Environmental assessment (EA)1 systems in the countries-in-transition (CITs) in Central and Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia have been significantly reformed over the last decade. Considerable research efforts have focused on the degree to which EA in this region conforms to best international practice, functions well and results in environmental and democratic improvements. This article

The Paper describes the main directions and the outcomes of the reform of EA legislation in practice in 27 former socialist countries in the 1990s. During this period, more than 100 legal acts in the field of EA have been introduced and EA has become one of the most widely used environmental policy tools. The process of political and economic transition has significantly influenced the evolution o

The environmental impact assessment (EIA) process has been used in a number of countries since the early 1970s as an instrument of environmental regulation at the planning stage of economic activity. Since the mid-1980s, some of the principle of EIA have been introduced in the USSR's environmental legislation and regulations which has resulted in the development of two distinctive regulatory conce

This paper discusses musical gesture from an understanding of musical perception as embodied and enactive, also drawing specifically on Denis Smalley’s [(2007). Space-form and the acousmatic image. Organised Sound, 12(1), 35–58] analysis of performed space. I will provide examples of how choreographies (performed by musicians, with and without their instruments), new music (for Vietnamese and West

This study identifies and applies methods for evaluating the human response to pedestrian lighting applications intended for future use by the municipality of Malmö, Sweden. The methods employed provide a supplementary perspective to that given by the photometric properties of the lighting applications. The study involved 89 participants from two age groups (Young: N: 43, 19–31 yrs.; Elderly: N: 4

Some strains of the bacterial pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes secrete protein SIC (streptococcal inhibitor of complement), including strains of the clinically relevant M1 serotype. SIC neutralizes the effect of a number of antimicrobial proteins/peptides and interferes with the function of the host complement system. Previous studies have shown that some S. pyogenes proteins bind and modulate coag

Importance: Geographic atrophy (GA) is a progressing atrophy of the neuroretina with no treatment option. Background: Age-related malfunction of retinal microglia amplifies response towards age-related tissue stress in age-related macular degeneration. Here, we investigated monocyte CD200 expression – the circulating middleman negotiating retinal microglial activity – in a poorly understood subtyp

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to compare the impact of peritoneal dialysis (PD) and institutional hemodialysis (IHD), the 2 most common dialysis modalities, on employment, work income, and disability pension in Sweden.METHODS: Included in this study were 4,734 patients in IHD and PD, aged 20 - 60 years, starting treatment in Sweden during 1995 - 2012, and surviving the first year of dialysi

Aim: Vitamin D stimulates production of the endogenous antimicrobial peptides cathelicidin and β-defensin-2, which are expressed in the urinary tract. We investigated vitamin D status and levels of cathelicidin and β-defensin-2 and their association with urinary tract infection (UTI). Methods: The study included 120 children under three years of age: 76 children with UTIs and 44 otherwise healthy

In order to understand why individuals accept and reproduce excessive time regimes, this paper addresses five key drivers: (1) intrinsic motivation, (2) extrinsic motivation, (3) organizational norms, (4) the principle of reciprocity, and (5) identity, including having the ‘true grit’ and belonging to the ‘elite’. It also points to how various elements in excessive work regimes – tendencies toward

The link between knowledge and firm growth has been a core topic in economics of innovation for a long time. However, despite strong theoretical arguments, empirical evidence remains inconclusive. One important reason for this conundrum may be the failure of standard indicators to capture firm innovation activities comprehensively. We contribute to overcoming this limitation by looking in the know

Birds that are foraging in tree canopies can cause a substantial decrease in arthropod numbers. Trees may benefit from avian insectivores attacking insect herbivores. In a field study, we tested whether the intensity of bird predation on caterpillars is linked quantitatively to leaf damage caused by insect herbivores, a hypothesized relationship that previously was poorly investigated. Artificial

The mechanism of how patatin-like phospholipase domain-containing protein 3 (PNPLA3) variant M148 is associated with increased risk of development of hepatic steatosis is still debated. Here, we propose a novel role of PNPLA3 as a key player during autophagosome formation in the process of lipophagy. A human hepatocyte cell line, HepG2 cells, expressing recombinant I148 or 148M, was used to study

Charged fluorescent bowl-shaped colloids consisting of a polystyrene core surrounded by a poly(N-isopropylmethacrylamide) shell are obtained by nanoengineering spherical composite microgels. The phase diagram of these soft bowl-shaped colloids interacting through long-range Yukawa-type interactions is investigated using confocal laser scanning microscopy. The bowl-shaped structure leads to marked

Introduction: Noncompaction cardiomyopathy (NCCM) patients may develop sustained ventricular arrhythmias (VA). Currently no known electrocardiogram (ECG) parameter has demonstrated predictive value for VA development. The spatial QRS-T angle has demonstrated ability to identify VA in other cardiomyopathy populations. Methods: A total of 39 patients with NCCM, defined by compact to non-compact rati