The Nieboer-Domar hypothesis has proved to be a powerful tool for identifying the economic conditions under which slavery was more likely to emerge as a dominant form of labour. It states that in cases of land abundance and labour shortages the use of slavery was likely to become a vital alternative means of increasing production. These conditions have been identified for large parts of pre-coloni

Mild induced hypothermia is used for neuroprotection in patients successfully resuscitated after cardiac arrest. Temperature-dependent effects on rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM(®)) assays with EXTEM(®), FIBTEM(®), or APTEM(®) in cardiac arrest patients have not previously been studied. Ten patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest who underwent induced hypothermia were studied during stab

Using a scanning tunneling and atomic force microscope combined with in-vacuum atomic hydrogen cleaning we demonstrate stable scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) with nanoscale resolution on electrically active nanowire devices in the common lateral configuration. We use this method to map out the surface density of states on both the GaSb and InAs segments of GaSb-InAs Esaki diodes as well as t

The small leucine-rich proteoglycans fibromodulin and lumican are functionally related extracellular matrix proteins involved in the regulation of collagen fiber formation. Fibromodulin-deficient apolipoprotein E-null mice have decreased vascular retention of lipids and reduced development of atherosclerosis suggesting that fibromodulin may influence the disease process. The aim of the present stu

Development of relevant models of Parkinson's disease (PD) is essential for a better understanding of the pathological processes underlying the human disease and for the evaluation of promising targets for therapeutic intervention. To date, most pre-clinical studies have been performed in the well-established rodent and non-human primate models using injection of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) or 1-me

By analyzing spatio-temporal characteristics of short optical pulses diffusively transmitted through compacted granular materials, we reveal that powder compaction can give rise to strongly anisotropic light diffusion. Our disclosure represents a revision of the understanding of optics of powder compacts. Routes to material characterization and investigation of compression-induced structural aniso

Aim In many cases, human colonization drastically modified the ecosystems of remote oceanic islands before scientists arrived to document the changes. Palaeoecological records before and after human colonization provide insights into the original ecosystems and an assessment of subsequent human impact. We used pollen analysis to compare the impact of 15th century colonization of the Azores with th

Inexpensive and environmentally friendly electrolyte polymers that can be operated at higher temperatures and drier conditions are highly interesting for PEM fuel cells for automotive, portable power and stationary electricity generation applications. In this study an ionomer based on polysulfone grafted with poly(vinylphosphonic acid) (PSUgPVPA) in the cathode Pt/C catalyst layer was electrochemi

The external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve is important for the voice. However, it is unknown how thyroid surgeons manage this nerve during operations. We hypothesised that this management is related to the surgeon's age, gender, the surgeons' annual number of thyroid operations, i.e volume, and surgical specialisation.

The valence photoionization and resonant Auger decay at 4d resonances below the 4d ionization threshold in Sb-4 clusters have been studied experimentally by means of photoelectron spectroscopy. The 4d absorption spectrum in the photon energy region from 30 to 36 eV has been recorded using the constant ionic state (CIS) partial electron yield (PEY), and the CIS spectra for various ionic states are

An α-particle irradiator, enabling high-precision irradiation of cells for in vitro studies, has been constructed. The irradiation source was a (241)Am source, on which well inserts containing cancer cells growing in monolayer were placed. The total radioactivity, uniformity, and α-particle spectrum were determined by use of HPGe detector, Gafchromic™ dosimetry film, and PIPS(®) detector measureme

Agri-environment schemes (AES) have been introduced to mitigate negative environmental effects caused by increased agricultural intensification in Europe. However, there is still debate on whether currently available incentives are efficiently enhancing farmland biodiversity. Moreover, agri-environment schemes often lead to a yield reduction, which has been argued to potentially increase pressure

Tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) inhibits tissue factor-induced coagulation, but may, via its C-terminus, also modulate cell surface-, heparin-, lipopolysaccharide interactions as well as participate in growth inhibition. Here we show that C-terminal TFPI peptide sequences are antimicrobial against the Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Gram-positive Bacillus

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficiency of different methods of reading breast tomosynthesis (BT) image volumes. METHODS: All viewing procedures consisted of free scroll volume browsing and three were combined with initial cine loops at three different frame rates (9, 14 and 25 fps). The presentation modes consisted of vertically and horizontally orientated BT image volumes. Fifty-five normal BT im

Introduction: previous research has suggested that pregnant women prefer a person-centred approach for smoking cessation interventions. However few studies have illustrated the mechanism through which such an approach has an influence on quitting or reduction rates among pregnant women in resource poor settings. Purpose: to explore the role of different components included in a smoking cessation i

Extracellular vesicle (EV)-mediated intercellular transfer of signaling proteins and nucleic acids has recently been implicated in the development of cancer and other pathological conditions; however, the mechanism of EV uptake and how this may be targeted remain as important questions. Here, we provide evidence that heparan sulfate (HS) proteoglycans (PGs; HSPGs) function as internalizing recepto

Some primary immunodeficiencies (PIDs) express low serum levels of antibodies. The constant heavy G chain (IGHG) genes, also representing Fc domains of gamma3, gamma1 and gamma2 on chromosome 14q32.3, genotyped by the alternative IgG subclass allotypes, found in four fixed IGHG haplotypes, designating four B cell variants, were identified by a competitive ELISA and double immunodiffusion. IGHG gen

Epidemiological studies consistently show that circulating sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) levels are lower in type 2 diabetes patients than non-diabetic individuals, but the causal nature of this association is controversial. Genetic studies can help dissect causal directions of epidemiological associations because genotypes are much less likely to be confounded, biased or influenced by disea