Human neutrophil peptide-1 (HNP-1) is a member of the alpha-defensin family. Defensins are cationic antimicrobial peptides, which play an important role in the antimicrobial response to microorganisms. In addition, recent studies have revealed the involvement of defensins in inflammation, immunity and wound repair. Defensins are present in the azurophilic granules of neutrophils and are released u

The increasing interest in the European historical log construction has heightened the need for comprehensive studies in different parts of the continent to view both the common features and the particular ones. The advanced Scandinavian research has revealed the problems of studying in depth and maintaining the log heritage when links to traditional carpentry are lost. One of the fortunate places

Two-step steam pretreatment of softwood on laboratory scale has previously been shown to result in higher yields than one-step steam pretreatment. In this study, these results are verified on a larger scale. In an industrial process filtration and washing of the material between the two pretreatment steps are difficult without release of pressure. A worst case without filtration or washing was thu

OBJECTIVE: Perfusion-related parameters obtained by intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) MR imaging (MRI) were compared with cerebral blood volume and flow (CBV and CBF), retrieved by dynamic susceptibility-contrast (DSC) MRI. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty-eight volunteers (average age 68.5 years) were investigated. Spin-echo echo-planar imaging with IVIM-encoding gradients was employed (36 differen

A European Union (EU) directive on vitamins and minerals used as ingredients of food supplements with a nutritional or physiological effect (2002/46/EC) was introduced in 2003. Its implications for the use of oral supplements of calcium and vitamin D in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis were discussed at a meeting organized with the help of the World Health Organization ( WHO) Collabora

Popular Abstract in Swedish From an economic viewpoint, derivatives and credit-extension instruments are the basic building blocks of all financial instruments. By structuring these building blocks in various combinations, it is possible to attain the economic substance of any conventional financial instrument – regular shares or bonds, as well as more complex financial instruments such as contingThe aim of this book is to examine the Swedish income tax treatment of derivatives, to ascertain the extent to which this treatment provides tax arbitrage opportunities, and to present possible solution that may prevent existing arbitrage opportunities. This study establishes that there are two types of financial instruments that constitute the greatest challenges regarding tax arbitrage opportuni

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The effect of continuous and intermittent ethanol exposure on the phospholipid composition of Neuroblastoma x Glioma (NG 108-15) cell membranes was investigated. The cells were treated with ethanol for three weeks. Continuous ethanol exposure (150 mM) produced an increase (27%) in the amount of phosphatidylcholine, whereas intermittent ethanol treatment (150 mM) induced a 22% reduction of this lip

Decreased levels of the anti-inflammatory Clara Cell Protein 16 (CC16) are found in intermittent allergic rhinitis (IAR) and asthma. In asthma this decrease has been associated with hyperreactivity and the A38G single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP). The aim of this study was to examine if IAR is associated with signs and symptoms of rhinitis and the A38G SNP. Nasal fluid CC16 was analyzed in 20 pat

Popular Abstract in Swedish Avhandlingens syfte är att undersöka energianvändningen och miljöpåverkan från bostäder. Sju autentiska byggnader byggda under 1990-talet i Sverige har studerats. De är analyserade med avseende på energianvändningen och miljöpåverkan under deras livscykel: tillverkning av byggnadsmaterial, transport av byggnadsmaterial och -komponenter till byggarbetsplats, uppförande, The objective of this thesis is to investigate the energy use and environmental impact of residential buildings. Seven authentic buildings built in the 1990s in Sweden are investigated. They are analysed according to energy use and environmental impact during their life cycle: manufacture of building materials, transport of building materials and components to the building site, erection to a buil

Background. Third trimester fetal death is a common problem in Mozambique, occurring in approximately 5% of parturient women. Objective. To elucidate the magnitude of the gestational diabetes mellitus problem, and to estimate its prevalence in a group of women with unexplained late fetal deaths and in women with live fetuses (referents). Methods. An incident case-referent study of 109 pregnant Moz

Background: A majority of patients with pancreatic cancer have obstructive jaundice and diabetes with skeletal muscle insulin resistance. Surgery for these patients is associated with significant morbidity. Uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) has been proposed to regulate energy expenditure and promote liver vulnerability. The effects of obstructive jaundice on muscle glucose metabolism and expression of