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Background: Few studies have investigated the 24-hour symptom profile in patients with COPD or how symptoms during the 24-hour day are inter-related. This observational study assessed the prevalence, severity and relationship between night-time, early morning and daytime COPD symptoms and explored the relationship between 24-hour symptoms and other patient-reported outcomes. Methods: The study enr

Cigarette smoking among asthma patients is associated with worsening symptoms and accelerated decline in lung function. Smoking asthma is also characterized by increased levels of neutrophils and macrophages, and greater small airway remodeling, resulting in increased airflow obstruction and impaired response to corticosteroid therapy. As a result, smokers are typically excluded from asthma random

BACKGROUND: Percentage of free-to-total prostate-specific antigen (%fPSA) is an independent predictor of risk for prostate cancer among men with modestly elevated level of total PSA (tPSA) in blood. Physiological and pathological factors have been shown to influence the %fPSA value and diagnostic accuracy. MATERIALS/METHODS: To evaluate genetic determinants of %fPSA, we conducted a genome-wide ass

Boronic acid affinity gels are important for effective separation of biological active cis-diols, and are finding applications both in biotech industry and in biomedical research areas. To increase the efficacy of boronate affinity separation, it is interesting to introduce repeating boronic acid units in flexible polymer chains attached on solid materials. In this work, we synthesize polymer brus

BACKGROUND: Recently, a leveling off in hip-fracture incidence has been reported in several settings, but the annual number is nonetheless predicted to increase due to the growing elderly population. METHODS: Using Swedish national data for 1987-2002 for all inpatients 50 years or older, we examined the annual number and incidence of hip fractures and explored age, period, and cohort effects. Ag

Pharmacologically mediated bronchodilation is important in the management of asthma, and is primarily achieved with β2-agonists. Novel compounds should preferably have a longer duration of action and a better systemic side effect profile than established alternatives at comparable peak bronchodilation. This single-dose crossover study was conducted to investigate and compare with formoterol the br

An acute meal study was performed to determine postprandial glucose and insulin responses after consumption of two fermented oat bran-based beverages (with and without exopolysaccharides) and yoghurt. This randomized, single-blind, within-subject study included 18 healthy, overweight participants. Four breakfast meals, including a reference meal, were tested; all meals contained 50 g of available

Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome is frequently caused by Streptococcus pyogenes of the M1 serotype. The aim of this study was to determine the role of Ras-homologous (Rho)-kinase signaling in M1 protein-provoked lung damage. Male C57BL/6 mice received the Rho-kinase-specific inhibitor Y-27632 before administration of M1 protein. Edema, neutrophil accumulation and CXC chemokines were quantified i

We demonstrate a method that enables the study of photoluminescence of as-grown nanowires on a native substrate by non-destructively suppressing the contribution of substrate photoluminescence. This is achieved by using polarized photo-excitation and photoluminescence and by making an appropriate choice of incident angle of both excitation beam and photoluminescence collection direction. Using T-p

The WHO European Healthy Cities Network has from its inception aimed at tackling inequalities in health. In carrying out an evaluation of Phase V of the project (2009-13), an attempt was made to examine how far the concept of equity in health is understood and accepted; whether cities had moved further from a disease/medical model to looking at the social determinants of inequalities in health; ho

To compare causes of death and mortality among subjects with and without mood disorder in the Lundby Cohort and to analyse additional mental disorders as risk factors for mortality in subjects with mood disorders.

The incidence of type 1 diabetes among children has almost doubled during the last decades in Sweden. Type 1 diabetes is considered as an autoimmune disease with unknown aetiology. Here we propose that the immune reaction may be initiated by food-derived mechanisms. The incidence of diabetes parallels an increased consumption of pasta, white bread, meat, cheese, low-fat milk, exotic fruits, soda,

Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) may be underdiagnosed in ischemic stroke patients but may be pivotal for initiation of oral anticoagulation therapy. We assessed clinical and ECG predictors of new-onset AF during 10-year follow-up (FU) in ischemic stroke patients.

The objective of this work was to describe requirements for inclusion of soluble biomarkers in osteoarthritis (OA) clinical trials and progress toward OA-related biomarker qualification. The Guidelines for Biomarkers Working Group, representing experts in the field of OA biomarker research from both academia and industry, convened to discuss issues related to soluble biomarkers and to make recomme

Lymphomas belong to the few cancer sites with increasing incidence over past decades, and only a few risk factors have been established. We explored the association between education and the incidence of lymphoma in the prospective EPIC study. Within 3,567,410 person-years of follow-up, 1,319 lymphoma cases [1,253 non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL) and 66 Hodgkin lymphomas (HL)] were identified. Cox prop

Carotid intima media thickness (IMT) progression is increasingly used as a surrogate for vascular risk. This use is supported by data from a few clinical trials investigating statins, but established criteria of surrogacy are only partially fulfilled. To provide a valid basis for the use of IMT progression as a study end point, we are performing a 3-step meta-analysis project based on individual p

Inflammation is known to be linked with development of colorectal cancer, and the aim was to assess the malignant potential and degree of inflammation in a dextran-sulphate-sodium-(DSS-) induced cyclic colonic tumour model (CTM) in rats and to compare it with the azoxymethane-(AOM-) induced CTM model. Tumours developed in both groups, although, in the DSS group, the colonic mucosa appeared edemato