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Complement activation and resulting opsonisation with C3b form key arms of the innate immune defense against infections. However, a wide variety of pathogens subvert complement attack by binding host complement inhibitors, which results in diminished opsonophagocytosis and killing of bacteria by lysis. Human C4b-binding protein (C4BP) binds Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Streptococcus pyogenes, both un

BACKGROUND: Lung transplantation (LTx) is established as a life-saving treatment in end-stage lung disease. However, long-term survival is hampered by the development of chronic rejection, almost synonymous with bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS). The rejection is characterized by deposition of extracellular matrix in small airways. Fibroblasts/myofibroblasts are the main producers of extrace

Diagnosis of primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) at early stages has obviously been improved since determination of serum levels of free alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) was implemented. AFP has been considered as the standard tumor marker of primary HCC, although certain patients have very low serum free AFP levels. In the present study, clinical application of measuring serum AFP-IgM immune complexes

PURPOSE Cancer of unknown primary (CUP) is diagnosed at the metastatic stage, and despite extensive diagnostic work-up, the primary tumor often remains unidentified. No data are available on familial clustering of CUP. We hypothesize that familial clustering of CUP with other cancers may be informative of the primary sites. PATIENTS AND METHODS A total of 35,168 patients with CUP were identified i

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether features of radiographic hand osteoarthritis (OA) are associated with quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-defined knee cartilage thickness, radiographic knee OA, and 1-year structural progression. METHODS: A total of 765 participants in Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI; 455 women, mean age 62.5 yrs, SD 9.4) obtained hand radiographs (at baseline), knee radi

This paper explores whether women can become the change agents for a sustainable transport sector and how such a change can be accomplished through transport policy. Based on the Swedish case, women still on average have transportation behaviour with lower environmental impact than men have; women also tend to have stronger preferences for improving sustainability in the sector. The results imply

Summary The serum resistance of the common respiratory pathogen Moraxella catarrhalis is mainly dependent on ubiquitous surface proteins (Usp) A1 and A2 that interact with complement factor 3 (C3) and complement inhibitor C4b binding protein (C4BP) preventing the alternative and classical pathways of the complement system respectively. UspA2 also has the capacity to attract vitronectin that in tur

POU5F1 has two alternatively spliced transcripts: a long (variant 1, NM_002701) and a short (variant 2, NM_203289) transcript. Only variant 1 is a key regulator of pluripotency. Hence, it is important to be able to distinguish this transcript from variant 2 and from the many pseudogenes present in the genome. Previous studies on the expression of POU5F1 were, however, usually carried out without c

All over Sweden it has since long been possible to follow authors as well as fictional characters in their footsteps, inspired by books and filmic adaptations. The opportunities have increased and there is a growing market for trips of this kind. In its organized form these activities are part of something much larger, including an economic development where economic and cultural spheres increasin

Both total ankle replacement (TAR) and ankle arthrodesis do show some problems in long-term studies. To choose either of these surgical options is a delicate task. There are no randomized studies reported in the literature and no previous studies in which patients constitute the own controls.

A method for time-resolved recording of light scattering in thin, highly scattering media is described. Subpicosecond pulses from a high-power Ti:sapphire laser are used, and single-shot recordings of the scattered light are made with a fast streak camera. The method is applied to the study of light scattering in paper, and a 1-ps resolution is demonstrated. The dependence of the light scattering

USA:s högsta domstol har nyligen beslutat att bioteknikföretaget Myriad Genetics inte får ta patent på de två viktigaste bröstcancergenerna. Detta beslut bör leda till en ändring av den svenska genlagstiftningen. Det skriver professor Bengt Olle Bengtsson.

Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) caused by Streptococcus pyogenes is a clinical condition with a high mortality rate despite modern intensive care. A key feature of STSS is excessive plasma leakage leading to hypovolemic hypotension, disturbed microcirculation and multiorgan failure. Previous work has identified a virulence mechanism in STSS where M1 protein of S. pyogenes forms complexes

This study evaluated automated techniques including personalized normative feedback and protective behavioral strategies, for brief interventions intended to reduce peak alcohol concentrations in university students. After completing baseline assessment, a total of 1,678 hazardous-drinking consumers were randomized to a single or a repeated Internet (WEB) or Interactive Voice Response (IVR) interv

Transferrin internalization via clathrin-mediated endocytosis and subsequent recycling after iron delivery has been extensively studied. Here we demonstrate a previously unrecognized parameter regulating this recycling -the binding of galectin-3 to particular glycoforms of transferrin. Two fractions of transferrin, separated by affinity chromatography based on their binding or not to galectin-3, a