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Software Process Improvement (SPI) encompasses the analysis and modification of the processes within software development, aimed at improving key areas that contribute to the organizations' goals. The task of evaluating whether the selected improvement path meets these goals is challenging. On the basis of the results of a systematic literature review on SPI measurement and evaluation practices, w
Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), such as perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), are used in large quantities. They are persistent and found in measurable levels in human serum around the world. They have been associated with developmental, hepatic, and carcinogenic effects in animal studies. The aim of the present study was to describe levels of PFCs in serum among Inu
A single-cylinder diesel engine has been run on gasolines of different octane numbers and on model fuels, mixtures of iso-octane, n-heptane and toluene, at different operating conditions. The autoignition quality of the fuel is best described by an Octane Index, OI = (1 - K) . RON + K . MON for fuels in the gasoline autoignition range where RON and MON are, respectively, the Research and Motor Oct
Most empirical evidence suggests that the efficient futures market hypothesis, henceforth referred to as EFMH, stating that spot and futures prices should cointegrate with a unit slope on futures prices, does not hold, a finding at odds with many theoretical models. This paper argues that these results can be attributed in part to the low power of univariate tests, and that the use of panel data c
Nitrogen (N) added through atmospheric deposition or as fertilizer to boreal and temperate forests reduces both soil decomposer activity (heterotrophic respiration) and the activity of roots and mycorrhizal fungi (autotrophic respiration). However, these negative effects have been found in studies that applied relatively high levels of N, whereas the responses to ambient atmospheric N deposition r
Gonyostomum semen (Ehrenb) Diesing is a bloom-forming and noxious phytoplankton species, that usually occurs in brown-water lakes and which is often referred to as an invasive species. The aim of our study was to analyze changes over time in the occurrence and distribution of blooms, and to find possible drivers of this change. We also performed spatial analyses to identify environmental factors c
Molecular mechanisms employed by individual multipotent cells at the point of lineage commitment remain largely uncharacterized. Current paradigms span from instructive to noise-driven mechanisms. Of considerable interest is also whether commitment involves a limited set of genes or the entire transcriptional program, and to what extent gene expression configures multiple trajectories into commitm
The use of food labels and packaging information on place of origin and credence quality has increased, but it is still unclear how such information relates to consumer decisions and choices concerning the relative valuation of attributes. Valid measurement methods are needed to assess the importance attributed by the public to such information, but also to inform the industry about market demand.
An increased focus on international and national levels of society to meet the transportation needs of older people and people with disabilities is realized through legislation, directives and guidelines on accessibility. This paper examines effects of removing physical barriers according to current Swedish governmental accessibility directives on older peoples' perceptions of outdoor environments
Migraine is a neurovascular disorder characterized by recurrent unilateral headaches accompanied by nausea, vomiting, photophobia and phonophobia. Current theories suggest that the initiation of a migraine attack involves a primary event in the central nervous system (CNS), probably involving a combination of genetic changes in ion channels and environmental changes, which renders the individual m
Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the most important consequences of diabetes medication, as measured by the patients' willingness to pay (WTP). Research design and methods: People in Sweden were recruited using existing nationwide e-mail panels if they were adults (>= 18 years) with type 2 diabetes and were receiving pharmacological anti-diabetes treatment(s). Data were collected electr
New data regarding a positive association between smoking and risk of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), especially the mucinous tumor type, has started to emerge. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between different measures of smoking exposures and subtypes of EOC in a large cohort of women from 10 European countries. The European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nut
Epidemiologic studies have reported that moderate alcohol consumption is inversely associated with the risk of renal cancer. However, there is no information available on the associations in renal cancer subsites. From 1992 through to 2010, 477,325 men and women in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition cohort were followed for incident renal cancers (n=931). Baseline and
Background. In a population study using TRUE Test (R), we noted late reactions to p-tert-butylphenol-formaldehyde resin (PTBP-FR) in 0.5% of subjects tested. Objectives. In order to explore possible test sensitization, differences in the contents of sensitizers within PTBP-FR in test preparations for TRUE Test (R) and Finn Chambers (R) were analysed. Subjects allergic to PTBP-FR and subjects with
The compound CaAgGe and its Mn-substituted derivative CaMn0.07Ag0.93Ge were synthesized by reaction of the element mixtures at high temperature. Their structures were refined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. CaAgGe crystallizes in the isomorphic (i(3)) superstructure of the TiNiSi type (CaCuGe type). The LMTO band structure calculations predicted the CaAgGe phase to be metallic. In addi
The aim of this study was to investigate the microvascular responses in the skin, to local heat, iontophoretically administered acetylcholine and to sodium nitroprusside in relation to cardiovascular damage in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and matched controls. We also wanted to examine if the ongoing medication in SLE patients influenced this vascular response. We investigated
Objectives. To study possible nerve regeneration of a damaged auditory nerve by the use of stem cell transplantation. Methods. We transplanted HNPCs to the rat AN trunk by the internal auditory meatus (IAM). Furthermore, we studied if addition of BDNF affects survival and phenotypic differentiation of the grafted HNPCs. A bioactive nanofiber gel (PA gel), in selected groups mixed with BDNF, was ap
