| 1. |
- Falk Erhag, Hanna, et al.
(författare)
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A Multidisciplinary Approach to Capability in Age and Ageing
- 2022
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Bok (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This open access book provides insight on how to interpret capability in ageing – one’s individual ability to perform actions in order to reach goals one has reason to value – from a multidisciplinary approach. With for the first time in history there being more people in the world aged 60 years and over than there are children below the age of 5, the book describes this demographic trends as well as the large global challenges and important societal implications this will have such as a worldwide increase in the number of persons affected with dementia, and in the ratio of retired persons to those still in the labor market. Through contributions from many different research areas, it discussed how capability depends on interactions between the individual (e.g. health, genetics, personality, intellectual capacity), environment (e.g. family, friends, home, work place), and society (e.g. political decisions, ageism, historical period). The final chapter by the editors summarizes the differences and similarities in these contributions. As such this book provides an interesting read for students, teachers and researchers at different levels and from different fields interested in capability and multidisciplinary research.
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| 2. |
- Gerlee, Philip, 1980, et al.
(författare)
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Scientific Models : Red Atoms, White Lies and Black Boxes in a Yellow Book
- 2016
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Bok (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- A zebrafish, the hull of a miniature ship, a mathematical equation and a food chain - what do these things have in common? They are examples of models used by scientists to isolate and study particular aspects of the world around us. This book begins by introducing the concept of a scientific model from an intuitive perspective, drawing parallels to mental models and artistic representations. It then recounts the history of modelling from the 16th century up until the present day. The iterative process of model building is described and discussed in the context of complex models with high predictive accuracy versus simpler models that provide more of a conceptual understanding. To illustrate the diversity of opinions within the scientific community, we also present the results of an interview study, in which ten scientists from different disciplines describe their views on modelling and how models feature in their work. Lastly, it includes a number of worked examples that span different modelling approaches and techniques. It provides a comprehensive introduction to scientific models and shows how models are constructed and used in modern science. It also addresses the approach to, and the culture surrounding modelling in different scientific disciplines. It serves as an inspiration for model building and also facilitates interdisciplinary collaborations by showing how models are used in different scientific fields. The book is aimed primarily at students in the sciences and engineering, as well as students at teacher training colleges but will also appeal to interested readers wanting to get an overview of scientific modelling in general and different modelling approaches in particular.
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| 3. |
- Gerlee, Philip, 1980, et al.
(författare)
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Scientific Models
- 2016
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Bok (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- A zebrafish, the hull of a miniature ship, a mathematical equation and a food chain - what do these things have in common? They are examples of models used by scientists to isolate and study particular aspects of the world around us. This book begins by introducing the concept of a scientific model from an intuitive perspective, drawing parallels to mental models and artistic representations. It then recounts the history of modelling from the 16th century up until the present day. The iterative process of model building is described and discussed in the context of complex models with high predictive accuracy versus simpler models that provide more of a conceptual understanding. To illustrate the diversity of opinions within the scientific community, we also present the results of an interview study, in which ten scientists from different disciplines describe their views on modelling and how models feature in their work. Lastly, it includes a number of worked examples that span different modelling approaches and techniques. It provides a comprehensive introduction to scientific models and shows how models are constructed and used in modern science. It also addresses the approach to, and the culture surrounding modelling in different scientific disciplines. It serves as an inspiration for model building and also facilitates interdisciplinary collaborations by showing how models are used in different scientific fields. The book is aimed primarily at students in the sciences and engineering, as well as students at teacher training colleges but will also appeal to interested readers wanting to get an overview of scientific modelling in general and different modelling approaches in particular.
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| 4. |
- Bhandage, Amol K., 1988-
(författare)
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Glutamate and GABA signalling components in the human brain and in immune cells
- 2016
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Glutamate and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) are the principal excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters in the central nervous system (CNS). They both can activate their ionotropic and metabotropic receptors. Glutamate activates ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGlu - AMPA, kainate and NMDA receptors) and GABA activates GABA-A receptors which are modulated by many types of drugs and substances including alcohol. Using real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, I have shown that iGlu and/or GABA-A receptor subunits were expressed in the hippocampus dentate gyrus (HDG), orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DL-PFC), central amygdala (CeA), caudate and putamen of the human brain and their expression was altered by chronic excessive alcohol consumption. It indicates that excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission may have been altered in the brain of human alcoholics. It is possible that changes in one type of neurotransmitter system may drive changes in another. These brain regions also play a role in brain reward system. Any changes in them may lead to changes in the normal brain functions.Apart from the CNS, glutamate and GABA are also present in the blood and can be synthesised by pancreatic islet cells and immune cells. They may act as immunomodulators of circulating immune cells and can affect immune function through glutamate and GABA receptors. I found that T cells from human, rat and mouse lymph nodes expressed the mRNAs and proteins for specific GABA-A receptor subunits. GABA-evoked transient and tonic currents recorded using the patch clamp technique demonstrate the functional GABA-A channel in T cells. Furthermore, the mRNAs for specific iGlu, GABA-A and GABA-B receptor subunits and chloride cotransporters were detected in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from men, non-pregnant women, healthy and depressed pregnant women. The results indicate that the expression of iGlu, GABA-A and GABA-B receptors is related to gender, pregnancy and mental health and support the notion that glutamate and GABA receptors may modulate immune function. Intra- and interspecies variability exists in the expression and it is further influenced by physiological conditions.
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| 5. |
- Xu, Bo, 1980-
(författare)
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Evolutionary and Pharmacological Studies of NPY and QRFP Receptors
- 2014
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The neuropeptide Y (NPY) system consists of 3-4 peptides and 4-7 receptors in vertebrates. It has powerful effects on appetite regulation and is involved in many other biological processes including blood pressure regulation, bone formation and anxiety. This thesis describes studies of the evolution of the NPY system by comparison of several vertebrate species and structural studies of the human Y2 receptor, which reduces appetite, to identify amino acid residues involved in peptide-receptor interactions.The NPY system was studied in zebrafish (Danio rerio), western clawed frog (Xenopus tropicalis), and sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus). The receptors were cloned and functionally expressed and their pharmacological profiles were determined using the native peptides in either binding studies or a signal transduction assay. Some peptide-receptor preferences were observed, indicating functional specialization.A receptor family closely related to the NPY receptors, called the QRFP receptors, was investigated. A QRFP receptor was cloned from amphioxus, Branchistoma floridae, showing that the receptor arose before the origin of the vertebrates. Evolutionary studies demonstrated that the ancestral vertebrate had as many as four QRFP receptors, only one of which remains in mammals today. This correlates with the NPY receptor family, located in the same chromosomal regions, which had seven members in the ancestral vertebrate but only 4-5 in living mammals. Some vertebrates have considerably more complex NPY and QRFP receptor systems than humans and other mammals.Two studies investigated interactions of NPY-family peptides with the human Y2 receptor. Candidate residues, selected based on structural modeling and docking, were mutated to disrupt possible interactions with peptide ligands. The modified receptors were expressed in cultured cells and investigated by measuring binding and functional responses. Several receptor residues were found to influence peptide-receptor interactions, some of which are involved in maintaining receptor structure. In a pilot study, the kinetics of peptide-receptor interaction were found to be very slow, of the order several hours.In conclusion, this thesis clarifies evolutionary relationships for the complex NPY and QRFP peptide-receptor systems and improves the structural models of the human NPY-family receptors, especially Y2. These results will hopefully facilitate drug design for targeting of NPY-family receptors.
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| 6. |
- Fritz, Michael, 1981-, et al.
(författare)
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Interferon-ɣ mediated signaling in the brain endothelium is critical for inflammation-induced aversion
- 2018
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Ingår i: Brain, behavior, and immunity. - Maryland Heights : Academic Press. - 0889-1591 .- 1090-2139. ; 67, s. 54-58
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Systemic inflammation elicits malaise and a negative affective state. The mechanism underpinning the aversive component of inflammation include cerebral prostaglandin synthesis and modulation of dopaminergic reward circuits, but the messengers that mediate the signaling between the peripheral inflammation and the brain have not been sufficiently characterized. Here we investigated the role of interferon-ɣ (IFN-ɣ) in the aversive response to systemic inflammation induced by a low dose (10μg/kg) of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in mice. LPS induced IFN-ɣ expression in the blood and deletion of IFN-ɣ or its receptor prevented the development of conditioned place aversion to LPS. LPS induced expression of the chemokine Cxcl10 in the striatum of normal mice, but this induction was absent in mice lacking IFN-ɣ receptors or Myd88 in blood brain barrier endothelial cells. Furthermore, inflammation-induced aversion was blocked in mice lacking Cxcl10 or its receptor Cxcr3. Finally, mice with a selective deletion of the IFN-ɣ receptor in brain endothelial cells did not develop inflammation-induced aversion, demonstrating that the brain endothelium is the critical site of IFN-ɣ action. Collectively, these findings show that circulating IFN-ɣ that binds to receptors on brain endothelial cells and induces Cxcl10, is a central link in the signaling chain eliciting inflammation-induced aversion.
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| 7. |
- Karlsson, Oskar, et al.
(författare)
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MALDI imaging delineates hippocampal glycosphingolipid changes associated with neurotoxin induced proteopathy following neonatal BMAA exposure.
- 2017
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Ingår i: Biochimica et Biophysica Acta. - : Elsevier BV. - 0006-3002 .- 1878-2434. ; 1865:7, s. 740-746
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The environmental toxin β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA) has been proposed to contribute to neurodegenerative diseases. We have previously shown that neonatal exposure to BMAA results in dose-dependent cognitive impairments, proteomic alterations and progressive neurodegeneration in the hippocampus of adult rats. A high BMAA dose (460mg/kg) also induced intracellular fibril formation, increased protein ubiquitination and enrichment of proteins important for lipid transport and metabolism. The aim of this study was therefore to elucidate the role of neuronal lipids in BMAA-induced neurodegeneration. By using matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization imaging mass spectrometry (MALDI IMS), we characterized the spatial lipid profile in the hippocampus of six month-old rats that were treated neonatally (postnatal days 9-10) with 460mg/kg BMAA. Multivariate statistical analysis revealed long-term changes in distinct ganglioside species (GM, GD, GT) in the dentate gyrus. These changes could be a consequence of direct effects on ganglioside biosynthesis through the b-series (GM3-GD3-GD2-GD1b-GT1b) and may be linked to astrogliosis. Complementary immunohistochemistry experiments towards GFAP and S100β further verified the role of increased astrocyte activity in BMAA-induced brain damage. This highlights the potential of imaging MS for probing chemical changes associated with neuropathological mechanisms in situ. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: MALDI Imaging, edited by Dr. Corinna Henkel and Prof. Peter Hoffmann.
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| 8. |
- Lindberg, Frida A.
(författare)
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The Biological Importance of the Amino Acid Transporter SLC38A10 : Characterization of a Knockout Mouse
- 2022
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The biggest group of transporters, the solute carriers (SLCs), has more than 400 members, and about 30% of these are still orphan. In order to decipher their biological function and possible role in disease, there is a need for characterization of these. Around 25% of SLCs are estimated to have amino acids as substrates, including transporters belonging to the SLC38 family. The SLC38 members are sometimes referred to their alternative name: sodium-coupled neutral amino acid transporters (SNATs). One of these transporters, SNAT10 (or SLC38A10), has been characterized as a bidirectional transporter of glutamate, glutamine, alanine and aspartate, as well as having an efflux of serine, and is ubiquitously expressed in the body. However, its biological importance is not yet understood. The aim with this thesis was to characterize a mouse model deficient in SNAT10 protein in order to find the biological importance of this transporter. In paper I, this is done by using a series of behavioral tests, including the open field test, elevated plus maze, rotarod and Y-maze, among others. The SNAT10 knockout mouse was found to have an increased risk-taking behavior, but no motor or spatial working memory impairments. Furthermore, the knockout mouse was found to have a decreased body weight. In paper II, an additional behavioral characterization was performed by using the multivariate concentric square field™ (MCSF) test. The MCSF test is an arena with different zones associated to different behavioral traits, which generates a behavioral profile depending on where the mouse spends its time. The result from this test implies that the SNAT10 deficient mouse has a lower explorative behavior than its wild type littermates. In paper III, gene expression was studied in whole brain and some genes related to cell cycle regulation and p53 expression were found to be differentially expressed in the knockout brain. Additional gene expression was studied in kidney, liver, lung and muscle, but no changes were found. Plasma levels of histidine and threonine were altered in males, but no altered amino acid levels were found in knockout females, suggesting a possible sex-specific effect. These studies together imply that SNAT10 might be involved in processes related to risk-taking and explorative behavior in the open field and MCSF tests. SNAT10 deficiency also affected amino acid levels in plasma, indicating a disrupted amino acid homeostasis.
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| 9. |
- Sundén, Henrik, 1978, et al.
(författare)
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Chiral Dihydrobenzofuran Acids Show Potent Retinoid X Receptor-Nuclear Receptor Related 1 Protein Dimer Activation
- 2016
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Ingår i: Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0022-2623 .- 1520-4804. ; 59:3, s. 1232-1238
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The nuclear receptor Nurr1 can be activated by RXR via heterodimerization (RXR-Nurr1) and is a promising target for treating neurodegenerative diseases. We herein report the enantioselective synthesis and SAR of sterically constricted benzofurans at RXR. The established SAR, using whole cell functional assays, lead to the full agonist 9a at RXR (pEC50 of 8.2) and RXR-Nurr1. The X-ray structure shows enantiomeric discrimination where 9a optimally addresses the ligand binding pocket of RXR.
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| 10. |
- Rajda, Cecilia, et al.
(författare)
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Increased dopamine content in lymphocytes from high-dose L-Dopa-treated Parkinson's disease patients
- 2005
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Ingår i: Neuroimmunomodulation. - : S. Karger AG. - 1021-7401 .- 1423-0216. ; 12:2, s. 81-84:12, s. 81-84
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVES: The intracellular (i.c.) content of dopamine and its metabolites was measured in the peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients and healthy controls. METHODS: Catecholamine levels of PBLs were measured using capillary electrophoresis in healthy controls and PD patients receiving different doses of L-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-Dopa). RESULTS: Higher i.c. dopamine content was found in lymphocytes from PD patients receiving a high dose of L-Dopa (700 +/- 30 mg/day) as compared to lymphocytes from the healthy controls (p = 0.002) and from PD patients treated with a low dose of L-Dopa (400 +/- 30 mg/day) (p = 0.022). The dihydroxyphenylacetic acid to dopamine ratio was significantly lower in the high-dose L-Dopa-treated PD patients than in the controls (p = 0.013). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the dopamine content and metabolism in the peripheral lymphocytes of PD patients are influenced by L-Dopa administration. This is the first study in which a dose-related effect of L-Dopa treatment was found in lymphocytes from PD patients.
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