We present a new method, using Bayesian estimation, to determine stellar ages and their uncertainties from observational data and theoretical isochrones. The result for an individual star is obtained as the relative posterior probability density as function of the age ("G function"). From this can be derived the most probable age and confidence intervals. The convoluted morphology of isochrones an

1. Responses of zooplankton to nutrient enrichment and fish predation were studied in 1998 and 1999 by carrying out parallel mesocosm experiments in six lakes across Europe. 2. Zooplankton community structure, biomass and responses to nutrient and fish manipulation showed geographical and year-to-year differences. Fish had a greater influence than nutrients in regulating zooplankton biomass and es

Size-resolved cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) spectra measured for various aerosol types at a non-urban site in Germany showed that CCN concentrations are mainly determined by the aerosol number size distribution. Distinct variations of CCN activation with particle chemical composition were observed but played a secondary role. When the temporal variation of chemical effects on CCN activation is n

K-best Schnorr-Euchner (KSE) decoding algorithm is proposed in this paper to approach near-maximum-likelihood (ML) performance for multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) detection. As a low complexity MIMO decoding algorithm, the KSE is shown to be suitable for very large scale integration (VLSI) implementations and be capable or supporting soft outputs. Modified KSE (MKSE) decoding algorithm is fu

Traditionally used methods for developing a synthetic unit hydrograph (SUH) are well known for their limitations. In last few decades, use of probability distribution functions in developing SUHs has received much attention. In this study, the potentials of a three-parameter beta distribution are explored. Using a analogy between the three-parameter beta-distribution shape and the SUH shape, appro

The water channel aquaporin-1 (AQP1) is considered as the molecular counterpart of the ultrasmall pore predicted by the three-pore model of fluid transport across the peritoneal membrane. However, the definitive proof of the implication of AQP1 in solute-free water transport, sodium sieving, and ultrafiltration (UF) during peritoneal dialysis (PD) is lacking, and the effects of its deletion on the

OBJECTIVE: Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) has been proposed as a new treatment modality for type 2 diabetes. To circumvent the drawback of the short half-life of GLP-1, inhibitors of the GLP-1-degrading enzyme dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP IV) have been examined. Such inhibitors improve glucose tolerance in insulin-resistant rats and mice. In this study, we examined the 4-week effect of 1-[[[2-[(5

Background: Germline BRCA1 mutations confer a substantial lifetime risk of breast and ovarian cancer, but whether cancer at other sites is increased is less clear. To evaluate the risks of other cancers in BRCA1 mutation carriers, we conducted a cohort study of 11 847 individuals from 699 families segregating a BRCA1 mutation that were ascertained in 30 centers across Europe and North America. Met

Background/Aim: In occupational therapy research and in clinical practice there is a need for valid, reliable and easily administered measures. For research and screening purposes, the Satisfaction with Daily Occupations (SDO) instrument was developed. It addresses work, leisure, domestic tasks and self-care and generates a satisfaction and an activity level score. This study investigated its cons

Nutrient enrichment experiments were carried out in three tropical (once) and three temperate (twice) lakes differing in humic content in order to examine whether there was a relationship between the limiting nutrient for algal growth [nitrogen (N) or phosphorus (P)] and humic content, and whether the prevailing limitation was connected to the relative abundance of autotrophic and phagotrophic phy

The 21+ isomer in 94Ag has recently been reported to have a two-proton decay branch to 92Rh. We have populated 92Rh through the 40Ca(58Ni,alphapn) reaction at 240 MeV, and have performed detailed spectroscopic measurements of the levels, finding new states and measuring angular distributions of gamma rays. We find no evidence for the states reported to be populated by the two-proton decay of 94Agm

A new method of measuring vertical dislocation of the C1 and C2 vertebra in rheumatoid arthritis is presented based on the distance from the lower end plate of C2 to the palato -occipital or McGregor 's line. In a normal material the distance was found to be 34 mm or more in men and 29 mm or more in women. A value below these limits should be regarded as vertical dislocation. In the same normal ma

This paper takes the treatment of antonymy in Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary (2003) as the point of departure for a discussion about the principles of antonym inclusion in dictionaries and corpus methodologies in lexicology. CCALED includes canonical antonyms such as good/ bad and dead/alive, as well as more contextually restricted pairings such as hot/ mild and flat/fizzy.

Long-term treatment with the dopamine precursor levodopa (L-DOPA) induces dyskinesia in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. We divided hemiparkinsonian rats treated chronically with L-DOPA into two groups: one showed motor improvement without dyskinesia, and the other developed debilitating dyskinesias in response to the treatment. We then compared the plasticity of corticostriatal synapses between

The standard method used for tagging b-hadrons in the DELPHI experiment at the CERN LEP Collider is discussed in detail. The main ingredient of b-tagging is the impact parameters of tracks, which relies mostly on the vertex detector. Additional information, such as the mass of particles associated to a secondary vertex, significantly improves the selection efficiency and the background suppression

Background Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have been suggested to be overrepresented in anorexia nervosa. This study aimed to explore the comorbidity of ASD and other childhood onset neuropsychiatric disorders (COND) [attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) and tic disorders] in a group of severe eating disorder (ED) patients. Method Thirty female ED patients from a specialist hospital c