Atomistic Model for Nearly Quantitative Simulations of Langmuir Monolayers.

Lung surfactant and a tear film lipid layer are examples of biologically relevant macromolecular structures found at the air-water interface. Because of their complexity, they are often studied in terms of simplified lipid layers, the simplest example being a Langmuir monolayer. Given the profound biological significance of these lipid assemblies, there is a need to understand their structure and dynamics on the nanoscale, yet there are not many techniques able to provide this information.

Increased frequency of multiple sclerosis among patients with bullous pemphigoid: a population-based cohort study on comorbidities anchored around the diagnosis of bullous pemphigoid.

Background: Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is a disease of the elderly and may be associated with neurological and cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Mortality rates strongly exceed those of the background population.

Objectives: To investigate the frequency of comorbidities and their temporal relation to BP.

The Danish Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer Dermatology Database.

Aim Of Database: The Danish Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer Dermatology Database was established in 2008. The aim of this database was to collect data on nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) treatment and improve its treatment in Denmark. NMSC is the most common malignancy in the western countries and represents a significant challenge in terms of public health management and health care costs.

Toward Atomistic Resolution Structure of Phosphatidylcholine Headgroup and Glycerol Backbone at Different Ambient Conditions.

Phospholipids are essential building blocks of biological membranes. Despite a vast amount of very accurate experimental data, the atomistic resolution structures sampled by the glycerol backbone and choline headgroup in phoshatidylcholine bilayers are not known. Atomistic resolution molecular dynamics simulations have the potential to resolve the structures, and to give an arrestingly intuitive interpretation of the experimental data, but only if the simulations reproduce the data within experimental accuracy.

Coarse-grained computational studies of supported bilayers: current problems and their root causes.

The supported bilayer is an important experimental method for probing the features of lipid bilayers, yet relatively few computational studies have taken up its modeling. Using coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations based on the MARTINI force field, we show that some of the few previous attempts employing similar methodologies are problematic, and have indeed led to erroneous conclusions. We further build a theoretical framework to see where exactly the failures of parametrization lie and suggest how these earlier results should be interpreted.

Kidney disease and risk of venous thromboembolism: a nationwide population-based case-control study.

Background: Chronic kidney disease is associated with hemostatic derangements, including both procoagulant activity and platelet dysfunction, which may influence the risk of venous thromboembolism. However, data associating kidney disease with risk of venous thromboembolism are sparse.

Objectives: We examined whether kidney disease is associated with increased risk of venous thromboembolism.

Cancer incidence among patients with a hospital diagnosis of pruritus: a nationwide Danish cohort study.

Background: Pruritus is a frequent complaint in patients with cancer. However, no large study has examined pruritus as a marker of undiagnosed cancer.

Objectives: To examine the association between inpatient, outpatient and emergency hospital diagnoses of pruritus and subsequent cancer diagnoses.

Freezing of stressed bilayers and vesicles.

We show using a minimalistic theoretical framework that phase transition decoupling in lipid bilayers is caused by a nonuniform stress profile due to an asymmetric distribution of lipids between the two leaflets. Applying this framework to vesicles, we demonstrate that their anomalous freezing is also caused by a stress asymmetry, but that this is due to lipid tail extension on freezing. Finally, we predict a previously unknown dependence of surface tension on temperature, find the phenomenon also in coarse grained molecular dynamics simulations, and suggest that it might have relevance in thermosensitive protein gating.

Basin-scale phenology and effects of climate variability on global timing of initial seaward migration of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar).

Migrations between different habitats are key events in the lives of many organisms. Such movements involve annually recurring travel over long distances usually triggered by seasonal changes in the environment. Often, the migration is associated with travel to or from reproduction areas to regions of growth.

Interfacial tension and surface pressure of high density lipoprotein, low density lipoprotein, and related lipid droplets.

Lipid droplets play a central role in energy storage and metabolism on a cellular scale. Their core is comprised of hydrophobic lipids covered by a surface region consisting of amphiphilic lipids and proteins. For example, high and low density lipoproteins (HDL and LDL, respectively) are essentially lipid droplets surrounded by specific proteins, their main function being to transport cholesterol.

Systemic intermittent parathyroid hormone treatment improves osseointegration of press-fit inserted implants in cancellous bone.

Background And Purpose: Intermittent administration of parathyroid hormone (PTH) has an anabolic effect on bone, as confirmed in human osteoporosis studies, distraction osteogenesis, and fracture healing. PTH in rat models leads to improved fixation of implants in low-density bone or screw insertion transcortically.

Material And Methods: We examined the effect of human PTH (1-34) on the cancellous osseointegration of unloaded implants inserted press-fit in intact bone of higher animal species.

Hip fracture history and risk of nonmelanoma skin cancer: a Danish population-based study.

Background: Vitamin D deficiency is associated with osteoporotic fractures, such as hip fracture. Sun exposure, the natural source of vitamin D, is the main risk factor for basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). In this study, we examined the association between a history of hip fracture and risk of BCC and SCC.

Changes in skills required for using a manual wheelchair after reconstructive hand surgery in tetraplegia.

Objective: The aim of this study was to document prospectively the changes in function that can affect the skills required to use a manual wheelchair after reconstructive hand and arm surgery in individuals with tetraplegia.

Design: Case series. The tests were conducted preoperatively and 12 months postoperatively.

Parathyroid hormone treatment increases fixation of orthopedic implants with gap healing: a biomechanical and histomorphometric canine study of porous coated titanium alloy implants in cancellous bone.

Parathyroid hormone (PTH) administered intermittently is a bone-building peptide. In joint replacements, implants are unavoidably surrounded by gaps despite meticulous surgical technique and osseointegration is challenging. We examined the effect of human PTH(1-34) on implant fixation in an experimental gap model.

Universal platform for quantitative analysis of DNA transposition.

Background: Completed genome projects have revealed an astonishing diversity of transposable genetic elements, implying the existence of novel element families yet to be discovered from diverse life forms. Concurrently, several better understood transposon systems have been exploited as efficient tools in molecular biology and genomics applications. Characterization of new mobile elements and improvement of the existing transposition technology platforms warrant easy-to-use assays for the quantitative analysis of DNA transposition.

Registration in the Danish Regional Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer Dermatology Database: completeness of registration and accuracy of key variables.

Objective: To validate a clinical database for nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) with the aim of monitoring and predicting the prognosis of NMSC treated by dermatologists in clinics in the central and north Denmark regions.

Methods: We assessed the completeness of registration of patients and follow-up visits, and positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), sensitivity, and specificity of registrations in the database. We used the Danish Pathology Registry (DPR) (n = 288) and a review of randomly selected medical records (n = 67) from two clinics as gold standards.

Non-melanoma skin cancer and ten-year all-cause mortality: a population-based cohort study.

Confounding from comorbidity and socioeconomic status may have biased earlier findings of all-cause mortality among patients with basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). We therefore examined all-cause mortality among 72,295 Danish patients with BCC, 11,601 with SCC, and 383,714 age- and gender-matched population control cohort subjects with extensive control for comorbidity and socioeconomic status. Data on cancer, death, and socioeconomic status were obtained from medical databases and Statistics Denmark.

Use of oral bisphosphonates and risk of venous thromboembolism: a population-based case-control study.

Unlabelled: Oral bisphosphonates are widely used for fracture prevention, but there is a concern regarding potential adverse cardiovascular effects of bisphosphonates. In this large, population-based case-control study, we found no evidence of an association between bisphosphonate use and risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE).

Introduction: We examined the relation between the use of oral bisphosphonates for osteoporosis and the risk of VTE.

Effect of local TGF-beta1 and IGF-1 release on implant fixation: comparison with hydroxyapatite coating: a paired study in dogs.

Background And Purpose: Hydroxyapatite (HA) coating stimulates the osseointegration of cementless orthopedic implants. Recently, locally released osteogenic growth factors have also been shown experimentally to stimulate osseointegration so that bone fills gaps around orthopedic implants. Here, we have compared the effect of local release of TGF-beta1 and IGF-1 with that of hydroxyapatite coating on implant fixation.

Locally delivered TGF-beta1 and IGF-1 enhance the fixation of titanium implants: a study in dogs.

Background: Osteogenic growth factors have been suggested to enhance the fixation of implants used in joint replacement. We examined the effect of locally delivered transforming growth factor-beta1 and insulin-like growth factor-1 in a biodegradable poly (D, L-lactide) coating.

Material And Methods: In a paired study using 9 dogs, unloaded titanium implants surrounded by a 1-mm gap were inserted into the proximal humerus.