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We appreciate Ventres' observations and share his goal to reduce CKD incidence "by occupational, environmental, and health-related reforms that make this work [agricultural labor] more humane." In our summary of the workshop on the Mesoamerican nephropathy (MeN) in San José, Costa Rica, November 2012, we also noted the need for a broad understanding of the epidemic and we call readers' attention t
Efficient light-emitting diodes and photovoltaic energy-harvesting devices are expected to play an important role in the continued efforts towards sustainable global power consumption. Semiconductor nanowires are promising candidates as the active components of both light-emitting diodes and photovoltaic cells, primarily due to the added freedom in device design offered by the nanowire geometry. H
Background and objectives: Platelet-derived CD40L is known to regulate neutrophil recruitment and lung damage in sepsis. However, the mechanism regulating shedding of CD40L from activated platelets is not known. We hypothesized that matrix metalloproteinase-9 might cleave surface expressed CD40L and regulate pulmonary accumulation of neutrophils in sepsis. Methods: Abdominal sepsis was induced by
To explore potential associations between proinflammatory cytokines in synovial fluid and progression of osteoarthritis (OA) in meniscectomized subjects.
Memory effects in self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of zinc porphyrin carboxylic acid on TiO2 electrodes have been demonstrated for the first time by evaluating the photovoltaic and electron transfer properties of porphyrin-sensitized solar cells prepared by using different immersion solvents sequentially. The structure of the SAM of the porphyrin on the TiO2 was maintained even after treating the
Objective. To estimate the early prevalence of various electrocardiographic (EKG) abnormalities in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and to evaluate possible associations between repolarization changes (increased corrected QT [QTc] and QT dispersion [QTd]) and clinical and laboratory variables, including the anti-Ro/SSA level and specificity (52 or 60 kd). Methods. We studied adult
Current cardiovascular risk scores do not include obesity or fat distribution as independent factors, and may underestimate risk in obese individuals. Assessment of early vascular ageing (EVA) biomarkers including arterial stiffness, central blood pressure, carotid intima-media thickness and flow-mediated vasodilation may help to refine risk assessment in obese individuals in whom traditional card
Objective. Worldwide prevalence estimates of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) range from 3 to 207 per 100,000, depending on region and population, SLE definition, case sources, and other methodologic considerations. We aimed to determine the prevalence of SLE in Sweden on January 1, 2010, using population-based registers. Methods. Linking multiple national registers, we identified all possible i
Human cancers are often associated with numerical and structural chromosomal instability. Structural chromosomal aberrations (CAs) in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) arise as consequences of direct DNA damage or due to replication on a damaged DNA template. In both cases, DNA repair is critical and inter-individual differences in its capacity are probably due to corresponding genetic variations
Aerosol trapping has proven challenging and was only recently demonstrated. 1 This was accomplished by utilizing an air chamber designed to have a minimum of turbulence and a laser beam with a minimum of aberration. Individual gold nano-particles with diameters between 80 nm and 200 nm were trapped in air using a 1064 nm laser. The positions visited by the trapped gold nano-particle were quantifie
Objective. To investigate gender differences in the association between self-rated health (SRH) and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) in subjects unaware of their glucose tolerance. Design. A cross-sectional population-based study. Setting. The two municipalities of Vara and Skovde in south-western Sweden. Subjects. A total of 2502 participants (1301 women and 1201 men), aged 30-75, were randomly s
In this study, the potential of a chitosan-agarose-gelatin (CAG) cryogel scaffold for the repair of subchondral cartilage defects was explored in female New Zealand white rabbits. Custom-made CAG cryogel scaffold was implanted in a surgically created subchondral defect (diameter of 4 mm, depth of 4 mm) in knee joint of rabbit. The repair of the subchondral defect was evaluated at regular time inte
The associations between marital status and poor mental health are investigated, and whether social capital, trust, and economic stress attenuate the associations between marital status and poor mental health. The public health survey in Skane (southern Sweden) 2008 is a cross-sectional study including 28,198 persons aged 18-80. Logistic regression models investigate associations between marital s
Background: The value of parental history as a risk indicator for venous thromboembolism (VTE) has not been determined in a nationwide setting. Objectives: This is the first nationwide study of age and sex specific familial VTE risks in offspring of parents hospitalized for VTE. Patients/Methods: The Swedish Multigeneration Register of 0-75-year-old subjects was linked to the Hospital Discharge Re
Background: Several studies have examined leukocyte telomere length (LTL) as a possible predictor for cancer at various organ sites. The hypothesis originally motivating many of these studies was that shorter telomeres would be associated with an increase in cancer risk, the results of epidemiologic studies have been inconsistent, however, and suggested positive, negative, or null associations. Tw
Investigation of nonlamellar nanoparticles formed by dispersion of self-assembled lipid liquid crystalline phases is stimulated by their many potential applications in science and technology; resulting from their unique solubilizing, encapsulating, and space-dividing nature. Understanding the interfacial behavior of lipid liquid crystalline nanoparticles (LCNPs) at surfaces can facilitate the expl
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis and is a major cause of pain and disability in the elderly. To search for sequence variants that confer risk of osteoarthritis of the hand, we carried out a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in subjects with severe hand osteoarthritis, using variants identified through the whole-genome sequencing of 2,230 Icelanders. We found two significantly
ObjectiveTo quantitatively evaluate the position, size, and shape of the menisci in subjects with radiographic knee osteoarthritis (OA) compared to subjects without OA, using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MethodsWe studied the right knees of 39 Osteoarthritis Initiative participants (24 women and 15 men with a mean age of 59.6 +/- 8.7 years) with medial compartment radiographic tibiofemoral OA
