Impact of alpha1-adrenoceptor expression on contractile properties of vascular smooth muscle cells.

Low-frequency blood pressure oscillations (Mayer waves) are discussed as a marker for sympathetic modulation of vascular tone. However, the factors that determine the frequency response of the vasculature to sympathetic stimuli are not fully understood. Possible mechanisms include functions related to alpha(1)-adrenergic receptors (alpha(1)-AR) and postreceptor processes involved in the vascular contractile response.

Cyclometallated iridium and platinum complexes with noninnocent ligands.

The electronic properties of the cyclometalated (CwedgeN) complexes of iridium and platinum metals with a catechol ligand have been studied experimentally and computationally. The synthesis and characterization of (p-tolylpyridine)Ir(3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol) (abbreviated Ir-sq) and (2,4-diflorophenylpyridine)Pt(3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol) (abbreviated Pt-sq) are reported along with their structural, spectral, and electrochemical properties. Reaction of the 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol (DTBCat) ligand with the prepared cyclometalated metal complex was carried out in air in the presence of a base.

Common problems with antiretroviral therapy among three Swedish groups of HIV infected individuals.

Objective: The main objective of this study was to identify and compare the common problems and difficulties associated with combination antiretroviral therapy (CART) as experienced by three major groups of HIV infected individuals (homo- or bisexuals, former injecting drug users and origins of Sub-Saharan Africa) in Sweden.

Methods: Based on the results from in-depth interviews with 15 representatives from the three major groups, a questionnaire was designed for use in a problem detection study (PDS). The study was conducted with 195 HIV-positive patients residing in the major cities of Sweden.

Pharmacy care perspectives on problems with HIV antiretroviral therapy in Sweden.

Objective: This study has three main objectives (1) to identify the major problems or difficulties pharmacy staff in Sweden experience regarding pharmacy care of patients receiving antiretroviral therapy, (2) to identify the perceptions of pharmacy staff regarding what are patient-related concerns with antiretroviral therapy and (3) to compare the extent to which pharmacy staff awareness matches patient perceptions regarding what are the major problems or difficulties associated with antiretroviral therapy.

Methods: A problem detection study (PDS) containing two questionnaires was conducted: one to be completed by pharmacy staff and another to be completed by both pharmacy staff and patients. In the latter survey, staff were asked about what they thought that patients would have responded.

Calculated optoelectronic properties of ruthenium tris-bipyridine dyes containing oligophenyleneethynylene rigid rod linkers in different chemical environments.

Ruthenium tris-bipyridine dyes containing oligophenyleneethynylene (OPE) rigid rod linker groups ([Ru(bpy)3]2+, [Ru(bpy)2bpy-E-Ipa]2+, [Ru(bpy)2bpy-E-Ph-E-Ipa]2+, and [Ru(bpy)2bpy-E-Bco-E-Ipa]2+, where bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine, E = ethynylene, Ph = p-phenylene, Bco = bicyclo[2.2.2]octylene, and Ipa = isophthalic acid) have been investigated using DFT and TD-DFT calculations to elucidate the influence of the rigid rod on their optoelectronic properties.

Synthesis and electron transfer studies of ruthenium-terpyridine-based dyads attached to nanostructured TiO2.

A series of bis(terpyridine)RuII complexes have been prepared, where one of the terpyridines is functionalized in the 4'-position by a phosphonic or carboxylic acid group for attachment to TiO2. The other is functionalized, also in the 4'-position, by a potential electron donor. In complexes 1a, 3a, and 4a,b, this donor is tyrosine or hydrogen-bonded tyrosine, while in 2a it is carotenoic amide.

Adenosine restores angiotensin II-induced contractions by receptor-independent enhancement of calcium sensitivity in renal arterioles.

Adenosine is coupled to energy metabolism and regulates tissue blood flow by modulating vascular resistance. In this study, we investigated isolated, perfused afferent arterioles of mice, which were subjected to desensitization during repeated applications of angiotensin II. Exogenously applied adenosine restores angiotensin II-induced contractions by increasing calcium sensitivity of the arterioles, along with augmented phosphorylation of the regulatory unit of the myosin light chain.

Spacer and anchor effects on the electronic coupling in ruthenium-bis-terpyridine dye-sensitized TiO2 nanocrystals studied by DFT.

Structural and electronic properties of TiO2 nanoparticles sensitized with a set of Ru(II)(tpy)2 based dyes have been investigated using density functional theory (DFT) calculations combined with time-dependent (TD) DFT calculations. The effects of carboxylic and phosphonic acid anchor groups, as well as a phenylene spacer group, on the optical properties of the dyes and the electronic interactions in the dye-sensitized TiO2 nanoparticles have been investigated. Inclusion of explicit counterions in the modeling shows that the description of the environment is important in order to obtain a realistic interfacial energy level alignment.

Renal failure in 57 925 patients undergoing coronary procedures using iso-osmolar or low-osmolar contrast media.

We compared the Swedish Coronary Angiography and Angioplasty Registry with the Swedish 'Hospital Discharge Register' to assess contrast media (CM)-induced renal failure. Hospitals used only one type CM. From 2000 to 2003, iodixanol (iso-osmolar) was used in 45 485 patients, ioxaglate (low osmolar) in 12 440 subjects.

A 3.0 micros room temperature excited state lifetime of a bistridentate RuII-polypyridine complex for rod-like molecular arrays.

A bistridentate RuII-polypyridine complex [Ru(bqp)2]2+ (bqp = 2,6-bis(8'-quinolinyl)pyridine) has been prepared, which has a coordination geometry much closer to a perfect octahedron than the typical Ru(terpyridine)2-type complex. Thus, the complex displays a 3.0 mus lifetime of the lowest excited metal-to-ligand charge transfer (3MLCT) state at room temperature.

Psychological wellbeing after laparoscopic and abdominal hysterectomy--a randomised controlled multicentre study.

Objective: To compare laparoscopic hysterectomy and abdominal total hysterectomy regarding influence on postoperative psychological wellbeing and surgical measures.

Design: A prospective, open, randomised multicentre trial.

Setting: Five hospitals in the South East of Sweden.

Mapping and partial characterization of proteases expressed by a CHO production cell line.

The proteolytic activities expressed by a Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line in the cultivation supernatant during the production of recombinant factor VIII were mapped with a broad spectrum protease assay and a series of different types of protease inhibitors. The destabilizing effect on the product emanated from a metalloproteinase, which could be effectively blocked by chelating agents to lead to product stabilization. Amino acid sequences of the isolated metalloproteinase were found to have sequence homology with matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) MMP3, MMP10, and MMP12.

Effects of surface sorption on microbial degradation of glyphosate.

Sorption may affect the bioavailability and biodegradation of pesticides in soils. The aim of this study was to test the effect of surface sorption on microbial utilization of the herbicide glyphosate as a source of phosphorus, nitrogen, or carbon. We added goethite to a humus soil to manipulate the soil's glyphosate sorption capacity.

Calculated structural and electronic interactions of the ruthenium dye N3 with a titanium dioxide nanocrystal.

Structural and electronic properties of a small anatase TiO2 nanocrystal sensitized by the ruthenium dye N3 (Ru(4,4'-dicarboxy-2,2'-bipyridine)2(NCS)2) have been investigated using density functional theory (DFT) with support from Hartree-Fock (HF) and time dependent DFT (TD-DFT) calculations. Significant structural adjustments of both the dye and the nanocrystal are predicted to be induced by the strain imposed by the simultaneous formation of multiple dye-surface bonds. Electronic properties of the combined dye-nanocrystal system have also been calculated, including information about interfacial orbital mixing and the lowest excited singlet states.

Density functional theory study of NO adsorbed in A-zeolite.

Density functional theory was employed to investigate the adsorption site and hyperfine interactions of nitric oxide adsorbed in Na-LTA (previous name NaA) zeolite. Three different cluster models of increasing complexity were used to represent the zeolite network: (1) a six-membered ring terminated by hydrogen atoms with one sodium ion above the ring, (2) as model 1 with the addition of three sodium ions located at the centers of three imagined four-membered rings adjacent to the six-membered ring, and (3) as model 2 with the addition of the three four-membered rings adjacent to the six-membered ring. Calculations on the largest system (model 3) showed very good agreement with measured electronic Zeeman interaction couplings, 14N hyperfine coupling tensors, and 23Na hyperfine and nuclear quadruple coupling tensors of the S = 1/2 Na+.

Translational control of collagen prolyl 4-hydroxylase-alpha(I) gene expression under hypoxia.

Hypoxia is a pro-fibrotic stimulus, which is associated with enhanced collagen synthesis, as well as with augmented collagen prolyl 4-hydroxylase (C-P4H) activity. C-P4H activity is controlled mainly by regulated expression of the alpha C-P4H subunit. In this study we demonstrate that the increased synthesis of C-P4H-alpha(I) protein in human HT1080 fibroblasts under long term hypoxia (36 h, 1% oxygen) is controlled at the translational level.

Contribution of adenosine receptors in the control of arteriolar tone and adenosine-angiotensin II interaction.

Adenosine (Ado) mediates vasoconstriction via A(1)-Ado receptors and vasodilation via A(2)-Ado receptors in the kidney. It interacts with angiotensin II (Ang II), which is important for renal hemodynamics and tubuloglomerular feedback (TGF). The aim was to investigate the function of Ado receptors in the Ado-Ang II interaction in mouse microperfused, afferent arterioles.

Photochemistry of bromofluorobenzenes.

The photochemistry of low lying excited states of six different fluorinated bromobenzenes has been investigated by means of femtosecond laser spectroscopy and high level ab initio CASSCF/CASPT2 quantum chemical calculations. The objective of the work was to investigate how and to what extent light substituents, position on the benzene ring and number, would influence the dissociation mechanism of bromobenzene. In general, the actual position of a fluorine atom affects the dissociation rate to a less extent than the number of fluorine atoms.

Associated sagittal spinal movements in performance of head pro- and retraction in healthy women: a kinematic analysis.

Sagittal head excursions are frequently used as diagnostic and treatment tools by physiotherapists. Retractions are performed to promote good head-on-body orientation. This study examined the regional contribution of spinal movements to head pro- and retraction in addition to the effect of a more or less restrained sitting position in healthy women.

Structures of tetrafluorocyclopropene, hexafluorocyclobutene, octafluorocyclopentene and related perfluoroalkene radical anions revealed by electron spin resonance spectroscopic and computational studies.

Isotropic and anisotropic ESR spectra were observed for the radical anions of hexafluorocyclobutene (c-C(4)F(6)(-)), octafluorocyclopentene (c-C(5)F(8)(-)) and perfluoro-2-butene (CF(3)CF=CFCF(3)(-)) in gamma-irradiated plastically crystalline neopentane, tetramethylsilane (TMS) and TMS-d(12) matrices, or the rigid 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (MTHF) matrix. The isotropic spectra of c-C(4)F(6)(-) and c-C(5)F(8)(-) are characterized by three different sets of pairs of (19)F nuclei with the isotropic hyperfine (hf) splittings of 15.2 (2F), 6.

Complexation of copper(ll) in organic soils and in dissolved organic matter--EXAFS evidence for chelate ring structures.

Associations with functional groups of natural organic matter (NOM) are of great importance for bioavailability, toxicity, and mobility of trace metals in soils and waters. In this study, the coordination chemistry of copper, Cu(ll), in organic soils and dissolved organic matter (DOM) from soils and streams was investigated by extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy. In both soil organic matter (SOM) and DOM (990-11 000 microg Cu g(-1) dryweight, pH 2.