Recently, a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP, rs1800206) in the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPAR-alpha) gene has been proposed to be associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). To verify this finding, we analyzed the PPAR-alpha SNP in 461 patients with AD and 1395 controls. In subgroups, PPAR-alpha gene data could be investigated in relation to biochemical and neuropathologi

PURPOSE: To determine whether long-term treatment with the anti-epileptic drug vigabatrin causes damage to rabbit retina.METHODS: Five rabbits were treated continuously with a daily dose of vigabatrin solution per orally during a period of 1-8 months. Two rabbits receiving water were used as controls. Repeated full-field electroretinograms (every two weeks) were assessed during this period. Vigaba

The proposed Differential Difference Comparator (DDC) provides easy linear voltage summing/subtraction and comparison functions via current operation. The speed of this unconventional comparator drastically improved since there is no feedback loop and coupling capacitors needed to maintain the linearity. The linear input range is also enlarged by the common mode compression. The principle, design

We consider gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) produced by the merger of a massive white dwarf with a neutron star. We show that these are likely to produce long-duration GRBs, in some cases definitely without an accompanying supernova, as observed recently. This class of burst would have a strong correlation with star formation, and occur close to the host galaxy. However, rare members of the class need not

Malacoplakia is a granulomatous disease with a histiocytic infiltrate containing calcified structures called Michaelis-Gutmann bodies. These structures are considered to represent an abnormal response to infection involving defective lysosomes and abnormal microbubular assembly. The disease most frequently involves urinary and genital tracts, but has also been described from most other organs. Her

Chronic diseases (CD) represent the main cause of mortality in developed countries. The increase in the prevalence of of CD is associated with changes in lifestyle habits, including those related to the consumption of processed foodstuffs. In these foods advanced glycation end products (AGE) and advanced lipoperoxydation products (ALE) are formed as a consequence of the reactivity of proteins, car

Scheelite CdMoO4 and wolframite eCdWO(4):MO (0.04-0.4wt%) single crystals were studied using the time-resolved spectroscopy under UV excitation over a temperature range of 1.85-300K. The threshold energies for the creation of free charge carriers were measured using the method of photostimulated luminescence. The decay kinetics of the main emission in CdMoO4 and the molybdenum-related emission in

The importance of different sources of gases in a vacuum system is discussed and the definitions of different flow regimes are presented. The conductance is given for a few different, typical geometries in an accelerator vacuum system. The theory is applied to the vacuum system of the Lund electrostatic tandem accelerator and a pressure profile through the accelerator is calculated. The quality of

By comparison of the cDNA-derived amino acid sequences and the cell type-specific patterns of synthesis we have identified desmocollin Dsc2 as the most widespread, perhaps ubiquitous desmocollin subtype. Using Northern blot analyses and ribonuclease protection assays we have found an approximately 5.6 kb mRNA encoding Dsc2 in all the diverse human tissues, tumors and cell lines examined that are k

A formula of Walczak is applied to two situations in differential geometry. Holomorphic distributions on Kahler manifolds are studied, and it is shown how the formula simplifies to a Bochner type formula, which is particularly useful in the study of integrable distributions. Then the Walczak formula is applied in the context of harmonic morphisms, where it provides a means of investigating the ver

Laminin–integrin interactions can in some settings activate the extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) but the control mechanisms are poorly understood. Herein, we studied ERK activation in response to two laminins isoforms (-1 and -10/11) in two epithelial cell lines. Both cell lines expressed {beta}1-containing integrins and dystroglycan but lacked integrin {alpha}6{beta}4. Antibody pertu

In this work, the effect of composition, particle size and particle size ratio on the tensile properties of well-characterized hard/soft latex blends was investigated. Four blends of hard/soft latices, with varying particle sizes (either small or large), and volume fractions of 100/0, 80/20, 60/40, 50/50, 40/60, 20/80 and 0/100 were studied. The stress at break increased and the strain at break de

A diverse microvertebrate assemblage has been extracted from a limnic lowermost Cretaceous (Berriasian) stratum on the island of Bornholm, Denmark. The assemblage includes numerous remains of a wide variety of vertebrate groups including fishes, amphibians, reptiles and mammals. Herein, we describe the amphibian and reptilian (excluding Archosauria and Chelonia) part of the assemblage including in

To elucidate possible mechanisms behind the endocrine control of parr-smolt transformation, the daily plasma profiles in thyroid hormones (TH; free thyroxine (FT(4)), total thyroxine (TT(4)), and total 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (TT(3))), growth hormone (GH) and cortisol were studied in Atlantic salmon parr and smolts under simulated-natural winter (8 L:16D) and spring (16.5 L:7.5D) photoperiods, res

We wanted to illustrate the right-to-left impulse propagation routes during sinus in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF), as alterations in conduction patterns have been linked to the pathogenesis of PAF, and as no large patient materials have been published. Patients underwent 3-D electroanatomical contact mapping prior to catheter ablation. The site of the earliest left atrial (LA

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) have occurred with increasing frequency in recent years with eutrophication and other anthropogenic alterations of coastal ecosystems. Many of these blooms severely alter or degrade ecosystem function, and are referred to here as ecosystem disruptive algal blooms (EDABs). These blooms are often caused by toxic or unpalatable species that decrease grazing rates by plankt