We demonstrate a method for elemental mercury detection based on correlation spectroscopy employing UV laser radiation generated by sum-frequency mixing of two visible multimode diode lasers. Resonance matching of the multimode UV laser is achieved in a wide wavelength range and with good tolerance for various operating conditions. Large mode-hops provide an off-resonance baseline, eliminating int

OBJECTIVE: Preterm birth is associated with asthma-like symptoms in childhood and possibly in adolescence, but the longer-term risk of asthma is unknown and increasingly relevant as larger numbers of these individuals enter adulthood. Our objective was to evaluate whether those who were born preterm are more likely to be prescribed asthma medications in young adulthood than those who were born ter

We have previously reported that liver X receptor (LXR) agonist, TO901317, could significantly inhibit hepatic apolipoprotein M (apoM) expression. It has been reported that TO901317 could activate the ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) that mediates cholesterol efflux to the lipid-poor apoA1, which is an essential step for the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) formation. It is unknown if ABC

Abstract in ArabicThis report is the primary outcome from Part II of the project “An extended producer responsibility (EPR) system and new business models to increase reuse and recycling of textiles in the Nordic region” initiated by the Nordic waste group (NAG). The full project – comprising Part I and II – is part of the Nordic Prime Minister’s green growth initiative, The Nordic Region – leadin

A novel strategy is presented for designing peptides with specific metal-ion chelation sites, based on linking computationally predicted ion-specific combinations of amino acid side chains coordinated at the vertices of the desired coordination polyhedron into a single polypeptide chain. With this aim, a series of computer programs have been written that 1) creates a structural combinatorial libra

There is often a perceived tension between dialogue on the one hand and conversion on the other hand. This article suggests that this tension may be related to religious conviction and religious belonging being seen as monolithic. A basic idea of this article is that there are suggestive empirical findings and relevant conceptual arguments about double religious belonging in a large sense, which l

The (-938C > A) polymorphism in the promoter region of the BCL-2 gene was recently associated with inferior time to treatment and overall survival in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients displaying the-938A/A genotype and may thus serve as an unfavorable genetic marker in CLL. Furthermore, the-938A/A genotype was associated with increased expression of Bcl-2. To investigate this furt

The Mifflin meteorite fell on the night of April 14, 2010, in southwestern Wisconsin. A bright fireball was observed throughout a wide area of the midwestern United States. The petrography, mineral compositions, and oxygen isotope ratios indicate that the meteorite is a L5 chondrite fragmental breccia with light/dark structure. The meteorite shows a low shock stage of S2, although some shock-melte

Pheromone monitoring could provide unique spatial and temporal information about rare and threatened insect species for conservation purposes. Pheromone traps may be especially valuable in detecting fluctuations and declines in vulnerable species, if trap catch can be related to population density. We exploited the pheromone-kairomone system of the hermit beetle Osmoderma eremita and its predator,

X-ray emission spectroscopy (XES) is a powerful element-selective tool to analyze the oxidation states of atoms in complex compounds, determine their electronic configuration, and identify unknown compounds in challenging environments. Until now the low efficiency of wavelength-dispersive X-ray spectrometer technology has limited the use of XES, especially in combination with weaker laboratory X-r

Bile duct injury is an important unsolved problem of laparoscopic cholecystectomy, occurring with unacceptable frequency even in the hands of experienced surgeons. This suggests that a systemic predisposition to the injury is intrinsic to cholecystectomy and indicates that an analysis of the psychology and heuristics of surgical decision-making in relation to duct identification may be a guide to

Many species of Dytiscus diving beetles exhibit intrasexual dimorphism, e. g., the elytra is smooth in some females and grooved in others. However, the expression of the grooves and whether they are a product of heredity or the environment remain unknown. One Japanese species, Dytiscus sharpi sharpi Wehncke, 1875, also shows female dimorphism, with grooved and smooth morphs, while D. sharpi validu

We design of an efficient channel shortener for nonlinear satellite channels. When the memory of the channel is too large to be taken into account by a full complexity detector, excellent performance can be achieved by properly filtering the received signal followed by a reduced-state detector. This letter derives closed-form expressions for the front-end filter and the target response of the redu

Placidiopsis custnani (A. Massal.) Körb., last recorded from the Nordic countries almost 160 years ago, is reported from the island of Gotland as new to Sweden. Its taxonomy and ecology are described from the new locality, and a key is provided for the former members of the genus Catapyrenium growing on soil, mosses or bark in the Nordic countries.

Aim We explored regional variations in the surgical management of patients with Dupuytren's contracture (DC) in 12 European countries using a surgeon survey and patient chart review. Methods Twelve countries participated: Denmark, Finland, Sweden (Nordic region); Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland (East); France, Germany, the Netherlands, UK (West); Italy, Spain (Mediterranean). For the survey, a ran

The effects of nitrogen (N) fertilization (0-150 kg N ha(-1) year(-1) since 1865) and pH (3.3-7.4) on fungal and bacterial growth, biomass and phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) composition were investigated in grassland soils from the 'Park Grass Experiment', Rothamsted Research, UK. Bacterial growth decreased and fungal growth increased with lower pH, resulting in a 50-fold increase in the relative

This paper aims to provide a critical and systematic review of the societal costs of air pollutionrelated ill health (CAP), to explore methodological issues that may be important when assessing or comparing CAP across countries and to suggest ways in which future CAP studies can be made more useful for policy analysis. The methodology includes a systematic search based on the major electronic data

Background: Mechanical ventilatory support seriously affects speaking and communication, and earlier studies show that many ventilator-supported patients experience difficulties and frustration with their speech and voice production. Since there is a growing number of individuals who require mechanical ventilatory support and there is a paucity of studies that examine ventilator-supported communic