Plasmon-Assisted Crystalline Silicon Solar Cell with TiO2 as Anti-Reflective Coating

Plasmonics - The present study focuses on the employment of TiO2 (titanium dioxide) film as an anti-reflective coating (ARC) on thin crystalline silicon (Si)-based solar cells along with the...     

Body composition, weight status, body image and weight control practices among female adolescents from eastern Austria

The prevalence rates of obesity, but also of altered eating behaviour up to clinically manifested eating disorders have increased dramatically during the last years. In the present study the weight status, body composition and eating behaviour as well as weight controlling strategies of 1752 female adolescents ageing between 12 and 18 years (x=14.6) from Eastern Austria were documented. Furthermore, data regarding socioeconomic status and educational level of the probands were collected. It could be shown, that a higher educational level or a higher socioeconomic status was associated with a significantly lower fat percentage and a significantly lower prevalence of overweight and obesity. Underweight and severe underweight was predominantly found among girls ageing between 15 and 18 years of higher educational level. Weight controlling behaviour such as stepping on scale and altered or restricted eating behaviour was widespread among the probands, independent of weight status and socioeconomic parameters. Body weight and shape concerns were also found very frequently independent of educational level. The results of the present study corroborate the findings of former investigations, that disturbed eating behaviour and concerns regarding body weight and shape are found among all socioeconomic groups.     

Ploidy effect on the radiation reaction of mammalian cells

Summary The variation of X-ray sensitivity was investigated during the cell cycle. The cells were most sensitive during the S phase and less sensitive during the G₂- and G₁ phase. Furthermore, the repair of X-ray damage was investigated in stationary (plateau phase) cells. The cells of both lines were able to repair damage to nearly the same extent.

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Zusammenfassung Die Variation der Strahlensensibilität während des Zellcyclus wurde untersucht. Die Zellen reagierten am sensibelsten in der S-Phase, weniger sensibel in der G₂-und G₁-Phase. Weiterhin wurde die Reparation von Strahlenschäden bei stationären (Plateauphase-)Zellen untersucht. Die Zellen beider Linien sind in etwa gleichem Maße reparationsfähig.

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Supported (I-IV) by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Mi/100, 1-7).     

Association between TAS2R38 gene polymorphisms and colorectal cancer risk: a case-control study in two independent populations of Caucasian origin

Molecular sensing in the lingual mucosa and in the gastro-intestinal tract play a role in the detection of ingested harmful drugs and toxins. Therefore, genetic polymorphisms affecting the capability of initiating these responses may be critical for the subsequent efficiency of avoiding and/or eliminating possible threats to the organism. By using a tagging approach in the region of Taste Receptor 2R38 (TAS2R38) gene, we investigated all the common genetic variation of this gene region in relation to colorectal cancer risk with a case-control study in a German population (709 controls and 602 cases) and in a Czech population (623 controls and 601 cases). We found that there were no significant associations between individual SNPs of the TAS2R38 gene and colorectal cancer in the Czech or in the German population, nor in the joint analysis. However, when we analyzed the diplotypes and the phenotypes we found that the non-taster group had an increased risk of colorectal cancer in comparison to the taster group. This association was borderline significant in the Czech population, (OR = 1.28, 95% CI 0.99–1.67; P_value = 0.058) and statistically significant in the German population (OR = 1.36, 95% CI 1.06–1.75; P_value = 0.016) and in the joint analysis (OR = 1.34, 95% CI 1.12–1.61; P_value = 0.001). In conclusion, we found a suggestive association between the human bitter tasting phenotype and the risk of CRC in two different populations of Caucasian origin.     

Morphometric characteristics of hepatocellular dysplasia

Morphometric study of liver biopsies from six entities (normal tissue, post-hepatitis cirrhosis, post-alcoholic cirrhosis, cancer-related cirrhosis, hepatocellular adenoma and hepatocellular adenocarcinoma) confirmed that this technique can be a valuable adjunct to histopathologic study in the examination of such specimens. As expected, measurements in cirrhotic nodules showed two populations of cells. The so-called "large dysplastic cells" had nuclear and cellular areas close to those of normal hepatocytes and should thus be considered to be hyperplastic elements, not precancerous elements. The smaller dysplastic cells had morphometric values close to those of the corresponding hepatocellular carcinomas, indicating that these cells are the truly precancerous ones. Therefore, while the study confirmed that hepatic cirrhosis is a precancerous lesion, it also showed that the term hepatocellular dysplasia must be restricted to the smaller type of cells found in such nodules.     

Characterisation of alpha3beta1 and alpha(v)beta3 integrin N-oligosaccharides in metastatic melanoma WM9 and WM239 cell lines

It is well documented that glycan synthesis is altered in some pathological processes, including cancer. The most frequently observed alterations during tumourigenesis are extensive expression of beta1,6-branched complex type N-glycans, the presence of poly-N-acetyllactosamine structures, and high sialylation of cell surface glycoproteins. This study investigated two integrins, alpha3beta1 and alpha(v)beta3, whose expression is closely related to cancer progression. Their oligosaccharide structures in two metastatic melanoma cell lines (WM9, WM239) were analysed with the use of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation mass spectrometry. Both examined integrins possessed heavily sialylated and fucosylated glycans, with beta1,6-branches and short polylactosamine chains. In WM9 cells, alpha3beta1 integrin was more variously glycosylated than alpha(v)beta3; in WM239 cells the situation was the reverse. Functional studies (wound healing and ELISA integrin binding assays) revealed that the N-oligosaccharide component of the tested integrins influenced melanoma cell migration on vitronectin and alpha3beta1 integrin binding to laminin-5. Additionally, more variously glycosylated integrins exerted a stronger influence on these parameters. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report concerning structural characterisation of alpha(v)beta3 integrin glycans in melanoma or in any cancer cells.     

Sequence-specific NMR assignments of the trp repressor from Escherichia coli using three-dimensional 15N/1H heteronuclear techniques.

Sequence-specific 15N and 1H assignments for the trp holorepressor from Escherichia coli are reported. The trp repressor consists of two identical 107-residue subunits which are highly helical in the crystal state [Schevitz, R., Otwinowski, Z., Joachimiak, A., Lawson, C. L. & Sigler, P. B. (1985) Nature 317, 782-786]. The high helical content and the relatively large size of the protein (Mr = 25,000) make it difficult to assign even the main-chain resonances by conventional homonuclear two-dimensional NMR methods. However, we have now assigned the main-chain resonances of 94% of the residues by using three-dimensional 15N/1H heteronuclear experiments on a sample of protein uniformly labelled with 15N. The additional resolution obtained by spreading out the signals into three dimensions proved indispensable in making these assignments. In particular, we have been able to resolve signals from residues in the N-terminal region of the A helix for the first time in solution. The observed NOE results confirm that the repressor is highly helical in solution, and contains no extended chain conformations.     

Fibroblast growth factor receptor 1-IIIb is dispensable for skin morphogenesis and wound healing

Alternative splicing in the extracellular domain is a characteristic feature of members of the fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) family. This splicing event generates receptor variants, which differ in their ligand binding specificities. A poorly characterized splice variant is FGFR1-IIIb, recently found to be a functional FGF receptor predominantly expressed in the skin. Here we show that FGFR1-IIIb is expressed in normal and wounded mouse skin. Reduced expression of this type of receptor was found in wounds of healing-impaired genetically diabetic mice, suggesting that downregulation of FGFR1-IIIb is associated with wound healing defects. To address this possibility, we deleted the IIIb exon of FGFR1 in mice. The lack of FGFR-IIIb did not alter the expression of either FGFR1-IIIc, other FGF receptor genes or of FGFR1-IIIb ligands in normal and wounded skin. Histological analysis of the skin of FGFR1-IIIb knockout animals did not reveal any obvious abnormalities. Furthermore, full-thickness excisional skin wounds in these mice healed normally and no defects could be observed at the macroscopic or histological level. Finally, several genes that encode key players in wound repair were normally expressed in these animals. These data demonstrate that FGFR1-IIIb is dispensable for skin development and wound repair.