Evolutionary divergence in the coloration of toxic prey is expected when geographic variation in predator composition and behavior favours shifts in prey conspicuousness. A fundamental prediction of predator-driven colour divergence is that the local coloration should experience lower predation risk than novel prey phenotypes. The dorsal coloration of the granular poison frog varies gradually from

In order to investigate the potential role of vegetation changes in megafaunal extinctions during the later part of the last glacial stage and early Holocene (42-10 ka BP), the palaeovegetation of northern Eurasia and Alaska was simulated using the LPJ-GUESS dynamic vegetation model. Palaeoclimatic driving data were derived from simulations made for 22 time slices using the Hadley Centre Unified M

We aimed to validate genetic variants as instruments for insulin resistance and secretion, to characterise their association with intermediate phenotypes, and to investigate their role in T2D risk among normal-weight, overweight and obese individuals.We investigated the association of genetic scores with euglycaemic-hyperinsulinaemic clamp- and OGTT-based measures of insulin resistance and secreti

Background: This study was performed to explore whether or not a neural reflex linking the esophagus and the nasal airway exists, as a pathogenic mechanism accounting for the association between gastroesophageal reflux (GER) disease and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). A prospective trial of healthy human volunteers was performed. Methods: Ten healthy volunteers without GER or sinonasal disease were

BACKGROUND The nature and underlying mechanisms of an inverse association between adult height and the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) are unclear. METHODS We used a genetic approach to investigate the association between height and CAD, using 180 height-associated genetic variants. We tested the association between a change in genetically determined height of 1 SD (6.5 cm) with the risk of

Context:Patients with hypopituitarism have an increased standardized mortality rate. The basis for this has not been fully clarified.Objective:To investigate in detail the cause of death in a large cohort of patients with hypopituitarism subjected to long-term follow-up.Design and Methods:All-cause and cause-specific mortality in 1286 Swedish patients with hypopituitarism prospectively monitored i

The chain-forming dinoflagellate Gymnodinium catenatum Graham is responsible for outbreaks of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP), a human health threat in coastal waters. Sexuality in this species is of great importance in its bloom dynamics, and has been shown to be very complex but lacks an explanation. For this reason, we tested if unreported homothallic behavior and rapid genetic changes may

Studies of heritable colour polymorphisms allow investigators to track the genetic dynamics of natural populations. By comparing polymorphic populations over large geographic areas and across generations, issues about both morph stability and evolutionary dynamics can be addressed, increasing our understanding of the potential mechanisms maintaining genetic polymorphisms. In the present study, we

Aim This paper describes a set of integrative scenarios developed in the ALARM (Assessing LArge-scale environmental Risks for biodiversity with tested Methods) project. The ultimate aim of ALARM was to develop and test methods and protocols for the assessment of large-scale environmental risks to biodiversity and to evaluate mitigation options. Scenarios provide a tool for exploring such risks and

FKBPs (FK506-binding proteins) have long been recognized as key regulators of the response to immunosuppressant drugs and as co-chaperones of steroid receptor complexes. More recently, evidence has emerged suggesting that this diverse protein family may also represent cancer biomarkers owing to their roles in cancer progression and response to treatment. FKBPL (FKBP-like) is a novel FKBP with role

Aims: The purpose of this study was to investigate criterion-related validity and test–retest repeatability of the heart rate monitor Polar RS400 versus electrocardiogram (ECG). Methodology: Ten healthy subjects, 19–34 years, performed a cycle ergometer test 5 min on each load (50, 100 and 150 W). Heart rate (HR) was measured with ECG and Polar RS400 and recorded digitally. After at least one hour

The fragmentation of the doubly-charged carbon dioxide molecule is studied after photoexcitation to the C 1s(1)2π(u) and O 1s(1)2π(u) states using a multicoincidence ion-imaging technique. The bent component of the Renner-Teller split states populated in the 1s→ π∗ resonant excitation at both the carbon and oxygen 1s ionization edges opens pathways to potential surfaces in highly bent geometries i

A total of 308,036 women were selected from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study to evaluate the association between tobacco smoking and the risk of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia of grade 3 (CIN3)/carcinoma in situ (CIS) and invasive cervical cancer (ICC). At baseline, participants completed a questionnaire and provided blood samples. During a mean fol

Different lifestyle patterns across Europe may influence plasma concentrations of B-vitamins and one-carbon metabolites and their relation to chronic disease. Comparison of published data on one-carbon metabolites in Western European regions is difficult due to differences in sampling procedures and analytical methods between studies. The present study aimed, to compare plasma concentrations of on

Landowners' choice of management practices will directly affect the conservation of biodiversity in large-scale productive landscapes such as forests and agricultural areas. Using the value-belief-norm theory, this study identifies the extent to which landowners differ regarding the psychological variables antecedent of a moral obligation to protect local biodiversity after participation in conser

Areal bone mineral density (aBMD), as measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), predicts hip fracture risk only moderately. Simulation of bone mechanics based on DXA imaging of the proximal femur, may help to improve the prediction accuracy. Therefore, we collected three (1-3) image sets, including CT images and DXA images of 34 proximal cadaver femurs (set1, including 30 males, 4 female

The magnitude and Impact of the parasitic capacitances in a vertical InAs nanowire transistor consisting of a matrix of nanowires is evaluated A simple transistor model is fitted to experimental I-V characteristics and the influence of the parasitic components on the transistor performance for different structures is investigated Simulations of the S parameters indicate an intrinsic f(T) of about

Pressure drop and convective heat transfer characteristics of water and five alumina/water nanofluids of weight concentrations from 0.78% wt. to 7.04% wt. were experimentally investigated for both laminar flow and turbulent flow inside a double-pipe helically coiled heat exchanger. Effect of nanoparticles on the critical Reynolds number is negligible. A new correlation was developed for laminar fl