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Excessive vascular cell proliferation is an important component of pulmonary hypertension (PH). Perlecan is the major heparan sulfate (HS) proteoglycan in the vascular extracellular matrix. It binds growth factors, including FGF2, and either restricts or promotes cell proliferation. In this study, we have explored the effects of perlecan HS deficiency on pulmonary vascular development and in hypox

Serine-synthesis disorders have recently been described as a new group of inborn errors of metabolism due to a deficiency of the amino acid serine. Until now two defects have been reported, first 3-fosfoglycerate dehydrogenase (3-PGDH) deficiency and secondly 3-fosfoserine phosphatase (3-PSP) deficiency. Both disorders present with congenital microcephaly, severe psychomotor retardation and in 3-P

Four neonates with a positive phenylalanine screening test (Phe concentrations between 258 and 1250 μmol/L) were investigated further to differentiate between phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) deficiency and variant hyperphenylalaninaemia (HPA) forms. In patients 1 and 2 a tetrahydrobiopterin (BH 4) load caused a significant decrease of the plasma Phe levels. A combined phenylalanine/BH 4 loading te

The objective of this study has been to create an online system for condition monitoring and diagnosis for a combined heat- and power plant in Sweden. This system consists of artificial neural network models, representing each main component of the combined heat- and power plant, accompanied with a graphical user interface. The artificial neural network models are integrated on a power generation

Energy efficiency has gained attention as an important means of ensuring energy supply, fostering countries’ competitiveness and cost-effectively mitigating CO2 emissions. Yet, evaluations of energy efficiency policies are often lacking or insufficient. Moreover, researchers have tended to overlook these types of policies in non-OECD countries, although at this very moment many of these countries

Molecular imprinting technology is derived from the concept of creating designed recognition sites in macromolecular matrices by means of template polymerisation. Molecularly imprinted polymers are able to mimic recognition in natural binding events, such as antibody-antigen and receptor-ligand interactions. This thesis addresses some aspects of the preparation of molecularly imprinted polymers an

Most stars form in some sort of stellar cluster or association. In such clusters the number density of stars can be very high. Thus, single stars in such clusters may undergo frequent close encounters with other stars and exchange encounters with binary systems. The perturbation caused by the other star in a close encounter or by the companion star in a binary can have significant effects on the e

In the present study, we investigate the outcome of 109 Danish and 123 Swedish patients with nodal PTCL in first complete remission (CR), and examine the impact of imaging-based follow-up (FU) strategies. The patients were selected by the following criteria: (a) newly diagnosed nodal PTCL from 2007 to 2012, (b) age ≥18 years, and (c) CR after CHOP or CHOEP therapy. FU guidelines in Sweden included

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative condition that is expected to double in prevalence due to demographic shifts. Value-based healthcare is a proposed strategy to improve outcomes and decrease costs. To move towards an actual value-based health care system, condition-specific outcomes that are meaningful to patients are essential. Objective: Propose a global con

Bacterial taxonomic community analyses using PCR-amplification of the 16S rRNA gene and high-throughput sequencing has become a cornerstone in microbiology research. To reliably detect the members, or operational taxonomic units (OTUs), that make up bacterial communities, taxonomic surveys rely on the use of the most informative PCR primers to amplify the broad range of phylotypes present in up-to

BACKGROUND: Salmonella enterica serotype Enteritidis (SE) is considered to be one of the most potent pathogenic Salmonella serotypes causing food-borne disease in humans. Since a live bacterial vaccine based on surface display of antigens has many advantages over traditional vaccines, we have studied the surface display of the SE antigenic proteins, H:gm and SefA in Escherichia coli by the β-autot

Boreal trees rely on their ectomycorrhizal fungal symbionts to acquire growth-limiting nutrients, such as nitrogen (N), which mainly occurs as proteins complexed in soil organic matter (SOM). The mechanisms for liberating this N are unclear as ectomycorrhizal fungi have lost many genes encoding lignocellulose-degrading enzymes present in their saprotrophic ancestors. We hypothesized that hydroxyl

Lactoferrin plays an important role in the defense against infections, including herpes simplex virus (HSV) keratitis. We studied the impact of three single nucleotide polymorphisms in the human lactoferrin gene on the susceptibility to HSV infections of the eye and the severity of such infections. Lactoferrin gene polymorphisms were determined by PCR combined with restriction fragment length anal

Psoriasis is a type-1 T cell-mediated, chronic inflammatory disease. Since interleukin (IL)-12p70 promotes the development of type-1 T cells, we investigated whether psoriasis is associated with an increased production of this cyctokine by blood cells. Results revealed that the production of IL-12p70 by cells of psoriasis patients stimulated by 1 and 10 ng per mL, but not 100 ng per mL of lipopoly

BACKGROUND: It is difficult to estimate the diagnostic accuracy of biopsy for prostate cancer because men with negative biopsy do not undergo radical prostatectomy and thus have no confirmation of biopsy findings. METHODS: We performed 18-core needle biopsies on autopsy prostates from 164 men who had no history of prostate cancer. Six-core biopsies were taken from each of the mid peripheral zone (

We have developed over the past years an experimental magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and polarized gases compatible mechanical respirator for the study of the small experimental animal. The respirator has been successfully used for experiments both in the MRI setting for polarized (3)He, (19)F, and proton imaging as well as for functional measurements of the lungs. The new main pneumatic valve w

Background: Laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) appears to be safe and effective as open liver resection (OLR) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, studies comparing LLR with ORL in elderly patients are limited. The purpose of this study is to compare the clinical outcomes of LLR versus OLR for HCC in elderly patients. Methods: A retrospective analysis was made comparing laparoscopic (n = 1

N2O is currently the third most important anthropogenic greenhouse gas in terms of radiative forcing and its atmospheric mole fraction is rising steadily. To quantify the growth rate and its causes over the past decades, we performed a multi-site reconstruction of the atmospheric N2O mole fraction and isotopic composition using new and previously published firn air data collected from Greenland an