Biodegradable supermacroporous PHEMA cryogels were produced by combining two cross-linkers, poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate and a newly developed disulfide water soluble crosslinker, N,N'-bis(methacryloyl)-L-cystine. The biodegradable PHEMA cryogels were prepared with gel fraction yields up to 70% and were characterized by highly interconnected pores of micrometer size and good mechanical stabili

Background. Although the topic of pain among older people has received increasing interest, little is still known about how pain is experienced or handled by those who no longer manage independently but depend on professionals for help with daily living. Developing pain management for older people requires such knowledge. Aim. To explore sense of self, sense of pain, daily living with pain, sense

The redshank (Tringa totanus) is declining throughout Europe and to implement efficient conservation measures, it is important to obtain information about the population genetic structure. The aim of the present study was two-fold. First, we analysed the genetic variation within and between populations in the Baltic region in southern Scandinavia. Evidence of genetic structure would suggest that d

This study investigates the role of political journalism in European Union (EU) constitution-making. It is asked whether and to what extent quality newspaper journalists act as an impartial mediator or as an active promoter of normative debates on European integration across national media spheres. The ratification period of the EU Constitutional Treaty (CT) (November 2004-June 2005) is analysed a

Selective supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) at 40 degrees C, 400 bar and 60 min was used to selectively remove bioavailable PCBs from a naturally contaminated limnic sediment. The extraction decreased the sediment concentrations of the nine studied PCBs by 54% (on average). Chironomid larvae were thereafter cultured in pre-extracted sediment as well as in untreated sediment to study the differe

Projected body frontal area is used when estimating the parasite drag of bird flight. We investigated the relationship between projected frontal area and body mass among passerine birds, and compared it with an equation based on waterfowl and raptors, which is used as default procedure in a widespread software package for flight performance calculations. The allometric equation based on waterfowl/

The spread of cancer cells to regional lymph nodes through the lymphatic system is the first step in the dissemination of breast cancer. In several human cancers including those of the breast and prostate, the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) is associated with lymph node metastasis. Our study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of VEGF-C on metastasis of poorly invasi

Sixteen open-top chambers (diameter, 3.66 m) were established in a scrub oak habitat in central Florida where vegetation was removed in a planned burn prior to chamber installation. Eight control chambers have been continuously exposed to ambient air and eight have been continuously exposed to elevated CO2 at twice-ambient concentration (similar to700 ppm) for 5 years. Soil cores were collected fr

Impactor sampling and PIXE analysis constitute a good combination in detecting the influence of fugitive emission and ventilation air on ambient air quality. In total filter samples heavier natural particles mask the increase in mass due to the smaller industrial particles. Multielemental analysis of many samples is important in finding unknown sources and in evaluating the effect of all the sourc

The spin-forbidden reaction of Fe(CO)(4)+CO -> Fe(CO)(5) has been investigated with multiconfigurational quantum chemical methods (CASSCF/CASPT2). The structure of the minimum energy crossing point ( MECP) between the singlet and triplet energy surfaces as well as the equilibrium structures of Fe(CO)(5) ( a singlet state) and Fe(CO)(4) ( a triplet state) has been determined. The partition rational

The associations between educational level, preclinical carotid atherosclerosis and incident coronary events (CE), were investigated in a general population sample of 5399 Swedish middle-aged men and women without history of cardiovascular disease (CVD) over a median follow-up of 8.7 years. Presence of carotid plaque (focal intima-media thickness (IMT) >1.2 mm) was determined by B-mode ultrasound.

Background. Persistent pain is a common problem for older people. Knowledge about how nursing and paramedical staff perceive these people and what they do to relieve the pain seems scarce. Aim. To explore nursing and paramedical staff perceptions of older people in persistent pain and their day-to-day management of pain. Methods. Interviews in Swedish with 52 nursing auxiliaries, Registered Nurs

The Integral Dictionary is a comprehensive lexical network for French, English, German, Italian, and Spanish. It is based on componential semantics and lexical functions. The network structure superimposes two graphs. A first graph consists of a hierarchy of concepts divided into classes and themes where the words form the terminal nodes of the graph. A second graph links the words together using

The purpose of this case report is to describe a new intervention, the Interactive Metronome, for improving timing and coordination. A nine-year-old boy, with difficulties in attention and developmental delay of unspecified origin underwent a seven-week training program with the Interactive Metronome. Before, during, and after training timing, accuracy was assessed with testing procedures consiste

Objective - To analyse potential gender differences in cardiovascular risk factors and treatment patterns, reflecting clinical practice in secondary prevention. Design - Observational national study during 3 years of patients eligible for secondary prevention of coronary heart disease (CHD). Setting - Fifty-two healthcare districts in Sweden, involving primary health care and hospitals in collabor

BACKGROUND: Our recently reported finding of rapid bi-exponential elimination of free prostate-specific antigen (PSA) after radical retropubic prostatectomy in patients with moderately elevated PSA levels, which contrasted a very slow, linear elimination of PSA complexed to alpha-1-antichymotrypsin (ACT), prompted us to study whether these elimination rates were applicable for patients selected fo

Abstract A system for multi-colour fluorescence imaging of tissue is described. The instrument is mainly developed for tissue diagnostics to identify and localise malignant tumours, but might also be useful for real-time monitoring of the therapeutic dose delivered during photodynamic therapy. In vivo examples from various malignant skin lesions following topical δ-amino levulinic acid (ALA) admi

Primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT) is associated with cardiac disease. This prospective study was designed to investigate changes in cardiac function before and after parathyroidectomy. Resting and post exercise cardiac function was compared with matched control subjects. Fifty patients (mean age 62.9 +/- 11 years, 45 women) and 50 healthy control subjects, matched for age and sex were studied. Re