Background: Prospective studies have indicated that elevated blood glucose levels may be linked with increased cancer risk, but the strength of the association is unclear. We examined the association between blood glucose and cancer risk in a prospective study of six European cohorts. Methods and Findings: The Metabolic syndrome and Cancer project (Me-Can) includes cohorts from Norway, Austria, an

Special purpose service robots have already entered the market and their users homes. Also the idea of the general purpose service robot or personal robot companion is increasingly discussed and investigated. To probe human-robot interaction with a mobile robot in arbitrary domestic settings, we conducted a study in eight different homes. Based on previous results from laboratory studies we identi

In this study we investigate the NADPH-dependent stereoselective reduction of the bicyclic diketone bicyclo[2.2.2]octane-2,6-dione (BCO2,6D) to the chiral ketoalcohol (1R,4S,6S)-6-hydroxybicyclo[2.2.2]octane-2-one (BCO2one6ol). Our aim was to develop a whole cell batch process for reduction of carbonyl substrates with (i) a high cosubstrate yield (formed product/consumed cosubstrate) and (ii) a hi

Shikimic acid, which is produced in the aromatic amino acid pathway in plants and microorganisms, is an industrially interesting chiral starting material for the synthesis of many chemical substances, e.g. the influenza medicine Tamiflu (R). When produced by genetically modified Escherichia coli it has previously been found that carbon-rich conditions (e.g. phosphate-limitation) favors production

The UV photodissociation (

Fatigue damage due to a special class of non-Gaussian broadband loadings is considered. Specifically, the loadings are considered to be non-monotonic transformation of stationary, Gaussian random processes. A linear damage accumulation rule is assumed and the rain-flow cycle counting method is considered. Analytical expressions are developed for estimating the expected rain-flow fatigue damage. Ea

BACKGROUND: The Palliative Medicine Unit at University Hospital of Trondheim, Norway, started an intervention programme that aims to enable patients to spend more time at home and die there if they prefer. Close cooperation was needed with the community health-care professionals, who acted as the principal formal caregivers, and a multidisciplinary consultant team coordinated the care. We did a cl

The structure of calerythrin, a prokaryotic 20 kDa calcium-binding protein has been determined by solution NMR spectroscopy. Distance, dihedral angle, J coupling, secondary chemical shift, residual dipolar coupling and radius of gyration restraints reveal four EF-hand motifs arranged in a compact globular structure. A tight turn in the middle of the amino acid sequence brings the two halves, each

In this paper we consider a Black and Scholes economy and investigate two approaches to hedging contingent claims. We show that the general Malliavin calculus approach can generate the classical Delta-hedging formula under weaker conditions.

Objective: To evaluate whether pregnancies with infants affected by congenital heart defects are associated with adverse obstetric and perinatal outcome. Study design: In a prospective population-based cohort study from Sweden (1992-2001), 6346 singleton pregnancies with infants affected by congenital heart defects were, after suitable adjustments, compared to all delivered women. Results: The pre

The feasibility of willow short rotation coppice (SRC) for energy production as a revaluation tool for severely radiocaesium-contaminated land was studied. The effects of crop age, clone and soil type on the radiocaesium. levels in the wood were assessed following sampling in 14 existing willow SRC fields, planted on radiocaesium-contaminated land in Sweden following Chernobyl deposition. There wa

Approximately 5% to 10% of melanoma may be hereditary in nature, and about 2% of melanoma can be specifically attributed to pathogenic germline mutations in cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A (CDKN2A). To appropriately identify the small proportion of patients Who benefit most from referral to a genetics specialist for consideration of genetic testing for CDKN2A, We have reviewed available publi

Mechanically strong and flexible membranes with very high local concentrations of immobilized proton-conducting phosphonic acid have been achieved by grafting poly(vinylphosphonic acid) side chains onto polysulfones. The graft copolymers were prepared by anionic polymerization of diethyl vinylphosphonate initiated from lithiated polysulfones, followed by quantitative cleavage of the ester function

Female mate-choice based on genetic compatibility is an area of growing interest. The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes are likely candidates for such mate-choice since these highly polymorphic genes may both increase offspring viability and also provide direct cues for mate-choice. In great reed warblers, females actively choose a breeding partner out of a handful of males that they vi

In a population of 956 women, attending for contraceptive advice, 131 (13.7%) were found to have BV acording to Amsel's criteria. Clue cells were detected in 200 (20.9%) women, a positive amine ('sniff') test in 191 (20.0%), a vaginal pH > or = 4.7 in 243 (25.4%) and a "characteristic" vaginal discharge in 104 (10.9%) women. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values in rela

A balance sheet of the Cuban Revolution in terms of growth performance, equity, and the satisfaction of basic needs after 50 years is a mixed bag. Growth performance has been disappointing during most of the past 25 years, although there are today some encouraging new trends. Income distribution that was quite equal in 1985 has seen some deterioration since 1990. Agriculture has been one of the fa

Chlorophyll a (Chl a) serves a dual role in oxygenic photosynthesis: in light harvesting as well as in converting energy of absorbed photons to chemical energy. No other Chl is as omnipresent in oxygenic photosynthesis as is Chl a, and this is particularly true if we include Chl a2, (=[8-vinyl]-Chl a), which occurs in Prochlorococcus, as a type of Chl a. One exception to this near universal patter