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Abstract Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by selective loss of dopaminergic neurons and progressive accumulation of intracellular alpha synuclein protein aggregates known as Lewy bodies. Due to pathological links to both sporadic and inherited cases of PD, alpha synuclein (asyn) has become a focal point for study, although the exact mechanisms of its toxicity are not known. In contrast to

This thesis is focusing on the protection of fundamental human rights at work for third country migrant workers in the European Union, a region which attracts more and more migrant workers in recent years. The first Chapter introduces the background briefly, the methodology and the sources on which the research is conducted on and provides the scope and definition of the issues which are under dis

Asylum seekers and refugees are one of the most demonised and marginalised social groups in Europe. Ireland's current agenda for dealing with refugees and asylum seekers is inadequate. The government of Ireland is aware of the inadequacy of response and has proposed to make a number of changes that will improve the standard of living for those who chose to apply for inclusion in Ireland. Howev

Lipid membrane and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) interactions were investigated for a series of amphiphilic and cationic peptides derived from human heparin cofactor II (HCII), using dual polarization interferometry, ellipsometry, circular dichroism (CD), cryoTEM, and z-potential measurements. Antimicrobial effects of these peptides were compared to their ability to disorder bacterial lipid membranes,

The immobilization of functional biomolecules to surfaces is a critical process for the development of biosensors for disease diagnostics. In this work we report the patterned attachment of single chain fragment variable (scFv) antibodies to the surface of metal oxides by the photodeprotection of self-assembled monolayers, using near-UV light. The photodeprotection step alters the functionality at

Chiral bicyclic diols based on bicyclo[2.2.2]octane and bicyclo[2.2.1]heptane have been synthesized and their catalytic capacity in the asymmetric diethylzinc addition to benzaldehyde compared with those described for previously synthesized 2,6-bicyclo[2.2.2]octane-diols (BODOLs). The influence of the number of coordinating sites and the distance between them were studied. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. A

Background: Musculoskeletal disorders are very common and almost inevitable in an individual's lifetime. Enabling self-management and allowing the individual to take responsibility for care is stated as desired in the management of these disorders, but this may be asking more than people can generally manage. A willingness among people to take responsibility for musculoskeletal disorders and not p

Perivascular adult stem cells have been isolated from several tissues, including the adult human brain. They have unique signatures resembling both pericytes and mesenchymal stem cells. Understanding the nature of these cells in their specific vascular niches is important to determine their clinical potential as a new adult stem cell source. Indeed, they have promising features in vitro in terms o

There is a growing scientific consensus that limiting the increase in global average temperature to around 2 C above pre-industrial levels is necessary to avoid unacceptable impact on the climate system. This requires that the developed countries' emissions are radically reduced during the next 40 years. Energy scenario studies provide insights on the societal transitions that might be implied by

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a highly disabling disease affecting all structures of the joint. Understanding the pathology behind the development of RA is essential for developing targeted therapeutic strategies as well as for developing novel markers to predict disease onset. Several molecules normally hidden within the cartilage tissue are exposed to complement components in the synovial fluid u

A concept for time-sensitive optical detectors is described that shows how to confirm whether the detection device is operating in the linear response regime. By evaluating the recorded time decay of a thermographic phosphor, even weak saturation effects far from obvious situations can be identified and further related to either optical or electrical saturation. The concept has been validated by r

A means for noninvasive measurement of transverse and longitudinal characteristics of bunched beams in synchrotrons has been developed based on high sensitivity slotted waveguide pickups. The pickups allow for bandwidths exceeding hundreds of MHz while maintaining good beam sensitivity characteristics. Wide bandwidth is essential to allow bunch-by-bunch measurements by means of a fast gate. The Sc

Background: Proteins can be used in drug delivery systems to improve pharmacological properties of an active substance. Differences in pH between tissues can be utilized in order to achieve a targeted drug release at a specific location or tissue, such as a tumor. The enamel matrix protein amelogenin has a pH dependent solubility profile and self-assemble to form aggregates at neutral pH. This cou

Background: Critical needs for treatment trials in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) include assessing response to treatment, evaluating symptom severity, and translation of symptom questionnaires into multiple languages. We evaluated the previously validated Reflux Disease Questionnaire (RDQ) for internal consistency, reliability, responsiveness to change during treatment and the concordance

Stable isotope analysis provides a powerful tool for describing the energetic pathways in a variety of ecosystems. However, isotope ratios of animal tissues can be altered by preservation methods, potentially leading to biased estimates of energy pathways when they are not taken into account. Here, we investigated the direct preservation effects of formalin, ethanol, NaCl, and drying on the delta

To test the hypothesis that dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) is important for sustaining primary production by the microphytobenthos (MPB) in nitrogen-limited conditions, we measured the uptake of (15)N-labelled urea, the amino acids glycine (GLY) and glutamic acid (GLU), and nitrate and ammonium under simulated in situ light and temperature conditions. Microphytobenthic primary production and chl