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Primary Sjogren's syndrome (SS) shares many features with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Here we investigated the association of the three major polymorphisms in IRF5 and STAT4 found to be associated with SLE, in patients from Sweden and Norway with primary SS. These polymorphisms are a 5-bp CGGGG indel in the promoter of IRF5, the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs10488631 downstream of
The microarray technology has revolutionized biological research in the last decade. By monitoring the expression of many genes simultaneously, microarrays can elucidate gene function, as well as scan entire genomes for candidate genes encoding complex traits. However, because of high costs of sequencing and design, microarrays have largely been restricted to a few model species. Cross-species mic
Bile-tolerant Helicobacter spp. are emerging human and animal pathogens. However, due to their fastidious nature, which requires nutrient-rich complex media to grow, infection with these bacteria may be underestimated. The accumulation of toxic metabolites in cultures may be one of the main obstacles for successful culture of these organisms. The present study examined various potential growth-enh
Endotoxin exposure is associated with wheeze and asthma morbidity, while early life exposure may reduce risk of allergy and asthma. Unfortunately, it is difficult to compare endotoxin results from different laboratories and environments. We undertook this study to determine if lipopolysaccharide ( LPS) extraction efficiency could account for differences among laboratories. We generated and collect
Purpose: A scale assessing primary care physicians' priorities for genetic education (The Gen-EP scale) was developed and tested in five European countries. The objective of this study was to determine its factor structure, to test scaling assumptions and to determine internal consistency. Methods: The sample consisted of 3686 practitioners (general practitioners, gyneco-obstetricians, pediatricia
Background: Neutrophils are traditionally considered transcriptionally inactive. Compared to other immune cells, little is known about their transcriptional profile during interaction with pathogens. Methods: We analyzed the meta-transcriptome of the neutrophil-Candida albicans interplay and the transcriptome of C. albicans challenged with neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) by RNA-Seq, consider
Streptococcus pyogenes is a major global health burden causing a wide variety of diseases. Because a vaccine against this bacterium is still lacking, vaccine candidates or antimicrobial therapies are urgently needed. Here we use an invasive and clinically relevant streptococcal M1 serotype to characterize the bacterial proteome in-depth. An elaborate fractionation technique is employed to separate
Improved water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) are significant in preventing diarrhea morbidity and mortality caused by protozoa in low- and middle-income countries. Due to the intimate and complex relationships between the different WASH components, it is often necessary to improve not just one but all of these components to have sustainable results. The objective of this paper was to review the c
Background: Several indirect calorimetry (IC) instruments are commercially available, but comparative validity and reliability data are lacking. Existing data are limited by inconsistencies in protocols, subject characteristics, or single-instrument validation comparisons. The aim of this study was to compare accuracy and reliability of metabolic carts using methanol combustion as the cross-labora
The origins of allergic asthma, particularly in infancy, remain obscure. Respiratory viral infections and allergen sensitization in early life have been associated with asthma in young children. However, a causal link has not been established. We investigated whether an influenza A infection in early life alters immune responses to house dust mite (HDM) and promotes an asthmatic phenotype later in
Post-translational modifications of proteins significantly affect their structure and function. The carbamylation of positively charged lysine residues to form neutral homoitrulline occurs primarily under inflammatory conditions through myeloperoxidase-dependent cyanate (CNO-) formation. We analyzed the pattern of human IgG(1) carbamylation under inflammatory conditions and the effects that this m
Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) causes acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD). Interleukin (IL)-17A is central for neutrophilic inflammation, and has been linked to COPD pathogenesis.
Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is an autoimmune bullous disease, associated with autoantibodies directed against the hemidesmosomal components BP180 and BP230. In this study for the first time different laboratories have analyzed the autoantibody profile in the same group of 49 prospectively recruited BP patients. The results show that: 1) disease severity and activity correlated with levels of IgG again
Objective To assess the accuracy and reproducibility of ultrasound 'pattern recognition' for the diagnosis of borderline ovarian tumors by asking experienced ultrasound operators to evaluate representative images of different types of adnexal tumor. Methods Digitally stored static two-dimensional B-mode images of representative cases of benign, borderline and invasive malignant ovarian tumors were
Anti-idiotypic antibodies (anti-Id) to autoantibodies are present in several autoimmune diseases and are hypothesized to have regulatory function. Recently we reported the presence of anti-Id to a major type 1 diabetes-associated autoantibody (CAD65Ab) in sera of healthy individuals. Our current assay for the detection of GAD65Ab-specific anti-Id requires the initial removal of anti-Id from the se
This thesis has evaluated the immunological- and epidemiological aspects of human papillomavirus transmission dynamics and its effect on circumcision. Effective prophylactic vaccines are based on type-specific neutralizing antibodies. A major neutralizing epitope is defined by the monoclonal antibody H16.V5. To investigate the importance of this epitope for overall immunogenicity of HPV16, we en
Objective The aim of this study was to establish when a second-stage diagnostic test may be of value in cases where a primary diagnostic test has given an uncertain diagnosis of the benign or malignant nature of an adnexal mass. Methods The diagnostic performance with regard to discrimination between benign and malignant adnexal masses for mathematical models including ultrasound variables and for
