If the primary function of avian-dispersed fruit coloration were the maximization of detectability, then the commonest avian-dispersed fruit colors should be the ones most detectable to birds. We tested this prediction by photographing 63 fruit species primarily dispersed by birds, in situ in Sweden and Australia, with a multispectral camera closely mimicking the predominant spectral sensitivities

OBJECTIVE: To investigate influence of whole-body cooling on cyclic GMP (cGMP) in women with Raynaud's phenomenon and in healthy women.DESIGN: The study was performed as an open, parallel-group comparison between women with Raynaud's phenomenon and healthy women during the winter month of February.SETTING: The municipality of Västerås (Sweden).PARTICIPANTS: The Raynaud group comprised 24 female pa

Primary Raynaud's phenomenon (PRP) is characterized by cold- or stress-induced transient attacks of impaired skin circulation in fingers and/or toes. PRP displays seasonal variation with less severe symptoms in the summer. The aetiology has not been clarified. The aims of the present study were (a) to assess the influence of cold exposure on the plasma levels of the nitric oxide (NO) metabolite, n

1. Primary Raynaud's phenomenon (PRP) is characterized by increased vasoconstrictor tone that develops during exposure to cold. The symptoms are most pronounced during the winter months with low outdoor temperature. The L-arginine-nitric oxide (NO)-cyclic GMP (cGMP) pathway plays an important role in counteracting vasospasm. The aim of the present study was to investigate if the venous cGMP respon

1. Primary Raynaud's phenomenon is characterized by white fingers and toes with impaired perfusion in response to cold or emotional stress. The aetiology has not been clarified. In previous studies we have demonstrated a season-linked inability in women with primary Raynaud's phenomenon to raise their plasma cGMP levels in response to whole-body cooling, suggesting a dysfunction of the L-arginine-

To understand better the role of endothelin-1 (ET-1) in the pathogenesis of primary Raynaud's phenomenon (PRP), we investigated the basal ET-1 plasma levels and changes after whole-body cooling in healthy women and those with PRP. The study was performed as an open parallel-group comparison during the month of February. The Raynaud group included 21 female patients (mean age 45.3 years, range 21-5

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of the nitric oxide (NO) precursor L-arginine on the airway NO concentration in patients with preeclampsia.METHODS: NO was measured by a noninvasive chemiluminescence technique in air sampled directly from nasal and oral cavities during expiration before and during L-arginine infusion in 9 preeclamptic and 10 control pregnancies. Maternal blood pressure and hear

The present study was designed to test the hypothesis of a diurnal variation of endothelial function. Sixteen healthy, nonsmoking women were studied, each on four occasions during one 24-h period (2:00 PM, 8:00 PM, 2:00 AM, and 8:00 AM). Endothelial function was assessed by ultrasound determinations of flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD%) in the brachial artery. FMD% was contrasted with endothelium-i

The potential role of inflammatory mechanisms in the pathophysiology of ischemic brain damage has intensely been discussed. We have recently demonstrated that stroke patients display an intrathecal production of proinflammatory cytokines early after onset of symptoms. IL-1beta, one of these cytokines, stimulates the production of nitric oxide (NO), a potent inflammatory mediator. The aim of the pr

A growing body of evidence points out the potential role of inflammatory mechanisms in the pathophysiology of brain damage in dementia. We have recently demonstrated that patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VaD) display an intrathecal production of proinflammatory cytokines. TNF-alpha, one of these cytokines, leads to the production of nitric oxide (NO), a potent inflamma

Transgenerational inheritance of environmentally induced epigenetic marks can have significant impacts on eco-evolutionary dynamics, but the phenomenon remains controversial in ecological model systems. We used whole-genome bisulfite sequencing of individual water fleas (Daphnia magna) to assess whether environmentally induced DNA methylation is transgenerationally inherited. Genetically identical

Hovrätten över Skåne och Blekinge inrättades 1820 och började sin verksamhet 1821. I denna bok beskrivs hovrättens historia under dess första 200 år – hur den inrättades och hur dess verksamhet har utvecklats i Kristianstad och Malmö. Dessutom beskrivs de rättsliga förhållandena i Skåne och Blekinge innan hovrätten fanns. Genom boken får läsaren på så sätt en överblick över de senaste tusen årens

This article examines the records of the so-called homo-sex commission—a part of the municipal Stockholm police force dedicated to the policing of male same-sex practices—as a case study of the role of policing in shaping historical understandings of homosexuality. Building on a series of documents left by the commission and high-ranking police officers, from memoranda describing the nature of hom

Purpose of Review: Companies increasingly set science-based targets (SBTs) for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. We review literature on SBTs to understand their potential for aligning corporate emissions with the temperature goal of the Paris Agreement. Recent Findings: SBT adoption by larger, more visible companies in high-income countries has accelerated. These companies tend to have a good pr

This article examines two Swedish TV theater plays from the late 1960s and early 1970s, which both portray the experience of waiting for an abortion. In the early 1960s, a major debate on abortion started in Sweden, which resulted in the creation of a public inquiry into the matter in 1965 and eventually the introduction of abortion on demand in 1975. In the period between 1965 and 1975, attitudes

The aim of this work is to investigate different methods to solve the problem of allocating the correct amount of resources (network bandwidth and storage space) to video camera systems. Here we explore the intersection between two research areas: automatic control and game theory. Camera systems are a good example of the emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT) and its impact on our daily lives

Critical infrastructures must be both robust and resilient in order to ensure the functioning of society. A key activity in ensuring their proper function is finding and addressing system weaknesses by the means of risk and vulnerability analysis. A critical factor of such analysis is the ability to determine the negative consequences of various types of contingencies. Numerous mathematical and si