The parathyroid hormone (PTH) is a 115 amino acid precursor molecule; the intact PTH (iPTH) contains only 84 amino acids which is biologically active molecule. The PTH helps in regulation of serum calcium levels, either hyper or hypocalcaemia causes release of PTH. It regulates the serum calcium levels by increasing the flow of calcium from bone to extracellular fluid, by increasing the re-abso...

INTRODUCTION Total dialysate calcium concentration has an important influence on calcium metabolism in bicarbonate high-flux dialysis. The aim of the study is to investigate the influence of different dialysate calcium concentrations on serum concentration of ionised calcium and on the balance of total dialysate calcium. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 20 stable aneuric patients on chronic b...

Two successes of old quantum theory are particularly notable: Bohr’s prediction of the spectral lines of ionised helium, and Sommerfeld’s prediction of the fine-structure of the hydrogen spectral lines. Many scientific realists would like to be able to explain these successes in terms of the truth or approximate truth of the assumptions which fuelled the relevant derivations. In this paper I ar...

We investigate the possibility that the decrease in the relative luminosity of the 158 μm [C ii] line with the far-infrared luminosity in extragalactic sources is due to a larger contribution from the heated dust emission in the more distant sources. Due to the flux limited nature of these surveys, the luminosity of the detected objects increases with distance. However, the fact that the [C ii]...

BACKGROUND A concentrate for bicarbonate haemodialysis acidified with citrate instead of acetate has been marketed in recent years. The small amount of citrate used (one-fifth of the concentration adopted in regional anticoagulation) protects against intradialyser clotting while minimally affecting the calcium concentration. The aim of this study was to compare the impact of citrate- and acetat...

Blood-brain barrier dysfunction characterised by brain parenchymal extravasation of plasma proteins may contribute to risk of neurodegenerative disorders, however the mechanisms for increased capillary permeability are not understood. Increasing evidence suggests vitamin D confers central nervous system benefits and there is increasing demand for vitamin D supplementation. Vitamin D may influen...

We present the results of new 3D TIGER spectroscopic observations and archived HST/WFPC2 and NICMOS images of the central region of M 104. The [N ii]+Hα images reveal the presence of a nuclear spiral structure, and the gaseous kinematics in the central arc-second shows evidence for kinematical decoupling of the central peak. A straight nuclear dust lane, with a weak symmetric counterpart, is se...

We have reanalysed the ASCA X-ray spectrum of the bright symbiotic star CH Cyg, which exhibits apparently distinct hard and soft X-ray components. Our analysis demonstrates that the soft X-ray emission can be interpreted as scattering of the hard X-ray component in a photo-ionised medium surrounding the white dwarf. This is in contrast to previous analyses in which the soft X-ray emission was f...