Early-life inorganic arsenic exposure influences not only child health and development but also health in later life. The adverse effects of arsenic may be mediated by epigenetic mechanisms, as there are indications that arsenic causes altered DNA methylation of cancer-related genes. The objective was to assess effects of arsenic on genome-wide DNA methylation in newborns. We studied 127 mothers a

This review provides an update on the importance of the peripheral 'small' airways in asthma. As the small airways account for less than 10% of total airway resistance, thus having little impact on standard lung function measures such as forced expiratory volume and peak flow, they have been referred to as the 'silent zone'.

3-Hydroxypropionaldehyde (3HPA), a potential C3-platform chemical for a biobased industry, is produced from glycerol using Lactobacillus reuteri through its glycerol dehydratase activity. However, the process is characterized by low yield and productivity due to toxic effects of 3HPA on the biocatalyst activity. In this study, a semicarbazide-functionalized resin was prepared, evaluated for adsorp

Prophylactic antibiotics (PRO) reduce the incidence of early-onset pneumonia in comatose patients with structural brain injury, but have not been examined in cardiac arrest survivors undergoing targeted temperature management (TTM). We investigated the effect of PRO on the development of pneumonia in that population.

At present, there is no comprehensive psycholinguistic database containing Swedish words with ratings of word properties such as e.g. imageability, although researchers carrying out psycholinguistic studies in Swedish face the need to be able to control for and systematically vary such properties. The present study addressed this issue by investigating the possibility of transferring English word

Due to its effects on the atmospheric lifetime of methane, the burdens of tropospheric ozone and growth of secondary organic aerosol, isoprene is central among the biogenic compounds that need to be taken into account for assessment of anthropogenic air pollution-climate change interactions. Lack of process-understanding regarding leaf isoprene production as well as of suitable observations to con

We have investigated the growth of self-catalyzed GaAs/GaAsxSb1-x core-shell nanowires directly on Si(111) substrates by molecular beam epitaxy. The compositions of the GaAsxSb1-x shells are tuned in a wide range where the Sb-content is varied from 10 to similar to 70%, covering the miscibility gap. In addition, the GaAsxSb1-x shells are grown on both zinc blende (ZB) and wurtzite (WZ) crystal str

Anxiety is an emotion, which stimulates sympathetic nervous outflow potentially facilitating vasovagal reflex syncope (VVS) but reports on anxiety levels in patients with VVS are sparse.

Specific motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD) can be treated effectively with direct electrical stimulation of deep nuclei in the brain. However, this is an invasive procedure, and the fraction of eligible patients is rather low according to currently used criteria. Spinal cord stimulation (SCS), a minimally invasive method, has more recently been proposed as a therapeutic approach to allevi

This study investigates definite articles in specific and generic subject nominals in Italian spoken by adult simultaneous bilinguals (2L1ers) and second language learners (L2ers). The study focuses on plural and mass DPs, in which German and Italian differ. The aims are to (i) compare acquisition outcomes between the weaker and the stronger language in 2L1 acquisition, (ii) see in a comparison wi

P>Eosinophils have recently been demonstrated capable of localizing to lymph nodes that drain mucosal surfaces, in particular during T helper 2 (Th2) responses. Resistance of mice to infection with the gastrointestinal nematode Trichuris muris depends critically on mounting of a Th2 response and represents a useful model system to investigate Th2 responses. Following infection of resistant BALB/c

A very rich Fe-C phase diagram makes the formation of graphene on iron surfaces a challenging task. Here we demonstrate that the growth of graphene on epitaxial iron films can be realized by chemical vapor deposition at relatively low temperatures, and that the formation of carbides can be avoided in excess of the carbon-containing precursors. The resulting graphene monolayer creates a novel perio

OBJECTIVES: The skin encounters many potential pathogens present in the environment, where Candida spp. are among the most common causes of fungal infestation. Midkine (MK) is a heparin-binding growth factor that is constitutively produced in the epidermis and this study looks at the antifungal activity of MK, potential co-localization and mode of action of MK. METHODS AND RESULTS: We show that

Microtubule nucleation requires the γ-tubulin ring complex, and during the M phase (mitosis) this complex accumulates at the centrosome to support mitotic spindle formation. The post-translational modification of γ-tubulin through ubiquitination is vital for regulating microtubule nucleation and centrosome duplication. Blocking the BRCA1/BARD1-dependent ubiquitination of γ-tubulin causes centrosom

Research into innovativeness and customer orientation in the service industry is burgeoning, yet our understanding of the antecedents and consequences of both activities in hospitality management remain unclear. To address this problem we investigate the link between corporate culture, indicators of innovativeness and business performance in the Swiss hotel industry, because the Swiss have a procl

The Medical ANtiarrhythmic Treatment or Radiofrequency Ablation in Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation (MANTRA-PAF) is a randomized trial comparing radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFA) to antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) as first-line treatment of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF). In order to eliminate the clouding effect of crossover we performed an on-treatment analysis of the data.

An improved knowledge of how contrasting types of plant communities and their associated soil biota differ in their responses to climatic variables is important for better understanding the future impacts of climate change on terrestrial ecosystems. Elevational gradients serve as powerful study systems for answering questions on how ecological processes can be affected by changes in temperature an

Cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) is a regulatory peptide expressed in the nervous system and in endocrine cells, e.g. in pancreatic islets. CART deficient mice exhibit islet dysfunction, impaired insulin secretion and increased body weight. A mutation in the CART gene in humans is associated with reduced metabolic rate, obesity and diabetes. Furthermore, CART is upregulated in