Elevated glutamine/glutamate ratio in cerebrospinal fluid of first episode and drug naive schizophrenic patients

BACKGROUND: Recent magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) studies report that glutamine is altered in the brains of schizophrenic patients. There were also conflicting findings on glutamate in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of schizophrenic patients, and absent for glutamine. This study aims to clarify the question of glutamine and glutamate in CSF of first episode and drug naive schizophrenic patients. METHOD: Levels of glutamine and glutamate in CSF of 25 first episode and drug-naive male schizophrenic patients and 17 age-matched male healthy controls were measured by a high performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS: The ratio (126.1 (median), 117.7 ± 27.4 (mean ± S.D.)) of glutamine to glutamate in the CSF of patients was significantly (z = -3.29, p = 0.001) higher than that (81.01 (median), 89.1 ± 22.5 (mean ± S.D.)) of normal controls although each level of glutamine and glutamate in patients was not different from that of normal controls. CONCLUSION: Our data suggests that a disfunction in glutamate-glutamine cycle in the brain may play a role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia

Multivariat (alarm) processövervakning för minskad risk för bäddagglomerering/-defluidisering i FB-anläggningar

Ash-related operational problems are one of the most common process-related disturbances during biomass combustion. Bed agglomeration (sintering) is especially problematic during fluid bed combustion. In most severe cases, agglomeration and blocking of the return-valves in CFB-plants could result in unplanned plant shut down. It would therefore be of considerable interest to find a method, which could predict initial problems in such a god time before a outset problem so that measure for prevention could be taken before it is to late. With traditional process-control systems this has been difficult or impossible. The time from initial agglomeration of the bed material particles to a total defluidisation of the bed could be very short. It is therefore often too late to solve the problem when the operational personals have discovered that something is going on.The aim of the present work was therefore, in a full-scale FB-plant, to illustrate the benefits of multivariate process control and multivariate alarms for reducing the risk for agglomeration in the bed and/or in the return-valves, i.e. unplanned plant shut down. One biomass fired CFB-plant has participate in the project (Skellefteå Kraft AB). Previous agglomeration experiences in this plant have been located to the cyclone and the returnvalves.Operational-parameters such as temperatures, pressures and gas-composition etc. were continuously taken out from the traditional process-system for external multivariate treatment by principal component analysis (PCA). Simultaneously, a diary was kept with characterisation of experienced ash related problems by the operational personal. The produced PCA-models have then been used for indicating deviations from "normal" operation (multivariate alarms) for executed data taken before and in connection with the operational stop, caused by clogging of the cyclone-leg, during December 2000.The results strongly indicated that the produced PCA-model could predict the initial clogging of the cyclone-leg about 1,25 days earlier than when the operational-personal have been averred of the problem and about 1 day before a traditional alarm, set by the difference pressure over the return-leg, indicates clogging. More "problem-occasions" are still needed to definitively determine the reliability of and to "trim" the model. The transference of the model to other plants is, however, definitively limited but the methodology is highly recommended for similar boilers.Askrelaterade driftsproblem tillhör de allvar-ligaste störningarna som förekommer vid bio-bränsleeldning. Bäddagglomerering (sintring) är speciellt problematiskt vid fluidbäddeldning. I värsta fall uppstår svåra oplanerade driftsstopp på grund av total defluidisering av bädd och/eller total igensättning av CFB-anläggningars returventiler. Det vore därför önskvärt med en metod som kan förutsäga begynnande problem i till-räckligt god tid för att hinna vidta åtgärder (t ex partiellt bäddbyte) innan det är för sent. Med traditionell processövervakning har detta visat sig vara mycket svårt eller omöjligt. Från initial agglomerering av de första kornen av bädd-materialet till en förödande total defluidisering kan det gå relativt snabbt. Problemet är således att då driftspersonalen väl upptäckt problemet är det ofta för sent att åtgärda processen. Syftet med föreliggande projekt var därför att, i en storskalig FB-anläggning, illustrera användbarheten av multivariat processövervakning och multivariata larmfunktioner för tidigare upptäckt av agglomerering i bädd och/eller returventiler, och därmed minska antalet oplanerade stopp.Deltagande anläggning från Skellefteå Kraft var en biobränsleeldad CFB-anläggning (Foster Wheeler) på 90 MWth. Tidigare agglomereringsproblem har framförallt upplevts i cyklon och återföringsrör. Under driftssäsongen 2000/2001 har driftsvariabler såsom temperatur, tryck, flöden och gassammansättning m fl löpande tagits ut för multivariat behandling genom off-line klassificering med principal-komponent analys (PCA) samtidigt som en manuell dokumentering och karaktärisering av erfarna askrelaterade driftsproblem/-förlopp, har utförts av driftpersonalen. De framtagna PCA-modellerna har sedan utnyttjats för att indikera avvikelser från "normal" drift (nyttjande av multivariat alarm) för exekverade data taget före, och i samband med det driftstopp som förorsakade stopp i cyklonbenet under december 2000.Resultaten visade att den framtagna PCA-modellen troligen kan förutsäga början till svår igensättning i cyklonbenet ca 1,25 dygn tidigare än när styrsystemet gör driftpersonalen varse om problemet, och nästan ett dygn tidigare än när ett traditionellt larm byggt på signalen från differenstryckgivaren över cyklonbenet indikerar igensättning. För att definitivt kunna bestämma modellens tillförlitlighet och "trimma" modellen skulle fler problemtillfällen behöva inkluderas. Generaliserbarheten hos den framtagna modellen, d v s överfarbarheten hos den framtagna modellen till andra anläggningar, är definitivt begränsad, medan angreppssättet torde vara högst användbart för liknande anläggningar.Upprättat; 2002; 20070815 (ysko

Cholecystokinin in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid-A study in healthy young women

Cholecystokinin (CCK) is widely distributed in the brain and is known to affect behavioral and physiological functions including anxiety and pain. The expression of CCK has been shown to be regulated by estrogen and to vary during the estrous cycle in rat brain. In the present study CCK was determined in plasma from 25 healthy women (age 25.0 +/- 3.5) during the menstrual cycle, in the late luteal phase and in the follicular phase. In the follicular phase, a lumbar puncture was performed at the same time that a plasma sample was taken in 15 subjects. The participants had fasted and were nicotine-free for at least 8 h preceding the sampling. We compared CCK-like immunoreactivity (CCK-LI) in plasma from 25 subjects in the late luteal phase (LLP) and the follicular phase (FP) and found that there was no difference during the menstrual cycle (n-25, R-2 =89.60%, p = n.s.). In the follicular phase no significant difference was found between CCK-LI in plasma and in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) collected at the same time (n =15, R-2 = 55.32%, p = n.s.).Original Publication:Kristina Lundberg, Susanne Hilke, Conny Nordin, Elvar Theodorsson and Ann Josefsson, Cholecystokinin in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid-A study in healthy young women, 2010, PEPTIDES, (31), 8, 1625-1628.http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.peptides.2010.04.028Copyright: Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam.http://www.elsevier.com

N.B.: When citing this work, cite the original article. Original Publication:

http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-58776 1 Cholecystokinin in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid- a study in healthy young wome

Research & Innovation Platform for Electric Road Systems

The Swedish government has prioritized achieving a fossil fuel-independent vehicle fleet by 2030 which will require radical transformation of the transport industry. Electrifying the vehicle fleet forms an important part of this transformation. For light vehicles, electrification using batteries and charging during parking is already well advanced. For city buses, charging at bus stops and bus depots is being developed, but for heavy, long-distance road transport, batteries with enough capacity to provide sufficient range would be too cumbersome and too much time would have to be spent stationary for charging. One solution might be the introduction of electric roads, supplying the moving vehicle with electricity both to power running and for charging. In the longer term, this approach could also be used for light vehicles and buses. The objective of the Research and Innovation Platform for Electric Roads was to enhance Swedish and Nordic research and innovation in this field, this has been done by developing a joint knowledge base through collaboration with research institutions, universities, public authorities, regions, and industries. The work of the Research and Innovation Platform was intended to create clarity concerning the socioeconomic conditions, benefits, and other effects associated with electric roads. We have investigated the benefits from the perspectives of various actors, implementation strategies, operation and maintenance standards, proposed regulatory systems, and factors conducive of the acceptance and development of international collaborative activities. The project commenced in the autumn of 2016 and the main research continued until December 2019, the work during year 2020 has been focused on knowledge spread and coordination with the Swedish-Germany research collaboration on ERS (CollERS). The results of the Research and Innovation Platform have been disseminated through information meetings, seminars, and four annual international conferences. Reports have been published in the participating partners’ ordinary publication series and on www.electricroads.org. The project was funded by Strategic Vehicle Research and Innovation (FFI) and the Swedish Transport Administration

Research & Innovation Platform for Electric Road Systems

The Swedish government has prioritized achieving a fossil fuel-independent vehicle fleet by 2030 which will require radical transformation of the transport industry. Electrifying the vehicle fleet forms an important part of this transformation. For light vehicles, electrification using batteries and charging during parking is already well advanced. For city buses, charging at bus stops and bus depots is being developed, but for heavy, long-distance road transport, batteries with enough capacity to provide sufficient range would be too cumbersome and too much time would have to be spent stationary for charging. One solution might be the introduction of electric roads, supplying the moving vehicle with electricity both to power running and for charging. In the longer term, this approach could also be used for light vehicles and buses. The objective of the Research and Innovation Platform for Electric Roads was to enhance Swedish and Nordic research and innovation in this field, this has been done by developing a joint knowledge base through collaboration with research institutions, universities, public authorities, regions, and industries. The work of the Research and Innovation Platform was intended to create clarity concerning the socioeconomic conditions, benefits, and other effects associated with electric roads. We have investigated the benefits from the perspectives of various actors, implementation strategies, operation and maintenance standards, proposed regulatory systems, and factors conducive of the acceptance and development of international collaborative activities. The project commenced in the autumn of 2016 and the main research continued until December 2019, the work during year 2020 has been focused on knowledge spread and coordination with the Swedish-Germany research collaboration on ERS (CollERS). The results of the Research and Innovation Platform have been disseminated through information meetings, seminars, and four annual international conferences. Reports have been published in the participating partners’ ordinary publication series and on www.electricroads.org. The project was funded by Strategic Vehicle Research and Innovation (FFI) and the Swedish Transport Administration.FoI plattform för elväga