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Ethyl glucuronide (EtG) is a direct metabolite of ethanol and has been used as a marker of alcohol abuse in both urine and hair. This study investigated the value of EtG testing in post-mortem hair for diagnostic improvement of alcohol abuse in forensic medicine. Material from 70 consecutive medico-legal autopsies was collected in accordance with the recommendations on ethics by the Swedish Nation
Tumour angiogenesis and the levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor type I (PAI-I) are both informative prognostic markers in breast cancer. In cell cultures and in animal model systems, PAI-I has a proangiogenic effect. To evaluate the interrelationship of angiogenesis and the PAI-I level in breast cancer, we have evaluated the prognostic value of those factors in a total of 228 patients with p
The etiology of exercise-induced rib stress fractures (RSFs) in elite rowers is unclear. The purpose of the study was to investigate thoracic muscle activity, movement patterns and muscle strength in elite rowers. Electromyographic (EMG) and 2-D video analysis were performed during ergometer rowing, and isokinetic muscle strength was measured in seven national team rowers with a history of RSF and
Background Open abdomen (OA) treatment often results in difficulties in closing the abdomen. Highest closure rates are seen with the vacuum-assisted wound closure (VAWC) technique. However, we have experienced occasional failures with this technique in cases with severe visceral swelling needing longer treatment periods with open abdomen. Feasibility and short-term outcome of a novel combination o
The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of low dose dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in glucocorticoid treated female patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Forty one women (>= 5 mg prednisolone/day) were included in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study for 6 months where DHEA was given at 30 mg/20 mg (<= 45/>= 46 y
In a 5-year study involving 119 postmenopausal women, zoledronic acid 4 mg given once-yearly for 2, 3 or 5 years was well tolerated with no evidence of excessive bone turnover reduction or any safety signals. BMD increased significantly. Bone turnover markers decreased from baseline and were maintained within premenopausal reference ranges. Introduction After completion of the core study, two cons
BACKGROUND: Degranulation of eosinophils in target tissues is considered a key pathogenic event in major chronic eosinophilic diseases. However, because of a lack of appropriate methods, little is known about degranulation of eosinophils in common eosinophilic diseases. METHODS: Using transmission electron microscopic (TEM) analysis, a novel approach has been devised and validated to quantify eosi
During the last decades a striking decline has been observed for wild bees throughout central and north-western Europe, including Sweden. in an area of 64 km' in the parish of Stenbrohult, southern Smaland Andrena hattorfiana, Andrena humilis, Nomada armata and Panurgus hanksianus were studied (in Sweden red-listed as VU, EN, EN and VU). We present occurrence patterns in relation to habitat types
Object. Arterial vasospasm is the most common cause of delayed ischemic neurological deficits (DINDs) and one of the major causes of disability following subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Current management of vasospasm involves intravascular volume expansion and hemodynamic augmentation with the goal of increasing cerebral blood flow (CBF). The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of vol
The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between respiratory symptoms, lung function and inflammatory markers in 'healthy' smokers. The study population was recruited from an epidemiological study with subjects of the same age, 60 years. Only smokers who considered themselves healthy (n=58) and a random sample of never-smokers (n=34) were investigated. All subjects underwent lung fun
A "complex salt" of cetyltrimethylammonium (CTA(+)) with short (30 repeating units) polyacrylate (PA(-)) counterions has been synthesized. The phase diagrams of its aqueous mixtures with either the surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium acetate (CTAAc), or the polyelectrolyte NaPA, have been studied by visual inspection through crossed polarizers and by small-angle X-ray scattering. Both of the ternary
The main objectives of this study were to outline the inter-and intraindividual and overall pharmacokinetic variability of S-citalopram, S-desmethylcitalopram, and S-didesmethylcitalopram in serum by means of therapeutic drug monitoring; and to investigate potential correlations between the serum concentration and simultaneously collected clinical data. The study was conducted on outpatients in Sw
Background: There is controversy regarding the influence of ketamine and its enantiomers on cerebral haemodynamics at increased intracranial pressure (ICP). This study was designed to compare cerebrovascular responses, with particular respect to ICP, to bolus injections of racemic, S(+)- and R(-)-ketamine in an experimental model of intracranial hypertension. Methods: Nine pigs were anaesthetised
Impaired function in transplanted islets may be ascribed in part to disturbed reinnervation. The objectives of this study were to determine whether islet transplantation to the pancreas in the presence of nerve growth factor (NGF) would restore islet innervation and endocrine and exocrine pancreatic function. Streptozotocin-diabetic Lewis rats received 800 syngeneic islets beneath the pancreatic c
A shear-enhanced, cross-flow ultrafiltration module was used to separate cells and proteins from the fermentation broth. Three (fermented) media were studied: rich medium, rich medium with hydrolytic enzymes added after fermentation, and wheat flour hydrolysate. To find a membrane with as high a flux as possible, but still capable of separating cells and proteins from the lactic acid containing br
The loop region of chymotrypsin inhibitor 2 from barley has been employed as a scaffold for testing the intrinsic propensity of a peptide fragment to form a secondary structure. The helix formation of the nine amino acid residue segment Lys-Gln- Ala-Val- Asp- Asn- Ala-Tyr-Ala of helix E from subtilisin Carlsberg has been studied by the construction of a hybrid consisting of chymotrypsin inhibitor
The purpose of the study was to investigate whether baseline quality of life (QoL) and changes in QoL scores from baseline are prognostic for time to progression (TTP) and/or overall survival (OS) in patients with advanced breast cancer receiving docetaxel (T) or sequential methotrexate and 5-fluorouracil (MF). QoL was assessed at baseline and before each treatment using the European Organization
Rationale Vitamin D has been shown to be involved in the host immune response toward Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Objectives: To test whether vitamin D supplementation of patients with tuberculosis (TB) improved clinical outcome and reduced mortality. Methods: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, place-bocontrolled trial in TB clinics at a demographic surveillance site in Guinea-Bissau. We incl
Background: An audit of all patients with rectal cancer in Sweden was launched in 1995. This is the first report from the Swedish Rectal Cancer Registry (SRCR). Methods: Between 1995 and 2003, 13 434 patients treated for adenocarcinoma of the rectum were registered with the SRCR; there were approximately 1500 new patients annually. Results: Approximately half had an anterior resection, a quarter a
