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Open access to information is now a universal phenomenon thanks to rapid technological developments across the globe. This open and universal access to information is a key value of democratic societies because, in principle, it supports well-informed decision-making on individual, local, and global matters. In practice, however, without appropriate readiness for navigation in a dynamic informatio

This study investigates particulate matter (PM) and regulated emissions from renewable rapeseed oil methyl ester (RME) biodiesel in pure and blended forms and contrasts that to conventional diesel fuel. Environmental and health concerns are the major motivation for combustion engines research, especially finding sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels and reducing diesel PM emissions. Fatty acid

Vehicle-to-everything (V2X) wireless communication is expected to play a key role in enabling complex Advanced Driving Assistance Applications, including the support of emerging autonomous vehicles. The development of V2X applications, especially safety-related, requires rigorous verification. Field trials, though, have to be supplemented with less expensive and more repeatable methods. Thorough V

There are carcinogenic effects of sun exposure that increase the risk for skin cancer, especially for fair-skinned individuals. Therefore, there are recommendations to avoid sun exposure and to apply sun blockers. A more nuanced and balanced message for sun safety guidelines is now advocated. Despite an increased risk of death due to skin cancer, fair skinned women seem to have an overall survival

Background: Women are at increased risk of developing anxiety or depression disorders after Cesarean section (CS). This study aims to evaluate whether an appointment with a senior obstetrician combined with an ultrasound examination reduces levels of anxiety in women after CS. Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted in Sweden. Women underwent an appointment with an obstetrician 6–

Objectives: To investigate the association between socio-economic factors and the risk of preeclampsia in Sweden, specifically investigating if this relationship is confounded by maternal region of birth. Study design: All singleton births between 1999 and 2009 in an ethnically diverse area in southern Sweden, totaling 46,618 pregnancies, were included in this study. The data on maternal pregnancy

The prevalence and character of political action has changed throughout the Global North, as individuals increasingly turn away from more conventional forms of political participation towards more everyday, continuous types of actions. In this study, I conceptualize one form of everyday political action as a politics of community. A politics of community describes a form of purposeful, collective

Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells (PEFCs) have great potential as clean energy conversion devices. Therefore, studies are required to increase the understanding of a PEFC at real operating conditions. Two variables that significantly affect the performance are the temperature and the current load. In the present study, a fundamental constitutive part's performance, e.g., the polymeric membrane (PM) N

The main aim of the study was to assess the impact of Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) and Southern African Development Community Free Trade Area (SADC-FTA) on Zimbabwe’s agricultural trade flows. Results highlight that Zimbabwe’s membership in EPA initiated in 2012, enhanced the country’s agricultural trade flows by 307.96%. Membership in SADC-FTA initiated in 2008 has enhanced the country’s

The sequence of events for secreting insulin in response to glucose in pancreatic β-cells is termed “stimulus-secretion coupling”. The core of stimulus-secretion coupling is a process which generates electrical activity in response to glucose uptake and causes Ca2+ oscillation for triggering exocytosis of insulin-containing secretory granules. Prior to exocytosis, the secretory granules are mobili

Background: Obesity is a growing health issue. This study estimated the costs of obesity among people aged 25–84 years in Sweden using disease and non-disease specific attributable fractions from published data. A prognosis of costs of obesity in 2030 is presented. Methods and materials: Diseases related to obesity and their respective risks and population attributable fraction were retrieved by l

Background and Aim: Poor food habits with insufficient intake of micronutrients have been described in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which could be of importance for development of gastrointestinal and extraintestinal symptoms. The study aims were to examine intake and plasma/serum levels of micronutrients in IBS and whether these factors were associated with symptoms and restrictions and to stu

Understanding the perceptions of young people is a critical issue in the formulation and implementation of climate change mitigation strategies. Based on cognitive hierarchy theory, the present study aims to investigate the factors that motivate or hinder young people’s perception of forestation as a strategy to mitigate climate change in post-conflict Somalia. This study hypothesized a model in w

The Zn K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy is used to investigate in situ the decomposition of zinc peroxide ((Formula presented.)) to zinc oxide (ZnO). Principal component and linear combination analyses of the extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectra are employed to identify the phase composition of the oxide upon heating to 900 °C. Only the (Formula presented.) phase is found u

Selective oxidation reactions represent a challenging task for conventional organic chemistry. Whole-cell biocatalysis provides a very convenient, easy to apply method to carry out different selective oxidation reactions including chemo-, regio-, and enantio-selective reactions. Streptomyces species are important biocatalysts as they can catalyze these selective reactions very efficiently owing to

Background: Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) is a precise, tissue-sparing surgical technique that offers superior cure rates compared to traditional surgical excision. However, the degree of difficulty of MMS depends on many variables, and consequently, the number of surgical stages required for each case is quite unpredictable.Objectives: To identify risk factors for complicated MMS, defined as MM

Previous work identifying determinants of co-occurrence of behavioral risk factors have focused on their association with individuals' characteristics with scant attention paid to their relationship to contextual factors. Data came from 21,007 individuals ≥15 years of age who participated in the cross-sectional 2011-2012 Spanish National Health Survey. Two indicators were defined by tobacco consum