Conclusion: Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) is present in the adenoids in young children and might play a role in the immunological response behind the development of otitis media with effusion (OME). Objectives: To investigate the expression of the TLRs TLR4 and TLR7 in adenoids from children with OME and to compare the results with data obtained from healthy controls. Subjects and methods: This was

Introduction: Messenger RNA (mRNA) changes in the small intestine in response to acute mesenteric ischaemia (AMI) could offer novel diagnostic possibilities, but have not been described. The aim was to characterize the mRNA response to experimental AMI. Materials and methods: Twelve pigs underwent catheterisation of the superior mesenteric artery with injection of polivinylalcohol embolisation par

Popular Abstract in English This thesis is a collection of three independent but closely related studies. The focus is on the potential causes of skill mismatch, the extent of skill mismatch, the socio-demographic make-up of skill mismatch, and the consequences of skill mismatch in terms of earnings as well as employer sponsored adult education/training. A distinction is made between skill mismatcThis thesis is a collection of three independent but closely related studies. The focus is on the potential causes of skill mismatch, the extent of skill mismatch, the socio-demographic make-up of skill mismatch, and the consequences of skill mismatch in terms of earnings as well as employer sponsored adult education/training. A distinction is made between skill mismatch and education mismatch. Al

We describe a method to fill thin films of nanoporous TiO2 with solid organic hole-conducting materials and demonstrate the procedure specifically for use in the preparation of dye-sensitized solar cells. Cross-sections of the films were investigated by scanning electron microscopy and it was observed that a hot molten organic material fills pores that are 10 mu m below the surface of the film. We

Translocation of peptides through cellular membranes is a fundamental problem in developing antimicrobial peptides and in drug delivery. There is a class of peptides, known as cell-penetrating peptides, that are able to penetrate membranes without disrupting them. They can carry pharmacological compounds, thus a promising strategy for drug delivery. The physical mechanisms that facilitate transloc

Three methanogenic biofilm bioreactors were studied to evaluate the performance of three types of carriers. The carrier material were consisted of sisal fibre waste, pumice stone and porous glass beads, and the bioprocess evaluated was the methanogenesis anaerobic digestion of sisal leaf waste leachate. Process performance was investigated by increasing the organic loading rate (OLR) step-wise. Th

Several Swedish prepositions have two variants, established a few centuries ago. In some cases the long form is older, in other cases the short form is. The article discusses this as some form of conspiration leading to a situation where the long form tends to have partly other uses than the short form.

Articulatory data were collected for the Swedish vowels /iː, yˌ, ʉ̟ː/ from nine speakers each of Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Malmöhus Swedish, and the tongue positions and their dynamics analysed using Functional Data Analysis (FDA). Results showed that the general tongue positions for /iː/ and /yː/ are similar and clearly different from /ʉ̟ː/ in all three dialects. Variation within the Stockholm a

Homing by the nocturnal Namib Desert spider Leucorchestris arenicola (Araneae: Sparassidae) is comparable to homing in diurnal bees, wasps and ants in terms of path length and layout. The spiders' homing is based on vision but their basic navigational strategy is unclear. Diurnal homing insects use memorised views of their home in snapshot matching strategies. The insects learn the visual scenery

This paper proposes a novel non-parametric estimator for spectroscopic echo-train signals, termed ETCAPA, to be used as a robust and reliable first-approach-technique for new, unknown, or partly disturbed substances. Exploiting the complete echo structure for the signal of interest, the method reliably estimates all parameters of interest, enabling initial estimates for the identification procedur

BACKGROUND: The Kidd blood group antigens Jk(a) and Jk(b) are encoded by the red blood cell (RBC) urea transporter gene. Homozygosity for silent JK alleles results in the rare Jk(a-b-) phenotype. To date, seven JK(null) alleles have been identified, and of these, two are more frequent in the Polynesians and Finns. This study reports the identification of other JK(null) alleles in Jk(a-b-) individu

ABSTRACT Teaching and learning are frequently treated as processes that are separate from each other, while teachers and learners are considered as disembodied entities with a neutral position towards the content which is negotiated. In collective biography writing (CBW), a very different approach is taken. Writing, reading and learning are seen as an integrated whole, where teachers and educators

Objectives: To estimate the rate of malignancy in adnexal lesions described as unilocular cysts at transvaginal ultrasound examination, to investigate if there are differences in clinical and ultrasound characteristics between benign and malignant unilocular cysts. Methods: 3511 patients with an adnexal mass underwent transvaginal ultrasound examination between 1999 and 2007. The sonologists used

The recently developed Exchange Metal Cluster Source (EXMEC) is described. The source is designed for electron-spectroscopic studies of neutral metal clusters. Preliminary results on the rubidium and tin clusters using synchrotron radiation excited photoelectron spectroscopy show the capability for cluster production in the size regime of few tens to few hundred of atoms per cluster. A wide range

Superantigens (SAgs) are toxins capable of inducing a massive immune response, leading to severe disease. They are secreted by the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes, which produce the staphylococcal enterotoxins and streptococcal pyogenic exotoxins, respectively. Our immune system has evolved to protect us against foreign threats, such as bacteria and viruses. By engulfing