Twenty years of stream restoration in Finland: little response by benthic macroinvertebrate communities.

The primary focus of many in-stream restoration projects is to enhance habitat diversity for salmonid fishes, yet the lack of properly designed monitoring studies, particularly ones with pre-restoration data, limits any attempts to assess whether restoration has succeeded in improving salmonid habitat. Even less is known about the impacts of fisheries-related restoration on other, non-target biota. We examined how restoration aiming at the enhancement of juvenile brown trout (Salmo trutta L.

Calcium Sulfate with Stearic Acid as an Encouraging Carrier for Reindeer Bone Protein Extract.

Various bone proteins and growth factors in specific concentrations are required for bone formation. If the body cannot produce sufficient quantities of these factors, bone trauma can be healed with an implant that includes the required factors in a carrier. This study was designed to evaluate various calcium salt candidates that can be used as carrier with reindeer bone protein extract to induce ectopic bone formation in the muscle pouch model of mouse.

Increased adrenaline to noradrenaline ratio is a superior indicator of antemortem hypothermia compared with separate catecholamine concentrations.

The significance of urinary catecholamines and small gastric mucosal bleedings, Wischnewsky's spots, in postmortem diagnosis of hypothermia deaths was evaluated. Autopsy cases (n=358) were divided into hypothermia, suspected hypothermia, and control groups. The catecholamine levels did not correlate with the length of the postmortem period.

Coherence in depth electrodes during induction of deep anesthesia.

Our aim was to explore time-varying coherence values versus spacing and referencing of electrode contacts in thalamic level from human encephalographic (EEG) data. Data has been acquired during induction of propofol anesthesia until burst-suppression level in scalp EEG. Results are shown from coherence analysis applied to EEG signals from selected depth electrode contacts pair-wise of three subjects.

Automatic classification of penicillin-induced epileptic EEG spikes.

Penicillin-induced focal epilepsy is a well-known model in epilepsy research. In this model, epileptic activity is generated by delivering penicillin focally to the cortex. The drug induces interictal electroencephalographic (EEG) spikes which evolve in time and may later change to ictal discharges.

Sandwich ELISA for quantitative detection of human collagen prolyl 4-hydroxylase.

Background: We describe a method for specific, quantitative and quick detection of human collagen prolyl 4-hydroxylase (C-P4H), the key enzyme for collagen prolyl-4 hydroxylation, in crude samples based on a sandwich ELISA principle. The method is relevant to active C-P4H level monitoring during recombinant C-P4H and collagen production in different expression systems. The assay proves to be specific for the active C-P4H alpha2beta2 tetramer due to the use of antibodies against its both subunits.

Three-dimensional carbon nanotube scaffolds as particulate filters and catalyst support membranes.

Three-dimensional carbon nanotube scaffolds created using micromachined Si/SiO2 templates are used as nanoparticulate filters and support membranes for gas-phase heterogeneous catalysis. The filtering efficiency of better than 99% is shown for the scaffolds in filtering submicrometer particles from air. In the hydrogenation of propene to propane reaction low activation energy of E(a) approximately 27.

Influenza virus infection in multinucleated skeletal myofibers.

We examined the progression of the WSN influenza virus infection in isolated, multinucleated rat skeletal myofibers. Contrary to mononucleated cells, the adsorbed virions showed markedly delayed entry kinetics. Viral budding occurred on the sarcolemma, but the hemagglutinin envelope glycoprotein matured inefficiently and was poorly cleaved.

Effect of remifentanil on the nonlinear electroencephalographic entropy parameters in propofol anesthesia.

Nonlinear electroencephalographic entropy parameters have been proposed for the assessment of depth of anesthesia. The influence of remifentanil, a commonly used intraoperative opioid, on these parameters, namely approximate entropy (ApEn), sample entropy (SampEn), and permutation entropy (PeEn), during induction of propofol anesthesia was studied. Remifentanil was shown to reduce the propofol-induced changes in ApEn and SampEn throughout the transition from awake to burst suppression state.

Density functional complexation study of metal ions with cysteine.

Metal complexes of cysteine have been studied using a density functional theory based method together with a continuum solvation model. Complexation geometries for metal complexes of cysteine with Zn(2+), Mg(2+), Ca(2+), Fe(3+), and Mn(2+) have been determined. Different coordination modes have been considered for MCys(2) and MCys(3) complexes.

Determinants of functional recovery after myocardial infarction of patients treated with bone marrow-derived stem cells after thrombolytic therapy.

Objective: To assess the determinants of functional recovery in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated initially with thrombolysis, followed by percutaneous coronary intervention and intracoronary injection of bone marrow-derived stem cells (BMC).

Design: A randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind study (substudy of FINCELL).

Setting: Two tertiary cardiac centres.

Seasonal acclimation of the moss Polytrichum juniperinum Hedw. to natural and enhanced ultraviolet radiation.

Short- and long-term changes in the methanol-extractable UV-absorbing compounds and biomass of the pioneer moss Polytrichum juniperinum in response to natural and enhanced UV radiation were studied. Under natural conditions, the compounds were found to fluctuate seasonally. In summer these compounds correlated negatively with irradiation.

Two-year follow-up of a randomised trial with repeated antenatal betamethasone.

Background: Weekly repeated antenatal corticosteroid treatment improves respiratory outcome but decreases fetal growth and may impair neurodevelopmental outcome. We have previously reported that a single repeat betamethasone (BM) dose neither decreased fetal growth nor improved the outcome of preterm infants during the first hospitalisation.

Objective: To study prospectively whether a single repeat dose of BM influences neurodevelopment and growth within 2 years.

Testing anatomical methods for stature estimation on individuals from the W. M. Bass Donated Skeletal Collection.

This study compared eight versions of the anatomical method for stature estimation on a white male sample (n = 34) from the W. M. Bass Donated Skeletal Collection.

EEG spectral changes and onset of burst suppression pattern in propofol/remifentanil anesthesia.

This paper studies how remifentanil, a commonly used intraoperative opioid, affects the relation of the onset of burst suppression pattern (BSP) and the spectral changes of EEG during anesthesia. The onsets of BSP were detected using both manual and the automatic method proposed from the EEGs of twenty-seven patients who had received different amount of remifentanil with the anesthetic. The spectral changes were determined by calculating the frequency progression patterns of the EEGs.

Evidence for gamma-actin as a Z disc component in skeletal myofibers.

We investigated the targeting of the gamma-actin isoform in skeletal myofibers. For this purpose we used expression vectors to produce green fluorescent protein (GFP-) as well as myc-tagged gamma-actin in rat flexor digitorum brevis myofibers. We found that the gamma-actin fusion proteins accumulated into Z discs but not beneath the sarcolemma.

Speech perception and auditory performance in finnish adult cochlear implant users.

Objective: This study aimed at investigating the association between speech perception and categories of auditory performance (mCAP) in everyday life for adult cochlear implant users.

Design: A prospective repeated measures design over a two-year follow-up period was used.

Methods: The speech perception and auditory performance of 19 Finnish-speaking adults were assessed before implantation and 1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 months after switching on the implant.

Application of optical coherence tomography, pulsed photoacoustic technique, and time-of-flight technique to detect changes in the scattering properties of a tissue-simulating phantom.

Intralipid is a well-known emulsion used as a tissue-simulating phantom in developing optical imaging and diagnostic techniques for medical applications. The optical coherence tomography (OCT), pulsed photoacoustic (PA), and time-of-flight (TOF) techniques were used to detect glucose-induced changes in the optical properties of Intralipid. A comparison of the applicability of these techniques to register changes in the scattering properties of Intralipid samples showed that OCT is the most effective method, whereas the sensitivity of the PA technique was less pronounced.

Improved production of human type II procollagen in the yeast Pichia pastoris in shake flasks by a wireless-controlled fed-batch system.

Background: Here we describe a new technical solution for optimization of Pichia pastoris shake flask cultures with the example of production of stable human type II collagen. Production of recombinant proteins in P. pastoris is usually performed by controlling gene expression with the strong AOX1 promoter, which is induced by addition of methanol.

Guidelines for the veterinary care of laboratory animals: report of the FELASA/ECLAM/ESLAV Joint Working Group on Veterinary Care.

Veterinary professionals working in partnership with other competent persons are essential for a successful animal care and use programme. A veterinarian's primary responsibilities are defined by their own professional regulatory bodies, but in this area of work there are further opportunities for contribution, which will assist in safeguarding the health and welfare of animals used in research. These guidelines are aimed not only at veterinarians to explain their duties, and outline the opportunities to improve the health and welfare of animals under their care, but also at employers and regulators to help them meet their responsibilities.

Structural studies show that the A178L mutation in the C-terminal hinge of the catalytic loop-6 of triosephosphate isomerase (TIM) induces a closed-like conformation in dimeric and monomeric TIM.

The flexible catalytic loop, loop-6, of TIM has evolved to preferably be open in the unliganded state and to preferably be closed in the liganded state. The N-terminal and C-terminal hinges of this loop are important for its opening/closing mechanism. In this study, a small conserved C-terminal hinge residue, Ala178, has been mutated into a residue with a larger side chain, Leu178.

Investigation of multimodal zeta potential and size distribution in chemical pulp process water.

Multimodal zeta potential distribution in chemical birch pulp process water was studied by filtrating the water into fractions and subsequently measuring zeta potential, charge quantity, turbidity and organic substances. Filtrations were made using 12 microm, 1.6 microm, 1.

EEG frequency progression during induction of anesthesia: from start of infusion to onset of burst suppression pattern.

The anesthetic infusion with propofol influences EEG activity rather smoothly by changing the amplitude activity in different frequency bands. This results in a frequency progression pattern (FPP) which can be related to the depth of anesthesia. An iterative algorithm is proposed for the estimation of the shape of this pattern.

Microdomains of endoplasmic reticulum within the sarcoplasmic reticulum of skeletal myofibers.

The relationship between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) of skeletal muscle cells has remained obscure. In this study, we found that ER- and SR-specific membrane proteins exhibited diverse solubility properties when extracted with mild detergents. Accordingly, the major SR-specific protein Ca(2+)-ATPase (SERCA) remained insoluble in Brij 58 and floated in sucrose gradients while typical ER proteins were partially or fully soluble.

Diversity and persistence of arbuscular mycorrhizas in a low-Arctic meadow habitat.

Little is known about the ecology and diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi in Arctic ecosystems. Here, the diversity and composition of the AM fungal community and its response to host plant community composition were studied in a low-Arctic meadow habitat. The natural vegetation in two low-Arctic meadow sites was manipulated.