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Knowledge of moisture storage capacity above the hygroscopic range is essential when calculating moisture, especially when different materials are to be connected. Generally, the storage capacity is represented by water retention curves, in which suction is plotted against the moisture content. In a number of laboratories in Europe and North America, the pressure plate and pressure membrane techni
Detailed investigations of fracture minerals have been carried out in the Simpevarp area, SE Sweden. in order to reveal the low-temperature evolution of the site and to discern different events of deformation, especially in the brittle regime. The study is part of the site characterisation programme for a potential deep-seated repository for spent nuclear fuel. The bedrock in the area is composed
We report spatially and time-resolved measurements of ultrafast carrier dynamics around buried nano-scale Schottky contacts, performed with a novel femtosecond near-field scanning optical microscope. The experimental results are modeled by a self-consistent treatment of the drift-diffusion equation for the carriers and Poisson's equation for the built-in electric field. We show that the built-in f
Soon after coming in contact with its host, the plant pathogenic fungus Bipolaris sorokiniana produces an extracellular material that appears to be important for adhering conidia and germlings to the host surface. To further understand this step of the infection, the adhesion of B. sorokiniana to artificial solid surfaces was examined. On a hydrophobic (polystyrene) surface adhesion occurred in tw
The microbial degradation of a number of "4C-labeled, recalcitrant, aromatic pollutants, including trichloroguaiacol and di-, tri-, and pentachlorophenol, was investigated in aquatic model systems in the laboratory. Natural, mixed cultures of microorganisms in the water from a brown-water lake with a high content of humic compounds mineralized all of the tested substances to a higher degree than d
The dorsal ocelli are commonly considered to be incapable of form vision, primarily due to underfocused dioptrics. We investigate the extent to which this is true of the ocelli of the locust Locusta migratoria. Locust ocelli contain thick lenses with a pronounced concavity on the inner surface, and a deep clear zone separating retina and lens. In agreement with previous research, locust ocellar le
All absolute paleointensity data published in peer-reviewed journals were recently compiled in the GEOMACIA50 database. Based on the information in GEOMAGIA50, we reconstruct variations in the geomagnetic dipole moment over the past 50 kyr, with a focus on the Holocene period. A running-window approach is used to determine the axial dipole moment that provides the optimal least-squares fit to the
The interaction of aqueous U(VI) with galena and pyrite surfaces under anoxic conditions has been studied by solution analysis and by spectroscopic methods. The solution data indicate that uranyl uptake is strongly dependent on pH; maximum uptake (>98%) occurs above a pH range of between 4.8 and 5.5, depending on experimental conditions. Increasing the sorbate/sorbent ratio results in a relative d
beta-Cell-specific gene targeting is a widely used tool when studying genes involved in beta-cell function. For this purpose, several conditional beta-cell knockouts have been generated using the rat insulin promoter 2-Cre recombinase (RIP2-Cre) mouse. However, it was recently observed that expression of Cre alone in P-cells may affect whole body glucose homeostasis. Therefore, we investigated glu
Objective: Non-obese patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) are characterized by predominant defective insulin secretion. However, in non-obese T2DM patients, metformin, targeting insulin resistance. is non-inferior to the prandial insulin secretagogue, repaglinide, controlling overall glycaemia (HbA(1c)). Whether the same apply for postprandial glucose and lipid metabolism is unknown. Here. we comp
Core-level photoelectron spectroscopy measurements have been performed of aqueous solutions of NaCl codissolved with NaClOn (n=1-4). Each species has a distinct Cl 2p electron binding energy, which can be exploited for depth-profiling experiments to study the competition between Cl-and ClOn- anions for residing in the outermost layers of the solution/vapor interface. Strongest propensity for the s
Aims: Evaluation of angiogenesis by intratumoral vessel profiles can be performed by different methods. The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of estimates obtained by the intratumoral microvessel density (MVD) method and then to compare with corresponding estimates obtained by the Chalkley method. Methods and Results: A total of 330 patients treated for primary, unilateral,
Pinus sylvestris L. seedlings were grown in the laboratory in a forest humus which had been treated with different levels of CaO to give a soil pH gradient from 4 to 7. After 12 and 15 wk the resulting ectomycorrhizal infection was classified according to macroscopical morphology. The uniformity of the infection types distinguished was evaluated by isolating the fungi from the root tips and infect
Exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can be defined symptomatically or by healthcare contacts, yet the relationship between these events is unknown. Data were collected during a 1-yr study of the budesonide/formoterol combination in COPD patients, where exacerbations, defined by increases in treatment, were compared with daily records of respiratory symptoms, rescue medica
The objective was to estimate the prevalence and characteristics of self-reported hip disorders in an adult population-based sample from the general population in two defined primary healthcare districts in the south of Sweden. We used a population-based survey using a mailed questionnaire on a random sample of 2600 individuals aged 38-77 years. After two written reminders, the response rate was 8
Purpose: The purpose was to evaluate the utility of some bcl-2 family proteins fas and fasL as predictive indicators for chemotherapy response in advanced breast cancer. Experimental Design: Between October 1994 and October 1997, 283 patients with advanced breast cancer were included in a multicenter randomized study comparing docetaxel (D) to sequential methotrexate and 5-fluorouracil (MF) after
