The incidence rates and relative risks for colorectal cancer (CRC) are higher in men than in women. Sex steroids may play a role in this gender-associated difference in CRC risk. This study was conducted to explore the relationship of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in steroid hormone signaling (ESR1, ESR2, PGR, NR1I2, and SHBG), phase I-and II-metabolizing enzyme (COMT, HSD17B1, CYP1A1, CY

People in the Arctic as well as fishermen on the polluted Swedish east coast are highly exposed to persistent organic pollutants (POPs). These compounds have been shown to affect the sperm Y:X chromosome ratio. In present study, the aim was to investigate whether polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners and 1,1,-dichloro-2,2,-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane (p,p'-DDE) influence sperm sex chromosome rati

Objectives: To investigate associations between autoimmune disorders and Parkinson disease (PD), and to study whether the risk is associated with follow-up time and age. Methods: Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) were calculated for PD in patients with autoimmune disorders by comparing them to subjects without autoimmune disorders. Results: Among 310,522 patients with a total of 33 conditions o

Glypicans are multifunctional cell surface proteoglycans involved in several important cellular signalling pathways. Glypican-1 (Gpc1) is the predominant heparan sulphate (HS) proteoglycan in the developing and adult human brain. The two N-linked glycans and the C-terminal domain that attaches the core protein to the cell membrane are not resolved in the Gpc1 crystal structure. Therefore we have s

OBJECTIVES: Alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is a common genetic cause of chronic liver disease. According to retrospective studies, up to 25% of those with homozygous ZZ (Glu 342 to Lys) AATD suffer from liver cirrhosis and/or liver cancer in late adulthood. We hypothesized that the plasma markers for liver fibrosis, necrosis, and apoptosis may identify AATD individuals at higher risk for liv

Despite the vast importance of ticks as disease vectors, the infectious agents transmitted by ticks are still incompletely known in many areas. Here, we report for the first time the detection of the bacterium 'Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis' in Romania, in an Ixodes ricinus tick obtained from a human. Furthermore, the tick also had a co-infection with Borrelia afzelii. 'Candidatus Neoehrlichi

1 Agricultural intensification not only alters the structure of arthropod communities, but also may affect biotic interactions by altering the availability of basal resources. We analyzed variations in stable isotope ratios (15N/14N and 13C/12C) of fertilizers, plants, prey and generalist predators in organic and conventional farming systems in a long-term agricultural experiment [DOK trial (bioDy

The compound Au10Mo4Zn89 has been synthesized, and its structure has been analyzed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The compound crystallizes in cubic space group F4̅3m (No. 216) with a unit cell that contains 412 atoms. The structure is largely tetrahedrally closely packed, but an octahedral arrangement of atoms is incompatible with tetrahedral close packing. The structure of the ordered Au10

The soluble proteins and protein aggregates in Belinda oats were characterized using asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) coupled with online UV-vis spectroscopy and multiangle light-scattering detection (MALS). Fractions from the AF4 separation were collected and further characterized by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The AF4 fractogram of the oat

Gated transport measurements are the backbone of electrical characterization of nanoscale electronic devices. Scanning gate microscopy (SGM) is one such gating technique that adds crucial spatial information, accessing the localized properties of semiconductor devices. Nanowires represent a central device concept due to the potential to combine very different materials. However, SGM on semiconduct

The aim of this study was to determine whether total fertilization failure in human IVF can be partially explained by alterations in the gene that codes for protein C inhibitor. Forty-six men had IVF total fertilization failure and 51 controls with normal fertilization were screened for mutations in the protein C inhibitor gene by direct sequencing. The main finding was that in men involved in tot

Conventional silicon transistor scaling is fast approaching its limits. An extension of the logic device roadmap to further improve future performance increases of integrated circuits is required to propel the electronics industry. Attention is turning to III-V compound semiconductors that are well positioned to replace silicon as the base material in logic switching devices. Their outstanding ele

The role of micronutrient status for the incidence and clinical course of cutaneous leishmaniasis is not much studied. Still zinc supplementation in leishmaniasis has shown some effect on the clinical recovery, but the evidence in humans is limited.

Climate change is expected to have the greatest impact on the world's economically poor. In the Sahel, a climatically sensitive region where rain-fed agriculture is the primary livelihood, expected decreases in water supply will increase food insecurity. Studies on climate change and the intensification of the water cycle in sub-Saharan Africa are few. This is due in part to poor calibration of mo

Nursing is evolving into new fields of health care including ambulance care, where a branch of specialist nursing is growing. Various views exist on the desired competence for the ambulance nurse and valid guidelines are lacking in Sweden. To increase knowledge of the field, professionals were asked to describe what competences an ambulance nurse should possess. The aim of this study was therefore

Background: Clinicopathologic stage is still the main parameter to evaluate the prognosis of newly diagnosed colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Although molecular markers have been suggested for follow up of treated CRC patients, their complete clinical application is still under evaluation. Materials and methods: To evaluate the association of immune-related genes with CRC prognosis and survival,

Much is unknown regarding the regulation of Alzheimer-related amyloid-beta protein precursor (A beta PP)-processing in the human central nervous system. It has been hypothesized that amyloidogenic A beta PP-processing preferentially occurs in the regulated secretory pathway of neurons. To test this hypothesis we looked for correlations of A beta PP-derived molecules in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) wi

In the present study a phase field model for high surface energy anisotropy is developed to model the morphologies of voids in UO2. In order to precisely account for the high anisotropy, an alternative forward-backward strategy based on a staggered grid with an averaged interface normal scheme is used in the numerical procedure. A variety of equilibrium void shapes are reproduced with respect to a