Salmonid parr-smolt transformation (smoltification) is a transitional stage between freshwater and seawater life when the salmon imprint on their natal stream, change from a territorial feeding behavior to downstream migration, increase their hypoosmoregulatory competence, and change body shape and coloration. Photoperiod is recognized as the most potent initiator and regulator of the smoltificati

Severity assessment of patients with haemophilia A (HA) is traditionally based on FVIII activity (FVIII:C). Clinical phenotype of HA patients often differs between individuals with the same FVIII:C determined with clotting and chromogenic assays. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of the FVIII:C on thrombin generation (TG) assay parameters both in vitro and ex-vivo postinfusion plas

The tourmaline group of minerals is indeed an enigma. Experimental data from optical spectroscopy, electron microscopy, and Mossbauer spectroscopy reveal a host of physical properties that lack a common structural clarification. For example, tourmaline samples change colour when irradiated with X-ray and gamma-ray radiations some reverting back when heated in air; exhibit simultaneous oxidation an

Background: von Willebrand disease (VWD) type 1 is a congenital bleeding disorder caused by genetic defects in the von Willebrand factor (VWF) gene and characterized by a reduction of structurally normal VWF. The diagnosis of type 1 VWD is difficult because of clinical and laboratory variability. Furthermore, inconsistency of linkage between type 1 VWD and the VWF locus has been reported. Objectiv

Extreme values of non-linear functions of multivariate Gaussian processes are of considerable interest in engineering sciences dealing with the safety of structures. One then seeks the survival probability P{(X1(t),⋯ ,Xn(t))∈ S, all t∈ [0,T]}, where X(t)=(X1(t),⋯ ,Xn(t)) is a stationary, multivariate Gaussian load process, and S is a safe region. In general, the asymptotic survival probability for

We deal with some halos generated by the divergent light from a nearby source. After discussing how the divergent light transforms some halo features, we give an outline of a method of handling the simulation of a divergent-light halo. The simulation method is then successfully tested on some well-documented halo observations. We also present a "simulation atlas" that shows halos produced by cryst

This paper describes a Cassegrain optics-based chemiluminescence sensor (CS) for measurements in gas turbine combustors. The chemiluminescence sensor measures the equivalence ratio of reacting fuel and air mixtures, and can identify the flame location, in partially premixed flames. It has the potential for monitoring the degree of premixedness of reacting fuel and air in industrial gas turbine com

Many signaling molecules are multidomain proteins that have other domains in addition to the catalytic kinase domain. Protein tyrosine kinases almost without exception contain Src homology 2 (SH2) and/or SH3 domains that can interact with other signaling proteins. Here, we studied evolution of the tyrosine kinases containing SH2 and/or SH3 and kinase domains. The three domains seem to have duplica

We compare free energy calculations for the methyl transfer reaction catalyzed by catechol O-methyltransferase using the quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical free energy method with implicit and explicit solvents. An analogous methylation reaction in a solution is also studied. For the explicit solvent model, we use the three-point transferable intermolecular potential model, and for the implic

The inherent limitations of a specific pencil beam model have been studied when applied to a cylindrical geometry simulating the neck region. A comparison is made between measured and calculated absorbed dose in a cylindrical phantom. The goal is to quantify the deviations in the absorbed dose level, i.e., the dose per monitor unit, when photons are used for the treatment of head and neck tumours.

Efficient xylose utilisation by microorganisms is of importance to the lignocellulose fermentation industry. The aim of this work was to develop constitutive catabolite repression mutants in a xylose-utilising recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain and evaluate the differences in xylose consumption under fermentation conditions. S. cerevisiae YUSM was constitutively catabolite repressed throu

Background The general lack of clear associations between diet and breast cancer in epidemiological studies may partly be explained by the fact that breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease that may have disparate genetic associations and different aetiological bases. Method A total of 346 incident breast cancers in a prospective cohort of 17,035 women enrolled in the Malmo Diet and Cancer study (

In the bioconversion of lignocellulosic materials to ethanol, the cost of the raw material and the cost of the enzymes have been identified as the major costs for the product. In addition, many lignocellulosic materials contain considerable amounts of five-carbon sugars which are not easily fermented to ethanol. The possibility of improving the cost-intensive steps was investigated. The steam pre

Individual attitudes to distributions of life years between two groups in a society are explored by means of an experiment. Subjects are asked to place themselves behind a veil of ignorance which is specified in terms of risk (known probabilities) for some subjects and in terms of uncertainty (unknown probabilities) for some subjects. The latter is argued to be the appropriate interpretation of Ra