354 research outputs found
ICAM G241A polymorphism and soluble ICAM-1 serum levels: Evidence for an active immune process in schizophrenia
Objectives: We have previously reported reduced serum levels of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) in schizophrenic patients. A single-nucleotide polymorphism ( SNP) of the ICAM-1 gene was described at position 241. The G --> A SNP results in a nonsynonymous amino acid exchange of the ICAM-1 protein, and the A allele was shown to be also associated with several immunological disorders like rheumatoid arthritis. Methods: We investigated 70 schizophrenic patients and 128 unrelated healthy control persons regarding the relationship between the serum levels of sICAM-1 and the ICAM-1 G214A polymorphism. Results: We were able to replicate our previous finding of reduced sICAM-1 levels in schizophrenia. Healthy control persons carrying the polymorphic A allele showed markedly lower sICAM-1 serum levels than carriers of the homozygous GG wild type ( p < 0.004). In contrast, no significant difference in the sICAM-1 serum levels were seen regarding the G241A genotype distribution in schizophrenic patients. Conclusion: We hypothesize that the biochemical effect of the G241A SNP is masked in schizophrenic patients, indicating a disease-related mechanism leading to reduced levels of sICAM-1 in schizophrenia. Copyright (C) 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel
Introducing a new method for classifying skull shape abnormalities related to craniosynostosis
We present a novel technique for classification of skull deformities due to most common craniosynostosis. We included 5 children of every group of the common craniosynostoses (scaphocephaly, brachycephaly, trigonocephaly, and right- and left-sided anterior plagiocephaly) and additionally 5 controls. Our outline-based classification method is described, using the software programs OsiriX, MeVisLab, and Matlab. These programs were used to identify chosen landmarks (porion and exocanthion), create a base plane and a plane at 4 cm, segment outlines, and plot resulting graphs. We measured repeatability and reproducibility, and mean curves of groups were analyzed. All raters achieved excellent intraclass correlation scores (0.994–1.000) and interclass correlation scores (0.989–1.000) for identifying the external landmarks. Controls, scaphocephaly, trigonocephaly, and brachycephaly all have the peak of the forehead in the middle of the curve (180°). In contrary, in anterior plagiocephaly, the peak is shifted (to the left of graph in right-sided and vice versa). Additionally, controls, scaphocephaly, and trigonocephaly have a high peak of the forehead; scaphocephaly has the lowest troughs; in brachycephaly, the width/frontal peak ratio has the highest valu
Q^2 Evolution of Generalized Baldin Sum Rule for the Proton
The generalized Baldin sum rule for virtual photon scattering, the
unpolarized analogy of the generalized Gerasimov-Drell-Hearn integral, provides
an important way to investigate the transition between perturbative QCD and
hadronic descriptions of nucleon structure. This sum rule requires integration
of the nucleon structure function F_1, which until recently had not been
measured at low Q^2 and large x, i.e. in the nucleon resonance region. This
work uses new data from inclusive electron-proton scattering in the resonance
region obtained at Jefferson Lab, in combination with SLAC deep inelastic
scattering data, to present first precision measurements of the generalized
Baldin integral for the proton in the Q^2 range of 0.3 to 4.0 GeV^2.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, one table; text added, one figure replace
Demonstration of superluminal effects in an absorptionless, non-reflective system
We present an experimental and theoretical study of a simple, passive system
consisting of a birefringent, two-dimensional photonic crystal and a polarizer
in series, and show that superluminal dispersive effects can arise even though
no incident radiation is absorbed or reflected. We demonstrate that a vector
formulation of the Kramers-Kronig dispersion relations facilitates an
understanding of these counter-intuitive effects.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, accepted on Physical Review Letter
Orbital volume, ophthalmic sequelae and severity in unilateral coronal synostosis
Purpose: Unilateral coronal synostosis (UCS) results in an asymmetrical skull, including shallow and asymmetrical orbits, associated with reduced orbital volume and high prevalences of ophthalmic sequelae. Aim is to link orbital volumes in patients with UCS to severity according to UCSQ (Utrecht Cranial Shape Quantifier) and presence of ophthalmic sequelae. Methods: We included preoperative patients with UCS (≤ 18 months). Orbital volume was measured on CT scans by manual segmentation (Mimics software (Materialise, Leuven, Belgium)), and severity of UCS was determined by UCSQ. Orbital volume of affected side was compared to unaffected side using Wilcoxon signed rank test. Orbital volume ratio was calculated (affected/unaffected volume) and compared to the category of UCSQ by Kruskal-Wallis test. Opthalmic sequelae were noted. Results: We included 19 patients (mean age 7 months). Orbital volume on affected side was significantly lower (p = 0.001), mean orbital volume ratio was 0.93 (SD 0.03). No significant differences in group means of orbital volume ratio between different levels of severity of UCSQ were found (Kruskal-Wallis H (2) = 0.873; p > 0.05). Ophthalmic sequelae were found in 3 patients; one had adduction impairment and strabismus (mild UCS), one had astigmatism (moderate UCS), and one had abduction impairment (on both ipsi- and contralateral side) and vertical strabismus (severe UCS). Conclusion: No association between orbital volume ratio an
Enhanced suppresion of localization in a continuous Random-Dimer Model
We consider a one-dimensional continuous (Kronig-Penney) extension of the
(tight-binding) Random Dimer model of Dunlap et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 65, 88
(1990)]. We predict that the continuous model has infinitely many resonances
(zeroes of the reflection coefficient) giving rise to extended states instead
of the one resonance arising in the discrete version. We present exact,
transfer-matrix numerical calculations supporting, both realizationwise and on
the average, the conclusion that the model has a very large number of extended
states.Comment: 10 pages, 3 Figures available on request, REVTeX 3.0, MA/UC3M/1/9
Can Light Signals Travel Faster than c in Nontrivial Vacuua in Flat space-time? Relativistic Causality II
In this paper we show that the Scharnhorst effect (Vacuum with boundaries or
a Casimir type vacuum) cannot be used to generate signals showing measurable
faster-than-c speeds. Furthermore, we aim to show that the Scharnhorst effect
would violate special relativity, by allowing for a variable speed of light in
vacuum, unless one can specify a small invariant length scale. This invariant
length scale would be agreed upon by all inertial observers. We hypothesize the
approximate scale of the invariant length.Comment: 12 pages no figure
Spectral Analysis of a Two Body Problem with Zero Range Perturbation
We consider a class of singular, zero-range perturbations of the Hamiltonian
of a quantum system composed by a test particle and a harmonic oscillators in
dimension one, two and three and we study its spectrum. In facts we give a
detailed characterization of point spectrum and its asymptotic behavior with
respect to the parameters entering the Hamiltonian. We also partially describe
the positive spectrum and scattering properties of the Hamiltonian.Comment: Version submitted for publication, AMStex, 22 page
On the Green function of linear evolution equations for a region with a boundary
We derive a closed-form expression for the Green function of linear evolution
equations with the Dirichlet boundary condition for an arbitrary region, based
on the singular perturbation approach to boundary problems.Comment: 9 page
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