Objectives To estimate the associations between occupational exposure to pesticides and extrahepatic biliary tract carcinoma in men, a population-based case-control study was carried out. Methods Cases (n = 104), aged 35-70, diagnosed in 1995-1997, were sampled by active reporting systems from hospitals. Controls (n = 1,401) were a random sample of the general male population. Information on occup

Two new pyrazolate-based ligands, N'-[1-(3-acetyl-4-methyl-1H-pyrazol-5-yl)ethylidene]-2-(hydroxyimino)propanehydrazide (L1) and 5-[(E)-1-(2-{(E)-2-(hydroxyimino}propanoyl}hydrazono)ethyl]-4-methyl-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxylic acid (L2), were synthesized and studied for zinc(II) complexation. A set of pH-dependent UV/Vis measurements has been performed to determine the complex formation properties of

Since the late 1980s, a worldwide increase of severe Streptococcus pyogenes infections has been associated with strains of the M1 serotype, strains which all secrete the streptococcal inhibitor of complement-mediated lysis (SIC). Previous work has shown that SIC blocks complement-mediated haemolysis, inhibits the activity of antibacterial peptides and has affinity for the human plasma proteins clu

Human tumors xenografted in immunodeficient mice are crucial models in nuclear medicine to evaluate the effectiveness of candidate diagnostic and therapeutic compounds. However, little attention has been focused on the biological profile of the host model and its potential effects on the bio-distribution and tumor targeting of the tracer compound under study. We specifically investigated the dissi

The co-administration of the tetravalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine, MenACWY-TT, with a licensed hepatitis A and B vaccine, HepA/B (Twinrix (R)), was compared to their separate administration in this open, randomised, controlled study. Healthy subjects 11-17 years of age (n = 611) were randomised (3:1:1) to receive both vaccines, MenACWY-TT alone or HepA/B alone. The co-administration of both

The extension of DNA confined to nanochannels has been studied intensively and in detail. However, quantitative comparisons between experiments and model calculations are difficult because most theoretical predictions involve undetermined prefactors, and because the model parameters (contour length, Kuhn length, effective width) are difficult to compute reliably, leading to substantial uncertainti

This study investigated the impact of building orientations, typical layouts and positions at facades on daylight and sunlight availability in high-density residential areas in North-east China. Vertical daylight factor (including sky component and reflected component) and sunlight hours along the centre building facades in three typical models were calculated using Radiance and Autodesk Ecotect A

In the framework of quantum field theory, a graviton interacts locally with a quantum state having definite mass, that is, the gravitational mass eigenstate, while a weak boson interacts with a state having definite flavor, that is, the flavor eigenstate. An interaction of a neutrino with an energetic graviton may trigger the collapse of the neutrino to a definite mass eigenstate with probability

A search for events containing an isolated electron or muon and missing trans verse momentum produced in e(+/-)p collisions is performed with the H1 and ZEUS detectors at HERA. The data were taken in the period 1994-2007 and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 0.98 fb(-1). The observed event yields are in good overall agreement with the Standard Model prediction, which is dominated by single

Since 2009, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) regime has seen the emergence of several new political groups. This article analyses how the new political groups are positioning themselves in relation to the key UNFCCC principles (the North–South divide and ‘common but differentiated responsibility and respective capabilities’, CBDR/ RC). Drawing on original data, in

In this second issue on the scholar and public intellectual Yu Jianrong, we address some of the topics that have been at the core of his academic work and where his research and views have helped shaped awareness of these issues among the general public and the academic community. We focus on the rural-urban divide, land issues (including land confiscations and property demolitions), the letters a

Aims To investigate efficacy and safety of dual therapy with liraglutide and metformin in comparison to glimepiride and metformin, and metformin monotherapy over 2?years in patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods In the 26-week the Liraglutide Effect and Action in Diabetes (LEAD)-2 core trial, patients (n?=?1091) were randomized (2?:?2?:?2?:?1:?2) to liraglutide (0.6, 1.2 or 1.8?mg once-daily), pla

Although small round gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) possess only a small degree of shape anisotropy, they support localized surface plasmon resonances and exhibit intrinsic optical anisotropy. These inherent features promote depolarized light scattering, whose temporal fluctuations carry information about rotational Brownian dynamics, and thus can be used to describe the size distribution of round Au

Book review

This article describes some historical and significant contributions in the field of heat transfer from various Swedish universities and researchers. It also gives an overview of what kind of heat transfer-related research has been going on recently, as well as some current activities. Traditionally, research projects have been associated with the Ph.D. education programs and in these, common thes

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common soft tissue sarcoma in children and adolescents. Alveolar (ARMS) and embryonal (ERMS) histologies predominate, but rare cases are classified as spindle cell/sclerosing (SRMS). For treatment stratification, RMS is further subclassified as fusion-positive (FP-RMS) or fusion-negative (FN-RMS), depending on whether a gene fusion involving PAX3 or PAX7 is prese