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Background: Pre-eclampsia (PE) is a major pregnancy disorder complicating up to 8% of pregnancies. Increasing evidence indicates a sex-specific interplay between the mother, placenta and fetus. This may lead to different adaptive mechanisms during pregnancy. Methods: We performed an individual participant data meta-analysis to determine associations of fetal sex and PE, with specific focus on gest
We have exposed sixteen test subjects to particle and gas phase phthalates in the controlled chamber exposure study. Deuterium labelled phthalates were used to generate particle D4-DEHP (di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate) and gas phase D4-DEP (diethyl phthalate) for exposures scenarios allowed studying the dermal only and combined inhalational and dermal uptake. Metabolites were measured in urine samples
Background: Mast cells (MCs) are known to contribute to both acute and chronic inflammation. Bronchial epithelial cells are the first line of defence against pathogens and a deficient anti-viral response has been suggested to play a role in the pathogenesis of asthma exacerbations. However, effects of MC mediators on bronchial epithelial immune response have been less studied. The aim of this stud
The human bone marrow (BM) gives rise to all distinct blood cell lineages, including CD1c+ (cDC2) and CD141+ (cDC1) myeloid dendritic cells (DC) and monocytes. These cell subsets are also present in peripheral blood (PB) and lymphoid tissues. However, the difference between the BM and PB compartment in terms of differentiation state and immunological role of DC is not yet known. The BM may represe
Background: In Western settings, community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) due to Gram-negative bacilli (GNB) is relatively rare. Previous studies from Asia, however, indicate a higher prevalence of GNB in CAP, but data, particularly from Southeast Asia, are limited. Methods: This is a prospective observational study of 1451 patients ≥15 y of age with CAP from two hospitals in Cambodia between 2007 and 2
For the detection of Enterovirus, we devised a direct economical method of polymerase chain reaction which does not require a previous extraction of ribonucleic acid and uses infected cell culture supernatants. The system was developed on the basis of universal primers of Enterovirus and specific primers of vaccinal strain Sabin 1. The achieved results proved that the non-existence of methods of R
Obesity associates with reduced life expectancy, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease, and is characterized by chronic inflammation. Phosphorylcholine (PC) is an epitope on oxidized low-density lipoprotein, dead cells and some microorganisms. Antibodies against PC (anti-PC) have anti-inflammatory properties. Here, we explored the role of anti-PC in hospitalized versus non-hospi
High-dose methotrexate (HDMTX) is a central component in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia, osteosarcoma, and some lymphomas and brain tumors. MTX is given at lethal doses and then is followed by rescue treatment with folinic acid (FA). Despite FA rescue, many patients suffer severe toxicity. The pharmacokinetics of FA rescue have not been sufficiently studied. However, optimization of
Non-islet cell tumor hypoglycemia (NICTH) is one of the paraneoplastic syndromes manifesting severe hypoglycemia caused by aberrant production of high-molecular-weight insulin-like growth factor 2 (big-IGF2). Two surgical cases of extremely large thoracic solitary fibrous tumors (SFT) with unusual history of NICTH are presented. One case manifested severe hypoglycemia after four years of the first
Adipose-derived lipid droplets (LDs) are rich in triacylglycerols (TAGs), which regulate essential cellular processes, such as energy storage. Although TAG accumulation and LD expansion in adipocytes occur during obesity, how LDs dynamically package TAGs in response to excessive nutrients remains elusive. Here, we found that LD lipidomes display a remarkable increase in TAG acyl chain saturation u
Induction and regulation of specific intestinal IgA responses critically depend on dendritic cell subsets and the T cells they activate in the Peyer's patches (PP). We found that oral immunization with cholera toxin (CT) as an adjuvant resulted in migration-dependent changes in the composition and localization of PP DC subsets with increased numbers of CD103 - cDC2s and LysoDCs in the subepithelia
As tech giants such as Apple and Meta invest heavily in Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR/AR) technologies, often collectively termed Extended Reality (XR) devices, a significant societal concern emerges: The use of eye-tracking technology within these devices. Gaze data holds immense value, revealing insights into user attention, health, and cognitive states. This raises substantial concerns over
Purpose: As social infrastructures, public libraries are increasingly recognised as providing more than access to books and information; librarians’ work is importantly centred around practices of care. However, the ways in which they provide care is poorly researched, let alone conceptualised. This paper explores how this important part of librarians’ daily work is practiced through the lens of i
BACKGROUND: The role of ribonucleases in tuberculosis among people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV; PWH) is unknown. We explored ribonuclease activity in plasma from PWH with and without tuberculosis.METHODS: Participants were identified from a cohort of treatment-naive PWH in Ethiopia who had been classified for tuberculosis disease (HIV positive [HIV+]/tuberculosis positive [tuberculosis+
Background: Both anti-viral and anti-inflammatory bronchial effects are warranted to treat viral infections in asthma. We sought to investigate if imiquimod, a TLR7 agonist, exhibits such dual actions in ex vivo cultured human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs), targets for SARS-CoV-2 infectivity. Objective: To investigate bronchial epithelial effects of imiquimod of potential importance for anti-
Purpose: To assess the ability of clinical examination, blood biomarkers, electrophysiology or neuroimaging assessed within 7 days from return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) to predict good neurological outcome, defined as no, mild, or moderate disability (CPC 1–2 or mRS 0–3) at discharge from intensive care unit or later, in comatose adult survivors from cardiac arrest (CA). Methods: PubMed, E
The nuclear stellar disc (NSD) is a flattened high-density stellar structure that dominates the gravitational field of the Milky Way at Galactocentric radius $30\, {\rm pc}\lesssim R\lesssim 300\, {\rm pc}$. We construct axisymmetric self-consistent equilibrium dynamical models of the NSD in which the distribution function is an analytic function of the action variables. We fit the models to the n
Emerging nonlinear optical spectroscopies enable deeper insight into the intricate world of interactions and dynamics of complex molecular systems. 2D electronic spectroscopy appears to be especially well suited for studying multichromophoric complexes such as light-harvesting complexes of photosynthetic organisms as it allows direct observation of couplings between the pigments and charts dynamic
BACKGROUND: The presence of receptor subtypes for the inhibitory peptide somatostatin in prostatic tissue has been a controversial issue with conflicting reports. To elucidate whether prostatic epithelial cells express mRNA for somatostatin receptor (SSTR) subtype 2 and 4, we have investigated the localization of SSTR2 and SSTR4 transcripts in prostatic tissues by in situ hybridization. METHODS: N
Dysregulated NLRP3 inflammasome activation drives a wide variety of diseases, while endogenous inhibition of this pathway is poorly characterised. The serum protein C4b-binding protein (C4BP) is a well-established inhibitor of complement with emerging functions as an endogenously expressed inhibitor of the NLRP3 inflammasome signalling pathway. Here, we identified that C4BP purified from human pla
