The European electric power industry has undergone considerable changes over the past two decades as a result of more stringent laws concerning environmental protection along with the deregulation and liberalization of the electric power market. However, the pressure to deliver solutions in regard to the issue of climate change has increased dramatically in the last few years and has given rise to

Objective: C-peptide is a main outcome measure in treatment trials of diabetes. C-peptide also has a role in the classification of diabetes, which is often difficult in adults and this is also increasingly recognised in adolescents and elders. Aim: We aimed to describe the levels of C-peptide in relation to age and body mass index (BMI) in a large population-based cohort of adults with newly diagn

Infantile colic is common, but no safe and effective conventional treatment exists. The use of acupuncture has increased despite weak evidence. This practitioner survey explores and discusses how infantile colic is regarded and treated in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The study is based on personal communication with 24 acupuncturists from nine countries. These acupuncturists specialize in p

The phylogenetic structure and community composition were analysed in an existing data set of marine bacterioplankton communities to elucidate the evolutionary and ecological processes dictating the assembly. The communities were sampled from coastal waters at nine locations distributed worldwide and were examined through the use of comprehensive clone libraries of 16S ribosomal RNA genes. The ana

In this study we aimed to evaluate effects of liver resection on hepatic microcirculation. In addition we wanted to study if histological liver damage could be detected intra-operatively.

In this paper, a new application of resonant acoustic spectroscopy (RAS) is examined for constructing asphalt concrete mastercurves from seismic testing. The frequency-dependent material properties can be characterized from multiple modes of vibration through the use of RAS. Beam-shaped asphalt specimens are tested at multiple temperatures to determine the resonance frequencies of the specimens. T

In 2007, the EU decided to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20/30 per cent, something which was considered a proof of the EU's willingness to take on high targets independently of others. In the period 2009-11, the EU was debating but could not reach an agreement on stepping up to a 30 per cent reduction target. This raises the question: why did the EU go from being capable of adopting high targets

BACKGROUND: Multiple laboratory tests are used to diagnose and manage patients with diabetes mellitus. The quality of the scientific evidence supporting the use of these tests varies substantially. APPROACH: An expert committee compiled evidence-based recommendations for the use of laboratory testing for patients with diabetes. A new system was developed to grade the overall quality of the evidenc

The polyamines are important for a variety of cellular functions, including cell growth. Their intracellular concentrations are controlled by a complex network of regulatory mechanisms, in which antizyme (Az) has a key role. Az reduces the cellular polyamine content by down-regulating both the enzyme catalysing polyamine biosynthesis, ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), and the uptake of polyamines. Th

The aim of this study was to investigate if preoperative measurements of the femoral valgus angle (FVA) affected the mechanical alignment, individual component positions and clinical outcome in total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

Does perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanate (PFOA) exposure disrupt the menstrual cyclicity? The female reproductive system may be sensitive to PFOA exposure, with longer menstrual cycle length at higher exposure. PFOS and PFOA are persistent man-made chemicals. Experimental animal studies suggest they are reproductive toxicants but epidemiological findings are inconsistent. A cros

Loop migration among birds is characterized by the spring route lying consistently west or east of the autumn route. The existence of loops has been explained by general wind conditions or seasonal differences in habitat distribution. Loop migration has predominantly been studied at the population level, for example by analysing ring recoveries. Here we study loop migration of individual marsh har

The epigenetic "revolution" in science cuts across many disciplines, and it is now one of the fastest-growing research areas in biology. Increasingly, claims are made that epigenetics research represents a move away from the genetic determinism that has been prominent both in biological research and in understandings of the impact of biology on society. We discuss to what extent an epigenetic fram

Increasing landscape heterogeneity and organic farming practices are known to enhance species richness in agroecosystems. However, little is known about the consequences of these management options on other biodiversity components such as community composition, phylogenetic structure and functional diversity which may be more closely linked to ecosystem functioning. We surveyed semi-natural plant

Infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with multiple myeloma. To estimate the risk of bacterial and viral infections in multiple myeloma patients, we used population-based data from Sweden to identify all multiple myeloma patients (n=9 253) diagnosed from 1988 to 2004 with follow-up to 2007 and 34 931 matched controls. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estima

INTRODUCTION: After a hypnotic induction, medium and highly hypnotizable individuals often report spontaneous alterations in various dimensions of consciousness. Few studies investigating these experiences have controlled for the inherent demands of specific hypnotic suggestions and fewer still have considered their dynamic properties and neural correlates. METHODS: We adopted a neurophenomeno

Malaria parasites are highly virulent pathogens which infect a wide range of vertebrates. Despite their importance, the way different hosts control and suppress malaria infections remains poorly understood. With recent developments in next generation sequencing techniques, however, it is now possible to quantify the response of the entire transcriptome to infections. We experimentally infected Eur

Early to late Holocene sediments from core F80, Fårö Deep, Baltic Sea, are investigated for their palynomorph composition and dinoflagellate cyst record to map variations in sea-surface-water salinity and palaeoproductivity during the past 6000 years. The F80 palynomorph assemblages are subdivided into four Assemblage Zones (AZs) named A to D. The transition from the stratigraphically oldest AZ A

Maritime transportation is a significant contributor to SOx, NOx and particle matter emissions, and to a lesser extent, of CO2. Recently new regulations are being enforced in special geographical areas to limit the amount of emissions from the ships. This fact, together with the high fuel prices, is driving the marine industry towards the improvement of the energy efficiency of ships. Although mor

The Hanseatic League, a late medieval merchant association with roots in northern German towns, is credited with the establishment of extensive economic and geographic connections and considerable impact on the development of urban culture around the Baltic and the North Sea. Its merchants, regularly crossing the Seas and settling in foreign ports, created a network of diasporic communities often