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Human embryonic stem cells offer a potential unlimited supply for functional hepatocytes, since they can differentiate into hepatocyte-like cells displaying a characteristic hepatic morphology and expressing various hepatic markers. These cells could be used in various applications such as studies of drug metabolism and hepatotoxicity, which however, would require a significant expression of drug

Backgound: In severe, medically unresponsive congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI), the histological differentiation of focal versus diffuse disease is vital, since the surgical management is completely different. Genetic analysis may help in the differential diagnosis, as focal CHI is associated with a paternal germline ABCC8 or KCNJ11 mutation and a focal loss of maternal chromosome 11p15, whereas a

The present study deals with free play in preeschool. The purpose is to investigate the way children conceptualize play, and the significance of play in preeschool activities. The latter has been illuminated through an analysis of normative documents, and vatious methods have been worked out that show how the possibilities of play can be made use in preschool. Group interviews with children betwee

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) develops in about 40% of insulin-dependent type 1 diabetes mellitus (TlDM) patients, and is associated not only with diabetes duration and metabolic control, but also with a genetic predisposition. Constitutive alterations of cytoskeletal proteins may play a role in the development of DN. We investigated the expression of these proteins in cultured skin fibroblasts, obtai

Waardenburg-Shah syndrome (Waardenburg syndrome type IV-WS4) is an auditory-pigmentary disorder that combines clinical features of pigmentary abnormalities of the skin, hair and irides, sensorineural hearing loss, and Hirschsprung disease (HSCR). Mutations in the endothelin-B receptor (EDNRB) gene on 13q22 have been found to cause this syndrome. Mutations in both alleles cause the full phenotype,

Social insects such as termites live in colonies in which cooperation is assumed by all individuals developing into castes to which specific tasks are allocated. Little has been reported about molecular aspects underlying termite caste-specific gene expression. Genetic regulation has recently been hypothesized to govern caste-specific traits and physiology in social insects. Cytochrome c oxidase (

Lactobacillus acidophilus DSM 20079 is the producer of a novel bacteriocin termed acidocin D20079. In this paper, a partial sequence of this peptide is determined, together with data on its secondary structure. A modification of the MRS-growth medium (replacing the detergent Tween 80 with oleic acid), was shown to improve the production level of the peptide by one order of magnitude, as well as to

Some products are considered to be 'bad taste' and therefore of less value. However, if we focus on what a product does to and for its users, rather than on what a product is, we can disregard superficial statements based on taste, and instead reach a better understanding of design. This reasoning is based on the relationship between 'good taste' and 'good design', terms which are sometimes confus

There is a great potential for phasor measurement applications in Scandinavia, mainly due to the long distance power transmission and limited transmission capacity expansion possibilities. Smart control, based on phasor measurements, can be used as an alternative to additional transmission lines, to increase power transmission capacity. Also the matter of damping is more and more becoming a key is

While the effects of elevated atmospheric CO2 level on starch and sugar metabolism have been extensively studied in different plants, the effect on plant lipid metabolism concerns only a few studies and none of these are on the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. This study of the lipid composition in seeds and leaves of A. thaliana is therefore of interest when trying to predict how the future envi

Peroxidase-like activity of Vitreoscilla hemoglobin (VHb) has been recently disclosed. To maximize such activity, two catalytically conserved residues (histidine and arginine) found in the distal pocket of peroxidases have successfully been introduced into that of the VHb. A 15-fold increase in catalytic constant (k(cat)) was obtained in P54R variant, which was presumably attributable to the lower

Storm water quality was monitored at four sites in a middle-sized Swedish town. The objective was to compare storm water pollution in the first flush storm water runoff between sites with different traffic intensities within a town. Flow proportional storm water runoff samples were collected. The samples were analyzed for suspended solids, conductivity, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, oil index,

Many filamentous organisms, such as fungi, grow by tip-extension and by forming new branches behind the tips. A similar growth mode occurs in filamentous bacteria, including the genus Streptomyces, although here our mechanistic understanding has been very limited. The Streptomyces protein DivIVA is a critical determinant of hyphal growth and localizes in foci at hyphal tips and sites of future bra

The present article departs from the increased significance ascribed to questions concerning arts and aesthetics in contemporary academic theology as well as in church life. This development is given the designation ‘aesthetical turn’ and the content of the article tries to, in a broad outline, situate this phenomenon in the history of philosophical reflection on aesthetic issues. Originally an En