Search results

Activating the immune system has associated fitness costs, both immediate costs in the form of reduced current reproduction and long-term costs in the form of reduced life span and future reproduction. This indicates that immune system activation can be an important agent in life history trade-offs. In this review, we evaluate the importance of four currencies generally considered as potential med

About one-third of patients undergoing cardiac resynchronization therapy because of left bundle branch block (LBBB) and heart failure do not improve. Strauss et al. have developed strict criteria to more accurately define complete LBBB in this patient group. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of the manual application of the Strauss criteria for LBBB (QRS≥140ms in men, ≥130ms

Summary Plant communities and their ecosystem functions are expected to be more resilient to future habitat fragmentation and deterioration if the species comprising the communities have a wide range of dispersal and persistence strategies. However, the extent to which the diversity of dispersal and persistence traits in plant communities is determined by the current and historical characteristic

Although fever (a closely regulated increase in body temperature in response to infection) typically is beneficial, it is energetically costly and may induce detrimentally high body temperatures. This can increase the susceptibility to energetic bottlenecks and risks of overheating in some organisms. Accordingly, it could be particularly interesting to study fever in small birds, which have compar

In this study, we examine individual patent holders and the fate of their inventions. A unique database consisting of over 800 private individuals who have obtained decision rights over a new technology in Sweden is used to analyse how opportunity and individual level characteristics are related to the likelihood that patented inventions are commercialised in a new or existing small firm. Our find

In this study, nickel pattern electrodes were electrochemically investigated in a three-electrode setup, operating both with H-2/H2O and CO/CO2 atmospheres. Heating introduced structural differences in the nickel layer among the pattern electrodes, which appear to affect the electrode performance. Both dense and porous nickel pattern electrodes were formed by heating. Holes appeared in the nickel

Dysregulation of the von Hippel-Lindau/hypoxia-inducible transcription factor (HIF) signaling pathway promotes clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) progression and metastasis. The protein kinase GAS6/AXL signaling pathway has recently been implicated as an essential mediator of metastasis and receptor tyrosine kinase crosstalk in cancer. Here we establish a molecular link between HIF stabilizat

Background: Very little is known about the dermal uptake of isocyanates, and dermal exposure to isocyanates has been discussed as a factor involved in the induction of respiratory diseases. Objectives: To investigate the dermal uptake of diphenylmethane-4,4’-diisocyanate (4,4’-MDI). Materials & Methods: Four volunteers were dermally exposed to 10, 25, 49 and 50 mg 4,4’-MDI, respectively, for e

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to identify serum microRNAs providing a link between male subfertility and metabolic syndrome (MetS) and validate their diagnostic potential. Methods: Sera were analyzed for fertility and MetS-related parameters in subfertile men (n = 79) and controls (n = 38). Literature review identified miR-155-5p, miR-122-5p, miR-200a-3p, and miR-200c-3p which previously w

Background: The aim was to explore the experiences and views of people attending day centers for people with psychiatric disabilities concerning the occurrence and nature of gendering of the occupations performed there. Methods: Twenty-five day center attendees were interviewed regarding occupational choices at the day centers, whether they would describe day center occupations as gendered, and if

Aims: Type 2 diabetes is associated with cardiovascular complications. It is largely unknown which patients have poor treatment response and high complication risk; biomarkers are studied for this purpose. The aim of the study was to investigate the association between clinical factors such as HbA1c, level of biomarkers (C-peptide, copeptin) at diagnosis and changes in HbA1c, blood pressure or bod

There is an increasing need for reliable methods to assess load-carrying capacity and remaining service life of existing infrastructure. Several previous research projects have resulted in a verified, simple 1D model for assessment of anchorage in corroded reinforced concrete structures. Previous verification has involved both experiments and detailed 3D NLFE analyses. To further develop the 1D mo

Uneven exposure to e.g. solar radiation can cause temperature differences between various structural parts of a bridge, which leads to tensile stresses if the parts cannot move freely. In this study, thermal simulations and stress calculations on a model of a portal frame bridge are performed with the aim of evaluating the temperature difference between the bridge parts. It is shown that the tempe

Malaria is a disease spread by mosquitoes, and it is a major global cause of morbidity and mortality. Most of the deaths in malaria are caused by the Apicomplexan parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Immunity against the disease is dependent on repeated exposure, and it usually takes several years to develop. Antibodies against different antigens are an important part of immunity, but cellular immunity

Willingness-to-pay (WTP) techniques are increasingly being used in the healthcare sector for assessing the value of interventions. The objective of this study was to estimate WTP and its predictors in a randomized controlled trial of a lifestyle intervention exclusively targeting Middle Eastern immigrants living in Malmö, Sweden, who are at high risk of type 2 diabetes. We used the contingent valu

We report on an experimental demonstration of spatially-resolved detection of atomic hydrogen in flames using a single-ended configuration yielding 656-nm lasing in the backward direction upon 2-photon pumping with 205-nm femtosecond laser pulses. Spatial resolution is achieved by temporally-resolved detection of the backward lasing using a streak camera. The method is demonstrated in CH4/O2 flame

OBJECTIVE: To present the methodology, cohort demographics and initial results of the Swedish SPinal Cord Injury Study on Cardiopulmonary and Autonomic Impairment (SPICA).DESIGN: SPICA is based on the Swedish Cardiopulmonary and Bioimage Study (SCAPIS), a study on cardiopulmonary diseases in a cohort of 30 000 people. The assessments in SPICA cover the structure and function of the cardiopulmonary