Policy advice by the OECD has long been at the heart of academic debates on welfare state reform, with frequent claims questioning the ideological orientation of recommendations. This paper constructs an indicator of perceived reform need for 24 countries, quantifying the policy advice contained in the OECD Economic Surveys around 1985, 1995, and 2005. These recommendations describe a policy conse

Unique electronic properties of semiconductor heterostructured nanowires make them useful for future nano-electronic devices. Here, we present a study of the band bending effect at the heterointerface of GaAs/InAs core/shell nanowires by means of synchrotron based X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Different Ga, In, and As core-levels of the nanowire constituents have been monitored prior to and af

UNLABELLED: Graft infection is a serious complication to vascular surgery. The aim of this study was to assess (18)F-FDG uptake in vascular grafts in patients with or without symptoms of graft infection.METHODS: In all 2,045 patients examined by PET/CT at our clinic, 16 patients with synthetic aortic grafts were identified and reevaluated for (18)F-FDG accumulation. Clinical and biochemical data w

Complement resistance is an important virulence trait of Yersinia enterocolitica (Ye). The predominant virulence factor expressed by Ye is Yersinia adhesin A (YadA), which enables bacterial attachment to host cells and extracellular matrix and additionally allows the acquisition of soluble serum factors. The serum glycoprotein vitronectin (Vn) acts as an inhibitory regulator of the terminal comple

This article outlines and summarizes the rationale and the working process that was undertaken by the National Spina Bifida Program to address the issues of transitioning throughout the life course for persons growing up with spina bifida. Their challenges include achieving independent living, vocational independence, community mobility, and participation in social activities, and health managemen

The (1)H NMR Fast Field Cycling relaxometry was applied to study the molecular dynamics of the human protein HC (alpha (1)-microglobulin), its hydration and aggregation in solution state. The (1)H NMRD data have revealed the complex nature of the water/protein HC system resulting from the co-existence of monomer and dimer forms of the protein in solution as well as the presence of oligosaccharides

BACKGROUND: Butyric acid is produced by degradation of dietary fibre by microbiota and is crucial for maintaining a healthy colon. The physicochemical properties are important for butyric acid formation, and this study aimed to evaluate the use of malting to tailor the functional characteristics of barley dietary fibre. The effect of different steeping conditions was evaluated in laboratory-scale

The use of process models to simulate the fate of micropollutants in wastewater treatment plants is constantly growing. However, due to the high workload and cost of measuring campaigns, many simulation studies lack sufficiently long time series representing realistic wastewater influent dynamics. In this paper, the feasibility of the Benchmark Simulation Model No. 2 (BSM2) influent generator is t

The Eurosiberian Carbonflux project was designed to address the feasibility of inferring the regional carbon balance over Europe and Siberia from a hierarchy of models and atmospheric CO2 measurements over the continent. Such atmospheric CO2 concentrations results from the combination of connective boundary layer dynamics, synoptic events, large-scale transport of CO2, and regional surface fluxes

The mechanisms responsible for the transfer of energy and water within the climate system are under worldwide investigation within the framework of the Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment (GEWEX) to improve the predictability of natural and man-made climate changes at short and long ranges and their impact on water resources. Five continental-scale experiments have been established within GEW

This paper unpacks resource mobilisation for biorefineries by studying investment decisions of incumbent pulp and paper firms in Sweden and Finland. The analysis highlights that the limited adoption of biorefinery technologies can be attributed to both insufficient abilities (lack of needed competencies and partnerships) and interests (preference for improving existing technologies) by pulp and pa

Acetylcholine is well established as the neurotransmitter of starburst amacrine cells in the vertebrate retina but their function is poorly understood. We compared the distribution of muscarinic m2 receptors in the rat retina with the localization of the starburst cell processes. mAChR2 immunoreactivity appeared in a central band in the inner plexiform layer, which did not co-localize with the pro

The results obtained at the BGO-OD experiment with the BGO calorimeter, equipped with the new electronic readout based on sampling ADCs, during the tests performed with the beam time of March and June 2012 are presented. The proper functioning of the apparatus has allowed the reconstruction of the pseudo-scalar mesons π0 and η invariant masses. The simulation of the η' photoproduction reaction pre

Although the concept of cell-based therapy for Parkinson's disease has been around for more than three decades with proof-of-concept studies in man having been achieved, it still remains a controversial experimental therapy. In this review, we discuss the reasons for this and the challenges that this approach generates in the treatment of Parkinson's disease in terms of adopting better strategies

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder largely of idiopathic nature with the exceptions of rare familial forms, and is characterized by both motor and non-motor disturbances. Pathologically, most motor features are the result of a dramatic loss of ventral tier mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons and thus dopamine content at their target sites. Although the exact etiology of