ObjectiveFibroproliferative diseases are common causes of morbidity and mortality. Interleukin-15 (IL-15) is a pleiotropic cytokine with multiple effects on cells of the immune system. Although IL-15 is also expressed in mesenchymal cells, its effects on the development of fibrosis are unknown. We have previously described an association between serum IL-15 levels and the extent of pulmonary fibro

Patient-reported outcomes (PROs), such as symptoms and perceived health status, are essential in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) for determining disease severity, impact on daily life, effect of treatment and recovery from exacerbations. This field has evolved rapidly and there are a plethora of instruments assessing different PROs. Here, we aim to provide an understanding of the conc

The incidence of obesity in the developed world is increasing at an alarming rate. Concurrent with the increase in the incidence of obesity is an increase in the incidence of type 2 diabetes. Cyclic AMP (cAMP) and cGMP are key second messengers in all cells; for example, when it comes to processes of relevance for the regulation of energy metabolism, cAMP is a key mediator in the regulation of lip

Economies in transition (EiTs) (e. g. Ukraine (UA), Belarus, Moldova, etc.) are signifi cantly dependent on energy imports, and require revitalization of their agricultural sectors and improvements in the state of the environment. Development of national bioenergy potentials can contribute to the solutions to these problems. However, EiTs face technical, political, fi nancial, and capacity-based c

OBJECTIVES: Overweight is associated with advanced stage at diagnosis in breast cancer patients. This could be explained by specific tumour characteristics or tumour promoting factors in the obese, but a diagnostic delay could also be of importance. Mammographic screening has caused a change towards diagnosis of less advanced tumours. This study investigates invitation to mammographic screening an

Several in vitro studies have emphasized the importance of toll-like receptor/myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) signaling in the inflammatory response to Streptococcus pyogenes. Since the extent of inflammation has been implicated in the severity of streptococcal diseases, we have examined here the role of toll-like receptor/MyD88 signaling in the pathophysiology of experimental S. pyogene

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is associated with poor prognosis and no targeted treatments are available for TNBC. Drugs inhibiting tyrosine kinases, such as vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) and KIT, have shown some promising results for patients with TNBC. The aim of the study was to investigate whether gains and/or amplifications of VEGFR2 and KIT, located at 4q12, o

In a previous pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic study in nonbleeding hemophilia patients, variability in laboratory response to recombinant factor VIIa (rFVIIa) 90 μg/kg was noted, and the patients were described as delayed or rapid laboratory responders based on time to clot formation. The current study determined whether in-vitro experiments could reproduce previous in-vivo findings; whether the d

Background Oxytocin is expressed throughout the gastrointestinal tract and is released in response to a fatty meal. Administration of an oxytocin receptor antagonist prolongs the gastric emptying rate. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of oxytocin on gastric accommodation, gastric emptying time, and satiety after food intake. Methods Ten healthy subjects participated in a slow satiet

The ATP-dependent insertion of Mg(2+) into protoporphyrin IX is the first committed step in the chlorophyll biosynthetic pathway. The reaction is catalyzed by magnesium chelatase, which consists of three gene products: BchI, BchD, and BchH. The BchI and BchD subunits belong to the family of AAA+ proteins (ATPases associated with various cellular activities) and form a two-ring complex with six Bch

This 12-month prospective controlled intervention evaluated the effect of a general school based physical activity program on muscle strength, physical performance and body composition in prepubertal girls. Fifty-three girls aged 7-9 years involved in a school based exercise program [40 min/day of general physical activity per school day (200 min/week)] were compared with 50 age-matched girls who

BACKGROUND: No studies have so far evaluated the impact of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) as an entity on ovarian cancer risk. The authors aimed to examine the association between factors in the MetS, individually and combined, and risk of ovarian cancer incidence and mortality. METHODS: Altogether, 290 000 women from Austria, Norway and Sweden were enrolled during 1974-2005, with measurements take

Abstract Purpose: To assess the use of periscope grafts to the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) in extending the distal sealing zone of thoracic stent-grafts. Case Reports: Three patients with ruptured Crawford type I thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAA) and 1 patient with a symptomatic type B dissection underwent endovascular repair; the celiac trunk was intraoperatively occluded in all patie

OBJECTIVES: to measure the extent to which documented Swedish midwifery care for low-risk labour and birth followed the World Health Organization's (WHO) recommendations for care in normal birth, and to compare midwifery care given to women who's labours were classified as low and high risk. STUDY DESIGN: a retrospective examination of midwifery and medical records, 144 from women with low-risk bi

Abstract is not available

Fortfarande vid slutet av mars 2014 stod 1,5 miljoner personer i arbetskraften utanför a-kassan trots att avgifterna i många fall sänktes väsentligt då den så kallade arbetslöshetsavgiften avskaffades 1 januari 2014. I artikeln hävdas att taket i arbetslöshetsförsäkringen måste höjas för att göra försäkringen mer attraktiv. Idag är de arbetslösas ersättning från a-kassan nästan nere på socialbidra

The resonance lines in Li I and Na I both exhibit a puzzling discrepancy between experiment and accurate ab initio calculations. Only results from a semiempirical method, that in principal neglects core-core correlation, agree with the experiments. The agreement with a multiconfiguration Hartree-Fock calculation, including only core-valence correlation, shows that this might be fortuitous. A metho