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Objectives: To assess the usefulness of hand function measurements in a study of treatment effects of tumour necrosis factor (TNF) blockers and to define the relationship between different hand function tests and also relate hand function to general disability and disease activity. Methods: The study group consisted of 49 patients with established rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who were followed for 1

The transcriptional enhancer region in intron 1 of the proto-oncogene MDM2 contains a polymorphic site (SNP309) that may harbor a G or a T nucleotide. Previous studies have shown that the G allele confers a higher affinity for the Sp1 transcription factor, resulting in an increased transcriptional activity of MDM2. A constitutional G allele has also been associated with earlier onset of various ca

Tamoxifen is the most used adjuvant drug in breast cancer treatment. Its main action is as an anti-oestrogen, but in the endometrium of some patients it acts as an oestrogen. Some investigators have even reported an increased risk of developing endometrial carcinoma. The question of how to follow-up these patients and how to identify patients at risk of developing endometrial premalignant changes

We and others have previously shown that inhibitor containing plasma from patients with congenital haemophilia A sometimes reacts less with von Willebrand factor (VWF) containing concentrates compared with highly purified plasma-derived or recombinant factor VIII (FVIII) concentrates. To further substantiate the haemostatic role of a variation in inhibitor reactivity with different FVIII concentra

BACKGROUND: father's sense of security in the early postnatal period is important for the whole family. An instrument, which measures Parents' Postnatal Sense of Security (the PPSS instrument), is under development. OBJECTIVE: to explore and describe factors, which influence fathers' sense of security during the first postnatal week. METHODS: an explorative design with a qualitative approach was u

Two new species of Caloplaca are described, C. pseudocitrina (in the C. citrina group), which is characterized by rather long spores with a thin septum, and a squamulose thallus and C. akbarica (C. saxicola-group) characterized by rather thick, brightly yellowish pruinose apothecia and a paraplectenchymatous proper exciple. The characters of the new species and their closely allied taxa are compar

A frequency-doubled laser diode system for generation of blue-UV light is described. The system is based on an external-cavity high-power laser diode with double feedback from the zeroth and the first orders of a diffraction grating. Light at 405 nm is generated in a single-pass configuration using periodically poled KTiOPO4. We show that the double grating feedback improves the second harmonic co

Recombinant lentiviral vectors (rLV) are powerful tools for gene transfer to the central nervous system (CNS) and hold great potential as a therapeutic gene therapy strategy for neurological disorders. Recent data indicate that rLVs are suitable for functional studies in the CNS by over expression or knock down of specific proteins. Based on a variety of lentiviruses species, different vector syst

PURPOSE: Sunitinib has demonstrated antitumor activity in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) when given at 50 mg/d on a 4-weeks-on 2-weeks-off regimen. Herein, we report results of an open-label, multicenter phase II mRCC study of sunitinib administered on a continuous once-daily dosing regimen. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eligibility criteria included histologically proven mRCC with measurable dise

Mt. Amiata, located in southern Tuscany (Italy), is part of the geologic anomaly of the Mediterranean basin, which contains about 65% of the world's cinnabar (HgS) deposits. Atmospheric mercury emissions from the main sources (geothermal power plants, abandoned mine structures and spoil banks of roasted cinnabar ore) were determined by flux chamber and by LIDAR remote sensing. Mercury emissions fr

We evaluated whether matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) 2 and 9, their inhibitors, markers for fibrinolysis, and thrombin activation are associated with diameter and growth of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). Material and Methods: Matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9, tissue inhibitor of MMPs (TIMP-1), serpine-1, tPa-serpine-1, and activated protein C- protein C inhibitor (APC-PCI) complex were analy

INTRODUCTION: Lymphomas are a heterogeneous group of malignant diseases of cells of the immune system. The best-established risk factors are related to dys-regulation of immune function, and evidence suggests that factors such as dietary or lifestyle habits may be involved in the etiology. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), 849 lymphom

l-dopa-induced dyskinesia (LID) is a common debilitating complication of dopamine replacement therapy in Parkinson's disease. Recent evidence suggests that LID may be linked causally to a hyperactivation of the Ras-ERK signaling cascade in the basal ganglia. We set out to determine whether specific targeting of Ras-guanine nucleotide-releasing factor 1 (Ras-GRF1), a brain-specific activator of the

Transcription factors (TFs) are critical for B-cell differentiation, affecting gene expression both by repression and transcriptional activation. Still, this information is not used for classification of B-cell lymphomas (BCLs). Traditionally, BCLs are diagnosed based on a phenotypic resemblance to normal B-cells; assessed by immunohistochemistry or flow cytometry, by using a handful of phenotypic

Background: Investigations on cause of death may provide valuable information about life expectancy and on conditions of terminal dementia care, which perhaps can be ameliorated. Methods: The autopsy reports were studied on all patients (n = 524; 55.3% females; median age 80 years) with a clinically and neuropathologically diagnosed dementia disorder who underwent a complete autopsy at the Univers

The aim of this study was to determine whether PET scans after radiotherapy (RT), visually interpreted as equivocal regarding metabolic neck node response can be used to accurately categorize patients as responders or nonresponders using a Likert scale and/or maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax). Other aims were to determine the performance of different methods for assessing post-RT PET scan