Background There are limited data on survival patterns among patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance. Design and Methods We compared the survival of 4,259 patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance, collected from hematology outpatient units in Sweden, with the survival of the general population by computing relative survival ratios. We also compared

Photoreceptor cells finely adjust their sensitivity and electrical response according to changes in light stimuli as a direct consequence of the feedback and regulation mechanisms in the phototransduction cascade. In this study, we employed a systems biology approach to develop a dynamic model of vertebrate rod phototransduction that accounts for the details of the underlying biochemistry. Followi

Popular Abstract in Swedish Inledning I detta avhandlingsarbete studeras Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) och influensa virus ur olika perspektiv. Dessa två smittämnen orsakar båda årliga utbrott med luftvägsinfektioner som ibland blir omfattande epidemier. I båda fallen kan symptomen variera från lätta förkylningsbesvär till mycket svåra, ibland livshotande lunginflammationer. Infektion med MycoplasmaDiagnostic tests based on nucleic acid amplification have become available for Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) and influenza viruses. Here, an MP PCR test detected 100% of infections during the first three symptomatic weeks, whereas classical serology detected 21% week 1, 56% week 2, and 100% week 3. Positive PCR results were uncommon in healthy individuals. Levels of MP DNA were significantly higher i

The Macrocyclic Lactone and Lactide derivative (ML) group of fragrance ingredients was critically evaluated for safety following a complete literature search. For high end users, calculated maximum dermal exposures vary from 0.47% to 11.15%; systemic exposures vary from 0.0008 to 0.25 mg/kg/day. The MLs had low acute toxicity and no significant toxicity in repeat dose oral ordermal toxicity studie

Physiological evidence indicates that high-protein diets reduce caloric intake and increase thermogenic response, which may prevent weight gain and regain after weight loss. Clinical trials have shown such effects, whereas observational cohort studies suggest an association between greater protein intake and weight gain. In both types of studies the results are based on average weight changes, and

Objective To derive simple and clinically useful ultrasound-based rules for discriminating between benign and malignant adnexal masses. Methods In a multicenter study involving nine centers consecutive patients with persistent adnexal tumors underwent transvaginal gray-scale and Doppler ultrasound examination using a standardized examination technique and standardized terms and definitions. Inform

Diffusional transport across lipid membranes can be highly complex and include several parallel transport processes. It is typical for the responding lipid membrane that small changes in the membrane environment can lead to major changes in membrane structure. In a multilayer membrane, the response can lie in heterogeneous swelling and phase transformations. The changes in membrane structure profo

A control treatment in acupuncture research must be credible, regardless if the needting is performed by one or by several therapists. Objective: To investigate if individuals could identify whether neediing had been given with an acupuncture needle or a sham needle and if the therapist influenced this ability. Design: Eighty individuals were randomized to one single needling given by one of four

The possibility of using extreme ultraviolet emission from low charge states of tungsten ions to diagnose the divertor plasmas of the ITER tokamak has been investigated. Spectral modelling of Lu-like W3+ to Gd-like W10+ has been performed by using the Flexible Atomic Code, and spectroscopic measurements have been conducted at the Sustained Spheromak Physics Experiment (SSPX) in Livermore. To simul

Two probiotic products containing either live Lactobacillus plantarum strain DSM 15313 or bilberries fermented by the same bacterial strain were tested for their antihypertensive potentials and their impact on the oral and the faecal microbiota in hypertensive adults. The results showed that consumption of the tested products for three months did not reduce the blood pressure in adults with hypert

We present measurements of the J/psi invariant yields in root s(NN) = 39 and 62.4 GeV Au + Au collisions at forward rapidity (1.2 < vertical bar y vertical bar < 2.2). Invariant yields are presented as a function of both collision centrality and transverse momentum. Nuclear modifications are obtained for central relative to peripheral Au + Au collisions (R-CP) and for various centrality selections

To compare the performance of the recently developed Swedish experience-based time trade-off (TTO) valuation of the EuroQol-5D-3L (EQ-5D-3L) against the hypothetical-based TTO valuations from UK, US, Germany and Denmark.