Hummingbirds are specialized hoverers for which the vortex wake has been described as a series of single vortex rings shed primarily during the downstroke. Recent findings in bats and birds, as well as in a recent study on Anna's hummingbirds, suggest that each wing may shed a discrete vortex ring, yielding a bilaterally paired wake. Here, we describe the presence of two discrete rings in the wake

Charred seed conglomerates of Linum usitatissimum (flax) and Camelina sativa (gold of pleasure) were found at UppAyenkra 2:25, a Roman Iron Age site in SkAyenne, southern Sweden. The conglomerates showed no mixing with each other, as they were almost pure flax and gold of pleasure respectively. Together with other archaeobotanical data from the site, they provide new evidence on the use, processin

The Japanese government managed to implement the Act on the Protection of Specially Designated Secrets (SDS) in late 2014, making it easier for government agencies to withhold information. The debate that was ignited by the SDS is central to this thesis. Existing research on the SDS can be characterized as a battle for truth, with a focus on the superficial effects of the law. In contrast, this pa

This article argues that the high level of protest activity in France is, at least partly, the result of distrust between the government and the trade unions, and that such distrust is inevitable in a society where unions are sometimes strong enough to mobilise against the government but not confident in their own future strength. This trust problem can be overcome if governments are willing to ma

The concept of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) has enjoyed immense popularity and thus has been the preferred approach for river basin management. IWRM generally has a strong focus on rational choice, based on a technocratic conceptual interpretation of the conventional hydrological cycle. However, uncritical acceptance of IWRM runs the risk of blinding policy makers and academics for

Preeclampsia (PE) is a serious pregnancy complication that manifests as hypertension and proteinuria after the 20(th) gestation week. Previously, fetal hemoglobin (HbF) has been identified as a plausible causative factor. Cell-free Hb and its degradation products are known to cause oxidative stress and tissue damage, typical of the PE placenta. A1M (α1-microglobulin) is an endogenous scavenger of

Conclusion. The gentamicin-induced pathological alteration in the cochlear nucleus is not exclusively a secondary consequence of the damage in the cochlea. Instead, the toxic effect of gentamicin on the cochlear nucleus may occur simultaneously or even earlier than that on the cochlea. Objectives. To investigate the pathological alteration of cochlear nucleus neurons in guinea pigs following syste

This paper discusses importance of a strategic planning and design process when developing long-term space exploration missions both robotic and manned. The discussion begins with reviewing current and/or traditional international perspectives on space development at the American, Russian and European space agencies. Some analogies and comparisons will be drawn upon analysis of several internation

The filamentous fungus Hypocreajecorina (anamorph of Trichodermareesei) is the predominant source of enzymes for industrial saccharification of lignocellulose biomass. The major enzyme, cellobiohydrolase Cel7A, constitutes nearly half of the total protein in the secretome. The performance of such enzymes is susceptible to inhibition by compounds liberated by physico-chemical pre-treatment if the b

Popular Abstract in Swedish Fetma är ett världsomfattande hälsoproblem som drabbar rika och fattiga länder i samma utsträckning och leder till minskad förväntad livslängd. Detta är inte bara ett problem i sig utan för med sig ytterligare följdsjukdomar så som diabetes, hjärt- kärlsjukdomar, vissa former av cancer och artros. Det är en allmän uppfattning att den oroväckande ökningen av fetma under Obesity is one of the major health concerns that has reached epidemic proportions globally. It is generally believed to be a result of interactions between genetic and environmental factors. In this thesis we investigated the role of dietary factors in modifying the genetic susceptibility to obesity (papers I to III), studied the association between genetic susceptibility to obesity and weight gai

Electromagnetic induction measurements (EM) were taken in a saline gypsiferous soil of the Saharan-climate Fatnassa oasis (Tunisia) to predict the electrical conductivity of saturated soil extract (ECe) and shallow groundwater properties (depth, Dgw, and electrical conductivity, ECgw) using various models. The soil profile was sampled at 0.2 m depth intervals to 1.2 m for physical and chemical ana

Background: Denmark and Sweden are considered to be countries of rather similar socio-political type, but public health policies and smoking habits differ considerably between the two neighbours. A study comparing mechanisms behind socioeconomic inequalities in tobacco smoking, could yield information regarding the impact of health policy and -promotion in the two countries. Methods: Cross-section

Background: The accepted standard for assessing the wellbeing of the newborn is the Apgar score and blood gas analysis. However, the prediction of neonatal morbidity or mortality is limited. In small-for-gestation (SGA) fetuses at 18-38 weeks of gestation, pO(2) is

Many countries have established disaster risk management systems. These systems involve various parties and aim to maximize resources and use their diverse expertise to manage disaster risks. In such systems, sharing risk and vulnerability assessments (RVAs) between stakeholders is the most common way to communicate risk-related information. This study investigates communication challenges linked

When robots are working in dynamic environments, close to humans lacking extensive knowledge of robotics, there is a strong need to simplify the user interaction and make the system execute as autonomously as possible, as long as it is feasible. For industrial robots working side-by-side with humans in manufacturing industry, AI systems are necessary to lower the demand on programming time and sys

According to a recent report from the European Brain Council and the European Colleague of Neuropsychopharmacology the one year prevalence of some kind of mental disorder is around 27% among the adult population in Europe. Research has shown a lack of mental health literacy in the population in general and it is thus important to find ways to improve the public's knowledge and skills to provide fi