Biomolecules such as proteins immediately adsorb on the surface of nanoparticles upon their exposure to a biological environment. The formed adlayer is commonly referred to as biomolecule corona (biocorona) and defines the biological activity and toxicity of the nanoparticle. Therefore, it is essential to understand in detail the biocorona formation process, and how it is governed by parameters li

Recently, several authors have shown local and global convergence rate results for Douglas–Rachford splitting under strong monotonicity, Lipschitz continuity, and cocoercivity assumptions. Most of these focus on the convex optimization setting. In the more general monotone inclusion setting, Lions and Mercier showed a linear convergence rate bound under the assumption that one of the two operators

Harvesting of wood for bioenergy purpose will probably increase in importance in the future, in order to replace fossil fuel. However, the environmental impact of increased harvesting might be considerable, e.g. on soil and water chemistry, biodiversity and long-term productivity, and in this study we investigate thresholds for sustainable harvesting volumes. The study is based on scientific revie

Starting from mature vegetable compost, four bacterial strains were selected using a lignin-rich medium. 16S ribosomal RNA identification of the isolates showed high score similarity with Pseudomonas spp. for three out of four isolates. Further characterization of growth on mixtures of six selected lignin model compounds (vanillin, vanillate, 4-hydroxybenzoate, p-coumarate, benzoate, and ferulate)

Background The process of delivery entails potentially traumatic events in which the mother or child becomes injured or dies. Midwives and obstetricians are sometimes responsible for these events and can be negatively affected by them as well as by the resulting investigation or complaints procedure (clinical negligence). Objective To assess the self-reported exposure rate of severe events among m

Following stroke, complete cellular death in the ischemic brain area may ensue, with remaining brain areas undergoing tissue remodelling to various degrees. Experience-dependent brain plasticity exerted through an enriched environment (EE) promotes remodelling after central nervous system injury, such as stroke. Post-stroke tissue reorganization is modulated by growth inhibitory molecules differen

We report on the fabrication and characterization of radial tunnel diodes based on InP(n+)/InGaAs(p+) core-shell nanowires, where the effect of Zn-dopant precursor flow on the electrical properties of the devices is evaluated. Selective and local etching of the InGaAs shell is employed to access the nanowire core in the contact process. Devices with an n+-p doping profile show normal diode rectifi

Mergers give acquirers control over the assets of the merged entity and give sellers control over financial assets. We propose a cross-border merger model with home biased financially constrained owners in which the subsequent investments of the buyer and the seller can be determined. We show that policies blocking foreign acquisitions to protect the domestic industry can be counterproductive. For

Background: Up to date data on incidence, mortality, and case-fatality for stroke are important for setting the agenda for prevention and healthcare. Aims and/or hypothesis: We aim to update the most current incidence and mortality data on stroke available by country, and to expand the scope to case-fatality and explore how registry data might be complementary. Methods: Data were compiled using tw

This paper assesses the potential changes in the demand for forest-based biomass for various energy purposes in Sweden in 2030 and 2050, respectively. The assessment is based on a review of scenarios and predictions of how the Swedish energy system may develop, taking into account techno-economical conditions. It includes potential changes in district heating, electricity production in combined he

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of spouses' involvement in older patients' care trajectories, using case management as intervention in total hip replacement through fast-track programmes. Background: Patients need their spouses to be involved in their fast-track programmes and this involvement is often associated with improvements in patient outcomes. However, the effect of s

We analyze the contents of print ads in the motion picture industry (e.g., number of reviews quoted in the ad, the presence of a top reviewer, size of the ad, star, director, etc.). We find that external validation (a recommendation by a top reviewer) is more important to revenues than the informative content of the ad.

Objective: This study explores the effect of voice quality and competing speaker/-s on children’s performance in a passage comprehension task. Furthermore, it explores the interaction between passage comprehension and cognitive functioning. Methods: Forty-nine children (27 girls and 22 boys) with normal hearing (aged 7–12 years) participated. Passage comprehension was tested in six different liste

Purpose: To investigate the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) proteome of patients with preeclampsia (PE) and normotensive pregnant women, in order to provide a better understanding of brain involvement in PE. Experimental design: Ninety-eight CSF samples (43 women with PE and 55 normotensive controls) were analyzed by LC–MS/MS proteome profiling. CSF was obtained during the spinal puncture before caesare

We model theoretically a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) covered by a superconductor and demonstrate that topological superconducting channels are formed when stripes of the superconducting layer are removed. As a consequence, Majorana bound states (MBSs) are created at the ends of the stripes. We calculate the topological invariant and energy gap of a single stripe, using realistic values for

We simultaneously measured the absorption and emission of single conjugated polymer poly[2-methoxy-5-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene] (MEH-PPV) molecules in a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) matrix using near-critical xenon to enhance the photothermal contrast for direct absorption measurements. We directly measured the number of monomers and the quantum yield of single conjugated polymer

The configuration interaction (CI) method for calculating the exact eigenstates of a quantum-mechanical few-body system is problematic when applied to particles interacting through contact forces. In dimensions higher than one the approach fails due to the pathology of the Dirac δ-potential, making it impossible to reach convergence by gradually increasing the size of the Hilbert space. However, t

Tropical savannas and grasslands are estimated to contribute significantly to the total primary production of all terrestrial vegetation. Large parts of African savannas and grasslands are used for agriculture and cattle grazing, but the carbon flux data available from these areas are limited. This study explores carbon dioxide fluxes measured with the eddy covariance method for 3 years at a graze

In-situ knowledge of the gas composition close to a catalyst is essential for a better understanding of the gas–surface interaction. With planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF), the gas distribution around an operating catalyst can be visualized with high spatial and temporal resolution, in a non-intrusive manner. We report on a convenient setup using a nanosecond YAG-Dye laser system together w

Most avian migrants alternate flight bouts, characterized by high metabolic rates, with stopovers, periods of fuel replenishment through hyperphagia. High-energy metabolism and excessive calorie intake shift the balance between damaging prooxidants and antioxidants toward the former. Hence, migration likely affects the oxidative balance of birds. Migratory flight indeed appears to cause oxidative