The landscape matrix is suggested to influence the effect of habitat fragmentation on species richness, but the generality of this prediction has not been tested. Here, we used data from 10 independent studies on butterfly species richness, where the matrix surrounding grassland patches was dominated by either forest or arable land to test if matrix land use influenced the response of species rich

A new, two-layer canopy module with thermal inertia as part of the detailed snow model SNOWPACK (version 3.2.1) is presented and evaluated. As a by-product of these new developments, an exhaustive description of the canopy module of the SNOWPACK model is provided, thereby filling a gap in the existing literature. In its current form, the two-layer canopy module is suited for evergreen needleleaf f

Identification of the molecule(s) that globally induce a robust regenerative state in sensory neurons following peripheral nerve injury remains elusive. A potential candidate is brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), the sole neurotrophin upregulated in sensory neurons after peripheral nerve injury. Here we tested the hypothesis that BDNF plays a critical role in the regenerative response of ma

The growth and ordering of {5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-bromophenyl)porphyrinato}nickel(II) (NiTBrPP) molecules on the Au(111) surface have been investigated using scanning tunnelling microscopy, X-ray absorption, core-level photoemission, and microbeam low-energy electron diffraction. When deposited onto the substrate at room temperature, the NiTBrPP forms a well-ordered close-packed molecular layer in

In this paper we evaluate the Swedish Programme for improving energy efficiency in energy-intensive industries (PFE). Since 2005, some 100 energy-intensive companies have entered this five year voluntary agreement (VA) and been exempted from the EU minimum tax on electricity. In return, each company is required to: conduct an energy audit and analysis; identify and invest in profitable electricity

C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration is a heritable systemic marker of inflammation that is associated with cardiovascular disease risk. Genome-wide association studies have identified CRP-associated common variants associated in ∼25 genes. Our aims were to apply exome sequencing to (1) assess whether the candidate loci contain rare coding variants associated with CRP levels and (2) perform an e

The prediction of the influent load is of great importance for the improvement of the control system to a large wastewater treatment plant. A systematic data analysis method is presented in this paper in order to estimate and predict the periodicity of the influent flow rate and ammonia (NH3) concentrations: 1) data filtering using wavelet decomposition and reconstruction; 2) typical cycle identif

Respiratory motion during dynamic radiotherapy may affect the absorbed dose distribution both by dose-reducing smoothing and by more complicated interplay effects. In this study we present a novel method to determine the relative importance of these two effects. For the two dynamic deliveries studied in this work, the expected target dose reduction due to the smoothing effect was estimated by meas

Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) with posthemorrhagic ventricular dilatation (PHVD) is a common cause of hydrocephalus in infants. Dysregulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) production by the choroid plexus may contribute to the development of PHVD. The aquaporins (AQPs), transmural water transporting proteins, are believed to contribute to CSF production. The aim of the study was to characterize

The formation of the Moon from the debris of a slow and grazing giant impact of a Mars-sized impactor on the proto-Earth (Cameron and Ward [1976]. Lunar Planet. Sci. Conf.; Canup and Asphaug [2001]. Nature 412, 708) is widely accepted today. We present an alternative scenario with a hit-and-run collision (Asphaug [2010]. Chem. Erde 70, 199) with a fractionally increased impact velocity and a steep

When DNA molecules are heated they denature. This occurs locally so that loops of molten single DNA strands form, connected by intact double-stranded DNA pieces. The properties of this "melting" transition have been intensively investigated. Recently there has been a surge of interest in this question, in part caused by experiments determining the properties of partially bound DNA confined to nano

The aim of the study was to assess hypertensive patients' self-care agency and any correlation with the patient's lifestyle changes and the nurse's degree of patient centeredness after counseling training.

The use of asymmetric transfer hydrogenation combined with dynamic kinetic resolution for the synthesis of β-hydroxy-α-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)amino esters in water is described. This procedure provides the desired amino alcohols in good yields, diastereoselectivities, and enantioselectivities. A surfactant is employed to achieve good yields due to the hydrophobic nature of both the catalyst and subs

Objectives: Idiopathic environmental intolerance (IEI) has in cross-sectional studies been associated with emotional problems and psychiatric disorders. However, in the absence of prospective studies it has not been possible to determine whether emotional problems precede the onset of IEI, or are a consequence of IEI. The purpose of this study was to address this issue in a prospective panel study

The supervisory system of the Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) has been heavily criticized for not being able to guarantee the additionality of projects. Since neither the sellers nor the buyers of emission reduction credits in the CDM have an interest in the emissions reductions per se, but simply the right to them, a credible supervisory system is necessary to uphold the mechan

Despite recent successes in the identification of genetic susceptibility loci, no familial risk has been demonstrated for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). We identified 3994 childhood ALL cases from two cancer registries; family members were obtained from population registers. The standardized incidence ratio for familial risk in singleton siblings and twins was 3.2 (95% confidence i

Background: There is much interest in how the Amazon rainforest may respond to future rainfall reduction. However, there are relatively few ecosystem-scale studies to inform this debate. Aims: We described the carbon cycle in a 1 ha rainforest plot subjected to 8-10 consecutive years of ca. 50% through-fall reduction (TFR) and compare these results with those from a nearby, unmodified control plot