Consider the random graph on n vertices 1,...,n. Each vertex i is assigned a type x(i) with x(1),...,x(n) being independent identically distributed as a nonnegative random variable X. We assume that EX3 < infinity. Given types of all vertices, an edge exists between vertices i and j independent of anything else and with probability min{1, x(i)x(j)/n (1 + a/n(1/3))}. We study the critical phase, wh

Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate the role of hand bone mineral density (BMD) loss analyzed with digital X-ray radiogrammetry (DXR) in early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) as a predictor for progression of joint damage. Methods: In 379 patients with early RA, baseline and one-year hand BMD was measured with DXR and the hand bone loss (HBL) was analyzed using the smallest detectable

Bone and soft tissue sarcomas are a group of histologically heterogeneous and relatively uncommon tumors. To explore their genetic origins, we sequenced the exomes of 13 osteosarcomas, eight myxoid liposarcomas (MLPS), and seven synovial sarcomas (SYN). These tumors had few genetic alterations (median of 10.8). Nevertheless, clear examples of driver gene mutations were observed, including canonica

We revisit diffractive and exclusive (WX)-X-+/- production at hadron colliders in different models for soft color exchanges. The process pp -> p[(WX)-X-+/-]p, and in particular a W-+/- charge asymmetry, has been suggested as a way to discriminate diffractive processes as being due to pomeron exchange in Regge phenomenology or QCD-based color reconnection models. Our detailed analysis of the latter

Graft copolymers with ionic backbones and hydrophobic fluorinated side chains have been prepared by using lithiated poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (PPO) as a macroinitiator for anionic polymerization of 4-fluorostyrene. After grafting of the poly(4-fluorostyrene) (PFS) side chains, the PPO backbone was selectively sulfonated using trimethylsilylchlorosulfonate under mild and controlled con

Atrazine is one of the most used herbicides worldwide; however, consequences of its long-term agricultural use are still unknown. A laboratory study was performed to examine changes in microbial properties following ethylamino-N-15-atrazine addition, at recommended agronomic dose, to five acidic soils from Galicia (NW Spain) showing different physico-chemical characteristics, as well as atrazine a

Non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) is a common pathogen associated with diseases such as acute otitis media or exacerbations in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The biofilm-forming capability substantially contributes to the persistence of NTHi. However, the regulation of biofilm formation is not completely understood. Quorum sensing regulated by autoinducer-2 produced

The objective of this analysis was to compare three methods of handling HIV-RNA data below the limit of quantification (LOQ) when describing the time-course of antiretroviral drug response using a drug-disease model. Treatment naive Scandinavian HIV-positive patients (n = 242) were randomized to one of three study arms. Two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors were administrated in combinat

BACKGROUND: Established risk factors for pancreatic cancer include smoking, long-standing diabetes, high body fatness, and chronic pancreatitis, all of which can be characterised by aspects of inflammatory processes. However, prospective studies investigating the relation between inflammatory markers and pancreatic cancer risk are scarce. METHODS: We conducted a nested case-control study within th

The purpose of this study was to evaluate 10 process-based terrestrial biosphere models that were used for the IPCC fifth Assessment Report. The simulated gross primary productivity (GPP) is compared with flux-tower-based estimates by Jung etal. [Journal of Geophysical Research 116 (2011) G00J07] (JU11). The net primary productivity (NPP) apparent sensitivity to climate variability and atmospheric

Recovering nutrients from urine as solid minerals such as struvite can eliminate many hurdles related to the use of liquid urine as fertilizer in the current urine separation systems. The focus of this study has been to increase nitrogen and phosphorus removal efficiencies by developing a struvite formation and recycling process. Struvite crystallization was carried out in urine samples by additio

In this work, we report for the first time the rotational coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (CARS) spectrum of water vapor, recorded through experiments at 400K and 670K for Raman shifts up to 600cm(-1). Using the standard dual-broadband pure rotational CARS approach, the resonant structure was overwhelmed by a strong non-resonant background. By employing a polarization technique, this backg

Why do certain ministers remain in their post for years while others have their time in office cut short? Drawing on the broader literature on portfolio allocation, this article argues that the saliency of individual portfolios shapes ministerial turnover. The main argument is that ministerial dismissals are less likely to occur the higher the saliency attributed to the ministerial portfolio since

Inflammation is known to be linked with development of colorectal cancer, and the aim was to assess the malignant potential and degree of inflammation in a dextran-sulphate-sodium-(DSS-) induced cyclic colonic tumour model (CTM) in rats and to compare it with the azoxymethane-(AOM-) induced CTM model. Tumours developed in both groups, although, in the DSS group, the colonic mucosa appeared edemato

This study criticizes approaches equating opposition electoral victories with democratization in competitive authoritarian regimes. Not only are these approaches theoretically problematic, but there are also important empirical reasons to distinguish between electoral turnovers and democratization. The study goes on to explain why some African turnovers have been successful in bringing about democ

Presently there is an abundance of sites, across media, promoting acts of communal reading (televised book clubs, web rings, publishers’ book discussion questions, etc.). This article forms a case study of what usages of reading and concurrently what reading subjects are framed in the Swedish televised book club, Malous bokklubb (Malou’s Book Club), modelled on Oprah’s Book Club in the USA and Ric

To estimate the impact of urbanization on wild animals, it is important to know how different species, populations and/or individuals deal with and respond to environmental stress. Are more urbanized species adapted to their environment, or do individuals acclimatize over the course of their life? Alternatively, do they simply cope at the expense of other functions? These are three key processes t