Apoptotic cells have been reported to down- regulate membrane-bound complement regulatory proteins ( m- C- Reg) and to activate complement. Nonetheless, most apoptotic cells do not undergo complement- mediated lysis. Therefore, we hypothesized that fluid phase complement inhibitors would bind to apoptotic cells and compensate functionally for the loss of m- C- Reg. We observed that m- C- Reg are d

A study was undertaken of the role of osmotoxicity in gadolinium (Gd) and iodine contrast media (CM) nephrotoxicity in ischemic porcine kidneys. Test solutions: mannitol iso-osmotic to 0.5 M: gadopentetate (1.96 Osm/kg H2O), 0.5 M: gadodiamide (0.78 Osm/kg H2O) and 0.5 M: iohexol (190 mg I/ml, 0.42 Osm/kg H2O). Each solution was injected [3 ml/kg body weight (BW)] into the balloon-occluded (10 min

Saturated straight- and branched-chain 3-hydroxy fatty acids (3-OH FAs) of 10-18 carbon chain lengths were determined in saliva from 27 individuals with chronic periodontitis and 18 healthy individuals by using gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Of the 14 different 3-OH FAs detected, 3-OH-C-i17:0 was the most abundant in the periodontitis samples while 3-OH-C-14:0 was the most abundant i

In this paper, the use of airborne chemistry (acoustically levitated drops) in combination with Raman spectroscopy is explored. We report herein the first Raman studies of crystallization processes in levitated drops and the first demonstration of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) detection in this medium. Crystallization studies on the model compounds benzamide and indomethacin resulted in

Background: Sevoflurane is a rapid-acting volatile anaesthetic agent frequently used in paediatric anaesthesia despite transient postoperative symptoms of cerebral excitation, particularly in preschool children. This randomised and investigator-blinded study was designed to evaluate whether premedication with an opioid might reduce non-divertible postoperative excitation more than premedication wi

Twelve 40Ar-39Ar biotite and four hornblende age determinations have been carried out to constrain the cooling history of the Proterozoic bedrock near Oskarshamn, SE Sweden; an area identified as a possible site for long-term nuclear waste storage. The bedrock hosts 1.80 Ga granites, granodiorites, quartz monzodiorites and diorites/gabbros of the Transscandinavian Igneous Belt and two 1.45-1.44 Ga

Exposure to polyvinyl chloride. (PVC) plastics as a risk factor for testicular cancer was investigated. In total, 981 cases who were 20-75 years old and had reported to the Swedish Cancer Registry during 1993-1997 were included. One matched control from the population registry was used. Exposure was assessed by a questionnaire that was supplemented over the phone. Furthermore, an occupational hygi

A suite of analyses was performed on sediments accumulated during the last 10 700 years in Lake Spaime, a small, hydrologically open water body in the modern alpine tundra zone of the Scandes Mountains, west-central Sweden. The study aimed to evaluate (1) the nature of climate changes that forced the late-Holocene lowering of altitudinal tree limit in the region, the timing of which is known from

The problem of controlling delayed systems has been widely studied in the control community. The Smith predictor (SP) scheme was the most famous and efficient technique to cope with this problem. Afterwards, robustness problems and those related to the control of integrating and unstable delayed processes were resolved. This work presents an interactive tool for studying and understanding the diff

The incidence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury remains high in young athletes. Because female athletes have a much higher incidence of ACL injuries in sports such as basketball and team handball than male athletes, the IOC Medical Commission invited a multidisciplinary group of ACL expert clinicians and scientists to (1) review current evidence including data from the new Scandinavian AC

The inherent limitations of a specific pencil beam model have been studied when applied to a cylindrical geometry simulating the neck region. A comparison is made between measured and calculated absorbed dose in a cylindrical phantom. The goal is to quantify the deviations in the absorbed dose level, i.e., the dose per monitor unit, when photons are used for the treatment of head and neck tumours.

An algebraic integer is called an epsilon-Pisot number (epsilon > 0) if its Galois conjugates have absolute value less then epsilon. Let K be any real algebraic number field. We prove that the subset of K consisting of epsilon-Pisot numbers which have the same degree as that of the field is relatively dense in the real line R. This has some applications to non-stationary products of random matrice

In order to improve the forecasts of the impact of solar activity on the terrestrial environment on time scales longer than days, improved understanding and forecasts of the solar activity are needed. The first results of a new approach of modelling and forecasting solar activity are presented. Time series of solar activity indicators, such as sunspot number, group sunspot number, F10.7, E10.7, so