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| 2. |
- Appelgren, Daniel, et al.
(författare)
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Neutrophil Extracellular Traps (NETs) in the Cerebrospinal Fluid Samples from Children and Adults with Central Nervous System Infections.
- 2020
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Ingår i: Cells. - : MDPI AG. - 2073-4409. ; 9:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Neutrophils operate as part of the innate defence in the skin and may eliminate the Borrelia spirochaete via phagocytosis, oxidative bursts, and hydrolytic enzymes. However, their importance in Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB) is unclear. Neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation, which is associated with the production of reactive oxygen species, involves the extrusion of the neutrophil DNA to form traps that incapacitate bacteria and immobilise viruses. Meanwhile, NET formation has recently been studied in pneumococcal meningitis, the role of NETs in other central nervous system (CNS) infections has previously not been studied. Here, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from clinically well-characterised children (N = 111) and adults (N = 64) with LNB and other CNS infections were analysed for NETs (DNA/myeloperoxidase complexes) and elastase activity. NETs were detected more frequently in the children than the adults (p = 0.01). NET presence was associated with higher CSF levels of CXCL1 (p < 0.001), CXCL6 (p = 0.007), CXCL8 (p = 0.003), CXCL10 (p < 0.001), MMP-9 (p = 0.002), TNF (p = 0.02), IL-6 (p < 0.001), and IL-17A (p = 0.03). NETs were associated with fever (p = 0.002) and correlated with polynuclear pleocytosis (rs = 0.53, p < 0.0001). We show that neutrophil activation and active NET formation occur in the CSF samples of children and adults with CNS infections, mainly caused by Borrelia and neurotropic viruses. The role of NETs in the early phase of viral/bacterial CNS infections warrants further investigation.
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| 3. |
- Carlströmer Berthén, Nellie, et al.
(författare)
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The AxBioTick Study: Borrelia Species and Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus in Ticks, and Clinical Responses in Tick-Bitten Individuals on the Aland Islands, Finland
- 2023
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Ingår i: Microorganisms. - : MDPI. - 2076-2607. ; 11:5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The AxBioTick Study: Borrelia Species and Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus in Ticks, and Clinical Responses in Tick-Bitten Individuals on the Aland Islands, Finlandby Nellie Carlströmer Berthén 1,2,*,† , Eszter Tompa 3,† , Susanne Olausson 1,2, Clara Nyberg 1, Dag Nyman 1,2, Malin Ringbom 1,4, Linda Perander 1,4, Joel Svärd 3, Per-Eric Lindgren 3,5, Pia Forsberg 3, Peter Wilhelmsson 3,5,‡, Johanna Sjöwall 3,6,‡ and Marika Nordberg 1,4,‡ 1Borrelia Research Group of the Aland Islands, 22100 Mariehamn, The Aland Islands, Finland2Bimelix AB, 22100 Mariehamn, The Aland Islands, Finland3Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Division of Inflammation and Infection, Linkoping University, 581 83 Linkoping, Sweden4The Aland Islands Healthcare Services, 22100 Mariehamn, The Aland Islands, Finland5Clinical Microbiology, Laboratory Medicine, County Hospital Ryhov, 551 85 Jonkoping, Sweden6Department of Infectious Diseases, Vrinnevi Hospital, 603 79 Norrkoping, Sweden*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.†These authors contributed equally to the study.‡These authors contributed equally to the study.Microorganisms 2023, 11(5), 1100; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11051100Received: 30 March 2023 / Revised: 17 April 2023 / Accepted: 19 April 2023 / Published: 22 April 2023(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Ticks and Tick-Borne Pathogens)Download Browse Figures Versions NotesArticle Views585 AbstractThe AxBioTick study was initiated to investigate the prevalence of ticks and tick-borne pathogens and their impact on antibody and clinical responses in tick-bitten individuals on the Aland Islands. This geographical area is hyperendemic for both Lyme borreliosis (LB) and Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE). Blood samples and ticks were collected from 100 tick-bitten volunteers. A total of 425 ticks was collected, all determined to Ixodes ricinus using molecular tools. Of them 20% contained Borrelia species, of which B. garinii and B. afzelii were most common. None contained the TBE virus (TBEV). Blood samples were drawn in conjunction with the tick bite, and eight weeks later. Sera were analyzed for Borrelia- and TBEV-specific antibodies using an ELISA and a semiquantitative antibody assay. In total 14% seroconverted in Borrelia C6IgG1, 3% in TBEV IgG, and 2% in TBEV IgM. Five participants developed clinical manifestations of LB. The high seroprevalence of both Borrelia (57%) and TBEV (52%) antibodies are likely attributed to the endemic status of the corresponding infections as well as the TBE vaccination program. Despite the similar prevalence of Borrelia spp. detected in ticks in other parts of Europe, the infection rate in this population is high. The AxBioTick study is continuing to investigate more participants and ticks for co-infections, and to characterize the dermal immune response following a tick bite.
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| 6. |
- Haas, Jan, Ph.D, 1983-, et al.
(författare)
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Social sårbarhet för klimatrelaterade hot : Delstudie 2: Generella och hotspecifika index för social sårbarhet i Sverige
- 2022
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Denna rapport, som redovisar del 2 av projektet Social sårbarhet för klimatrelaterade hot, syftar till att ta fram ett generellt sårbarhetsindex för Sverige, men också specifika index för tre olika naturhot: översvämning (älv respektive kust), skogsbrand och ras/skred/erosion. För dessa specifika index har sårbarheten kombinerats med en bedömd exponering för de tre olika hoten. Analysen är gjord på kommun- och RegSO-nivå.
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| 7. |
- Karlsson Sundbaum, Johanna, et al.
(författare)
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Severe COVID-19 among patients with asthma and COPD: a report from the Swedish National Airway Register
- 2021
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Ingår i: Therapeutic Advances in Respiratory Disease. - : SAGE Publications. - 1753-4658 .- 1753-4666. ; 15
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Patients with obstructive lung diseases may be at risk of hospitalization and/or death due to COVID-19. Aim: To estimate the frequency of severe COVID-19, and COVID-19-related mortality in a well-defined large population of patients with asthma and chronic inflammatory lung disease (COPD). Further to assess the frequency of asthma and COPD as registered comorbidities at discharge from hospital, and in death certificates. Methods: At the start of the pandemic, the Swedish National Airway Register (SNAR) included 271,404 patients with a physician diagnosis of asthma and/or COPD. In September 2020, after the first COVID-19 wave in Sweden, the database was linked with the National Patient Register (NPR), the Swedish Intensive Care Register and the Swedish Cause of Death Register, which all provide data about COVID-19 based on International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) codes. Severe COVID-19 was defined as hospitalization and/or intensive care or death due to COVID-19. Results: Among patients in SNAR, 0.5% with asthma, and 1.2% with COPD were identified with severe COVID-19. Among patients < 18 years with asthma, only 0.02% were severely infected. Of hospitalized adults, 14% with asthma and 29% with COPD died. Further, of patients in SNAR, 56% with asthma and 81% with COPD were also registered in the NPR, while on death certificates the agreement was lower (asthma 24% and COPD 71%). Conclusion: The frequency of severe COVID-19 in asthma and COPD was relative low. Mortality for those hospitalized was double as high in COPD compared to asthma. Comorbid asthma and COPD were not always identified among patients with severe COVID-19.
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| 8. |
- Karlsson Sundbaum, Johanna, et al.
(författare)
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Uncontrolled asthma predicts severe COVID-19: a report from the Swedish National Airway Register.
- 2022
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Ingår i: Therapeutic advances in respiratory disease. - : SAGE Publications. - 1753-4666 .- 1753-4658. ; 16
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Severe asthma increases the risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes such as hospitalization and death. However, more studies are needed to understand the association between asthma and severe COVID-19.A cohort of 150,430 adult asthma patients were identified in the Swedish National Airway Register (SNAR) from 2013 to December 2020. Data on body mass index, smoking habits, lung function, and asthma control test (ACT) were obtained from SNAR, and uncontrolled asthma was defined as ACT ⩽19. Patients with severe COVID-19 were identified following hospitalization or in death certificates based on ICD-10 codes U07.1 and U07.2. The Swedish Prescribed Drug register was used to identify comorbidities and data from Statistics Sweden for educational level. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to estimate associations with severe COVID-19.Severe COVID-19 was identified in 1067 patients (0.7%). Older age (OR=1.04, 95% CI=1.03-1.04), male sex (1.42, 1.25-1.61), overweight (1.56, 1.27-1.91), obesity (2.12, 1.73-2.60), high-dose inhaled corticosteroids in combination with long-acting β-agonists (1.40, 1.22-1.60), dispensed oral corticosteroids ⩾2 (1.48, 1.25-1.75), uncontrolled asthma (1.64, 1.35-2.00), cardiovascular disease (1.20, 1.03-1.40), depression (1.47, 1.28-1.68), and diabetes (1.52, 1.29-1.78) were associated with severe COVID-19, while current smoking was inversely associated (0.63, 0.47-0.85). When comparing patients who died from COVID-19 with those discharged alive from hospital until 31 December 2020, older age, male sex, and current smoking were associated with COVID-19 death.Patients with uncontrolled asthma and high disease burden, including increased asthma medication intensity, should be identified as risk patients for severe COVID-19. Furthermore, current smoking is strongly associated with COVID-19 death in asthma.
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| 9. |
- Lilja-Lund, Otto, 1981-, et al.
(författare)
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Longitudinal neuropsychological trajectories in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus : a population–based study
- 2023
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Ingår i: BMC Geriatrics. - : BioMed Central (BMC). - 1471-2318 .- 1471-2318. ; 23:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) is a progressive syndrome affecting gait, incontinence, and cognition in a significant number of older adults. Still, prospective studies on early development of symptoms are scarce.Aim: To investigate how neuropsychological functions develop before and in already diagnosed iNPH over a two-year period in a population-based material.Method: A sample of 104 participants (median [IQR] 75 [72–80] years old) from the general population underwent CT-imaging and clinical assessment at baseline and follow-up. We used the iNPH symptom scale covering four domains (Neuropsychology, Gait, Balance, Incontinence) and additional tests of executive functions. Morphological signs were rated with the iNPH Radscale. Non-parametric statistics with Bonferroni corrections and a significance-level of p < 0.05 were used.Results: Median (IQR) time to follow-up was 25 (23–26) months. Effect size (ES) for individuals who developed iNPH (n = 8) showed a large (ES r = -0.55) decline in the Gait domain and on the Radscale (ES r = -0.60), with a medium deterioration in declarative memory (ES r = -0.37). Those having iNPH at baseline (n = 12) performed worse on one executive sub-function i.e., shifting (p = 0.045).Conclusion: Besides deterioration in gait and radiology, our results suggest that a neuropsychological trajectory for those developing iNPH includes a reduction in declarative memory. Executive dysfunction was limited to those already having iNPH at baseline. These findings could suggest that memory impairments are included in the early development of iNPH.
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| 10. |
- Nohrstedt, Daniel, 1974-, et al.
(författare)
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Disaster risk reduction and the limits of truisms : Improving the knowledge and practice interface
- 2022
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Ingår i: International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction. - : Elsevier. - 2212-4209. ; 67
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Action toward strengthened disaster risk reduction (DRR) ideally builds from evidence-based policymaking to inform decisions and priorities. This is a guiding principle for the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR), which outlines priorities for action to reduce disaster risk. However, some of these practical guidelines conceal oversimplified or unsubstantiated claims and assumptions, what we refer to as 'truisms', which, if not properly addressed, may jeopardize the long-term goal to reduce disaster risks. Thus far, much DRR research has focused on ways to bridge the gap between science and practice while devoting less attention to the premises that shape the understanding of DRR issues. In this article, written in the spirit of a perspective piece on the state of the DRR field, we utilize the SFDRR as an illustrative case to identify and interrogate ten selected truisms, from across the social and natural sciences, that have been prevalent in shaping DRR research and practice. The ten truisms concern forecasting, loss, conflict, migration, the local level, collaboration, social capital, prevention, policy change, and risk awareness. We discuss central claims associated with each truism, relate those claims to insights in recent DRR scholarship, and end with suggestions for developing the field through advances in conceptualization, measurement, and causal inference.
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