BACKGROUND: With regard to contact allergy, the dose of a sensitizer per unit skin area is an important factor for both sensitization and elicitation, and therefore a known amount/volume of test preparation should be applied at patch testing. OBJECTIVES: To compare three different techniques for the application of aqueous solutions to Finn Chambers, in order to determine the precision and accuracy

Abstract The Abbé flap is a procedure where the volume of the upper lip is increased at the expense of the lower lip. This study reviewed the Abbé flaps done at Skåne University Hospital during the years 1991-2006 and identified 14 patients. Data was collected from medical records. Eleven patients were deemed fit for interviews and were called to the hospital by standard mail. Six patients respond

Clinical management of lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma (LPL)/Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (WM) has changed considerably over recent years, reflected in the use of new therapeutic agents (purine analogs, monoclonal antibodies, thalidomide- and bortezomib-based therapies). No population-based studies and few randomized trials have been performed to assess survival in newly diagnosed LPL/WM. We performed

This article proposes a novel theoretical framework for examining trust-repair discourse. The model identifies two fundamental discourse strategies available to the trust-breaker when trust is at stake (i) to engage with and act upon the discourses that represent a potential source of distrust - neutralize the negative, (ii) to communicate a trustworthy discourse identity - emphasize the positive.

The adhesion molecule laminin α2 chain interacts with the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex, contributes to normal muscle function, and protects skeletal muscles from damage. Complete loss of the laminin α2 chain in mice results in a severe muscular dystrophy phenotype and death at approximately 3 weeks of age. However, it is not clear if the remaining members of the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex

In this study ultrafast energy transfer dynamics in chlorosomes from sulphur bacterium Chlorobaculum tepidum were explored by means of coherent electronic two-dimensional spectroscopy. Observed sub-100 fs dynamics were attributed to incoherent downhill excitation diffusion between disordered domains within chlorosomes. At the same time vibrational coherent oscillations were investigated on the lon

Over the last few decades, there have been numerous reports of adverse effects on the reproductive health of wildlife and laboratory animals caused by exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). The increasing trends in human male reproductive disorders and the mounting evidence for causative environmental factors have therefore sparked growing interest in the health threat posed to humans

Human leukocyte antigen class I (HLA-I) presents antigenic peptides to cytotoxic CD8+ T cells (CTLs). This is a pivotal step in the generation of CTL responses. Both the quantity and quality of peptide-HLA-I (pHLA-I) complexes are crucial for CTL responses, but the level of HLA-I expression per se is also directly involved in dictating NK-cell responses. Antigen processing machinery (APM) proteins

Several types of valves and valved conduits have been developed for right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction and yet no one has provided prolonged satisfactory hemodynamic performance. The RVOT Elan is a bioprosthetic heart valve conduit constructed from a vascular graft and a porcine stentless valve indicated specifically for right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction. The present study

This study uses US survey data and Swedish register data to estimate and compare the relationship between returns to schooling and ability. A significant and positive relationship is found for Sweden, but not for the USA. Based on the predictions of the optimal schooling model it is argues that measured differences in the relationship between returns to schooling and ability could depend upon on d

Oncolytic immunotherapy with cytokine armed replication competent viruses is an emerging approach in cancer treatment. In a recent randomized trial an increase in response rate was seen but the effect on overall survival is not known with any virus. To facilitate randomized trials, we performed a case-control study assessing the survival of 270 patients treated in an Advanced Therapy Access Progra

Stone pine (Pinus pinea L.) has been widely introduced for afforestation in Mediterranean areas. Despite its wide distribution and its presence since ancient time, it is mostly considered as non-native to the Italian peninsula. Plantation of non-native species may have a strong impact on the soil microbial community and, consequently, on nutrient cycling and soil functions. The effect of stone pin

Patient-specific finite element models have been used to predict femur strength and fracture risk in individuals. Validation of the adopted finite element modelling procedure against mechanical testing data is a crucial step when aiming for clinical applications. The majority of the works available in literature used data from strain gages to validate the model, thus having up to 15 experimental

Background: Short children born small for gestational age (SGA) are treated with growth hormone (GH) dose based on body size, but treatment may lead to high levels of IGF-I. The objective was to evaluate IGF-I titration of GH dose in contrast to current dosing strategies. Methods: In the North European Small for gestational age study (NESGAS) 92 short pre-pubertal children born SGA were randomised

This article aims to apply convergence, a new media concept, to tourism studies in order to enhance the understanding of tourists' agency in destination marketing. Tourists create media products/images which circulate online through various channels like social media. These products are then available for consumption by other tourists, which in turn influences new media products. They all become p

In urban environments, airborne particles are continuously emitted, followed by atmospheric aging. Also, particles emitted elsewhere, transported by winds, contribute to the urban aerosol. We studied the effective density (mass-mobility relationship) and mixing state with respect to the density of particles in central Copenhagen, in wintertime. The results are related to particle origin, morpholog

Optical imaging through complex biological media remains a very challenging task due to the extremely high scattering experienced. A new design scanner is proposed and modelled which images scatter spatio-temporally. Modeling confirms the performance of the design. The inversion algorithm to reconstruct the scattering object remains as future work.

Objective: Health and lifestyle factors are associated with variations in serum testosterone levels in ageing men. However, it remains unclear how age-related changes in testosterone may be attenuated by lifestyle modifications. The objective was to investigate the longitudinal relationships between changes in health and lifestyle factors with changes in hormones of the reproductive endocrine axis

When used in combination with raster scanning, small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) has proven to be a valuable imaging technique of the nanoscale, for example of bone, teeth and brain matter. Although two-dimensional projection imaging has been used to characterize various materials successfully, its three-dimensional extension, SAXS computed tomography, poses substantial challenges, which have ye