A sample of Ap and Bp stars have been investigated with respect to theirsurface magnetic field using synthetic spectrum fitting. The advantageof this technique is the simplicity in determining the surface fieldstrength and the possibility to apply it to objects whose spectrum doesnot display resolved Zeeman components. We show the usefulness of themethod by demonstrations on stellar spectra with r

I here propose a modification of the English butterfly census method (Pollard 1977) for studies of large areas with a relatively low density of butterflies. The transect line should not be more than 10 m from any point in open terrain and open forests, but only 5 m from sunny edges and patches with a high density of flowers. The transect line is adjusted between visits to most intensively cover si

This study investigates what makes parents of hospitalized children feel secure and factors influencing their level of participation. It also studies, whether the degree to which parents participate affects their child's pain and sleep during hospitalization. Questionnaires were distributed to a series of parents whose children were discharged from two paediatric surgical wards and one paediatric

Noroviruses (formerly Norwalk-like viruses) are a major cause of acute gastroenteritis worldwide and are associated with a significant number of nosocomial and food-borne outbreaks. In this study we show that the human secretor FUT2 gene, which codes for an alpha(1,2)-fucosyltransferase synthesizing the H-type 1 antigen in saliva and mucosa, is associated with susceptibility to norovirus infection

Treatment of type 3 von Willebrand disease (vWD) relies on infusion with plasma-derived factor concentrates containing von Willebrand factor (vWF). Patients with types 1 and 2 vWD who do not respond satisfactorily after receiving desmopressin need treatment with concentrates. The rationale for long-term prophylaxis in vWD is obvious: prophylaxis has been successfully used in hemophilia, and joint

The measurement of ATP as an estimate of microbial biomass C in humus was studied. Three different acid extractants, H2SO4, TCA and H3PO4 were compared, as well as two different buffers, Tris and arsenate. No difference in extraction efficiency was found when the light output was converted to ATP content using internal ATP standards, but the different extraction agents and buffers influenced the l

Objective-To compare four different inception cohorts of patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with respect to treatment strategies, disease activity, and outcome during a five year follow up period. Method-Data from cohorts of patients with early RA, with a standardised assessment at least every six months for five years from four different centres, were included in one database. Owing to

OBJECTIVE: The authors sought to determine whether a series of needle acupuncture treatments produced long-term relief of chronic low back pain. DESIGN: A blinded placebo-controlled study with an independent observer. The patients were randomized to receive manual acupuncture, electroacupuncture, or active placebo (mock transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation). Subjects were examined and monit

We explored signs of retinal dysfunction over time in diabetic subjects before or early in the course of retinopathy. Patients with no, mild, or moderate retinopathy were consecutively recruited and underwent standard automated perimetry, visual acuity measurement, and fundus photography. These examinations and measurements of HbA1c and blood pressure were repeated for up to 5 years from baseline.

The electromagnetic polarizabilities of the nucleon are fundamental properties that describe its response to external electric and magnetic fields. They can be extracted from Compton-scattering data-and have been, with good accuracy, in the case of the proton. In contradistinction, information for the neutron requires the use of Compton scattering from nuclear targets. Here, we report a new measur

Germline CDKN2A mutations are found in 5-20% of melanoma families. Numerous studies have shown that carriers of CDKN2A mutations have increased risks of non-melanoma cancers, but so far there have been no studies investigating cancer risks in CDKN2A wild type (wt) melanoma families. In this prospective cohort study, index melanoma cases (n = 224) and their first-degree relatives (n = 944) were ide