Identification of novel spinal cholinergic genetic subtypes disclose Chodl and Pitx2 as markers for fast motor neurons and partition cells.

Spinal cholinergic neurons are critical for motor function in both the autonomic and somatic nervous systems and are affected in spinal cord injury and in diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and spinal muscular atrophy. Using two screening approaches and in situ hybridization, we identified 159 genes expressed in typical cholinergic patterns in the spinal cord. These include two general cholinergic neuron markers, one gene exclusively expressed in motor neurons, and nine genes expressed in unknown subtypes of somatic motor neurons.

Arthritogenic dsRNA is present in synovial fluid from rheumatoid arthritis patients with an erosive disease course.

Viruses may be part of the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Double stranded RNA (dsRNA) is a prototypic viral conformation of nucleic acid that is highly arthritogenic in mice. Therefore, we developed an ELISA to detect dsRNA in sera and synovial fluids (SF) in RA patients and in osteoarthritic controls.

Vertical distribution of nitrifying populations in bacterial biofilms from a full-scale nitrifying trickling filter.

Cryosectioned biofilm from three depths (0.5, 3.0 and 6.

Stricture of the proximal esophagus in head and neck carcinoma patients after radiotherapy.

Background: It is well recognized that many patients with head and neck carcinoma have problems with food intake and malnutrition. The objective of the current study was to determine the clinical pattern of patients with nonneoplastic stricture of the upper esophagus after radiotherapy for head and neck carcinoma.

Methods: A retrospective chart study of 22 patients with stricture of the proximal esophagus diagnosed between 1993 and 1999 at Karolinska Hospital was performed.