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Selected AbstractsDirect Comparison of Highly Efficient Solution- and Vacuum-Processed Organic Solar Cells Based on Merocyanine DyesADVANCED MATERIALS, Issue 37 2010Nils M. Kronenberg Identically configured bulk heterojunction organic solar cells based on merocyanine dye donor and fullerene acceptor compounds (see figure) are manufactured either from solution or by vacuum deposition, to enable a direct comparison. Whereas the former approach is more suitable for screening purposes, the latter approach affords higher short-circuit current density and power conversion efficiency. [source] Expression of Integrin Receptors on Peripheral Lymphocytes: Correlation with Endometrial Receptivity1AMERICAN JOURNAL OF REPRODUCTIVE IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 3 2001VENKATA RAMI K. REDDY PROBLEM: To investigate the expression of integrin (ITG) cell adhesion molecules on peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) and their correlation with endometrial cell ITG expression in fertile and infertile women during peak uterine receptive period (day 19/20). METHOD OF STUDY: Surface marker expression and quantification of ,6, ,4 and ,3 ITG subunits was done by immunohistochemistry, indirect immunofluroscence and cell-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay methods using endometrial cells and PBL obtained from fertile and infertile (unexplained infertility) women. RESULTS: The expression of ITGs was significantly (P<0.001) decreased in the endometrial cells of infertile women compared to normal fertile women. These results correlated well with the data obtained using PBL-ITG expression. CONCLUSIONS: If these preliminary data are consistent in a larger group of patients, the expression of ,4 and ,3-ITG subunits on PBL may be used as clinical markers to assess endometrial receptivity in infertile women. Moreover, frequent blood sampling is advantageous over repeated endometrial biopsies as the former approach is easier, non-traumatic and avoids intra-uterine infections. [source] Phylogeny of Mysis (Crustacea, Mysida): history of continental invasions inferred from molecular and morphological dataCLADISTICS, Issue 6 2005Asta Audzijonyt We studied the phylogenetic history of opossum shrimps of the genus Mysis Latreille, 1802 (Crustacea: Mysida) using parsimony analyses of morphological characters, DNA sequence data from mitochondrial (16S, COI and CytB) and nuclear genes (ITS2, 18S), and eight allozyme loci. With these data we aimed to resolve a long-debated question of the origin of the non-marine (continental) taxa in the genus, i.e., "glacial relicts" in circumpolar postglacial lakes and "arctic immigrants" in the Caspian Sea. A simultaneous analysis of the data sets gave a single tree supporting monophyly of all continental species, as well as monophyly of the taxa from circumpolar lakes and from the Caspian Sea. A clade of three circumarctic marine species was sister group to the continental taxa, whereas Atlantic species had more distant relationships to the others. Small molecular differentiation among the morphologically diverse endemic species from the Caspian Sea suggested their recent speciation, while the phenotypically more uniform "glacial relict" species from circumpolar lakes (Mysis relicta group) showed deep molecular divergences. For the length-variable ITS2 region both direct optimization and a priori alignment procedures gave similar topologies, although the former approach provided a better overall resolution. In terms of partitioned Bremer support (PBS), mitochondrial protein coding genes provided the largest contribution (83%) to the total tree resolution. This estimate however, appears to be partly spurious, due to the concerted inheritance of mitochondrial characters and probable cases of introgression or ancestral polymorphism. © The Willi Hennig Society 2005. [source] Recombinant bacteria for environmental release: what went wrong and what we have learnt from itCLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTION, Issue 2009V. De Lorenzo Abstract From a biotechnological point of view, bacteria can be seen as either pathogens to target with new drugs or as biocatalysts for large-scale processes in industry, agriculture or the environment. The last includes the exploitation of bacterial activities for bioremediation of toxic waste either in situ or ex situ. The onset of genetic engineering in the late 70s opened the possibility of tailoring recombinant bacteria for environmental release, aimed at biodegradation of otherwise recalcitrant chemicals. However, a few decades later the outcome of this prospect has been quite meager. The literature counts very few cases where the use of genetically engineered bacteria has been proven to be more efficient than natural microorganisms in elimination of recalcitrant compounds under natural (not laboratory) conditions. Fortunately, the emergence of Systems and Synthetic Biology in the last few years is helping to identify what were the caveats of the former approaches and how to correct them. In addition, robust design concepts imported from process engineering provides fresh approaches to the challenge of designing microorganisms á la carte for environmental applications. 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