Moraxella catarrhalis (M. catarrhalis) is a human-restricted commensal of the normal bacterial flora in the upper respiratory tract of children, and - during the previous two decades - has been recognised as a true human pathogen. M. catarrhalis is the third most common pathogen causing acute otitis media in children, which is the most common reason to visit a paediatrician during childhood. Acute

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE:: This study attempted a national inventory of all bilateral prophylactic mastectomies performed in Sweden between 1995 and 2005 in high-risk women without a previous breast malignancy. The primary aim was to investigate the breast cancer incidence after surgery. Secondary aims were to describe the preoperative risk assessment, operation techniques, complications, histopatholo

Objective. To correlate cervical and amniotic fluid cytokines and macrophage-related chemokines to the development of histological chorioamnionitis (HCA) in patients with preterm labor (PTL) and preterm prelabor rupture of the membranes (PPROM). Study design. Cervical and amniotic fluid interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, IL-18, monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1, MCP-2, and MCP-3 from pregnant women (at

Disease-predisposing germline mutations in cancer susceptibility genes may consist of large genomic rearrangements that are challenging to detect and characterize using standard PCR-based mutation screening methods. Here, we describe a custom-made zoom-in microarray comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) platform of 60mer oligonucleotides. The 4 x 44 K array format provides high-resolution covera

Blue diode lasers emitting 5 mW continuous-wave power around 400 nm have recently become available. We report on the use of a blue diode laser together with a 30 mW red diode laser for sum-frequency generation around 254 nm. The ultraviolet power is estimated to be 0.9 nW, and 35 GHz mode-hop-free tuning range is achieved. This is enough to perform high-resolution ultraviolet spectroscopy of mercu

The neurobiological bases of mood disorders remain elusive but both monoamines and neuropeptides may play important roles. The neuropeptide cocaine and amphetamine regulated transcript (CART) was shown to induce anxiety-like behavior in rodents, and mutations in the human CART gene are associated with depression and anxiety. We measured CART-like immunoreactivity (-LI) in genetic rat models of dep

Despite improved treatment results of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), 20% to 30% have a relapse, and then the outcome is very poor. We studied 40 children with ALL marrow relapse piloting an ALL relapse protocol with well-known drugs and drug combinations by using a concept of response-guided design. We also measured response in logarithmic fashion. Our primary end points were achiev

CD40 is a costimulatory protein expressed on the surface of many different cells. It delivers signals regulating diverse cellular responses, including proliferation, differentiation, growth suppression, and cell death. In this study, we report a novel CD40 mutant (c.234C>A or p.H78Q) that is expressed in the U266 cell line and in freshly isolated tumor cells. Three-dimensional structural model and

Complications of dopamine replacement for Parkinson's disease (PD) can limit therapeutic options, leading to interest in identifying novel pathways that can be exploited to improve treatment. p11 (S100A10) is a cellular scaffold protein that binds to and potentiates the activity of various ion channels and neurotransmitter receptors. We have previously reported that p11 can influence ventral stria

Transplants of fetal dopamine neurons can be used to restore dopamine neurotransmission in animal models of Parkinson's disease, as well as in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease. In these studies the cells are placed in the striatum rather than in the substantia nigra where they normally reside, which may limit their ability to achieve full restoration of motor function. Using a microtrans

Previous studies have shown that serotonin neurons play an important role in the induction and maintenance of l-DOPA-induced dyskinesia in animals with lesion of the nigrostriatal dopamine system. Patients with Parkinson's disease that receive transplants of foetal ventral mesencephalic tissue, the graft cell preparation is likely to contain, in addition to dopamine neurons, serotonin neurons that

Review of Annette Insdorf, Indelible Shadows. Film and the Holocaust (Third Edition).

The blood loss-reducing effect of desmopressin during dextran therapy was studied in a double-blind fashion in 79 elderly but otherwise healthy patients with preoperative normal bleeding time undergoing total hip replacement for primary coxarthrosis. An infusion of desmopressin (0.3 microgram/kg body weight) or placebo was randomly administered immediately after administration of spinal anaesthesi

In a 1992 questionnaire study, we found that certain nasal symptoms and symptom-provoking factors were associated with prevalence of self-reported chronic bronchitis/emphysema (CBE). In this follow-up study, we examined whether any nasal features could predict an increased incidence of self-reported physician's diagnosis of CBE/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In 2000, a survey was pe

Objective To examine children's competence while cycling, as demonstrated in mistakes in performance and failure to comply with safety rules. Methods Children in three age groups (8, 10, and 12 years) participated in a realistic yet simulated traffic environment. Results The boys' cycling speed increased steadily with age, while that of the girls increased from 8 to 10 but decreased at age 12. Mos

This is the lecture that I gave when I was awarded Acta Ophthalmologica's gold medal and honorary award at the Nordic Ophthalmological Congress in Reykjavik in August 2010. I was inspired by Jared Diamond's famous book: Guns, Germs, and Steel, The Fates of Human Societies. Diamond is professor of geography and physiology at the University of California, Los Angeles. In this book, which won the Pul

Objective Our aim was to study depression and anxiety in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients as risk factors for all-cause mortality in a primary care setting. Methods The study population included adults (n = 12 283) of 45 years and older diagnosed with AF in 75 primary care centres in Sweden. The association between depression or anxiety and all-cause mortality was explored using Cox regression an