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The aim of the study was to assess the short-term cardiorespiratory effects of a standard red cell transfusion in very low birth weight (<1500 g) infants undergoing intensive care. A total of 37 infants (birth weight 920+/-230 g, gestational age 27.8+/-2.1 weeks, age at study 6.1+/-3.9 days) with indwelling arterial lines were studied when 10 ml/kg of packed donor red cells were transfused based o
The apparent permeability index is widely used as part of a general screening process to study drug absorption, and is routinely obtained from in vitro or ex vivo experiments. A classical example, widely used in the pharmaceutical industry, is the in vitro Caco-2 cell culture model. The index is defined as the initial flux of compound through the membrane (normalized by membrane surface area and d
Children with Down syndrome (DS) have a markedly increased risk of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). To identify chromosomal changes cooperating with +21 that may provide information on the pathogenesis of these leukemias, we analyzed 215 DS-ALLs and 189 DS-AMLs. Unlike previous smaller series, a significant proportion of DS-ALLs had the typical B-cell precursor
Traits that influence social interactions (signals) are widely thought to be honest indicators of some underlying quality of their bearer. One hypothesis is that a signal and the bearer's immunocompetence are linked via a condition-dependent pathway. We tested this idea by measuring the effect of specific dietary components on the development of a melanin-based plumage signal and the production of
OBJECTIVE: In heart failure, digitalis increases exercise capacity and reduces morbidity, but has no effect on survival. This raises the suspicion that the inotropic benefits of digitalis may be counteracted by serious adverse effects. Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) were studied to clarify this. DESIGN: In the Stroke Prevention using an ORal Thrombin Inhibitor in atrial Fibrillation (SPORT
The cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) is the main mediator of nitric oxide-induced relaxation of smooth muscle. Although this pathway is well established, the cellular action of PKG, nitric oxide, and cGMP is complex and not fully understood. A cross-talk between the cGMP-PKG and other pathways (e.g. cAMP-protein kinase A) seems to exist. We have explored cGMP- and cAMP-dependent relaxation of s
The interaction and hierarchy of celestial and magnetic compass cues used by migratory songbirds for orientation has long been the topic of an intense debate. We have previously shown that migratory Savannah sparrows, Passerculus sandwichensis, use polarized light cues near the horizon at sunrise and sunset to recalibrate their magnetic compass. Birds exposed to a +/-90 deg. shifted artificial pol
Reconstructing the vortex wake of freely flying birds is challenging, but in the past few years, direct measurements of the wake circulation have become available for a number of species. Streamwise circulation has been measured at different positions along the span of the birds, but no measurements have been performed in the transverse plane. Recent findings from studies of bat wakes have pointed
In order to generalize the fractal/facies concept presented by Lu et al. (2002), a new stochastic fractal model for ln(K) (K = hydraulic conductivity) increment probability density functions (PDFs) is presented that produces non-Gaussian behavior at smaller measurement lags and converges to Gaussian behavior at larger lags, a property that is observed in data sets. The model is based on the classi
It has been suggested that hyperhomocysteinemia observed in patients with occlusive vascular disease is caused by reduced renal function secondary to renovascular disease. We have therefore used serum cystatin C, a new sensitive marker for glomerular filtration, in 59 patients with acute coronary syndromes and high plasma homocysteine (tHcy) concentration to measure renal function. Samples were al
Anandamide acts as a full vanilloid receptor agonist in many bioassay systems, but it is a weak activator of primary afferents in the airways. To address this discrepancy, we compared the effect of different vanilloid receptor agonists in isolated airways and mesenteric arteries of guinea pig using preparations containing different phenotypes of the capsaicin-sensitive sensory nerve. We found that
OBJECTIVE: Overexpression of the human transcription factor FOXC2 gene ( FOXC2) protects against insulin resistance in mice and a common FOXC2 polymorphism (-512C > T) has been suggested to be associated with insulin resistance in humans. Here, we addressed the potential role for FOXC2 as a candidate gene for type 2 diabetes and associated phenotypes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A case-control study wa
Two barn swallows (Hirundo rustica) flying in the Lund wind tunnel were filmed using synchronised high-speed cameras to obtain posterior, ventral and lateral views of the birds in horizontal flapping flight. We investigated wingbeat kinematics, body tilt angle, tail spread and angle of attack at speeds of 414ms-1. Wingbeat frequency showed a clear U-shaped relationship with air speed with minima a
Recombinant adeno-associated viral (rAAV) vector-induced neuropeptide Y (NPY) overexpression in the hippocampus exerts powerful antiepileptic and antiepileptogenic effects in rats. Such gene therapy approach could be a valuable alternative for developing new antiepileptic treatment strategies. Future clinical progress, however, requires more detailed evaluation of possible side effects of this tre
This study examines fuel use and metabolism in a group of long-distance migrating birds, red knots Calidris canutus (Scolopacidae), flying under controlled conditions in a wind tunnel for up to 10 h. Data are compared with values for resting birds fasting for the same time. Plasma levels of free fatty acids, glycerol and uric acid were elevated during flight, irrespective of flight duration (1-10h
Expression of pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide in sensory neurons varies with injury or inflammation. The neurotrophins NGF and NT-3 are profound regulators of neuronal peptidergic phenotype in intact and injured sensory neurons. This study examined their potential for modulation of PACAP expression in adult rat with intact and injured L4-L6 spinal nerves with or without immediat
OBJECTIVE: To study whether restriction of head-neck movements improves postural performance in patients with compensated unilateral total vestibular loss. DESIGN: Randomized controlled experimental study. SETTING: Laboratory for clinical and experimental vestibular testing at a tertiary referral center. PATIENTS: Fifteen consecutive patients (seven men, eight women, mean age 53 years) at routine
The purpose of this study is to provide information from two prospective long-term follow-ups for severe road traffic injuries in Sweden. The long-term consequences, in terms of loss of health and costs of care, are presented for severe injuries in Sweden in the early 1990s and are compared with information on injury severity and health care utilisation 25 years ago. The follow-up in the 1990s sho
Background: During the last decade, the evidence of beneficial effects of cholesterol lowering in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) has been proven in several clinical trials. This has prompted international guidelines on prevention of CHD to include recommendations on dietary and pharmacological treatment of hyperlipidaernia with set goals on total- and LDL-cholesterol. Methods: The firs
