Background: The late-phase reaction (LPR) of the skin is an in vivo model of allergic inflammation. Objective: We sought to identify disease-associated pathways in the LPR using a network-based analysis. Methods: The LPR was examined by means of DNA microarray analysis of skin biopsy specimens from 10 patients with allergic rhinitis and 10 healthy control subjects. The results were further analyze

OBJECTIVE: To monitor the concentration of markers of cartilage and synovium metabolism in the knee (stifle) joint synovial fluid of young beagles subjected to immobilisation and subsequent remobilisation.METHODS: The right hind limb of 17 dogs was immobilised in flexion for 11 weeks. Simultaneously, the contralateral left knee was exposed to increased weight bearing. The remobilisation period las

The present thesis concerns methods and knowledge that are useful when analysing the risks and vulnerabilities of complex systems in a societal emergency management context. Operational definitions of vulnerability and emergency response capabilities are suggested and two methods for analysing the vulnerability of critical infrastructure networks, based on the suggested definition, are presented.

Leucocyte elastase in catalytic amounts was observed to rapidly cleave the Val-10-Gly-11 bond of the human cysteine-proteinase inhibitor cystatin C at neutral pH. The resulting modified inhibitor had size and amino acid composition consistent with a cystatin C molecule devoid of the N-terminal Ser-1-Val-10 decapeptide. Leucocyte-elastase-modified cystatin C had more than 240-fold lower affinity th

Feedbacks, or internal interactions, play a crucial role in the climate system. Negative feedback will reduce the impact of an external perturbation, a positive feedback will amplify the effect and could lead to an unstable system. Many of the feedbacks found in the climate system are positive; thus, for example, increasing CO2 levels will increase temperature, reduce the snow cover, increase the

BACKGROUND: Although age is associated with increasing blood pressure, there is a substantial heterogeneity within a certain birth cohort. Whether increase in systolic and diastolic blood pressure is related to pulmonary function is largely unknown. OBJECTIVE: To study blood pressure elevation between 55 and 68 years of age in relation to vital capacity (VC) and forced expiratory volume (FEV1.0) a

Through ethnographic accounts and modern experiments it has been observed that careful heating of silica materials improves their flaking qualities. Using the scanning electron microscope, tests were carried out on a Mesolithic microblade, two Neolithic daggers, a Neolithic sickle and a Neolithic thick-butted axe, to determine if these objects had been heat treated prehistorically. Results indicat

This is the research report which was sent to the Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science, JSPS. It is a documentation of traveling as well as research activities, conferences, people I met, discussions, etc., during my JSPS postdoctoral fellowship at Tokyo Institute of Technology.

Retinal degenerations such as retinitis pigmentosa (RP) or glaucoma are a major cause of blindness in humans. Understanding the mechanisms underlying the various types of retinal degeneration is a pre-requisite for the development of rational therapies for these diseases. Activation of the calcium dependent protease, calpain, has been suggested to play an important role in cell death in various ne

This work examines the application of ILCD (Integrated Life Cycle Design), to Swedish concrete multi-dwelling buildings. The aim of the study is to look into methodological issues of ILCD and to present the fundamental attributes of dwelling buildings and how they relate to concrete as a structural material. Methods for prediction of two important life cycle attributes: the economy and energy use

Background Quadricuspid aortic valve is a rare congenital heart defect. Several different anatomical variations of a quadricuspid aortic valve has been described and aortic regurgitation is the predominant valvular dysfunction associated with quadricuspid aortic valve. Case presentation A 68-year-old woman presented with almost a years history of increasing dyspnoea on exertion. The patient have

Objectives. To investigate whether any variables in a health-screened population study were associated with later developnent of large abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). Setting. Malmo, Southern Sweden. Material and methods. Within the Malmo Preventive Study 22,444 men and 10,982 women were investigated between 1974 and 1991. The mean age at the health screening was 43.7 years. Results. After a med

The alkali metal emission from materials collected in a PFB biomass gasification pilot plant has been characterized. Samples of SiC filter ash and fluidized bed particles from different operating conditions were subjected to a constant heating rate up to 1000 degrees C in a nitrogen atmosphere, and the alkali metal emission was monitored continuously by a surface ionization technique. For all samp

Popular Abstract in Swedish Parallellt med att kommunerna under 1990-talet fick ett utvidgat ansvar för t.ex. vården av och omsorgen om äldre och funktionshindrade gavs de större frihet att lokalt bestämma över sina organisationsformer. Omständigheterna ledde till ett starkt kommunalt reformtryck, inte minst genom de reformförslag som på olika sätt och i varierande grad utmanade den traditionella The 1990s was a period characterized by a strong pressure for reform in the Swedish municipalities. The care manager reform, i.e. the initiation of a position within the administration - the care manager - whose work tasks are concentrated around needs-assessment practices only, was one of many reform proposals. Within a fairly short time span a great number of municipalities decided to implement