| 1. |
- Ahlgren, Cecilia, 1946, et al.
(författare)
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High nationwide incidence of multiple sclerosis in Sweden
- 2014
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Ingår i: PLoS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 9:9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Over recent years increased MS incidence, primarily in women, has been reported. We recently reported an unexpectedly high MS prevalence of 189/100,000 in Sweden. In the present study we estimated the nationwide age- and gender-specific MS incidence and the sex ratio in Sweden between 2001 and 2008. MS patients were identified by linking two nationwide health data registers, and the Swedish population register. The earliest registered date of MS diagnosis was determined. By logistic regression, the probability of the date of MS diagnosis being within the incidence period, depending on age and time was estimated for a subset of patients and applied to other patients. By Poisson regression, the hazard functions for the incidence of MS diagnosis were estimated. The expected number of MS patients was 7,361.4. The incidence in the average population of 9,054,658 was 10.2 per 100,000 person-years, and 6.2 and 14.0 per 100,000 person-years for men and women, respectively. The crude female to male ratio was 2.26. No increase of incidence or change of sex ratio was observed from 2001 to 2008. In conclusion, the average MS incidence in Sweden from 2001 to 2008 was 10.2 per 100.000, which was considerably higher than previous regional Swedish estimates of 4.3-6.4. No increase of female to male ratio of MS during the study period was observed. We provide supplementary data that can be used as tools for examining excess MS risk in different study materials.
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| 2. |
- Ahlgren, Erika, et al.
(författare)
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Association between Plasma Homocysteine Levels and Neuronal Injury in HIV Infection
- 2016
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Ingår i: PLoS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 11:7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective To investigate the role of homocysteine in neuronal injury in HIV infection. Methods Using a cross-sectional design and archived samples, we compared concentrations of plasma homocysteine and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) neurofilament light protein (NFL), a sensitive marker of neuronal injury, in 83 HIV-1-infected subjects without antiretroviral treatment. We also analyzed plasma vitamin B12, serum folate, CSF, and plasma HIV RNA, the immune activation marker neopterin in CSF and serum, and albumin ratio as a marker of blood-brain barrier integrity. Twenty-two subjects provided a second sample median of 12.5 months after antiretroviral treatment initiation. Results A significant correlation was found between plasma homocysteine and CSF NFL concentrations in untreated individuals (r = 0.52, p < 0.0001). As expected, there was a significant inverse correlation between homocysteine and B12 (r = -0.41, p < 0.001) and folate (r = -0.40, p = < 0.001) levels. In a multiple linear regression analysis homocysteine stood out as an independent predictor of CSF NFL in HIV-1-infected individuals. The correlation of plasma homocysteine and CSF NFL was also present in the group receiving antiretroviral therapy (r = 0.51, p = 0.016). Conclusion A correlation between plasma homocysteine and axonal injury, as measured by CSF NFL, was found in both untreated and treated HIV. While this study is not able to prove a causal link, homocysteine and functional B12/folate deficiency appear to play a role in neural injury in HIV-infected individuals.
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| 3. |
- Ahmadpour, Doryaneh, 1973, et al.
(författare)
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Inventory study of an early pandemic COVID- 19 cohort in South-Eastern Sweden, focusing on neurological manifestations
- 2023
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Ingår i: PLoS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203 .- 1932-6203. ; 18:1 January
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Neurological manifestations in patients with COVID-19 have been reported previously as outcomes of the infection. The purpose of current study was to investigate the occurrence of neurological signs and symptoms in COVID-19 patients, in the county ofÖstergötland in southeastern Sweden. Methods This is a retrospective, observational cohort study. Data were collected between March 2020 and June 2020. Information was extracted from medical records by a trained research assistant and physician and all data were validated by a senior neurologist. Results Seventy-four percent of patients developed at least one neurological symptom during the acute phase of the infection. Headache (43%) was the most common neurological symptom, followed by anosmia and/or ageusia (33%), confusion (28%), hallucinations (17%), dizziness (16%), sleep disorders in terms of insomnia and OSAS (Obstructive Sleep Apnea) (9%), myopathy and neuropathy (8%) and numbness and tingling (5%). Patients treated in the ICU had a higher male presentation (73%). Several risk factors in terms of co-morbidities, were identified. Hypertension (54.5%), depression and anxiety (51%), sleep disorders in terms of insomnia and OSAS (30%), cardiovascular morbidity (28%), autoimmune diseases (25%), chronic lung diseases (24%) and diabetes mellitus type 2 (23%) founded as possible risk factors. Conclusion Neurological symptoms were found in the vast majority (74%) of the patients. Accordingly, attention to neurological, mental and sleep disturbances is warranted with involvement of neurological expertise, in order to avoid further complications and long-term neurological effect of COVID-19. Furthermore, risk factors for more severe COVID-19, in terms of possible co-morbidities that identified in this study should get appropriate attention to optimizing treatment strategies in COVID-19 patients.
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| 4. |
- Alamidi, Daniel, et al.
(författare)
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T1 Relaxation Time in Lungs of Asymptomatic Smokers.
- 2016
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Ingår i: PLoS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 11:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Interest in using T1 as a potential MRI biomarker of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has recently increased. Since tobacco smoking is the major risk factor for development of COPD, the aim for this study was to examine whether tobacco smoking, pack-years (PY), influenced T1 of the lung parenchyma in asymptomatic current smokers.
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| 5. |
- Alevronta, Eleftheria, et al.
(författare)
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Dose-response relationships of intestinal organs and excessive mucus discharge after gynaecological radiotherapy
- 2021
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Ingår i: PLoS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203 .- 1932-6203. ; 16:4 April
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background The study aims to determine possible dose-volume response relationships between the rectum, sigmoid colon and small intestine and the ‘excessive mucus discharge’ syndrome after pelvic radiotherapy for gynaecological cancer. Methods and materials From a larger cohort, 98 gynaecological cancer survivors were included in this study. These survivors, who were followed for 2 to 14 years, received external beam radiation therapy but not brachytherapy and not did not have stoma. Thirteen of the 98 developed excessive mucus discharge syndrome. Three self-assessed symptoms were weighted together to produce a score interpreted as ‘excessive mucus discharge’ syndrome based on the factor loadings from factor analysis. The dose-volume histograms (DVHs) for rectum, sigmoid colon, small intestine for each survivor were exported from the treatment planning systems. The dose-volume response relationships for excessive mucus discharge and each organ at risk were estimated by fitting the data to the Probit, RS, LKB and gEUD models. Results The small intestine was found to have steep dose-response curves, having estimated dose-response parameters: γ : 1.28, 1.23, 1.32, D : 61.6, 63.1, 60.2 for Probit, RS and LKB respectively. The sigmoid colon (AUC: 0.68) and the small intestine (AUC: 0.65) had the highest AUC values. For the small intestine, the DVHs for survivors with and without excessive mucus discharge were well separated for low to intermediate doses; this was not true for the sigmoid colon. Based on all results, we interpret the results for the small intestine to reflect a relevant link. Conclusion An association was found between the mean dose to the small intestine and the occurrence of ‘excessive mucus discharge’. When trying to reduce and even eliminate the incidence of ‘excessive mucus discharge’, it would be useful and important to separately delineate the small intestine and implement the dose-response estimations reported in the study.
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| 6. |
- Almquist, Joachim, 1980, et al.
(författare)
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A nonlinear mixed effects approach for modeling the cell-to-cell variability of Mig1 dynamics in yeast.
- 2015
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Ingår i: PLoS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 10:4
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The last decade has seen a rapid development of experimental techniques that allow data collection from individual cells. These techniques have enabled the discovery and characterization of variability within a population of genetically identical cells. Nonlinear mixed effects (NLME) modeling is an established framework for studying variability between individuals in a population, frequently used in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, but its potential for studies of cell-to-cell variability in molecular cell biology is yet to be exploited. Here we take advantage of this novel application of NLME modeling to study cell-to-cell variability in the dynamic behavior of the yeast transcription repressor Mig1. In particular, we investigate a recently discovered phenomenon where Mig1 during a short and transient period exits the nucleus when cells experience a shift from high to intermediate levels of extracellular glucose. A phenomenological model based on ordinary differential equations describing the transient dynamics of nuclear Mig1 is introduced, and according to the NLME methodology the parameters of this model are in turn modeled by a multivariate probability distribution. Using time-lapse microscopy data from nearly 200 cells, we estimate this parameter distribution according to the approach of maximizing the population likelihood. Based on the estimated distribution, parameter values for individual cells are furthermore characterized and the resulting Mig1 dynamics are compared to the single cell times-series data. The proposed NLME framework is also compared to the intuitive but limited standard two-stage (STS) approach. We demonstrate that the latter may overestimate variabilities by up to almost five fold. Finally, Monte Carlo simulations of the inferred population model are used to predict the distribution of key characteristics of the Mig1 transient response. We find that with decreasing levels of post-shift glucose, the transient response of Mig1 tend to be faster, more extended, and displays an increased cell-to-cell variability.
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| 7. |
- Andersen, L. M., et al.
(författare)
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Similarities and differences between on-scalp and conventional in-helmet magnetoencephalography recordings
- 2017
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Ingår i: Plos One. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 12:7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The development of new magnetic sensor technologies that promise sensitivities approaching that of conventional MEG technology while operating at far lower operating temperatures has catalysed the growing field of on-scalp MEG. The feasibility of on-scalp MEG has been demonstrated via benchmarking of new sensor technologies performing neuromagnetic recordings in close proximity to the head surface against state-of-the-art in-helmet MEG sensor technology. However, earlier work has provided little information about how these two approaches compare, or about the reliability of observed differences. Herein, we present such a comparison, based on recordings of the N20m component of the somatosensory evoked field as elicited by electric median nerve stimulation. As expected from the proximity differences between the on-scalp and in-helmet sensors, the magnitude of the N20m activation as recorded with the on-scalp sensor was higher than that of the in-helmet sensors. The dipole pattern of the on-scalp recordings was also more spatially confined than that of the conventional recordings. Our results furthermore revealed unexpected temporal differences in the peak of the N20m component. An analysis protocol was therefore developed for assessing the reliability of this observed difference. We used this protocol to examine our findings in terms of differences in sensor sensitivity between the two types of MEG recordings. The measurements and subsequent analysis raised attention to the fact that great care has to be taken in measuring the field close to the zero-line crossing of the dipolar field, since it is heavily dependent on the orientation of sensors. Taken together, our findings provide reliable evidence that on-scalp and in-helmet sensors measure neural sources in mostly similar ways.
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| 8. |
- Anåker, Anna, et al.
(författare)
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A comparative study of patients' activities and interactions in a stroke unit before and after reconstruction-The significance of the built environment
- 2017
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Ingår i: PLoS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203 .- 1932-6203. ; 12:7, s. Article no e0177477-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Early mobilization and rehabilitation, multidisciplinary stroke expertise and comprehensive therapies are fundamental in a stroke unit. To achieve effective and safe stroke care, the physical environment in modern stroke units should facilitate the delivery of evidence-based care. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore patients' activities and interactions in a stroke unit before the reconstruction of the physical environment, while in a temporary location and after reconstruction. This case study examined a stroke unit as an integrated whole. The data were collected using a behavioral mapping technique at three different time points: in the original unit, in the temporary unit and in the new unit. A total of 59 patients were included. The analysis included field notes from observations of the physical environment and examples from planning and design documents. The findings indicated that in the new unit, the patients spent more time in their rooms, were less active, and had fewer interactions with staff and family than the patients in the original unit. The reconstruction involved a change from a primarily multi-bed room design to single-room accommodations. In the new unit, the patients' lounge was located in a far corner of the unit with a smaller entrance than the patients' lounge in the old unit, which was located at the end of a corridor with a noticeable entrance. Changes in the design of the stroke unit may have influenced the patients' activities and interactions. This study raises the question of how the physical environment should be designed in the future to facilitate the delivery of health care and improve outcomes for stroke patients. This research is based on a case study, and although the results should be interpreted with caution, we strongly recommend that environmental considerations be included in future stroke guidelines.
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| 9. |
- Apelgren, Peter, et al.
(författare)
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Chondrocytes and stem cells in 3D-bioprinted structures create human cartilage in vivo.
- 2017
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Ingår i: PloS one. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 12:12
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Cartilage repair and replacement is a major challenge in plastic reconstructive surgery. The development of a process capable of creating a patient-specific cartilage framework would be a major breakthrough. Here, we described methods for creating human cartilage in vivo and quantitatively assessing the proliferative capacity and cartilage-formation ability in mono- and co-cultures of human chondrocytes and human mesenchymal stem cells in a three-dimensional (3D)-bioprinted hydrogel scaffold. The 3D-bioprinted constructs (5 × 5 × 1.2 mm) were produced using nanofibrillated cellulose and alginate in combination with human chondrocytes and human mesenchymal stem cells using a 3D-extrusion bioprinter. Immediately following bioprinting, the constructs were implanted subcutaneously on the back of 48 nude mice and explanted after 30 and 60 days, respectively, for morphological and immunohistochemical examination. During explantation, the constructs were easy to handle, and the majority had retained their macroscopic grid appearance. Constructs consisting of human nasal chondrocytes showed good proliferation ability, with 17.2% of the surface areas covered with proliferating chondrocytes after 60 days. In constructs comprising a mixture of chondrocytes and stem cells, an additional proliferative effect was observed involving chondrocyte production of glycosaminoglycans and type 2 collagen. This clinically highly relevant study revealed 3D bioprinting as a promising technology for the creation of human cartilage.
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| 10. |
- Asutay, Erkin, 1982, et al.
(författare)
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Perception of Loudness Is Influenced by Emotion
- 2012
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Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science. - 1932-6203. ; 7:6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Loudness perception is thought to be a modular system that is unaffected by other brain systems. We tested the hypothesis that loudness perception can be influenced by negative affect using a conditioning paradigm, where some auditory stimuli were paired with aversive experiences while others were not. We found that the same auditory stimulus was reported as being louder, more negative and fear-inducing when it was conditioned with an aversive experience, compared to when it was used as a control stimulus. This result provides support for an important role of emotion in auditory perception.
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