4,360 research outputs found
Reanalysis of the GALLEX solar neutrino flux and source experiments
After the completion of the gallium solar neutrino experiments at the
Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (GALLEX}: 1991-1997; GNO: 1998-2003) we
have retrospectively updated the GALLEX results with the help of new technical
data that were impossible to acquire for principle reasons before the
completion of the low rate measurement phase (that is, before the end of the
GNO solar runs). Subsequent high rate experiments have allowed the calibration
of absolute internal counter efficiencies and of an advanced pulse shape
analysis for counter background discrimination. The updated overall result for
GALLEX (only) is (73.4 +7.1 -7.3) SNU. This is 5.3% below the old value of
(77.5 + 7.5 -7.8) SNU (PLB 447 (1999) 127-133) with a substantially reduced
error. A similar reduction is obtained from the reanalysis of the 51Cr neutrino
source experiments of 1994/1995.Comment: Accepted by Physics Letters B January 13, 201
Total and phosphorylated tau proteins: Evaluation as core biomarker candidates in frontotemporal dementia
An ever increasing number of patients with neurodegenerative disorders calls for the evaluation of potential diagnostic markers that allow an early diagnosis and an early initiation of specific therapy. Clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common neurodegenerative disorder, reaches 80-90% accuracy upon autopsy in specialized clinical centers. Diagnosis of AD in early clinical or preclinical stages is far less accurate, as is the differential diagnosis between AD and other primary dementias, such as frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Microtubule-associated tau protein is abnormally phosphorylated in AD and aggregates as paired helical filaments in neurofibrillary tangles. Recently, immunoassays have been developed detecting tau phosphorylated at specific epitopes in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Four years of clinical research consistently demonstrate that CSF phosphorylated tau (p-tau) is highly increased in AD compared to healthy controls and may differentiate AD from its most relevant differential diagnoses. Tau phosphorylated at threonine 231 (p-tau(231)) shows excellent differentiation between AD and FTD, whereas serine 181 (p-tau(181)) enhances accurate differentiation between AD and dementia with Lewy bodies. Moreover, p-tau(231) levels decline with disease progression, correlating with cognitive performance at baseline. Total tau (t-tau) is regarded as a general marker of neurodegeneration for evaluation in future population-based studies. p-tau(231) and p-tau(181) yield excellent discrimination between AD and non-AD dementias including FTD, exceeding the differential diagnostic and prognostic accuracy of t-tau. Therefore, p-tau is a core biological marker candidate for future evaluation in large national and international multicenter networks. Copyright (C) 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel
R Coronae Borealis Stars are Viable Factories of Pre-solar Grains
We present a new theoretical estimate for the birthrate of R Coronae Borealis
(RCB) stars that is in agreement with recent observational data. We find the
current Galactic birthrate of RCB stars to be 25% of the Galactic
rate of Type Ia supernovae, assuming that RCB stars are formed through the
merger of carbon-oxygen and helium-rich white dwarfs. Our new RCB birthrate
( yr) is a factor of 10 lower than previous
theoretical estimates. This results in roughly 180--540 RCB stars in the
Galaxy, depending on the RCB lifetime. From the theoretical and observational
estimates, we calculate the total dust production from RCB stars and compare
this rate to dust production from novae and born-again asymptotic giant branch
(AGB) stars. We find that the amount of dust produced by RCB stars is
comparable to the amounts produced by novae or born-again post-AGB stars,
indicating that these merger objects are a viable source of carbonaceous
pre-solar grains in the Galaxy. There are graphite grains with carbon and
oxygen isotopic ratios consistent with the observed composition of RCB stars,
adding weight to the suggestion that these rare objects are a source of
stardust grains.Comment: Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal, 7 page
Threshold logic implementation of a modular computer system design
Threshold logic implementation for LSI design of modular computer syste
Biomarker-Drug and Liquid Biopsy Co-development for Disease Staging and Targeted Therapy: Cornerstones for Alzheimer's Precision Medicine and Pharmacology.
Systems biology studies have demonstrated that different (epi)genetic and pathophysiological alterations may be mapped onto a single tumor's clinical phenotype thereby revealing commonalities shared by cancers with divergent phenotypes. The success of this approach in cancer based on analyses of traditional and emerging body fluid-based biomarkers has given rise to the concept of liquid biopsy enabling a non-invasive and widely accessible precision medicine approach and a significant paradigm shift in the management of cancer. Serial liquid biopsies offer clues about the evolution of cancer in individual patients across disease stages enabling the application of individualized genetically and biologically guided therapies. Moreover, liquid biopsy is contributing to the transformation of drug research and development strategies as well as supporting clinical practice allowing identification of subsets of patients who may enter pathway-based targeted therapies not dictated by clinical phenotypes alone. A similar liquid biopsy concept is emerging for Alzheimer's disease, in which blood-based biomarkers adaptable to each patient and stage of disease, may be used for positive and negative patient selection to facilitate establishment of high-value drug targets and counter-measures for drug resistance. Going beyond the "one marker, one drug" model, integrated applications of genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, receptor expression and receptor cell biology and conformational status assessments during biomarker-drug co-development may lead to a new successful era for Alzheimer's disease therapeutics. We argue that the time is now for implementing a liquid biopsy-guided strategy for the development of drugs that precisely target Alzheimer's disease pathophysiology in individual patients
Results of ultra-low level 71ge counting for application in the Gallex-solar neutrino experiment at the Gran Sasso Underground Physics Laboratory
It has been experimentally verified that the Ultra-Low-Level Counting System for the Gallex solar neutrino experiment is capable of measuring the expected solar up silon-flux to plus or minus 12% during two years of operation
Melanoma-associated adhesion molecule MUC18/MCAM (CD146) and transcriptional regulator Mader in normal human CNS
The proteins MUC18 and Mader have been identified as markers of tumor progression in melanoma cells, MUC18, also known as MCAM (melanoma cell adhesion molecule) and as CD146 (endothelial antigen), is a cell adhesion molecule belonging to the immunoglobulin superfamily, Mader is a transcriptional regulator shown to negatively regulate EGR-1. As it is known that neoplastic cells of neuroectodermal origin frequently express neuron-specific molecules, we studied whether these melanoma-associated antigens are found in normal CNS tissue. We investigated the expression of MUC18/MCAM and Mader in adult human post mortem CNS tissue by immunohistochemistry, immunoblot and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Our results show that Mader is preferentially expressed on neurons and glial cells and that the adhesion protein MUC18/MCAM is mainly expressed on vasculature within the CNS. These observations may have important implications for further studies investigating their possible roles in cell adhesion and proliferation control within the CNS
Pictures of Synthetic Biology: A reflective discussion of the representation of Synthetic Biology (SB) in the German-language media and by SB experts
This article is concerned with the representation of Synthetic Biology in the media and by biotechnology experts. An analysis was made of German-language media articles published between 2004 and 2008, and interviews with biotechnology-experts at the Synthetic Biology conference SB 3.0 in Zurich 2007. The results have been reflected in terms of the definition of Synthetic Biology, applications of Synthetic Biology and the perspectives of opportunities and risks. In the media, Synthetic Biology is represented as a new scientific field of biology with an engineering-like thinking, while the scientists interviewed mostly define Synthetic Biology as contrary to nature and the natural system. Media articles present Synthetic Biology broadly with positive potential and inform the publics less about the potential risks than about the benefits of Synthetic Biology. In contrast, the experts interviewed reflect more on the risks than the opportunities of Synthetic Biology. Both used metaphors to describe Synthetic Biology and its aspects
V2:Performance of the solid deuterium ultra-cold neutron source at the pulsed reactor TRIGA Mainz
The performance of the solid deuterium ultra-cold neutron source at the
pulsed reactor TRIGA Mainz with a maximum peak energy of 10 MJ is described.
The solid deuterium converter with a volume of V=160 cm3 (8 mol), which is
exposed to a thermal neutron fluence of 4.5x10^13 n/cm2, delivers up to 550 000
UCN per pulse outside of the biological shield at the experimental area. UCN
densities of ~ 10/cm3 are obtained in stainless steel bottles of V ~ 10 L
resulting in a storage efficiency of ~20%. The measured UCN yields compare well
with the predictions from a Monte Carlo simulation developed to model the
source and to optimize its performance for the upcoming upgrade of the TRIGA
Mainz into a user facility for UCN physics.Comment: 23 pages, 8 figure
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