Acetylcholine is well established as the neurotransmitter of starburst amacrine cells in the vertebrate retina but their function is poorly understood. We compared the distribution of muscarinic m2 receptors in the rat retina with the localization of the starburst cell processes. mAChR2 immunoreactivity appeared in a central band in the inner plexiform layer, which did not co-localize with the pro

This article discusses the emergence of the episcopal see in Växjö. Contrary to previous research, which has been focused on written sources only, this article also discusses the archaeological record. The result implies that vivid connections between Scania, Denmark and southern Småland can be traced in the Late Iron Age and Early Middle Ages. This is shown by similarities in grave types, runic s

Semi-arid regions play an increasingly important role as a sink within the global carbon (C) cycle and is the main biome driving inter-annual variability in carbon dioxide (CO2) uptake by terrestrial ecosystems. This indicates the need for detailed studies of spatiotemporal variability in C cycling for semi-arid ecosystems. We have synthesized data on the land-atmosphere exchange of CO2 measured w

The BGO Rugby Ball is a large solid angle electromagnetic calorimeter now installed in the ELSA Facility in Bonn. The BGO is operating in the BGO-OD experiment aiming to study meson photoproduction off proton and neutron induced by a Bremsstrahlung polarized gamma beam of energies from 0.2 to 3.2 GeV and an intensity of 5 × 107 photons per second. The scintillating material characteristics and the

The results obtained at the BGO-OD experiment with the BGO calorimeter, equipped with the new electronic readout based on sampling ADCs, during the tests performed with the beam time of March and June 2012 are presented. The proper functioning of the apparatus has allowed the reconstruction of the pseudo-scalar mesons π0 and η invariant masses. The simulation of the η' photoproduction reaction pre

This study investigates older inhabitants’ appreciation of environmental measures taken in their residential area and the effect on perceived difficulty as pedestrians and in outdoor activity. The study is based on data collected with a mailed questionnaire at baseline and at a 5-year follow-up (after intervention) posted to 195 people aged 65+ in a residential area in a medium-sized Swedish town,

BACKGROUND: Accumulating evidence supports a role for the immune system in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. Importantly, recent preclinical studies are now suggesting a specific contribution of inflammation to the α-synuclein-induced pathology seen in this condition.METHODS: We used flow cytometry and western blots to detect toll-like receptor 2 and 4 expression in blood and brain samples

Although the concept of cell-based therapy for Parkinson's disease has been around for more than three decades with proof-of-concept studies in man having been achieved, it still remains a controversial experimental therapy. In this review, we discuss the reasons for this and the challenges that this approach generates in the treatment of Parkinson's disease in terms of adopting better strategies

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder largely of idiopathic nature with the exceptions of rare familial forms, and is characterized by both motor and non-motor disturbances. Pathologically, most motor features are the result of a dramatic loss of ventral tier mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons and thus dopamine content at their target sites. Although the exact etiology of

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a notorious opportunistic foodborne pathogen and also a common cause of bovine mastitis. It is known to produce many different virulence factors, including various staphylococcal enterotoxins and toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1). The aim of this work was to investigate the regulation, expression, formation and role of S. aureus toxins in relation to food s

Cystatin C is produced in all nucleated cells. It has various functions and biological activities. Researchers are focused on its role in kidney diseases as a marker of glomerular filtration but also as a very important link in development of amyloid diseases. This work describes expression and purification of both wild type (wt) and stabilized form (stab 1 and 2) of wt cystatin C and amyloid-form

Lipases are key components in the mechanisms underlying the persistence and virulence of infections by fungi, and thus also promising triggers for bioresponsive lipid-based liquid crystalline nanoparticles. We here propose a platform in which only a minor component of the formulation is susceptible to cleavage by lipase and where hydrolysis triggers a controlled phase transition within the nanopar