Structure and Protein-Protein Interactions of Ice Nucleation Proteins Drive Their Activity.

Microbially-produced ice nucleating proteins (INpro) are unique molecular structures with the highest known catalytic efficiency for ice formation. Airborne microorganisms utilize these proteins to enhance their survival by reducing their atmospheric residence times. INpro also have critical environmental effects including impacts on the atmospheric water cycle, through their role in cloud and precipitation formation, as well as frost damage on crops.

Adjuvant carboplatin therapy in patients with clinical stage 1 testicular seminoma: is long-term morbidity increased?

Purpose: Clinical stage (CS) 1 testicular seminoma is cured in almost 100% of cases following either retroperitoneal radiotherapy, carboplatin monotherapy, or surveillance strategies. Little is known about potential long-term effects of carboplatin. We, therefore, examined late sequelae of this drug in seminoma patients.

[Pastoral care in palliative medicine].

The orientation of life before death towards a quality as high as possible leads to an understanding of palliative medicine not as a pure medical discipline but rather as an integral approach of different disciplines, professions and services, combining several sectors and not being restricted to professionals. Within this change of patterns the pastoral care contribution is developed from professional clinical pastoral care, at first the pastoral care attitude in palliative medicine, challenged by the irritating expectation which dying and death every time demands of all involved. Basics of general mourning research and tasks of bereavement counselling are explained for elaboration as well as theological basics of a Christian human dignity concept.

Kondo effect in a few-electron quantum ring.

A small quantum ring with less than ten electrons was studied by transport spectroscopy. For strong coupling to the leads a Kondo effect is observed and used to characterize the spin structure of the system in a wide range of magnetic fields. At small magnetic fields Aharonov-Bohm oscillations influenced by Coulomb interaction appear.