BACKGROUND: It has been hypothesized that resuscitation with crystalloids after brain trauma increases brain edema compared with colloids, but previous studies on the subject have been inconclusive. To test this hypothesis, the authors compared groups resuscitated with either colloid or crystalloid. METHODS: After fluid percussion injury, rats were subjected to a controlled hemorrhage of 20 ml/kg

BACKGROUNDThe sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA) is a valuable tool for prediction of fertility in vivo, with DNA fragmentation index (DFI) of 30% as a clinically useful cut-off level. Previous studies on fertile men have shown a high level of repeatability, with an intra-individual variability in DFI of ∼10%. However, conflicting data on how much the DFI fluctuates within individuals exist. T

The PrsA protein of Bacillus subtilis is an essential membrane-bound lipoprotein that is assumed to assist post-translocational folding of exported proteins and stabilize them in the compartment between the cytoplasmic membrane and cell wall. This folding activity is consistent with the homology of a segment of PrsA with parvulin-type peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerases (PPIase). In this study, m

Summary Accumulating evidence shows that many scavenger receptors (SR), including SR-A, MARCO and CD36, represent an important part of the innate immune defence by acting as pattern-recognition receptors (PRR), in particular against bacterial pathogens. Several SR are expressed on macrophages and dendritic cells, where they act as phagocytic receptors mediating non-opsonic phagocytosis of pathogen

Introduction. Iatrogenic bile duct lesions following cholecystectomy represent a feared complication occurring in up to 0.9%. The aim of the present study was to estimate the total cost associated with both minor and major bile duct injuries. Material and methods. Detailed information on 24 consecutive patients, out of which 14 were considered to have minor and 10 patients considered as having maj

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is frequently associated with aberrant activation of the Ras/Raf/MAPK pathway and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) overexpression. This study evaluated the potential for combining the multikinase inhibitor sorafenib and the specific COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib as therapy in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells. METHODS: BxPC-3, MIAPaCa-2, PANC-1 and AsPC-1 pan

Reactive oxygen intermediates are important mediators of inflammation. We investigated if hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) induces tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) expression in cultured human cells from umbilical vein endothelium (HUVEC), aortic smooth muscle cells (SMC), peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), or the cell line Mono Mac 6. Cultures were stimulated with 200 micromol/L H2O2 for 1

The optical efficiency of concentrating solar thermal and photovoltaic systems with cylindrical geometries is asymmetrical about the optical axis. Biaxial models, based on projected incidence angles, are often used to estimate the annual performance of asymmetric concentrators. However, the use of projected angles tends to underestimate optical losses in the cover glass. In this work, a biaxial mo

The NORDBALL silicon detector array for detecting light charged particles emitted in fusion evaporation reactions was simulated with the Monte-Carlo method. The data from the reaction of 261 MeV Ni-58 ions with Cr-50 nuclei in a 4.8 mg/cm(2) thick target was used to adjust the simulation parameters. Relative population of residual nuclei in the reaction was determined, by comparing the intensities

The properties of water in biological systems have been studied for well over a century by a wide range of physical techniques, but progress has been slow and erratic. Protein hydration-the perturbation of water structure and dynamics by the protein surface-has been a particularly rich source of controversy and confusion. Our aim here is to critically examine central concepts in the description of

The PR interval on the electrocardiogram reflects atrial and atrioventricular nodal conduction time. The PR interval is heritable, provides important information about arrhythmia risk, and has been suggested to differ among human races. Genome-wide association (GWA) studies have identified common genetic determinants of the PR interval in individuals of European and Asian ancestry, but there is a

Population-based registries may provide data complementary to that from basic science and clinical intervention studies, all of which essential for establishing recommendations for the management of patients in the real world. The same quality criteria apply for the evidence-based label, and both high representation and good data quality are crucial in registry studies. Registries with high covera

ABSTRACT: INTRODUCTION: The amplification event occurring at chromosome locus 11q13, reported in several different cancers, includes a number of potential oncogenes. We have previously reported amplification of one such oncogene, namely CCND1, to be correlated with an adverse effect of tamoxifen in premenopausal breast cancer patients. Over-expression of cyclin D1 protein, however, confers tamoxif

The use of a rigid disc as a barrier between the wound bed and the wound filler during negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) has been suggested to prevent damage to exposed organs. However, it is important to determine that the effects of NPWT, such as wound contraction and fluid removal, are maintained during treatment despite the use of a barrier. This study was performed to examine the effect

Gene therapy using recombinant adeno-associated viral vectors overexpressing neuropeptide Y in the hippocampus exerts seizure-suppressant effects in rodent epilepsy models and is currently considered for clinical application in patients with intractable mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. Seizure suppression by neuropeptide Y in the hippocampus is predominantly mediated by Y2 receptors, which, together

Abstract PURPOSE: Low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma (LGFMS) is typically characterized by the specific translocation t(7;16)(q33;p11) and the corresponding fusion gene FUS-CREB3L2. The present study aimed to extract LGFMS-specific, and putatively FUS-CREB3L2-dependent, gene expression patterns to learn more about the pathogenesis of this tumor. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We carried out single nucleotide po