Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) is a potent mediator of innate immunity commonly up-regulated in a broad spectrum of inflammatory diseases. When bound to its cell surface receptor, IL-1β initiates a signalling cascade that cooperatively induces the expression of canonical IL-1 target genes such as IL-8 and IL-6. Here, we present galectin-3 as a novel regulator of IL-1β responses in corneal keratinocytes. U

Biodeterioration challenges range from poor indoor air quality and exterior marble defacing to more dangerous building degradation. People often change the look of degraded walls by painting over them, removing carpets as well as replacing damaged wood and papers to improve their aesthetic value. Due to a lack of public awareness and health care infrastructure, the degradation rate is increasing i

In this letter, the high-order mode and ground-edge diffraction of a slot antenna are used to achieve a high gain. To inhibit the multilobes at the high-order mode, ground-edge diffraction is utilized to form a single main lobe by changing the size of the ground plane of the slot radiator. Then, this slot antenna is employed to construct a windmill-shaped array antenna for circular polarization. A

In the field of applied animal behaviour, video recordings of a scene of interest are often made and then evaluated by experts. This evaluation is based on different criteria (number of animals present, an occurrence of certain interactions, the proximity between animals and so forth) and aims to filter out video sequences that contain irrelevant information. However, such task requires a tremendo

BACKGROUND: The normal body exists in mutualistic balance with a large range of microbiota. The primary goal of this study was to establish whether there is an imbalance in the oropharyngeal flora early after hospital or ICU admittance, and whether flora differs between control, ward and critically ill patients. The secondary goal was to explore whether there are patient characteristics that can b

Public sector mergers have the potential of being viable alternative to other public sector reforms in the striving toward making public service provision more equipped to confront some of the challenges faced today. Mergers however often fail to deliver promised results. Previous research point to the importance of post-merger integrating processes for realizing the synergies expected from merger

Syftet med denna studie har i första hand varit att öka förståelsen av optionsvärdet och dess betydelse för värdering av kollektivtrafik. I andra hand har vi studerat så kallade icke-användarvärden.Begreppet optionsvärde har sitt ursprung i miljöekonomin och uppstår då det råder osäkerhet om framtida konsumtion. Optionsvärdet utgör den premie individer är beredda att betala för att försäkra sig om

Worldwide, information and communication technologies (ICT), particularly in the sense of digital literacy, are increasingly considered as both inevitable and indispensable parts of the school curriculum. Also, international student assessment studies like PISA have on several occasions assessed computer and information literacy. Additionally, classrooms, teaching and learning, as well as school a

Morphological and optical properties were studied and also evolutionary changes of the eye lenses of some species of terrestrial gastropod pulmonate molluscs were traced. It was demonstrated that all examined properties of the lenses are typical for terrestrial pulmonates. In the course of evolution due to habitat shift by mollusks the lenses were changed only slightly.

Biocompatible chemically cross-linked organic-inorganic (O-I) hybrid nanocomposites were developed using a new atoxic, simple and fast, solvent-free pathway. Poly(ϵ-caprolactone) (PCL) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), which are both biocompatible, were used as the organic moieties (at different PCL/PEG ratios), while in situ synthesized polysilsesquioxanes made up the inorganic moiety. The O-I hyb

This paper estimates the impact of university education on medical care use and its income related inequality. We do this by exploiting an arbitrary university eligibility rule in Sweden combined with regression discontinuity design for the years 2003-2013 for students who graduated 2003-2005. We find a clear jump in university attendance due to university eligibility. This jump coincides with a pThis paper estimates the impact of university education on medical care use and its income related inequality. We do this by exploiting an arbitrary university eligibility rule in Sweden combined with regression discontinuity design for the years 2003-2013 for students who graduated 2003-2005. We find a clear jump in university attendance due to university eligibility. This jump coincides with a p

In present paper, the debates around mediatization and transnationalism constitute the backdrop for a discussion on the media and communication practices among Swedish expatriates in the Netherlands and forced migrants from Bosnia in Sweden. The complex relationship between (transnational) identity, place and mobility is studied at three intersections between media and migration: (1) creativity an

A comparative analysis of tenancy law in three countries

Many cell functions rely on the ability of microtubules to self-organize as complex networks. In plants, cortical microtubules are essential to determine cell shape as they guide the deposition of cellulose microfibrils, and thus control mechanical anisotropy of the cell wall. Here we analyze how, in turn, cell shape may influence microtubule behavior. Buidling upon previous models that confined m

Nanoparticles exposed to biological fluids adsorb biomolecules on their surface forming a biomolecular corona. This corona determines, on a molecular level, the interactions and impact the newly formed complex has on cells and organisms. The corona formation as well as the physiological and toxicological relevance are commonly investigated. However, an acknowledged but rarely addressed problem in

Quantitative cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Imaging techniques are gaining wide acceptance within the MR community due to their potential to diagnose non-localized disease, guide therapy and improve patient outcome. During the last decade, there has been an increasing interest for developing new techniques that allow for simultaneous quantification of both T1 and T2 maps of myocardium. Newer st