There is a strong genetic predisposition towards abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), but it is unknown whether persons without AAA but with first-degree relatives who are AAA patients have a generalized dilating diathesis, defect arterial wall mechanics, or increased cardiovascular risk. The aim of the study was to investigate arterial diameters and wall mechanics at multiple arterial sites in these

Abstract in Undetermined Multi-state transition models are widely applied tools to analyze individual event histories in the medical or social sciences. In this paper, we propose the use of (discrete-time) competing-risks duration models to analyze multi-transition data. Unlike conventional Markov transition models, these models allow the estimated transition probabilities to depend on the time sp

Integrated Assessment (IA) models aim at providing information- and decision-support to complex problems. This paper argues that uncertainty analysis in IA models should be user-driven in order to strengthen science–policy interaction. We suggest an approach to uncertainty analysis that starts with investigating model users’ demands for uncertainty information. These demands are called “uncertaint

A total of 105 low-birth-weight children presenting for first vaccination were randomized to receive bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) immediately or later (current practice). The mortality rate ratio for BCG was 0.17 (95% CI = 0.02-1.35) within 3 days of enrollment, 0.28 (0.06-1.37) in the first month, and 0.27 (0.07-0.98) after 2 months of age. The mortality rate ratio was 0.41 (0.14-1.18) (P = 0.0

MALDI Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) provides a technology platform that allows the accurate visualization of unlabeled small molecules within the two-dimensional spaces of tissue samples. MSI has proven to be a powerful tool-box concept in the development of new drugs. MSI allows unlabeled drug compounds and drug metabolites to be detected and identified and quantified according to their mass-to

We prove an operator identity for the shift operator in the scale of standard weighted Bergman spaces in the unit disc. This operator identity is then applied in the context of functional calculus for the shift operator and a characterization of harmonic symbol Bergman space Toeplitz operators is obtained generalizing an earlier result by Louhichi and Olofsson. Duality arguments lead to operator i

In recreational fishing, catch and release (C&R), where fish are released alive after capture, is commonly adopted to minimize fishing mortality. Injuries from hooking and the mode of de-hooking can affect survival probability, and the choice of angling gear can affect injury severity. We show for C&R angling for northern pike (Esox lucius) in the Baltic Sea that hooking location and size

alpha-Synuclein levels are critical to Parkinson's disease pathogenesis. Wild-type alpha-synuclein is degraded partly by chaperone-mediated autophagy, and aberrant alpha-synuclein may act as an inhibitor of the pathway. To address whether the induction of chaperone-mediated autophagy may represent a potential therapy against alpha-synuclein-induced neurotoxicity, we overexpressed lysosomal-associa

This paper analyses inter-regional labour reallocation in Sweden over the period 1985–2008 and assesses the effects of technology-induced structural change on the ability of regions to attract and retain workers. The findings suggest that (1) the regional presence of leading industries associated with technological change has a significant effect; (2) the importance of leading industries is of dyn

Species-rich tropical communities are expected to be more specialized than their temperate counterparts [1-3]. Several studies have reported increasing biotic specialization toward the tropics [4-7], whereas others have not found latitudinal trends once accounting for sampling bias [8, 9] or differences in plant diversity [10, 11]. Thus, the direction of the latitudinal Specialization gradient rem

This article explores the ever-shifting semantics and semiotics of the concept “indígena” in the Bolivian Andes, and argues that “indigeneity” is charged with different meanings by different actors in changing contexts of territorial and social struggles and state governance. The article focuses on the discourse and politics of the indigenous Andean organization CONAMAQ and its response to changi

Group A streptococci (GAS) cause three different types of infection (sensu lato) with distinct levels of virulence: asymptomatic colonization, superficial symptomatic infection, and invasive infection. To address why this pattern with several infection types has evolved, we combine mechanistic understanding from infection medicine with recent theory from evolutionary ecology. We propose that asymp

Treatment guidelines for abdominal wound dehiscence (WD) are lacking. The primary aim of the study was to compare suture to mesh repair in WD patients concerning incisional hernia incidence. Secondary aims were to compare recurrent WD, morbidity, mortality and long-term abdominal wall complaints. A retrospective chart review of 46 consecutive patients operated for WD between January 2010 and Augus

Present trends in the mainstream adoption of educational technology coupled to the increased acceptance and adoption of openness in terms of sharing resources and open access force higher education into a radical rethink of its structures and educational strategies. This article examines the current shift in focus from the simple production and sharing of open educational resources (OER) towards w

Compound 3, a model system for communesin F, was approached by using a Diels-Alder reaction for the introduction of the vicinal quaternary stereocentres. Subsequent introduction of A/B-ring system followed by D/E-ring closure gave hexacyclic system 22. All attempts to reduce this material to give compound 3 were, however, unproductive.

The deficiency or abnormal function of von Willebrand factor (VWF) causes von Willebrand disease (VWD), the most frequent inherited bleeding disorder. The laboratory diagnosis of VWD can be difficult as the disease is heterogeneous and an array of assays is required to describe the phenotype. Basic classification of quantitative (type 1 and 3) and qualitative (type 2) VWD variants requires determi

Abstract Background. It has been debated whether or not heparin infusion before or after non-heart-beating donors are declared dead improves the quality of pulmonary grafts. In clinical lung transplantation with heart-beating donors (HBDs) heparin is routinely infused prior to organ harvesting since it is believed to improve pulmonary grafts by minimizing thrombosis formation in the pulmonary graf

Septal systolic motion is towards the left ventricle (LV) in healthy hearts. Patients with pulmonary regurgitation (PR) and right ventricular (RV) volume overload have systolic septal motion toward the RV. This may affect the longitudinal contribution from atrioventricular plane displacement (AVPD) and septal and lateral contribution to stroke volume (SV). The study aimed to quantify these contrib

In this paper, we discuss the effects of jumps in data on causation pattern both in mean and variance. Our data consist of daily stock returns of four countries: the US, the UK, Japan and Sweden and used for empirical investigation. A test proposed by Cheung and Ng (1996) and Hong (2001) is used for testing volatility spillover. We find significant evidence of jump spillover. It is shown that the