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Background: Epidemiological studies that assess the health effects of long-term exposure to ambient air pollution are used to inform public policy. These studies rely on exposure models that use data collected from pollution monitoring sites to predict exposures at subject locations. Land-use regression (LUR) and universal kriging (UK) have been suggested as potential prediction methods. We evalua
Development and validation of robust molecular biomarkers has so far been limited in melanoma research. In this paper we used a large population-based cohort to replicate two published gene signatures for melanoma classification. We assessed the signatures prognostic value and explored their biological significance by correlating them with factors known to be associated with survival (vitamin D) o
A distillation unit has been designed for a capacity of 73 t/h of condensate and for at least 90% recovery of the contaminating organics. This unit consists of three columns: a primary stripper to remove volatile organics and two upgrading columns to purify the methanol and furfural byproducts. Three different energy-saving alternatives for satisfying the energy requirements have been studied: ut
This essay investigates influence of obesity on labour market outcomes – earnings per hour and hours worked per week - across two geographical groups of European countries in a sample of elderly people of 50 years old and over. A method of lagged BMI with control for unobserved country specific effects is used. Results obtained are statistically insignificant, which could be due to a small sample
Detailed examination of the structural and functional integration taking place during mycorrhiza formation necessitates rapid and aseptic synthesis of uniform mycorrhizal structures at well-defined stages of development. A system is described for formation of ectomycorrhizas between Betula pendula Roth. and Paxillus involutus (Batsch) Fr. Small sterile seedlings were placed directly on fungal colo
* The ectomycorrhizal fungus Laccaria bicolor has the largest genome of all fungi yet sequenced. The large genome size is partly a result of an expansion of gene family sizes. Among the largest gene families are protein kinases and RAS small guanosine triphosphatases (GTPases), which are key components of signal transduction pathways. * Comparative genomics and phylogenetic analyses were used to e
Proactive identification and characterization of hazards attributable to chemicals are central aspects of risk assessments. Current legislations and trends in predictive toxicology advocate a transition from in vivo methods to nonanimal alternatives. For skin sensitization assessment, several OECD validated alternatives exist for hazard identification, but nonanimal methods capable of accurately c
Although the use of location-based data (location coupled with semantic information) within Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and from Earth Observation (e.g. satellite) sources has been long established for decision makers, this has only recently been reflected in the construction sector with a more recent move from Computer Aided Design (CAD) to Building Information Modelling. BIM has opene
The digitalization of the process for building permit (involving the use of 3D information systems) is seen as a priority in a wide part of the world. Since it is a very multidisciplinary use case, involving a variety of stakeholders tackling complex issues and topics, some of them joined their efforts and skills in the European Network for Digital Building Permit. The initial activity of the netw
Individual genome-wide scans of blood pressure (BP) and hypertension (HT) have shown inconsistent results. The aim of this study was to investigate whether there was any consistent evidence of linkage across multiple studies with similar ethnicity. We applied the genome-search meta-analysis method (GSMA) to nine published genome-wide scans of BP (n=5) and HT (n=4) from Caucasian populations. For e
bjective Seasonal variation in photoperiod or temperature may influence human reproductive biology. The present study evaluated whether seasonal changes occurred in the levels of reproductive hormones and the major melatonin metabolite, 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (aMT6s), in populations exposed to extreme variation in photoperiod and temperature. Design Two separate cohorts of Norwegian men were recruit
Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) contracts the wound and alters the pressure in the tissue of the wound edge, which accelerates wound healing. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of the type (foam or gauze) and size (small or large) of wound filler for NPWT on wound contraction and tissue pressure. Negative pressures between -20 and -160 mmHg were applied to a peripheral porcine
The aim of this paper is to examine the type of relations existing between the state and civil society in Japan. The main concern of the researcher was to discover particular cases where NGOs have been successful in influencing governmental policies. The paper presents a case study of two contemporary organizations, Japan Platform and IMADR, which have similar spheres of activities but can be dist
Created in the aftermath of the Second World War, the main task of the UN is the maintenance of international peace and security. Although the UN Charter, signed in San Francisco in 1945, has remained almost the same, the world has changed. In order to adapt the Charter to new upcoming problems two main possibilities exist. The Charter can either be changed itself, following the procedure set fort
Compression of paperboard is a common procedure during industrial package forming and better knowledge of the material response is needed to avoid defective packages and waste. To go beyond current modelling approaches, experimental identification of mechanisms underlying the macroscopic stress–strain responses is needed. In this study, in-situ uniaxial compression of paperboard is studied through
