Tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases (TIMPs) regulate the breakdown of extracellular matrix components and play an important role in tissue remodelling and growth, in both physiological and pathological conditions. We studied the autoimmune response to TIMPs in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Eighty- nine paired blood and synovial fluid samples from patients with RA were assesse

Complement is involved in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and has also a seemingly paradoxical protective role in the development of the disease. Low levels of components within the classical pathway of complement especially C1q, C4 and C3 have a high specificity for SLE diagnosis and should be considered as promising for inclusion in classification criteria of SLE.

Podophyllotoxin (CPH86), at concentrations of 5 ng/ml or more, inhibited [3H]-thymidine uptake of ConA-induced proliferation of human peripheral mononuclear blood cells. Tween80, the detergent included in the anti-inflammatory drug Proresid, containing podophyllum lignan derivatives, also inhibited lymphocyte proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. Combination of the two drugs did not, or did on

We describe a new method for gas flux measurements that is a combination of differential absorption lidar (DIAL) and wind videography. The wind speed was measured by an imaging method that calculates the horizontal displacement of the plume with cross-correlation techniques. High spatial and temporal resolution is achieved with histogram equalization and window-filtering techniques. Simultaneous m

Objective - People living in eastern Finland have approximate to 40% higher coronary heart disease mortality rates than western Finns. Whether this is because of genetic or environmental factors is unknown. We examined the effect of geographic family origin on subclinical atherosclerosis among young Finns. Methods and Results - As part of a longitudinal follow-up study, we measured carotid intima-

The adsorption of two cationic amphiphilic polyelectrolytes, which are copolymers of two charged monomers, triethyl(vinylbenzyl)ammonium chloride and dimethyldodecyl(vinylbenzyl)ammonium chloride (which is the amphiphilic one) with different contents of amphiphilic groups (40% (40DT) and 80% (80DT)), onto the hydrophilic silica-aqueous solution interface has been studied by in situ null ellipsomet

The primary aim of this study was to investigate the possible relationship between coagulation factor level and bleeding frequency during prophylactic treatment of haemophilia after stratification of the patients according to joint scores. The secondary aim was to obtain a systematic overview of the doses of coagulation factors prescribed for prophylaxis at the Malmo haemophilia treatment centre d

Rett syndrome (RTT) is a severe form of mental retardation, which is caused by spontaneous mutations in the X-linked gene MECP2. How the loss of MeCP2 function leads to RTT is currently unknown. Mice lacking the Mecp2 gene initially show normal postnatal development but later acquire neurological phenotypes, including heightened anxiety, that resemble RTT. The MECP2 gene encodes a methyl-CpG-bindi

Disorders of the vestibular nerve and end organs are the most common causes of vertigo. The advances in recognizing different forms of canalolithiasis and cupulolithiasis, which sometimes present with continuous positional nystagmus, have revealed a peripheral vestibular aetiology in which central nervous system lesions were previously suspected. Treatments using repositioning manoeuvres are also

Near- and deep-ultraviolet (UV) resonance Raman spectroscopy of pyrazine-Al-4 complex and Al-3-pyrazine-Al-3 junction was investigated theoretically with a quantum chemical method. Here, 325 and 244 nm were employed as near- and deep-UV sources in our theoretical study The intensities of static normal Raman spectra of pyrazine-Al-4 complex and Al-3-pyrazine-Al-3 junction were enhanced oil the orde

We study the interaction of a transcritical (or saddle-node) bifurcation with a codimension-0/codimension-2 heteroclinic cycle close to (but away from) the local bifurcation point. The study is motivated by numerical observations on the traveling wave ODE of a reaction–diffusion equation. The manifold organization is such that two branches of homoclinic orbits to each fixed point are created when

Good genes" are genetic elements that contribute to lifetime reproductive success, regardless of an individual's additional genotype. Their existence is debated, and most work has targeted their viability benefits to the offspring of choosy females. In the present study, we analyze a case of potential good genes effects in adult male sand lizards ( Lacerta agilis). We show that males with a partic

Large eddy simulations (LES) are performed for single and multiphase jets in crossflow (JICF). The multiphase JICF are compared to the single-phase case for the same momentum and mass flow, ratios but with droplets of different sizes. Multiphase JICF have stronger counterrotating vortex pairs (CVPs) than a corresponding single-phase JICF. Moreover their trajectories are higher and their induced wa

About 10% of the patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) develop malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs), accounting for half of all MPNST cases. Several nonrandom chromosomal aberrations have been found, but the target genes remain mostly unrecognized. Mutations in the NF1 and TP53 genes have been found in some MPNSTs, and recent data from mouse models support a synergistic effect

Strain-induced tendinopathy is a common injury in both human and equine athletes, with increasing incidence associated with greater involvement in sport and an increasingly aged population. This paper reviews our studies on the abundant non-collagenous protein, cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), in equine tendons. Its variation between tendon type and site, age and exercise has provided a

A Gla domain-mutated protein C variant, QGNSEDY, modified at positions 10-12, 23, 32-33, and 44, having enhanced affinity for negatively charged phospholipid and increased anticoagulant potential, was used to elucidate the importance of the interaction between the Gla domain and the phospholipid for the ability of activated protein C (APC) to inactivate factor Va (FVa). FVa degradation by wild typ

The images of commercial potato chips were evaluated for various colour and textural features to characterize and classify the appearance and to model the quality preferences of a group of consumers. Features derived from the image texture contained better information than colour features to discriminate both the quality categories of chips and consumers' preferences. Entropy of a* and V and energ

Popular Abstract in Swedish Arbete är centralt i det moderna samhället. Samtidigt står många människor av olika anledningar utanför den ordinarie arbetsmarknaden. Att detta i särskild utsträckning gäller personer med funktionshinder har i många länder fått till följd att lagstiftning antagits för att på olika sätt öka arbetskraftsdeltagandet för denna grupp. De bestämmelser som reglerar arbete ochThis doctoral thesis examines labour market legislation on disability and work in Sweden, England and Germany. In order to provide increased access to the labour market for people with disabilities all three studies countries have undertaken more of less far-reaching legislative measures over a number of decades, both in line with, or as a result of, general labour and employment legislation, but