Laser-induced fluorescence is an important technique to study photosynthesis and plants. Information on chlorophyll and other pigments can be obtained. We have been using a mobile laboratory in a Chinese experimental farm setting to study maize (Zea mays L.) leaves by reflectance and fluorescence measurements and correlated the spectroscopic signals to the amount of fertilizer supplied. Further, w

Historically, egg-bound reptile embryos were thought to passively thermoconform to the nest environment. However, recent observations of thermal taxis by embryos of multiple reptile species have led to the widely discussed hypothesis that embryos behaviorally thermoregulate. Because temperature affects development, such thermoregulation could allow embryos to control their fate far more than histo

Absorption of sunlight is the first step in photosynthesis, which provides energy for the vast majority of organisms on Earth. The primary processes of photosynthesis have been studied extensively in isolated light-harvesting complexes and reaction centres, however, to understand fully the way in which organisms capture light it is crucial to also reveal the functional relationships between the in

CO oxidation over Pd(100) and Pd75Ag25(100) has been investigated by a combination of near-ambient-pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, quadrupole mass spectrometry, density functional theory calculations, and microkinetic modeling. For both surfaces, hysteresis is observed in the CO2 formation during the heating and cooling cycles. Whereas normal hysteresis with light-off temperature higher

In this paper we analyze the double vector meson production in photon–hadron (γh) interactions at pp / pA / AA collisions and present predictions for the ρρ, J/ Ψ J/ Ψ , and ρJ/ Ψ production considering the double scattering mechanism. We estimate the total cross sections and rapidity distributions at LHC energies and compare our results with the predictions for the double vector meson production

The behaviour of sedimenting particles depends on the dust-to-gas ratio of the fluid. Linear stability analysis shows that solids settling in the Epstein drag regime would remain homogeneously distributed in non-rotating incompressible fluids, even when dust-to-gas ratios reach unity. However, the nonlinear evolution has not been probed before. Here, we present numerical calculations indicating th

One of the approaches to modify the McEliece cryptosystem to overcome its large key size is replacing binary Goppa codes with a new structured code. However, this modification makes such cryptosystems encounter some new attacks. There are a few modified McEliece cryptosystem variants which are known to be secure. One of them is the cryptosystem introduced by Baldi et al. which uses quasi-cyclic lo

Wings are a key trait underlying the evolutionary success of birds, bats, and insects. For over a century, researchers have studied the form and function of wings to understand the determinants of flight performance. However, to understand the evolution of flight, we must comprehend not only how morphology affects performance, but also how morphology and performance affect fitness. Natural and sex

Objective: To estimate and compare the lifetime risk of total knee replacement surgery (TKR) for osteoarthritis (OA) between countries, and over time. Method: Data on primary TKR procedures performed for OA in 2003 and 2013 were extracted from national arthroplasty registries in Australia, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. Life tables and population data were also obtained for each country. Lif

Aims: To compare long-term changes in healthcare utilization and costs for type 2 diabetes patients before and after insulin initiation, as well as healthcare costs after insulin versus non-insulin anti-diabetic (NIAD) initiation. Methods: Patients newly initiated on insulin (n. =2823) were identified in primary health care records from 84 Swedish primary care centers, between 1999 to 2009. First,

Differences in strategic decision making between CEOs and other people are interesting since CEOs make important economic decisions and impact values and norms in society. Our study combines a large stratified random sample of 199 CEOs of medium-size firms with a carefully selected control group of 200 comparable people. All subjects participated in three different incentivized strategic games — P

Policies aimed to spur quality competition among health care providers are ubiquitous, but their impact on quality is ex ante ambiguous. This study contributes to the sparse empirical literature on primary care quality by examining the heterogeneous impact of recent competition enhancing reforms in Sweden. The reforms led to substantially more entry of new providers in more exposed markets, but th

Background: A promising approach to improve the performance of neural implants consists of adding nanomaterials, such as nanowires, to the surface of the implant. Nanostructured interfaces could improve the integration and communication stability, partly through the reduction of the cell-to-electrode distance. However, the safety issues of implanted nanowires in the brain need to be evaluated and

Purpose: To report on the distribution and test-retest reliability of Antonovsky’s 13-item Sense of Coherence (SOC-13) Scale in patients with hand-related disorders (HRD). Links between the SOC-13 score and factors such as age, number of days between date of injury and start of rehabilitation, gender and educational level were explored. Method: Survey with test–retest, using self-administered ques

Between 1789 and 1803 the National Debt Office issued unbacked interest bearing notes whereas the Bank of Sweden issued silver backed notes. The massive note issuance by the National Debt Office led to different exchange rates and two units of account. The situation gave rise to an early paper standard theory formulated by Anders Wappengren, a well-read merchant who was strongly influenced by Adam

Wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE) is the prime diagnostic modality for the small-bowel. It consists in a swallowable color camera that enables the visual detection and assessment of abnormalities, without patient discomfort. The localization of the capsule is currently performed in the 3D abdominal space using radiofrequency (RF) triangulation. However, this approach does not provide sufficient inf

Background and purpose - Little is know about patterns of sick leave in connection with total hip and knee joint replacement (THR and TKR) in patients with osteoarthritis (OA). Patients and methods - Using registers from southern Sweden, we identified hip and knee OA patients aged 40-59 years who had a THR or TKR in the period 2004-2012. Patients who died or started on disability pension were excl