Button battery injury causing an aorto-oesophageal fistula in a 1-year-old child - Sengstaken-Blakemore tube, a life-saving bridge during surgery.

AEF: aorto-oesophageal fistula;BB: button battery;CTA: computed tomography angiography;ER: emergency room;GI: gastro-intestinal;SBT: Sengstaken-Blakemore tube.

Pathogenic copy number variants are detected in a subset of patients with gastrointestinal malformations.

Background: Gastrointestinal atresias and urological defects are main causes of pediatric surgery in infants. As copy number variants (CNVs) have been shown to be involved in the development of congenital malformations, the aim of our study was to investigate the presence of CNVs in patients with gastrointestinal and urological malformations as well as the possibility of tissue-specific mosaicism for CNVs in the cohort.

Methods: We have collected tissue and/or blood samples from 25 patients with anorectal malformations, esophageal atresia, or hydronephrosis, and screened for pathogenic CNVs using array comparative genomic hybridization (array-CGH).

Increased risk for postoperative periprosthetic fracture in hip fracture patients with the Exeter stem than the anatomic SP2 Lubinus stem.

Background: The purpose of this study was to compare the cumulative incidence of postoperative periprosthetic fracture (PPF) in a cohort of femoral neck fracture (FNF) patients treated with two commonly used cemented stems: either a collarless, polished, tapered Exeter stem or the anatomic Lubinus SP2 stem.

Methods: In this retrospective multicenter cohort study of a consecutive series of patients, we included 2528 patients of age 60 years and above with an FNF who were treated with either hemiarthroplasty or total hip arthroplasty using either a polished tapered Exeter stem or an anatomic Lubinus SP2 stem. The incidence of PPF was assessed at a minimum of 2 years postoperatively.

Driver-related risk factors of fatal road traffic crashes associated with alcohol or drug impairment.

Fatal road traffic crashes are often related to speeding, non-use of a seatbelt, and alcohol/drug-impaired driving. The aim of this study was to examine associations between driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol and driver-related risk factors that have been reported as significantly contributing causes of fatal road traffic crashes. The data were extracted from Norwegian road traffic crash registries and forensic toxicology databases.

Early central line-associated blood stream infections in children with cancer pose a risk for premature catheter removal.

Aim: This study examined the clinical characteristics of central line-associated blood stream infections occurring within 30 days after insertion versus later infections in paediatric cancer patients and the subsequent risk for premature catheter removal.

Methods: This was a retrospective study of children aged 0-18 years who were diagnosed with cancer from 2013 to 2014 at the Astrid Lindgren Children Hospital, Sweden. Clinical and microbiology data for each patient were collected for 365 days after the central venous catheter (CVC) was inserted.

Associations between driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, speeding and seatbelt use among fatally injured car drivers in Norway.

Since 2005, all fatal road traffic crashes in Norway have been analyzed in-depth by multidisciplinary investigation teams organized by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration (NPRA). During the period 2005-2010, 608 drivers of cars or vans were killed in road traffic crashes. Blood samples were collected from 372 (61%) of the drivers and analyzed for alcohol and a large number of psychoactive drugs at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH).

A factor XIIa inhibitory antibody provides thromboprotection in extracorporeal circulation without increasing bleeding risk.

Currently used anticoagulants prevent thrombosis but increase bleeding. We show an anticoagulation therapy without bleeding risk based on a plasma protease factor XII function-neutralizing antibody. We screened for antibodies against activated factor XII (FXIIa) using phage display and demonstrated that recombinant fully human antibody 3F7 binds into the FXIIa enzymatic pocket.

Car crash fatalities associated with fire in Sweden.

Objective: To study the epidemiology and causes of death in fatal car crashes on Swedish roads in which the victim's vehicle caught fire.

Methods: The data set is from the Swedish Transport Administrations in-depth studies of fatal crashes 1998-2008. Autopsies from all cases provided data on injuries, toxicological analyses, and cause of death.

Experimental extracorporeal membrane oxygenation reduces central venous pressure: an adjunct to control of venous hemorrhage?

Background: Venoarterial ECMO has been utilized in trauma patients to improve oxygenation, particularly in the setting of pulmonary contusions and ARDS. We hypothesized that venoarterial ECMO could reduce the central venous pressure in the trauma scenario, thus, alleviating major venous hemorrhage.

Methods: Ten swine were cannulated for venoarterial ECMO.

The stability of alexithymia during work in a high-stress environment: a prospective study of Swedish peacekeepers serving in Kosovo.

We applied a prospective design to reinvestigate the issue whether the sub-domains of alexithymia could be considered stable traits or distress-related states. Assessments of alexithymia and subjective distress were conducted before deployment to Kosovo in a sample of male peacekeepers. A second assessment was conducted approximately six months later during the final phase of service.

Increase in hippocampal volume after electroconvulsive therapy in patients with depression: a volumetric magnetic resonance imaging study.

Background: Major depression has traditionally been regarded as a neurochemical disease, but findings of a decreased hippocampal volume in patients with depression have turned the pathophysiological focus toward impairments in structural plasticity. The mechanisms of action of the most effective antidepressive treatment, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), still remains elusive, but recent animal research has provided evidence for a cell proliferative effect in the hippocampus. The aim of this prospective study was to determine if hippocampal volume changes after ECT in patients with depression.

Baseline verbal fluency performance as predictor of state anxiety during a live hand-grenade throwing exercise - A prospective study of Swedish military conscripts.

Background: We investigated whether individual differences in baseline executive control capacity could predict state anxiety during a potentially life-threatening situation.

Methods: 19 Swedish military conscripts were assessed during two measurement occasions. During a baseline measurement, data regarding performance on a letter fluency task and state anxiety were assessed.

Growth and optical properties of strained GaAs-GaxIn 1-x P core-shell nanowires.

We have synthesized GaAs-Ga(x)In(1-x)P (0.34 < x < 0.69) core-shell nanowires by metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy.

Higher pollinator effectiveness by specialist than generalist flower-visitors of unspecialized Knautia arvensis (Dipsacaceae).

A critical issue in pollination ecology is the evolution of generalist pollination systems, and under which conditions floral specializations evolve from these. The gynodioecious herb Knautia arvensis (Dipsacaceae) exhibits a generalized pollination system, but is visited by both generalist and specialist flower-visitors. The present study tested pollinator effectiveness and pollinator importance of the pollen specialist solitary bee Andrena hattorfiana (Andrenidae) vs.

Solid-phase diffusion mechanism for GaAs nanowire growth.

Controllable production of nanometre-sized structures is an important field of research, and synthesis of one-dimensional objects, such as nanowires, is a rapidly expanding area with numerous applications, for example, in electronics, photonics, biology and medicine. Nanoscale electronic devices created inside nanowires, such as p-n junctions, were reported ten years ago. More recently, hetero-structure devices with clear quantum-mechanical behaviour have been reported, for example the double-barrier resonant tunnelling diode and the single-electron transistor.

Transcript identification by analysis of short sequence tags--influence of tag length, restriction site and transcript database.

There exist a number of gene expression profiling techniques that utilize restriction enzymes for generation of short expressed sequence tags. We have studied how the choice of restriction enzyme influences various characteristics of tags generated in an experiment. We have also investigated various aspects of in silico transcript identification that these profiling methods rely on.

Single-vector three-frame expression systems for affinity-tagged proteins.

An effort is presented to create expression vectors which would allow expression of an inserted gene fragment in three reading frames in a single vector from a single promoter but with three separate ribosome binding sites (RBS). Each expression frame would generate an in-frame fusion with an affinity tag to allow efficient recovery of the produced fusion proteins. In the first generation vector, three identical polyhistidyl tags (His(6)) were used as affinity tags for the three expression frames.

Gene expression analysis by signature pyrosequencing.

We describe a novel method for transcript profiling based on high-throughput parallel sequencing of signature tags using a non-gel-based microtiter plate format. The method relies on the identification of cDNA clones by pyrosequencing of the region corresponding to the 3'-end of the mRNA preceding the poly(A) tail. Simultaneously, the method can be used for gene discovery, since tags corresponding to unknown genes can be further characterized by extended sequencing.