Various researchers and policy analysts have made empirical studies of innovation systems in order to understand their current structure and trace their dynamics. However, policy makers often experience difficulties in extracting practical guidelines from studies of this kind. In this paper, we operationalize our previous work on a functional approach to analyzing innovation system dynamics into a

Disposable electrodes were fabricated by coating chromium (5 nm) and gold (200 nm) on glass strips (5.0 mm x 25.4 mm) and used in a label-free immunosensor. Human Serum albumin (HSA) and its antigen (anti-HSA) were used as a model system. Electropolymerization of o-phenylenediamine was used for the immobilization of anti-HSA by covalent binding. A linear relationship was obtained in the range from

Objective. To study lumbopelvic pain in women randomized to a regular exercise program during pregnancy in comparison to women receiving standard antenatal care. Design. A two-armed, two-center, randomized controlled trial. Setting. St Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital and Stavanger University Hospital. Population. A total of 855 pregnant women were randomized to intervention or contro

Objective: The concept of occupational balance is frequently used in occupational therapy but the fact that it has been defined and measured differently is a limitation. This article introduces the Occupational Balance Questionnaire (OBQ), which focuses on satisfaction with the amount and variation of occupations. It consists of 13 items measured on six-step ordinal scales. It has shown good conte

This paper analyses the consequences, in Denmark between 1984 and 2006, of the implementation of the European EU Eighth Directive on the qualification of statutory auditors. Although the Eighth Directive envisaged one group of statutory auditors in each Member State, there were two groups of auditors in Denmark, and the implementation of the Directive triggered a long conflict between the two grou

Abstract in UndeterminedEnergy future studies can be a useful tool for learning about how to induce and manage technical, economic and policy change related to energy supply and use. The private sector has successfully deployed them for strategic planning, examining key parameters such as markets, competition and consumer trends. However in public policy, most energy future studies remain disconne

Evidence for increased calpain activity has been described in the hippocampus of rodent models of temporal lobe epilepsy. However, it is not known whether calpains are involved in the cell death that accompanies seizures. In this work, we characterized calpain activation by examining the proteolysis of calpain substrates and in parallel we followed cell death in the hippocampus of epileptic rats.

Pituitary adenylate cyclase activating peptide (PACAP) is found in human trigeminocervical complex and can trigger migraine. PACAP levels were measured using a sensitive radioimmunoassay. Stimulation of the superior sagittal sinus (SSS) in cat elevated PACAP levels in cranial blood. Patients with moderate or severe migraine headache had elevated PACAP in the external jugular vein during headache (

Enzymatic pretreatment of algae by means of cellulose degrading enzyme was evaluated through lab-scale and pilot-scale experiments. The degradation efficiency of the enzyme depended on the initial physical quality of the algae. Lab-scale batch anaerobic digestion experiments showed comparatively low methane potential for the pretreated algae at both mesophilic and thermophilic temperatures. Howeve

BACKGROUND: The requirement of essential fatty acids (EFA) for the development of the brain is well documented. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the early neurological development at term and 44weeks gestational age in preterm infants in relation to EFA concentrations in breast milk and in infants' and mothers' plasma phospholipids. METHOD: Fifty-one premature infants and their mothers were consecutively

The available knowledge on the mechanisms of a bioprocess system is central to process analytical technology. In this respect, mechanistic modeling has gained renewed attention, since a mechanistic model can provide an excellent summary of available process knowledge. Such a model therefore incorporates process-relevant input (critical process variables)-output (product concentration and product q

Objective. To assess the impact of low-to-moderate risk prostate cancer on patients' quality of life (QoL) at diagnosis and within the first year of treatment. Subjects and Methods. Men (n = 672) aged 50-75 years with prostate cancer (Gleason score ≤7, PSA ≤20 ng/mL and clinical staging T1c-T2b) were enrolled in five European countries. Patients completed five questionnaires, including EORTC Quali

In the present study, a simple and reliable antioxidant screening technique based on lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) oxidation by Cu2+-mediated Fenton's reaction has successfully been developed. Oxidation of LDH by hydroxyl radical consequently leads to enzymatic inactivation, while addition of antioxidants can protect and regain enzyme activity. This method demonstrated a high feasibility on detectin

As one of two well-exposed intraoceanic arcs, the Talkeetna arc of Alaska affords an opportunity to understand processes deep within arcs. This study reports new Lu-Hf and Sm-Nd garnet ages, Ar-40/Ar-39 hornblende, mica and whole-rock ages, and U-Th/He zircon and apatite ages from the Chugach Mountains, Talkeetna Mountains, and Alaska Peninsula, which, in conjunction with existing geochronology, c

Background: The widespread use of relative scales in socioepidemiological studies has recently been criticized. The criticism is based mainly on the fact that the importance of different risk factors in explaining social inequalities in cardiovascular disease (CVD) varies, depending on which scale is used to measure social inequalities. The present study examines the importance of established risk

Zeaxanthin is a carotenoid produced by plants and has been associated with protection of the photosynthetic machinery under light stress and, together with lutein, in protection of the central retina of the eye. Zeaxanthin levels in blood plasma have been negatively correlated to the development of AMD (age-related macular degeneration) (Gale et al, 2003). Under normal conditions, plants have a lo