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Background Interleukin (IL)-15 levels are increased in serum, synovium and bone marrow of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). IL-15 influences both the innate and the adaptive immune response; its major role is activation and proliferation of T cells. There are also emerging data that IL-15 affects osteoclastogenesis. The authors investigated the association of genetic variants in IL15 with t

This paper concerns thermometric and direct and indirect investigations of the heat produced by the thermogenic dragon lily (Dracunculus vulgaris) and its main pollinating beetle Protaetia (formerly named Potosia) cretica. The experiments were performed on scented and scentless populations at Panormo, Therisos and Lassithi on the North coast of Crete in the springs of 2007 and 2008. D. vulgaris in

Background: Central line insertion is a routine procedure in medical practice. Dislodgement of lines into the vascular system is a rare complication. We noticed that paediatric health care providers (PHCP) contact the cardiac or general paediatric surgeon for extraction of dislodged lines more frequently than using the less invasive percutaneous approach. Aim: To study the referral preference of P

The feasibility of sequential anaerobic-aerobic treatment for complete dye degradation was evaluated using three azo dyes, namely Remazol Red RR, Remazol Blue RR and Remazol Yellow RR. The robustness of the anaerobic treatment was investigated in biofilm reactors and the influences of carrier type, hydraulic retention time, dye concentration and dye type were studied. A decolourisation of 98% was

Patients with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) have in ongoing risk of sudden incapacitation that might cause harm to others while driving a car. Driving restrictions vary across different countries in Europe. The most recent recommendations for driving of ICD patients in Europe were published in 1997 and focused mainly oil patients implanted for secondary prevention. In recent year

The aim of this study is to investigate the feasibility of using three-directional velocity encoded 3D gradient echo (GE) phase contrast (PC) imaging to assess cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow connectivity in the human brain. Five healthy volunteers were scanned using low velocity sensitivity (V-enc = 0.04-0.05 m s(-1)). Flow-time curves were compared to standard 2D PC scans. The 3D data were used t

Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry-based metabolomics was applied to investigate dynamic changes in the plasma metabolome upon an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). The OGTT is a frequently used diagnostic test of glucose homeostasis and diabetes. Diabetes is diagnosed either when glucose levels a parts per thousand yen7.0 mM in the fasting state or a parts per thousand yen11.0 mM at 2 h after

The pioneer microbiota of the neonate may affect future actions of the immune system. This study aimed to map the pioneer microbiota in healthy neonates vaginally born at term. A subgroup of neonates born large for gestational age (LGA) was compared with the neonates appropriate for gestational age (AGA). Fecal samples were collected, within 48 hours after birth, from 79 neonates. Quantitative pol

Total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total phenolic compounds (TPH), total flavonoids (TF) and the amounts of individual phenolic compounds were assessed in Bolivian potato cultivars (various Solanum species) before, during and after the traditional freezing and sun-drying of potatoes known as chunos. The TAC of chunos ranged from 0.4 to 2.7 mu mol Trolox equivalents/g dry matter using 2,2'-azino-bis

Biokinetic data are important when calculating the absorbed dose to the patients and can also be used to find the optimal time between injection and imaging. To the authors' knowledge, there are no published biokinetic data in humans for (18)F-choline, except some distribution data at single time points. Four patients with suspicion of metastases due to biochemical recurrence (measurable prostate-

Substrates present in aggregated forms, such as micelles, are often poorly converted by enzymes. Alkyl glycosides constitute typical examples and the critical micelle concentration (CMC) decreases with increasing length of the alkyl group. In this study, possibilities to hydrolyse alkyl glycosides by glycoside hydrolases were explored, and α-cyclodextrin was used as an agent to form inclusion comp

A highly thermostable recombinant xylanase from Thermotoga neapolitana was used as a catalyst for single-step synthesis of n-octyl xylobioside and n-octyl xylotrioside from xylan and n-octanol. Effect of xylan concentration, enzyme dose, reaction water content, reaction temperature and initial pH on the yield of these surfactants has been studied. The optimal conditions for n-octyl xylobioside and

In parallel to market-like reforms in Swedish primary care, the gathering and compilation of comparative information about providers, for example through survey tools, has been improved. Such information is increasingly being used to guide individuals' choice of provider and payers' assessments of provider performance, often without critically reflecting about underlying factors affecting the resu

Wolves, lynx and wolverines are on the top of the food-chain in northern Scandinavia and Finland. (210)Po and (137)Cs have been analysed in samples of liver, kidney and muscle from 28 wolves from Sweden. In addition blood samples were taken from 27 wolves. In 9 of the wolves, samples of muscle, liver and blood were analysed for (210)Po. Samples of liver and muscle were collected from 16 lynx and 1

Background: Nonmedical prescription drug use (NMPDU) is a growing problem in many countries. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to report correlates of and compare different subtypes of NMPDU in the Swedish general population. Methods: Data were drawn from a Swedish national household survey conducted in 2008-2009. A stratified sample of 58,000 individuals aged 15 to 64 was randomly sele

Budburst models have mainly been developed to capture the processes of individual trees, and vary in their complexity and plant physiological realism. We evaluated how well eleven models capture the variation in budburst of birch and Norway spruce in Germany, Austria, the United Kingdom and Finland. The comparison was based on the models performance in relation to their underlying physiological as

To assess satisfaction with life as a whole and with ten domains of life satisfaction in Swedish persons with late effects of polio, to describe the relationship with sex, age, marital status, use of mobility aids and self-perceived needs of instrumental support, and to compare the level of life satisfaction with a Swedish reference sample. A cross-sectional study of 160 persons with verified late

Directional swimming in the box jellyfish Tripedalia cystophora (cubozoa, cnidaria) is controlled by the shape of the velarium, which is a thin muscular sheet that forms the opening of the bell. It was unclear how different patterns of visual stimulation control directional swimming and that is the focus of this study. Jellyfish were tethered inside a small experimental tank, where the four vertic

CdTe nanocrystalline powder was synthesized by chemical process. The structure of CdTe nanocrystalline was investigated by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX) spectrum and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The selected area electron diffraction (SAED) study confirms the crystallinity of the CdTe nanocrystalline. Some structural parameters such