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Leaf area index (LAI), a measure of canopy density, is a key variable for modelling and understanding primary productivity, and also water use and energy exchange in forest ecosystems. However, LAI varies considerably with phenology and disturbance patterns, so alternative approaches to quantifying stand-level processes should be considered. The carbon isotope composition of soil organic matter (C

People with mobility disability are more often overweight or obese and have lower social capital than people without mobility disability. It is unclear whether having a combination of mobility disability and overweight or obesity furthers negative development of social capital over time.

Over the last 15 years significant advancements in induced polarization (IP) research have taken place, particularly with respect to spectral IP (SIP), concerning the understanding of the mechanisms of the IP phenomenon, the conduction of accurate and broadband laboratory measurements, the modelling and inversion of IF data for imaging purposes and the increasing application of the method in near-

Pickering emulsion polymerization was used to synthesize molecularly imprinted polymer beads for the selective recognition of 17-beta-estradiol under aqueous conditions. Scanning electron microscopy analysis indicated that the imprinted polymer beads had a small diameter with a narrow size distribution (18.9 +/- 2.3 mu m). The reduction in particle size achieved in this study was attributed to the

Exocytosis is the mechanism by which a vesicle inside the cell fuses with the plasma membrane to release its contents into the extracellular environment. The process might sound trivial but reduced expression or mutations in genes involved can cause a variety of disease states. The exocytotic process is a necessary part of neurotransmitter release from the pre-synaptic side into the synaptic cleft

To investigate which factors and criteria are used in priority setting of pharmaceuticals, in what contexts health economic evaluations are used, and barriers to the use of health economic evaluations at micro, meso, and macro health-care levels.

Vision is the primary sensory modality of birds, and its importance is evident in the sophistication of their visual systems. Coloured oil droplets in the cone photoreceptors represent an adaptation in the avian retina, acting as long-pass colour filters. However, we currently lack understanding of how the optical properties and morphology of component structures (e.g. oil droplet, mitochondrial e

A novel concept for remote in situ detection of soot emissions by a combination of laser-induced incandescence (LII) and light detection and ranging (lidar) is presented. A lidar setup based on a picosecond Nd:YAG laser and time-resolved signal detection in the backward direction was used for LII measurements in sooty premixed ethylene-air flames. Measurements of LII-lidar signal versus laser flue

A novel method to reduce the multiply scattered light contribution to images recorded with planar laser imaging is demonstrated. The technique, structured laser illumination planar imaging (SLIPI), is based on spatially modulated excitation light and is tested here within the dense region of a hollow-cone spray. The main idea is to use a laser sheet that is spatially modulated along the vertical d

A plethora of peptides are generated intracellularly, and most peptide-human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-I interactions are of a transient, unproductive nature. Without a quality control mechanism, the HLA-I system would be stressed by futile attempts to present peptides not sufficient for the stable peptide-HLA-I complex formation required for long term presentation. Tapasin is thought to be central

First-degree atrioventricular (AV) block is a delay within the AV conduction system and is defined as a prolongation of the PR interval beyond the upper limit of what is considered normal (generally 0.20 s). Up until recently, first-degree AV block was considered an entirely benign condition. In fact, some complain that it is a misnomer since there is only delay and no actual block in the AV condu

Lung cancer is a common cause of cancer mortality in the world, largely due to the risk factor of tobacco smoking. The drug therapy at the molecular level includes targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase activity by using inhibitors, such as erlotinib (Tarceva) and gefitinib (Iressa). The heterogeneity of disease phenotypes and the somatic mutations presented in patie

Photocurrents (PCs) of three p-i-n GaAs solar cells, sample A with InAs quantum dots (QDs) embedded in the depletion region, B with QDs in the n region, and C without QDs, were studied experimentally and theoretically. Above GaAs bandgap, the PC of A is increased, while B is decreased with respect to C, since in A, the QD-induced reflection of hole wave function increases its overlap with electron

Inverse associations of coffee and/or tea in relation to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk have been consistently identified in studies conducted mostly in Asia where consumption patterns of such beverages differ from Europe. In the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and nutrition (EPIC), we identified 201 HCC cases among 486,799 men/women, after a median follow-up of 11 years. We ca

Aims/hypothesis Type 2 diabetes is characterised by progressive loss of pancreatic beta cell mass and function. Therefore, it is of therapeutic interest to identify factors with the potential to improve beta cell proliferation and insulin secretion. Bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) expression is increased in diabetic animals and BMP4 reduces glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS). Here, we

Background. According to EU legislation, 26 fragrance substance allergens must be labelled on cosmetic products. For 12 of them, the optimal patch test concentration/dose has not been evaluated. Objectives. To establish the optimal patch test doses in mg/cm(2) for the 12 fragrance substances that are not included in fragrance mix I or II in the European baseline patch test series. Materials and Me