The c-kit-encoded tyrosine kinase receptor for stem cell factor (Kit/SCFR) is crucial for the development of hematopoietic cells, melanoblasts, and germ cells. Ligand stimulation of Kit/SCFR leads to receptor dimerization and autophosphorylation on tyrosine residues. We recently showed, that protein kinase C (PKC) acts in an SCF-stimulated negative feedback loop, which controls Kit/SCFR tyrosine k

The idea to use transplants of dopamine-producing cells to substitute for the lost midbrain dopamine neurons in Parkinson's disease (PD) goes back to the 1970s. In this review we give an overview of the history of cell transplantation in animal models of PD, and summarize the experience gained from the open-label and placebo-controlled clinical trials performed so far using intrastriatal transplan

The contribution of hereditary factors for development of childhood tumors is limited to some few known syndromes associated with predominance of tumors in childhood. Occurrence of childhood tumors in hereditary cancer syndromes such as BRCA1/2 associated breast and ovarian cancer, DNA-mismatch repair (MMR) genes associated hereditary non polyposis colorectal cancer and CDKN2A associated familial

Sp1/Kruppel-like factor (KLF) family of transcription factors regulates diverse biological processes including cell growth, differentiation, and development through modulation of gene expression. This family of factors regulates transcription positively and negatively by binding to the GC and GT/CACCC boxes in the promoter through their highly conserved three zinc finger domains. Although the mole

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Type 2 diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder associated with devastating microvascular complications. Genome-wide association studies have identified more than 60 genetic variants associated with type 2 diabetes and/or glucose and insulin traits, but their role in the progression of diabetes is not established. The aim of this study was to explore whether these variants were al

Ann-Marie Pendrill has been on the Physics Education board since 2008 and has been teaching for 18 years. What led her into teaching, what challenges lay ahead and who would she most like to have dinner with? Read our interview and find our more.

PURPOSE: Although survival has been studied for various subtypes of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), there have been few comprehensive studies to quantify the prognosis, including all specific histologies. The effect of family history on survival in NHL has not been examined. METHODS: We used the Swedish Family-Cancer Database to estimate hazard ratios in NHL by histology and family history. RESULTS:

We present a new method for investigating the nonperturbative quantum mechanical interaction of light with atoms in two dimensions, without a basis expansion. This enables us to investigate intense laser-atom interactions with light of arbitrary polarization without approximation, within the model restrictions. Results are presented for the dependence of ionization and high harmonic generation on

Approximately 8% of clear cell renal cell carcinoma cases contain regions of radically different morphology, demonstrating a mesenchymal appearance histologically resembling sarcomas. These biphasic neoplasms are called sarcomatoid clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Patients diagnosed with sarcomatoid clear cell renal cell carcinoma face a considerably worse prognosis due to an increased propensity

The objective of this study is to investigate whether vestibular rehabilitation can improve balance, reduce self-perceived handicap because of dizziness and, if possible, reduce falls among dizzy patients in primary healthcare. The study also finds out which of the balance measures and measure of self-perceived handicap, if any, predicted the risk of falls. The design of this study is an intervent

Previous data have indicated that IL-21 and/or IL-21R are crucial for the differentiation of naïve T cells into Th17 cells and also play a key role in the development of autoimmune disease. Given this, IL-21 and/or IL-21R are potential targets for therapy of such diseases; however, a study in this issue of the European Journal of Immunology, provides a new twist in the story as it is now shown tha

Relations between Generalized LDPC codes, nonbinary LDPC codes, and woven graph codes are considered. Focus is on rather short codes suitable, for example, for coding control signaling information in mobile communications. In particular, codes of lengths less than 200 bits are studied. Low-complexity near maximum-likelihood (ML) decoding for these classes of codes is introduced and analyzed. Frame

We examined overall and specific cancer risks among Swedish subjects who had been hospitalised one or more times for psoriasis. A database was created by identifying such patients from the Swedish Hospital Discharge Register and linking them with the Cancer Registry. Follow-up of patients was carried out from the last hospitalisation through 2004. A total of 15 858 patients were hospitalised for p

There is little systematic research on the cross-cultural validity of the dissociative disorders, especially in non-western countries. This study evaluates the fit of the DSM-IV classification and concepts of these disorders with local concepts, experiences and local presentations in south-west Uganda. We conducted focus group discussions with medical students, traditional healers, religious leade

OBJECTIVE: A diet rich in whole grain cereals is suggested to protect against type 2 diabetes and facilitate body weight regulation. However, little is known about the impact of different cereals and the underlying mechanisms. The objective of this study was to compare the long-term metabolic effects of diets supplemented with whole grain wheat or whole grain rye in the C57BL/6J mouse. METHODS: Mi

Popular Abstract in Swedish Inom science och technology centre (STC)-rörelsen finns det uttalade mål och ambitioner att öka allmänhetens intresse och förståelse för naturvetenskap. Samtidigt ifrågasätter många forskare de val som görs vad gäller utställningarnas innehåll och hävdar att det är vanligt att en alltför produktorienterad syn på naturvetenskap presenteras. Men vilka bilder och aspekter Within the science and technology centre (STC) movement there exists explicit aims and ambitions to enhance visitors’ interest in and knowledge about science. Meanwhile, several researches question the choice of the scientific content in exhibitions when arguing that a too unproblematic view of science commonly is presented. But what images and aspects of science are visitors actually confronted w

Accurate methods to preoperatively characterize adnexal tumors are pivotal for optimal patient management. A recent meta-analysis concluded that the International Ovarian Tumor Analysis (IOTA) algorithms such as the Simple Rules are the best approaches to preoperatively classify adnexal masses as benign or malignant. We sought to develop and validate a model to predict the risk of malignancy in ad