OBJECTIVE: Desmin intermediate filaments are key structures in the cytoskeleton of cardiac muscle. Since they are associated with Z-discs and intercalated discs, they may have a role in sarcomere alignment or force transmission. We have explored the mechanical function of the desmin filaments in the cardiac wall by comparing desmin-deficient (Des-/-) and wild-type (Des+/+) mice. METHODS: The Lange

Smoking has recently been recognised as causally associated with the development of gastric cancer (GC). However, evidence on the effect by sex, duration and intensity of smoking, anatomic subsite and cessation of smoking is limited. Our objective was to assess the relation between tobacco use and GC incidence in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). We studied d

The neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) is required for cell type segregation during pancreatic islet organogenesis. We have investigated the functional consequences of ablating NCAM on pancreatic beta-cell function. In vivo, NCAM(-/-) mice exhibit impaired glucose tolerance and basal hyperinsulinemia. Insulin secretion from isolated NCAM(-/-) islets is enhanced at glucose concentrations below 15

For measuring the physical exposure/workload in studies of work-related musculoskeletal disorders, direct measurements are valuable. However, the between-days and between-subjects variability, as well as the precision of the method per se, are not well known. In a laboratory, six women performed three standardised assembly tasks, all of them repeated on three different days. Triaxial inclinometers

Background There have been no reports on the long-term outcome of radial neck Mason type IIIb fractures in adults. Methods 3 women and 2 men, aged 46 (22-69) years when they sustained a radial neck Mason type IIIb fracture, were evaluated after an average of 18 (16-21) years. All had been treated with radial head excision. Results 3 individuals had no subjective elbow complaints while 2 reported o

Roentgen stereophotogrammetric analysis (RSA) was used to evaluate the migration in 17 cemented acetabular components after revision operations for mechanical loosening. All of the hips were examined four months and one year after surgery; ten of the hips were also examined after two years. In 15 of the 17 components, definite migration (0.5-2.7 mm) was identified, whereas two acetabular component

The room-temperature Raman and infrared spectra of zirconium vanadate (ZrV2O7) were observed up to pressures of 12 GPa and 5.7 GPa, respectively. The frequencies of the optically active modes at ambient pressure were calculated using direct methods and compared with experimental values. Average mode Gruneisen parameters were calculated for the Raman and infrared active modes. Changes in the spectr

The present study was designed to examine the production of the Swedish tonal accents in children with language impairment and normal controls in order to verify previous findings. The productions of 25 children with linguistic impairment and their matched controls, aged 4;4-10;0 (mean age 5;11) were evaluated by ratings of fundamental frequency patterns, and by perceptual analysis by ten linguist

The aim of this study was to examine dose-dependent effects of intranasal application of neuropeptide Y (NPY) on nasal mucosal blood flow, blood content, and intranasal nitric oxide (NO) concentration. Blood flow was measured by laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) and blood content by rhinomanometry. Mucosal biopsies were taken for investigation of Y1 and Y2 receptor mRNA expression, using the reverse t

In this paper new families of strongly universal hash functions, or equivalently, authentication codes, are proposed. Their parameters are derived from bounds on exponential sums over finite fields and Galois rings. This is the first time hash families based upon such exponential sums have been considered. Their performance improves the previously best known constructions and they can be made gene

AIMS: Studies indicate a poorer quality of life (QoL) for implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) patients than for the general population. However, studies comparing the QoL of ICD patients with that of patients with other implantable cardiac devices are scarce. We hypothesized that ICD patients had a poorer QoL than pacemaker patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: All ICD patients living in Iceland

This paper presents an ongoing study of children with chronic ITP in Sweden that addresses four specific questions: is there a subgroup of children with chronic ITP that have impaired platelet function? Do children in this subgroup have antibodies directed against surface glycoproteins that are crucial for platelet function? Can desmopressin improve the impaired platelet function in this subgroup?

The aim of the study was to investigate men with prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in comparison with men from the general population in aspects of presence and frequency of micturition problems in remembrance of prior to treatment and currently. Further, the aim was to investigate the impact of micturition problems on quality of life and the association with micturition probl

To what extent does television interfere with and complicate diplomatic signaling via other channels? Conversely, to what extent can world leaders and diplomats use television to their advantage? Exploring these questions, this article focuses on the combination of communication speed and excitable public opinion, on the one hand, and the metaphorical and symbolic aspects of the medium, on the oth