The notion of modular covariance is reviewed and the reconstruction of the Poincaré group extended to the low-dimensional case. The relations with the PCT symmerty and the Spin and Statistics theorem are described.

The inborn errors of heme biosynthesis, the porphyrias, are 8 genetically distinct metabolic disorders that can be classified as "acute hepatic," "hepatic cutaneous," and "erythropoietic cutaneous" diseases. Recent advances in understanding their pathogenesis and molecular genetic heterogeneity have led to improved diagnosis and treatment. These advances include DNA-based diagnoses for all the ...

We describe a rapid quantitative and qualitative "high-performance" liquid-chromatographic (HPLC) method for measuring porphyrins in urine. Direct injection of acidified, filtered urine onto a 3-micron (particle size) 3-cm-long reversed-phase column fully resolves uroporphyrin, hepta-, hexa-, and pentacarboxylic acid porphyrins, and coproporphyrin. Instrument response is linearly related to con...

A high prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in porphyria cutanea tarda in some populations suggests a close link between viral hepatitis and alteration of porphyrin metabolism. Moreover, there is evidence of a role of porphyrinopathies in hepatocarcinogenesis. The aim of our study was to obtain data on the prevalence and patterns of heme metabolism alterations in patients with chronic hepa...

A proof of concept for the simultaneous multi-parameter determination of three inflammation and sepsis parameters-TNFα, PCT and CRP-using a compact optical immunosensor is demonstrated. Harmonized assay conditions revealed standard curves with test midpoints (IC(50)) of 380 µg L(-1) for TNFα, 2300 µg L(-1) for PCT, and 2645 µg L(-1) for CRP.