Understanding the molecular mechanisms of osteoarthritis (OA) is critical for early diagnosis and effective treatment. OA is a leading cause of disability and poses an increasing burden on healthcare systems, particularly with an aging global population. Despite the potential of proteomics to elucidate the complex biology underlying OA, its application remains limited due to challenges including g

Tendons are collagen-based connective tissues where the composition, structure and mechanics respond and adapt to the local mechanical environment. Adaptation to prolonged inactivity can result in stiffer tendons that are more prone to injury. However, the complex relation between reduced loading, structure, and mechanical performance is still not fully understood. This study combines mechanical t

Collagen is the main organic building block of musculoskeletal tissues. Despite collagen being their smallest load bearing unit, these tissues differ significantly in mechanical function and properties. A major factor behind these differences is their hierarchical organization, from the collagen molecule up to the organ scale. It is thus of high importance to understand the characteristics of each

We have designed a [Fe(SH)4H]− model with the fifth proton binding either to Fe or S. We show that the energy difference between these two isomers (∆E) is hard to estimate with quantum-mechanical (QM) methods. For example, different density functional theory (DFT) methods give ∆E estimates that vary by almost 140 kJ/mol, mainly depending on the amount of exact Hartree–Fock included (0%–54%). The m

Under de senaste åren har Sverige upplevt en oroande ökning av våld, inte minst särskilt riktat mot anhöriga till dem som är involverade i gäng konflikter. Denna eskalering, som beskrivs i ett nytt blogginlägg, har nått en kritisk punkt och jämförs med den metaforiska öppningen av "Pandoras ask". Situationens allvar väcker frågor om de bredare konsekvenserna för det svenska samhället och om denna In recent years, Sweden has witnessed a concerning surge in violence, not least targeting relatives of those entangled in gang-related conflicts. This escalation, which is detailed in a new blog post, has reached a critical juncture, drawing comparisons to the metaphorical opening of "Pandora's box". The gravity of the situation raises questions about the broader implications for Swedish society a

The observation of a weak proton-emission branch in the decay of the 3174keV 53mCo isomeric state marked the discovery of proton radioactivity in atomic nuclei in 1970. Here we show, based on the partial half-lives and the decay energies of the possible proton-emission branches, that the exceptionally high angular momentum barriers, lp = 9 and lp = 7, play a key role in hindering the proton radioa

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that affects 0.1 to nearly 1% of the population, dependent on the country, with its highest incidence around 10–15 years of age. The incidence has increased over time, approximately doubling over the past 2–3 decades. The incidence varies across the world, with the highest among populations of (Northern) European origin and the lowest in Japan. Most diabeti

Considerable efforts have been recently devoted to the task of small-scale modeling of crystal plasticity at a reasonable computational cost. A fully detailed description of plastic flows incrystals is possible only by molecular dynamics (MD) approaches, which accurately representmicromechanisms of plastic response while relying minimally on phenomenology. However, inmost applications, such an appConsiderable efforts have been recently devoted to the task of small-scale modeling of crystal plasticity at a reasonable computational cost. A fully detailed description of plastic flows in crystals is possible only by molecular dynamics (MD) approaches, which accurately represent micromechanisms of plastic response while relying minimally on phenomenology. However, in most applications, such an

This report has been written within the project Looking Back to Move Forward: a Social and Cultural History of Heating (JustHeat). The aim of the project is to unpack previous heating transitions at the home front since 1940 in order to enable more just and inclusive heating transitions in the future. The background is the notion that home heating transitions are deeply personal in the sense that

Chimney sweeps have higher incidence and mortality of cardiovascular disease (CVD), likely related to their exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). In order to identify underlying mechanisms of PAH-related CVD, we here investigated whether PAH exposure was associated with levels of putative CVD-related proteins in serum among currently working chimney sweeps. We enrolled 116 chimney sw

Manganese (Mn), an essential nutrient, is a neurotoxicant at high concentrations. We measured Mn concentrations in repeated blood and hair samples collected from 449 pregnant women living near banana plantations with extensive aerial spraying of Mn-containing fungicide mancozeb in Costa Rica, and examined environmental and lifestyle factors associated with these biomarkers. Mean blood Mn and geome

The aim of this study was to quantify bisphenol A (BPA) concentrations in saliva and urine before and after treatment with dental polymer-based restorative materials to assess if placement of this material is associated with increased BPA levels in saliva and urine. Twenty individuals in need of at least one dental restoration with polymer-based restorative material were included in this study. Th