Continuous Characterization of Insoluble Particles in Ice Cores Using the Single-Particle Extinction and Scattering Method.

This study presents the integration of the single-particle extinction and scattering (SPES) method in a continuous flow analysis (CFA) setup. Continuous measurements with the instrument allow for the characterization of water-insoluble particles in ice cores at high resolution with a minimized risk of contamination. The SPES method can be used to investigate particles smaller than 1 μm, which previously could not be detected by instruments typically used in CFA.

Studying item-effect variables and their correlation patterns with multi-construct multi-state models.

Method effects on the item level can be modeled as latent difference variables in longitudinal data. These item-effect variables represent interindividual differences associated with responses to a specific item when assessing a common construct with multi-item scales. In latent variable analyses, their inclusion substantially improves model fits in comparison to classical unidimensional measurement models.

Vitamin D and Its Analogues: From Differences in Molecular Mechanisms to Potential Benefits of Adapted Use in the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease.

Lifestyle habits and insufficient sunlight exposure lead to a high prevalence of vitamin D hypovitaminosis, especially in the elderly. Recent studies suggest that in central Europe more than 50% of people over 60 years are not sufficiently supplied with vitamin D. Since vitamin D hypovitaminosis is associated with many diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), vitamin D supplementation seems to be particularly useful for this vulnerable age population.

Aspartame and Its Metabolites Cause Oxidative Stress and Mitochondrial and Lipid Alterations in SH-SY5Y Cells.

Due to a worldwide increase in obesity and metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes, synthetic sweeteners such as aspartame are frequently used to substitute sugar in the diet. Possible uncertainties regarding aspartame's ability to induce oxidative stress, amongst others, has led to the recommendation of a daily maximum dose of 40 to 50 mg per kg. To date, little is known about the effects of this non-nutritive sweetener on cellular lipid homeostasis, which, besides elevated oxidative stress, plays an important role in the pathogenesis of various diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease.

Gemfibrozil-Induced Intracellular Triglyceride Increase in SH-SY5Y, HEK and Calu-3 Cells.

Gemfibrozil is a drug that has been used for over 40 years to lower triglycerides in blood. As a ligand for peroxisome proliferative-activated receptor-alpha (PPARα), which is expressed in many tissues, it induces the transcription of numerous genes for carbohydrate and lipid-metabolism. However, nothing is known about how intracellular lipid-homeostasis and, in particular, triglycerides are affected.