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Fibrinogen is a key player in the blood coagulation system, and is upon activation with thrombin converted into fibrin that subsequently forms a fibrin clot. In the present study, we investigated the role of fibrinogen in the early innate immune response. Here we show that the viability of fibrinogen-binding bacteria is affected in human plasma activated with thrombin. Moreover, we found that the
In Skaraborg, Sweden, the economic responsibility for tax-financed prescription drug costs was transferred from the regional administrative level to the local level (health care centre; HCC) in 2003. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of this decentralization of economic responsibility on adherence to guidelines for prescribing lipid-lowering drugs. Data from all 24 public HCCs in
If we know that certain ways of making decisions are associated with real-life success, is this then how we should decide? In this paper the relationship between normative and descriptive theories of decision-making is examined. First, it is shown that the history of the decision sciences ensures that it is impossible to separate descriptive theories from normative ones. Second, recent psychologic
Background: Impaired hand function is common in patients with arthritis and it affects performance of daily activities; thus, hand exercises are recommended. There is little information on the extent to which the disease affects activation of the flexor and extensor muscles during these hand-dexterity tasks. The purpose of this study was to compare muscle activation during such tasks in subjects w
A prey species using crypsis to avoid predators has the opportunity to evolve polymorphic crypsis when it is being exposed to two (or more) habitats with different backgrounds. Here, we investigate when this phenomenon can occur, in a simulation study with a sexually reproducing prey and a predator that can learn to find hiding prey, represented by an artificial neural network. Initially, the prey
Sjögren's syndrome is a systemic autoimmune disease that frequently presents concomitantly with other systemic connective tissue or organ-specific autoimmune diseases. This association is well described for systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis. The presence of Sjögren's syndrome influences the expression of the other autoimmune disease to some degree, for instance by increasing fa
Combining x-ray tomography and three-dimensional (3D) image analysis has finally opened the way for experimental micro-(geo)mechanics, allowing access to different scales of interest. When these correspond to a scale that has been imaged at high spatial resolution, high-quality measurements can be obtained (e.g. 3D displacements and rotations of individual grains of sand sample under load). Howeve
Lärare har stora röstkrav i sitt arbete och deras röst är det viktigaste redskapet för kommunikationen med eleverna. Projektet har undersökt lärares röstanvändning och rösthälsa i relation till bl.a. undervisningslokalens akustiska förutsättningar. Projektets olika delar har genomförts med gott resultat: En studie av förekomsten av röstproblem med 467 lärarna visar att 13% av lärargruppen har prob
The aim of this study was to find models for turbulent fragmenting forces in the high-pressure homogeniser from data available in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations with Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) turbulence models. In addition to the more common RANS k-epsilon turbulence models, a Multi-scale k-epsilon model was tested since experimental investigations of the geometry impl
We consider the random normal matrix ensemble associated with a potential in the plane of sufficient growth near infinity. It is known that asymptotically as the order of the random matrix increases indefinitely, the eigenvalues approach a certain equilibrium density, given in terms of Frostman's solution to the minimum energy problem of weighted logarithmic potential theory. At a finer scale, we
OBJECTIVE-To report the incidence of sight-threatening vascular lesions in type 2 diabetic subjects without retinopathy after adopting a 3-year interval screening program. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS-In all, 1,691 type 2 diabetic subjects with no detectable retinopathy in two 50 degrees red-free fundus photographs were scheduled for follow-up with photography 3 years later. Age at diabetes diagnos
Background and Objective: Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders, affecting more than 3 million people in Europe. This paper reviews the published evidence regarding the cost effectiveness of second-generation antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). Methods: A systematic literature search was performed, using the databases Academic Search Complete, Econlit, EMBASE and MEDLINE. Health econom
OBJECTIVE-Metformin produced weight loss and delayed or prevented diabetes in the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP). We examined its long-term safety and tolerability along with weight loss, and change in waist circumference during the DPP and its long-term follow-up. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS-The randomized double-blind clinical trial of metformin or placebo followed by a 7-8-year open-label ex
Background: Previous epidemiologic and genetic studies have suggested a link between Parkinson disease (PD), essential tremor (ET), and restless legs syndrome (RLS). Methods: We describe the clinical, PET, and pathologic characteristics of an extensive kindred from Arkansas with hereditary PD, ET, and RLS. The pedigree contains 138 individuals. Sixty-five family members were examined neurologicall
Some key political challenges today, e.g. climate change, are future oriented. The intergenerational setting differs in some notable ways from the intragenerational one, creating obstacles to theorizing about intergenerational justice. One concern is that as the circumstances of justice do not pertain intergenerationally, intergenerational justice is not meaningful. In this paper, I scrutinize thi
Our point of departure is a new use of the question tag eller hur (or how) „isn‟t it?‟ in Swedish: (i) Eller hur ska vi åka till Italien i sommar? or how shall we go to Italy in summer „We will go to Italy this summer,. won‟t we?‟ We argue that eller hur used in this way is an overt Yes/No-question operator, and that it patterns with visst and nog, which we propose are two other Yes/No-question op
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Prospective cohort studies have indicated that serum vitamin D levels are inversely related to risk of type 2 diabetes. However, such studies cannot determine the source of vitamin D. Therefore, we examined the association of dietary vitamin D intake with incident type 2 diabetes within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-InterAct study in
Perforated vessels in one form or the other are found in ceramic assemblages in most societies from early prehistoric time onwards. They vary greatly in shape and size, indicating a multitude of uses. This paper focuses on a particular type of perforated vessel – the perforated open cylinder, a “vessel” with no base, or rather with rims at both ends. This means that its function as a container is
