Arachidonate 15-lipoxygenase (LO)-1 has been implicated in allergic inflammation and asthma. The overall effect of 15-LO in allergic inflammation in vivo is, however, unclear. This study investigates systemic allergen sensitization and local allergic airway inflammation and remodeling in mice lacking the murine 12/15-LO, the ortholog to human 15-LO-1. Upon systemic sensitization with intraperitone

The directional stability of the crack path during wedging of a strip is investigated, using finite element methods. Linearly elastic material and plane conditions are considered. No dynamic effects are included. Stable crack growth in the direction of maximum mode I stress intensity factor at the tip of the crack is assumed. It is found that directional stability seems to prevail if the thickness

Haemophilus influenzae protein E (PE) is a 16 kDa adhesin that induces a pro-inflammatory immune response in lung epithelial cells. The active epithelial binding region comprising amino acids PE 84-108 also interferes with complement-mediated bacterial killing by capturing vitronectin (Vn) that prevents complement deposition and formation of the membrane attack complex (MAC). Here, the interaction

The objective of this literature review is to analyze the implications of using genetically modified organisms (GMOs) as well as international and European position regarding such organisms. METHOD: Review of international and European legal requirements and ethical guidelines and relevant publications, found and accessed with the help of PubMed and Lund University Library databases. RESULTS: The

PURPOSE: To offer minimized risk-adapted adjuvant treatment on a nationwide basis for patients with clinical stage 1 (CS1) nonseminomatous germ-cell testicular cancer (NSGCT). The aim was to reduce the risk of relapse and thereby reducing the need of later salvage chemotherapy while maintaining a high cure rate. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From 1998 to 2005, 745 Norwegian and Swedish patients were inclu

Evaluated the importance of ultrasound to women’s thoughts about their unborn child. 10 first-time mothers (ages 22 – 33 years) with normal pregnancies were interviewed approxi¬mately 1 week before and 1 week after their first ultrasound screening. Analysis of the interviews was conducted using the techniques of grounded theory. The results show that ultrasound was of great importance for increasi

Purpose: To investigate the measures of validity for selective or population screening of the time-domain Stratus and the spectral-domain Cirrus Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) imaging techniques in a population-based sample and in clinical glaucoma patients at different stages of glaucoma. Patients and methods: A random sample of 307 subjects living in two rural areas in southern Sweden, and a

Assessment of image analysis methods and computer software used in (99m) Tc-MAG3 dynamic renography is important to ensure reliable study results and ultimately the best possible care for patients. In this work, we present a national multicentre study of the quantification accuracy in (99m) Tc-MAG3 renography, utilizing virtual dynamic scintigraphic data obtained by Monte Carlo-simulated scintilla

INTRODUCTION: Suspected cases of deep vein thrombosis are common at emergency departments and they often require extensive and costly diagnostic testing. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether a diagnostic algorithm based upon pre-test probability and D-dimer in diagnosing deep vein thrombosis may be cost-effective from a societal perspective in a Swedish setting. MATERIAL AND METHODS

Background:Familial nervous system cancers are rare and limited data on familial aspects are available particularly on site-specific tumours.Methods:Data from five Nordic countries were used to analyse familial risks of nervous system tumours. Standardised incidence ratios (SIRs) were calculated for offspring of affected relatives compared with offspring of non-affected relatives.Results:The total

The effect of financial risks on (R, Q) inventory policies is analyzed in a real options framework. Simple adjustments of the usual formulas for R and Q are suggested and tested. Stochastic demand and purchase costs are considered, both with known systematic (business-cycle-related) risk. The systematic risk of stochastic demand has typically a negligible effect on the optimal values of R and Q, a

We describe a laser system that readily provides radiation tunable from 2 mum in the infra-red to 35 nm in the extreme ultraviolet spectral range. The broad spectral range is covered through a range of non-linear processes such as Raman shifting and high-order harmonic generation. Pulses with duration of tens of picoseconds are obtained. The relative bandwidth of the radiation is delta lambda/lamb

The EWSR1 gene is known to play a crucial role in the development of a number of different bone and soft tissue tumours, notably Ewing's sarcoma. POU5F1 is expressed during early development to maintain the totipotent status of embryonic stem and germ cells. In the present study, we report the fusion of EWSR1 and POU5F1 in two types of epithelial tumours: hidradenoma of the skin and mucoepidermoid

AIMS: Cigarette smoking is one of the strongest risk factors for stroke. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms that smoke leads to the pathogenesis of stroke are incompletely understood. METHODS: Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)-soluble (lipid-soluble) cigarette smoking particles (DSP) were extracted from cigarette smoke (0.8 mg nicotine per cigarette; Marlboro). Rat cerebral arteries were isolate

Natural radiative lifetimes of the states in the highly perturbed 5d10np 2P sequence in neutral gold, Au I, for n = 6-9, as well as of four of the perturbing 5d(9)6s6p 2P states, have been measured. This was done by direct excitation from the ground state with short-pulse vacuum-ultraviolet laser light and time-resolved detection of the laser-induced fluorescence. We found the lifetimes to be tau(