Non-invasive, rapid, on-site detection and identification of body fluids is highly desired in forensic investigations. The use of fluorescence-based methods for body fluid identification, have so far remain relatively unexplored. As such, the fluorescent properties of semen, serum, urine, saliva and fingermarks over time were investigated, by means of fluorescence spectroscopy, to identify specific fluorescent signatures for body fluid identification. The samples were excited at 81 different excitation wavelengths ranging from 200 to 600 nm and for each excitation wavelength the emission was recorded between 220 and 700 nm. Subsequently, the total emitted fluorescence intensities of specific fluorescent signatures in the UV–visible range were summed and principal component analysis was performed to cluster the body fluids. Three combinations of four principal components allowed specific clustering of the body fluids, except for fingermarks. Blind testing showed that 71.4% of the unknown samples could be correctly identified. This pilot study shows that the fluorescent behavior of ageing body fluids can be used as a new non-invasive tool for body fluid identification, which can improve the current guidelines for the detection of body fluids in forensic practice and provide the robustness of methods that rely on fluorescence.
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Plasma urokinase, a plasminogen activator immunochemically related to urinary urokinase (UK), was removed from human plasma (3.5 ng/ml) by immuno-depletion with antibodies raised against UK. The remaining plasminogen activator activity of the depleted plasma could not be inhibited by anti-UK antibodies and a sensitive ELISA for UK did not detect any UK levels that were higher than the background of the assay (0.1 ng/ml). However, when the depleted plasma was subjected to SDS-PAGE, substantial amounts of protein were found hereafter around 110 and 46 kD which now gave a positive reaction in the ELISA (35-350 ng/ml plasma). From these observations it is concluded that in human plasma two types of UK-related protein occur: Type I, among which the plasma urokinase, has antigenic determinants which are directly accessible to the anti-UK antibodies, Type II has determinants in a latent form. The function of the 110 kD type-II protein is that of a plasminogen activator; that of the 46 kD protein is not yet clear.
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Dit artikel geeft inzicht in het fenomeen 'verzuring' van spieren door inspanning.
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This letter to the editor argues that the assumption of a single value for the acetate recovery factor in carbon-13 stable isotope research for different individuals, can lead to significant errors in the outcomes of substrate utilization measurements.
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A number of novel nonionic bolaform amphiphiles with nonidentical aldityl head groups, 1-(1-deoxy-D-galactitol-1-ylamino)-6-(1-deoxy-D-glucitol-1-ylamino)hexane, 1-(1-deoxy-D-mannitol-1-ylamino)-6-(1-deoxy-D-glucitol-1-ylamino)hexane, and 1-(1-deoxy-D-galactitol-1-ylamino)-6-(1-deoxy-D-mannitol-1-ylamino)hexane were synthesized by two successive reductive aminations involving 1,6-diaminohexane (1) and the appropriate D-aldohexoses (D-glucose, D-mannose, and D-galactose) using 5% Pd on carbon as the catalyst. Typical reaction conditions were 40 degrees C, 4MPa hydrogen and a reaction time of 4.5 h. The compounds were isolated as white solids in yields ranging from 39% to 72%. The intermediate aminoalditols, 1-(1-deoxy-D-glucitol-1-ylamino)-6-aminohexane and 1-(1-deoxy-D-galactitol-1-ylamino)-6-aminohexane were obtained as off-white solids in 80-85% yield. The bolaform amphiphiles containing 1-deoxy-D-glucitol head group(s) showed markedly lower melting points than the compounds with the 1-deoxy-D-mannitol and 1-deoxy-D-galactitol head groups, due to the presence of 1,3-syn interactions within the carbohydrate moiety. The novel bolaform compounds are potential starting materials for the synthesis of a broad range of gemini surfactants with nonidentical, carbohydrate-based head groups.
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In 2004 is aan de Fontys Hogescholen de nieuwe opleiding Applied Science gestart en in juli 2008 hebben we de eerste afgestudeerden kunnen feliciteren. Applied Science is een competentiegestuurde, breed natuurwetenschappelijke opleiding die zich richt op het microbiologische, chemische en chemisch technologische werkveld. Na een brede instroom kan een student door de vele keuzemogelijkheden zich specialiseren in een van de zeven beroepsdomeinen. Een belangrijk ontwerpprincipe is de verwevenheid van het werkveld in de opleiding. De eerste afgestudeerden hebben zeer succesvol de opleiding afgerond. In het vervolg van dit tijdschrift worden samenvattingen van een aantal afstudeeropdrachten gepresenteerd.
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OBJECTIVE: Evaluate clinical outcome of early cyclic intravenous pamidronate treatment in children with moderate-to-severe osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), commenced before three years of age.METHODS: A retrospective review of 17 patients with moderate-to-severe OI. Development, anthropometry, fracture history, bone mineral density (BMD) and biochemistry were collected at baseline, 12 and 24 months.RESULTS: Four had OI type I, eleven had type III, one OI-FKBP10 type and one OI type V. Mean age at start of pamidronate was 14 ± 11 months. Pamidronate ranged from 6 to 12 mg/kg/year. No adverse reaction apart from fever and vomiting was noted. Long bone fracture decreased from a mean of 10.4/year to 1.2/year after 12 months and 1.4/year after 24 months (p = 0.02). Lumbar spine age- and height-matched BMD Z-scores increased (p < 0.005). Sixteen with vertebral compression fractures at baseline all showed improved vertebral shape (p < 0.001). Concavity index, likewise, improved (p < 0.005). Motor milestones compared to historical data show earlier attainment in rolling over, crawling, pulling to stand and walking independently but not sitting.CONCLUSION: Cyclic intravenous pamidronate, started under 3 years of age in children with moderate-to-severe OI, was well tolerated and associated with an increase in lumbar spine BMD, reduced fracture frequency, vertebral remodelling and attainment of motor milestones at an earlier age.
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There is a need to assess communication in daily life situations for people with speech and language disorders. Although language proficiency and communication in daily life are correlated, their relationship is far from linear or straightforward. This paper aims to demonstrate the usefulness of the construct of communicative participation by unravelling the relationship and overlap between participation and communication. We explored the relationship between communication, participation, and communicative participation by reviewing common definitions mentioned in the literature. Next, we evaluated to what extent communication plays a role in each of the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Functioning (ICF) “Activity and Participation” chapters by counting how many items in each chapter should be considered for describing communicative participation.
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Klotho knock-out mice are an important model for vascular calcification, which is associated with chronic kidney disease. In chronic kidney disease, serum magnesium inversely correlates with vascular calcification. Here we determine the effects of serum magnesium on aortic calcification in Klotho knock-out mice treated with a minimal or a high magnesium diet from birth. After eight weeks, serum biochemistry and aorta and bone tissues were studied. Protective effects of magnesium were characterized by RNA-sequencing of the aorta and micro-CT analysis was performed to study bone integrity. A high magnesium diet prevented vascular calcification and aortic gene expression of Runx2 and matrix Gla protein found in such mice on the minimal magnesium diet. Differential expression of inflammation and extracellular matrix remodeling genes accompanied the beneficial effects of magnesium on calcification. High dietary magnesium did not affect serum parathyroid hormone, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 or calcium. High magnesium intake prevented vascular calcification despite increased fibroblast growth factor-23 and phosphate concentration in the knock-out mice. Compared to mice on the minimal magnesium diet, the high magnesium diet reduced femoral bone mineral density by 20% and caused excessive osteoid formation indicating osteomalacia. Osteoclast activity was unaffected by the high magnesium diet. In Saos-2 osteoblasts, magnesium supplementation reduced mineralization independent of osteoblast function. Thus, high dietary magnesium prevents calcification in Klotho knock-out mice. These effects are potentially mediated by reduction of inflammatory and extracellular matrix remodeling pathways within the aorta. Hence magnesium treatment may be promising to prevent vascular calcification, but the risk for osteomalacia should be considered.
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Boven titel staat vermeld: De symbiose van biologie en technologie. Zowel vanuit het Applied Science onderwijs als vanuit het werkveld kwam er meer vraag om biologische expertise toe te voegen aan het bestaande lectoraat Thin Films & Functional Materials.
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