This report builds further on OPCARE9, an EU 7th framework project aiming to identify knowledge gaps in care provision in the last days of life. This study began with curiosity about new ways of generating research questions to meet future challenges in palliative care (PC) and how to better engage disciplines not generally included in PC research. We here describe an innovative methodological app

L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia (LID) is a common complication of the treatment of Parkinson's disease, and its precise mechanisms have long remained unknown. Rodent models of LID provide a tool to dissect the impact of specific factors on the development and expression of dyskinetic movements. This short review will summarize recent findings from rodent studies that have consolidated and considerably e

Huntington's disease (HD) is the most prevalent polyglutamine expansion disorder. HD is caused by an expansion of CAG triplet in the huntingtin (HTT) gene, associated with striatal and cortical neuronal loss. Central and peripheral metabolic abnormalities and altered insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) levels have been described in HD. Thus, we hypothesized that restoration of IGF-1-mediated sign

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have observed decreased serum CRP levels in patients with established Alzheimer's disease (AD) compared to controls or other diagnostic groups of elderly patients with mental illness. METHODS: We have investigated the relation between CRP level and the severity of AD as assessed by cognitive function, brain imaging and survival time. RESULTS: Patients with AD showed ov

This study addressed the interaction between short-term adaptation to apneas with face immersion and erythrocyte release from the spleen. Twenty healthy volunteers, including ten splenectomized subjects, participated. After prone rest, they performed five maximal-duration apneas with face immersion in 10 degrees C water, with 2-min intervals. Cardiorespiratory parameters and venous blood samples w

There is something wrong with the sound. In Durban, Lena Ek, the Swedish minister for the environment, was ready to answer questions from students, in a shared Google document, communicators and teachers worked together to sort out the technical problems, while a couple of details about the participants were edited by a third participant.

X-linked agammaglobulinemia (XLA) is a hereditary immunodeficiency caused by mutations in the gene encoding Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK). XLA patients have a decreased number of mature B cells and a lack of all immunoglobulin isotypes, resulting in susceptibility to severe bacterial infections. XLA-causing mutations are collected in a mutation database (BTKbase), which is available at http://bioin

In 2006, a cross-sectional survey of 384 randomly selected houses within a community-based follow-up study was conducted to assess the human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV) prevalence in Bissau. Changes in prevalence and incidence rates were assessed based on a similar survey carried out 10 years earlier. The prevalence of HTLV-1 declined significantly from 3.5% in 1996 to 2.3% in 2006. The incid

Competitive adsorption between -casein and -lactoglobulin (-Lg) during spray-drying was studied by the new surface sensitive technique using fluorescence quenching of pyrene labelled protein at the powder surface. The difference in competitiveness of -casein when present as monomers and as associated into micellar like structures were studied. Results were compared with the adsorption of single pr

BACKGROUND: To assess and compare the feasibility and stressful memories of light vs. heavy sedation during post-operative mechanical ventilation. METHODS: Randomized clinical trial in one general intensive care unit (ICU) in a Swedish university hospital. Thirty-six adults were randomly assigned to receive either light [Motor Activity Assessment Scale (MAAS) 3-4] or heavy (MAAS 1-2) sedation with

Time-resolved laser spectroscopy was used to measure natural radiative lifetimes of ten excited states of neutral bismuth. Four levels of the 6p(2)ns (4)p(1/2) sequence (n = 7,8,9,10) and the 6p(2)7s P-4(3/2),(5/2) and 6p(2)nd(2)D(2/3;5/2) (n = 6,7) levels were investigated. The results are compared with previous data when possible. Revised absolute transition probabilities for 26 lines are given.

A very high number of different types of blood cells must be generated daily through a process called haematopoiesis in order to meet the physiological requirements of the organism. All blood cells originate from a population of relatively few haematopoietic stem cells residing in the bone marrow, which give rise to specific progenitors through different lineages. Steady-state dynamics are governe

The rising trend in the prevalence of obesity has become a major public health concern in many countries during the past decades, partly because being obese is associated with comorbidities and death. The cost of treatment for obesity related diseases has become a heavy burden on the national health care budget in many countries. The treatment options for obesity are mainly weight management thera

The use of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors have been limited by adverse events (AE), including delayed wound healing. We retrospectively reviewed all AE and serious AE (SAE) in The Scandinavian heart transplant (HTx) everolimus (EVE) de novo trial with early calcineurin (CNI) avoidance (SCHEDULE). The aim of the study was to compare wound complications between EVE and CNI based reg

The post-translational modification of different proteins via direct ubiquitin attachment is important for various cellular processes. Dysregulation of components of the ubiqutin system have been linked to many diseases including cancer. CYLD is a deubiquitination enzyme that can cleave the lysine 63-linked polyubiquitin chains from target proteins and regulate cell survival or cell proliferation.

BACKGROUND: Smoking is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The present study was undertaken to examine if cigarette smoking translates into reduced relaxant responses of the peripheral microcirculation. METHODS: The cutaneous forearm blood flow was measured by laser Doppler flowmetry. The vasodilator response to the iontophorectic administration of acetylcholine (ACh), acting via an en

Clinical studies have suggested a link between the sensory trigeminal system and the parasympathetic ganglia. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is a sensory neuropeptide which plays an important role in vasodilatation and pain transmission in craniocervical structures. The present study was designed to examine if CGRP and CGRP receptor components are present in the human sphenopalatine gangli