Abstract Alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency is a genetic risk factor for pulmonary emphysema. In 1972-74 all 200,000 Swedish new-born infants were screened for AAT deficiency. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the PiZZ and PiSZ individuals identified by this screening have signs of emphysema and the role of smoking in this, compared with a random sample of control subjects

Nocturnal passerine migrants could substantially reduce the amount of energy spent per distance covered if they fly with tailwind assistance and thus achieve ground speeds that exceed their airspeeds (the birds' speed in relation to the surrounding air). We analysed tracking radar data from two study sites in southern and northern Scandinavia and show that nocturnally migrating passerines, during

This paper relates the financial and monetary dimensions of the contemporary economic crisis to working-class agency via a central concern of classical political economy: the distribution of surplus between the chief factors of production. The fall in the wage share of value added is now accepted as a stylised fact in the empirical economic literature. This paper argues that the punctuated pattern

We present a new measure for evaluating focused versus overview eye movement behavior in a stimulus divided by areas of interest. The measure can be used for overall data, as well as data over time. Using data from an ongoing project with mathematical problem solving, we describe how to calculate the measure and how to carry out a statistical evaluation of the results.

Tissue factor (TF)-mediated protease activated receptor (PAR)-2 signaling is associated with a pro-migratory, invasive and pro-angiogenic phenotype in experimental models of breast cancer, and has been mechanistically coupled to phosphorylation of the TF cytoplasmic domain (pTF). However, the clinical relevance of these findings are unknown. Here, we provide first in vivo evidence of TF phosphoryl

Genome wide association studies (GWAS) identify susceptibility loci for complex traits, but do not identify particular genes of interest. Integration of functional and network information may help in overcoming this limitation and identifying new susceptibility loci. Using GWAS and comorbidity data, we present a network-based approach to predict candidate genes for lipid and lipoprotein traits. We

Surgical site infections (SSIs) and their prevention continue to be a major point of focus in all surgical specialties today. Antibiotic prophylaxis is one of the mainstays in their prevention. Due to the consistently high proportion of infections caused by intestinal flora from the start of our wound surveillance registry in 2005, we conducted a change in prophylactic antibiotic therapy from clox

This essay first outlines a philosophical theory of concepts and then applies it to two areas of relevance to psychiatrists, especially forensic psychiatrists. In the philosophical theory, the respective roles of verbal and non-verbal definitions are illuminated, and the importance of the phenomenon of division of semantic labour is stressed. It is pointed out that vagueness and ambiguity of a ter

Manganese (Mn) enrichments in sediments of the deep basins of the Baltic Sea are believed to consist of Ca-Mn-carbonates that form from Mn oxides following periodic inflows of oxygen-rich North Sea waters. However, a range of Mn-bearing mineral phases, that besides Mn-carbonates (e. g. Ca-rhodochrosite), can include Mn-sulfides are known to be present in marine sediments, with formation mechanisms

The purpose of this paper is to provide insight into how companies work during packaging development to reduce negative environmental impact along supply chains, and to compare their practical approaches with the theoretical concepts presented in the literature. The research approach is explorative and based on nine cases in the food and manufacturing industries in Sweden. Data were collected from

The establishment of tree plantations in rural areas in Uganda could provide renewable energy to rural communities, while decreasing greenhouse gas emissions from conventional electricity sources and unsustainable forest use. The study evaluates the greenhouse gas benefits that could be produced by biomass based energy systems in Anaka, a rural settlement in the Amuru district in northern Uganda.

Studies on biological photovoltaics based on intact organisms are challenging and in most cases include diffusing mediators to facilitate electrochemical communication with electrodes. However, using such mediators is impractical. Instead, surface confined Os-polymers have been successfully used in electrochemical studies including oxidoreductases and bacterial cells but not with algae. Photoelect

A complex solid torus model was developed in order to be able to study an extreme solar storm, the so-called "Great Storm" or "New York Railroad Storm" of May 1921, when neither high spatial and time resolution magnetic field measurements, solar flare nor coronal mass ejection observations were available. We suggest that a topological change happened in connection with the occurrence of the extrem

BACKGROUND: Many patients with microscopic colitis (MC) also suffer from symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but the only treatment given is corticosteroids for the diarrhoea. The aim of this study was to examine how social factors, life style factors and drug treatment affect symptoms and well-being in patients suffering from MC. METHODS: Women, over the age of 73years, with biopsy-verifi

This paper explores how meta-studies can support the development of process-based land change models (LCMs) that can be applied across locations and scales. We describe a multi-step framework for model development and provide descriptions and examples of how meta-studies can be used in each step. We conclude that meta-studies best support the conceptualization and experimentation phases of the mod

We consider the least-squares (L2) minimization problems in multiple view geometry for triangulation, homography, camera resectioning and structure-and-motion with known rotatation, or known plane. Although optimal algorithms have been given for these problems under an Linfinity cost function, finding optimal least-squares solutions to these problems is difficult, since the cost functions are not