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Movement is a fundamental behaviour of organisms that not only brings about beneficial encounters with resources and mates, but also at the same time exposes the organism to dangerous encounters with predators. The movement patterns adopted by organisms should reflect a balance between these contrasting processes. This trade-off can be hypothesized as being evident in the behaviour of plankton, wh
The majority of genetic risk variants for type 2 diabetes (T2D) affect insulin secretion, but the mechanisms through which they influence pancreatic islet function remain largely unknown. We functionally characterized human islets to determine secretory, biophysical, and ultrastructural features in relation to genetic risk profiles in diabetic and nondiabetic donors. Islets from donors with T2D ex
To investigate the association between cohabitation status, clinical stage at diagnosis, and disease-specific survival in cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM).
The water interactions of polymer electrolyte membranes are of significant interest when these materials are used in for example fuel cells. We have therefore studied the sorption thermodynamics of Nafion 117 with a sorption calorimeter that simultaneously measures the sorption isotherm and the mixing (sorption) enthalpy. This unique method is suitable for investigating the sorption thermodynamics
Detection turning points in unimodel has various applications to time series which have cyclic periods. Related techniques are widely explored in the field of statistical surveillance, that is, on-line turning point detection procedures. This paper will first present a power controlled turning point detection method based on the theory of the likelihood ratio test in statistical surveillance. Next
There is a common saying in Aotearoa New Zealand: ‘the only good possum is a dead possum’. This colloquialism demonstrates much about the negative reputation and maltreatment of brushtail possums in New Zealand. Introduced to this country from their native Australia in the 1800s, possums thrived in their new predator-free environment. Possums' adaptability has since proved to be problematic, not l
Bolus injections of intravenous propofol and remifentanil can be used in the tracheal intubation of infants and children, but relatively large doses are needed. We hypothesised that addition of a small bolus of rocuronium would ensure good intubation conditions when modest propofol and remifentanil doses were used.
The idea of personal carbon allowances (PCAs) was presented by the UK Environment Secretary, David Miliband, in 2006. Although no nation state is seriously developing proposals for them, they have been discussed within academia, NGOs and policy-making circles. PCAs can be seen as a logical extension of emissions trading schemes, which has so far only applied at the firm level, to individuals. The
We present a review of elemental abundances in the Milky Way stellar disk, bulge, and halo with a focus on data derived from high-resolution stellar spectra. These data are fundamental in disentangling the formation history and subsequent evolution of the Milky Way. Information from such data is still limited and confined to narrowly defined stellar samples. The astrometric Gala satellite will soo
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic and progressive neurodegenerative movement disorder for which there is presently no cure. Pharmacological remedies targeting the dopaminergic network are relatively effective at ameliorating motor deficits, especially in the early stages of the disease, but none of these therapies are curative and many generate their own problems. Recent advances in PD researc
In Europe, 6,000 young people die of cancer yearly, the commonest disease causing death beyond the age of 1 year. In addition, 300,000-500,000 European citizens are survivors of a childhood cancer and up to 30% of them have severe long-term sequelae of their treatment. Increasing both cure and quality of cure are the two goals of the European paediatric haematology/oncology community. SIOPE coordi
In nearly all domains of Global Change Research (GCR), the role of humans is a key factor as a driving force, a subject of impacts, or an agent in mitigating impacts and adapting to change. While advances have been made in the conceptualisation and practice of interdisciplinary Global Change Research in fields such as climate change and sustainability, approaches have tended to frame interdiscipli
We study the resilience of cities by analysing the relative capacity to sustain their production of technological knowledge in the face of adverse events. Using patent applications in 366 Metropolitan Statistical Areas in the USA from 1975 to 2002, we analyse the vulnerability and response of cities to technological crises, defined as periods of sustained negative growth in patenting activity. We
This paper presents an overview of the conclusions from an international conference convened to address current issues related to the provision of Cystic Fibrosis carrier screening within Europe. Consensus was not aimed at stating whether such a programme should be implemented. Instead the focus was to provide a framework for countries and agencies who are considering or planning its establishment
The present study assessed the rate of depressive personality (DP), as measured by the self-report instrument Depressive Personality Disorder Inventory (DPDI), among 159 clients entering psychotherapy at an outpatient University clinic. The presenting clinical profile was evaluated for those with and without DP, including levels of depression, other psychological symptoms, and global severity of p
Mixed phase (rutile/anatase)TiO2 nanorods have been synthesized using an anionic surfactant template. Nanorod synthesis has been achieved using mild reaction conditions and without using any rod-shaped template. The shape and crystallinity of the TiO2 nanomaterials can be modulated by careful control of the surfactant concentration. The novelty of the present work is that the anatase/rutile mixed
The separation of one weakly and one strongly binding impurity from a therapeutic protein by ion-exchange chromatography was studied with a mechanistic model. The effect of disturbances in eight potentially critical process parameters on two critical quality attributes was evaluated. It was found that the outgoing concentration of the weakly binding impurity was only affected by the ingoing concen
This short communication addresses a numerical investigation of the thermal behavior of an electronic unit. The unit consists of several parallel planes and on the top and bottom planes heat is generated by a number of electronic chips. The heat is transported by conduction through plastic and copper-invar layers. Finally, the heat is rejected by a forced air stream in the center of the unit. The
