| 1. |
- Mamontov, Eugen, 1955, et al.
(författare)
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The minimal, phase-transition model for the cell-number maintenance by the hyperplasia-extended homeorhesis
- 2006
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Ingår i: Acta Biotheoretica. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0001-5342 .- 1572-8358. ; 54:2, s. 61-101
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Oncogenic hyperplasia is the first and inevitable stage of formation of a (solid) tumor. This stage is also the core of many other proliferative diseases. The present work proposes the first minimal model that combines homeorhesis with oncogenic hyperplasia where the latter is regarded as a genotoxically activated homeorhetic dysfunction. This dysfunction is specified as the transitions of the fluid of cells from a fluid, homeorhetic state to a solid, hyperplastic-tumor state, and back. The key part of the model is a nonlinear reaction-diffusion equation (RDE) where the biochemical-reaction rate is generalized to the one in the well-known Schlögl physical theory of the non-equilibrium phase transitions. A rigorous analysis of the stability and qualitative aspects of the model, where possible, are presented in detail. This is related to the spatially homogeneous case, i.e. when the above RDE is reduced to a nonlinear ordinary differential equation. The mentioned genotoxic activation is treated as a prevention of the quiescent G0-stage of the cell cycle implemented with the threshold mechanism that employs the critical concentration of the cellular fluid and the nonquiescent-cell-duplication time. The continuous tumor morphogeny is described by a time-space-dependent cellular-fluid concentration. There are no sharp boundaries (i.e. no concentration jumps exist) between the domains of the homeorhesis- and tumor-cell populations. No presumption on the shape of a tumor is used. To estimate a tumor in specific quantities, the model provides the time-dependent tumor locus, volume, and boundary that also points out the tumor shape and size. The above features are indispensable in the quantitative development of antiproliferative drugs or therapies and strategies to prevent oncogenic hyperplasia in cancer and other proliferative diseases. The work proposes an analytical-numerical method for solving the aforementioned RDE. A few topics for future research are suggested.
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| 2. |
- Heikkila, K., et al.
(författare)
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Job strain and the risk of severe asthma exacerbations : a meta-analysis of individual-participant data from 100 000 European men and women
- 2014
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Ingår i: Allergy. European Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. - : Wiley. - 0105-4538 .- 1398-9995. ; 69:6, s. 775-783
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BackgroundMany patients and healthcare professionals believe that work-related psychosocial stress, such as job strain, can make asthma worse, but this is not corroborated by empirical evidence. We investigated the associations between job strain and the incidence of severe asthma exacerbations in working-age European men and women. MethodsWe analysed individual-level data, collected between 1985 and 2010, from 102 175 working-age men and women in 11 prospective European studies. Job strain (a combination of high demands and low control at work) was self-reported at baseline. Incident severe asthma exacerbations were ascertained from national hospitalization and death registries. Associations between job strain and asthma exacerbations were modelled using Cox regression and the study-specific findings combined using random-effects meta-analyses. ResultsDuring a median follow-up of 10years, 1 109 individuals experienced a severe asthma exacerbation (430 with asthma as the primary diagnostic code). In the age- and sex-adjusted analyses, job strain was associated with an increased risk of severe asthma exacerbations defined using the primary diagnostic code (hazard ratio, HR: 1.27, 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.00, 1.61). This association attenuated towards the null after adjustment for potential confounders (HR: 1.22, 95% CI: 0.96, 1.55). No association was observed in the analyses with asthma defined using any diagnostic code (HR: 1.01, 95% CI: 0.86, 1.19). ConclusionsOur findings suggest that job strain is probably not an important risk factor for severe asthma exacerbations leading to hospitalization or death.
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| 3. |
- Sukhovey, Yury, et al.
(författare)
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Psycho-immune Partnership in the Dynamic Responses of Living Systems
- 2014
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Ingår i: International Journal of Life Science and Medical Research. - 2226-4566. ; 4:5, s. 57-50
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Present paper outlines certain possibilities for a new approach to the generalized modeling of the dynamics of living organism reaction to the changes in its environment. It is shown that there exists common functional “alignment” of the immune and psychic responses in the living organism reaction to the changes in the environment. This is manifested in the experimentally recorded matching of the response scenarios and activities in the immune and psychic domains. Thus, one may conclude that there exist two functionally matched systems (psychic and immune) tracking the external influences and responding to them. On the other hand it is feasible that one is actually dealing with a complex inseparable psycho-immune system and experimentally monitors different aspects of its activity describing these from two different points of view. Given analysis of available experimental data seems to support both of the above alternatives without giving undoubted preferences to any of them. However treating the situation form the formal logic point of view certain preferences can be given to the concept of an inseparable psycho-immune system modeled in two different ways. This approach can also resolve certain collisions happening with the attempts to describe direct interrelations between psychic and immune domains, and can lead the way to higher-level functionality models of the dynamic responses of the living organisms.
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| 4. |
- Widerström, Micael, et al.
(författare)
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Large outbreak of cryptosporidium hominis infection transmitted through the public water supply, Sweden
- 2014
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Ingår i: Emerging Infectious Diseases. - : Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). - 1080-6040 .- 1080-6059. ; 20:4, s. 581-589
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In November 2010, approximate to 27,000 (approximate to 45%) inhabitants of Östersund, Sweden, were affected by a waterborne outbreak of cryptosporidiosis. The outbreak was characterized by a rapid onset and high attack rate, especially among young and middle-aged persons. Young age, number of infected family members, amount of water consumed daily, and gluten intolerance were identified as risk factors for acquiring cryptosporidiosis. Also, chronic intestinal disease and young age were significantly associated with prolonged diarrhea. Identification of Ctyptosporidium hominis subtype lbA10G2 in human and environmental samples and consistently low numbers of oocysts in drinking water confirmed insufficient reduction of parasites by the municipal water treatment plant. The current outbreak shows that use of inadequate microbial barriers at water treatment plants can have serious consequences for public health. This risk can be minimized by optimizing control of raw water quality and employing multiple barriers that remove or inactivate all groups of pathogens.
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| 5. |
- Palo, R Thomas, et al.
(författare)
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The role of small mammals for incidence of zoonotic diseases under climate change
- 2009
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Ingår i: The 10th International Congress of Ecology.
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Animal-borne diseases are likely to be affected by climate change. It is of interest to analyse sensitivity of reservoir species to climate change and how changes in their ecology would affect transmission of zoonoti diseases to man. Elevated temperature in northern hemisphere may have direct effects on reservoir species by greater survival and hence generally higher population densities. Further, warmer climate may make certain key habitats more beneficial for replication and possibly greater transfer of disease. On the other hand, animal responses to climate change may vary among species and changes in their ecology causing increased variability in population size or dependence of timing with certain food resources may adversely affect reservoir species. We analysed the number of human disease cases of tick borne encephalitis (TBE), tularaemia and hantavirus in norhern Sweden in relation to population size of their most common reservoirs, the mountain hare, European hare and the bank vole. We also analysed the effect by a common predator the red fox and we used the NAO index as a proxy for climate variations. The results show that hantavirus infection in man is more dependent on the population density of reservoirs than on the climate variable. In case of tularaemia, we found a more complex ecological situation that may be climate driven.We conclude that the outcome of warmer climate may vary among species but that species adapted to northern winter conditions may be particularly sensitive to climate change.
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| 6. |
- Hanstock, Helen, 1989-, et al.
(författare)
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Tear Lactoferrin and Lysozyme as Clinically Relevant Biomarkers of Mucosal Immune Competence
- 2019
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Immunology. - Lausanne : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 1664-3224. ; 10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Tears have attracted interest as a minimally-invasive biological fluid from which to assess biomarkers. Lactoferrin (Lf) and lysozyme (Lys) are abundant in the tear fluid and have antimicrobial properties. Since the eye is a portal for infection transmission, assessment of immune status at the ocular surface may be clinically relevant. Therefore, the aim of this series of studies was to investigate the tear fluid antimicrobial proteins (AMPs) Lf and Lys as biomarkers of mucosal immune status. To be considered biomarkers of interest, we would expect tear AMPs to respond to stressors known to perturb immunity but be robust to confounding variables, and to be lower in participants with heightened risk or incidence of illness. We investigated the relationship between tear AMPs and upper respiratory tract infection (URTI; study 1) as well as the response of tear AMPs to prolonged treadmill exercise (study 2) and dehydration (study 3). Study 1 was a prospective cohort study conducted during the common cold season whereas studies 2 and 3 used repeated-measures crossover designs. In study 1, tear Lys concentration (C) as well as tear AMP secretion rates (SRs) were lower in individuals who reported pathogen-confirmed URTI (n = 9) throughout the observation period than in healthy, pathogen-free controls (n = 17; Lys-C, P = 0.002, d = 0.85; Lys-SR, P < 0.001, d = 1.00; Lf-SR, P = 0.018, d = 0.66). Tear AMP secretion rates were also lower in contact lens wearers. In study 2, tear AMP SRs were 42–49% lower at 30 min−1 h post-exercise vs. pre-exercise (P < 0.001, d = 0.80–0.93). Finally, in study 3, tear AMPs were not influenced by dehydration, although tear AMP concentrations (but not secretion rates) displayed diurnal variation. We conclude that Lf and Lys have potential as biomarkers of mucosal immune competence; in particular, whether these markers are lower in infection-prone individuals warrants further investigation.
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| 7. |
- Mitteldorf, C., et al.
(författare)
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Expression of programmed death-1 (CD279) in primary cutaneous B-cell lymphomas with correlation to lymphoma entities and biological behaviour
- 2013
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Ingår i: British Journal of Dermatology. - : Blackwell Publishing Ltd. - 0007-0963 .- 1365-2133. ; 169:6, s. 1212-1218
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Programmed death-1 (PD-1/CD279) is a cell-surface protein expressed in activated T cells and a subset of T lymphocytes including follicular helper T cells (TFH). The interaction between PD-1 and its ligands plays a role in immune response and evasion of malignancies. In nodal follicular lymphoma, the number of intratumoral PD-1-positive lymphocytes is associated with overall survival. Objectives To investigate 28 cases of primary cutaneous B-cell lymphoma, including the subtypes PCFCL (n = 10), PCMZL (n = 10) and DLBCL-LT (n = 8) for the number and density of PD-1-positive cells. Methods Immunohistochemical staining and a computerized morphometric analysis for evaluation were applied. The results were correlated with the clinical outcome. To distinguish between activated T cells and TFH we performed PD-1/bcl-6 double staining and compared these results with CXCL-13 staining. Double staining for PD-1 and PAX-5 was used to investigate whether tumour cells were positive for PD-1. Results The PD-1-positive cells represented tumour-infiltrating T cells (TILs). Only a minor subset was represented by TFH. Patients with DLBCL-LT had a significantly lower number of PD-1-positive TILs than those with PCMZL (P = 0·012) and PCFCL (P = 0·002) or both (P = 0·001). The difference between PCMZL and PCFCL did not reach significance (P = 0·074). The tumour cells were negative for PD-1. Conclusions A higher number of PD-1-expressing cells was found in indolent PCMZL and PCFCL than in high-malignant DLBCL-LT. The PD-1-positive cells represented not only TFH, but also other activated T cells as a part of the tumour microenvironment. The tumour cells in all investigated types of PCBCL did not show aberrant PD-1 expression. What’s already known about this topic? In nodal follicular lymphoma, the number of intratumoral programmed death (PD)-1-positive lymphocytes is associated with overall survival. No data exist for primary cutaneous B-cell lymphoma (PCBCL). What does this study add? A higher number of PD-1-expressing cells was found in indolent primary cutaneous marginal zone lymphoma and primary cutaneous follicle centre lymphoma, in contrast to the more aggressive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, leg type. PD-1-positive cells do not represent only follicular helper T cells. The tumour cells in all investigated types of PCBCL did not show aberrant PD-1 expression. © 2013 British Association of Dermatologists.
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| 8. |
- Yousaf, H., et al.
(författare)
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Emerging role of macrophages in non-infectious diseases : An update
- 2023
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Ingår i: Biomedicine and Pharmacotherapy. - : Elsevier BV. - 0753-3322 .- 1950-6007. ; 161
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- In the past three decades, a huge body of evidence through various research studies conducted on animal models, has demonstrated that the macrophages are centralized of all the leukocytes involved in diseases and, particularly, their role in non-infectious diseases has been studied extensively for which they have also been referred to as the “double-edged swords”. The most versatile of all immunocytes, macrophages play a key role in health and diseases. Various experimental models have demonstrated the conventional paradigms such as the M1/M2 dichotomy, which is not as obvious and presents a complex characterization of the macrophages in the disease immunology. In human diseases, this M1-M2 continuum shows a complex web of mechanisms, which are majorly divided into the pro-inflammatory roles (derived mainly by the cytokines: IL-1, IL-6, IL-12, IL-23, and tumor necrosis factor) and anti-inflammatory roles (CCl-17, CCl-22, CCL-2, transforming growth factor (TGF), and interleukin-10), which are involved in the wound healing and pathogen-suppression. The conventional division of these macrophages as M1 and M2 is derived from the opposing functions of these macrophages; where M1 is involved in the tissue damage and pro-inflammatory roles and M2 promotes cell proliferation and the resolution of inflammation. Both these pathways down-regulate each other in diseases through a plethora of enzymatic and cytokine mediators.
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