Knowledge of the processes favouring the establishment of exotic parasites is poor. Herein, we test the characteristics of successful exotic parasites that have co-established in the remote island archipelago of New Zealand, due to the introduction of numerous avian host species. Our results show that avian malaria parasites (AM; parasites of the genus Plasmodium) that successfully invaded are mor

BACKGROUND: Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) belongs to the transforming growth factor beta superfamily and has been associated with activation of the p53 pathway in human cancer. The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic value of GDF15 in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). METHODS: Immunohistochemistry and tissue microarrays were used to analyse GDF15 protein expression in 32

An x-ray photoemission electron microscope (X-PEEM) equipped with a hemispherical energy analyzer is capable of fast acquisition of momentum-resolved photoelectron angular distribution patterns in a complete cone. We have applied this technique to observe the 3-D (E, k(x), k(y)) electronic band structure of zero-, one-, and two-monolayer (ML) graphene grown ex situ on 6H-SiC(0001) substrates where

There is a need for further studies to compare the decomposition of biochar to that of the original feedstock and determine how these amendments affect the cycling of native organic matter (NOM) of different soils to improve our understanding of the resulting net C sequestration potential. A 510-days incubation experiment was conducted (i) to investigate the evolution of CO2 from soils amended wit

Objectives. We examined cancer incidence in an expanded cohort of Swedish chimney sweeps. Methods. We added male chimney sweep trade union members (1981-2006) to an earlier cohort (employed 1918-1980) and linked them to nationwide registers of cancer, causes of deaths, and total population. The total cohort (n = 6320) was followed from 1958 through 2006. We estimated standardized incidence ratios

Despite the strong relationship between insect vision and the spectral properties of flowers, the visual system has been studied in detail only in few insect pollinator species. For instance, wavelength discrimination thresholds have been determined in two species only: the honeybee (Apis mellifera) and the butterfly Papilio xuthus. Here, we present the wavelength discrimination thresholds (Δλ) fo

Diabetic kidney disease, or diabetic nephropathy (DN), is a major complication of diabetes and the leading cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) that requires dialysis treatment or kidney transplantation. In addition to the decrease in the quality of life, DN accounts for a large proportion of the excess mortality associated with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Whereas the degree of glycemia plays a pivo

We have implemented a generic coarse-grained model for the aromatic ionic liquid [CnMIM+][Tf2N-]. Various lengths for the alkyl chain on the cation define a homologous series, whose electric properties are expected to vary in a systematic way. Within the framework of a classical density functional theory, the interfacial structures of members of this series are compared over a range of surface cha

Recent studies of conceptual metaphors in a legal context have often dealt with the power of embodiment. However, the connotations of culturally originated metaphors could be different when they appear in laws and regulations. In particular, the role of metaphor when the legislator wishes to define intention in hybrid organizations is investigated here. The case studied is how a conceptual metapho

AimTo explore inter-country variation of factors associated with institutionalization of people with dementia. BackgroundThere is an urgent need for evidence on whether factors associated with admission to institutional dementia care are applicable across healthcare systems, as increasing evidence suggests that these factors could be country-specific. DesignA prospective cohort study. MethodPrimar

One challenging task in building (bio)chemical sensors is the efficient and stable immobilization of receptor on a suitable transducer. Herein, we report a method for covalent immobilization of molecularly imprinted core-shell nanoparticles for construction of robust chemical sensors. The imprinted nanoparticles with a core-shell structure have selective molecular binding sites in the core and mul

BACKGROUND: EUROCAT is a network of population-based congenital anomaly registries providing standardized epidemiologic information on congenital anomalies in Europe. There are three types of EUROCAT membership: full, associate, or affiliate. Full member registries send individual records of all congenital anomalies covered by their region. Associate members transmit aggregate case counts for each

The 1960s marked the beginning of a new era of family and gender relations in Sweden. It was a time when traditional values and ideas concerning the family were questioned and redefined in policymaking. The Women's movement and political radicalization underpinned the emergence of gender equality policy ambitions, culminating in several gender neutral reforms in the 1970s. These policy ambitions c

Retrospective studies have suggested a beneficial effect of lipid-lowering treatment on the progression of aortic stenosis (AS) in milder stages of the disease. In the randomized, placebo-controlled Simvastatin and Ezetimibe in Aortic Stenosis (SEAS) study, 4.3 years of combined treatment with simvastatin 40 mg and ezetimibe 10 mg did not reduce aortic valve events (AVEs), while ischemic cardiovas

In recent years the concept of urban atmosphere seems to appear everywhere – discussed as a marketing strategy, part of an eventscape, a crucial element in place-marketing or a key feature in the production of brandscapes. An attractive city should contain settings with attractive atmosphere or ambiance. This paper discusses what we can learn from this rapid expansion. What happens when the elusiv

Simulations of carbon fluxes with terrestrial biosphere models still exhibit significant uncertainties, in part due to the uncertainty in model parameter values. With the advent of satellite measurements of solar induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF), there exists a novel pathway for constraining simulated carbon fluxes and parameter values. We investigate the utility of SIF in constraining gross

We aimed to estimate lifetime cumulative risk of melanoma (CRM) in relatives of patients with melanoma by histology and age at diagnosis in patients and relatives.

Integrating analysis of the benthic palaeoecological record with multivariate ordination techniques represents a powerful synergy able to provide an improved characterization of coastal depositional facies in a sequence stratigraphical perspective. Through quantitative analysis of benthic foraminifer, ostracod and mollusc associations from the postglacial succession of Core M3 (Arno coastal plain,

This paper, in contrast to earlier studies, tests market integration using a methodology that accounts for the multiplicity problem inherent in testing several time series. This method minimises the risk of finding spurious evidence of market integration. We examine market integration among 12 fish species in Sweden by applying cointegration tests, which identify market integration for two separat

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class IIB genes show considerable sequence similarity between loci. The MHC class II DQB and DRB genes are known to exhibit a high level of polymorphism, most likely maintained by parasite-mediated selection. Studies of the MHC in wild rodents have focused on DRB, whilst DQB has been given much less attention. Here, we characterised DQB genes in Swedish b