Membrane-active peptides (MAPs) are able to induce pores in cell membranes via molecular mechanisms, which are still subject to ongoing research. In this work, we present molecular dynamics simulations that suggest a precursor membrane defect plays an important role in the pore-inducing activity of the prototypical antimicrobial peptide melittin. The simulations reveal that the hydrophobic N-termi

Background: Combinations of multiple fatty acids may influence cardiometabolic risk more than single fatty acids. The association of a combination of fatty acids with incident type 2 diabetes (T2D) has not been evaluated. Methods and findings: We measured plasma phospholipid fatty acids by gas chromatography in 27,296 adults, including 12,132 incident cases of T2D, over the follow-up period betwee

This book marks a pivotal moment in the intensifying dialogue between the philosophical approach of critical realism and the fields of feminist theory and gender research. During the last three decades, these fields have been decisively influenced by poststructuralist perspectives. As such perspectives are increasingly being challenged, this book argues that critical realism is able to serve as a This book marks a pivotal moment in the intensifying dialogue between the philosophical approach of critical realism and the fields of feminist theory and gender research. During the last three decades, these fields have been decisively influenced by poststructuralist perspectives. As such perspectives are increasingly being challenged, this book argues that critical realism is able to serve as a

Objective: Interferon gamma release assays like Quantiferon Gold In-Tube (QFT) are used to identify individuals infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. A dichotomous cut-off (0.35 IU/ml) defines a positive QFT without considering test variability. Our objective was to evaluate the introduction of a borderline range under routine conditions. Methods: Results of routine QFT samples from Sweden (20

Blodet bär med sig syre och näringsämnen som är vitala för vävnadens överlevnad, och därför är karakterisering av hjärnans blodförsörjning av stor betydelse. Blodflödet i kapillärerna kallas för perfusion. Vid MRI-baserad perfusionsmätning i hjärnan utnyttjas ofta signalförändringar orsakade av ett spårämne i blodet. Spårämnet kan antingen skapas internt genom märkning av det arteriella inflödet aDiffusion and perfusion MRI are valuable methods for investigating the microstructure and viability of tissue. One pure diffusion study was included in this thesis, with the purpose of studying microstructure and carrying out size estimations with the q-space diffusion imaging method. This is a method that has predominantly been explored with NMR spectrometers. In our study, a biological phantom c

Plants make specialized bioactive metabolites to defend themselves against attackers. The conserved control mechanisms are based on transcriptional activation of the respective plant species-specific biosynthetic pathways by the phytohormone jasmonate. Knowledge of the transcription factors involved, particularly in terpenoid biosynthesis, remains fragmentary. By transcriptome analysis and functio

Fragrance production in petunia flowers is highly regulated. Two transcription factors, ODORANT1 (ODO1) and EMISSION OF BENZENOIDS II (EOBII) have recently been identified as regulators of the volatile benzenoid/phenylpropanoid pathway in petals. Unlike the non-fragrant Petunia hybrida cultivar R27, the fragrant cultivar Mitchell highly expresses ODO1. Using stable reporter lines, we identified th

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: ECP (eosinophil cationic protein) is a marker of eosinophil activity and degranulation, which has been linked to atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. We examined the relationship between ECP, carotid plaque, and incidence of stroke in a prospective population-based cohort.METHODS: The subjects participated in the Malmö Diet and Cancer Study between 1991 and 1994. A t

OBJECTIVES: To assess the extent to which knee extensor strength and weight in adolescence are associated with knee osteoarthritis (OA) by middle age.METHODS: We studied a cohort of 40 121 men who at age 18 years in 1969/1970 underwent mandatory conscription in Sweden. We retrieved data on isometric knee extensor strength, weight, height, smoking, alcohol consumption, parental education and adult

Optimising autonomy is increasingly important in recovery from psychosis. To date, physical exercise has shown promise in the treatment of severe, enduring mental illnesses including psychosis - when used as an adjunct treatment. To assess the association between physical exercise and autonomy in young adults, a simple pre-post experimental design was utilised. Individuals aged 18–35 years, treate

Purpose: To investigate the outcome following adjuvant doxorubicin and ifosfamide in a prospective non-randomised study based on a soft tissue sarcoma (STS) patient subgroup defined by specific morphological characteristics previously shown to be at a high-risk of metastatic relapse. The expected 5-year cumulative incidence of metastases in patients with this risk profile has previously been repor

An amusement park is full of examples that can be made into challenging problems for students, combining mathematical modelling with video analysis, as well as measurements in the rides. Traditional amusement ride related textbook problems include free-fall, circular motion, pendula and energy conservation in roller coasters, where the moving bodies are typically considered point-like. However, an

The aggregation of the amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide is linked to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In particular, some point mutations within Aβ are associated with early-onset familial Alzheimer’s disease. Here we set out to explore how the physical properties of the altered side chains, including their sizes and charges, affect the molecular mechanisms of aggregation. We focus on Aβ42 with

With a perfectly uniform illumination, the amount and concentration of fluorophores in any (biological) sample can be read directly from fluorescence micrographs. However, non-uniform illumination in optical micrographs is a common, yet avoidable artefact, often caused by the setup of the microscope, or by inherent properties caused by the nature of the sample. In this paper, we demonstrate simple

Over the past 3.5 million years, there have been several intervals when climate conditions were warmer than during the pre-industrial Holocene. Although past intervals of warming were forced differently than future anthropogenic change, such periods can provide insights into potential future climate impacts and ecosystem feedbacks, especially over centennial-to-millennial timescales that are often

This article claims that Svetlana Aleksievich’s Voices from Utopia should be read as testimony. Although based on eyewitnesses interviewed by Aleksievich, the voices represented in the five books are interpreted as the creation of an implied author. In contrast to a theoretical standpoint defining fact in a dichotomous relation to fiction, this study identifies the historical value of Aleksievich’This article claims that Svetlana Aleksievich’s Voices from Utopia should be read as testimony. Although based on eyewitnesses interviewed by Aleksievich, the voices represented in the five books are interpreted as the creation of an implied author. In contrast to a theoretical standpoint defining fact in a dichotomous relation to fiction, this study identifies the historical value of Aleksievich’

A comparison was made between two plant peroxidases, cationic horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and anionic tobacco peroxidase (TOP), combined with a highly cationic osmium polymer [Os(4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine)2poly(N-vinylimidazole)10Cl]+2/+ ([Os(dmp)PVI]+/2+) to develop highly sensitive, stable and selective hydrogen peroxide biosensors. The two different plant peroxidases were individually immo