Rating scales are increasingly the primary outcome measures in clinical trials. However, clinically meaningful interpretation of such outcomes requires that the scales used satisfy basic requirements (scaling assumptions) within the data. These are rarely tested. The SF-36 is the most widely used patient-reported rating scale. Its scaling assumptions have been challenged in neurological disorders

The challenge of understanding how localized deformation modifies fluid flow in porous rock is addressed. New approaches are presented, based on neutron radiography and digital image analyses, to track fluid flow in rock specimens and to calculate flow velocity fields providing local flow measurements. The results show that neutron radiography, backed up by appropriate image analysis, is a very po

Human social, cognitive, and linguistic functioning depends on skills for rapidly processing action. Identifying distinct acts within the dynamic motion flow is one basic component of action processing; for example, skill at segmenting action is foundational to action categorization, verb learning, and comprehension of novel action sequences. Yet little is currently known about mechanisms that may

Background: Trust as a measure of social capital has been documented to be associated with health. Mediating factors for this association are not well investigated. Harmful alcohol consumption is believed to be one of the mediating factors. We hypothesized that low social capital defined as low institutional trust is associated with harmful alcohol consumption. Methods: Data from the 2006 Swedish

Since 2002, the Library & ICT Unit at the Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, has been assigned to support researchers in the scientific communication process at the faculty. One of the services offered to authors in this context is aimed at making their final products—articles that have been accepted, peer reviewed, and published by any journal—available through open access on the Internet.

Stroke is a severe cerebrovascular disease in which the neuronal tissue and vasculature of the brain undergo ischemia-evoked alterations. We have demonstrated an increased expression of cerebrovascular contractile receptors in the brain. This is hypothesized to mitigate cerebral blood flow and exacerbate tissue damage after stroke. An increased contractile property of these receptors has been demo

Bacterial and fungal growth rate measurements are sensitive variables to detect changes in environmental conditions. However, while methods to assess the species composition and biomass of fungi and bacteria has made much progress, information about growth rates remains surprisingly rudimentary. We review the recent history of approaches to assess bacterial and fungal growth rates, leading up to c

On the macro level, bankruptcies are an intrinsic part of market economies and result in restructurings of companies and markets. On the micro level, bankrupt entrepreneurs are temporarily excluded from the market and forced to reorganize their understanding of the market. While some seek their way back to entrepreneurship, others decide to find other means of living which may result in drainage o

Background: Antibodies against gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and gastrointestinal dysmotility have been found after treatment with GnRH analogues. The aim of this study was to examine the presence of such antibodies in patients with dysmotility not subjected to GnRH treatment and study the anti-GnRH antibody effect on enteric neurons viability in vitro. Methods: Plasma and sera from 3 pati

Objective The interleukin 2 (IL-2) and interleukin 21 (IL-21) locus at chromosome 4q27 has been associated with several autoimmune diseases, and both genes are related to immune system functions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of the IL-2/IL-21 locus in systemic sclerosis (SSc). Patients and methods The case control study included 4493 SSc Caucasian patients and 5856 healthy contro

Background: Tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) are alternatively activated macrophages that enhance tumor progression by promoting tumor cell invasion, migration and angiogenesis. TAMs have an anti-inflammatory function resembling M2 macrophages. CD163 is regarded as a highly specific monocyte/macrophage marker for M2 macrophages. In this study we evaluated the specificity of using the M2 macroph

The liberty of religion is not easy to define or regulate. It is closely connected to other liberties and rights. Starting from individual liberty, the consequence will be a right to religion or from religion, the right to change religion or confession, and the right to transition from religion to no religion, or from no religion to religion. It is obvious that the state, the religious denominatio

Popular Abstract in English Retailers are increasingly expected to use their market power to support the societal goal of sustainable consumption and production (SCP). For retailers, the challenge herein lies in the difficulty to translate the abstract societal discourse into concrete action in the marketplace. This thesis argues that retailers are well advised to give more attention to the indiviRetailers across Western Europe are faced with the challenge to integrate the idea of sustainable consumption and production (SCP) into their operations. The difficulty hierin lies in the the lack of any clear understanding or agreement for what the term implies for retailers and how to implement it in retailers’ daily operations. Instead, retailers need to handle a number of different – at times

Collste O, Sorensson P, Frick M, Agewall S, Daniel M, Henareh L, Ekenback C, Eurenius L, Guiron C, Jernberg T, Hofman-Bang C, Malmqvist K, Nagy E, Arheden H, Tornvall P (Sodersjukhuset, Stockholm; Karolinska Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Sankt Goran Hospital Capio, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm; Huddinge, Stockholm; Danderyd Hospital, Karo

Background: The most common intrarenal cause for acute kidney injury/renal failure is tubular damage. The kidney tubules are arranged as compartments of cellular mosaics to perform their functions, and at rest almost a fifth of the human ATP consumption is allotted to the reabsorption of substances from the filtrate, rendering especially the proximal tubules highly sensitive to oxygen and/or nutri

On their route to tropical Africa, European trans-Saharan migrants must cross two major geographical barriers, the Mediterranean Sea and the Sahara Desert, which necessitates the accumulation of large fuel loads. While northern Africa is the chief region where most migrants gain fuel for the Sahara crossing, Iberia is a target area to gain fuel before the sea crossing existing between Europe and A