författare)
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Experimental investigation of the spin reorientation of Co/Au based magnetic nanodot arrays
- 2008
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Ingår i: Physical Review B (Condensed Matter and Materials Physics). - 1098-0121 .- 1550-235X. ; 77:10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- (Co/Au) and (Au/ Co/ Au) nanomagnet arrays grown on nanostructured self-organized SiGe templates have been characterized by means of x-ray photoemission electron microscopy, x-ray magnetic circular dichroism, and by extended x-ray absorption spectroscopy using synchrotron radiation. In-plane magnetization is observed at room temperature for practically all Co thicknesses, a stable macroscopic perpendicular magnetic order only at low temperature. The spin reorientation transition in these dot arrays takes place for smaller Co thicknesses over a broader thickness range than in two-dimensional systems. This finding appears to be related with structural relaxation modifications, occurring within the local Co atom environment, which are not necessarily connected with the orbital moment variations. These variations appear in the form of a systematic increase, correlated with the existence of out-of-plane magnetization.
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| 12. |
- Moran, M. Carmen, et al.
(författare)
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Mixed Protein Carriers for Modulating DNA Release
- 2009
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Ingår i: Langmuir. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0743-7463 .- 1520-5827. ; 25:17, s. 10263-10270
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aqueous mixtures of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes undergo associative phase separation, resulting in coacervation, gelation, or precipitation. This phenomenon has been exploited in forming DNA gel particles by interfacial diffusion. We report here the formation of DNA gel particles by mixing solutions of double-stranded DNA with aqueous solutions containing two cationic proteins, lysozyme and protamine sulfate. The effect of the lysozyme/protamine ratio on the degree of DNA entrapment, surface morphology, swelling-deswelling behavior, and kinetics of DNA release has been investigated. By mixing the two proteins, we obtain particles that display higher loading efficiency and loading capacity values, in comparison to those obtained in single-protein systems. Examination of the release profiles has shown that in mixed protein particles, complex, dual-stage release kinetics is obtained. The overall release profile is dependent on the lysozyme/protamine ratio. The obtained profiles, or segments of them, are accuratelly fitted using the zero-order and first-order models, and the Weibull function. Fluorescence microscopy studies have suggested that the formation of these particles is associated with the conservation of the secondary structure of DNA. This study presents a new platform for controlled release of DNA from DNA gel particles Conned by interfacial diffusion.
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| 13. |
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| 14. |
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| 15. |
- Orozco, Gisela, et al.
(författare)
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Association of STAT4 with rheumatoid arthritis : a replication study in three European populations
- 2008
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Ingår i: Arthritis and Rheumatism. - : Wiley. - 0004-3591 .- 1529-0131. ; 58:7, s. 1974-1980
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to investigate the previously reported association of the STAT4 polymorphism rs7574865 with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in 3 different European populations from Spain, Sweden, and The Netherlands, comprising a total of 2,072 patients and 2,474 controls. METHODS: Three different cohorts were included in the study: 923 RA patients and 1,296 healthy controls from Spain, 273 RA patients and 285 healthy controls from Sweden, and 876 RA patients and 893 healthy controls from The Netherlands. DNA from patients and controls was obtained from peripheral blood. Samples were genotyped for the STAT4 single-nucleotide polymorphism rs7574865 using a TaqMan 5'-allele discrimination assay. The chi-square test was performed to compare allele and genotype distributions. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated. RESULTS: We observed a significantly increased frequency of the minor T allele in RA patients compared with healthy controls in the Spanish population (24.8% versus 20.8%; P = 0.001, OR 1.26 [95% CI 1.09-1.45]). This association was confirmed in both the Swedish population (P = 0.03, OR 1.35 [95% CI 1.03-1.77]) and the Dutch population (P = 0.03, OR 1.45 [95% CI 1.21-1.73]). The overall P value for all 3 populations was 9.79 x 10(-6) (OR 1.25 [95% CI 1.13-1.37]). No association between rs7574865 and the presence of rheumatoid factor or anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide autoantibodies was observed. A meta-analysis of all published STAT4 associations revealed an OR of 1.25 (95% CI 1.19-1.33) (P = 1 x 10(-5)). CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate an association between the STAT4 polymorphism rs7574865 and RA in 3 different populations, from Spain, Sweden, and The Netherlands, thereby confirming previous data.
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| 16. |
- Sanchez, Justin C, et al.
(författare)
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Interpreting spatial and temporal neural activity through a recurrent neural network brain-machine interface.
- 2005
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Ingår i: IEEE transactions on neural systems and rehabilitation engineering : a publication of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. - 1534-4320. ; 13:2, s. 213-9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We propose the use of optimized brain-machine interface (BMI) models for interpreting the spatial and temporal neural activity generated in motor tasks. In this study, a nonlinear dynamical neural network is trained to predict the hand position of primates from neural recordings in a reaching task paradigm. We first develop a method to reveal the role attributed by the model to the sampled motor, premotor, and parietal cortices in generating hand movements. Next, using the trained model weights, we derive a temporal sensitivity measure to asses how the model utilized the sampled cortices and neurons in real-time during BMI testing.
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| 17. |
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| 18. |
- Bernien, M., et al.
(författare)
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Tailoring the Nature of Magnetic Coupling of Fe-Porphyrin Molecules to Ferromagnetic Substrates
- 2009
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Ingår i: Physical Review Letters. - 0031-9007 .- 1079-7114. ; 102:4, s. 047202-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We demonstrate that an antiferromagnetic coupling between paramagnetic Fe-porphyrin molecules and ultrathin Co and Ni magnetic films on Cu(100) substrates can be established by an intermediate layer of atomic oxygen. The coupling energies have been determined from the temperature dependence of x-ray magnetic circular dichroism measurements. By density functional theory+U calculations the coupling mechanism is shown to be superexchange between the Fe center of the molecules and Co surface-atoms, mediated by oxygen.
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| 19. |
- Buunen, Mark, et al.
(författare)
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Survival after laparoscopic surgery versus open surgery for colon cancer: long-term outcome of a randomised clinical trial.
- 2009
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Ingår i: The lancet oncology. - 1474-5488 .- 1470-2045. ; 10:1, s. 44-52
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic surgery for colon cancer has been proven safe, but debate continues over whether the available long-term survival data justify implementation of laparoscopic techniques in surgery for colon cancer. The aim of the COlon cancer Laparoscopic or Open Resection (COLOR) trial was to compare 3-year disease-free survival and overall survival after laparoscopic and open resection of solitary colon cancer. METHODS: Between March 7, 1997, and March 6, 2003, patients recruited from 29 European hospitals with a solitary cancer of the right or left colon and a body-mass index up to 30 kg/m(2) were randomly assigned to either laparoscopic or open surgery as curative treatment in this non-inferiority randomised trial. Disease-free survival at 3 years after surgery was the primary outcome, with a prespecified non-inferiority boundary at 7% difference between groups. Secondary outcomes were short-term morbidity and mortality, number of positive resection margins, local recurrence, port-site or wound-site recurrence, and blood loss during surgery. Neither patients nor health-care providers were blinded to patient groupings. Analysis was by intention-to-treat. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00387842. FINDINGS: During the recruitment period, 1248 patients were randomly assigned to either open surgery (n=621) or laparoscopic surgery (n=627). 172 were excluded after randomisation, mainly because of the presence of distant metastases or benign disease, leaving 1076 patients eligible for analysis (542 assigned open surgery and 534 assigned laparoscopic surgery). Median follow-up was 53 months (range 0.03-60). Positive resection margins, number of lymph nodes removed, and morbidity and mortality were similar in both groups. The combined 3-year disease-free survival for all stages was 74.2% (95% CI 70.4-78.0) in the laparoscopic group and 76.2% (72.6-79.8) in the open-surgery group (p=0.70 by log-rank test); the difference in disease-free survival after 3 years was 2.0% (95% CI -3.2 to 7.2). The hazard ratio (HR) for disease-free survival (open vs laparoscopic surgery) was 0.92 (95% CI 0.74-1.15). The combined 3-year overall survival for all stages was 81.8% (78.4-85.1) in the laparoscopic group and 84.2% (81.1-87.3) in the open-surgery group (p=0.45 by log-rank test); the difference in overall survival after 3 years was 2.4% (95% CI -2.1 to 7.0; HR 0.95 [0.74-1.22]). INTERPRETATION: Our trial could not rule out a difference in disease-free survival at 3 years in favour of open colectomy because the upper limit of the 95% CI for the difference just exceeded the predetermined non-inferiority boundary of 7%. However, the difference in disease-free survival between groups was small and, we believe, clinically acceptable, justifying the implementation of laparoscopic surgery into daily practice. Further studies should address whether laparoscopic surgery is superior to open surgery in this setting.
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| 20. |
- Chang-Claude, Jenny, et al.
(författare)
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Age at menarche and menopause and breast cancer risk in the International BRCA1/2 Carrier Cohort Study
- 2007
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Ingår i: Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention. - 1055-9965. ; 16:4, s. 740-746
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Early menarche and late menopause are important risk factors for breast cancer, but their effects on breast cancer risk in BRCA1 and BRCA2 carriers are unknown. Methods: We assessed breast cancer risk in a large series of 1,187 BRCA1 and 414 BRCA2 carriers from the International BRCA1/2 Carrier Cohort Study. Rate ratios were estimated using a weighted Cox-regression approach. Results: Breast cancer risk was not significantly related to age at menopause {hazard ratio [HR] for menopause below age 35 years, 0.60 [95% confidence interval (95% CI), 0.25-1.44]; 35 to 40 years, 1.15 [0.65-2.04]; 45 to 54 years, 1.02 [0.65-1.60]; ≥55 years, 1.12 [0.12-5.02], as compared with premenopausal women}. However, there was some suggestion of a reduction in risk after menopause in BRCA2 carriers. There was some evidence of a protective effect of oophorectomy (HR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.29-1.09) and a significant trend of decreasing risk with increasing time since oophorectomy, but no apparent effect of natural menopause. There was no association between age at menarche and breast cancer risk, nor any apparent association with the estimated total duration of breast mitotic activity. Conclusions: These results are consistent with other observations suggesting a protective effect of oophorectomy, similar in relative effect to that in the general population. The absence of an effect of age at natural menopause is, however, not consistent with findings in the general population and may reflect the different natural history of the disease in carriers.
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| 21. |
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| 22. |
- Costa, T, et al.
(författare)
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Self-assembly of a hydrophobically modified naphthalene-labeled poly(acrylic acid) polyelectrolyte in water: Organic solvent mixtures followed by steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence
- 2005
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Ingår i: The Journal of Physical Chemistry Part B. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1520-5207 .- 1520-6106. ; 109:8, s. 3243-3251
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The solution properties of two water-soluble polymers, poly(acrylic acid) (PAA), covalently labeled with the fluorescent hydrophobic dye naphthalene (Np), have been investigated in water:organic solvent mixtures. The naphthalene chromophores have been randomly attached, onto the polymer, with two different degrees of labeling. Fluorescence measurements (steady-state and time-resolved) have been used to follow the photophysical behavior of the polymers and consequently report on the self-association of the polymers in the mixed organic (methanol or dioxane): aqueous solutions. The emission spectra of the high-labeled Np PAA reveal the presence of monomer and excimer bands whereas with the low-labeled polymer only monomer emission is observed. The excitation spectra collected at the monomer and excimer emission bands show significant differences, depending on the water content of the mixture, which indicate the simultaneous presence of preformed and dynamic dimers as routes to excimer formation. The time-resolved data decay profiles of the high-labeled polymer in the mixtures were always triple exponential whereas in pure methanol and dioxane they follow biexponential laws. The data in the mixtures are consistent with two types of monomers and one excimer. Both monomers are able to give rise to excimer in the excited state, one type involving the movement of long distant Np chromophores and the other involving a local reorientation of adjacent Np chromophores. These correspond to different decay times: (1) a long which corresponds to the long distant approach of nonneighboring Np chromophores forming an excimer and (2) a short corresponding to the fast adjustment of two neighboring Np chromophores in order to have the adequate parallel geometry. An additional decay time corresponding to the excimer decay was found to be present at all wavelengths. All the decay times were dependent on the water content of the mixture. An estimation of the two excimer forming rate constants values is made for the mixed media considered in this work. On the whole, using both steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence parameters, and by comparing data for a polymer with a small number of hydrophobes with a more highly modified one, it is possible in great detail to demonstrate how association is controlled by solvent quality for the hydrophobes and by the distance between hydrophobes.
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| 23. |
- Ferrari, Pietro, et al.
(författare)
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An approach to estimate between- and within-group correlation coefficients in multicenter studies : plasma carotenoids as biomarkers of intake of fruits and vegetables
- 2005
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Ingår i: American Journal of Epidemiology. - Cary : Oxford University Press. - 0002-9262 .- 1476-6256. ; 162:6, s. 591-598
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In a multicenter study, the overall correlation between two variables can be broken down into a within- and a between-group correlation reflecting associations at the individual and aggregate levels, respectively. A random-effects model is used to estimate variance components of nutrition-related variables and the within- and between-group correlation coefficients. Using data from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), the authors analyzed the association between levels of three plasma carotenoids (alpha-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, and lycopene) and dietary intake of three items (total fruits, carrots, and tomatoes), assessed through dietary questionnaire and single 24-hour dietary recall measurements, in a cross-sectional study involving 3,089 subjects from nine European countries. Intraclass correlation coefficients were 0.178 for alpha-carotene, 0.216 for beta-cryptoxanthin, and 0.299 for lycopene. The between-group correlation coefficients were higher than the within-group coefficients for all three carotenoids. For beta-cryptoxanthin and fruit intake, the between-group versus the within-group correlations were 0.78 and 0.26 for the dietary questionnaire and 0.85 and 0.19 for the 24-hour dietary recall. Results indicate that variability of exposure is driven mainly by the individual compared with the aggregate variation and that biomarker levels perform fairly accurately in discriminating population-level consumption of fruits and vegetables.
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| 24. |
- Garcia, Jose A., et al.
(författare)
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Nonideality sources and implementation considerations in polar transmitters
- 2009
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Ingår i: International Journal of Microwave and Wireless Technologies. - 1759-0787 .- 1759-0795. ; 1:2, s. 109-116
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this paper, the main nonidealities appearing in polar transmitters will be addressed, together with several implementation considerations. Special attention will be paid to the role of AM modulation nonlinearity and parasitic AM-to-PM conversion, once architecture mechanisms such as time-delay mismatch between branches or limited bandwidth in the amplitude path are controlled. The device limiting factors for a highly efficient switched mode operation and a linear amplitude modulation will be identified. Some circuit design and implementation guidelines for the RF modulating stage and the envelope amplifier will be discussed, to finish with system-level analysis considerations under two-tone and real communication signal excitations.
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| 25. |
- He, Xinkui, et al.
(författare)
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Spatial and spectral properties of the high-order harmonic emission in argon for seeding applications
- 2009
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Ingår i: Physical Review A (Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics). - 1050-2947. ; 79:6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We characterize and control the harmonic emission in the spectral and spatial domains in order to define in which conditions the harmonic radiation can be a high-quality seed for soft x-ray and x-ray free-electron lasers. The length of the gas cell, where harmonics are generated, was optimized and the energy per pulse was determined in absolute value with a calibrated x-ray photodiode. The beam spatial profile was measured and, in some conditions, a very collimated beam with a half-angle divergence below 1 mrad could be obtained. We also show that increasing the intensity of the fundamental laser field leads to a considerable broadening of the bandwidth of the harmonic radiation, allowing us to cover a large spectral range. This effect is due to fundamental reshaping leading to an efficient phase matching of both short- and long-trajectory contributions.
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| 26. |
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| 27. |
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| 28. |
- Leganés, Francisco, et al.
(författare)
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Wide variation in the cyanobacterial complement of presumptive penicillin-binding proteins
- 2005
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Ingår i: Archives of Microbiology. - New York : Springer. - 0302-8933 .- 1432-072X. ; 184:4, s. 234-248
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A genomic analysis of putative penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) that are involved in the synthesis of the peptidoglycan layer of the cell wall and are encoded in 12 cyanobacterial genomes was performed in order to help elucidate the role(s) of these proteins in peptidoglycan synthesis, especially during cyanobacterial cellular differentiation. The analysis suggested that the minimum set of PBPs needed to assemble the peptidoglycan layer in cyanobacteria probably does not exceed one bifunctional transpeptidase-transglycosylase Class A high-molecular-weight PBP; two Class B high-molecular-weight PBPs, one of them probably involved in cellular elongation and the other in septum formation; and one low-molecular-weight PBP. The low-molecular-weight PBPs of all of the cyanobacteria analyzed are putative endopeptidases and are encoded by fewer genes than in Escherichia coli. We show that in Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7120, predicted proteins All2981 and Alr4579, like Alr5101, are Class A high-molecular-weight PBPs that are required for the functional differentiation of aerobically diazotrophic heterocysts, indicating that some members of this class of PBPs are required specifically for cellular developmental processes.
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| 29. |
- Medronho, Bruno, et al.
(författare)
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Shear-Induced Transitions between a Planar Lamellar Phase and Multilamellar Vesicles: Continuous versus Discontinuous Transformation.
- 2008
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Ingår i: Langmuir. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0743-7463 .- 1520-5827. ; 24:13, s. 6480-6486
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The shear-induced transitions between an oriented lamellar phase and shear-induced multilamellar vesicles (MLVs) in a nonionic surfactant system were studied by deuterium rheo-NMR spectroscopy as a function of time in start-up experiments at several temperatures and shear rates. By starting from an initial state of oriented lamellae and observing the transformation to the final steady state of MLVs and vice-versa, two different mechanisms were found, depending on the direction of the transition and the initial state. The transition is continuous when MLVs are formed, starting from the oriented lamellar phase. On the other hand, a discontinuous nucleation-and-growth process with a coexistence region is observed when transforming MLVs into an oriented lamellar phase.
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| 30. |
- Mizuno, Kouichi, et al.
(författare)
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Rab27b regulates mast cell granule dynamics and secretion
- 2007
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Ingår i: Traffic. - : Wiley. - 1398-9219 .- 1600-0854. ; 8:7, s. 883-892
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Rab GTPase family regulates membrane domain organization and vesicular transport pathways. Recent studies indicate that one member of the family, Rab27a, regulates transport of lysosome-related organelles in specialized cells, such as melanosomes and lytic granules. Very little is known about the related isoform, Rab27b. Here we used genetically modified mice to study the involvement of the Rab27 proteins in mast cells, which play key roles in allergic responses. Both Rab27a and Rab27b isoforms are expressed in bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMC) and localize to secretory granules. Nevertheless, secretory defects as measured by β-hexosaminidase release in vitro and passive cutaneous anaphylaxis in vivo were found only in Rab27b and double Rab27 knockout (KO) mice. Immunofluorescence studies suggest that a subset of Rab27b and double Rab27-deficient BMMCs exhibit mild clustering of granules. Quantitative analysis of live-cell time-lapse imaging revealed that BMMCs derived from double Rab27 KO mice showed almost 10-fold increase in granules exhibiting fast movement (>1.5 μm/s), which could be disrupted by nocodazole. These results suggest that Rab27 proteins, particularly Rab27b, play a crucial role in mast cell degranulation and that their action regulates the transition from microtubule to actin-based motility.
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| 31. |
- Moran, M. C., et al.
(författare)
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Chitosan-DNA Particles for DNA Delivery: Effect of Chitosan Molecular Weight on Formation and Release Characteristics
- 2009
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Ingår i: Journal of Dispersion Science and Technology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0193-2691 .- 1532-2351. ; 30:10, s. 1494-1499
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Novel DNA-chitosan particles were prepared based on associative phase separation and interfacial diffusion. These particles formed at water/water emulsion type interfaces were characterized with respect to several properties including stability, DNA conformational state, and entrapment and release of DNA. In particular it was found that the chitosan molecular weight is a good controlling parameter.
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| 32. |
- Moran, M. C., et al.
(författare)
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DNA gel nanoparticles: preparation and controlling the size
- 2009
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Ingår i: Soft Matter. - : Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). - 1744-6848 .- 1744-683X. ; 5:13, s. 2538-2542
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A simple and novel method was used for the preparation of nano-/micro-sized DNA gel particles by nebulisation of a solution of DNA (single-or double-stranded) into an oppositely charged surfactant (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide) or protein (lysozyme, protamine sulfate) solution. The size and size distribution of the particle populations were investigated by means of fluorescence microscopy (FM), photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Particles measuring from 0.1 to 10 mu m were obtained. FM studies suggest that the formation of the particles was carried out with conservation of the secondary structure of the nucleic acid molecules. SEM on freeze-dried and Au-shadowed samples showed a distribution of virtually spherical particles. It was found that, in addition to the size of the initial DNA droplets, the cationic agent is a controlling parameter of the particle size.
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| 33. |
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| 34. |
- Ollero, Anibal, et al.
(författare)
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Multiple Eyes in the Skies
- 2005
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Ingår i: IEEE robotics & automation magazine. - 1070-9932 .- 1558-223X. ; 12:2, s. 46-57
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The management of environmental and industrial disasters, search and rescue operations, surveillance of natural scenarios, environmental monitoring, and many other field robotics applications require high mobility and the need to reach locations that are difficult to access with ground vehicles. In many cases, the use of aerial vehicles is the best way to approach the objective to get information or to deploy instrumentation. Unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) have significantly increased their flight performance and autonomous onboard processing capabilities in the last ten years. But a single aerial vehicle equipped with a large array of different sensors of various modalities is limited at any time to a single viewpoint. A team of aerial vehicles, however, can simultaneously collect information from multiple locations and exploit the information derived from multiple disparate points. Furthermore, having a team with multiple heterogeneous aerial vehicles offers additional advantages due to the possibility of beneficial complementarities of the vehicles.
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| 35. |
- Orrú, Valeria, et al.
(författare)
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A loss-of-function variant of PTPN22 is associated with reduced risk of systemic lupus erythematosus
- 2009
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Ingår i: Human Molecular Genetics. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0964-6906 .- 1460-2083. ; 18:3, s. 569-579
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A gain-of-function R620W polymorphism in the PTPN22 gene, encoding the lymphoid tyrosine phosphatase LYP, has recently emerged as an important risk factor for human autoimmunity. Here we report that another missense substitution (R263Q) within the catalytic domain of LYP leads to reduced phosphatase activity. High-resolution structural analysis revealed the molecular basis for this loss of function. Furthermore, the Q263 variant conferred protection against human systemic lupus erythematosus, reinforcing the proposal that inhibition of LYP activity could be beneficial in human autoimmunity.
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| 36. |
- Palumbo, A., et al.
(författare)
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International Myeloma Working Group guidelines for the management of multiple myeloma patients ineligible for standard high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation
- 2009
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Ingår i: Leukemia. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1476-5551 .- 0887-6924. ; 23:10, s. 1716-1730
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- In 2005, the first guidelines were published on the management of patients with multiple myeloma (MM). An expert panel reviewed the currently available literature as the basis for a set of revised and updated consensus guidelines for the diagnosis and management of patients with MM who are not eligible for autologous stem cell transplantation. Here we present recommendations on the diagnosis, treatment of newly diagnosed non-transplant-eligible patients and the management of complications occurring during induction therapy among these patients. These guidelines will aid the physician in daily clinical practice and will ensure optimal care for patients with MM. Leukemia (2009) 23, 1716-1730; doi: 10.1038/leu.2009.122; published online 4 June 2009
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| 37. |
- Palumbo, A., et al.
(författare)
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Prevention of thalidomide- and lenalidomide-associated thrombosis in myeloma
- 2008
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Ingår i: Leukemia. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1476-5551 .- 0887-6924. ; 22:2, s. 414-423
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) is more than 1%omicron annually in the general population and increases further in cancer patients. The risk of VTE is higher in multiple myeloma (MM) patients who receive thalidomide or lenalidomide, especially in combination with dexamethasone or chemotherapy. Various VTE prophylaxis strategies, such as low-molecular-Weight heparin (LMWH), warfarin or aspirin, have been investigated in small, uncontrolled clinical studies. This manuscript summarizes the available evidence and recommends a prophylaxis strategy according to a risk-assessment model. Individual risk factors for thrombosis associated with thalidomide/lenalidomide-based therapy include age, history of VTE, central venous catheter, comorbidities (infections, diabetes, cardiac disease), immobilization, surgery and inherited thrombophilia. Myeloma-related risk factors include diagnosis and hyperviscosity. VTE is very high in patients who receive high-dose dexamethasone, doxorubicin or multiagent chemotherapy in combination with thalidomide or lenalidomide, but not with bortezomib. The panel recommends aspirin for patients with <= 1 risk factor for VTE. LMWH (equivalent to enoxaparin 40 mg per day) is recommended for those with two or more individual/myeloma-related risk factors. LMWH is also recommended for all patients receiving concurrent high-dose dexamethasone or doxorubicin. Full-dose warfarin targeting a therapeutic INR of 2-3 is an alternative to LMWH, although there are limited data in the literature with this strategy. In the absence of clear data from randomized studies as a foundation for recommendations, many of the following proposed strategies are the results of common sense or derive from the extrapolation of data from many studies not specifically designed to answer these questions. Further investigation is needed to define the best VTE prophylaxis.
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| 38. |
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| 39. |
- Rosa, Monica, et al.
(författare)
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DNA pre-condensation with an amino acid-based cationic amphiphile. A viable approach for liposome-based gene delivery
- 2008
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Ingår i: Molecular Membrane Biology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0968-7688 .- 1464-5203. ; 25:1, s. 23-34
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A study related to the development and characterization of a new gene delivery system was performed. The approach consists in both the pre-condensation of plasmid DNA with an arginine-based cationic surfactant, arginine-N-lauroyl amide dihydrochloride (ALA), which was found not to be toxic, and the incorporation of the blood protein transferrin (Tf) into the formulations.Two cationic liposome formulations were used, one composed of a mixture of dioleoyl trimethylammoniopropane and cholesterol (DOTAP:Chol) and the other a pH sensitive formulation constituted of DOTAP, Chol, Dioleoyl phosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE) and cholesteryl hemisuccinate (CHEMS).Particles with different ALA/DNA and cationic lipid/DNA charge ratios were produced and a physicochemical characterization of the systems developed was performed. DNA conformational changes in the presence of ALA were studied by Circular Dichroism (CD) and the ALA binding to DNA was followed by surface tension measurements. Insight into the structure and morphology of the various ALA-complexes (complexes composed of ALA, DNA, Tf and liposomes) was obtained by cryogenic-Transmission Electron Microscopy (cryo-TEM) and the sizes of the ALA-complexes were determined through Photon Correlation Spectroscopy (PCS). We found that the transfection capacity of these systems is directly related with the presence of ALA and the lipidic composition. Complexes based on the pH sensitive liposome formulation present better transfection profiles. The correlation between the inner structure, density and size of the ALA-complexes and their biological activity is discussed. Overall, we demonstrate that the presence of ALA improves the transfection efficiency when conjugated with cationic liposome systems.
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| 40. |
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| 41. |
- Tolmachova, Tanya, et al.
(författare)
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Rab27b regulates number and secretion of platelet dense granules
- 2007
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 0027-8424 .- 1091-6490. ; 104:14, s. 5872-5877
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Rab27 GTPase subfamily consists of two closely related homologs, Rab27a and Rab27b. Rab27a has been shown previously to regulate organelle movement and regulated exocytosis in a wide variety of secretory cells. However, the role of the more restrictedly expressed Rab27b remains unclear. Here we describe the creation of Rab27b knockout (KO) strain that was subsequently crossed with the naturally occurring Rab27a KO line, ashen, to produce double KO (Rab27a ash/ash Rab27b −/−) mice. Rab27b KO (and double KO) exhibit significant hemorrhagic disease in contrast to ashen mice. In vitro assays demonstrated impaired aggregation with collagen and U46619 and reduced secretion of dense granules in both Rab27b and double KO strains. Additionally, we detected a 50% reduction in the number of dense granules per platelet and diminished platelet serotonin content, possibly due to a dense granule packaging defect into proplatelets during megakaryocyte maturation. The presence of Rab27a partially compensated for the secretory defect but not the reduced granule number. The morphology and function of platelet α-granules were unaffected. Our data suggest that Rab27b is a key regulator of dense granule secretion in platelets and thus a candidate gene for δ-storage pool deficiency in humans.
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| 42. |
- Trichopoulou, Antonia, et al.
(författare)
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Modified Mediterranean diet and survival: EPIC-elderly prospective cohort study
- 2005
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Ingår i: BMJ: British Medical Journal. - 1756-1833. ; 30:330, s. 991-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To examine whether adherence to the modified Mediterranean diet, in which unsaturates were substituted for monounsaturates, is associated with longer life expectancy among elderly Europeans. DESIGN: Multicentre, prospective cohort study. SETTING: Nine European countries (Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom). PARTICIPANTS: 74,607 men and women, aged 60 or more, without coronary heart disease, stroke, or cancer at enrolment and with complete information about dietary intake and potentially confounding variables. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Extent of adherence to a modified Mediterranean diet using a scoring system on a 10 point scale, and death from any cause by time of occurrence, modelled through Cox regression. RESULTS: An increase in the modified Mediterranean diet score was associated with lower overall mortality, a two unit increment corresponding to a statistically significant reduction of 8% (95% confidence interval 3% to 12%). No statistically significant evidence of heterogeneity was found among countries in the association of the score with overall mortality even though the association was stronger in Greece and Spain. When dietary exposures were calibrated across countries, the reduction in mortality was 7% (1% to 12%). CONCLUSION: The Mediterranean diet, modified so as to apply across Europe, was associated with increased survival among older people.
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| 43. |
- Wende, H., et al.
(författare)
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Substrate-induced magnetic ordering and switching of iron porphyrin molecules
- 2007
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Ingår i: Nature Materials. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1476-1122 .- 1476-4660. ; 6:7, s. 516-520
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- To realize molecular spintronic devices, it is important to externally control the magnetization of a molecular magnet. One class of materials particularly promising as building blocks for molecular electronic devices is the paramagnetic porphyrin molecule in contact with a metallic substrate. Here, we study the structural orientation and the magnetic coupling of in-situ-sublimated Fe porphyrin molecules on ferromagnetic Ni and Co films on Cu(100). Our studies involve X-ray absorption spectroscopy and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism experiments. In a combined experimental and computational study we demonstrate that owing to an indirect, superexchange interaction between Fe atoms in the molecules and atoms in the substrate (Co or Ni) the paramagnetic molecules can be made to order ferromagnetically. The Fe magnetic moment can be rotated along directions in plane as well as out of plane by a magnetization reversal of the substrate, thereby opening up an avenue for spin-dependent molecular electronics.
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| 44. |
- Önfelt, Björn, et al.
(författare)
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Structurally distinct membrane nanotubes between human macrophages support long-distance vesicular traffic or surfing of bacteria
- 2006
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Ingår i: Journal of Immunology. - : The American Association of Immunologists. - 0022-1767 .- 1550-6606. ; 177:12, s. 8476-8483
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We report that two classes of membrane nanotubes between human monocyte-derived macrophages can be distinguished by their cytoskeletal structure and their functional properties. Thin membrane nanotubes contained only F-actin, whereas thicker nanotubes, i.e., those > similar to 0.7 mu m in diameter, contained both F-actin and microtubules. Bacteria could be trapped and surf along thin, but not thick, membrane nanotubes toward connected macrophage cell bodies. Once at the cell body, bacteria could then be phagocytosed. The movement of bacteria is aided by a constitutive flow of the nanotube surface because streptavidin-coated beads were similarly able to traffic along nanotubes between surface-biotinylated macrophages. Mitochondria. and intracellular vesicles, including late endosomes and lysosomes, could be detected within thick, but not thin, membrane nanotubes. Analysis from kymographs demonstrated that vesicles moved in a stepwise, bidirectional manner at similar to 1 mu m/s, consistent with their traffic being mediated by the microtubules found only in thick nanotubes. Vesicular traffic in thick nanotubes and surfing of beads along thin nanotubes were both stopped upon the addition of azide, demonstrating that both processes require ATP. However, microtubule destabilizing agents colchicine or nocodazole abrogated vesicular transport but not the flow of the nanotube surface, confirming that distinct cytoskeletal structures of nanotubes give rise to different functional properties. Thus, membrane nanotubes between macrophages are more complex than unvarying ubiquitous membrane tethers and facilitate several means for distal interactions between immune cells.
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