OBJECTIVES: To examine whether the decrease in IMT progression rate in the carotid bulb induced by metoprolol CR/XL treatment (25mg once daily) observed in the β-blocker Cholesterol-lowering Asymptomatic Plaque Study (BCAPS) was accompanied by an effect on carotid plaque echogenicity. METHODS: Gray scale median (GSM) in carotid plaques, used as a score of echogenicity, was measured at baseline and

The evolution of electronic structure of the organic semiconductor iron-phthalocyanine with potassium doping has been studied by means of photoemission spectroscopy, near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The DFT study and detailed analysis of the core-level spectra permit us to suggest possible lattice sites for the potassium ions. The data dis

1. Fine roots and mycorrhiza often represent the largest input of carbon (C) into soils and are therefore of primary relevance to the soil C balance. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi have previously been found to increase litter decomposition which may lead to reduced soil C stocks, but these studies have focused on immediate decomposition of relatively high amounts of high-quality litter and may

Recent global change has had a substantial influence on the distribution of organisms, and many species are currently expanding their ranges. To evaluate the underlying processes, long-term data with good geographic resolution are essential. One important but generally overlooked data source is offered by the taxon-specific national catalogues of first provincial records that are kept in many coun

Background: An epidemic of chronic kidney disease of unknown cause has emerged along the Pacific coast of Central America, particularly in relatively young male sugarcane workers. In El Salvador, we examined residence and occupations at different altitudes as surrogate risk factors for heat stress. Study Design: Cross-sectional population-based survey. Setting & Participants: Populations aged

To understand the Mesa- and Neoarchaean geological history of the Bjornesund region, southern West Greenland (ca. 62-63 degrees N), we have undertaken an integrated study combining field observations with U-Pb zircon geochronology by LA-ICP-MS, metamorphic petrology, and microstructural analyses. The Bjornesund region links the southern part of the Fiskenaesset anorthosite complex to the well-pres

Background: High-intensity smoking cessation programs generally lead to more continuous abstinence, however, lower rates of success have been reported among heavy smokers. The aim was to evaluate continuous abstinence among heavy smokers during the intensive 6-week Gold Standard Program (GSP) and to identify modifiable factors associated with continuous abstinence. Methods: In this nationwide clin

We have prepared GaAs wurtzite (WZ)-zinc blende (ZB) nanowire heterostructures by Au particle-assisted metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) growth. Superior crystal quality of both the transition region between WZ and ZB and of the individual segments themselves was found for WZ-ZB single heterostructures. Pure crystal phases were achieved and the ZB segments were found to be free of any stac

Garnet amphibolite metataxites at the Steningekusten Nature Reserve in southwestern Sweden contain tonalitic patches and veins. Whole rock chemistry suggests that the protoliths were mafic igneous rocks with alkaline affinities. Orthopyroxene megacrysts are present in leucosome in parts of these garnet amphibolites but absent in others. Orthopyroxene megacrysts were formed by vapor-absent melting

We investigate whether stellar-mass black holes have to receive natal kicks in order to explain the observed distribution of low-mass X-ray binaries containing black holes within our Galaxy. Such binaries are the product of binary evolution, where the massive primary has exploded forming a stellar-mass black hole, probably after a common envelope phase where the system contracted down to separatio

While the risk for arterial vascular disease has been shown to be influenced by socioeconomic status (SES), there is limited information whether SES also influences the risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE). To evaluate whether there is an association between SES and VTE incidence. In 1990, all 730,050 inhabitants (379,465 women and 350,585 men) above 25 years of age in the County of Skåne in Swed

Diffusion MRI is a useful probe of tissue microstructure. The conventional diffusion encoding sequence, the single pulsed field gradient, has recently been challenged as more general gradient waveforms have been introduced. Out of these, we focus on q-space trajectory imaging, which generalizes the scalar b-value to a tensor valued entity. To take full advantage of its capabilities, it is imperati

Here we report the annotated genome sequence of Moraxella catarrhalis strain RH4, a seroresistant-lineage strain isolated from the blood of an infected patient. This genome sequence will allow us to gain further insight into the genetic diversity of clinical M. catarrhalis isolates and will facilitate study of M. catarrhalis pathogenesis.

Recently, the number of mass spectrometry-based quantification assays has been increased, partly due to the global efforts of chromosome-centric human proteome project (C-HPP). Our goal at the Chromosome 19 Consortium is to provide novel selected reaction monitoring (SRM) assays of proteins coded on chromosome 19. We have selected the two most useful signature peptides (NSQVWLGR and HNLFEPEDTGQR)