| 1. |
- A. Bateki, Christian, et al.
(författare)
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Of milk and mobiles: Assessing the potential of cellphone applications to reduce cattle milk yield gaps in Africa using a case study
- 2021
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Ingår i: Computers and Electronics in Agriculture. - : Elsevier BV. - 0168-1699. ; 191
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- There are growing expectations that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) applications could help improve on-farm yields amongst smallholder farmers in developing countries, and consequently, food and nutrition security. However, few studies have quantified the actual contribution of ICT applications on farmers’ yields, and these studies predominantly focused on crop production. We assessed the potential of ICT applications to close milk yield gaps among small- and medium scale dairy cattle farmers in Africa. First, we developed a theoretical framework summarizing biophysical and socio-economic constraints that foster milk yield gaps and discussed which constraints can be addressed using ICT applications. Second, using a case study of a feeding advice application for dairy cattle pre-tested with farmers in rural Kenya, we analyzed how much stand-alone the application could contribute to close dairy cattle milk yield gaps. Our findings suggest that ICT applications could help address some existing biophysical and socio-economic constraints fostering milk yield gaps, including data collection for breeding programs, feeding management advice, and facilitating access to markets and capital. Our stand-alone ICT application closed yield gaps by 2 % to 6 % on representative farms. Several factors may explain the limited actual contribution of selected ICT applications to reduce existing milk yield gaps, including the quality of the input data and models used in ICT applications, and more structural constraints that cannot be addressed by digital tools. Therefore, although ICT applications could help address constraints to achieving higher milk yields on dairy farms, a significant contribution to improve yields may only be achieved when conditions surrounding their use are adequate.
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| 2. |
- A, Dell'Isola, et al.
(författare)
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The role of pain and walking difficulties in shaping willingness to undergo joint surgery for osteoarthritis: Data from the Swedish BOA register
- 2021
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Ingår i: Osteoarthritis and Cartilage Open. - : Elsevier BV. - 2665-9131. ; 3:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives: To investigate whether the association between pain intensity and willingness to undergo surgery is explained by walking difficulties, in patients with knee or hip osteoarthritis (OA). Methods: This is an observational study using data from the Better management of patients with Osteoarthritis (BOA) register, which collects data from a publicly financed self-management programme for people with OA in Sweden. We included all patients with knee or hip OA who attended the baseline visit between 2008 and 2016. We conducted separate mediation analyses within a counterfactual framework to estimate the mediation effect of walking difficulties (yes/no) on willingness to undergo surgery (yes/no) for each one-point increase in pain (0–10 on a numeric rating scale), adjusted for relevant confounders. Results: We included 72,131 patients (69% women, mean age 66, mean pain 5.4, 81% had walking difficulties, 27% was willing to undergo surgery). A one-point increase in pain intensity was associated with 1.53 (95% CI: 1.51; 1.55) higher odds of being willing to undergo surgery. Walking difficulties mediated 10%–25% of the effect of one-point increase in pain when pain was <8/10, while at pain ≥8/10 this percentage decreased to 3%. Conclusions: More than 80% of the BOA patients have mild to moderate pain (<8/10) and walking difficulties can mediate up to a quarter of the total effect of pain on the willingness to undergo surgery in these patients. Trials to evaluate the potential to lower surgery demand by reducing walking difficulties in people with these characteristics are needed.
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| 3. |
- A, Komonen, et al.
(författare)
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Insects associated with fruit bodies of the wood-decaying fungus Oak mazegill (Daedalea quercina) in mixed oak forests in southern Sweden
- 2012
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Ingår i: Entomologisk Tidskrift. - 0013-886X. ; 133:4, s. 173-181
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Polypores host species rich insect assemblages, but relatively few polypore species have been studied in detail. We investigated insect assemblages associated with the fruit bodies of Daedalea quercina, a specialist species on oak in southern Sweden. Fruit bodies (n = 228) were collected from 25 nature reserves and woodland key habitats, and were taken into the laboratory to collect emerging insects. A total of 245 insect individuals were recorded, belonging to at least 45 species. The numerically dominant fungivores were the tineid moths Montescardia tessulatella (n = 38 individuals) and Nemapogon fungivorellus (n = 10) and the coleopteran Ennearthron cornutum (Ciidae) (n = 44). Altogether 40 individuals of hymenopteran parasitoids were recorded, belonging to Braconidae (Exothecinae, Microgastrinae and Rogadinae, altogether 6 spp.), Ichneumonidae (Banchinae, Cryptinae and Orthocentrinae, altogether 4 spp.), Torymidae (1 sp.), Perilampidae (1 sp.) and Scelionidae (1 sp.). Most of the remaining insect species are not specifically associated with fruit bodies, but occupy many types of decaying material. In conclusion, D. quercina hosted a low number of insect individuals in general and only a few coleopteran species. The fungus apparently has only one specialist species, N. fungivorellus, which is a near-threatened (NT) species on the Swedish red list; the record from Norra Vi is the first from the Jönköping. The overall low number of insect individuals and the dominance of Lepidoptera among the fungivores is possibly explained by the tough fruit bodies of D. quercina, which only moths are able to utilize; fruit bodies which had already started to rot were devoid of moths.
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| 4. |
- A. Nojima,, et al.
(författare)
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Calculational aspects of electron-phonon coupling at surfaces
- 2008
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Ingår i: J. Phys: Condens. Matter. - : IOP Publishing. - 1361-648X .- 0953-8984. ; 20
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We study the validity of two frequently used approximations in calculations of electron–phonon coupling at surfaces. The rigid-ion approximation is a standard approximation used for the bulk metals. On the basis of density functional theory calculations, we find that for Be this approximation is as valid for surface atoms as for bulk atoms. In addition, the slab method for calculations of a phonon induced surface state lifetime is examined. The convergence of the electron–phonon matrix element with respect to the thickness of the slab is studied for several systems. When the number of slab layers is increased, the net effect of decreasing overlap and increasing number of final states depends strongly on the decay length of the surface state wavefunction and the band structure.
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| 5. |
- A. Nojima,, et al.
(författare)
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Model Eliashberg function for surface states
- 2008
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Ingår i: Applied Surface Science. ; 254:23
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present a simplified procedure for the analysis of the phonon-induced lifetimes of surface states. The model includes information about the electron and phonon structure and is thus more reliable than procedures based on phonon Debye models. We apply the model to calculate the lifetime broadening of Cu(1 1 1) and Al(0 0 1) surface states. The obtained Eliashberg functions and lifetimes are in reasonable agreement with previous detailed studies.
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| 6. |
- A.O., Tillmar, et al.
(författare)
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Using X-chromosomal markers in relationship testing: Calculation of likelihood ratios taking both linkage and linkage disequilibrium into account
- 2011
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Ingår i: Forensic Science International: Genetics. - : Elsevier BV. - 1872-4973 .- 1878-0326. ; 5:5, s. 506-511
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- X-chromosomal markers in forensic genetics have become more widely used during recent years, particularly for relationship testing. Linkage and linkage disequilibrium (LD) must typically be accounted for when using close X-chromosomal markers. Thus, when producing the weight-of-evidence, given by a DNA-analysis with markers that are linked, the normally used product rule is invalid. Here we present an implementation of an efficient model for calculating likelihood ratios (LRs) with markers on the X-chromosome which are linked and in LD. Furthermore, the model was applied on several cases based on data from the eight X-chromosomal loci included in the Mentype® Argus X-8 (Biotype). Using a simulation approach we showed that the use of X-chromosome data can offer valuable information for choosing between the alternatives in each of the cases we studied, and that the LR can be high in several cases. We demonstrated that when linkage and LD were disregarded, as opposed to taken into account, the difference in calculated LRs could be considerable. When these differences were large, the estimated haplotype frequencies often had a strong impact and we present a method to estimate haplotype frequencies. Our conclusion is that linkage and LD should be accounted for when using the tested set of markers, and the used model is an efficient way of doing so.
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| 7. |
- A, Teschendorff, et al.
(författare)
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The dynamics of DNA methylation covariation patterns in carcinogenesis
- 2014
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Ingår i: PLoS Computational Biology. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1553-734X .- 1553-7358. ; 10:7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Recently it has been observed that cancer tissue is characterised by an increased variability in DNA methylation patterns. However, how the correlative patterns in genome-wide DNA methylation change during the carcinogenic progress has not yet been explored. Here we study genome-wide inter-CpG correlations in DNA methylation, in addition to single site variability, during cervical carcinogenesis. We demonstrate how the study of changes in DNA methylation covariation patterns across normal, intra-epithelial neoplasia and invasive cancer allows the identification of CpG sites that indicate the risk of neoplastic transformation in stages prior to neoplasia. Importantly, we show that the covariation in DNA methylation at these risk CpG loci is maximal immediately prior to the onset of cancer, supporting the view that high epigenetic diversity in normal cells increases the risk of cancer. Consistent with this, we observe that invasive cancers exhibit increased covariation in DNA methylation at the risk CpG sites relative to normal tissue, but lower levels relative to pre-cancerous lesions. We further show that the identified risk CpG sites undergo preferential DNA methylation changes in relation to human papilloma virus infection and age. Results are validated in independent data including prospectively collected samples prior to neoplastic transformation. Our data are consistent with a phase transition model of carcinogenesis, in which epigenetic diversity is maximal prior to the onset of cancer. The model and algorithm proposed here may allow, in future, network biomarkers predicting the risk of neoplastic transformation to be identified.
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| 8. |
- Aaen, J., et al.
(författare)
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Clinical and MRI findings in lumbar spinal stenosis: baseline data from the NORDSTEN study
- 2022
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Ingår i: European Spine Journal. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0940-6719 .- 1432-0932. ; 31:6, s. 1391-1398
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose The aim was to describe magnetic resonance imaging findings in patients planned for lumbar spinal stenosis surgery. Further, to describe possible associations between MRI findings and patient characteristics with patient reported disability or pain. Methods The NORDSTEN spinal stenosis trial included 437 patients planned for surgical decompression of LSS. The following MRI findings were evaluated before surgery: morphological (Schizas) and quantitative (cross-sectional area) grade of stenosis, disk degeneration (Pfirrmann), facet joint tropism and fatty infiltration of the multifidus muscle. Patients were dichotomized into a moderate or severe category for each radiological parameter classification. A multivariable linear regression analysis was performed to investigate the association between MRI findings and preoperative scores for Oswestry Disability Index, Zurich Claudication Questionnaire and Numeric rating scale for back and leg pain. The following patient characteristics were included in the analysis: gender, age, smoking and weight. Results The percentage of patients with severe scores was as follows: Schizas (C + D) 71.3%, cross-sectional area (< 75 mm(2)) 86.8%, Pfirrmann (4 + 5) 58.1%, tropism (>= 15 degrees) 11.9%, degeneration of multifidus muscle (2-4) 83.7%. Regression coefficients indicated minimal changes in severity of symptoms when comparing the groups with moderate and severe MRI findings. Only gender had a significant and clinically relevant association with ODI score. Conclusion In this cross-sectional study, the majority of the patients had MRI findings classified as severe LSS changes, but the findings had no clinically relevant association with patient reported disability and pain at baseline. Patient characteristics have a larger impact on disability and pain than radiological findings.
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| 9. |
- Aaen, J., et al.
(författare)
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Is the presence of foraminal stenosis associated with outcome in lumbar spinal stenosis patients treated with posterior microsurgical decompression
- 2023
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Ingår i: ACTA NEUROCHIRURGICA. - 0001-6268. ; 165, s. 2121-2129
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background We aim to investigate associations between preoperative radiological findings of lumbar foraminal stenosis with clinical outcomes after posterior microsurgical decompression in patients with predominantly central lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). Methods The study was an additional analysis in the NORDSTEN Spinal Stenosis Trial. In total, 230 men and 207 women (mean age 66.8 ( SD 8.3)) were included. All patients underwent an MRI including T1- and T2-weighted sequences. Grade of foraminal stenosis was dichotomized into none to moderate (0-1) and severe (2-3) category using Lee's classification system. The Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Zurich Claudication Questionnaire (ZCQ), and numeric rating scale (NRS) for back and leg pain were collected at baseline and at 2-year follow-up. Primary outcome was a reduction of 30% or more on the ODI score. Secondary outcomes included the mean improvement on the ODI, ZCQ, and NRS scores. We performed multivariable regression analyses with the radiological variates foraminal stenosis, Pfirrmann grade, Schizas score, dural sac cross-sectional area, and the possible plausible confounders: patients' gender, age, smoking status, and BMI. Results The cohort of 437 patients presented a high degree of degenerative changes at baseline. Of 414 patients with adequate imaging of potential foraminal stenosis, 402 were labeled in the none to moderate category and 12 in the severe category. Of the patients with none to moderate foraminal stenosis, 71% achieved at least 30% improvement in ODI. Among the patients with severe foraminal stenosis, 36% achieved at least 30% improvement in ODI. A significant association between severe foraminal stenosis and less chance of reaching the target of 30% improvement in the ODI score after surgery was detected: OR 0.22 (95% CI 0.06, 0.83), p=0.03. When investigating outcome as continuous variables, a similar association between severe foraminal stenosis and less improved ODI with a mean difference of 9.28 points (95%CI 0.47, 18.09; p=0.04) was found. Significant association between severe foraminal stenosis and less improved NRS pain in the lumbar region was also detected with a mean difference of 1.89 ( 95% CI 0.30, 3.49; p=0.02). No significant association was suggested between severe foraminal stenosis and ZCQ or NRS leg pain. Conclusion In patients operated with posterior microsurgical decompression for LSS, a preoperative severe lumbar foraminal stenosis was associated with higher proportion of patients with less than 30% improvement in ODI. Trial registration The study is registered at ClinicalTrials. gov (22.11.2013) under the identifier NCT02007083.
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| 10. |
- Aaen, J., et al.
(författare)
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The association between preoperative MRI findings and clinical improvement in patients included in the NORDSTEN spinal stenosis trial
- 2022
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Ingår i: European Spine Journal. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0940-6719 .- 1432-0932. ; 31:10, s. 2777-2785
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose To investigate potential associations between preoperative MRI findings and patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) after surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). Methods The NORDSTEN trial included 437 patients. We investigated the association between preoperative MRI findings such as morphological grade of stenosis (Schizas grade), quantitative grade of stenosis (dural sac cross-sectional area), disc degeneration (Pfirrmann score), facet joint tropism and fatty infiltration of the multifidus muscle, and improvement in patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) 2 years after surgery. We dichotomized each radiological parameter into a moderate or severe category. PROMs i.e., Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Zurich Claudication Questionnaire (ZCQ) and Numeric rating scale (NRS) for back and leg pain were collected before surgery and at 2 year follow-up. In the primary analysis, we investigated the association between MRI findings and ODI score (dichotomized to >= 30% improvement or not). In the secondary analysis, we investigated the association between MRI findings and the mean improvement on the ODI-, ZCQ- and NRS scores. We used multivariable regression models adjusted for patients' gender, age, smoking status and BMI. Results The primary analysis showed that severe disc degeneration (Pfirrmann score 4-5) was significantly associated with less chance of achieving a 30% improvement on the ODI score (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.34, 0.88). In the secondary analysis, we detected no clinical relevant associations. Conclusion Severe disc degeneration preoperatively suggest lesser chance of achieving 30% improvement in ODI score after surgery for LSS. Other preoperative MRI findings were not associated with patient reported outcome.
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