Aim: Vitamin D stimulates production of the endogenous antimicrobial peptides cathelicidin and β-defensin-2, which are expressed in the urinary tract. We investigated vitamin D status and levels of cathelicidin and β-defensin-2 and their association with urinary tract infection (UTI). Methods: The study included 120 children under three years of age: 76 children with UTIs and 44 otherwise healthy

Introduction: Noncompaction cardiomyopathy (NCCM) patients may develop sustained ventricular arrhythmias (VA). Currently no known electrocardiogram (ECG) parameter has demonstrated predictive value for VA development. The spatial QRS-T angle has demonstrated ability to identify VA in other cardiomyopathy populations. Methods: A total of 39 patients with NCCM, defined by compact to non-compact rati

This study grounds a highly charged debate on agriculture in developing countries within economic theory, by establishing a structured analytical framework for considering the potential role of foreign investment in supporting agricultural development. The framework is developed to be time and space neutral, such that it can be utilized in various geographic settings and across different time peri

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a neuroendocrine tumour that exhibits rapid growth and metastatic spread. Although SCLC represents a prototypically undifferentiated cancer type, thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1, gene symbol NKX2-1), a master regulator for pulmonary epithelial cell differentiation and lung morphogenesis, is strongly upregulated in this aggressive cancer type. The aim of this

Försvarsadvokaters arbete utspelar sig i emotionellt laddade men emotionellt begränsade situationer. Detta är särskilt påtagligt i brottmålsrättegångar. Upprivna klienter, oförutsebara avbrott, skakande bevis, emotionella målsägande, till och med moralisk misstänksamhet förväntas hanteras på ett korrekt och passande sätt. Den här avhandlingen analyserar hur detta görs i en svensk kontext, med specDefence lawyers’ work takes place in emotionally charged, yet emotionally constraining situations. This is particularly evident in criminal trials. Distressed clients, unforeseeable disruptions, disturbing evidence, emotional plaintiffs and even moral suspicions should all be managed in a proper and appropriate manner. Loyalty Work analyses how this is done in the context of Sweden, with specific

This paper discusses musical gesture from an understanding of musical perception as embodied and enactive, also drawing specifically on Denis Smalley’s [(2007). Space-form and the acousmatic image. Organised Sound, 12(1), 35–58] analysis of performed space. I will provide examples of how choreographies (performed by musicians, with and without their instruments), new music (for Vietnamese and West

Charged fluorescent bowl-shaped colloids consisting of a polystyrene core surrounded by a poly(N-isopropylmethacrylamide) shell are obtained by nanoengineering spherical composite microgels. The phase diagram of these soft bowl-shaped colloids interacting through long-range Yukawa-type interactions is investigated using confocal laser scanning microscopy. The bowl-shaped structure leads to marked

TomoWarp2 is a Python based code that allows full-field vector displacements to be measured between 2D or 3D image sets, based on a local approach of Digital Image Correlation. These displacements can be used to calculate the complete 2D or 3D strain tensor field to study, for example, heterogeneous deformation responses of materials during loading. The code is provided with a GUI, and can handle

International research has consistently reported that youth in secure residential care have high rates of somatic/dental health problems. Here, we report results from the first such study in a Nordic country. An experienced paediatrician performed systematic somatic and rudimentary dental health assessments of 91 youths, age 13–17, recently admitted to four secure residential units in Sweden. Girl

Pressure-solution creep is one of the most common crustal deformation mechanisms, inducing changes in the porosity and permeability of rocks. For a variety of rock types undergoing pressure solution, it has been shown that the presence of phyllosilicates may significantly enhance the rate of the pressure-solution process. In this experimental investigation, we present 4-dimensional (three dimensio

Acid-base equilibria of carboxylic acids and alkyl amines in the aqueous surface region were studied using surface-sensitive X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations. Solutions of these organic compounds were examined as a function of pH, concentration and chain length to investigate the distribution of acid and base form in the surface region as compared to the aqueous

Background: Diminished foot somatosensation contributes to balance deficits and increased fall risk. However, it remains unclear if the 256-Hz tuning fork is adequate to measure, in the outpatient clinical setting, somatosensation in relatively healthy elderly. Aims/Objectives: To evaluate the performance of the 256-Hz tuning fork compared to other measures of somatosensation and balance. Material

Some strains of the bacterial pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes secrete protein SIC (streptococcal inhibitor of complement), including strains of the clinically relevant M1 serotype. SIC neutralizes the effect of a number of antimicrobial proteins/peptides and interferes with the function of the host complement system. Previous studies have shown that some S. pyogenes proteins bind and modulate coag