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In several twin studies the relative contribution of genetic factors for personality traits has amounted to figures between 40 and 60%. In the present study we investigated to which degree polymorphisms in the 5-HTT and AP-2 beta genes are implicated in the neural processes involved in the formation of Temperament and Character traits, as estimated by Cloninger's TCI. Considering the background of
The value of bone mineral density (BMD) measurements to stratify fracture probability can be enhanced in a case-finding strategy that combines BMD measurement with independent clinical risk indicators. Putative risk indicators include age and gender, BMI or weight, prior fracture, the use of corticosteroids, and possibly others. The aim of the present study was to develop a mathematical framework
We describe adaptation of ballistic imaging for the liquid core of an atomizing spray. To describe unambiguously the forces that act to break apart the liquid core in a spray, one must directly measure the force vectors themselves. It would be invaluable, therefore, to obtain velocity and acceleration data at the liquid-gas interface. We employ double-image ballistic imaging to extract velocity in
The optical efficiency of concentrating solar thermal and photovoltaic systems with cylindrical geometries is asymmetrical about the optical axis. Biaxial models, based on projected incidence angles, are often used to estimate the annual performance of asymmetric concentrators. However, the use of projected angles tends to underestimate optical losses in the cover glass. In this work, a biaxial mo
Three issues are considered in this report —are assimilation and coarticulation the same process or different, are they achieved by feature spreading or by coproduction, and what level or levels of neuromotor planning or production do they represent? Tongue gestures analysed from an X-ray motion film of Bulgarian speech are presented as examples of what the tongue is made to do in speech and of ho
Right ventricular rupture, resulting in serious bleeding, is a life-threatening complication associated with negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) in cardiac surgery. The use of a rigid barrier between the heart and the sharp sternal edges has been successfully tested on pigs. In the present article, we demonstrate increased safety in NPWT through the use of the HeartShield device.
OBJECTIVES: To determine the ability to correctly identify Cesarean section scars, to estimate the prevalence of defective scars, and to determine the size and location of scar defects by transvaginal ultrasound imaging. METHODS: Two hundred and eighty-seven women underwent transvaginal ultrasound examination 6-9 months after delivery: 108 had undergone one Cesarean section, 43 had had two Cesarea
Objectives: To evaluate digital flexor tendon sheath (DFTS) synovial fluid cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) concentrations as a molecular marker for intrathecal pathology. Study Design: Case control study. Animals: Horses (n=46) with DFTS tenosynovitis; 23 fresh cadaver horses. Methods: DFTS synovial fluid samples were collected from clinical cases with noninfected DFTS tenosynovitis and
Increased intima-media thickness (IMT) has been shown to predict cardiovascular risk, and measurement of intima-media thickness has been extensively used in medical research since the mid-1990s. IMT is conventionally measured by manual tracing, however this method is very time-consuming and suffers from large inter-observer variability. Numerous methods, both semi-automatic and fully-automatic, ha
This thesis deals with the methodological advances of diagnostic PCR including reliability of PCR and pre-PCR processing of food and feed samples. Diagnostic PCR has been greatly improved by the introduction of the second generation of PCR, so-called real-time PCR. Automated closed-tube quantitative real-time PCR favours the analysis of food-borne pathogenic bacteria. However, in common with conve
Issues of sustainable agriculture have much relevance and urgency for the sustainable production of non-eatable products that have an agricultural origin, such as biofuels. In the chapter the opinion is expressed that joint legal regulations on sustainable use of natural resources and sustainable farming methods for eatable and non-eatable products of an agricultural origin can be an efficient sol
With today’s rapid changes in socio-economy and technology, knowledge and learning are critical issues for private and civil service organizations. The needs for competence development range from short informal courses (without ECTS credits) to formal courses at university level (with ECTS credits). This article describes objectives and results of a Leonardo project, eGIS+ that developed and imple
The article presents and analyses the editorial ideals and practices of the Enlightenment press with regard to their participatory elements. The decline of these ideals and practices, during the era of the establishment of the modern press in the 1820s, 1830s and 1840s, is discussed with regard to its advocates’ self-legitimating ambitions. These professional efforts were carried out in various wa
Studies have shown terminal QRS distortion and resultant QRS prolongation during ischemia to be a sign of low cardiac protection and thus a faster rate of myocardial cell death. A recent study introduced a single lead method to quantify the severity of ischemia by estimating QRS prolongation. This paper introduces a 12-lead method that, in contrast to the previous method, does not require access t
Aims Biogeographical evidence suggests a strong link between climate and patterns of species diversity, and climate change is known to cause range shifts. However, there is little understanding of how shifts affect community composition and we lack empirical evidence of recent impacts of climate change on the diversity of vertebrates. Using a long-term comprehensive dataset on bird abundance, we e
Currently in Europe as well as in the United States, an increasing proportion of very old people remain living in their homes despite declines in physical and mental health. Together with the fact that the population of very old people is rapidly increasing (Mathers, Sadana, Salamon, Murray, Lopez, 2001; United Nations Development Programme, 2001), this poses new challenges to societal planning an
A model for a special configuration in triaxial odd-odd nuclei is constructed which exhibits degenerate chiral bands with a sizable rotation, a manifestation of dynamical spontaneous symmetry breaking. A quantum number obtained from the invariance of the model Hamiltonian, which characterizes observable states, is given and selection rules for electromagnetic transition probabilities in chiral ban
The reported prevalence of malnutrition in pediatric hospitals ranges from 15% to 30% of patients, with an impact on growth, morbidity and mortality. Major deficits in nutrition care have been highlighted in European hospitals, and the implementation of nutrition support teams (NSTs) has been suggested as a means to improve malnutrition diagnosis and nutrition care for hospitalized patients. This
