The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) is the main genetic determinant of multiple sclerosis (MS) risk. Within the HLA, the class II HLA-DRB1*15:01 allele exerts a disease-promoting effect, whereas the class I HLA-A*02 allele is protective. The CIITA gene is crucial for expression of class II HLA molecules and has previously been found to associate with several autoimmune diseases, including MS and typ

The aviation business has gone through a process of radical restructuring during the latest decades. De-regulation and fierce competition from low-cost carriers have put traditional flag carriers under pressure, resulting in falling fares. In this cost cutting process, service quality aboard has in many cases fallen at the same time as the glamorous image of aviation partly remains. This process h

A U-Pb dating of titanite from an augen granitoid mylonite in the Druksiai-Polotsk Deformation Zone has yielded a concordant age of 1534 +/- 9 Ma. This light brown titanite follows the foliation in the host rock and was obviously formed during retrogression from amphibolite to epidote-amphibolite facies and coeval mylonitization. Shear zones of the same age are known in southern and central Sweden

Two-dimensional polarization fluorescence imaging of single light harvesting complexes 2 (LH2) of Rps. acidophila was carried out to investigate the polarization properties of excitation and fluorescence emission simultaneously, at room temperature. In two separate experiments we excited LH2 with a spectrally narrow laser line matched to the absorption bands of the two chromophore rings, B800 and

Every two seconds, someone across the globe suffers a symptomatic stroke. 'Silent' cerebrovascular disease insidiously contributes to worldwide disability by causing cognitive impairment in the elderly. The risk of cerebrovascular disease is disproportionately higher in low to middle income countries where there may be barriers to stroke care. The last two decades have seen a major transformation

Several treatment alternatives for food waste can result in both energy and nutrient recovery, and thereby potential environmental benefits. However, according to the European Union waste management hierarchy, waste prevention should be the prioritized strategy to decrease the environmental burdens from all solid waste management. The aim of the present study was therefore to investigate the poten

As a lecturer in mathematics for first-year university students one faces several challenging problems; big classes, low motivation and a high level of abstraction. Based on interviews with several experienced university lecturers in mathematics, we present a toolbox of tips and tricks intended to be used when reflecting over one's own teaching in order to improve it.

The intensities of the X and A valence photoelectron lines of N-2 have been found to display Fano line shapes as a function of photon energy around the N 1s -> Rydberg excitations. The vibrational intensity distributions of these photoelectron lines change at the N 1s -> 3s sigma and 3p pi resonances. These effects indicate interference between direct and resonant photoionization channels. Our num

We consider a random synaptic pruning in an initially highly interconnected network. It is proved that a random network can maintain a self-sustained activity level for some parameters. For such a set of parameters a pruning is constructed so that in the resulting network each neuron/node has almost equal numbers of in- and out-connections. It is also shown that the set of parameters which admits

Previous studies have shown gender differences in preoperative status and outcome of spine surgery. This study explores whether gender differences in preoperative demographics exist in patients scheduled for lumbar disc herniation (LDH) surgery.

Tri-isopropylsilyl thio-glycosides (TIPS S-glycosides) were synthesized through base promoted SN2 substitution of glycosyl halides with TIPS-SH or by Lewis acid promoted glycosylation of TIPS-SH with glycosyl acetates or p-methoxyphenyl glycosides. Various thioglycoside derivatives were obtained in high yields by one-pot fluoride-mediated de-silylation and thiol alkylation with alkyl halides or Mi

Purpose: To study the feasibility of using transscleral visible/near-infrared spectroscopy (Vis/NIRS) to estimate the content of haemoglobin in choroidal tumour phantoms of ex vivo porcine eyes. Methods: Thirty enucleated porcine eyes were prepared with a tumour phantom made by injecting a suspension of gelatine, titanium dioxide and human blood into the suprachoroidal space. The blood concentrati

An economically sustainable process was developed for propionic acid production by fermentation of glycerol using Propionibacterium acidipropionici and potato juice, a by-product of starch processing, as a nitrogen/vitamin source. The fermentation was done as high-cell-density sequential batches with cell recycle. Propionic acid production and glycerol consumption rates were dependent on initial b

Myofibroblastoma (MFB) is a benign neoplasm arising most frequently in the adult breast, but it may occur in any other tissue with the exception of the central nervous system. Adequate treatment of this neoplasm consists of local excision. MFB shows characteristic histological features and a clear immunohistochemical profile and usually does not cause any diagnostic difficulties [1-4]. A rare vari

Heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics of Al2O3/water and MWCNT/water nanofluids flowing in a chevron-type plate heat exchanger were experimentally investigated and compared with those of water. Results showed that heat transfer seemed to be improved by using nanofluids at constant Reynolds number. However, little heat transfer enhancement was observed based on a constant flow velocity. T

Background Families with parental intellectual disabilities (ID) are likely to need support in achieving a decent family life. In order to accurately plan for such support services, society needs data regarding the occurrence of those parents and their children. The aim of this study was to investigate the 5-year incidence of children born to women with ID in a county in Sweden. Methods Women born

The kinetics for the binding of cisplatin to duplex RNAs, two fully complementary model systems and mature miR-146a, exhibits a linear dependence on cisplatin concentration and results in duplex dissociation at 38 °C.

Abstract Lymphoedema treatment outcome can be evaluated by calculating estimated limb volumes directly by water displacement (plethysmography; PG), or indirectly by circumference measurements (CM) and using the formula for a truncated cone. This study assessed the correlation between PG and circumference volume measurements to assess whether the correlation is acceptable, and if circumference meas