Objective. C1q deficiency is the strongest risk factor known for the development of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), since almost all humans with a genetic deficiency of C1q develop this disease. Low C1q serum concentration is also a typical finding in SLE during flares, emphasizing the involvement of C1q in SLE pathogenesis. Recent studies have revealed that C1q has a regulatory effect on Toll

Self-incompatibility (SI) in plants is a classic example of a trait evolving under strong frequency-dependent selection. As a consequence, population genetic theory predicts that the S locus, which controls SI, should maintain numerous alleles, display a high level of nucleotide diversity, and, in structured populations, show a lower level of among-population differentiation compared to neutral lo

Background: Few studies have focused on the quality of secondary prevention among long-term stroke survivors. This study explores the intensity of medical intervention and the impact of lifestyle and other risk factors on the long-term stroke prognosis in a population-based setting of Swedish individuals with a history of stroke. Methods: A population-based cohort (n = 28,449) in Malmo, Sweden, wa

A drilling made in 1972 at Haslov, Scania, southern Sweden, penetrated a 2572 m thick succession of Phanerozoic strata. The only cored parts of the succession derive from the Upper Ordovician and the Furongian (upper Cambrian) series. Merely the uppermost part of the Furongian was recovered, comprising eight metres of Alum Shale with limestone concretions. Nine species and subspecies of trilobites

We evaluated the influence of UV radiation exposure time on abiotic transformations of leachates from 2 aquatic macrophytes: Phragmites australis and Hydrocaris morsus-ranae. In addition, we studied the influence of phototransformations of DOM on bacterial growth. Sterile filtered leachates were exposed to UV radiation for 5, 10, 24, 48, 72 and 120 h or kept in the dark. Dissolved inorganic carbon

Limited responsiveness to inflammatory cytokines is a feature of adult hematopoietic stem cells and contributes to the relative quiescence and durability of the stem cell population in vivo. Here we report that the executioner Caspase, Caspase-3, unexpectedly participates in that process. Mice deficient in Caspase-3 had increased numbers of immunophenotypic long-term repopulating stem cells in ass

Neurosphere cultures are widely used to propagate multipotent CNS precursors, but their differentiation into neurons or oligodendrocytes is rather poor. To elucidate fate determination in this system, we examined the expression and function of candidate transcription factors in neurospheres derived from different CNS regions during development and adulthood. We observed prominent down-regulation o

It has been repeatedly demonstrated that ACTH administration lowers plasma lipid concentrations in man. The present study was designed to test the hypothesis, based on observations of decreased apolipoprotein B (ApoB) synthesis and secretion in vitro, that ACTH administration inhibits the postprandial output of ApoB in man. Therefore, we studied the response to a fat-rich meal supplemented with Vi

A system for interstitial photodynamic therapy with delta-aminolaevulinic acid and multiple optical fibers has been developed. The system enables photodynamic treatment of large embedded tumor volumes and utilizes real-time measurements to allow on-line dosimetry. Important parameters such as light fluence rate, sensitizer fluorescence intensity, and changes in local blood oxygen saturation are me

OBJECTIVE: To measure intracellular and tissue pH in periarticular soft tissue during different phases of antigen induced arthritis in the rat. METHODS: pH was calculated using the following values: (1) the distribution of [14C]-dimethyl-oxazolidinedione; (2) the total tissue water and the extracellular space water volume, which was measured as [14C]-sucrose distribution in nephrectomized rats. Ex

For photon fields, separate dose distribution kernels have been generated for charged particles produced in the first interaction, for single and multiple scattered photons, including bremsstrahlung and annihilation. These kernels are applied in absorbed dose calculations for radiotherapy treatment planning using a convolution technique. The vast amount of kernel data required for 3D calculations

Iron deficiency (ID) and anaemia are common in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). The presence of anaemia is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in CHF, and ID is a major reason for the development of anaemia. Preliminary studies using intravenous (i.v.) iron supplementation alone in patients with CHF and ID have shown improvements in symptom status. FAIR-HF (Clinical Trials.

Gender differences and variations in inflammatory disease (e. g. atherosclerosis, neurological disorders, periodontitis and rheumatoid arthritis) severity with female sex hormone level have been reported, suggesting that female sex hormones modulate the inflammatory response. Estrogens act on gene transcription via estrogen receptors alpha and beta. Identification of estrogen-regulated genes is a

Information on objectively assessed physical activity in elderly people is scarce. The aim of this study was to investigate accelerometer measures in elderly women, and its relation to other indices of physical activity and bone density. A subset of 57 women, all 80 years old, (range 80.0-80.7) of the Malmo OPRA study was equipped with an MTI accelerometer for a period of 5-7 days. A 7-day activit

The article analyses how Islam, traditions and modernity are socially negotiated and reconstructed in the Arab Gulf states under the influence of globalization and new communication technologies. Although these concepts are subjected to 'reifications', they are important in the official rhetoric for the legitimization of political power. The author bases her study on conventional anthropological f

Gaussian wave models have been successfully used since the early 1950s to describe the development of random sea waves, particularly as input to dynamic simulation of the safety of ships and offshore structures. A drawback of the Gaussian model is that it produces stochastically symmetric waves, which is an unrealistic feature and can lead to unconservative safety estimates. The Gaussian model des