We studied the authorship of messages produced through facilitated communication (FC) for all users of FC in two comprehensive schools in a small city in Finland. The participants were 11 children with intellectual disabilities, including autism, all having used FC from 1-3 years. The test conditions involved open and blind information-passing tasks in which the participants were directed to wr...

This is a case report of a foetus which was brought for postmortem evaluation following antenatal detection of a complex cardiac defect. Presence of dysmorphism and other malformations like gut malrotation, bladder outlet obstruction, and esophageal stenosis led to suspicion of a syndromic diagnosis. Fetal karyotyping confirmed a diagnosis of Trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome). This facilitated appr...

Rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) is a small fish that accumulates glycerol at low winter seawater temperatures. In laboratory-held fish, glycerol concentration typically reaches 225 mM in plasma and in all cells. Glycerol uptake by the heart and red blood cells (RBCs) was assessed by tracking [(14)C(U)]glycerol into the acid-soluble pool. In fish acclimated to 9-10°C a decrease in perfusion/incub...

There is now a certain consensus that transcription factors (TFs) reach their target sites, where they regulate gene transcription, via a mechanism dubbed facilitated diffusion (FD). In FD, the TF cycles between events of 3D diffusion in solution (jumps), 1D diffusion along DNA (sliding), and small jumps (hopping), achieving association rates higher than for 3D diffusion alone. We investigate t...

In nature, the biological membrane can selectively transport essential small molecules/ions through facilitated diffusion via carrier proteins. Intrigued by this phenomenon and principle, membrane researchers have successfully employed synthetic carriers and carrier-mediated reversible reactions to enhance the separation performance of synthetic membranes. However, the existing facilitated tran...

Mineral and bone metabolism are regulated differently in utero compared with the adult. The fetal kidneys, intestines, and skeleton are not dominant sources of mineral supply for the fetus. Instead, the placenta meets the fetal need for mineral by actively transporting calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium from the maternal circulation. These minerals are maintained in the fetal circulation at hig...

The normal healthy fetus receives a constant influx of glucose from the mother. This constant influx provides for basal fetal metabolism. The normal fetoplacental glucose utilization rate is 5 to 6 mg/kg/min. After 27 weeks gestation, this glucose influx also provides for convertion into glycogen, which is deposited mainly in the liver. The fetal glucose levels are maintained by transport of ma...

In previous papers [l, 6] it was reported that the rupture of membranes facilitates the production of type I dips in the fetal heart rate (FHR) tracing. This Statement is based on the effect of amniotomy on FHR records [6] and also on the quantitative study of a group of 26 monitored labors induced with oxytocin [1], in which membranes were artificially ruptured when cervical dilatation was bet...

The present study tests the hypothesis that age-dependent increases in endothelial vasodilator capacity are due to maturational increases in endothelial NO synthesis and release. Intact 4-cm carotid artery segments taken from term fetal lambs and non-pregnant adult sheep were perfused using a closed system that enabled independent control of flow and inflow pressure, and facilitated complete re...