Cigarette smoke exposure is a strong risk factor for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. However, the knowledge about how cigarette smoke induces damage to vasculature and airway is limited. The present study was designed to examine the effects of cigarette smoke particles extracted by heptane (heptane-soluble smoke particles, HSP), by water (water-soluble smoke particles, WSP) and by DMSO (D

To describe environmental barriers, accessibility problems, and powered mobility device (PMD) users' autonomy indoors and outdoors; to determine the home environmental barriers that generated the most housing accessibility problems indoors, at entrances, and in the close exterior surroundings; and to examine personal factors and environmental components and their association with indoor and outdoo

The activated forms of the complement lectin pathway (LP) proteases MASP-1 and -2 are able to cleave the coagulation factors prothrombin, fibrinogen, factor XIII and TAFI in vitro. In vivo studies also show that MASP-1 is involved in thrombogenesis, OBJECTIVES: To clarify the not yet identified mechanisms involved in triggering activation of the LP during thrombotic reactions.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the exposure-response relationships of hexahydrophthalic anhydride (HHPA) and methylhexahydrophthalic anhydride (MHHPA) and evaluated the applicability of the total plasma protein adducts (TPPA) of these anhydrides as biomarkers of exposure and risk. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study of 139 workers in a plant manufacturing electrical capacitors, the long-term

This paper aims to identify and review new and unproven emergency department (ED) methods for improved evaluation in cases of suspected acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Systematic news coverage through PubMed from 2000 to 2006 identified papers on new methods for ED assessment of patients with suspected ACS. Articles found described decision support models, new ECG methods, new biomarkers and point-

Lung cancer is the worldwide leading cause of death from cancer and has been shown to be a heterogeneous disease at the genomic level. To delineate the genomic landscape of copy number alterations, amplifications, loss-of-heterozygosity (LOH), tumor ploidy and copy-neutral allelic imbalance in lung cancer, microarray-based genomic profiles from 2,141 tumors and cell lines including adenocarcinomas

We present experimental studies of high-order harmonic generation in the rare gases performed with a short-pulse titanium sapphire laser operating at 794 nm in the 10(14)-10(15) W/cm2 range. The harmonic yields generated in neon and in argon are studied for all orders as a function of the laser intensity. They vary first rather steeply, in the cutoff region, then much more slowly in the plateau re

Ossifying fibromyxoid tumor (OFMT) is a soft tissue tumor of unknown lineage. Although most cases are histologically and clinically benign, some show malignant morphological features and local recurrences are not uncommon; a few may even metastasize. In the present study, cytogenetic analysis identified different structural rearrangements of chromosome band 6p21 in tumor cells from three cases of

Kilovoltage dosimetry protocols by the IAEA (TRS-277 and TRS-398), DIN (6809), IPEMB (with addendum), AAPM (TG-61) and NCS (report 10) were compared experimentally in four clinical beams. The beams had acceleration potentials of 30, 80, 120 and 200 kV, with half-value layers ranging from 0.6 mm Al to 1 mm Cu. Dosimetric measurements were performed and data were collected under reference conditions

Obesity in children is difficult to treat, but it seems to be easier to treat than adult obesity. The first step in treatment is to identify effective advice relating to nutrition and physical activity. In most treatment studies the macronutrient composition of the diet is not of major importance for treatment outcome. In relation to physical activity fat-utilisation strategies have been described

The aim was to determine the contributions of foot mechanoreceptive sensation, vision and their interaction on postural stability during quiet stance, balance perturbations and adaptive adjustments. Postural stability was measured as anteroposterior torque variance in Young (n = 25, average age = 25.1 years) and Elderly subjects (n = 16, average age = 71.5 years) during repeated calf vibrations wh

A neural model with N interacting neurons is considered. A firing of neuron i delays the firing times of all other neurons by the same random variable theta((i)), and in isolation the firings of the neuron occur according to a renewal process with generic interarrival time Y-(i). The stationary distribution of the N-vector of inhibitions at a firing time is computed, and involves waiting distribut

System-theoretical methods are already used for the control of computing systems, but much more can be done exploiting said methods for their design. This requires to express in control-theoretical terms desires and specifications that originate in the computer science do- main, which may not be immediate. It also requires to accept that part of the addressed system be modified, which may pose som

BACKGROUND: Polyglutamine (polyQ) diseases are characterised by the expansion of CAG triplet repeats in specific genes. The accumulated encoded proteins affect the transcription of numerous transcription factors. We investigated whether polyQ diseases reduce the risk of cancer development. METHODS: Data on patients with the polyQ diseases Huntington's disease (HD), spinobulbar muscular atrophy (

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: We review recent experiments conducted using embryonic tissue and stem cell transplants in experimental models of Parkinson's disease. We also highlight the challenges which remain to be met in order for cell therapy to become clinically effective and safe. RECENT FINDINGS: The outcome of previous clinical transplantation trials was variable in terms of motor recovery. We discus

Some primary immunodeficiencies (PIDs) express low serum levels of antibodies. The constant heavy G chain (IGHG) genes, also representing Fc domains of gamma3, gamma1 and gamma2 on chromosome 14q32.3, genotyped by the alternative IgG subclass allotypes, found in four fixed IGHG haplotypes, designating four B cell variants, were identified by a competitive ELISA and double immunodiffusion. IGHG gen

The prevention of aggressive behaviours is a core priority for psychiatric clinical work, but the association between the diagnostic concepts used in psychiatry and aggression remains largely unknown. Outpatients referred for psychiatric evaluations of childhood-onset neuropsychiatric disorders (n=178) and perpetrators of violent crimes referred to pre-trial forensic psychiatric investigations (n=

AIM: To describe spontaneously reported cases of torsades de pointes (TdP) in Sweden and to investigate if this adverse drug reaction (ADR) was labelled in the summary of product characteristics (SPC) for the drugs implicated. METHODS: Reported cases of TdP 1991-2006 were identified and evaluated with regard to drug use and other possible risk factor. RESULTS: Among a total of 61 788 ADRs, 88 case