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The ability to sense the surrounding environment and respond to external fluctuations is a fundamental property of cells, the basic unit of life. Although cells can be very different in their composition and structure, they all have specialized molecular mechanisms that allow them to adapt to their environment, by coordinating gene expression and protein production. In this thesis, we focus on a s
Advances in technology have resulted in new and advanced methods to support decision-making. For example, artificial intelligence has enabled people to make better decisions through the use of Intelligent Decision Support Systems (DSS). Emerging research in DSS demonstrates that decision makers can operate in a more timely manner using real-time data, more accurately due to data mining and 'big da
Growth conditions on acid soils may be hampered by low nutrient availability and phytotoxic Al (aluminium) concentrations. In this thesis I present my studies on adaptation mechanisms of wild plants to acid soils in the close root environment, the rhizosphere. The studies showed that plants have developed several mechanisms that may work simultaneously to face the complex soil chemistry. A first g
The objective of this study was to assess erysipelas incidence before and after liposuction treatment for patients suffering from post-mastectomy lymphedema. A prospective cohort study of 130 patients at Skåne University Hospital in Malmö, Sweden with postmastectomy arm lymphedema, who had poor outcomes from prior conservative treatment and clinical signs of subcutaneous adipose tissue hypertrophy
Aims. The Landé g-factor is an important parameter in astrophysical spectropolarimetry, used to characterize the response of a line to a given value of the magnetic field. The purpose of this paper is to present accurate Landé g-factors for states in B II, C I-IV, Al I-II, Si I-IV, P II, S II, Cl III, Ar IV, Ca I, Ti II, Zr III, and Sn II. Methods. The multiconfiguration Dirac-Hartree-Fock and rel
Actual land evapotranspiration (ET) is a key component of the global hydrological cycle and an essential variable determining the evolution of hydrological extreme events under different climate change scenarios. However, recently available ET products show persistent uncertainties that are impeding a precise attribution of human-induced climate change. Here, we aim at comparing a range of indepen
Background: Liver cirrhosis is associated with osteoporosis and liver transplantation (LT) with increased bone loss. This study aimed to in LT candidates investigate the potential relation between bone mineral density (BMD) and BMD loss in those who undergo LT, with malnutrition, systemic inflammation, and hormonal status. Methods: We included 102 consecutively recruited cirrhotic LT candidates be
Despite of multitude investigations no reliable prognostic immunohistochemical biomark-ers in GIST have been established so far with added value to predict the recurrence risk of high risk GIST besides mitotic count, primary location and size. In this study, we analyzed the prognostic relevance of eight cell cycle and apoptosis modulators and of TP53 mutations for prognosis in GIST with high risk
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is common among southern Chinese including the ethnic Cantonese population living in Hong Kong. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection is detected in all undifferentiated type of NPC in this endemic region. Establishment of stable and latent EBV infection in premalignant nasopharyngeal epithelial cells is an early event in NPC development and may contribute to its pathog
Background Prolonged angiogenesis inhibition may improve treatment outcome in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients. However, due to the complexity of the angiogenic pathways there is a lack of valid predictive biomarkers for anti-angiogenic agents. Here, we describe and optimize a procedure for simultaneous dynamic profiling of multiple angiogenesis related proteins in patient serum to exp
Most sectors of modern society are currently undergoing rapid digitalization. With the progress of this development IT networks are becoming an ever more crucial asset whose failure are prone to cause economic losses and risks to health and safety of the population. Due to this development, it is increasingly important that IT networks are designed to be resilient, meaning that they either maintai
Atmospheric new particle formation (NPF) is a common phenomenon all over the world. In this study we present the longest time series of NPF records in the eastern Mediterranean region by analyzing 10 years of aerosol number size distribution data obtained with a mobility particle sizer. The measurements were performed at the Finokalia environmental research station on Crete, Greece, during the per
BACKGROUND: Several different IgA-proteases exist in Haemophilus influenzae. The variants have been suggested to play differential roles in pathogenesis, but there is limited information on their distribution in clinical isolates. The objective of this study was to investigate the distribution of IgA-protease genotypes in H. influenzae and assess the association between IgA-protease genotype and t
Semiconductor nanowire (NW) technology has emerged as a key facilitator of novel optoelectronics e.g. solar cells, photodetectors and LEDs. The functional wavelength range of current NW-based photodetectors is typically limited to the visible/near-infrared region. In this work, we present the first ever reported electrical and optical characteristics of longwavelength IR photodetectors based on la
Objectives. BMD in the hand, as evaluated by digital X-ray radiogrammetry (DXR), has been suggested to be a predictor for joint damage in RA. A predictor for long-term prognosis might also predict increased mortality in RA. The aim of the present study was to evaluate BMD in the hand as a predictor for all-cause mortality. Methods. In 1978, 152 consecutive patients (78% women, mean disease duratio
BACKGROUND: Information on autonomic neurapraxia in female urogenital surgery is scarce, and a model to study it is not available. OBJECTIVE: To develop a model to study the impact of autonomic neurapraxia on bladder function in female rats, as well as to assess the effects of corticosteroid therapy on the recovery of bladder function in this model. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Female Spra
ere should be fitness costs associated with the defense, otherwise it should be permanent. Thus, in the absence of predators and with limited resources, defended individuals are expected to be outcompeted by individuals lacking the costly defense. Crucian carp, Carassius carassius, increase in body depth in response to chemical stimuli from piscivorous fish, and the deeper body constitutes a morph
Electricity and gas prices are characterized by sharp increases or decreases in their price, followed a few days later by an equally large decreases or increases. These phenomena are called spikes or drops and are causing headaches for system developers and planners. One of the explanations for the spikes are sudden increases in demand (eg cold weather) and/or decreases in supply (eg emergency shu
Aim The impact of multiple stressors on biodiversity is one of the most pressing questions in ecology and biodiversity conservation. Here we critically assess how often and efficiently two main drivers of global change have been simultaneously integrated into research, with the aim of providing practical solutions for better integration in the future. We focus on the integration of climate change
Methane is the second most important long-lived greenhouse gas and plays a central role in the chemistry of the Earth's atmosphere. Nonetheless there are significant uncertainties in its source budget. Analysis of the isotopic composition of atmospheric methane, including the doubly substituted species 13CH3D, offers new insight into the methane budget as the sources and sinks have distinct isotop
