Metabolic enzymes as potential drug targets in Plasmodium falciparum.

Plasmodium falciparum causes the most severe form of malaria that is fatal in many cases. Emergence of drug resistant strains of P. falciparum requires that new drug targets be-identified. This review considers in detail enzymes of the glycolytic pathway, purine salvage pathway, pyrimidine biosynthesis and proteases involved in catabolism of haemoglobin. Structural features of P. falciparum triosephosphate isomerase which could be exploited for parasite specific drug development have been highlighted. Utility of P. falciparum hypoxanthine-guanine-phosphoribosyltransferase, adenylosuccinate synthase, dihydroorotate dehydrogenase, thymidylate synthase-dihydrofolate reductase, cysteine and aspartic proteases have been elaborated in detail. The review also briefly touches upon other potential targets in P. falciparum

Conformation of di-n-propylglycine residues (Dpg) in peptides: crystal structures of a type I 'beta-turn forming tetrapeptide and an alpha-helical tetradecapeptide

The crystal structures of two oligopeptides containing di-n-propylglycine (Dpg) residues, Boc-Gly-Dpg-Gly-Leu-OMe (1) and Boc-Val-Ala-Leu-Dpg-Val-Ala-Leu-Val-Ala-Leu-Dpg-Val-Ala-Leu-OMe (2) are presented. Peptide 1 adopts a type I' beta-turn conformation with Dpg(2)-Gly(3) at the corner positions. The 14-residue peptide 2 crystallizes with two molecules in the asymmetric unit, both of which adopt alpha-helical conformations stabilized by 11 successive 5 -> 1 hydrogen bonds. In addition, a single 4 -> 1 hydrogen bond is also observed at the N-terminus. All live Dpg residues adopt backbone torsion angles (phi, psi) in the helical region of conformational space. Evaluation of the available structural data on Dpg peptides confirm the correlation between backbone bond angle N-C-alpha-C' (tau) and the observed backbone phi,psi values. For tau > 106 degrees, helices are observed, while fully extended structures are characterized by tau < 106 degrees. The mean r values for extended and folded conformations for the Dpg residue are 103.6 degrees +/- 1.7 degrees and 109.9 degrees +/- 2.6 degrees, respectively. Copyright (C) 2007 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Supercapacitor studies of electrochemically deposited PEDOT on stainless steel substrate

There has been increasing interest on various properties and applications of electronically conducting polymers. Polyethylenedioxythiophene (PEDOT) is an interesting polymer of this type as it exhibits very high ionic conductivity. In the present study, PEDOT has been electrochemically deposited on stainless steel (SS) substrate for supercapacitor studies. PEDOT/SS electrodes prepared in 0.1M H2SO4 in presence of a surfactant, sodium dodecylsulphate (SDS), have been found to yield higher specific capacitance (SC) than the electrodes prepared from neutral aqueous electrolyte. The effects of concentration of H(2)SO4(,) concentration of SDS, potential of deposition, and nature of supporting electrolytes used for capacitor studies on SC of the PEDOT/SS electrodes have been studied. SC values as high as 250 F/g in 1M oxalic acid have been obtained during the initial stages of cycling. However, there is a rapid decrease in SC on repeated charge-discharge cycling. Spectroscopic data reflect structural changes in PEDOT on extended cycling. (C) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Search for a Fermiophobic Higgs Boson Decaying into Diphotons in p p-bar Collisions at sqrt{s} = 1.96 TeV

A search for a narrow diphoton mass resonance is presented based on data from 3.0 fb^{-1} of integrated luminosity from p-bar p collisions at sqrt{s} = 1.96 TeV collected by the CDF experiment. No evidence of a resonance in the diphoton mass spectrum is observed, and upper limits are set on the cross section times branching fraction of the resonant state as a function of Higgs boson mass. The resulting limits exclude Higgs bosons with masses below 106 GeV at a 95% Bayesian credibility level (C.L.) for one fermiophobic benchmark model.

Kelan järjestämän kuntoutuksen kohdentuminen ja vaikutukset työkykyyn kunnallisilla työpaikoilla

Tutkimuksessa selvitettiin Kansaneläkelaitoksen (Kelan) järjestämän kuuden yleisimmän työssä käyvälle väestölle tarkoitetun kuntoutusmuodon kohdentumista kuntatyöntekijöille (n = 67 106 henkilöä). Lisäksi selvitettiin Kelan järjestämän tuki- ja liikuntaelinkuntoutuksen ja ASLAKkurssien vaikutuksia työkykyyn sekä verrattiin kahta fibromyalgiaa sairastaville tarkoitettua kuntoutusmuotoa. Muuttujatiedot kerättiin työnantajien omista ja kansallisista rekistereistä. Naiset olivat Kelan järjestämässä kuntoutuksessa yliedustettuina ja määräaikaisessa työsuhteessa työskentelevät aliedustettuina. Selkäkipukuntoutukseen osallistuneiden ja työnantajien palveluksessa seurannan loppuun saakka olleiden vuosittaiset hyvin pitkät sairauspoissaolot vähenivät kolmen kuntoutuksen jälkeisen vuoden ajaksi. Niskakipukuntoutukseen osallistuneilla ei todettu tätä muutosta. ASLAK-kuntoutukseen osallistuneiden sairauspoissaolopäivät ja hyvin pitkät sairauspoissaolokerrat vähenivät kuntoutusvuonna ja kolmena sen jälkeisenä vuonna samalle tasolle kuin kuntoutukseen osallistumattomilla kaltaistetuilla verrokeilla. Työkyvyttömyyseläkkeen riski oli kuntoutujilla neljän kuntoutuksen jälkeisen vuoden aikana verrokkeja pienempi. Fibromyalgiaa sairastavien kahden kuntoutusmuodon (fibromyalgiakurssi ja epäspesifinen tules-kuntoutus) vertailussa ei kuntoutuksen vaikutuksissa työkykykyyn todettu eroa. Kelan järjestämän kuntoutuksen sisällössä tarvitaan kriittistä arviointia, tutkimusta ja kehitystyötä, jotta yhteiskunnan odotus vaikuttavuudesta toteutuu.

Folin-Ciocalteu reagent for the estimation of siderochromes

1. A simple method has been devised for the estimation of siderochromes based on their reaction with Folin-Ciocalteu reagent to give a blue complex under alkaline conditions. 2. The applicability of the method to biological systems has been tested with N. crassa and concentrations in the ranges 5–50 μg and 1–10 μg can be accurately estimated with an over-all recovery of 95%.

Search for a Fermiophobic Higgs Boson Decaying into Diphotons in pp̅ Collisions at √s=1.96 TeV

A search for a narrow diphoton mass resonance is presented based on data from 3.0 fb^{-1} of integrated luminosity from p-bar p collisions at sqrt{s} = 1.96 TeV collected by the CDF experiment. No evidence of a resonance in the diphoton mass spectrum is observed, and upper limits are set on the cross section times branching fraction of the resonant state as a function of Higgs boson mass. The resulting limits exclude Higgs bosons with masses below 106 GeV at a 95% Bayesian credibility level (C.L.) for one fermiophobic benchmark model.

New benzidine procedure for determination of manganese in biological samples

A simple and accurate method for the determination of 0.25 to 1.0 μg. of manganese (in samples containing 1 to 4 μg. of manganese) has been developed by modifying the conditions for the reaction between permanganate and benzidine. Manganese is oxidized with potassium periodate in orthophosphoric acid and selectively estimated in the presence of excess oxidant with benzidine in formic acid. The procedure is applicable for estimation of manganese in biological samples, with recoveries in the range 97.5 to 106.1%.

Kde je jádro pudla? Missä on villakoiran ydin? : Eläinten nimistä johdetut fraasit, idiomit ja muut sanonnat tšekin ja suomen kielessä

Pro gradu -työssä tarkastelen tšekin ja suomen kielessä esiintyviä eläinten nimityksistä johdettuja fraseologisia ilmauksia ja sanontoja. Eläinfraseologia muodostaa kielessä keskeisen osan, jolle ovat tyypillisiä voimakas tunnelataus, rajoittunut, sovinnainen käyttö ja puhekielenomaisuus. Tarkastelen eläinilmauksia morfologisesti ja semanttis-leksikaalisesti, mutta muitakin piirteitä esiintyy. Vertailen kumpaakin kieltä ja selvitän kielten fraasien, idiomien ja muiden sanontojen yhtäläisyyksiä ja eroja. Sanonnat (ynnä johdokset ja sanaparit) jaan neljään eri ryhmään seuraavasti: 1. kummassakin kielessä olevat samanlaiset ilmaukset, 2. kummassakin kielessä olevat osittain samanlaiset ilmaukset, 3. tsekkiläiset ilmaukset ja 4. suomalaiset ilmaukset. Työni materiaali on peräisin tsekkiläisistä, suomalaisista ja muunkielisistä sanakirjoista (lähinnä fraseologisista). Selvittelen erityisesti keskeisimpien kotieläinten nimistä (koira, kissa, hevonen, lehmä, lammas, sika, kana), joidenkin muiden eläinten nimistä (karhu, susi, karppi, käärme) ja joidenkin ulkomaisten eläinten nimistä (leijona, elefantti, apina) johdettuja fraseologisia ilmauksia. Materiaali käsittää yhteensä 145 eri eläintä, 163 eläimen nimitystä ja 585 eläinilmausta. Aineistoni pohjalta voi todeta, että tšekin ja suomen kielessä on yllättävän paljon samantyyppisiä eläinilmauksia, vaikka kielet poikkeavat huomattavasti toisistaan. Korpuksessani olevista ilmauksista on täysin symmetrisiä 119/20,3 %, osittain samanlaisia (epäsymmetrisiä) 127/21,7 %, pelkästään tsekkiläisiä 161/27,5 % ja pelkästään suomalaisia 146/25,0 %. Sanaparit ja sananlaskut, joita käsittelin erillisenä ryhmänä (32 kpl) muodostivat aineistosta 5,5 % (niistäkin löytyi yhtäläisyyksiä). Yleisimmin esiintyvät eläimet ovat koira ja kissa. Koira on kuitenkin tšekin fraseologiassa yleisempi eläin kuin suomessa, jossa taas kissa on yleisimmin esiintyvä eläimen nimi. Yleisiä ovat myös mm. hevonen, sika, lintu, kala ja kana. Karitsa, hanhi ja vuohi esiintyvät paljon useammin tšekin fraseologiassa, suomessa esiintyy taas usein sika silloin, kun tšekissä on porsas. Joillakin eläinten nimillä on selvästi negatiivisempi tunnelataus (susi, käärme) kuin toisilla (koira, kissa). Toisin kuin suomessa, kissa on tšekissä valheellinen, vuohi herkuttelee, pöllö ja apina edustavat viisautta ja oppivaisuutta ja kovakuoriainen hellyttää. Yhteisiä eläinten nimityksiä kummassakin kielessä on aineistossani 106/163 (65,03 %). Tšekin fraseologiassa on lähes kaksi kertaa enemmän (37/163 = 22,7 %) sellaisia eläinten nimiä, joita ei esiinny suomen fraseologiassa verrattuna pelkästään suomen fraseologiassa esiintyviin eläinten nimiin (20/163 = 12,27 %). Pelkästään tšekissä esiintyviä eläimiä ovat mm. lumikko, majava, murmeli, mäyrä, näätä ja riikinkukko; pelkästään suomen fraseologiassa esiintyvät puolestaan mm. kiiski, muikku, peippo, poro, sopuli ja telkkä. Vertauskuvat ovat kummassakin kielessä erittäin tyypillisiä. Eläinten nimet viittaavat useimmiten ihmisen kielteisiin luonteenpiirteisiin tai ominaisuuksiin (mazaný jako liška ja viekas kuin kettu). Aineistoni pohjalta vaikuttaa siltä, että tšekissä on enemmän vaihtoehtoisia ja eri eläinten lajeista muodostettuja ilmauksia (mm. lintu- ja kalalajeista). Kummassakin kielessä on myös huudahduslauseita (Ty jsi ale liška pod itá! ja Senkin vanha kettu!), kansainvälisiä ilmauksia (jádro pudla ja villakoiran ydin) ja ns. petollisia ystäviä toisiaan erehdyttävästi muistuttavia, mutta eri asiaa merkitseviä sanontoja (tsekin kočičí život kissanelämä tarkoittaa ´sitkeähenkisyyttä´ − ei suomen kissanpäiviä). Kansallisista erityispiirteistä ovat esimerkkeinä mm. tšekin ilmaus mít se jako husa o Martině "voida kuin hanhi Martinpäivänä" (suomeksi ´voida kurjasti´; viittaus Martinpäivän hanhensyömisperinteeseen) tai suomen ilmaukset kuin hyttysen liraus Itämereen ja sopulilauma.

Oral health and menopause

Hormone therapy (HT) is widely used to relieve climacteric symptoms in order to increase the well-being of the women. The benefits as well as side-effects of HT are well documented. The principal menopausal oral symptoms are dry mouth (DM) and sensation of painful mouth (PM) due to various causes. Profile studies have indicated that HT users are more health-conscious than non-users. The hypothesis of the present study was that there are differences in oral health between woman using HT and those not using HT. A questionnaire study of 3173 women of menopausal age (50-58 years old) was done to investigate the prevalence of self-assessed sensations of PM and DM. Of those women participating in the questionnaire study, a random sample of 400 (200 using, 200 not using HT) was examined clinically in a 2-year follow-up study. Oral status was recorded according to WHO methods using DMFT and CPITN indices. The saliva flows were measured, salivary total protein, albumin and immunoglobulin concentrations and selected periodontal micro-organisms were analysed, and panoramic tomography of the jaws was taken. The patients filled in a structured questionnaire on their systemic health, medication and health habits. According to our questionnaire study there was no significant difference in the occurrence of self- assessed PM or DM between the HT users and non-users. According to logistic regression analyses, climacteric complaints significantly correlated with the occurrence of PM (p=0.000) and DM (p=0.000) irrespective of the use of HT, indicating that PM and DM are associated with climacteric symptoms in general. There was no difference between the groups in DMFT index values at follow up. The number of filled teeth (FT) showed a significant (p<0.05) increase in the HT group at follow-up. Periodontitis was diagnosed in 79% of HT users at baseline and in 71% at the follow-up. The values for non-HT users were 80% vs. 76%, respectively (Ns.). The mean numbers of ≥ 6 mm deep periodontal pockets were 0.9 ± 1.7 at baseline vs. 1.1 ± 2.1 two years later in the HT group, and 1.0 ± 1.7 vs. 1.2 ± 1.9, respectively, in the non-HT group. In a large Finnish national health survey, the prevalence of peridontitis of women of this age group was lower, but the prevalence of severe periodontitis seemed to be higher than in our study. Salivary albumin, IgG and IgM concentrations decreased in the HT group during the 2-year follow up (p<0.05), possibly indicating an improvement in epithelial integrity. No difference was found in any other salivary parameters or in the prevalence of the periodontal bacteria between or within the groups. In conclusion, the present findings showed that 50 to 58 year old women living in Helsinki have fairly good oral and dental health. The occurrence of PM and DM seemed to be associated with climacteric symptoms in general, and the use of HT did not affect the oral symptoms studied.

Growing up in Affiliation with a Religious Community : A Case Study of Seventh-day Adventist Youth in Finland

This study investigates how the religious community as a socialization context affects the development of young people's religious identity and values, using Finnish Seventh-day Adventism as a context for the case study. The research problem is investigated through the following questions: (1) What aspects support the intergenerational transmission of values and tradition in religious home education? (2) What is the role of social capital and the social networks of the religious community in the religious socialization process? (3) How does the religious composition of the peer group at school (e.g., a denominational school in comparison to a mainstream school) affect these young people s social relations and choices and their religious identity (as challenged versus as reinforced by values at school)? And (4) How do the young people studied negotiate their religious values and religious membership in the diverse social contexts of the society at large? The mixed method study includes both quantitative and qualitative data sets (3 surveys: n=106 young adults, n=100 teenagers, n=55 parents; 2 sets of interviews: n=10 young adults and n=10 teenagers; and fieldwork data from youth summer camps). The results indicate that, in religious home education, the relationship between parents and children, the parental example of a personally meaningful way of life, and encouraging critical thinking in order for young people to make personalized value choices were important factors in socialization. Overall, positive experiences of the religion and the religious community were crucial in providing direction for later choices of values and affiliations. Education that was experienced as either too severe or too permissive was not regarded as a positive influence for accepting similar values and lifestyle choices to those of the parents. Furthermore, the religious community had an important influence on these young people s religious socialization in terms of the commitment to denominational values and lifestyle and in providing them with religious identity and rooting them in the social network of the denomination. The network of the religious community generated important social resources, or social capital, for both the youth and their families, involving both tangible and intangible benefits, and bridging and bonding effects. However, the study also illustrates the sometimes difficult negotiations the youth face in navigating between differentiation and belonging when there is a tension between the values of a minority group and the larger society, and one wants to and does belong to both. It also demonstrates the variety within both the majority and the minority communities in society, as well as the many different ways one can find a personally meaningful way of being an Adventist. In the light of the previous literature about socialization-in-context in an increasingly pluralistic society, the findings were examined at four levels: individual, family, community and societal. These were seen as both a nested structure and as constructing a funnel in which each broader level directs the influences that reach the narrower ones. The societal setting directs the position and operation of religious communities, families and individuals, and the influences that reach the developing children and young people are in many ways directed by societal, communal and family characteristics. These levels are by nature constantly changing, as well as being constructed of different parts, like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, each of which alters in significance: for some negotiations on values and memberships the parental influence may be greater, whereas for others the peer group influences are. Although agency does remain somewhat connected to others, the growing youth are gradually able to take more responsibility for their own choices and their agency plays a crucial role in the process of choosing values and group memberships. Keywords: youth, community, Adventism, socialization, values, identity negotiations