Search results

Sex differences in parasite load and immune responses are found across a wide range of animals, with females generally having lower parasite loads and stronger immune responses than males. Intrigued by these general patterns, we investigated if there was any sign of sex-specific selection on an essential component of adaptive immunity that is known to affect fitness, the major histocompatibility c

During the last decade social media has become an increasingly common platform for political participation. However there is to date no research investigating the personality and/or incentive correlates of political participation on social media platforms. Some previous research has shown that extraversion is positively correlated to social media use (Correa et al, 2010), while other studies have

The increasing microbial antibiotic resistance motivates research for non-antibiotic treatment alternatives. In recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs), 'bacterial interference' has attracted interest as a possible alternative treatment option. The observation that asymptomatic bacteriuria (ABU) protects against recurrent UTI has prompted clinical trials with deliberate colonization of the human

It has long been known that rearrangements of chromosomes through breakage-fusion-bridge (BFB) cycles may cause variability of phenotypic and genetic traits within a cell population. Because intercellular heterogeneity is often found in neoplastic tissues, we investigated the occurrence of BFB events in human solid tumors. Evidence of frequent BFB events was found in malignancies that showed unspe

Pre-treatment serum levels of sCD163 were measured in a cohort of 236 suspected tuberculosis (TB) cases from Guinea-Bissau, with a median follow-up period of 3.3 years (range 0-6.4 years). In 113 cases, the diagnosis of TB was verified by positive sputum microscopy and/or culture. Among the verified TB cases, a decreased survival rate was found in 27 patients with sCD163 levels above the upper ref

The objective of present work was to determine and compare the components of bioaerosol in several sectors of plant processing industries. The Study was conducted in 10 Facilities engaged in herb and grain processing, flax threshing, grain storing, baking, and cereals production. The air samples were taken on glass fibre litters with an AS-50 sampler. We determined the concentrations of airborne m

Isolates of Listeria monocytogenes (n = 932) isolated in Sweden during 1958-2010 from human patients with invasive listeriosis were characterized by serotyping and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) (AscI). Of the 932 isolates, 183 different PFGE types were identified, of which 83 were each represented by only one isolate. In all, 483 serovar 1/2a isolates were distributed over 114 PFGE types

In veal calf production, growth promoters are still illicitly used. Surveillance of misuse of such molecules is necessary to preserve human health. Methods currently adopted for their analysis are based on liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry, but their efficacy can be affected by undetectable residual concentrations in biological matrices due to treatments at low-dosage or based on unkn

Scandinavia is considered a region with a low prevalence of antimicrobial resistance. However, the number dof multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria is increasing, including metallo-beta-lactamase (MBL)-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In this study MBL-producing P. aeruginosa isolates identified in Norway (n = 4) and Sweden (n = 9) from 1999 to 2007 were characterized. Two internationa

Allergic rhinitis is an inflammatory nasal disorder in which a range of different cells participates. A variety of approaches has been used to monitor nasal inflammation objectively to investigate disease processes and to evaluate the effect of therapeutic intervention. These approaches include nasal lavage, nasal cytology, and nasal biopsy, together with the more recently established measurement

The presence of metal resistance determinants in bacteria usually is attributed to geological or anthropogenic metal contamination in different environments or associated with the use of antimicrobial metals in human healthcare or in agriculture. While this is certainly true, we hypothesize that protozoan predation and macrophage killing are also responsible for selection of copper/zinc resistance

Heteroclitic monoclonal antibodies are characterized by the ability to bind multiple epitopes with little or no similarity. Such antibodies have been reported earlier, but insight into to the molecular basis of this propensity is limited. Here we report that the KIM185 antibody to human CD18 reacts with the plasma protein C4b-binding protein (C4BP). This was revealed during affinity purification p

Four new Caloplaca species with depsidones are described, C. ochrolechioides S.Y. Kondr., Kärnefelt & Elix, with variolaric and isosubnotatic acids, C. phaeocincta S.Y. Kondr. & Elix, C. sconensis S.Y.Kondr., Kärnefelt & A.Thell, and C. tomnashii S.Y. Kondr., Elix & Kärnefelt, with caloploicin, vicanicin, diploicin, fulgidin, and isofulgidin. The new combination Crocynia glaucescen

To identify risk factors for Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in Danish patients consulting general practice with gastrointestinal symptoms, a prospective matched case-control study was performed; cases (N=259) had positive cultures for toxigenic C. difficile and controls (N=455) negative cultures. Data were analysed by conditional logistic regression. In patients aged 2 years (138 cases), ho

The main objectives of the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) are to harmonise breakpoints for antimicrobial agents in Europe, and to act as the breakpoint committee for the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) during the registration of new antimicrobial agents. Detailed EUCAST procedures for harmonising and setting breakpoints for antimicrobial agents are available o