[Sickle cell anemia causes varied symptoms and high morbidity. Serious prognosis in the most common genetic disease in the world].

Sickle cell anemia is a life-threatening disease, and the most common genetic disease in the world. The prevalence of sickle cell anemia in Sweden is unknown. Sickle cell anemia is an important disease, because of its variable complications, in many medical and surgical specialties.

Contrasting drought tolerance strategies in two desert annuals of hybrid origin.

Woody plants native to mesic habitats tend to be more vulnerable to drought-induced cavitation than those in xeric habitats. Cavitation resistance in herbaceous plants, however, is rarely studied and whether or not annual plants in arid habitats conform to the trends observed in woody plants is unknown. This question is addressed by comparing the hydraulic properties of annual plants endemic to relatively mesic and seasonally xeric habitats in the Great Basin Desert, in both native and experimental settings.

Evaluation of low PAI-1 activity as a risk factor for hemorrhagic diathesis.

Background: Prospective studies of the epidemiology and clinical significance of low plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) activity are lacking.

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of low PAI-1 activity in patients with a bleeding tendency in comparison with a normal population.

Methods: In 586 consecutive patients, referred because of bleeding symptoms, we added analyses of PAI-1 activity and tissue plasminogen activator complex with PAI-1 (t-PA-PAI-1) to the routine investigation, consisting of platelet count, bleeding time, prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, fibrinogen, factor VIII, von Willebrand factor activity, and antigen.

Embolized conduits of rice (Oryza sativa, Poaceae) refill despite negative xylem pressure.

Embolism reversal in rice plants was studied by testing the plant's ability to refill embolized conduits while xylem pressures were substantially negative. Intact, potted plants were water-stressed to a xylem pressure of -1.88 ± 0.

Passive IgE-sensitization by blood transfusion.

Background: To study the mechanisms of passive sensitization of patients receiving plasma containing IgE antibodies to a defined allergen.

Methods: When required for medical reasons, regular donor plasma with IgE antibodies to timothy grass allergen (8-205 kU(A)/l), was given. Kinetics of IgE antibodies in the recipients' serum and his/her basophil allergen threshold sensitivity, CD-sens, was monitored up to 2-3 weeks after transfusion.