Activins are members of the TGF-β family of ligands that have multiple biological functions in embryonic stem cells as well as in differentiated tissue. Serum levels of activin A were found to be elevated in pathological conditions such as cachexia, osteoporosis and cancer. Signaling by activin A through canonical ALK4-ACVR2 receptor complexes activates the transcription factors SMAD2 and SMAD3. A

Aim To investigate health care improvement team coaching activities from the perspectives of coachees, coaches and unit leaders in two national improvement collaboratives. Background Despite numerous methods to improve health care, inconsistencies in success have been attributed to factors that include unengaged staff, absence of supportive improvement resources and organisational inertia. Metho

Paracellular permeability is determined by the complex structures of junctions that are located between the epithelial cells. Already in 1996, it was shown that the human probiotic strain Lactobacillus plantarum 299v and the rat-originating strain Lactobacillus reuteri R2LC could reduce this permeability in a methotrexate-induced colitis model in the rat. Subsequently, many animal models and cell

Patient reported outcomes (PROs) are important measures in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A register of patients with RA from all rheumatology care providers in Malmö, Sweden, was established in 1997 and has been continually updated. This register includes virtually all the RA patients in the area. The aim of this study was to analyse PROs in surveys of this population conducted between 1997 and 2009,

Abstract The nutrient and carbon (C) allocation dynamics in mycorrhizal hyphal networks cause variation in costs and benefits for individual plants and fungi and influence the productivity, diversity and C cycling in ecosystems. We manipulated light and phosphorus (P) availability in a pot experiment with Trifolium subterraneum colonised by the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus Glomus intraradice

Near vacuum ultraviolet (UV) upconversion (UC) emissions with a spectral resolution of 1 nm, from the (6)G(J), D-6(J), I-6(J), P-6(J) levels of Gd3+ and the L-2(17/2), D-4(7/2), H-2(2)(9/2), D-2(5/2), (4)G(7/2), K-2(13/2), P-2(3/2) levels of Er3+, were observed under 974 nm laser excitation. Mechanism analyses illustrate that successive energy transfers (ETs) from Yb3+ to Er3+ generate UV UC radia

Streptococcus agalactiae and Streptococcus pyogenes are two related human pathogens causing different diseases. This thesis focuses on a number of surface proteins expressed by S. agalactiae and S. pyogenes and, more specifically, the molecular and biological characterization of these proteins. The first paper describes the novel Blr protein of S. agalactiae, which together with the previously des

Climate change is considered as the biggest threat to human health in the 21st century. Sub-Saharan Africa, which is the most-at-risk region of the world, is estimated to have a disproportionately large share of the burden of climate change-induced environmental and human health risks. To develop effective adaptations to protect public health, it is essential to consider how individuals perceive a

Abstract in Spanish Los rituales indígenas acompañaron a Evo Morales a través de sus primeros años como presidente de Bolivia. El oficio y las prácticas rituales del curandero y sabio aymara, el yatiri, están pasando por interesantes transformaciones, entrando a espacios políticos donde no solían estar presentes. ¿Pero cuál es realmente el papel que juegan el conocimiento terapéutico y la prácticaIndigenous rituals escorted Evo Morales throughout his first years as president of Bolivia. The art and the ritual practices of the yatiri, the Aymara healer and ritual specialist, are going through interesting transformations entering new political spaces of power. But which role does this therapeutic knowledge and ritual practice actually play in the present political process and how should this

Abstract in UndeterminedIn Turkey, a considerable number of Alevi foundations and associations work intensively with promoting Alevi visibility and rights in Turkish society. Locally, they offer educational activities where Alevis can learn, practice and reflect on their religion and culture. Based on fieldwork in one Alevi foundation in present day Istanbul, this book explores ways in which knowl

In a longstanding debate among economic historians about the role of the peasants and the manors in the agrarian transformation, a variety of qualitative and quantitative indicators have been used, but no one has until now been able to compare the actual production outcomes. In this paper, we investigate the land productivity development for manorial demesnes and peasant farmers, respectively, ove

Preeclampsia is one of the most serious pregnancy-related diseases and clinically manifests as hypertension and proteinuria after 20 gestational weeks. The worldwide prevalence is 3-8% of pregnancies, making it the most common cause of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Preeclampsia lacks an effective therapy, and the only "cure" is delivery. We have previously shown that increased synthe

Transverse momentum spectra of pi(+/-), K-+/- and p((p) over bar) up to p(T) = 20 GeV/c at mid-rapidity in pp, peripheral (60-80%) and central (0-5%) Pb-Pb collisions at v root s(NN) = 2.76 TeV have been measured using the ALICE detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The proton-to-pion and the kaon-to-pionratios both show a distinct peak at p(T) approximate to 3 GeV/c in central Pb-Pb collisions.

The function of proteins depends crucially on conformational motions. The characteristic times of these motions extend from sub-picosecond to seconds. No single experimental tool can cover the entire time range and provide all necessary parameters for a complete understanding. Moreover, without a solid understanding of the data evaluation it is easy to misinterpret the complex phenomena. Because p

The reconstruction of photons in the ATLAS detector is studied with data taken during the 2004 Combined Test Beam, where a full slice of the ATLAS detector was exposed to beams of particles of known energy at the CERN SPS. The results presented show significant differences in the longitudinal development of the electromagnetic shower between converted and unconverted photons as well as in the tota

A new method of spatial linear modulation is presented for the RF signal modulation. The constant envelope and phase modulated signals are transmitted to an antenna array and then combined in space; the linear modulation is realized at the same time. The concentric antenna pairs are applied to eliminate the mismatch of phase delay among the modulated signals from different antenna pairs. The measu

This work considers the semi-parametric estimation of sparse spec- troscopic signals, aiming to form a detailed spectral representation of both the frequency content and the spectral line widths of the oc- curring signals. Extending on the recent FOCUSS-based SLIM al- gorithm, we propose an alternative prior for a Bayesian formulation of this sparse reconstruction method, exploiting a proposed sui