While current instruments of EU economic policy coordination helped stave off a full- scale depression, the post-2007 global financial and economic crisis has revealed a number of weaknesses in the Stability and Growth Pact, the EU framework for fiscal surveillance and fiscal policy coordination. This paper provides a diagnosis of how the SGP faired ahead and during the present crisis and offers a

Decomposition of soil organic matter (SOM) may either increase or decrease after fresh organic inputs, the phenomena which are termed as “priming effect”. Crop residues and labile C additions can prime SOM decomposition, but it is not known how labile C inputs affect SOM in the presence of decaying plant residues varying in quality (e.g. from previous crops, a common situation in arable soils). We

Monoclonal antibody (mAb) fragments have become the formats of choice for both biopharmaceuticals and ligands in analytical and preparative applications. Their smaller size enables additional advantages over full-length mAbs, such as improved tissue penetration, faster blood clearance for diagnostic applications, improved capacity, and enablement of multivalent formatting. However, limitations in Monoclonal antibody (mAb) fragments have become the formats of choice for both biopharmaceuticals and ligands in analytical and preparative applications. Their smaller size enables additional advantages over full-length mAbs, such as improved tissue penetration, faster blood clearance for diagnostic applications, improved capacity, and enablement of multivalent formatting. However, limitations in

Crop residue addition is a way to increase soil organic matter (SOM) level in croplands. However, organic matter input and SOM stocks are not linearly related. Consequently, adding high amounts of residues, such as straw, may increase SOM to only a small extent, and an alternative use of the residues may be justified. The objective of this study was to test how the level and type (above- or belowg

Noradrenergic locus coeruleus (LC) efferents to the forebrain suppress seizures in several models of epilepsy. Using in situ hybridization, we demonstrate that tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and norepinephrine transporter (NET) but not vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) mRNA levels are transiently elevated in LC neurons following kainic acid-induced status epilepticus. These increases of TH and

Formation of metal hydrides is a serious complication that occur when hydride forming metals such as zirconium, niobium, vanadium and magnesium are exposed to long term hydrogen environment. The main concern is that the hydride, as being a brittle material, has very poor fracture mechanical properties. Formation of hydride is associated with transportation of hydrogen along the gradients of increa

ObjectiveTo describe the development of a computer-based risk assessment method for visual ergonomics, and assess its face validity, content validity, and internal consistency.MethodsThe risk assessment method contained a questionnaire for the worker, an evaluation form for the evaluator, a section of follow-up questions based on the worker's responses, and a section for recommended changes, inclu

There is an apparent dichotomy between the metal-poor ([Fe/H] ≤ -2) yet carbon-normal giants and their carbon-rich counterparts. The former undergo significant depletion of carbon on the red giant branch after they have undergone first dredge-up, whereas the latter do not appear to experience significant depletion. We investigate this in the context that the extra mixing occurs via the thermohalin

Paenibacillus larvae, causative agent of American Foulbrood (AFB), is the primary bacterial pathogen affecting honeybees and beekeeping. The main methods for controlling AFB are incineration of diseased colonies or prophylactic antibiotic treatment (e.g. tylosin), neither of which is fully satisfactory. The search for superior means for controlling AFB has led to an increased interest in the natur

Type 2 diabetes can often be managed by healthier diet and exercise in early stages of the disease, but as it progresses oral medication is needed and later on the patients will require insulin to survive. Vitamin K is a fat soluble vitamin that is a cofactor in gamma-carboxylation and activation of coagulation proteins produced in the liver. There are also extrahepatic proteins named Gla proteins

"Fright moulting" has been recorded in several orders of birds and interpreted as a way of escaping a predator when already caught. Two observations suggest that the behaviour may have another function, viz. when an aerial predator chases the prey. By shedding body feathers in the air the bird creates a cloud behind it; this might confuse the predator in the same way as the ink of octopuses confus

The frequency of laying gaps was studied in a nestbox breeding population of Blue Tits Parus caeruleus during the breeding season of 1990. In as many as 27% of the 55 clutches studied, laying was interrupted for at least one day. It is concluded that the interruption of egg laying depends on food availability since the frequency of laying gaps decreased in clutches laid by females experimentally p

The total number of acquired melanocytic nevi on the skin is strongly correlated with melanoma risk. Here we report a meta-analysis of 11 nevus GWAS from Australia, Netherlands, UK, and USA comprising 52,506 individuals. We confirm known loci including MTAP, PLA2G6, and IRF4, and detect novel SNPs in KITLG and a region of 9q32. In a bivariate analysis combining the nevus results with a recent mela

Models of stellar clusters link the theoretical gravitational N-body problem to the study of real astrophysical systems. Such models require a description of the stars contained within the cluster. Stars are interesting objects in their own right, and the study of stellar evolution is important across astronomy, from the formation of exotic objects such as X-ray binaries and gamma-ray bursts to me