| 1. |
- Axelsson, Annika, et al.
(författare)
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Sox5 regulates beta-cell phenotype and is reduced in type 2 diabetes
- 2017
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Ingår i: Nature Communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723. ; 8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is characterized by insulin resistance and impaired insulin secretion, but the mechanisms underlying insulin secretion failure are not completely understood. Here, we show that a set of co-expressed genes, which is enriched for genes with islet-selective open chromatin, is associated with T2D. These genes are perturbed in T2D and have a similar expression pattern to that of dedifferentiated islets. We identify Sox5 as a regulator of the module. Sox5 knockdown induces gene expression changes similar to those observed in T2D and diabetic animals and has profound effects on insulin secretion, including reduced depolarization-evoked Ca 2+-influx and β-cell exocytosis. SOX5 overexpression reverses the expression perturbations observed in a mouse model of T2D, increases the expression of key β-cell genes and improves glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in human islets from donors with T2D. We suggest that human islets in T2D display changes reminiscent of dedifferentiation and highlight SOX5 as a regulator of β-cell phenotype and function.
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| 2. |
- Melander-Wikman, Anita, et al.
(författare)
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Projekt: Äldre personers förväntningar på användandet av informations- och kommunikationsteknologi som stöd
- 2013
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Annan publikation (populärvet., debatt m.m.)abstract
- Informations- och kommunikationsteknologi används idag inom hälso- och sjukvård för bland annat livsstilsrelaterade sjukdomar som tillexempel vid övervikt och fetma, IKT är en del av den verksamhet som hälso- och sjukvården satsar på i framtiden. Användning av IKT i hälsorelaterade sammanhang för större befolkningsgrupper förutsätter en viss grad av beredskap hos befolkningen som sannolikt inte bara är relaterad till kännedom om möjligheterna och vana vid teknologin, utan en förväntan om att det kan vara av värde för personen själv. Kunskaperna är magra om befolkningens beredskap för och inställning till IKT som ett verktyg för kontakten mellan vårdtagare och vårdgivare, och de undersökningar som finns över detta visar på en bild av återhållna förväntningar. I projektet studeras vilken betydelse informations- och kommunikationsteknik har för äldre personers livskvalitet och vilka förväntningar som finns framtida IKT lösningar som stöd för viktnedgång. Datainsamlingar genomförs via enkäter som skickas ut till slumpmässigt valda personer i Sverige och genom intervjuer gemomförda individuellt och i grupp.
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| 3. |
- Axelsson, Annika, 1969-, et al.
(författare)
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Axelsson, A., Lundqvist, J., & Sandberg, G. (2018, March). Influential factors on children’s reading and writing development: The perspective of parents. : Poster session presented at the NERA 2018
- 2018
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Ingår i: NERA 2018: Boundaries, Breaches and Bridges, Oslo, Norway..
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)
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| 4. |
- Axelsson, Annika
(författare)
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Identification of new disease mechanisms and treatments for type 2 diabetes based on genetic variants and gene expression networks
- 2017
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Improved understanding of the disease mechanisms underlying type 2 diabetes (T2D) is needed, and so are new treatments.A new T2D risk variant was recently identified in ADRA2A, which encodes the α2A-adrenergic receptor. The risk allele leads to receptor overexpression in β-cells that causes increased adrenergic signaling and impaired insulin secretion. We showed that the α2A-adrenergic receptor antagonist yohimbine normalized insulin secretion in risk allele carriers with T2D, whereas it was without effect in non-risk allele carriers. These findings suggest that individualized, genotype-based treatment for T2D is possible. Next, in an attempt to identify new genes relevant for the pathogenesis of T2D and to identify new drugs for the treatment of T2D, we utilized microarray gene expression data to gain information about gene coexpression networks. Gene expression in human islets from T2D and non-diabetic donors, and gene expression in liver tissue from hyperglycemic and normoglycemic mice, was analyzed to find groups of coexpressed genes (modules) with disturbed expression in diabetes. “Disease signatures” derived from these modules were used to interrogate publically available microarray data sets. These data sets included gene expression profiles induced by a wide range of drugs and treatments. Data sets with an expression pattern similar to our islet disease signature gave clues to the underlying pathogenic process in β-cell failure, and data sets with a reverse expression pattern to our liver disease signature helped identify drug candidates for treatment of excessive hepatic glucose production. The islet disease signature was associated with β-cell dedifferentiation and loss of a mature β-cell state. We identified the transcription factor SOX5 as a regulator of the T2D-associated islet module. Overexpression of SOX5 increased the expression of β-cell specific genes in human islets and improved secretory function in islets from donors with T2D.The liver disease signature was used to rate compounds based on reverse expression compared with the disease signature. The rationale was that compounds with potential to reverse the disease signature mightaffect the pathophysiology. Sulforaphane, a sulfur-containing compound found naturally in e.g. broccoli, was identified as the top-rated compound. Sulforaphane reduced glucose production from hepatoma cells via amechanism that involves reduced expression of gluconeogenic enzymes. Sulforaphane improved glucose tolerance in animal models of diabetes. Moreover, in a small clinical study, sulforaphane-rich broccoli sproutextract reduced fasting blood glucose and HbA1c levels in obese T2D patients with poor glycemic control. Taken together, the data presented in this thesis demonstrate the opportunities of genotype-based treatment for T2D, and show the usefulness of gene network analysis to identify pathophysiological mechanisms and new potential therapies for T2D. By this approach, we have identified Sox5 as a new regulator of β-cell function, and sulforaphane as a liver-targeting therapy for T2D patients with poor glycemic control.
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| 5. |
- Axelsson, Annika, et al.
(författare)
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Influential factors on children's reading and writing development : the perspective of parents in a Swedish context
- 2020
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Ingår i: Early Child Development and Care. - : ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD. - 0300-4430 .- 1476-8275. ; 190:16, s. 2520-2532
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Early reading and writing skills are important in order to develop and succeed, both in school and later on in life. The aim of this study was to shed light on influential factors on children's reading and writing development from the perspective of parents. Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model for human development was adopted as a theoretical framework. The researchers made use of retrospective life-history oriented interviews with 27 parents conducted as part of a larger research project in Sweden. In the interviews, the parents described factors that can be interpreted as being influential. A thematic analysis technique generated nine themes: Child's abilities and engagement; Genetics and parents' abilities; More able siblings and peers; Involved parents and grandparents; Teacher competence, attitude and collaborations; Social climate in preschool and preschool class; Free play and child-initiated reading and writing activities; Toys and books; and Extra support provisions and stimulation. Implications are discussed.
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| 6. |
- Axelsson, Anton, 1981-
(författare)
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Knowledge elicitation as abstraction of purposive behaviour
- 2019
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Researchers use knowledge elicitation methods to document expert knowledge for the primary purpose of understanding cognitive processes and with this understanding, technical solutions to resolve human factors issues can be produced. This dissertation offers a novel perspective on knowledge elicitation as an abstraction process. Such a theoretical framework has emerged by consolidating the ecological approach of Brunswikian psychology with the ideas of tacit and personal knowledge of Polanyian epistemology. Traditionally, knowledge elicitation has been considered an extraction process in which knowledge can be readily transferred from one individual to another. Here, this traditional position is rejected in favour of Polanyi’s premise that much of the knowledge individuals possess is tacit in nature, which implies that it cannot be documented easily, expressed in explicit form or explained. In this dissertation, knowledge is characterised as a personal process of knowing, highlighting context as a subjective knowledge structure of personal experiences that is formulated implicitly and indirectly over time through a dynamic interaction with the environment. Therefore, tacit knowledge cannot be articulated or shared; however, learners can be inspired by observing other individuals' purposive (i.e., goal-directed) behaviours and thus shape their own tacit knowledge once they practise the observed skills and develop conceptual understanding through reasoning about the learning process. Knowledge elicitation thereby makes use of observations, questions, or more structured process tracing methods in environments familiar to the observed individuals to elicit purposive behaviour from them. Accordingly, functional descriptions can be produced in this process that further conceptual understanding of a particular domain. Knowledge elicitation procedures are a powerful set of methods for reaching such functional descriptions. Moreover, by understanding the resulting knowledge elicitation data as an abstraction derived from multiple collection points in the same environment, the focus shifts from purely subjective mental constructs to the impact of environmental constraints.
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| 7. |
- Axelsson, Annika, et al.
(författare)
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Parents in Sweden describe influential factors in children’s reading and writing development
- 2019
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Ingår i: CPH, 2019, Conference on Literacy..
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of this study was to shed light on influential factors on children’s reading and writing development from the perspective of parents. Retrospective interviews with 27 parents of preschoolers obtained from a research project were used. Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model for human development and the PPCT-model were adopted as a theoretical framework. Extracts about children’s reading and writing development were obtained from the interviews. A thematic analysis was used and generated nine themes (preliminary results): Children’s abilities and engagement; Genetics and parents abilities; More able siblings and peers; Involved parents and grandparents; Teacher competence, attitude and collaborations; Social climate in preschool and preschool class; Free play and child-initiated reading and writing activities; Toys and books; Extra support provisions and stimulation. This study shows that factors related to the child, processes at home, in preschool and in preschool class and time can influence children’s reading and writing development. It also showed that parents can be a valuable knowledge source in Nordic (special) education research.
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| 8. |
- Axelsson, Annika S., et al.
(författare)
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Sulforaphane reduces hepatic glucose production and improves glucose control in patients with type 2 diabetes
- 2017
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Ingår i: Science Translational Medicine. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 1946-6234 .- 1946-6242. ; 9:394
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A potentially useful approach for drug discovery is to connect gene expression profiles of disease-affected tissues ("disease signatures") to drug signatures, but it remains to be shown whether it can be used to identify clinically relevant treatment options. We analyzed coexpression networks and genetic data to identify a disease signature for type 2 diabetes in liver tissue. By interrogating a library of 3800 drug signatures, we identified sulforaphane as a compound that may reverse the disease signature. Sulforaphane suppressed glucose production from hepatic cells by nuclear translocation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) and decreased expression of key enzymes in gluconeogenesis. Moreover, sulforaphane reversed the disease signature in the livers from diabetic animals and attenuated exaggerated glucose production and glucose intolerance by a magnitude similar to that of metformin. Finally, sulforaphane, provided as concentrated broccoli sprout extract, reduced fasting blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in obese patients with dysregulated type 2 diabetes.
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| 9. |
- Axelsson, Annika, et al.
(författare)
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Tre mammor berättar om sina barns tid i förskola och förskoleklass samt övergången däremellan
- 2017. - 31
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Ingår i: Barn och unga i skola och samhälle. - Västerås : Mälardalen University Sweden. - 9789174853261
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Bokkapitel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Syftet med den studie som ligger till grund för detta bokkapitel var att belysa tre mammors upplevelser av sina barns väg från förskola till förskoleklass. En kvalitativ forskningsansats, livsberättelser och en bioekologisk innehållsanalys användes. Studien visade att barns tid i förskola och förskoleklass samt övergången däremellan kan se olika ut. Den visade också att mammor kan känna oro för att deras barn inte ska få det stöd som de behöver för att kunna delta, lära sig och utvecklas i förskola och förskoleklass. Dessutom visade studien att mammor kan ta en aktiv del i arbetet med att förebygga och lösa problem i förskola och förskoleklass. De tre mammorna ville sina barns bästa och inriktade sina krafter på att de skulle få en så trygg och harmonisk tid i förskola och förskoleklass som möjligt. De ville också att deras barn skulle få intellektuell stimulans och nödvändiga behov tillgodosedda.
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| 10. |
- Axelsson, Håkan, et al.
(författare)
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Mätning av aromatiska kolväten med DOAS. En studie av tillförlitlighets- och interferensproblem.
- 1990
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- DOAS-tekniken är en optisk fjärranalysmetod för mätning av luftföroreningar. I det projekt som här avrapporterats har tekniken utvärderats m a p mätning av lätta aromatiska kolväten. Projektet har omfattat såväl litteratur, labb och fältstudier av absorptionsegenskaper som interferenseffekter. Resultaten visar att de lätta aromatiska kolväten har ett gemensamt absorptionsband i nära UV (250-280 mm ) som med fördel kan användas i en DOAS-tillämpning. Utnyttjande detta band, kan flera av aromaterna mätas med en detektionsgräns på några µg/m3. Dock föreligger kraftiga interferenseffekter mellan i synnerhet komponenter med likartad kemisk struktur. Detta problem kan i vissa fall hanteras m h a multipel regressions analys. En förutsättning för detta är dock att inga 'okända' interferande ämnen (lös aromater) förekommer i mätsituationen.
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