Given the evidence that the primary motor cortex (MI) consists of subpopulations of upper motor neurons tuned to different directional parameters of a motor movement, this study hypothesized that novel motor skill training involving either a bidirectional or more complex multidirectional tongue-typing movement should produce distinct training-related features of tongue MI neuroplasticity in humans

The climate effects downwind of an urban area resulting from gaseous and particulate emissions within the city are as yet inadequately quantified. The aim of this work was to estimate these effects for Malmo city in southern Sweden (population 280 000). The chemical and physical particle properties were simulated with a model for Aerosol Dynamics, gas phase CHEMistry and radiative transfer calcula

The purpose of the study is to examine whether there is an association between neighbourhood deprivation and incidence of congenital heart disease (CHD), after accounting for family- and individual-level potential confounders.

Molecular dynamics simulations have been performed on lipase B from Candida antarctica (CalB) in its native form and with one or two oxidized residues, either methionine oxidized to methionine sulfoxide, tryptophan oxidized to 5-hydroxytryptophan, or cystine oxidized to a pair of cysteic acid residues. We have analyzed how these oxidations affect the general structure of the protein as well as the

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to confirm prior modeling data suggesting that prasugrel 5 mg in low-body-weight (LBW) patients would be noninferior to prasugrel 10 mg in higher-body-weight (HBW) patients as assessed by maximal platelet aggregation (MPA). BACKGROUND: Prasugrel 10 mg reduced ischemic events compared with clopidogrel 75 mg but increased bleeding, particularly in LBW patients.

Several strategic metals, elements and energy resources are about to run into scarcity in the near future under the present paradigm of use. A global systems model has been developed (WORLD) to assess the issue of scarcity and its implications for society. We show that scarcity may lead to “peak wealth”, “peak population”, “peak waste” and “peak civilization”, unless urgent counter-measures are sy

Most studies of the predictability of returns are based on time series data, and whenever panel data are used, the testing is almost always conducted in an unrestricted unitby- unit fashion, which makes for a very heavy parametrization of the model. On the other hand, the few panel tests that exist are too restrictive in the sense that they are based on homogeneity assumptions that might not be tr

Real-time PCR (qPCR) is the cornerstone of DNA analysis, enabling detection and quantification of minute nucleic acid amounts. However, PCR-based analysis is limited, in part, by the presence of inhibitors in the samples. PCR inhibition has been viewed solely as failure to efficiently generate amplicons, i.e. amplification inhibition. Humic substances (HS) are well known inhibitors of PCR amplific

A Panel of International Experts was convened by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) in collaboration with the European Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) to update the 1999 Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infection Guidelines by the IDSA. Co-sponsoring organizations include the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Urological Association,

Testosterone concentrations in men are associated with cardiovascular morbidity, osteoporosis, and mortality and are affected by age, smoking, and obesity. Because of serum testosterone's high heritability, we performed a meta-analysis of genome-wide association data in 8,938 men from seven cohorts and followed up the genome-wide significant findings in one in silico (n = 871) and two de novo repl

Normal glucose homeostasis is characterized by appropriate insulin secretion and low HbA1c. Gene expression signatures associated with these two phenotypes could be essential for islet function and patho-physiology of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Herein, we employed a novel approach to identify candidate genes involved in T2D by correlating islet microarray gene expression data (78 donors) with insulin

We have studied how backbone N-H S-2 order parameters calculated from molecular dynamics simulations depend on the method used to calculate them, the starting conditions, and the length of the simulations. Using the carbohydrate binding domain of galectin-3 in the free and lactose-bound states as a test case, we compared the calculated order parameters with experimental data from NMR relaxation. T

Background: Adequate bowel preparation prior to colonic diagnostic procedures is essential to ensure adequate visualisation. Scope: This consensus aims to provide guidance as to the appropriate use of bowel preparation for a range of defined clinical circumstances. A consensus group from across Europe was convened and met to discuss appropriate bowel preparation. The use of polyethylene glycol (PE

Rising organic matter concentrations in surface waters in many Nordic countries require current drinking water treatment processes to be adapted. Accordingly, the use of a novel nanofiltration (NF) membrane was studied during a nine month period in pilot scale at a large drinking water treatment plant in Stockholm, Sweden. A chemically resistant hollow-fibre NF membrane was fed with full scale pro

Exposure to Ljungan virus (LV) is implicated in the risk of autoimmune (type 1) diabetes but possible contribution by other parechoviruses is not ruled out. The aim was to compare children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2005-2011 (n = 69) with healthy controls (n = 294), all from the Jämtland County in Sweden, using an exploratory suspension multiplex immunoassay for IgM and IgG against 26 pept

Previous experience has demonstrated the importance of testing new bone cement in vivo before widespread clinical use. We performed a consecutive, radiostereometric (RSA) study comparing Refobacin Bone Cement (RBC) to the well proven Palacos with Gentamicin (PWG). According to the manufacturer of RBC it has the equivalent characteristics as PWG, and in vitro tests show good results. The purpose of