Context. Could the velocity spread, increasing with time, in the Galactic disk be explained as a result of gravitational interactions of stars with giant molecular clouds (GMCs) and spiral arms? Do the old open clusters high above the Galactic plane provide clues to this question? Aims. We explore the effects on stellar orbits of scattering by inhomogeneities in the Galactic potential due to GMCs,

The reduction of ormaplatin (tetraplatin), a prototype for Pt(IV) anticancer prodrugs, by glutathione (GSH) was kinetically characterized over a wide pH range at 25.0 °C and 1.0 M ionic strength. The reduction follows overall second-order kinetics, giving rise to the oxidized glutathione as the oxidation product, which was identified by high-resolution mass spectrometry. The reaction mechanism put

This work reports new experimental radiative lifetimes and calculated oscillator strengths for transitions of astrophysical interest in singly ionized cobalt. More precisely, 19 radiative lifetimes in Co+ have been measured with the time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence technique using one- and two-step excitations. Out of these, seven belonging to the high lying 3d7(4F)4d configuration in the

Parabolic sub-sample interpolation for 2D block-matching motion estimation is computationally efficient. However, it is well known that the parabolic interpolation gives a biased motion estimate for displacements greater than |y.2| samples (y = 0, 1, …). Grid slope sub-sample interpolation is less biased, but it shows large variability for displacements close to y.0. We therefore propose to combin

Large Eddy Simulation (LES) was employed to investigate the fuel/oxidizer mixing process in an ethylene fueled scramjet combustor with a rearwall-expansion cavity. The numerical solver was first validated for an experimental flow, the DLR strut-based scramjet combustor case. Shock wave structures and wall-pressure distribution from the numerical simulations were compared with experimental data and

While color vision and spatial resolution have been studied in many bird species, less is known about the temporal aspects of bird vision. High temporal resolution has been described in three species of passerines but it is unknown whether this is specific to passerines, to small actively flying birds, to insectivores or to birds living in bright habitats. Temporal resolution of vision is commonly

Pulmonary regurgitation (PR) is a common residual lesion and major determinant of outcome following surgical repair for tetralogy of Fallot. We sought to longitudinally study a previously described echocardiographic index as a correlate of PR measured by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR). We conducted a retrospective longitudinal study of patients with baseline and follow-up echocardiogram

Recent years have seen an increased interest in the transmuted probability models, which arise from transforming a "base" distribution into its generalized counterpart. While many standard probability distributions were generalized throughout this construction, the concept lacked deeper theoretical interpretation. We show that the transmuted distributions can be viewed as the distribution of maxim

Metal deposition on oxide surfaces usually results in adatoms, clusters, or islands of the deposited material, where defects in the surface often act as nucleation centers. Here an alternate configuration is reported. After the vapor deposition of Fe on the In2O3(111) surface at room temperature, ordered adatoms are observed with scanning tunneling microscopy. These are identical to the In adatoms

The majority of microarray studies evaluate gene ex- pression differences between various specimens or con- ditions. However, the causes of this variability often re- main unknown. Our aim is to identify underlying causes of these patterns, a process that would eventually enable a mechanistic understanding of the deregulation of gene expression in cancer. The procedure consists of three phases: pr

We have mimicked the biofilm formation with highly stable biocompatible poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline)-based polymersomes by simple spreading-drying of a droplet of the sample solution onto a glass support. The diffusion-limited aggregation process of polymersomes onto the surface was analyzed within a fractal framework. The different examples analyzed and presented together indicate one means by whic

4.690 migrants have lost their lives in the Mediterranean this year, making 2016 once again set a tragic record and the Mediterranean account for more than three fourths of all registered migrant casualties worldwide. In his most recent book chapter, “The Perfect Storm: Sovereignty Games and the Law and Politics of Boat Migration”, Research Director and Professor Thomas Gammeltoft-Hansen argues th

Objective: Functional outcomes after ileal bladder substitution reflect the expectations of future patients at a particular centre. The aim of this study was to use validated questionnaires and a pad-weighing test to investigate functional outcomes after neobladder reconstruction at long-term follow-up in patients at a single centre. Materials and methods: During 2005 − 2015, 75 patients received

The objective of cancer treatment is to secure survival. However, as chemotherapeutic agents can affect the central and peripheral nervous systems, patients must undergo a process of central compensation. We explored the effectiveness of this compensation process by measuring postural behaviour in adult survivors of childhood cancer treated with chemotherapy (CTS). We recruited sixteen adults trea

Crystallography is frequently used as follow-up method to validate hits identified by biophysical screening cascades. The capacity of crystallography to directly screen fragment libraries is often underestimated, due to its supposed low-throughput and need for high-quality crystals. We applied crystallographic fragment screening to map the protein-binding site of the aspartic protease endothiapeps

The Latvian and Estonian inland dunes belong to the north-eastern part of the 'European Sand Belt' (ESB). These dunes are widely distributed over broad glaciolacustrine plains and Late Glacial alluvial deltas, considered to be potential sources for the aeolian material. Little is known about these aeolian sediments and their substratum; here we present a detailed sedimentary structural and textura

Background: Secondary hyperparathyroidism in elderly fragile patients presents clinical difficulties due to severity of symptoms and related comorbidity. The optimal surgical approach for this group of patients is still debated. Aim: The aim of the study was to define the optimal technique of parathyroidectomy in elderly patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism. Methods: Retrospective analysis

Rising atmospheric CO2 concentrations accompanied by global warming and altered precipitation patterns calls for assessment of long-term effects of these global changes on carbon (C) dynamics in terrestrial ecosystems, as changes in net C exchange between soil and atmosphere will impact the atmospheric CO2 concentration profoundly. In many ecosystems, including the heath/grassland system studied h

Mesocrystals composed of crystallographically aligned nanocrystals are present in biominerals and assembled materials which show strongly directional properties of importance for mechanical protection and functional devices. Mesocrystals are commonly formed by complex biomineralization processes and can also be generated by assembly of anisotropic nanocrystals. Here, we follow the evaporation-indu