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Phagocytic immune cells such as microglia can engulf and process pathogens and dying cells with high efficiency while still maintaining their dynamic behavior and morphology. Effective intracellular processing of ingested cells is likely to be crucial for microglial function, but the underlying cellular mechanisms are poorly understood. Using both living fish embryos and mammalian macrophages, we
BACKGROUND: The spinal cord is composed of a large number of cells that interact to allow the organism to function. To perform detail studies of cellular processes involved in spinal cord injury (SCI), one must use repeatable and specific methods to target and injure restricted areas of the spinal cord.NEW METHOD: We propose a robust method to induce SCI in zebrafish by laser light. With a 2-photo
OBJECTIVES: Clinical presentation of primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) varies considerably. A shortage of evidence-based objective markers hinders efficient drug development and most clinical trials have failed to reach primary endpoints.METHODS: We performed a multicentre study to identify patient subgroups based on clinical, immunological and genetic features. Targeted DNA sequencing of 1853 auto
Background: Excess body weight and weight gain have been reported to independently increase the risk of several cancers. There are few published studies in nationally representative populations of women on specific, ‘obesity-related’ cancers in relation to prior weight change and relevant confounders. Methods: Based on self-reported anthropometry, we prospectively assessed body mass index (BMI), w
Aim: To identify factors associated with high weight gain and obesity duration in a representative sample of Norwegian women. Methods: 66,618 Norwegian women aged 34-70 years at baseline were included in the analysis. Baseline and follow-up questionnaires completed in 1991-2011 provided information on height, weight as well as sociodemographic, lifestyle and reproductive factors. We assessed the a
The agrarian population in low- and middle-income countries suffers from a number of adverse health effects due to pesticide exposure. In Zanzibar, the government subsidizes pesticides to enhance local rice production. The objectives of this study were to assess Zanzibar smallholder rice farmers’ pesticide use and self-reported health symptoms in relation to pesticide exposure, training, and use o
This study aims to reveal the obstacles to achieving quality in distance learning during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and was based on a large sample of professors and students of universities in the Arab world (Algerian, Egyptian, Palestinian, and Iraqi). The primary aim of this research was to investigate the various ways in which students pursued their studies at home during the universi
Avocado crop in Tanzania is sparingly investigated regardless of being an important fruit commodity. This study was undertaken to explore the yield and the value chain of this crop in the country. Data were collected mainly by face-to-face interviews with 275 avocado farmers, 231 avocado traders and 16 key informants. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square test and one-way analysis of variance were us
Woodlands are a core component of urban green infrastructure in terms of both ecosystem service provision and areal cover, with particular relevance and potential for engaging citizens in co-management approaches. Despite widespread agreement on the importance of user participation, there is still a lack of comprehensive knowledge on the underlying drivers. Extending existing knowledge is importan
The concept and practice of urban open space (UOS) management is becoming increasingly influenced by varying governance arrangements for participatory co-development. These varying arrangements generate multifaceted approaches to UOS management as well as to landscape architecture more broadly. Governance and management constitute two central themes within UOS development, but their combination ha
This paper conceptualises and evaluates so-called co-management zones as an approach for user participation in urban forestry, specifically in the management of public woodland edges bordering residential areas. Co-management zones can metaphorically be viewed as ‘ecotone-like’ spaces, i.e. zones where overlapping interest – in this case residents’ and municipal authorities’ – can be used to creat
Despite the potential of urban woodlands for recreational use and participatory management, citizens' perception of urban woodland quality, as well as the impact of citizens' co-management on urban woodland quality, have not been thoroughly studied to date. The present study investigated how residents in Holstebro, Denmark define urban woodland quality in their neighborhood named Sletten and how t
The change toward a public value management (PVM) paradigm in the public sector has challenged urban green space managers to rethink how they define and assess their services. In the Nordic countries, the challenge has resulted in the development of the Nordic Green Space Award (NSGA), as a new shared standard. This article reviews the NGSA scheme and its development. The development of the scheme
The provision and administration of high quality urban public green spaces intertwines issues of planning, design, management and maintenance with governance. The benefits of such spaces are often tied to social justice, public health and recreation, biodiversity and helping cities to deal with climate change. International policies and changes in public administration have encouraged user partici
Although the term ‘quality’ has a universal positive connotation and typically is framed by a focus on improvements, its application includes as well as excludes the access, values and world views of particular actors and interests. In this article, we highlight the relevance and implications of such ‘inherent politics’ through a case study of a widespread approach to operationalizing quality in u
Urban woodland vegetation provides people with many aesthetic, ecological and psychological benefits, but can also generate problems concerning people's perception of safety. This paper reviews existing knowledge about perceived personal safety in relation to vegetation, particularly woodland vegetation, in urban green spaces such as parks and residential areas. Individual and social factors, but
Translocation experiments can be used to study the factors limiting species' distributions and to infer potential drivers of successful colonisation during range shifts. To study the expansion dynamics of the butterfly Pyrgus armoricanus in southern Sweden and to find out whether its distribution was limited by climate, translocation experiments were carried out within and 50–60 km beyond its natu
There is widespread agreement on the many benefits citizens gain from recreational use of local green spaces such as urban woodlands, and the importance of involving users in the development of their everyday landscapes. Despite this, the impact of userparticipation on the quality of public green spaces has not been thoroughly studied. In this PhD thesis, resident participation in public urban woo
This article explored the use of social media and mobile communication by women in Saudi Arabia who campaigned for the right to drive from 1990. Due to the globally unique ban on women driving in the Kingdom, females always needed a male driver to transport them. The Saudi government announced in September 2017 that women would be allowed to drive from June 2018. Using the theory of connective act
