BACKGROUND: In childhood (CCS) and testicular cancer (TCS) survivors, low-grade inflammation may represent a link between testosterone deficiency (hypogonadism) and risk of metabolic syndrome. We aimed to study levels of inflammatory markers in CCS and TCS and the association with hypogonadism and future cardio-metabolic risk factors.METHODS: Serum levels of inflammatory markers and testosterone w

Bacterial adhesion to the host is the most decisive step in infections. Trimeric autotransporter adhesins (TAA) are important pathogenicity factors of Gram-negative bacteria. The prototypic TAA Bartonella adhesin A (BadA) from human-pathogenic Bartonella henselae mediates bacterial adherence to endothelial cells (ECs) and extracellular matrix proteins. Here, we determined the interaction between B

We highlight important assumptions associated with the research program in sustainability science developed around “corporate biosphere stewardship” and the promise of “science-business initiatives.” In doing so, we interrogate a central concept in this research, “keystone actors.” We analyze the program based on associated research outputs and communications, focusing on three key challenges 1) i

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a virulent strain causing severe gastrointestinal infection, hemolytic uremic syndrome and death. To date there are no specific therapies to reduce progression of disease. Here we investigated the effect of pooled immunoglobulins (IgG) on the course of disease in a mouse model of intragastric E. coli O157:H7 inoculation. Intraperitoneal administrat

Just like other complex biological features, image vision (multi-pixel light sensing) did not evolve suddenly. Animal visual systems have a long prehistory of non-imaging light sensitivity. The first spatial vision was likely very crude with only few pixels, and evolved to improve orientation behaviors previously supported by single-channel directional photoreception. The origin of image vision wa

BACKGROUND: Plasma biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease (AD) have broad potential as screening tools in primary care and disease-modifying trials. Detecting elevated amyloid-β (Aβ) pathology to support trial recruitment or initiating Aβ-targeting treatments would be of critical value. In this study, we aimed to examine the robustness of plasma biomarkers to detect elevated Aβ pathology at different

I detta kapitel undersöker vi några av de frågor som uppstår när mötet med klienten är begränsat till de skrivna orden. Hur visar man sin närvaro när man inte ser varandra? Hur förmedlar man förståelse och stöd i en textbaserad dialog? Vi går igenom skillnader mellan stödjande samtal i det fysiska rummet och textbaserat stöd på internet. Utifrån tidigare forskning och exempel från en chatt, som erI detta kapitel undersöker vi några av de frågor som uppstår när mötet med klienten är begränsat till de skrivna orden. Hur visar man sin närvaro när man inte ser varandra? Hur förmedlar man förståelse och stöd i en textbaserad dialog? Vi går igenom skillnader mellan stödjande samtal i det fysiska rummet och textbaserat stöd på internet. Utifrån tidigare forskning och exempel från en chatt, som er

Digitalization is considered key to meeting the challenges that face the healthcare sector. However, the results of digitalization initiatives have often been disappointing and the literature has provided a fragmented understanding of the mixed results. While previous studies have generally focused on the advantages and the barriers of adopting healthcare IS, little attention has been paid to unea

Nanoporous metals fabricated by dealloying have a unique bi-continuous, sponge-like porous structure with ultra-high surface area. The unique properties of these materials, especially nanoporous gold, have numerous potential applications in sensors and actuators and in energy-related applications such as catalytic materials, super-capacitors, and battery supports. The degree of porosity and size o

Inorganic lead is the most extensively studied environmental toxin. Today's humans have in the order of 100 times higher lead exposure, compared to prehistoric humans, mainly from food. The exposure was even higher during the 20th century, mainly due to lead addition to gasoline. Today, high exposures occur in many occupations, but also through, for example, contaminated drinking water, traditiona

The principles of diversity and inclusion are valued across the higher education sector, but the ways in which these principles are translated into pedagogic practice are not always evident. Students who are first in their family to attend university continue to report barriers to full participation in university life. They are more likely to leave their studies early, and to achieve lower grades

Leading change in relation to assessment is a significant challenge; almost everyone in the university is a stakeholder and they may have strong and varied views about how assessment should be managed. A baseline review of assessment practices at a large, diverse, and complex university showed that the prevailing culture around assessment was equivocal and that people were fearful of large-scale c

University policies are increasingly developed with reference to students’ learning experiences, with a focus on the concept of the ‘student voice’. Yet the ‘student voice’ is difficult to define and emphasis is often placed on numerical performance indicators. A diverse student population has wide-ranging educational experiences, which may not be easily captured within the broad categories provid

This chapter examines the role and responsibilities of the individual academic developer and how these reflect the context of the engagement. It considers how different responses to the development context can be identified - not as a prescription designed to treat each individual case, but as a framework for evaluating the need and creating an environment for meeting it successfully. It will make

It has become banal to refer to the growth in the use of the Internet in Higher Education (HE). It is now time to regard ‘e-learning’ as an integral part of academic activity, which needs to be routinely supported. This article provides an overview of what is happening and makes some suggestions for organising support services for e-learning.

Body mass is a commonly used indicator of the energy stores of migratory animals and there is considerable evidence that it is a critical determinant of migration decisions and outcomes. Mean population mass often increases during the post-breeding period in most migratory species. Usually, this increase is interpreted as the result of fuel accumulation for migration based on the assumption that m

In this paper, the first femtoscopic analysis of pion–kaon correlations at the LHC is reported. The analysis was performed on the Pb–Pb collision data at sNN=2.76 TeV recorded with the ALICE detector. The non-identical particle correlations probe the spatio-temporal separation between sources of different particle species as well as the average source size of the emitting system. The sizes of the

A transition to a more sustainable energy system is called for, and to realise such a transition governments around the world have introduced various research programmes and policy instruments. In this paper, we elaborate on how the transition of the energy system could be reinforced through evaluation of research programmes and policy instruments, focusing on energy efficiency in buildings. We ar