China’s unbalanced growth strategy has seemingly fostered growing inter-regional growth disparities and there is little evidence of wealth trickling down from richer provinces to poorer provinces. Standard convergence tests, however, may be ill specified to detect underlying long-term growth trends in small samples due to the pronounced and frequent inter-regional short-term fluctuations. Our pape

Several psychiatric disorders, including major depressive disorder (MDD), are associated with increased blood markers of oxidative stress. The relevance of this to the oxidation-sensitive hippocampus (HC) is unknown. We investigated the relationship between peripheral oxidative stress markers and HC volume in unmedicated individuals with MDD (n=16) and healthy controls (n=19). To conserve power, o

Cheese production has increased worldwide during the last decade and is expected to increase within the coming decade as well. Despite this, the relations between cow genetics and cheese characteristics are not fully known. The aim of this study was to determine if polymorphisms in the leptin (LEP), leptin receptor (LEPR), and acyl-coenzyme A:diacylglycerol acyltransferase 1 (DGAT1) genes as well

Chronic hyperglycemia leads to deterioration of insulin release from pancreatic beta-cells as well as insulin action on peripheral tissues. However, the mechanism underlying beta-cell dysfunction resulting from glucose toxicity has not been fully elucidated. The aim of the present study was to define a set of alterations in mitochondrial protein profiles of pancreatic beta-cell line in response to

Using data covering 38 countries across the 1965–2005 period, this paper shows that former British colonies tend to exhibit higher levels of carbon dioxide emission than other countries.

A large number of studies have shown that friends’ smoking behavior is strongly associated with an individual’s own risk for smoking. However, few studies have examined whether other features of social networks, independently or conjointly with friends’ smoking behavior, may influence the risk for smoking. Because it is characterized by the growing importance of friendship networks, the transition

Objective. The aim of the current study was to investigate whether genetic variation in genes across the serotoninergic system is associated with chronic widespread pain (CWP) and the number of pain sites reported. Methods. A discovery cohort, with pain data at 3 time points, was used to investigate genetic associations with 2 phenotypes: 1) CWP (at >= 2 time points; n = 164) compared with pain-fr

Objectives. To study the course of impairment measured by signals of functional impairment (SOFI) and disability measured by health assessment questionnaire (HAQ) over 20 years in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients followed from diagnosis. To explore the contribution of disease activity, joint damage and comorbidity to variation of SOFI and HAQ over time. Methods. RA patients diagnosed 1985-1989 w

When flying through narrow spaces, insects control their position by balancing the magnitude of apparent image motion (optic flow) experienced in each eye and their speed by holding this value about a desired set-point. Previously, it has been shown that when bumblebees encounter sudden changes in the proximity to nearby surfaces - as indicated by a change in the magnitude of optic flow on each si

Abstract in UndeterminedTemperature and relative O-2-concentrations have been measured using pure rotational coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (RCARS) in a low swirl turbulent premixed flame. This lean flame burning methane has previously been investigated using laser diagnostic techniques and numerical modeling of flame characteristics. In the present work, single-shot RCARS measurements we

The design update of the European Spallation Source (ESS) accelerator is almost complete and the construction of the prototype of the microwave discharge ion source able to provide a proton beam current larger than 70 mA to the 3.6 MeV Radio Frequency Quadrupole (RFQ) started. The source named PS-ESS (Proton Source for ESS) was designed with a flexible magnetic system and an extraction system able

It has previously been observed that an externally applied hydrodynamic shear flow above a fluid lipid bilayer can change the local concentration of macromolecules that are associated with the lipid bilayer. The external liquid flow results in a hydrodynamic force on molecules protruding from the lipid bilayer, causing them to move in the direction of the flow. However, there has been no quantitat

In this paper, we point out that the EU does not have a harmonized practice when it comes to trade procedures, implying that countries in the rest of the world face different trade barriers depending on which EU country they ship their goods to. Estimating the impact of trade procedures on exports from non-EU countries, we find a highly statistically significant and negative effect. Simulating wha

Cells of the clinically important p histo-blood group phenotype lack P1, P(k) , and P glycosphingolipid antigens. All cases investigated so far are due to alterations in the 4-α-galactosyltransferase-encoding Exon 3 of A4GALT. Repetitive elements in the genome can mediate DNA rearrangements, the most abundant being the Alu family of repeats.

The antimicrobial gas carbon dioxide is frequently used in modified atmosphere packaging. In the present study, the effects of CO2 (10 to 70%, vol/vol) on gene expression (measured using quantitative reverse transcription-PCR and a whole-genome DNA microarray) and neurotoxin formation (measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA]) by proteolytic Clostridium botulinum type A1 strain

Chlorides, nitrates and sulfates play an important role in the salt-decay of porous materials in buildings and monuments. Electrochemical desalination is a technology able to remove salts from such porous materials in order to stop or prevent the decay. In this paper, experimental and numerical results for ED treatments of red bricks contaminated with NaCl, NaNO3, and Na2SO4 are presented and comp

Objectives. Natural colloid albumin induces a lesser degree of dilutional coagulopathy than synthetic colloids. Fibrinogen concentrate has emerged as a promising strategy to treat coagulopathy, and factor XIII (FXIII) works synergistically with fibrinogen to correct coagulopathy following haemodilution with crystalloids. Our objectives were to examine the ability of fibrinogen and FXIII concentrat