Ultraviolet (UV)-sensitive visual pigments are widespread in the animal kingdom but many animals, for example primates, block UV light from reaching their retina by pigmented lenses. Birds have UV-sensitive (UVS) visual pigments with sensitivity maxima around 360-373 nm (UVS) or 402-426 nm (violet-sensitive, VS). We describe how these pigments are matched by the ocular media transmittance in 38 bi

We report the discovery that V2331 Cygni is not an L star but an eclipsing variable with deep minima, and present a determination of the elements of the star: Epoch = HJD 2456184.296 ±0.001 and Period = 1.3886 ± 0.0001 days.

Neutron reflectometry was used to study the co-adsorption of calcium phosphate nanoclusters (CPN) and beta-casein at hydrophobized and hydrophilic silica-water interfaces. The structural characteristics of the adsorbed layer were determined from neutron reflectivity curves analysed with multi-layer optical models. We used a highly specific proteolytic enzyme, endoproteinase Asp-N in conjunction wi

We measure the transient photocurrent of APFO3:PCBM bulk heterojunction solar cells illuminated with ns-laser and sub-ms LED light sources. The ratio of the number of collective charges to the number of excited photon (external quantum efficiency, EQE) and the transient photocurrent fall times have been carried out with difference pulse durations and fluences. The EQEs characterized by ns-laser so

Psychogenic seizures (PSs) convincingly mimic seizure phenomena but with no underlying epileptic activity. However, not much is known about their neurophysiological basis. We had the rare opportunity to analyze intracranial brain recordings of PSs occurring besides epileptic seizures (ESs), which identified distinct frequency changes over the parietal cortex. For further validation, we applied top

Sclerosing epithelioid fibrosarcoma (SEF) is a rare aggressive fibroblastic neoplasm composed of cords of epithelioid cells embedded in a dense collagenous stroma. The reported immunophenotype of SEF is nonspecific. Some SEF cases show morphologic and molecular overlap with low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma (LGFMS), suggesting a relationship between these tumor types. MUC4 has recently been identified

Although avian malarial parasites are globally distributed, the factors that affect the geographical distribution and local prevalence of different parasite lineages across host populations or species are still poorly understood. Based on the intense screening of avian malarial parasites in nine European blue tit populations, we studied whether distribution ranges as well as local adaptation, host

Fifty adult emergency room patients with symptoms of respiratory tract infections or acute onset of extreme fatigue were sampled by both nasopharyngeal aspirate (NPA) and flocked nasal swab (fNS). Respiratory agents were detected by a qualitative influenza PCR and an 18-valent multiplex PCR in 20 of 29 patients with a clinical diagnosis of respiratory tract infection, and in 3 of 21 without such a

The ongoing celebritisation of society not only comprises ‘celebrity sectors’ such as entertainment and sports, but also literature. As in other cultural fields, the commodities to be sold – books – are marketed using the ‘personalities’ directly connected to them by authors appearing on television shows or being selected for feature articles. The aim of the article is to point out limitations to

In this study we hypothesized that signs of atypical atrial activation would be associated with cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) response in patients with mildly symptomatic heart failure (CHF), left ventricular dysfunction, and wide QRS complex.

We report on widespread and contemporary palaeokarst in the middle Katian (Upper Ordovician) of Sweden, Estonia and Latvia, the first major palaeokarst horizon to be reported from the Ordovician of Baltoscandia. The solution features occurwithin a fewmetres of thick zone of limestone immediately belowthe widespread Fjäcka Shale and are related to an unconformity with preserved palaeorelief in the

Thromboxane is a key inflammatory mediator and potent airway constrictor. It acts on thromboxane A(2) (TP) receptors and contributes to airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness that is the characteristic feature of asthma. The present study was designed to study TP receptor signaling in airway smooth muscle cells by using an organ culture model and a set of selective pharmacological inhi

To investigate the effects of geriatric rehabilitation on short-term risk of death and readmission after a hip fracture were investigated in a nationwide cohort. In addition, the association of discharge location (nursing home or patient's home) with the short-term risk of death was assessed.

The McMurdo Dry Valley lakes of Antarctica constitute some of the harshest and most isolated freshwater environments on Earth which might be expected to limit the biogeographical expansion of many organisms. Despite this, we found that the biodiversity of rotifer zooplankton is the highest ever recorded on the Antarctic mainland. We identified in total nine rotifer taxa, of which six are new to th

Mirror electron microscopy (MEM) imaging of InAs nanowires is a non-destructive electron microscopy technique where the electrons are reflected via an applied electric field before they reach the specimen surface. However strong caustic features are observed that can be non-intuitive and difficult to relate to nanowire geometry and composition. Utilizing caustic imaging theory we can understand an

Nighttime satellite photographs of Earth reveal the location of lighting and provide a unique view of the extent of human settlement. Nighttime lights have been shown to correlate with economic development and population but little research has been done on the link between nighttime lights and population change over time. We explore whether population decline is coupled with decline in lighted ar

1. Freshwater communities are often structured by predation. In permanent lentic freshwater habitats dragonfly larvae are major predators which, in return, suffer predation by fish. Antipredator traits vary between the dragonfly species, and the dragonfly communities are therefore shaped by the presence of fish. But fish communities vary, and as different fish species affect dragonflies in differe

Prototypic dinuclear metal cofactors with varying metallation constitute a class of O2-activating catalysts in numerous enzymes such as ribonucleotide reductase (RNR1). Reliable structures are required to unravel the reaction mechanisms. However, protein crystallography data may be compromised by X-ray photoreduction (XPR). We studied XPR of Fe(III)Fe(III) and Mn(III)Fe(III) sites in the R2 subuni