Obesity is highly heritable. Genetic variants showing robust associations with obesity traits have been identified through genome-wide association studies. We investigated whether a composite score representing healthy diet modifies associations of these variants with obesity traits. 32 BMI- and 14 waist-hip ratio (WHR)-associated SNPs were genotyped and genetic risk scores (GRS) calculated in 18

Background: Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples are an outstanding source of new information regarding disease evolvements. Current research on new biomarkers and diseases features has recently invested resources in FFPE-related projects. Results: In order to initiate clinical protein-expression studies using minute amount of biological material, a workflow based on the combination of

Chronic bronchitis and previous exacerbations are both well-known risk factors for new exacerbations, impaired health-related quality of life, and increased mortality in COPD. The aim of the study was to characterize the phenotype of concurrent chronic bronchitis and frequent exacerbation in severe COPD.

Objective. To study the influence of counseling on women's contraceptive decisions. Design. A cross-sectional multicenter study. Setting. 70 Swedish family planning clinics. Population. Women aged 15-40 years attending for a contraceptive consultation who expressed interest in a combined hormonal contraceptive (CHC) method. Methods. Structured counseling about three CHCs and questionnaires complet

Occupational engagement is a vital factor in people's lives since it has been shown to be important for health and well-being. Community-based day centers (DCs), both meeting place-oriented and work-oriented ones, are common service alternatives in many western countries for enabling engagement in productive and leisure occupations among people with psychiatric disabilities. Little is, however, kn

Post-translational modifications of proteins can generate antigenic conformations that may cause autoimmune diseases in persons with specific HLA-haplotypes. Monocytes and macrophages, attracted to an inflamed site, can release post-translationally acting enzymes, such as transglutaminases and peptidylarginine deiminases. In vivo, the activation of these enzymes is crucial for the further course o

This paper presents an econometric test of two hypotheses underlying the occurrence of non-indigenous species (NIS) at the global scale: openness of recipient nations which allows for international trade to act as a vector of NIS, and habitat fragmentation in recipient nations which facilitates establishment of introduced NIS. Explorative econometric methods have been utilised that combine the ana

Rubus vikensis A. Pedersen ex G. Wendt (sect. Corylifolii) was recently described from a restricted area in north western Scania, Sweden. In this investigation, I show that the same species occurs also on the Onsala peninsula in northern Halland and on a single locality in the middle of Halland. It has 35 chromosomes in all parts of the distribution area. Moreover, I show by random amplified polym

Sentences with motion verbs describing static situations have been seen as evidence that language and cognition are geared toward dynamism and change (Talmy in Toward a cognitive semantics, MIT Press, Cambridge, 2000; Langacker in Concept, image, and symbol: the cognitive basis of grammar, Mouton de Gruyter, Berlin and New York, 1990). Different concepts have been used in the literature, e.g., fic

Gelatin-based cryogels were prepared by using a novel crosslinker, oxidized dextran, which was synthesized and used in the study. The cryogels were also loaded with freshly formed hydroxyapatite (HA) particles. These cryogels are opaque, spongy and highly elastic and have a pore structure with large interconnected pores. They swell about 500% in aqueous media and within a few minutes reach their f

Assuming there is a new gauge group in a Hidden Valley, and a new type of radiation, can we observe it through its effect on the kinematic distributions of recoiling visible particles? Specifically, what are the collider signatures of radiation in a hidden sector? We address these questions using a generic SU(N)-like Hidden Valley model that we implement in PYTHIA. We find that in both the e(+)e(-

This paper examines how material and emotional investments in childrearing are rendered culturally meaningful in Chinese middle-class families in Singapore, and its consequences for family life. The competitive education system is a major concern for families with young children, and parents often invest substantial resources and energy in their children’s upbringing. The ‘overburdening’ of middle

Haemophilia, if not properly managed, can lead to chronic disease and lifelong disabilities. The challenges and issues in infants/young children are different from those in older children and adults although episodes of bleeding still predominate as the diagnostic trigger. Awareness of clinical manifestations and treatment complications are crucial in instituting appropriate management and impleme

Glycoside hydrolase family 19 chitinases are found in plants, bacteria and viruses, playing various roles. Plant chitinases are important for defence and development, whereas bacterial examples are useful for nutrition. The available structural studies show that family 19 enzymes are highly alpha-helical bi-lobed structures with a wide cleft lined by conserved residues important for catalysis and

We use N-body simulations of star cluster evolution to explore the hypothesis that short-lived radioactive isotopes found in meteorites, such as Al-26, were delivered to the Sun's protoplanetary disc from a supernova at the epoch of Solar system formation. We cover a range of star cluster formation parameter space and model both clusters with primordial substructure and those with smooth profiles.

In this paper, we establish the Gevrey regularity of solutions for a class of degenerate Monge–Ampère equations in the plane. Under the assumptions that one principal entry of the Hessian is strictly positive and the coefficient of the equation is degenerate with appropriately finite type degeneracy, we prove that the solution of the degenerate Monge–Ampère equation will be smooth in Gevrey classe

This study addresses the problem that democratic polities call for expert advice on normative issues and argues for the need of democratic justification of political use of ethics expertise in regulation of biomedicine. Ethics expertise, expertise in the sys- tematic analysis of moral problems, must not be conflated with moral expertise, expertise in providing the right moral. However, by asking e