There are currently increasing concerns about escalating crude oil prices, depleted petroleum resources, and environmental damages caused by plastics. In light of this, bio-based and biodegradable materials, such as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), have gained global attention from industry and academia as sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based materials. Poly-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) is the simple

PurposeThis study explores Greek and Swedish consumers' attitude towards organic food consumption in order to demonstrate possible differences that can be identified based on health and ecological consciousness beliefs rather than demographic factors. The examination of an emerging and a more mature market allow the authors to provide more targeted marketing strategies that possibly increase organ

Individual monitoring of radiation workers is essential to ensure compliance with legal dose limits and to ensure that doses are As Low As Reasonably Achievable. However, large uncertainties still exist in personal dosimetry and there are issues with compliance and incorrect wearing of dosimeters. The objective of the PODIUM (Personal Online Dosimetry Using Computational Methods) project was to im

Climate change impacts on agricultural systems are intensifying. The recent IPCC report illustrates that as temperatures climb, changes in the climate are pushing systems beyond sustainable boundaries. This is the case with certain livestock production systems (e.g. climate impacts can result in devastated supply chains or crop failures). When climate impacts are, or are projected to be, so severe

The mismatch of the coefficients of thermal expansion between cathode and electrolyte is one of the thorniest problems for high-performance proton-conducting solid oxide fuel cells (H–SOFCs). Here one strategy is applied by introducing the negative thermal expansion component, Y2Mo3O12 (YMO), on Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3-δ (BSCF) cathode to overcome this difficulty. As a result, not only the electrol

The naturally occurring polyether ionophore salinomycin was previously found to display promising anti-proliferative activity against bloodstream forms of Trypanosoma brucei. Here, we report the evaluation of 20-deoxysalinomycin, a naturally occurring homolog to salinomycin, for trypanocidal and cell swelling activity. The concentration of 20-deoxysalinomycin required to reduce the growth rate of

This report examines how climate change is impacting agriculture and threatening national and global food systems, particularly in climate hotspots, and how these trends are projected to intensify over the coming decades. The report defines and details transformative adaptation for agriculture and why such longer-term, systemic approaches are needed to protect the lives and livelihoods of millions

Elevator evacuation is associated with several safety benefits and can be a cost-efficient evacuation strategy in many buildings or facilities. Despite the advantages, elevator evacuation is not yet a common strategy in the built environment. In this paper, a design strategy that allows the designer to consider information needs of evacuees when designing the information and guidance measures for

Background: Previous studies evaluating the association between leisure activities and cognitive function produced conflicting results. Different types of leisure activities may have different effects on cognition, and very few studies have explored their bidirectional associations. Our study aimed to explore whether intellectual and social activities had bidirectional associations with cognitive

The socioeconomic health gradient has widened since the mid-21st century, but the role of childhood neighborhoods remains underexplored. Most neighborhood studies on health are cross-sectional, and longitudinal research is lacking.We analyze how socioeconomic neighborhood conditions in childhood influence cause-specific deaths in adulthood. We use uniquely detailed geocoded longitudinal microdata

BACKGROUND: Studies in men of European ancestry suggest prostate-specific antigen (PSA) as a marker of early prostate cancer (PCa) development that may help to risk-stratify men earlier in life.METHODS: We examined PSA levels in men measured up to 10+ years before a PCa diagnosis in association with PCa risk in 2,245 cases and 2,203 controls of African American, Latino, Japanese, Native Hawaiian,

The Gaia-ESO Survey was designed to target all major Galactic components (i.e. bulge, thin and thick discs, halo and clusters), with the goal of constraining the chemical and dynamical evolution of the MilkyWay. This paper presents the methodology and considerations that drive the selection of the targeted, allocated and successfully observed Milky Way field stars. The detailed understanding of th

Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) is an asymptomatic colonizer of the nasopharynx in most individuals but can progress to a pulmonary and systemic pathogen upon influenza A virus (IAV) infection. Advanced age enhances host susceptibility to secondary pneumococcal pneumonia and is associated with worsened disease outcomes. The host factors driving those processes are not well defined, in part

The present population based cohort study investigates the association between alcohol intake and cancer of the upper digestive tract. The design was prospective with baseline assessment of intake of beer, wine and spirits, smoking habits, educational level and 2-19 years' follow up on risk of upper digestive tract cancer (oropharyngeal and oesophageal). During a mean follow up of 13.5 years, 156

Objective. To evaluate the influence of preoperative abstinence on postoperative outcome in alcohol misusers with no symptoms who were drinking the equivalent of at least 60 g ethanol/day. Design. Randomised controlled trial. Setting. Copenhagen, Denmark. Subjects. 42 alcoholic patients without liver disease admitted for elective colorectal surgery. Interventions. Withdrawal from alcohol consumpti

Background: The frequency of intestinal obstruction varies in the literature (0.2-10.7%) and requires evaluation in a proper design. Methods: From 1978 to 1985, 1951 patients underwent appendectomy; 58 patients were excluded because of appendectomy per occasionem, 156 because of previous laparotomy, and 190 because of simultaneous major surgery. Three foreigners were lost to follow-up. The cohort

Objectives:To assess the effectiveness of smoking cessation programs implemented during pregnancy and to assess the impact of these programs on the health of the fetus and infant, on the mother and on the family. Search strategy: Randomized and quasi-randomized controlled trials indentified by the search strategy of the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group, supplemented by the search strategy o

Background: The objectives of this study were to determine observer variation in the assessment of the histopathologic diagnosis of acute appendicitis. Methods: Two consultant pathologists independently evaluated 415 appendectomy specimens (set I). After a consensus conference at which the observers unified the criteria of the diagnosis of acute appendicitis, another 396 appendectomy specimens (se