In addition to their antibacterial properties, certain antibiotics are also biologic response modifiers. The fluorinated 4-quinolone, ciprofloxacin, for example, up-regulates IL-2 and IFN-γ production in PBLs stimulated in vitro. In the present study, ciprofloxacin was shown to increase the levels of mRNA for IL-1α, IL-2 and its receptor, IFN-γ, IL-3, IL-4, granulocyte- macrophage/CSF, TNF-α, and

The cytotoxic quinolone CP-115,953 specifically exerts its inhibitory effect upon eukaryotic topoisomerase II. CP-115,953 stimulates DNA cleavage mediated by topoisomerase II with a potency approximately 600 times greater than that of ciprofloxacin, a quinolone antibacterial agent that currently is in clinical use. Because ciprofloxacin has been reported to strongly enhance interleukin-2 productio

Kolloider, partiklar i storleksordningen en nanometer till en mikrometer, är inom materialvetenskapen attraktiva byggstenar vid konstruktion av olika material eftersom de spontant organiserar sig i periodiska strukturer. Till skillnad från biologiska kolloider såsom proteiner, röda blodkroppar, bakterier och virus, är de syntetiska kolloider som man har tillgång till inom materialvetenskapen i regColloidal self-assembly is an attractive bottom-up approach to new superstructures and materials with new properties. However, the typical spherical shape and isotropic interaction potential limit the repertoire of ordered structures that can be obtained from synthetic colloids. In order to expand the repertoire of structures, much effort has over the last decades been directed towards the prepara

Directed colloidal self-assembly at fluid interfaces can have a large impact in the fields of nanotechnology, materials, and biomedical sciences. The ability to control interfacial self-assembly relies on the fine interplay between bulk and surface interactions. Here, we investigate the interfacial assembly of thermoresponsive microgels and lipogels at the surface of giant unilamellar vesicles (GU

This paper presents stability theory of adaptive systems using an extension of the Yakubovich-Kalman-Popov (YKP) lemma. Such stability analysis is relevant for observer-based adaptive feedback control systems. Relaxation of the controllability and observability conditions imposed in the YKP lemma can be made for a class of adaptive systems described by a linear time-invariant (LTI) system with ada

In the field of vehicle control, conventional cruise control systems have been available on the market for many years. During the last years, modern cars include more and more electronic systems. These systems are often governed by a computer or a network of computers programmed with powerful software. One of those new services is adaptive cruise control (ACC) (or autonomous intelligent cruise con

This paper presents stability theory of adaptive systems using an extension of the Yakubovich-Kalman-Popov (YKP) lemma. Adaptive stability analysis is relevant for observer-based feedback control systems. Relaxation of the controllability and observability conditions imposed in the YKP lemma can be made for a class of adaptive systems described by a linear time-invariant system (LTI) with adaptive

Background: The accessibility of public facilities for all is an issue increasingly gaining focus in policy debates, especially regarding the ageing population. Objective: This paper describes a psychometric approach to the development of a new instrument for assessing the accessibility of public entrances. Methods: Items to include were selected by means of literature review and classified accor

Objectives: Meshes/matrices are commonly used in immediate breast reconstruction. There are few studies comparing biological and synthetic meshes and it is unknown what type of mesh gives the best long-term results. The aim of this study was to compare long-term health-related quality of life (HrQoL) and patient satisfaction in implant-based immediate breast reconstruction with a biological mesh

In this work, we present the first example of the self-assembly of phospholipid monolayers at the interface between air and an ionic solvent. Deep eutectic solvents are a novel class of environmentally friendly, non-aqueous, room temperature liquids with tunable properties, that have wide-ranging potential applications and are capable of promoting the self-assembly of surfactant molecules. We use

Why do coalition parties settle some policy issues in great detail, whereas other issues are hardly mentioned in coalition agreements? Coalition agreements are important policy platforms that determine policy making during the legislative term. However, we know remarkably little about their content. We shed light on why issue attention in coalition agreements varies so extensively. We argue that i

Insects have mutualistic symbioses with a variety of microorganisms. However, the chemical signals that maintain these insect-microbe relationships are poorly known compared to those from insect-plant symbioses. The spruce bark beetle, Ips typographus, the most destructive forest pest in Europe, has a symbiotic relationship with several fungi that are believed to contribute to its successful invas

Introduction: A water-soluble Cremophor EL-free formulation of paclitaxel, in which retinoic acid derivates solubilize paclitaxel by forming micelles (paclitaxel micellar), was studied for the first time in man to establish the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and to characterize the pharmacokinetics (PK). Methods: This was an open-label, one-arm, dose-escalating study in patients with advanced solid

Widespread species often show extensive phenotypic variation due to the contrasting abi-otic and biotic factors that shape selective pressures in different environments. In this context, the gradual and predictable patterns of variation in climatic and environmental conditions found in mountain areas offer a great opportunity to explore intraspecific phenotypic variation. For instance, temperature

What is the moral significance of the contrast between acting together and strategic interaction? We argue that while collective moral responsibility is not uniquely tied to the former, the degree to which the participants in a shared intentional wrongdoing are blameworthy is normally higher than when agents bring about the same wrong as a result of strategic interaction. One argument for this cla

BACKGROUND: Middle-Eastern immigrants in Sweden are at increased risk for type 2 diabetes (T2D) and poor mental health. Physical activity not only prevents/delays onset of T2D but also shows favorable effects on mental health. However, the effects of a culturally adapted lifestyle intervention on mental health among Middle-Eastern immigrants have not been explored before. We aimed to study the eff

BACKGROUND: People of Sub Saharan Africa (SSA) and South Asians(SA) ethnic minorities living in Europe have higher risk of stroke than native Europeans(EU). Study objective is to provide an assessment of gender specific absolute differences in office systolic(SBP) and diastolic(DBP) blood pressure(BP) levels between SSA, SA, and EU.METHODS AND FINDINGS: We performed a systematic review and meta-an

Objective: To explore the risk of colorectal cancer in family members of patients with colorectal cancer, with an emphasis on subtypes of second degree relatives, especially half siblings, which were lacking in the literature. Design: Ambidirectional cohort study. Setting: Nationwide Swedish Family Cancer Data (record linkage). Participants: All people residing in Sweden and born after 1931, with

Aims: Remote ischemic conditioning (RIC) is considered a potential clinical approach to reduce myocardial infarct size and ameliorate adverse post-infarct left ventricular (LV) remodeling, however the mechanisms are unknown. The aim was to clarify the impact of RIC on Neuregulin-1 (NRG-1)/ErbBs expression, inflammation and LV hemodynamic function. Methods and results: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were