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The influential role of Wnt5a in tumor progression underscores the requirement for developing molecules that can target Wnt5a-mediated cellular responses. In the aggressive skin cancer, melanoma, elevated Wnt5a expression promotes cell motility and drives metastasis. Two approaches can be used to counteract these effects: inhibition of Wnt5a expression or direct blockade of Wnt5a signaling. We hav

We have established long-term cultures of postnatal retinal cells on arrays of gallium phosphide nanowires of different geometries. Rod and cone photoreceptors, ganglion cells and bipolar cells survived on the substrates for at least 18 days in vitro. Glial cells were also observed, but these did not overgrow the neuronal population. On nanowires, neurons extended numerous long and branched neurit

Hippocampal neurogenesis is potentially implicated in etiology of depression and as the final common mechanism underlying antidepressant treatments. However, decreased neurogenesis has not been demonstrated in depressed patients and, in animals, reduced cytogenesis was shown in healthy rats exposed to stressors, but, so far, not in models of depression. Here we report that the number of BrdU posit

A shared neuropathological feature of idiopathic Parkinson's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, and multiple system atrophy is the development of intracellular aggregates of α-synuclein that gradually engage increasing parts of the nervous system. The pathogenetic mechanisms underlying these neurodegenerative disorders, however, are unknown. Several studies have highlighted similarities between c

The Swedish healthcare system has a unique resource in the national quality registers. A national quality registry contains individualised data concerning patient problems, medical interventions and outcomes after treatment, within all healthcare settings. Many healthcare settings face challenges related to the way they deliver the fundamentals of care, therefore, it is important to audit the outc

The installed capacity for solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity production in Sweden is small but rapidly growing. In this paper, the emerging innovation system for the deployment of building-sited PV systems in Sweden is analysed in order to identify and assess drivers and barriers to diffusion, using a technological innovation systems (TIS) approach. As the market for PV systems in Sweden has gro

Owing to the prevalence of fractal patterns in natural scenery and their growing impact on cultures around the world, fractals constitute a common feature of our daily visual experiences, raising an important question: what responses do fractals induce in the observer? We monitored subjects’ EEG while they were viewing fractals with different fractal dimensions, and the results show that significa

As successful generation of insulin producing cells could be used for diabetes treatment, a concerted effort is being made to understand the molecular programs underlying islet beta cell formation and function. The closely related MafA and MafB transcription factors are both key mammalian beta cell regulators. MafA and MafB are co-expressed in insulin+ beta cells during embryogenesis, while in the

Cutaneous anesthesia (EMLA_cream) of the forearm results in rapid improvement of hand sensibility, and here we applied this concept in the lower extremity. This double-blind study with 40 volunteers randomized to cutaneous application of anesthetic cream to the lower leg showed a significant improvement 2 h after treatment in touch thresholds in the EMLA group as compared with the placebo group. I

The RWAAI (Repository and Workspace for Austroasiatic Intangible heritage) project aims at building a digital archive out of existing legacy data from the austroasiatic language family. One aspect of the project is the preservation of analogue legacy data. In this context, we have at our hands a large number of mostly-phonemic transcriptions of narrative monologues, often with accompanying sound r

ABSTRACT: The pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis (SSc) is characterized by autoimmunity, vasculopathy and fibrosis. IL-15 is a pleiotropic cytokine that has impact on immune, vascular and connective tissue cells. We therefore investigated IL-15 in the circulation of patients with early SSc and explored possible associations of serum IL-15 with vasculopathy and fibrosis. Serum levels of IL-15 were

The Wnt signaling pathway is frequently deranged in colorectal cancer and is a key target for future preventive and therapeutic approaches. Colorectal cancers associated with the hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) syndrome are characterized by wide-spread microsatellite instability, but show few gross genomic alterations. We characterized expression of the Wnt signaling pathway mark

Streptococcus pyogenes of the M1 serotype is frequently associated with severe streptococcal infections. M1 protein challenge can cause widespread microthrombosis, suggesting a role of platelets in streptococcal sepsis. Herein, we hypothesized that platelets may play a role in M1 protein-induced lung inflammation and injury. M1 protein was injected intravenously in C57Bl/6 mice. For platelet and n

Neural devices may play an important role in the diagnosis and therapy of several clinical conditions, such as stroke, trauma or neurodegenerative disorders, by facilitating motor and pain control. Such interfaces, chronically implanted in the CNS, need to be biocompatible and have the ability to stimulate and record nerve signals. However, neural devices of today are not fully optimized. Nanostru

Introduction: Testing for airway hyperresponsiveness with indirect stimuli as exercise or mannitol has been proposed to better reflect underlying airway inflammation, as compared with methacholine (MCh), believed to act directly on airway smooth muscle cells. Objective: To investigate whether different direct and indirect stimuli induces different patterns of obstruction, recorded as central and p

Health status and functional profile at admission of nursing home residents in Iceland over 11-year period. International Journal of Older People Nursing doi: 10.1111/j.1748-3743.2011.00287.x Background. The knowledge over time of the health status and changes in care needs of newly admitted nursing home residents is limited. Objectives. To investigate trends in residents' health status and functi