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The objective of this thesis is to investigate the synthesis of well-defined polymer nanohybrid materials bearing desirable functionality via surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) for potential bioapplications.SI-ATRP is an excellent controlled radical polymerization (CRP) method for the synthesis of polymer nanohybrid by growing polymer brushes (chains) from an interfac
Radiation from printed millimeter-wave antennas integrated in mobile terminals is affected by surface currents on chassis, guided waves trapped in dielectric layers, superstrates, and the user’s hand, making mobile antenna design for 5G communication challenging. In this paper, four canonical types of printed 28 GHz antenna elements are integrated in a 5G mobile terminal mock-up. Differ
Analytical-scale extraction and chromatography of oils, fats and other liposoluble compounds can be achieved by using supercritical carbon dioxide as a solvent. Since the 90's when supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) was a hot topic, this technology has developed into a robust, modern analytical technique that uses any proportions of compressed CO2 mixed with an organic solvent. Supercritical
Water security offers to the local population an adequate quality and quantity of water for health, economy, livelihoods and ecosystems. Hence, achieving basic levels of water security should be a priority in areas where access to fresh water is scarce. The Punata alluvial fan (Bolivia) is a semiarid zone and an important agricultural zone, where the main source of water is groundwater. Therefore,
Objective To measure CSF levels of biomarkers reflecting microglia and astrocytes activation, neuroinflammation, and cerebrovascular changes and study their associations with the core biomarkers of Alzheimer disease (AD) pathology (β-amyloid [Aβ] and tau), structural imaging correlates, and clinical disease progression over time. Methods The study included cognitively unimpaired elderly (n = 508),
Here, we report on the growth, electronic, and surface properties of the electron-doped half-Heusler series Co1-xNixTiSb (001) grown by molecular beam epitaxy. High-quality epitaxial growth of thin films is achieved on InP (001) substrates using an InAlAs buffer layer for all nickel concentrations. The semiconductor to metal transition as a function of substitutional alloying was examined using el
Mercury was measured onboard the IAGOS-CARIBIC passenger aircraft from May 2005 until February 2016 during near monthly sequences of mostly four intercontinental flights from Germany to destinations in North and South America, Africa and South and East Asia. Most of these mercury data were obtained using an internal default signal integration procedure of the Tekran instrument but since April 2014
Background: Scavenger receptor BI (SR-BI) is a classic high-density lipoprotein (HDL) receptor, which mediates selective lipid uptake from HDL cholesterol esters (HDL-C). Apolipoprotein M (ApoM), as a component of HDL particles, could influence preβ-HDL formation and cholesterol efflux. The aim of this study was to determine whether SR-BI deficiency influenced the expression of ApoM. Methods: Bloo
Consumers appreciate leafy green vegetables such as baby leaves for their convenience and wholesomeness and for adding a variety of tastes and colors to their plate. In Western cuisine, leafy green vegetables are usually eaten fresh and raw, with no step in the long chain from seed to consumption where potentially harmful microorganisms could be completely eliminated, e.g., through heating. A conc
Background: Chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) is one of the most common neurosurgical conditions. Patients diagnosed with CSDH’s are often planned for subacute surgery. This means that time from diagnostic CT scan until actual surgery might often be prolonged. There are no previous studies that highlight the effect of delayed intervention in this population. Method: Patients that underwent surgical
Background: Diabetes mellitus is linked to premature mortality of virtually all causes. Furin is a proprotein convertase broadly involved in the maintenance of cellular homeostasis; however, little is known about its role in the development of diabetes mellitus and risk of premature mortality. Objectives: To test if fasting plasma concentration of furin is associated with the development of diabet
This post hoc analysis from a multicenter study (NCT01674634) was designed to evaluate the efficacy of collagenase Clostridium histolyticum (CCH) treatment in patients with different stages of Dupuytren contracture. Previously untreated patients who received two concurrent injections of CCH in two affected joints in the same finger were assessed by disease severity (Tubiana stage). The mean (SD) i
We prove bounds for the almost sure value of the Hausdorff dimension of the limsup set of a sequence of balls in Rd whose centres are independent, identically distributed random variables. The formulas obtained involve the rate of decrease of the radii of the balls and multifractal properties of the measure according to which the balls are distributed, and generalise formulas that are known to hol
Knowledge development and paradigm shift for peptic ulcer disease is described over a fifty-year period using four levels of knowledge that place demands on the healthcare organization. When medical knowledge reached a healing level, continuity became subordinate. However, accessibility to treatment became more important. An important task for future healthcare will be to define and create broader
For the purpose of functionalizing III-V semiconductor nanowires using n-doping, Sn-doped GaAs zincblende nanowires are produced, using the growth method of Aerotaxy. The growth conditions used are such that Ga droplets, formed on the nanowire surface, increase in number and concentrations when the Sn-precursor concentration is increased. Droplet-covered wires grown with varying Sn concentrations
The contribution of terrestrially derived carbon to micro-crustacean zooplankton biomass (i.e., allochthony) has been previously studied in lakes, reservoirs, and estuaries, but little is known about zooplankton allochthony in rivers. In lacustrine environments, allochthony is regulated by distinct selective feeding behavior of different taxa. However, we hypothesized that restricted possibility f
Background: Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common cause of physical disability in childhood. A major challenge for delivering effective services for children with CP is the heterogeneity of the medical condition. Categorizing children into homogeneous groups based on functional profiles is expected to improve service planning. The aims of this study were to (1) to describe functional profiles of
Soil warming (0–5.5 °C above controls) effects on ectomycorrhizal growth, carbon sequestration and community composition were examined in a Picea sitchensis forest spanning a geothermal gradient in Iceland. Fungal communities were assayed with sand-filled ingrowth meshbags incubated in the soil for 5 months. Meshbags amended with compost made from maize leaves (a C4 plant enriched in 13C) were inc
This work concerns spontaneous fracture of growing brittle precipitates in an elastic plastic matrix. The mass of the precipitate is increasing as more transformed matrix material is added to it. Under stress-free conditions, the new phase occupies a larger volume than the original matrix material. Just outside the expanding precipitate, the matrix undergoes stretching beyond the elastic limit. Th
