Modulation from contractile to synthetic phenotype of vascular smooth muscle cells is a central process in disorders involving compromised integrity of the vascular wall. Phenotype modulation has been shown to include transition from voltage-dependent toward voltage-independent regulation of the intracellular calcium level, and inhibition of non-voltage dependent calcium influx contributes to main

The presence of bacteria in the lower airways in COPD results in inflammation, further airway structural damage, and might lead to repeated exacerbations. We have previously shown that chronic colonization of Haemophilus influenzae during stable disease is related to increased inflammation, and we now aimed to relate previous findings of bacterial colonization and inflammation to the degree of rad

Objective Low physical fitness and obesity have been associated with higher risk of developing heart failure (HF), but their interactive effects are unknown. Elucidation of interactions among these common modifiable factors may help facilitate more effective primary prevention. Methods We conducted a national cohort study to examine the interactive effects of aerobic fitness, muscular strength and

To date the efficacy and safety of topical timolol in the treatment of infantile hemangioma has not been reviewed and analysed systematically. We collated all published data on the efficacy and safety of topical timolol in the treatment of infantile hemangioma. A total of 31 studies with 691 patients were included. The fixed effects pooled estimate of the response rate defined as any improvement f

Increasing use of antibiotics and rising levels of bacterial resistance to antibiotics are a challenge to global health and development. Successful initiatives for containing the problem need to be communicated and disseminated. In Sweden, a rapid spread of resistant pneumococci in the southern part of the country triggered the formation of the Swedish strategic programme against antibiotic resist

The present study investigated the influence of square microchannel (MC) size on hydrodynamics and mass transfer in the liquid-liquid slug flow regime. Three square MCs with the hydraulic diameters of 200, 400, and 600 μm were used. The employed method for estimating mass-transfer coefficients remarkably increased the accuracy of the results. The findings revealed that decreasing the MC size impro

Mycoplasma genitalium is a sexually transmitted infection ordinarily treated with azithromycin. Emerging resistance to macrolide is linked to mutations in the 23S rRNA gene. We analysed the frequency of such mutations of M. genitalium isolates from patients that were symptomatic, and from sexual partners of symptomatic individuals, from October to December of 2015, in the Skåne Region of Sweden. M

Background and objectives: Exacerbations are important outcomes in COPD both from a clinical and an economic perspective. Most studies investigating predictors of exacerbations were performed in COPD patients participating in pharmacological clinical trials who usually have moderate to severe airflow obstruction. This study was aimed to investigate whether predictors of COPD exacerbations depend o

Objectives: To describe the ultrasound characteristics, indications for surgery and histological diagnoses of surgically removed adnexal masses with a largest diameter of ≤ 2.5 cm (very small tumors), to estimate the sensitivity and specificity of diagnosis of malignancy by subjective assessment of ultrasound images of very small tumors and to present a collection of ultrasound images of surgicall

Methods: Three hundred and eighty newly diagnosed ANCA-associated vasculitis patients from six European multicentre studies treated with AZA maintenance were included; 58% were male, median age at diagnosis 59.4 years (interquartile range: 48.3-68.2 years); granulomatosis with polyangiitis, n = 236; microscopic polyangiitis, n = 132; or renal limited vasculitis, n = 12. Patients were grouped accor

This thesis concerns various aspects of somatic mosaicism and genetic intratumor heterogeneity in childhood cancer.In paper I, I show that aneuploidy in itself does not lead to the level of chromosomal instability that is typically seen in malignant cells. This finding strongly argues against the so called autocatalytic theory of carcinogenesis.Paper II illustrates that, in rare cases, low-level s

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Few birth cohorts have prospectively followed development of type 1 diabetes (T1D) and celiac disease (CD) autoimmunities to determine timing, extent of co-occurrence, and associated genetic and demographic factors.METHODS: In this prospective birth cohort study, 8676 children at high genetic risk of both diseases were enrolled and 5891 analyzed in median follow-up of 66

STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. BACKGROUND: Visual rating of postural orientation during functional tasks may be a valuable tool to track rehabilitation progress following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. A valid test battery assessing postural orientation as a separate construct is lacking. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate measurement properties of a test battery to assess postural orientatio

Background: Leukocyte telomere length (TL) is associated with age-related diseases and early mortality, but there is a lack of data on the determinants of TL in early life. Evidence suggests that dietary intake ofmarine n-3 (v-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) is protective of telomere attrition, yet the effect of methylmercury exposure, also found in fish, on TL is unknown. Objective: The ai

Objective: To determine recent trends in the rate and management of new cases of OA presenting to primary healthcare using UK nationally representative data.Methods: Using the Clinical Practice Research Datalink we identified new cases of diagnosed OA and clinical OA (including OA-relevant peripheral joint pain in those aged over 45 years) using established code lists. For both definitions we esti

OBJECTIVE The circadian clock regulates glucose metabolism by mediating the activity of metabolic enzymes, hormones, and transport systems. Breakfast skipping and night eating have been associated with high HbA1c and postprandial hyperglycemia after lunch and dinner. Our aim was to explore the acute effect of breakfast consumption or omission on glucose homeostasis and clock gene expression in hea

The influence of strong, large-scale magnetic fields on the structure and temperature distribution in white dwarf atmospheres is investigated. Magnetic fields may provide an additional component of pressure support, thus possibly inflating the atmosphere compared to the non-magnetic case. Since the magnetic forces are not isotropic, atmospheric properties may significantly deviate from spherical s

Context. High-precision stellar analyses require hydrodynamic modeling to interpret chemical abundances or oscillation modes. Exoplanet atmosphere studies require stellar background spectra to be known along the transit path while detection of Earth analogs require stellar microvariability to be understood. Hydrodynamic 3D models can be computed for widely different stars but have been tested in d