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Elastic strain sensor nanocomposites are emerging materials of high scientific and commercial interest. This study analyzes the major factors influencing the electrical behavior of elastic strain sensor nanocomposites. The sensor mechanisms were described for nanocomposites with conductive nanofillers, either dispersed inside the polymer matrix or coated onto the polymer surface. The purely geometrical contributions to the change in resistance were also assessed. The theoretical predictions indicated that maximum Gauge values are achieved for mixture composites with filler fractions slightly above the electrical percolation threshold, especially for nanocomposites with a very rapid conductivity increase around the threshold. PDMS/CB and PDMS/CNT mixture nanocomposites with 0-5.5 vol.% fillers were therefore manufactured and analyzed with resistivity measurements. In agreement with the predictions, the PDMS/CB with 2.0 vol.% CB gave very high Gauge values of around 20,000. The findings in this study will thus facilitate the development of highly optimized conductive polymer composites for strain sensor applications., QC 20230714

Elastic strain sensor nanocomposites are emerging materials of high scientific and commercial interest. This study analyzes the major factors influencing the electrical behavior of elastic strain sensor nanocomposites. The sensor mechanisms were described for nanocomposites with conductive nanofillers, either dispersed inside the polymer matrix or coated onto the polymer surface. The purely geometrical contributions to the change in resistance were also assessed. The theoretical predictions indicated that maximum Gauge values are achieved for mixture composites with filler fractions slightly above the electrical percolation threshold, especially for nanocomposites with a very rapid conductivity increase around the threshold. PDMS/CB and PDMS/CNT mixture nanocomposites with 0-5.5 vol.% fillers were therefore manufactured and analyzed with resistivity measurements. In agreement with the predictions, the PDMS/CB with 2.0 vol.% CB gave very high Gauge values of around 20,000. The findings in this study will thus facilitate the development of highly optimized conductive polymer composites for strain sensor applications.

The endocannabinoid system modulates synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus, but a link between long-term synaptic plasticity and the type 1 cannabinoid (CB1) receptor at medial perforant path (MPP) synapses remains elusive. Here, immuno-electron microscopy in adult mice showed that similar to 26% of the excitatory synaptic terminals in the middle 1/3 of the dentate molecular layer (DML) contained CB1 receptors, and field excitatory postsynaptic potentials evoked by MPP stimulation were inhibited by CB1 receptor activation. In addition, MPP stimulation at 10 Hz for 10 min triggered CB, receptor-dependent excitatory long-term depression (eCB-eLTD) at MPP synapses of wild-type mice but not on CB1-knockout mice. This eCB-eLTD was group I mGluR-dependent, required intracellular calcium influx and 2-arachydonoyl-glycerol (2-AG) synthesis but did not depend on N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. Overall, these results point to a functional role for CB1 receptors with eCB-eLTD at DML MPP synapses and further involve these receptors in memory processing within the adult brain.

The endocannabinoid system modulates synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus, but a link between long-term synaptic plasticity and the type 1 cannabinoid (CB1) receptor at medial perforant path (MPP) synapses remains elusive. Here, immuno-electron microscopy in adult mice showed that similar to 26% of the excitatory synaptic terminals in the middle 1/3 of the dentate molecular layer (DML) contained CB1 receptors, and field excitatory postsynaptic potentials evoked by MPP stimulation were inhibited by CB1 receptor activation. In addition, MPP stimulation at 10 Hz for 10 min triggered CB, receptor-dependent excitatory long-term depression (eCB-eLTD) at MPP synapses of wild-type mice but not on CB1-knockout mice. This eCB-eLTD was group I mGluR-dependent, required intracellular calcium influx and 2-arachydonoyl-glycerol (2-AG) synthesis but did not depend on N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. Overall, these results point to a functional role for CB1 receptors with eCB-eLTD at DML MPP synapses and further involve these receptors in memory processing within the adult brain.

The endocannabinoid system modulates synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus, but a link between long-term synaptic plasticity and the type 1 cannabinoid (CB1) receptor at medial perforant path (MPP) synapses remains elusive. Here, immuno-electron microscopy in adult mice showed that similar to 26% of the excitatory synaptic terminals in the middle 1/3 of the dentate molecular layer (DML) contained CB1 receptors, and field excitatory postsynaptic potentials evoked by MPP stimulation were inhibited by CB1 receptor activation. In addition, MPP stimulation at 10 Hz for 10 min triggered CB, receptor-dependent excitatory long-term depression (eCB-eLTD) at MPP synapses of wild-type mice but not on CB1-knockout mice. This eCB-eLTD was group I mGluR-dependent, required intracellular calcium influx and 2-arachydonoyl-glycerol (2-AG) synthesis but did not depend on N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. Overall, these results point to a functional role for CB1 receptors with eCB-eLTD at DML MPP synapses and further involve these receptors in memory processing within the adult brain.

Increasing evidence has focusesed on the endocannabinoid system as a relevant player in the induction of aberrant synaptic plasticity and related addictive phenotype following chronic excessive alcohol drinking. In addition, the endocannabinoid system is implicated in the pathogenesis of alcoholic liver disease. Interestingly, whereas the involvement of CB1 receptors in alcohol rewarding properties is established, the central and peripheral action of CB2 signalling is still to be elucidated. This review aims at giving the input to deepen knowledge on the role of the endocannabinoid system, highlighting the advancing evidence that suggests that CB1 and CB2 receptors may play opposite roles in the regulation of both the reinforcing properties of alcohol in the brain and the mechanisms responsible for cell injury and inflammation in the hepatic tissue. The manipulation of the endocannabinoid system could represent a bi-faceted strategy to counteract alcohol-related dysfunction in central transmission and liver structural and functional disarrangement.

Цель этой работы – сравнить употребление различных видов анафоры в так называемых переходах центристской теории (WALKER, JOSHI ET AL. 1998) в корпусе сербских газетных текстов. Центристская теория – это теория локальной согласованности (когерентности) текста, в которой четыре типа переходов рассматриваются как параметры этой согласованности. Согласно гипотезам, высказанным в исследованиях, базирующихся на материале разных языков, последовательный переход характеризуется минимальной формой топика (нулевая форма), а плавный и резкий переходы сочетаются с полной именной фразой топика. Анализ обнаруживает, что ‘правило последовательности’ центристской теории не соблюдается полностью в корпусе письменной речи сербского языка, поскольку плавный переход является самым частотным типом перехода в корпусе. В качестве доказательства данного утверждения в работе приводятся (а) жанр газетной статьи и (б) способ сочетания простых предложений в сложном предложении сербской письменной речи., У раду је примењена теорија центрирања (WALKER, JOSHI и др. 1998) на писани корпус српског језика. Циљ рада је да се одреди корелација између типова прелаза и анафорских облика који обележавају кохерентни текст, што може да послужи као почетак формализације њиховог односа у апликацијама из рачунарске лингвистике. Анализа корпуса потврђује хипотезу да постоји паралела између минималних анафорских облика и типа прелаза НАСТАВАК (најкохерентнији прелаз у тексту), али правило центрирања које одређује распоред и фреквентност прелаза (правило „уређења“) није нашло потврду у нашој анализи., The aim of the paper is to map various types of anaphor to the centering transitions in the corpus of Serbian newspaper articles. Centering Theory (WALKER, JOSHI ET AL. 1998) is a theory of local coherence in which four types of transitions are used as parameters of coherence. As is hypothesized in the previous literature based on various languages, the CONTINUE transition is mostly characterized by a minimal form (a zero form of the topic), while the SMOOTH and ROUGH shifts are found with a full noun phrase topic. The analysis shows that the “Ordering Rule” of Centering Theory is not fully followed in the written corpus of the Serbian language since SMOOTH SHIFT has been identified as a prevalent type of transition in the corpus. The following two reasons were identified for that: (1) the genre of the newspaper articles, and (2) the way clauses are combined within a complex sentence in the Serbian written corpus.

In the current study, we have investigated the effect of CB2 and TRPV1 receptor ligands on in vitro osteoblasts from bone marrow of human healthy donors. A pivotal role for the endocannabinoid/endovanilloid system in bone metabolism has been highlighted. We have demonstrated a functional cross-talk between CB2 and TRPV1 in human osteoclasts, suggesting these receptors as new pharmacological target for the treatment of bone resorption disease as osteoporosis. Moreover, we have shown the presence of these receptors on human mesenchimal stem cells, hMSCs. Osteoblasts are mononucleated cells originated from hMSCs by the essential transcription factor runt-related transcription factor 2 and involved in bone formation via the synthesis and release of macrophage colony-stimulating factor, receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand and osteoprotegerin. For the first time, we show that CB2 and TRPV1 receptors are both expressed on human osteoblasts together with enzymes synthesizing and degrading endocannabinoids/endovanilloids, and oppositely modulate human osteoblast activity in culture in a way that the CB2 receptor stimulation improves the osteogenesis whereas TRPV1 receptor stimulation inhibits it.

Exposure to a strong T-helper 2 (Th2)-like environment during fetal development may promote allergy development. Increased cord blood (CB) levels of the Th2-associated chemokine CCL22 were associated with allergy development during the first 2 y of life. The aim of the present study was to determine whether CB Th1- and Th2-associated chemokine levels are associated with allergy development during the first 6 y of life, allowing assessment of respiratory allergic symptoms usually developing in this period. The CB levels of cytokines, chemokines, and total IgE were determined in 56 children of 20 women with allergic symptoms and 36 women without allergic symptoms. Total IgE and allergen-specific IgE antibody levels were quantified at 6, 12, 24 mo, and 6 y of age. Increased CB CCL22 levels were associated with development of allergic sensitization and asthma and increased CCL17 levels with development of allergic symptoms, including asthma. Sensitized children with allergic symptoms showed higher CB CCL17 and CCL22 levels and higher ratios between these Th2-associated chemokines and the Th1-associated chemokine CXCL10 than nonsensitized children without allergic symptoms. A pronounced Th2 deviation at birth, reflected by increased CB CCL17 and CCL22 levels, and increased CCL22/CXCL10 and CCL17/CXCL10 ratios might promote allergy development later in life.

Exposure to a strong T-helper 2 (Th2)-like environment during fetal development may promote allergy development. Increased cord blood (CB) levels of the Th2-associated chemokine CCL22 were associated with allergy development during the first 2 y of life. The aim of the present study was to determine whether CB Th1- and Th2-associated chemokine levels are associated with allergy development during the first 6 y of life, allowing assessment of respiratory allergic symptoms usually developing in this period. The CB levels of cytokines, chemokines, and total IgE were determined in 56 children of 20 women with allergic symptoms and 36 women without allergic symptoms. Total IgE and allergen-specific IgE antibody levels were quantified at 6, 12, 24 mo, and 6 y of age. Increased CB CCL22 levels were associated with development of allergic sensitization and asthma and increased CCL17 levels with development of allergic symptoms, including asthma. Sensitized children with allergic symptoms showed higher CB CCL17 and CCL22 levels and higher ratios between these Th2-associated chemokines and the Th1-associated chemokine CXCL10 than nonsensitized children without allergic symptoms. A pronounced Th2 deviation at birth, reflected by increased CB CCL17 and CCL22 levels, and increased CCL22/CXCL10 and CCL17/CXCL10 ratios might promote allergy development later in life.

Exposure to a strong T-helper 2 (Th2)-like environment during fetal development may promote allergy development. Increased cord blood (CB) levels of the Th2-associated chemokine CCL22 were associated with allergy development during the first 2 y of life. The aim of the present study was to determine whether CB Th1- and Th2-associated chemokine levels are associated with allergy development during the first 6 y of life, allowing assessment of respiratory allergic symptoms usually developing in this period. The CB levels of cytokines, chemokines, and total IgE were determined in 56 children of 20 women with allergic symptoms and 36 women without allergic symptoms. Total IgE and allergen-specific IgE antibody levels were quantified at 6, 12, 24 mo, and 6 y of age. Increased CB CCL22 levels were associated with development of allergic sensitization and asthma and increased CCL17 levels with development of allergic symptoms, including asthma. Sensitized children with allergic symptoms showed higher CB CCL17 and CCL22 levels and higher ratios between these Th2-associated chemokines and the Th1-associated chemokine CXCL10 than nonsensitized children without allergic symptoms. A pronounced Th2 deviation at birth, reflected by increased CB CCL17 and CCL22 levels, and increased CCL22/CXCL10 and CCL17/CXCL10 ratios might promote allergy development later in life.

Exposure to a strong T-helper 2 (Th2)-like environment during fetal development may promote allergy development. Increased cord blood (CB) levels of the Th2-associated chemokine CCL22 were associated with allergy development during the first 2 y of life. The aim of the present study was to determine whether CB Th1- and Th2-associated chemokine levels are associated with allergy development during the first 6 y of life, allowing assessment of respiratory allergic symptoms usually developing in this period. The CB levels of cytokines, chemokines, and total IgE were determined in 56 children of 20 women with allergic symptoms and 36 women without allergic symptoms. Total IgE and allergen-specific IgE antibody levels were quantified at 6, 12, 24 mo, and 6 y of age. Increased CB CCL22 levels were associated with development of allergic sensitization and asthma and increased CCL17 levels with development of allergic symptoms, including asthma. Sensitized children with allergic symptoms showed higher CB CCL17 and CCL22 levels and higher ratios between these Th2-associated chemokines and the Th1-associated chemokine CXCL10 than nonsensitized children without allergic symptoms. A pronounced Th2 deviation at birth, reflected by increased CB CCL17 and CCL22 levels, and increased CCL22/CXCL10 and CCL17/CXCL10 ratios might promote allergy development later in life.

Exposure to a strong T-helper 2 (Th2)-like environment during fetal development may promote allergy development. Increased cord blood (CB) levels of the Th2-associated chemokine CCL22 were associated with allergy development during the first 2 y of life. The aim of the present study was to determine whether CB Th1- and Th2-associated chemokine levels are associated with allergy development during the first 6 y of life, allowing assessment of respiratory allergic symptoms usually developing in this period. The CB levels of cytokines, chemokines, and total IgE were determined in 56 children of 20 women with allergic symptoms and 36 women without allergic symptoms. Total IgE and allergen-specific IgE antibody levels were quantified at 6, 12, 24 mo, and 6 y of age. Increased CB CCL22 levels were associated with development of allergic sensitization and asthma and increased CCL17 levels with development of allergic symptoms, including asthma. Sensitized children with allergic symptoms showed higher CB CCL17 and CCL22 levels and higher ratios between these Th2-associated chemokines and the Th1-associated chemokine CXCL10 than nonsensitized children without allergic symptoms. A pronounced Th2 deviation at birth, reflected by increased CB CCL17 and CCL22 levels, and increased CCL22/CXCL10 and CCL17/CXCL10 ratios might promote allergy development later in life.

In the majority of cases students are short of money and have problems to finance their low standard subsistence. An additional financial burden for students is purchasing the costly literature for their courses and studies. Universities often support their students by providing a library but a library can never cover all the books that are demanded. Students often do not need or use their purchased books longer than they have to; with the closure of a course or a semester books become useless for the owner. To get back some money after having used a book it is common to resell the book in various ways. Regularly students’ organisations or universities established some sort of platform for example a bill-board in their facilities or on the internet. But the existence of these platforms made trading the used literature not easier because there are no rules and no regulations. The store Campusbokhandeln took this problem and started a business to make it easier for students to sell and buy used books with fair regulations so every participator profits. Campusbokhandeln has a main store at Örebro University and one at Karlstad University. The purpose of the study is to find out whether Campusbokhandeln is able to expand their actions to another university in Sweden and if yes to which university. The results of the research show that the demand for a platform like Campusbokhandeln if very high and that the owners can take the chance to expand. After a SWOT-analysis we were able to point out chances and give suggestions about the future of the business.

In the majority of cases students are short of money and have problems to finance their low standard subsistence. An additional financial burden for students is purchasing the costly literature for their courses and studies. Universities often support their students by providing a library but a library can never cover all the books that are demanded. Students often do not need or use their purchased books longer than they have to; with the closure of a course or a semester books become useless for the owner. To get back some money after having used a book it is common to resell the book in various ways. Regularly students’ organisations or universities established some sort of platform for example a bill-board in their facilities or on the internet. But the existence of these platforms made trading the used literature not easier because there are no rules and no regulations. The store Campusbokhandeln took this problem and started a business to make it easier for students to sell and buy used books with fair regulations so every participator profits. Campusbokhandeln has a main store at Örebro University and one at Karlstad University. The purpose of the study is to find out whether Campusbokhandeln is able to expand their actions to another university in Sweden and if yes to which university. The results of the research show that the demand for a platform like Campusbokhandeln if very high and that the owners can take the chance to expand. After a SWOT-analysis we were able to point out chances and give suggestions about the future of the business.

Uterine myometrial cells are responsive to sex steroids, which could make them susceptible to actions of endocrine disrupting environmental contaminants such as some PCBs. The aim of this investigation was to identify possible effects of some chlorinated biphenyls (CBs) and their metabolites on myometrial cell proliferation. Myometrial cells obtained from women in both phases of the menstrual cycle and from pregnant women were grown in vitro and exposed to CB 101, CB 118, 3'-MeSO2-CB 101, 4'-MeSO2-CB 101, 4-OH-CB 107, 17 beta-estradiol, progesterone, ethinylestradiol or levonorgestrel. The proliferative activity was studied by a BrdU assay. Myometrial cell cultures originating from pregnant women exhibited decreased proliferation in response to 3'-MeSO2-CB 101, 4'-MeSO2-CB 101 and 4-OH-CB 107. Estradiol, a combination of 1 nM 17 beta-estradiol and 10 nM progesterone, ethinylestradiol and levonorgestrel also reduced the proliferation of the myometrial cells, regardless of whether the cells were collected from either of the menstrual cycle phases or from pregnant women. To our knowledge this study is the first to demonstrate that some CBs affect the proliferative activity of human uterine myocytes.

Calmodulin is a major cytoplasmic calcium receptor that performs multiple functions in the cell including cytokinesis. Central spindle appears between separating chromatin masses after metaphase-anaphase transition. The interaction of microtubules from central spindle with cell cortex regulates the cleavage furrow formation. In this paper, we use green fluorescence protein (GFP)-tagged calmodulin as a living cell probe to examine the detailed dynamic redistribution and co-localization of calmodulin with central spindle during cytokinesis and the function of this distribution pattern in a tripolar HeLa cell model. We found that calmodulin is associated with spindle microtubules during mitosis and begins to aggregate with central spindle after anaphase initiation. The absence of either central spindle or central spindle-distributed calmodulin is correlated with the defect in the formation of cleavage furrow, where contractile ring-distributed CaM is also extinct. Further analysis found that both the assembly of central spindle and the formation of cleavage furrow are affected by the W7 treatment. The microtubule density of central spindle was decreased after the treatment. Only less than 10\% of the synchronized cells enter cytokinesis when treated with 25 muM W7, and the completion time of furrow regression is also delayed from 10 min to at least 40 min. It is suggested that calmodulin plays a significant role in cytokinesis including furrow formation and regression, The understanding of the interaction between calmodulin and microtubules may give us insight into the mechanism through which calmodulin regulates cytokinesis. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Calmodulin is a major cytoplasmic calcium receptor that performs multiple functions in the cell including cytokinesis. Central spindle appears between separating chromatin masses after metaphase-anaphase transition. The interaction of microtubules from central spindle with cell cortex regulates the cleavage furrow formation. In this paper, we use green fluorescence protein (GFP)-tagged calmodulin as a living cell probe to examine the detailed dynamic redistribution and co-localization of calmodulin with central spindle during cytokinesis and the function of this distribution pattern in a tripolar HeLa cell model. We found that calmodulin is associated with spindle microtubules during mitosis and begins to aggregate with central spindle after anaphase initiation. The absence of either central spindle or central spindle-distributed calmodulin is correlated with the defect in the formation of cleavage furrow, where contractile ring-distributed CaM is also extinct. Further analysis found that both the assembly of central spindle and the formation of cleavage furrow are affected by the W7 treatment. The microtubule density of central spindle was decreased after the treatment. Only less than 10\% of the synchronized cells enter cytokinesis when treated with 25 muM W7, and the completion time of furrow regression is also delayed from 10 min to at least 40 min. It is suggested that calmodulin plays a significant role in cytokinesis including furrow formation and regression, The understanding of the interaction between calmodulin and microtubules may give us insight into the mechanism through which calmodulin regulates cytokinesis. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.