Filetype
Background: In COPD, the balance between matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their natural inhibitors [tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs)] is shifted towards excessive degradation, reflected in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) as increased MMP concentrations. Because of their critical role in lung homeostasis, MMP activity is tightly regulated, but to what extent this regulation occurs t
INTRODUCTION: An increasing number of sub-Saharan African countries are implementing national health insurance schemes (NHISs) to support the aspiration of universal health coverage (UHC). A growing body of literature recognises the private sector role in improving NHIS equity in service access, public provider complementarity and overall member satisfaction. Zambia has implemented the NHIS since
Background: Keeping the umbilical cord intact the first minutes after delivery is beneficial for both term and preterm infants. However, this may be challenging in caesarean sections (CS) due to lack of mobile resuscitation equipment, maintenance of sterility or concern for excessive maternal blood loss. The objective of this study was to develop and pilot-test extra-uterine placental transfusion
Combining multiple III-V materials into axial nanowire heterostructures has enabled the fabrication of custom nanowire-based devices useful for a wide range of applications. However, our ability to form axial heterostructures between arbitrary combinations of III-V compounds is impeded by a lack of information on the dynamics of the heterojunction formation process, often resulting in suboptimal h
We present an updated characterization of the planetary system orbiting the nearby M2 dwarf GJ 3090 (TOI-177; d=22 pc), based on new high-precision radial velocity (RV) observations from NIRPS and HARPS. With an orbital period of 2.85 d, the transiting sub-Neptune GJ 3090 b has a mass we refine to 4.52 ± 0.47 M>, which, combined with our derived radius of 2.18 ± 0.06 R2, yields a density of 2.40-0
The deep recycling of surface material into Earth’s mantle is an integral process governing global water and fluid-mobile element cycles. This recycling is largely predicated on subduction operating efficiently, which may not apply for the first two billion years of Earth’s history. Tracing the initiation and evolution of the modern deep fluid-mobile element cycle requires determining when the man
ObjectivesThis study investigates the impact of transitioning from restricted to 24/7 access to blood culture cabinets on blood culture processing.MethodA post-hoc retrospective study and a prospective laboratory simulation to evaluate the effects of delayed incubation were conducted. Data analysis evaluated clinical data comparing incubation-to-detection (ITD) and Collection-to-detection (CTD) in
Attention Restoration Theory point to nature as a particularly good candidate for restoring the ability to focus and inhibit distractions. However, little effort has been directed to elaborating on what makes nature's visual pattern unique for restoration purposes. One suggested explanation is the fractal properties of natural patterns (Hagerhall, 2005). Both perception studies (Hagerhall et al.,
It has been generally accepted that residual cartilage and subchondral bone has to be removed in order to get bony fusion in arthrodeses. In 1998 we reported successful fusion of 11 rheumatoid ankles, all treated with percutaneous fixation only. In at least one of these ankle joints there was cartilage left. More than 25 rheumatoid patients with functional alignment in the ankle joint have subsequ
Leaching of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from the forest floor and transport in soil solution into the mineral soil are important for carbon cycling in boreal forest ecosystems. We examined DOC concentrations in bulk deposition, throughfall and in soil solutions collected under the O and B horizons in three Norway spruce stands along a climatic gradient in Sweden. Mean annual temperature for the
The discovery of microRNAs (miRNAs), which are ~22 nucleotide RNAs that inhibit protein synthesis in a sequence-specific manner and are present in a range of species, has born hope of new therapeutic strategies. miRNAs play important roles in development
Much of the Baltic Sea is currently classified as 'affected by eutrophication'. The causes for this are twofold. First, current levels of nutrient inputs (nitrogen and phosphorus) from human activities exceed the natural processing capacity with an accumulation of nutrients in the Baltic Sea over the last 50-100 years. Secondly, the Baltic Sea is naturally susceptible to nutrient enrichment due to
In higher plants, genes for subunits of respiratory chain complex I (NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase) have so far been identified solely in organellar genomes. At least nine subunits are encoded by the mitochondrial DNA and 11 homologues by the plastid DNA. One of the 'key' components of complex I is the subunit binding the substrate NADH. The corresponding gene for the mitochondrial subunit has no
Abstract Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) in the groin after vascular surgery is common and deep perivascular infection leads to long periods of hospitalization, sometimes to amputation and/or death. Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) is increasingly used for treating wounds such as deep perivascular groin infections after vascular surgery, but there is no scientific evidence supporti
Background: Changes in the autonomic nervous system (ANS) tone are present before, during, and after episodes of atrial fibrillation (AF). Atrial fibrillatory rate (AFR, the inverse of the atrial cycle length) has been used as a surrogate marker for local refractoriness and is a key characteristic of the fibrillatory process in patients with AF. Aim of this study is to assess changes in AFR, as an
OBJECTIVES: Increased vulnerability to stress has been suggested as a possible mechanism behind medically unexplained conditions such as sensitivity to electricity and common smells. This study examined whether subjective environmental annoyance among the general population is associated with increased physiological reactivity or subjective stress scores.METHODS: Four groups were studied (N=141):
The evoked release of purines from rabbit retinae preloaded with [(3)H]adenosine was studied in vitro. Potassium (8.6-43.6 mM) and ouabain (1 or 10 microM) increased the release of radioactivity in a concentration-dependent manner. The K(+)-evoked release was significantly reduced when the superfusion was carried out at 2-4 degrees C. The effect of K(+) (8.6, 13.6 and 23.6 mM) and of ouabain (1 mi
The aim of this study was to identify molecules that trigger complement activation in rheumatic joints. C4d, the final cleavage product of C4 activation, is found in the diseased joint and can bind covalently to complement-activating molecules. By using a highly specific Ab against a cleavage neoepitope in C4d, several molecules that were specifically bound to C4d were identified from pooled synov
