Passerines maintain low levels of fat in winter even though larger fat reserves would provide better insurance against starvation. This is believed to be a result of predation risk and/or metabolic expenditure increasing with the amount of fat carried. Recent empirical studies indicate that the effect of increased mass on predation risk is small, but the effect on metabolic expenditure is large. U

The long-term outcome of thoracic and lumbar fractures in late adolescence is sparsely described and it is unclear whether a fractured vertebral body in these years, as in young children, can be resituated in height. The purpose of this study was to in late adolescence determine the incidence, the long-term outcome and the modelling capacity in fractures of the thoracic and lumbar region. The inci

Uptake of arsenic, molybdenum, uranium and vanadium by species of natural vegetation (Agrostis capillaris, Betula pendula, Calluna vulgaris, and Deschampsia flexuosa) on two contrasting, highly acid soils (pH of soil solution 4.2-4.3), differing in natural abundance of these elements, was compared. the soil developed from alum shale was rich in these elements, the soil from a gneiss moraine was po

To describe the Avodart after Radical Therapy for prostate cancer Study (ARTS), investigating the use of dutasteride (a dual 5 alpha-reductase inhibitor that suppresses intraprostatic dihydrotestosterone, reduces tumour volume and improves other markers of tumour regression in prostate cancer) to prevent or delay disease progression in patients with biochemical recurrence after therapy with curati

We describe the design and implementation of a robotic solution to automate the acquisition of gel images. The soft- and hardware aspects are outlined together with the various safety aspects that need to be addressed.

We present a review of some of the current major challenges in stellar cluster research, including young clusters, globular clusters, and galactic nuclei. Topics considered include: primordial mass segregation and runaway mergers, expulsion of gas from clusters, the production of stellar exotica seen in some clusters (e.g., blue stragglers and extreme horizontal-branch stars), binary populations w

In recent years, the awareness of potential radiation damage of metal centers in protein crystals during crystallographic data collection has received increasing attention. The radiation damage can lead to radiation-induced changes and reduction of the metal sites. One of the research fields where these concerns have been comprehensively addressed is the study of the reaction intermediates of the

BACKGROUND: Propofol, a popular intravenous (iv) anaesthetic induction agent for brief cases or day surgery, is associated with smooth induction, pleasant sleep, rapid recovery and little postoperative nausea. A major disadvantage is pain at the site of injection. The aim of the present study was to examine the influence of simultaneous iv infusion of carrier fluid on propofol-induced local pain.

The present communication concerns the potential of current surveillance programs for understanding the epidemiology of sexually transmitted infections. The often limited knowledge or the negligence of such infections both among health providers and in the general population, and the non-existence of laboratory services or poor utilization thereof, for example the lack of sampling material, lack o

This article evaluates whether the global dispersion of ventricular repolarization (DVR) can be estimated from measurements between a few adjacent or remote sites. Monophasic action potentials (MAP) were recorded from 61 +/- 18 left (LV) or right ventricular (RV) sites in 10 pigs and 44 +/- 16 LV, or RV sites in 8 patients by using the CARTO mapping system. MAP duration (MAPd) and end-of-repolariz

Evaluation schemes, e.g., least-squares fitting, are not generally applicable to any types of experiments. If the evaluation schemes were not derived from a measurement model that properly described the experiment to be evaluated, poorer precision or accuracy than attainable from the measured data could result.. We outline ways in which statistical data evaluation schemes should be derived for all

Suicide attempts in the long term course of illness were investigated in 89 suicides with a primary severe depression/melancholia and in matched controls. Multiaxial ratings at index admission between 1956 and 1969 enabled the selection of patients. These patients were tracked to January 1, 1984. A blind record evaluation was performed. Suicide attempts were more common among suicides than control

The latent heat flux over snow near Ny-Alesund, Spitsbergen, was investigated for the 1999 snowmelt season to assess different methods of modelling the flux. Snow evaporation had hitherto been estimated as the residual of plot water balance calculations and was subject to measurement errors: hence a modelling solution was sought to make use of existing data. Precipitation, snow depth and albedo we

We present a simple, semi--analytical description for the final stagesof mergers of black hole (BH) -- neutron star (NS) systems. Such systemsare of much interest as gravitational wave sources and gamma--ray burstprogenitors. Numerical studies show that in general the neutron star isnot disrupted at the first phase of mass transfer. Instead, what remainsof the neutron star is left on a wider, ecce

We review studies of the implementation of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programmes in developed and developing countries. The review spans the period from establishment of long-term vaccine efficacy follow-up studies, operational research on issues of vaccine preparedness, and relevant predictive modelling studies during the pre-licensure phase to plans of phase IV effectiveness trials,

Cell matrix adhesion is required for cell proliferation and survival. Here we report that mutation by gene targeting of the cytoplasmic tail of beta(1) integrin leads to defective proliferation and survival both in vivo and in vitro. Primary murine embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) derived from mutant homozygotes display defective cell cycle coupled to impaired activation of the FAK-P13K-Akt and Rac-JN

Climbing fibres projecting to the cerebellar C3 zone (and the related C1 and Y zones) receive spatially well organized tactile and nociceptive inputs from the skin. In the present study, cutaneous tactile and nociceptive input to climbing fibres projecting to the X, B, C2 and D1 zones in lobule V were investigated in pentobarbitone-anaesthetized cats. From the present results and previous studies,