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BACKGROUND.: To better define subpopulations in which achieving adequate mycophenolic acid (MPA) concentrations quickly would be important, a post hoc exploratory analysis on the fixed-dose concentration-controlled database was performed, comparing high- versus low-risk renal transplant patients. METHODS.: Renal transplant patients were treated with mycophenolate mofetil, corticosteroids, and cycl
Popular Abstract in English It is hard to imagine present day’s lifestyle without the use of modern technologies as prevalent in sectors including bioscience & technology and the semiconductor & chemical industries. In technological advances of biosensors, catalysis, and microelectronics, the surface modification of materials (which includes modification of the wetting, structural, electriThe research work described in this thesis is concerned with the modification of oxide surfaces, as reflected by its title. The surfaces and their modification have been studied using a range of experimental surface characterization tools, in particular x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), fluorescence microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and scanning tunneling mic
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis and often causes pain and functional impairment. Despite its high burden on society, knowledge about the occurrence of OA and its associated mortality is sparse. The epidemiology of OA is difficult to determine due to the patients’ fluctuating symptoms and challenges in detecting and defining the radiographic disease. The specific aims of th
RF and DC characterization of vertical InAs nanowire MOSFET on Si substrates are presented. Nanowire arrays are epitaxially integrated on Si substrates by use of a thin InAs buffer layer. For device fabrication, high-k HfO2 gate dielectric and wrap-gates are used. Post-deposition annealing of the high-k is evaluated by comparing one annealed and one not-annealed sample. The annealed sample show be
OBJECTIVE: It has been proposed that remission should be maintained throughout the course of rheumatoid arthritis (RA); however, the evidence supporting this is limited. Physical function measured by the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) is a major outcome in RA, and HAQ is shown to be one of the strongest predictors of longterm outcomes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the physic
Practitioners and scholars are increasingly aware that an array of new actors, communication technologies, agendas and expectations are changing the institution of diplomacy. How diplomatic actors are known and experienced through their representation assumes an increasingly important, and uncertain, role. This article argues that these changes to the field should be considered in terms of the shi
Background: Uncomplicated cystitis is one of the most common reasons for antibiotic treatment in otherwise healthy women. Nationwide studies on antibiotic treatment for this infection and in relation to factors beyond the infection itself have hitherto not been available. Methods: This was a nationwide open cohort study consisting of 352,507 women aged 15–50 years with uncomplicated cystitis (2006
Aerosol particles are a complex component of the atmospheric system which influence climate directly by interacting with solar radiation, and indirectly by contributing to cloud formation. The variety of their sources, as well as the multiple transformations they may undergo during their transport (including wet and dry deposition), result in significant spatial and temporal variability of their p
In the early morning, large groups of up to hundreds or even thousands of roosting birds, sometimes comprising the entire roost population, often take off together in sudden mass departures. These departures commonly occur in low-light conditions and structurally complex habitats where access to visual cues is likely to be restricted. Roosting birds are often highly vocal, leading us to hypothesis
Ceramic biomaterials are promising alternatives to bone autografts. However, limited bioactivity affects their performance. Therefore, bioactive molecules and cells are often added to enhance their performance. Exosomes have emerged as cell-secreted vesicles, delivering proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids in a paracrine/endocrine fashion. We studied two complementary aspects required for exosome a
Personal cooling garments (PCGs) can represent an adaptation solution to counteract heat strain and to improve worker's health and productivity (especially for some outdoor work activities as in agriculture and in the construction industry). The cooling effect of a ventilation jacket was preliminarily investigated carrying out “dry” tests in a climatic chamber on a thermal manikin. A standardized
Pharmaceutical packaging has an increasing importance in aging societies, wherepeople depend on medicines for their own care and well-being. Previous research shows that pharmaceutical packaging is a source of uncertainties, confusion, and daily struggles. The challenges experienced by users are extensive; the pharmaceutical industry needs to respond with packaging innovation. To address these com
Electroactive polymers with time-dependent behavior are considered in the present paper by way of a new physics-based micromechanical model; such viscoelastic response is described by the internal evolution of the polymer network, providing a new viewpoint on the stress relaxation occurring in elastomers. The main peculiarity of such internally rearranging materials is their capacity to locally re
Background: Transcatheter closure of secundum atrial septal defect (ASD) is nowadays the main treatment option in many centers worldwide. In symptomatic infants or in those with certain comorbidities, there is a need for early intervention. Limited data are available about the procedural safety in infants below 15 kg of weight. Methods: Retrospective review of all patients referred to our center f
Previous studies have identified an association between osteoporotic fracture and a polymorphism affecting a Sp1 binding site in the first intron of the collagen type I alpha 1 gene (COL1A1). It is currently unclear, however, whether this association is direct or the result of linkage disequilibrium with other polymorphisms situated nearby. In this study we analyzed the relationship between four w
This collection gathers the more important instruments dealing with the relationships of business with a range of topics such as labor rights, security issues, environmental protection, anti-corruption, good governance, poverty alleviation and development, which all have important human rights dimensions. The premise for this selection is that business has both responsibilities and opportunities t
Purpose - This paper aims to explore the electronic design of the Touch Hand: a low-cost electrically powered prosthetic hand. The hand is equipped with an array of sensors allowing for position control and haptic sensation. Pressure sensors are used on the fingertips to detect grip force. A temperature sensor placed in the fingertip is used to measure the contact temperature of objects. Investiga
In this study, a rapid and sensitive ultra-high performance supercritical fluid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHPSFC-MS) method has been developed and partially validated for the separation of carotenoids within less than 6 min. Six columns of orthogonal selectivity were examined, and the best separation was obtained by using a 1-aminoanthracene (1-AA) column. The length of polyene chain as we
This paper highlights the potential for basing participatory action research on priorities identified by communities. The case builds on a research project by the Social Science Medicine Africa Network (Soma-net) focusing on AIDS prevention among school youth in Kajiado in Kenya during 2003–2006. It became clear from that study just how complex it is to promote open communication on issues of sexu
Hyperinsulinemia is an adaptive mechanism that enables the maintenance of normoglycemia in the presence of insulin resistance. We assessed whether glucagon is also involved in the adaptation to insulin resistance. A total of 1,437 individuals underwent an oral glucose tolerance test with measurements of circulating glucose, insulin, and glucagon concentrations at 0, 30 and 120 min. Early glucagon
