The influence on the crack growth rate for a short edge crack under fatigue loading due to changes in crack length, grain size, load range and grain boundary configuration, is investigated under quasi-static and plane strain conditions. The geometry is modelled by distributed dislocation dipole elements in a boundary element method approach and the plasticity is described by discrete dislocations.

Laminin (LN) {alpha}2 chain deficiency in humans and mice leads to severe forms of congenital muscular dystrophy (CMD). Here, we investigated whether LN{alpha}1 chain in mice can compensate for the absence of LN{alpha}2 chain and prevent the development of muscular dystrophy. We generated mice expressing a LN{alpha}1 chain transgene in skeletal muscle of LN{alpha}2 chain deficient mice. LN{alpha}1

Rheology and phase separation were investigated for aqueous mixtures of two oppositely charged hydrophobically modified polyelectrolytes. The typical phase separation, normally seen for oppositely charged polymer mixtures, is dramatically reduced by the presence of hydrophobic modification, and phase separation is only detected close to the point of charge neutralization. While the two polyelectro

In as tationary stochastic process the wave-length and amplitude are defined as the difference in time and height between a crest and the following trough. The distributions of these quantities are of great practical importance, but no closed form expressions are known at present. In previous papers we have presented an approximation which gives correct upper and lower bounds, regardless of the co

Fifty consecutive outpatients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) received treatment with the cholinesterase inhibitor tacrine in an open longitudinal study. Assessments using Mini-Mental State Examination, Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale – cognitive subscale, and a global rating were made at baseline and at 6, 12, 24, 36, 48 and 60 months. Three outcome groups were characterized: responders, uncha

Objectives To assess, first, the prevalence and severity of symptoms associated with the climacteric period and their treatment and, second, the prevalence of exercise, smoking and body weight in a population-based sample of Swedish women. Material and methods Prospective, longitudinal cohort study, initiated in 1992, in women aged 46, 50, 54, 58 and 62 years with a follow-up 6 years later. Inform

The outermost, singly ionized valence state of N-2, the X (2)Sigma(g)(+) state, is investigated in detail as a function of the photon frequency bandwidth for core excitation to the N 1s-->pi(*) resonance, where the photon frequency is tuned in between the first two vibrational levels of this bound intermediate electronic state. We find a strong, nontrivial dependence of the resulting resonant phot

Dysphagia is a common symptom from the oral cavity, pharynx and esophagus, and its causes may be morphological or functional. A biphasic barium swallow is the best way of evaluating these patients. Using a careful clinical history, and by tailoring the examination to the individual case, the radiologist is usually able to pinpoint the cause of the patient's complaints and suggest further diagnosti

Several hundred specimens of a tiny olenid trilobite, Ctenopyge ceciliae sp. nov., have been found in stinkstone nodules in the upper Cambrian Peltura scarabaeoides Zone in southern Sweden. This exceptionally spinose form is known only from disarticulated specimens, but is quite well preserved, and all growth stages are represented. The early ontogenetic stages are exceptionally small, the protasp

In 1782, Jon Petursson, a district physician in Northern Iceland, published a textbook on arthritis and its remedies intended for common use. Working within a very simple diagnostic system, essentially comprising osteoarthritis (arthritis h a ) and inflammatory arthritis (arthritis vaga), he describes arthritis vaga as a common, chronic, symmetric, destructive, inflammatory polyarthritis, sometime

According to optimal defence theory (ODT) plants should invest in stronger defence in the most valuable parts, such as reproductive or young tissue. Cotton plants are known to express high resistance to herbivore feeding in the developing leaves at the top of the plant after herbivore-damage. Cotton plants also have developing leaves on side shoots from the nodes all along the plant. This allowed

Overexpression of human alpha-synuclein (alpha-syn) using recombinant adeno-associated viral (rAAV) vectors provides a novel tool to study neurodegenerative processes seen in Parkinson's disease and other synucleinopathies. We used a pseudotyped rAAV2/5 vector to express human wild-type (wt) alpha-syn, A53T mutated alpha-syn, or the green fluorescent protein (GFP) in the primate ventral midbrain.

In the wood-to-ethanol process, pretreatment of the material is necessary prior to enzymatic hydrolysis to obtain high overall yields of sugar and ethanol. Steam pretreatment of fast-growing Salix either with or without SO2 impregnation has been investigated by varying different parameters. Overall glucose yields of above 90% and overall xylose yields higher than 80% were obtained both with and wi

The aims are to study personality characteristics of patients with memory complaints and to assess the presence of objective (OMI) versus subjective (SMI) memory impairment, the affective status, as well as potential gender differences. The patients were assessed by means of a neuropsychiatric examination and a neuropsychological test-battery. The Swedish version of the revised NEO Personality Inv

Aims/hypothesis Most studies of diet in glucose intolerance and type 2 diabetes have focused on intakes of fat, carbohydrate, fibre, fruits and vegetables. Instead, we aimed to compare diets that were available during human evolution with more recently introduced ones. Methods Twenty-nine patients with ischaemic heart disease plus either glucose intolerance or type 2 diabetes were randomised to re