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In fantasy literature, the setting is as important to the story as are characters and plot; but although many fantasy scholars have pointed this out, there is very little criticism that explores the role of the setting in fantasy. The aim of this study is to use a topofocal (place-focused) perspective to examine four aspects of the fantasy setting, including the way in which settings function in t

Aims Alternative transcription and splicing of the allograft inflammatory factor-1 (AIF-1) gene results in the expression of two different proteins: AIF-1 and interferon responsive transcript-1 (IRT-1). Here we explore the impact of AIF-1 and IRT-1 on vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) activation and neointima formation, the mechanisms underlying their alternative splicing, and associations of AIF

The aim of this study is to identify loci associated with circulating levels of Interleukin 8 (IL8). We investigated the associations of 121,445 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from the Illumina 200K CardioMetabochip with IL8 levels in 1077 controls from the Stockholm Heart Epidemiology Program (SHEEP) study, using linear regression under an additive model of inheritance. Five SNPs (rs12075

Recently, imbalance in the vasopressin (AVP) system, measured as elevated levels of copeptin (the c-terminal part of the AVP pro-hormone) in plasma, was linked to development of abdominal obesity and diabetes mellitus (DM). Here, we aim to investigate if genetic variation of the human AVP receptor 1b gene (AVPR1B) is associated with measures of obesity and DM.

Objectives We tested the hypothesis that serum total testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) levels predict cardiovascular (CV) events in community-dwelling elderly men. Background Low serum testosterone is associated with increased adiposity, an adverse metabolic risk profile, and atherosclerosis. However, few prospective studies have demonstrated a protective link between endogenous

Determination of the subsurface geology is very important for the rock quarry industry. This is primarily done by drilling and mapping. However, in Sweden, the bedrock is often completely covered by Quaternary sediments, making the prediction quite difficult. This study shows that electrical resistivity imaging together with induced polarization proved to be very efficient in detecting fracture fr

Individuals with diabetes mellitus are advised to achieve a healthy weight to prevent complications. However, fat mass distribution has hardly been investigated as a risk factor for diabetes complications. The authors studied associations between body mass index, waist circumference, waist/hip ratio, and waist/height ratio and mortality among individuals with diabetes mellitus. Within the European

The biological hierarchy of genes, cells, organisms and societies is a fundamental reality in the living world. This hierarchy of entities did not arise ex nihilo at the origin of life, but rather has been serially generated by a succession of critical events known as evolutionary transitions in individuality' (ETIs). Given the sequential nature of ETIs, it is natural to look for candidates to for

In this study latent heat flux (E) measurements made at 65 boreal and arctic eddy-covariance (EC) sites were analyses by using the Penman-Monteith equation. Sites were stratified into nine different ecosystem types: harvested and burnt forest areas, pine forests, spruce or fir forests, Douglas-fir forests, broadleaf deciduous forests, larch forests, wetlands, tundra and natural grasslands. The Pen

Studies have suggested that moderate alcohol consumption is associated with a reduced risk of CVD and premature mortality in individuals with diabetes mellitus. However, history of alcohol consumption has hardly been taken into account. We investigated the association between current alcohol consumption and mortality in men and women with diabetes mellitus accounting for past alcohol consumption.

This study investigated patterns and controls of the seasonal and inter-annual variations in energy fluxes (i.e., sensible heat, H, and latent heat, lambda E) and partitioning of the water budget (i.e., precipitation, P; evapotranspiration, ET; discharge, Q; and soil water storage, Delta S) over five years (2001-2005) in a boreal oligotrophic fen in northern Sweden based on continuous eddy covaria

Epigenetic mechanisms are implicated in gene regulation and the development of different diseases. The epigenome differs between cell types and has until now only been characterized for a few human tissues. Environmental factors potentially alter the epigenome. Here we describe the genome-wide pattern of DNA methylation in human adipose tissue from 23 healthy men, with a previous low level of phys

Introduction: One aim of modern pharmacologic treatment in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is to prevent joint destruction and reduce the need for surgery. Our purpose was to investigate secular trends in the incidence of primary total hip and knee arthroplasties in a well defined sample of patients with RA. Methods: Prevalent cases with RA in 1997 and incident cases from 1997 to 2007 in a community bas

This study sought to compare type 2 diabetes (T2D) risk indicators in Iraqi immigrants with those in ethnic Swedes living in southern Sweden.

The observational relationship between obesity and periodontitis is widely known, yet causal evidence is lacking. Our objective was to investigate causal associations between periodontitis and body mass index (BMI).

CD3(+) CD56(+) natural killer T (NKT)-like cells are a subset of T cells characterized by expression of NK receptors and potent antitumour activity. It has also been suggested that they have a role in autoimmune disease, and levels of NKT-like cells are elevated in patients with coronary disease.

MOD17A2 provides operational gross primary production (GPP) data globally at 1 km spatial resolution and 8-day temporal resolution. MOD17A2 estimates GPP according to the light use efficiency (LUE) concept assuming a fixed maximum rate of carbon assimilation per unit photosynthetically active radiation absorbed by the vegetation (epsilon(max)). Minimum temperature and vapor pressure deficit derive

Most acute cardiovascular events are caused by rupture of an atherosclerotic plaque. The incidence of cardiovascular events increases with age and inflammation is generally considered to be the main cause of increased plaque vulnerability. However, the relationship between age and plaque inflammation has not yet been fully clarified. The aim of our study was to determine if age-dependent plaque vu