Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a life-threatening condition with a mortality rate of over 80%. Persistent smoking, which is a risk factor for AAA, has lasting effects on DNA methylation. Moreover, a plasma-amino acid, homocysteine, previously implicated in vascular diseases, including aneurysms, has well-established biological association with methylation. In the present study, we aimed to det

BACKGROUND: Biofilm formation on endotracheal tubes (ETTs) is an early and frequent event in mechanically ventilated patients. The biofilm is believed to act as a reservoir for infecting microorganisms and thereby contribute to development and relapses of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Once a biofilm has formed on an ETT surface, it is difficult to eradicate. This clinical study aimed to c

Axially heterostructured nanowires are a promising platform for next generation electronic and optoelectronic devices. Reports based on theoretical modeling have predicted more complex strain distributions and increased critical layer thicknesses than in thin films, due to lateral strain relaxation at the surface, but the understanding of the growth and strain distributions in these complex struct

Using light to interact with cells is a promising way to steer cell behavior with minimal perturbation. Besides optogenetics, photovoltaic nanostructures such as nanowires can be used to interact with cells using light as a switch. Photovoltaic nanowires have, for instance, been used to stimulate neurons. However, the effects of the photovoltaic activity on cells are still poorly understood and ch

Promoting young children's health through health promotion activities is an investment for the future. In the Child Health Services in the south of Sweden a structured Child-Centred Health Dialogue (CCHD) directed to all 4-year-old children was developed using illustrations based on the most important health messages associated with the promotion of healthy lifestyle in preschool children. The aim

This work provides new insights into the presence of 239Pu, 240Pu, 241Pu, and 236U in the Southern Hemisphere through the study of peat bog cores from marshlands in Madagascar (19°S). 210Pb, 238Pu and 239+240Pu activities were characterized by alpha spectrometry in previous studies. Here, Pu from alpha-spectrometry discs corresponding to 10 peat-bog cores (85 samples) was reassessed for the aim of

ObjectiveThe quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) affects outcomes from cardiac arrest, yet manual CPR is difficult to administer. Although mechanical CPR (mCPR) devices offer high quality CPR, only limited data describe their deployment, their interaction with standard manual CPR (sCPR), and the consequent effects on chest compression continuity and patient outcomes. We sought to descri

Background: The LUCAS™ device delivers mechanical chest compressions that have been shown in experimental studies to improve perfusion pressures to the brain and heart as well as augmenting cerebral blood flow and end tidal CO2, compared with results from standard manual cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Two randomised pilot studies in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients have not shown impr

Background: Accumulating data support the role of flow cytometry (FCM) in diagnostic work-up of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Changes in erythropoiesis are less documented than in granulopoiesis. However, most studies were performed on bone marrow samples (BMSs) after red blood cell lysis. We have established a FCM protocol for erythropoiesis, following a no-lysis approach and live gate acquisi

Pregnancy leads to adaptations for maternal and fetal energy needs. The cardiovascular system bears the brunt of the adaptations as the heart and vessels enable nutrient supply to maternal organs facilitated by the placenta to the fetus. The components of the cardiovascular system are critical in the balance between maternal homeostatic and fetus driven homeorhetic regulation. Since lipids interse

The New Horizons flyby of the cold classical Kuiper Belt object MU69 showed it to be a contact binary. The existence of other contact binaries in the 1–10 km range raises the question of how common these bodies are and how they evolved into contact. Here we consider that the pre-contact lobes of MU69 formed as a binary embedded in the Solar nebula, and calculate its subsequent orbital evolution in

Introduction: While acute treatment and secondary prevention in stroke have undergone major improvements, hospital readmission after index stroke remains high. However, there are few reports on long-term readmission patterns. Patients and methods: For this prospective observational study, data on demographics, functional status and living conditions were obtained from the Swedish Stroke Register (

The data that is currently used when designing egress systems for stadia and other high-occupancy buildings was collected decades ago and might not be applicable in today's society. A systematic analysis of crowd movement was performed to investigate egress flows at a large stadium in the UK following four different event types (i.e., a football game, a rugby game, a concert featuring a male singe

Background: Severe alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is an established risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and liver disease, but the effect on the incidence of ischemic heart disease (IHD) is not well known. The aim was to evaluate the risk of incident IHD in patients with severe AATD compared with a random sample of the general population, with known smoking habits.

Background: Ideas of patient involvement are related to notions of self-determination and autonomy, which are not always in alignment with complex interactions and communication in clinical practice.Aim: To illuminate and discuss patient involvement in routine clinical care situations in nursing practice from an ethical perspective.Method: A case study based on an anthropological field study amongBackground:Ideas of patient involvement are related to notions of self-determination and autonomy, which are not always in alignment with complex interactions and communication in clinical practice.Aim:To illuminate and discuss patient involvement in routine clinical care situations in nursing practice from an ethical perspective.Method:A case study based on an anthropological field study among pa