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In the first essay of this thesis we develop a model for calculating the net expected value of a swap agreement subject to dual-default risk. The main explanatory variable for the net expected return of a swap is the default intensity of each party measured by the credit rating of the firm. We derive the net expected return of the swap as a function of the credit rating of the firm receiving the f
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of dose reduction in digital mammography on the detection of two lesion types-malignant masses and clusters of microcalcifications. Two free-response observer studies were performed-one for each lesion type. Ninety screening images were retrospectively selected; each image was originally acquired under automatic exposure conditions, correspondin
An easy and rapid hollow-fibre supported liquid membrane method (HFSLM) has been developed to extract and determinate the total concentration of four dinitrophenols in environmental water at ng L-1 level. This extraction method provides a high selectivity, short extraction time and very low cost for real samples. It is a three-phase system, aqueous-organic-aqueous, where the organic solvent is hel
We have studied the dynamics of water molecules in six crystal structures of four human cytochromes P450, 2A6, 2C8, 2C9, and 3A4, with molecular dynamics simulations. In the crystal structures, only a few water molecules are seen and the reported sizes of the active-site cavity vary a lot. In the simulations, the cavities are completely filled with water molecules, although with similar to 20% low
Effects of a dietary combination of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3-PUFA) and conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs) on fasting and postprandial plasma lipids was investigated in healthy volunteers with different ages and body mass index (BMI). Lean (BMI 20-26 kg/m2) and obese (BMI 29-35 kg/m2), young (20-37 years) and older (50-65 years) men consumed 3 g/day each of CLA and n-3-PUFA or 6 g/day
The ever increasing data rates in wireless communication require analog to digital converters (ADCs) with greater requirements on speed and accuracy, while being power efficient to prolong battery life. This dissertation contains an introduction to the field and five papers that focus on the continuous-time (CT) Delta-Sigma modulator (DSM) as ADC. Paper I analyses the performance degradation of d
During the last twenty years archaeology has experienced a technological revolution that spans scientific achieve-ments and day-to-day practices. The tools and methods from this digital change have also strongly impacted archaeology. Image-based 3D modeling is becoming more common when documenting archaeological features but is still not implement-ed as standard in field excavation projects. When
Two high-k dielectric materials (Al2O3 and HfO2) were deposited on n-type (100) and (110) InAs surface orientations to investigate physical properties of the oxide/semiconductor interfaces and the interface trap density (D-it). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses (XPS) for native oxides of (100) and (110) as-grown n-InAs epi wafers show an increase in As-oxide on the (100) surface and an inc
This study was part of a Swedish interdisciplinary research project targeting accessibility problems in public transport for people with cognitive functional limitations (CFLs). The objective was to describe and compare different assessment perspectives of long-term CFLs among community citizens having had CFLs in the acute stroke phase but with moderate physical limitations. Eighty-four participa
PURPOSE: To evaluate patients' vision-related activity limitation before and after bilateral cataract surgery using the German version of the Catquest-9SF questionnaire. SETTING: Hanusch Hospital, Vienna, Austria, and Ophthalmic Clinic, Minden, Germany. DESIGN: Questionnaire development. METHODS: This prospective 2-center study included patients who were scheduled for bilateral cataract surgery an
To date, rational redesign of glycosidase active-site clefts has been mainly limited to the removal of essential functionalities rather than their introduction. The glycoside hydrolase family 26 endo-beta-1, 4-mannanase from the soil bacterium Cellulomonas fimi depolymerizes various abundant plant mannans. On the basis of differences in the structures and hydrolytic action patterns of this wild-ty
In this communication, we analyse the passage of oxygen and carbon dioxide over the respiratory membrane. The lung surfactant membrane at the alveolar interface can have a very special arrangement, which affects the diffusional transport. We present a theoretical model for the diffusion of small molecules in membranes with a complex structure, and we specifically compare a membrane composed of a t
The spruce coneworm, Dioryctria abietella Denis & Schiffermüller (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), is a major pest in spruce seed orchards in Europe. Initial work on its pheromone ecology reported significant attraction of males to (9Z,11E)-tetradecadienyl acetate (9Z,11E-14:OAc), but this compound appeared to be a very weak attractant in field trials. In this study, we show that a second female-produ
Epidemiological studies have shown an inverse relation between a whole grain consumption and risk of type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. One tentative mechanism relates to colonic metabolism of indigestible carbohydrates. In a previous study, we reported a positive relation between colonic fermentation and improved glucose tolerance. This work can be seen as an extension of that study, foc
Purpose: To test the potential of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in early detection of left ventricular (LV) dysfunction in patients with pulmonary regurgitation and normal LV ejection fraction after repair of tetralogy of Fallot. Materials and Methods: Patients (n = 18) with repaired tetralogy of Fallot and pulmonary regurgitation were prospectively recruited. Healthy volunteers (n = 10) were u
Real-time PCR is fast, sensitive, specific, and can deliver quantitative data; however, two disadvantages are that this technology is sensitive to inhibition by food and that it does not distinguish between DNA originating from viable, viable nonculturable (VNC), and dead cells. For this reason, real-time PCR has been combined with a novel discontinuous buoyant density gradient method, called flot
Objective. Two simulation models were developed to analyze the cost-effectiveness of new treatments that affect the progression of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods. We used data from 2 cohorts of. patients with early RA who had been followed up since disease onset (up to 15 years). In the Swedish study, 183 patients were followed up for a mean of 11.3 years. In the UK study, 916 patients were fo
Stimulation around the superior cerebellar peduncle or within the deep cerebellar nuclei is known to inhibit the inferior olive with a very long latency. It has been suggested that this inhibition is mediated by the GABA-ergic nucleo-olivary pathway, but alternative explanations such as activation of an indirect excitatory pathway or a pathway via the red nucleus are possible. A long-latency inhib
Soil microorganisms, the central drivers of terrestrial Antarctic ecosystems, are being confronted with increasing temperatures as parts of the continent experience considerable warming. Here we determined short-term temperature dependencies of Antarctic soil bacterial community growth rates, using the leucine incorporation technique, in order to predict future changes in temperature sensitivity o
