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Background: Ensiling is a common method of preserving energy crops for anaerobic digestion, and many scientific studies report that ensiling increases the methane yield. In this study, the ensiling process and the methane yields before and after ensiling were studied for four crop materials. Results: The changes in wet weight and total solids (TS) during ensiling were small and the loss of energy
The purpose of this study is to compare the value of statistical life (VSL) estimates for traffic, drowning, and fire accidents. Using a choice experiment in a mail survey of 5,000 Swedish respondents we estimated the willingness to pay for risk reductions in the three accidents. In the experiment respondents were asked a series of questions, whether they would choose risk reducing investments whe
Background: Excess body weight, physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption and certain dietary factors are individually related to colorectal cancer (CRC) risk; however, little is known about their joint effects. The aim of this study was to develop a healthy lifestyle index (HLI) composed of five potentially modifiable lifestyle factors healthy weight, physical activity, non-smoking, limited
Brain machine interfaces with chronically implanted microelectrode arrays for signal acquisition require algorithms for successful detection and classification of neural spikes. During the design of such algorithms, signals with a priori known characteristics need to be present. A common way to establish such signals is to model the recording environment, simulate the recordings and store ground t
We review Buchler and Colangelo's result that leading divergences at any loop order can be calculated using only one-loop calculations and we provide an alternative proof. We then use this method to calculate the leading divergences of and thus the leading logarithmic corrections to the meson mass in the massive $O(N)$ nonlinear sigma model to five-loop order. We also calculate the all-loop result
Cell replacement therapies in Parkinson's disease (PD) aim to provide long-lasting relief of patients' symptoms. Previous clinical trials using transplantation of human fetal ventral mesencephalic (hfVM) tissue in the striata of PD patients have provided proof-of-principle that such grafts can restore striatal dopaminergic (DA-ergic) function. The transplants survive, reinnervate the striatum, and
Context: Robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALP) using the da Vinci Surgical System (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, CA, USA) is now in widespread use for the management of localised prostate cancer (PCa). Many reports of the safety and efficacy of this procedure have been published. However, there are few specific reports of the limitations and complications of RALP. Objective: Th
Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is present in approximately 25% of the general population. PFO is characterized by intermittent shunting of blood from the right to the left atrium, especially in the context of increased right-sided filling pressures, with risk of paradoxical embolism. We describe a 69-year-old woman presenting with acute chest pain, severe dyspnoea, and acute inferolateral ST-segment e
Although Rac and its activator Tiam1 are known to stimulate cell-cell adhesion, the mechanisms regulating their activity in cell-cell junction formation are poorly understood. Here, we identify beta 2-syntrophin as a Tiam1 interactor required for optimal cell-cell adhesion. We show that during tight-junction (TJ) assembly beta 2-syntrophin promotes Tiam1-Rac activity, in contrast to the function o
The aim of this thesis is to critically examine how ethical principles are conceptualized and applied in educational contexts, focusing on the intersection of early childhood education and education for sustainable development. Its contribution to educational research in general, and to philosophy of education in particular, is to; first, discuss the presumed relation between ethical principles an
Background-The number of circulating blood monocytes impacts atherosclerotic lesion size, and in mouse models, elevated levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol suppress blood monocyte counts and atherosclerosis. We hypothesized that individuals with mild renal dysfunction at increased cardiovascular risk would have reduced high-density lipoprotein levels, high blood monocyte counts, and acc
The phosphatase and actin regulator 1 (PHACTR1) locus is a very commonly identified hit in genome-wide association studies investigating coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction (MI). However, the function of PHACTR1 in the heart is still unknown. We characterized the mechanisms regulating Phactr1 expression in the heart, used adenoviral gene delivery to investigate the effects of Phactr1
Context:A common genetic variant (rs10423928, A-allele) in the glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide receptor gene (GIPR) is associated with decreased insulin secretion. Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide is secreted after food consumption and gipr knockout mice fed a high-fat diet are protected against obesity and disturbances in glucose homeostasis. Objective:Our objective was
Aim: Colorectal cancer is the third most common form of cancer in the industrial countries. Due to advances regarding the treatments, primarily development of improved surgical methods and the ability to make the earlier diagnosis, the mortality has remained constant during the past decades even though the incidence in fact has increased. To improve chemotherapy and enable personalised treatment,
It is argued that the Achilles heel of contemporary sociology – and great parts of social science – is a) weak theory development, and b) absence of a meta-theory providing a common platform and a shared goal for its practitioners, fostering cumulativity. A meta-theory called causal realism (a variant of critical realism) is suggested for these purposes. The main tenets and key concepts of realism
Background The hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) subset of tumours can broadly be divided into tumours caused by an underlying mismatch-repair gene mutation, referred to as Lynch syndrome, and those that develop in families with similar patterns of heredity but without disease-predisposing germline mismatch repair mutations, referred to as familial colorectal cancer type X (FCCTX)
Context: The diagnosis of and reporting parameters for prostate cancer (PCa) have evolved over time, yet they remain key components in predicting clinical outcomes. Objective: Update pathology reporting standards for PCa. Evidence acquisition: A thorough literature review was performed for articles discussing PCa handling, grading, staging, and reporting published as of September 15, 2011. Electro
