A non-equilibrium quenched plasma is prepared using a gliding-arc discharge generated between diverging electrodes and extended by a gas flow. It can be operated at atmospheric pressure and applied to plasma surface treatment to improve adhesion properties of material surfaces. In this work, glass-fibre-reinforced polyester plates were treated using an atmospheric pressure gliding-arc discharge wi

The perspectives on the manufacturing footprint of global firms are widening from the economic aspects to also include the environmental and social aspects. Thus, sustainability is becoming an important issue for the location of manufacturing facilities. It is therefore timely to review the relevant aspects and dimensions in the extant literature to investigate the relationship between sustainabil

The aim of this article is to explore and discuss the role of trust and closely interrelated ethical core values such as respect, fairness, and honesty in a managerial and organisational context and to link these factors further to employee motivation, commitment and loyalty. From an identified shortage and limitation of existing frameworks of human needs and motivation, the author suggests an alt

Despite their tiny eyes and brains, nocturnal insects have remarkable visual abilities. Recent work-particularly on fast-flying moths and bees and on ball-rolling dung beetles-has shown that nocturnal insects are able to distinguish colors, to detect faint movements, to learn visual landmarks, to orient to the faint pattern of polarized light produced by the moon, and to navigate using the stars.

Seasonal variation in venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk in individuals with familial predisposition to VTE has not been explored. This nationwide study aimed to determine whether there are age- and sex-specific seasonal differences in risk of hospitalisation of VTE among individuals with and without a family history of VTE. The Swedish Multi-Generation Register was linked to Hospital Discharge Reg

AIM: To investigate physicians' experiences in relation to prioritization and financing in health care in order to gain a deeper understanding of the reasons behind their standpoints. METHODS: Eighteen physicians, seven womenand eleven men, aged 30 to 69 years were interviewed and the text was analyzed using an inductive approach, also described as conventional qualitative content analysis. RESULT

Institutional theory of the firm focuses on firm boundaries and the activities firms internalize within their hierarchies. However, an examination of disintegrated firms that influences activities beyond the scope of their hierarchies suggests that firms also perform other economic functions. By analysing these functions, the aim of this paper is to suggest a theory of the firm that goes beyond in

The transcriptional factor SOX11 is a disease-defining antigen in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) and absent in most non-malignant tissues. To explore the role of SOX11-related cell signaling, and potentially take benefit from these for targeted therapy, associated networks and proteins need to be defined. In this study, we used an inducible SOX11 knock-down system followed by gene expression analysis

Objectives To validate the two recently developed disease activity indexes for assessment of primary Sjogren's syndrome (SS): the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) SS Patient Reported Index (ESSPRI) and the EULAR SS Disease Activity Index (ESSDAI). Methods A prospective international 6-month duration validation study was conducted in 15 countries. At each visit, physicians completed ESSDA

In this study we investigated the intricate interplay between central linguistic processing and peripheral motor processes during typewriting. Participants had to typewrite two-constituent (noun-noun) Finnish compounds in response to picture presentation while their typing behavior was registered. As dependent measures we used writing onset time to assess what processes were completed before writi

There is a general trend that parasitism risk declines as latitude increases. Host populations breeding at high latitudes should therefore invest less in costly immune defenses than populations breeding in temperate or tropical zones, although it is unknown if such an effect is mediated by environmental (photoperiodic) or genetic factors or both. Acquired immune function (humoral, cell-mediated) a

The standard approach in computer-controlled systems is to sample and control periodically. In certain applications, such as networked control systems orenergy-constrained systems, it could be advantageous to instead use event-based control schemes. Aperiodic event-based control of first-order stochastic systems has been investigated in previous work. In any real implementation, however, it is nec

In the Eastern Alps (Austria) several marine successions, which were deposited ranging from shallow shelf to bathyal slope and abyssal basin, provide detailed records across the Paleocene/Eocene-boundary. These records indicate a two-step event starting with a prominent sea-level fall and followed by climatic changes. At the northern and southern shelves that fringed the Penninic Basin, the shallo

Lifestyle changes such as caloric over-consumption and decreased physical activity are causing overweight and obesity, leading to an epidemic increase in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Overweight, cardiovascular disease and diabetes are closely linked, and cardio-vascular disease is the most important cause of morbidity and mortality among patients with T2DM. Identifying food that can reduce blo

This study analyses the development of the Lao freight logistics sector with a special focus on factors influencing freight logistics services efficiency after the processes of liberalization and deregulation of the economy. Based on empirical data, the study focuses on two main dimensions of the Lao freight logistics sector: (i) the development of a private freight logistics sector since the form

Enterococcus faecalis exhibits high resistance to oxidative stress. Several enzymes are responsible for this trait. The role of alkyl hydroperoxide reductase (Ahp), thiol peroxidase (Tpx), and NADH peroxidase (Npr) in oxidative stress defense was recently characterized. Enterococcus faecalis, in contrast to many other streptococci, contains a catalase (KatA), but this enzyme can only be formed whe

Assessment of costs accompanying activation of immune system and related neuroendocrine pathways is essential for understanding the selective forces operating on these systems. Here we attempted to detect such costs in terms of disruption to redox balance and interference between different immune system components in captive wild-caught greenfinches (Carduelis chloris). Study birds were subjected

This thesis presents methods for improving machining with industrial robots using control, with focus on increasing positioning accuracy and controlling feed rate. The strong process forces arising during high-speed machining operations, combined with the limited stiffness of industrial robots, have hampered the usage of industrial robots in high-end machining tasks. However, since such manipulato