Fusion of neurohypophyseal membranes in vitro

Freeze cleaving electron microscopy has shown that fusion of isolated secretory vesicles from bovine neurohypophyses was induced by Ca 2+ in micromolar concentrations. Mg 2+ and Sr 2+ were ineffective. Mg 2+ inhibited Ca 2+-induced fusion. In suspensions containing secretory vesicles as well as sheets of cell membrane, release of vasopressin parallel to intervesicular fusion of secretory vesicles with sheets of cell membrane was observed after exposure to Ca 2+. Mg 2+ and Sr 2+ were ineffective in replacing Ca 2+ as trigger for fusion or vasopressin release. Intervesicular fusion and exocytotic profiles were observed when isolated neurohypophyses or neurosecretosome were exposed to cold

Performance and Fundamental Processes at Low Energy in a Two-Phase Liquid Xenon Dark Matter Detector

We extend the study of the performance of a prototype two-phase liquid xenon WIMP dark matter detector to recoil energies below 20 keV. We demonstrate a new method for obtaining the best estimate of the energies of events using a calibrated sum of charge and light signals and introduce the corresponding discrimination parameter, giving its mean value at 4 kV/cm for electron and nuclear recoils up to 300 and 100 keV, respectively. We show that fluctuations in recombination limit discrimination for most energies, and reveal an improvement in discrimination below 20 keV due to a surprising increase in ionization yield for low energy electron recoils. This improvement is crucial for a high-sensitivity dark matter search.Comment: 4 pages, 6 figures, submitted to DM06 conference proceedings in Nucl Phys

Miljøtilstanden i Tvedestrands kystområder før igangsetting av nytt renseanlegg. Oksygenforhold, hardbunnsorganismer og bløtbunnfauna

Undersøkelser av oksygeninnhold, hardbunnsorganismer og bløtbunnsfauna ble gjennomført i Tvedestrandsfjorden og Oksefjorden i 1996 og 1997 for å kartlegge dagens tilstand. Oksygen, temperatur og saltholdighet ble målt fire ganger på tre stasjoner i løpet av høsten 1996. Hardbunnsorganismer i strandsonen (0-1 meters dyp) ble registrert på 9 stasjoner fra innerst til ytterst i fjorden, mens bløtbunnsfauna ble samlet fra 5 stasjoner med en 0,1 m² van Veen grabb. Undersøkelsene viste at indre del av fjorden hadde meget dårlig tilstand i dypvannet (klasse V), med høyt innhold av hydrogensulfid og livløse bunnsedimenter. Utskiftning av bassengvannet skjer trolig med 2-3 års mellomrom. Tilstanden i ytre del av fjorden var bedre, men bunnvannet hadde også her lave oksygenkonsentrasjoner (tilstandsklasse mindre god -dårlig) og mye organisk materiale (tilstandsklasse meget dårlig). Oksygeninnholdet ved Bota synes å være noe redusert fra forrige undersøkelse. Algevegetasjonen i strandsonen var i indre deler av fjorden preget av mange hurtigvoksende arter som stimuleres av stor næringstilgang. I de ytre deler av fjorden var algevegetasjonen frisk, men også her var der forholdsvis mange påvekstalger som kan tyde på gode næringsforhold

Tilstanden i sjøområdene ved Grimstad før start av biologisk renseanlegg på Groos

I 1995 ble Groosefjorden undersøkt for å dokumentere tilstanden før igangsetting av nytt biologisk renseanlegg. Det ble også gjort undersøkelser i andre kystområder i Grimstad kommune for å vurdere tilstanden. Undersøkelsene omfattet vannkjemiske målinger (oksygen, næringssalter, temperatur og saltholdighet), bløtbunnprøver, hardbunnundersøkelser (strandsone og dykk) samt undersøkelse av fiskeforekomster. Undersøkelsene viste at bunnområdene i Groosefjorden var tydelig påvirket av det kommunale utslippet på Groos. Bunnvannet hadde lave oksygenkonsentrasjoner og nær utslippet var bløtbunnsfaunaen dominert av arter som opptrer ved tung organisk belastning, men det var ingen større endringer i tilstanden siden forrige undersøkelse på 1980-tallet. Ved dykking ble det i tillegg registrert hydrogensulfid i sedimentene ved utslippspunktet. I overflatelaget ble det kun funnet svake effekter av utslippet. I Homborsund var det ingen større effekter av utslippet, men resultatene tyder på at området er sårbart for økning i tilførslene

Exploring aspects of significance when arranging dog visits to home-dwelling patients: An action research approach

Municipalities have been encouraged to collaborate with volunteers to facilitate social and cultural activities for patients. Dog visits have been primarily arranged as a group activity in nursing homes. The aim of the present study was to pilot a dog visit program for home-dwelling patients delivered through a collaboration between nurses and volunteers, and to explore aspects of significance when arranging such visits. The project used an action research approach. The action was the implementation of regular dog visits to home-dwelling patients for 6 months, through collaboration between nurses and volunteers. The empirical investigation included respective focus group interviews with nurses and volunteers. Transcribed data were analyzed thematically. Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research guidelines were followed. Influence of motivation, vulnerable relationships, and the perception that various factors contributed to a ‘comprehensive puzzle’ were aspects of significance when arranging dog visits to home-dwelling patients. One crucial factor in the conduction of the dog visits was having coordinators for both the nurses and volunteers. Future dog visits should emphasize thorough mapping of patients and equipages, and appropriate information flow through collaboration between coordinators for nurses and volunteers.publishedVersionPaid open acces

Data Quality of Surgery for Carotid Artery Stenosis. Are the National Vascular Registries Reliable?

AbstractObjectivesTo study completeness of reporting carotid endarterectomies, including peri-operative stroke and mortality rate, in a national vascular registry, NorKar, and a national administrative registry, The Norwegian Patient Register (NPR).DesignComparative registry-based national study.MaterialsMember hospitals of NorKar, including 89% of carotid endarterectomies in Norway, were compared with relevant data in NPR for the years 2000–2002.MethodsWe compared procedure-codes, diagnosis-codes, in-hospital death and the occurrence of peri-operative stroke after treatment for carotid artery stenosis in the two registries to evaluate completeness.ResultsCompared with the NPR numbers, 16% of carotid endarterectomies were missing in the reports from member hospitals of NorKar. Further, during this three-year period, there was an under-reporting of seven strokes and two deaths. The discrepancy was most pronounced in 2001.ConclusionsThere is an under-reporting of patients operated on for carotid artery stenosis in NorKar according to NPR numbers as well as an under-reporting of early deaths and strokes. There is a need for better quality data in the NorKar Registry. Registry quality would be likely to improve if patient identifiable data were available in both registries

Variation of Loess Thickness and Clay Content in Southern Iowa

This report summarizes two aspects of the Wisconsin loess in southern Iowa and presents some information on the sandy-silt immediately underlying the loess and overlying the till in southcentral Iowa. The data has originated from project work done over the last five year on the loess and glacial till of Iowa (Project 283-S) in .an attempt to solve the problem of stabilization of loess and till for roads. This paper incorporates data procured to date on the loess of southwest, southern and east-central Iowa and present studies in progress in south-central Iowa. (See references 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Administrators and Communicators - A Team in Int\u27l Programs

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