BACKGROUND: Immunoglobulin A nephritis (IgAN) is the most common primary glomerulonephritis worldwide. It is caused by accumulation of IgA1-containing immune complexes in the kidney resulting in renal failure, which is thought to be due to altered glycosylation of IgA with a decrease of 2-3-sialylated galactosides (NeuAcα2-3Gal). PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze whether altered gl

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) is believed to initiate granulation tissue formation via macro-deformation of the wound edge. However, only few studies have been performed to evaluate this hypothesis. The present study was performed to investigate the effects of NPWT on wound contraction and wound edge tissue deformation. METHODS: Six pigs underwent median sternotomy f

With an ever increasing need for assessment of neurophysiological activity in connection with injury and basic research, the demand for an efficient and reliable data acquisition system rises. Brain-machine interfaces is one class of such systems that targets the central nervous system. A necessary step in the development of a brain-machine interface is to design and implement a reliable and effic

Deletion of the tumor suppressor gene p53 has been shown to improve the outcome in experimental models of focal cerebral ischemia and kainate-induced seizures. To evaluate the potential role of p53 in traumatic brain injury, genetically modified mice lacking a functional p53 gene (p53(-/-), n = 9) and their wild-type littermates (p53(+/+), n = 9) were anesthetized and subjected to controlled corti

Laser spectroscopy with laser diodes can now also be performed in the violet/blue spectral region. a 5 mW commercially available CW laser diode operating at 404 nm was used to perform spectroscopy on potassium atoms with signal detection in absorption as well as fluorescence when operating on a potassium vapor cell and with optogalvanic detection on a potassium hollow cathode lamp. The 4s(2)S(1/2)

We present a technology for the fabrication of cantilever arrays aimed to develop an integrated biosensor microsystem. The fabrication process is based on spin coating of the photosensitive polymer and near-ultraviolet exposure. Arrays of up to 33 microcantilevers are fabricated in the novel polymer material SU-8. The low Young's modulus of the polymer, 40 times lower than that of silicon, enables

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: There are rising concerns about the frequency of infection after arthroplasty surgery. Prophylactic antibiotics are an important part of the preventive measures. As their effect is related to the timing of administration, it is important to follow how the routines with preoperative prophylactic antibiotics are working. METHODS: In 114 consecutive cases treated at our own un

Popular Abstract in English The concern about pollutant emissions from combustion devices has stimulated the development of modern combustion devices. As one of the major power generation machines, modern gas turbine engine has been designed to run at fuel-lean and premixed mode of combustion in which the combustion temperature is moderate so that NOx emission is low. Combustion in premixed mode rThis thesis deals with the physics of turbulent swirling flows. Large eddy simulation (LES) method is used to investigate the vortex breakdown process, the precessing vortex core (PVC), and the effect of swirl number and flow field configuration on swirling flows. The study is based on an open source CFD code, \textit{OpenFoam}. Turbulent swirling flows are widely used in combustion devices such a

OBJECTIVE: To identify factors predicting response to first TNF blocking treatment course in patients with established RA with a special focus on gender differences. METHODS: Patients with active RA initiating their first treatment course of TNF-blocking therapy were enrolled. The study period was March 1999 through September 2006. The prospective protocol included information on demographics, cli

When the maximum load at a three-point bend test on a notched beam is known, Gc can be estimated from a well-known method of linear elastic fracture mechanics. The method, in this case called the indirect method, has proved to be unsuitable for use in Gc-determinations of concrete-like materials. The method is too dependent on the specimen size. Another method of directly determining Gc is also d

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Endoscopic diagnosis of biliary disease is challenging due to difficulties in access, visualization, and sampling. Recent advances in endoscopic technology, ancillary diagnostic methods, and our understanding of autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) and IgG4-related cholangitis (IRC) have led to improvements in the endoscopic diagnosis of pancreaticobiliary disease. RECENT FINDINGS: S