Background: Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have identified several single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) influencing the risk of thyroid cancer (TC). Most cancer predisposition genes identified through GWASs function in a co-dominant manner, and studies have not found evidence for recessively functioning disease loci in TC. Our study examines whether homozygosity is associated with an in

Belgium is one of the world leaders with regard to gender quotas, with strict rules for gender parity being imposed on political parties. Nonetheless the question remains as to whether these requirements for gender-equal list formation have led to women-friendly candidate selection procedures. Noting a gap in research on this topic, this article proposes a definition of ‘women-friendly’ candidate

Ocean thermal energy refers to the thermal potential energy produced by the temperature difference between the warm surface seawater and the cold deep seawater. In this paper, a siphon flash evaporation desalination system using ocean thermal energy is proposed. Because it can utilize the ocean thermal energy directly for desalination, siphon flash evaporation desalination system has relatively hi

There exists a non-closed formula for the American put option price and non-trivial computations are required to solve it. Strong efforts have been made to propose efficient numerical techniques but few have strong mathematical reasoning to ascertain why they work well. We present an extension of the American put price aiming to catch weaknesses of the numerical methods based on their non-fulfillm

In this paper, we show how to construct dynamic forward rate models in terms of exogenously specified eigenfunctions (or factor loadings). We also show how to link forward rate models with different number of driving Brownian motions to each other in a way consistent with the implied eigenfunctions. Finally, we discuss how to best parameterize the models in the sense of maximizing the number of fr

Metal ion catalyzed autoxidation of of aqueous sulfur dioxide in atmospheric droplets is an important pathway for the total oxidation of sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere and for formation of acid rain. This paper presents a summary of the results obtained for the Mn(II/III) catalyzed oxidation of SO2(aq).

We present a theoretical study of the electronic structures of freestanding nanowires made from gallium phosphide (GaP) - a III-V semiconductor with an indirect bulk bandgap. We consider [001]-oriented GaP nanowires with square and rectangular cross sections, and [111]-oriented GaP nanowires with hexagonal cross sections. Based on tight binding models, both the band structures and wave functions o

We investigated the role of attention and executive control in rhythmic timing, using a dual-task paradigm. The main task was a finger tapping task in which participants were asked to tap their index finger in time with metronome sequences. The tempo of the sequences ranged from 600 ms to 3000 ms between each beat. The distractor task, chosen so as to engage executive control processes, was a nove

A phenomenological model for simulating the photoplethysmogram (PPG) during atrial fibrillation (AF) is proposed. The simulated PPG is solely based on RR interval information, and, therefore, any annotated ECG database can be used to model sinus rhythm, AF, or rhythms with premature beats. A PPG pulse is modeled by a linear combination of a log-normal and two Gaussian waveforms. The model PPG is o

“Be Prepared!” The motto of the Scout movement seemed fitting when the Second World War broke out in 1939. Sweden maintained a state of neutrality during the entire conflict but this period, known generally as the “Time of Preparedness” (beredskapstiden), affected all parts of society. While the diplomatic and political events of these years have been thoroughly covered in Swedish historiography,

This paper examines how organizations for Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts in Sweden dealt with domestic and parental issues, from the movement’s inception in 1910 to 1960. The perspective is twofold. First, it discusses how ideals and expectations concerning participation in domestic matters differed for boys and girls. Were these gender roles stable or changeable? Secondly, it brings to light how pare

The reliance on market solutions by the Swedish public sector has increased significantly in recent decades. The Swedish example is characterized by an openness to market solutions in many public-sector activities and by a mix of procurement arrangements and choice-based arrangements. The overall experience is that the consequences of the extension of market solutions have been less profound than

Ultrasonic Additive Manufacturing (UAM) enables the integration of a wide variety of components into solid metal matrices due to the process induced high degree of metal matrix plastic flow at low bulk temperatures. Exploitation of this phenomenon allows the fabrication of previously unobtainable novel engineered metal matrix components.The feasibility of directly embedding electrical materials wi

Temperature sensors are crucial for animals to optimize living conditions. The temperature response of the ion channel transient receptor potential A1 (TRPA1) is intriguing; some orthologs have been reported to be activated by cold and others by heat, but the molecular mechanisms responsible for its activation remain elusive. Single-channel electrophysiological recordings of heterologously express

Aim We wanted to investigate third-trimester HbA1c as a predictor of diabetes after gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Methods Women with GDM were followed up prospectively for five years from pregnancy to detect the development of diabetes. The ability of HbA1c to predict diabetes was evaluated with receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves and logistic regression analysis. Results By five

Aim: Less invasive surfactant administration (LISA), namely surfactant instillation through a thin catheter in the trachea during spontaneous breathing, is increasingly used for premature infants. We surveyed the use of this technique in the Nordic countries in autumn 2015. Methods: A link to a web-based survey of surfactant administration methods was emailed to the directors of all neonatal units