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Context: It has been shown that mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content is associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and related traits. However, empirical data, often based on small samples, did not confirm this observation in all studies. Therefore, the role of mtDNA content in T2D remains elusive. Objective: In this study, we assessed the heritability of mtDNA content in buccal cells and analyzed the ass
Using a novel experimental approach based on near-infrared femtosecond absorption spectroscopy, we have determined the energy of the S-1 state of the carotenoid spheroidene. The energy of this state is 13 400 +/- 90 cm(-1) at both 293 and 186 K, showing that there is no temperature-induced shift of the S-1 level. A discrepancy of about 800 cm(-1) between the S-1 energy determined here and that obt
Despite significant progress in oncology research, pancreatic cancer remains inherently difficult to treat, and the mechanisms underlying therapeutic resistance remain unresolved. Decorin (DCN), a member of the family of small leucine-rich proteoglycans, has emerged as a versatile actor in various malignant diseases. The aim of this study was to further explore the potential clinical significance
Background: It is unclear whether the two device-aided therapies (DATs: deep brain stimulation [DBS] and levodopa–carbidopa intestinal gel [LCIG]) affect personality in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Objective: This retrospective study aims to explore if patients with PD and their close relatives experience any changes in the patient’s personality following the start of DAT. Methods: In t
Background General adiposity, assessed by body mass index (BMI), is a well-established cancer risk factor. This study compared waist circumference (WC), a measure of abdominal adiposity, with BMI as a risk factor for obesity-related cancers, and assessed whether WC provides additional information beyond BMI. Methods We analyzed data from 339 190 individuals in a pooled Swedish cohort with baseline
BACKGROUND: Shiga toxin (Stx) is the main virulence factor of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli, a food-borne pathogen that colonizes the intestine causing gastroenteritis and, in severe cases, hemolytic uremic syndrome. Stx was shown to induce ATP release in vivo and in vitro and blockade of purinergic P2X receptors inhibited its cytotoxicity. Here we investigated the intracellular signaling eve
Photonics technologies play a crucial role in driving technological advancements within the agrifood industry, aiming to deliver a sustainable food and agriculture, and offering healthy, nutritious and safe food for all of us. Particularly, optical sensors and imaging systems, together with machine-learning processing and advanced lighting, play a pivotal role in monitoring crop and soil health wi
Background: PAM50 breast cancer intrinsic subtyping adds prognostic information in early breast cancer; however, the role in metastatic disease is unclear. We aimed to identify PAM50 subtypes in primary tumors (PTs) and metastases to outline subtype changes and their prognostic role. Methods: RNA was isolated from PTs, lymph node metastases (LNMs), and distant metastases (DMs) in metastatic breast
A 1162 bp rat liver cDNA clone encoding the immunoregulatory plasma protein alpha 1-microglobulin was isolated and sequenced. The open reading frame encoded a 349 amino acid polyprotein, including alpha 1-microglobulin, 182 amino acids, and bikunin, the light chain of the plasma protein inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor, 145 amino acids. The alpha 1-microglobulin/bikunin mRNA was found only in the liv
Protein G is a streptococcal cell wall protein with separate binding sites for IgG and human serum albumin (HSA). In the present work it was demonstrated that alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2M) and kininogen, two proteinase inhibitors of human plasma, bound to protein G, whereas 23 other human proteins showed no affinity. alpha 2M was found to interact with the IgG-binding domains of protein G, and
BACKGROUND: Pulses represent an important source of protein, as well as digestible and indigestible carbohydrates. Little information is available on the indigestible carbohydrates and antioxidant capacity of legume seeds. The cooked seeds of three pulses (black bean, chickpea and lentil) were evaluated for their indigestible fraction (IF), polyphenols content, antioxidant capacity and in vitro fe
Young children with visual impairments tend to engage less with their surroundings, limiting the benefits from activities at school. We investigated novel ways of using sound from a bracelet, such as speech or familiar noises, to tell children about nearby people, places and activities, to encourage them to engage more during play and help them move independently. We present a series of studies, t
Background--Both the adrenergic and renin-angiotensin systems contribute to orthostatic circulatory homeostasis, which is impaired in postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). Activating autoantibodies to the α1-adrenergic and β1/2-adrenergic receptors have previously been found in sera from patients with POTS. We hypothesized that patients with POTS might also harbor activating autoantibo
Der p 2 is one of the most important allergens from the house dust mite Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus Identification of human IgE Ab binding epitopes can be used for rational design of allergens with reduced IgE reactivity for therapy. Antigenic analysis of Der p 2 was performed by site-directed mutagenesis based on the x-ray crystal structure of the allergen in complex with a Fab from the murine
Neuron-specific enolase (NSE) is a widely-used biomarker for prognostication of neurological outcome after cardiac arrest, but the relevance of recommended cutoff values has been questioned due to the lack of a standardized methodology and uncertainties over the influence of temperature management.
The globular cluster M15 was observed on three occasions with the High Resolution Camera on- board Chandra in 2001 in order to investigate the X- ray source population in the cluster centre. After subtraction of the two bright central sources, four faint sources were identified within 50 arcsec of the core. One of these sources is probably the planetary nebula K648, making this the first positive
I give a very short introduction to chiral perturbation theory and an overview of the next-to-next-to-leading order three-flavour calculations done. I discuss those relevant for an improvement in the accuracy of the measurement of Vus in more detail. One major conclusion is that all needed p6 low energy constants can be obtained from experiment via the scalar form-factor in K
The ESA space astrometry mission Gaia will measure the positions, parallaxes and proper motions of the 1 billion brightest stars on the sky. Expected accuracies are in the 725 as range down to 15 mag and sub-mas accuracies at the faint limit (20 mag). The astrometric data are complemented by low-resolution spectrophotometric data in the 3301000 nm wavelength range and, for the brighter stars, radi
BACKGROUND: Carriers of germline mutations in the BRCA2 gene are known to be at high risk of breast and ovarian cancers, but the risks of other cancers in mutation carriers are uncertain. We investigated these risks in 173 breast-ovarian cancer families with BRCA2 mutations identified at 20 centers in Europe and North America.METHODS: Other cancer occurrence was determined in a final cohort of 372
Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) and microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) are both frequently associated with antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies (ANCA). Immunosuppressive treatment has dramatically improved outcome for these patients, but today we have to deal with the problems of relapses, cases refractory to treatment, and long-term side effects of therapy. This study comprises a consecutive serie
