BACKGROUND: T lymphocytes are orchestrators of adaptive immunity. Naïve T cells may differentiate into Th1, Th2, Th17 or iTreg phenotypes, depending on environmental co-stimulatory signals. To identify genes and pathways involved in differentiation of Jurkat T cells towards Th1 and Th2 subtypes we performed …

Synthetic fibers, mainly polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyamide (PA), polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and polypropylene (PP), are the most widely used polymers in the textile industry. These fibers surpass the production of natural fibers with a market share of 54.4%. The advantages of these fibers are …

Background: Drug resistance is a major problem in ovarian cancer. Triggering apoptosis using death ligands such as tumour necrosis factor-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) might overcome chemoresistance. Methods: We investigated whether acquired cisplatin resistance affects sensitivity to recombinant …

Hospital staff frequently has to cope with complex information, unpredictable circumstances, and prompt decision making. In such an environment, even the “Gods in white” are susceptible to fatigue and error. Noncompliance with hand hygiene guidelines in hospitals is one of these errors and enhances the …

In this paper we analyze the effects if two countries, with different settings on the labor market, open their capital markets. To do this we follow the ideas of New Institutional Economics in combination with a new model of economic growth. We will use a Leontief production function, where we derive …

This paper describes the ecological concept of strategic fit in order to enhance sustainable and innovative organisations. The Ecological System Model integrates concepts of ecology and evolutionary economic theory by comparing organisations and ecosystems at a consistent system level. It introduces …

This study investigates the effects of a competency-oriented course and the effects of feedback training on students’ reflection skills. Thirty-one nursing students enrolled in a conventional course with lectures and assignments following a traditional test. Subsequently, they enrolled in a competency-oriented …

Ghrelin, a peptide predominantly produced by the stomach [1], appears to play an important role in the regulation of food intake. Intravenous infusion of ghrelin stimulates food intake and enhances appetite in humans [2]. In addition, plasma ghrelin concentrations rise gradually before a meal and decrease …

The human memory has an associative nature. Association and mental visualization combine skills and structures of the left and right brain halves. It is easier to remember pictures, photographs or drawings than words or sentences. In fact, it usually takes a lot of effort to remember words and sentences …

Retrieval practice enhances long-term retention more than restudying; a phenomenon called the testing effect. The fuzzy trace explanation predicts that a testing effect will already emerge after a short interval when participants are solely provided with semantic cues in the final test. In the present …