| 1. |
- Archer, Trevor, 1949, et al.
(författare)
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Influence of noradrenaline denervation on MPTP-induced deficits in mice
- 2006
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Ingår i: Journal of neural transmission. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0300-9564 .- 1435-1463. ; 113:9, s. 1119-1129
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- C57/BL6 mice were administered either DSP4 (50 mg/kg, s.c., 30 min after injection of zimeldine, 20 Cemg/kg, s.c.) or vehicle (saline) at 63 days of age. Three weeks later, one group (n = 10) of DSP4-treated and one group of vehicle-treated mice were administered MPTP (2 x 40 mg/kg, s.c., 24 hours between injections; the High dose groups), one group (n = 10) of DSP4-treated and one group of vehicle-treated mice were administered MPTP (2 x 20 mg/kg, s.c., 24 hours between injections; the Low dose groups), and one group (n = 10) of DSP4-treated and one group of vehicle-treated mice were administered vehicle. Three weeks later, all six groups were tested in motor activity test chambers, followed by injections of L-Dopa (20 mg/kg, s.c.), and then tested over a further 360 min in the activity test chambers. It was found that pretreatment with the selective NA neurotoxin, DSP4, deteriorated markedly the dose-dependent motor activity deficits observed in the vehicle pretreated MPTP treated mice. These 'ultra-deficits' in the spontaneous motor behaviour of MPTP-treated mice were observed over all three parameters: locomotion, rearing and total activity, and were restricted to the 1(st) and 2(nd) 20-min periods. Administration of L-Dopa (20 mg/kg) following the 60-min testing of spontaneous behaviour restored the motor activity of Vehicle + MPTP treated mice (neither the Vehicle + MPTP-Low nor the Vehicle + MPTP-High groups differed from the Vehicle-Vehicle group, here) but failed to do so in the DSP4 pretreated mice. Here, a dose-dependent deficit of L-Dopa-induced motor activity (over all three parameters) was obtained thereby offering further evidence of an 'ultra-deficit' of function due to previous denervation of the NA terminals. The present findings support the notion that severe damage to the locus coeruleus noradrenergic system, through systemic DSP4, disrupts the facilitatory influence on the nigrostriatal DA system, and interferes with the ability of the nigrostriatal pathway to compensate for or recover from marked injury, MPTP treatment.
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Bergman, Ann-Sofie, 1963-, et al.
(författare)
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When a parent dies : a systematic review of the effects of support programs for parentally bereaved children and their caregivers
- 2017
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Ingår i: BMC Palliative Care. - : BioMed Central. - 1472-684X. ; 16, s. 1-15
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The death of a parent is a highly stressful life event for bereaved children. Several studies have shown an increased risk of mental ill-health and psychosocial problems among affected children. The aims of this study were to systematically review studies about effective support interventions for parentally bereaved children and to identify gaps in the research.Methods: The review’s inclusion criteria were comparative studies with samples of parentally bereaved children. The focus of these studies were assessments of the effects on children of a bereavement support intervention. The intervention was directed towards children 0–18 years;but it could also target the children’s remaining parent/caregiver. The study included an outcome measure that dealt with effects of the intervention on children. The following electronic databases were searched up to and including November 2015: PubMed, PsycINFO, Cinahl, PILOTS, ProQuest Sociology (Sociological Abstracts and Social Services Abstracts). The included studies were analysed and summarized based on the following categories: type of intervention, reference and grade of evidence, study population, evaluation design, measure, outcome variable and findings as effect size within and between groups.Results: One thousand, seven hundred and six abstracts were examined. Following the selection process, 17 studies were included. The included studies consisted of 15 randomized controlled studies, while one study employed a quasi-experimental and one study a pre-post-test design. Thirteen studies provided strong evidence with regards to the quality of the studies due to the grade criteria; three studies provided fairly strong evidence and one study provided weaker evidence. The included studies were published between 1985 and 2015, with the majority published 2000 onwards. The studies were published within several disciplines such as psychology, social work, medicine and psychiatry, which illustrates that support for bereaved children is relevant for different professions. The interventions were based on various forms of support: group interventions for the children, family interventions, guidance for parents and camp activities for children. In fourteen studies, the interventions were directed at both children and their remaining parents. These studies revealed that when parents are supported, they can demonstrate an enhanced capacity to support their children. In three studies, the interventions were primarily directed at the bereaved children. The results showed positive between group effects both for children and caregivers in several areas, namely large effects for children’s traumatic grief and parent’s feelings of being supported; medium effects for parental warmth, positive parenting, parent’s mental health, grief discussions in the family, and children’s health. There were small effects on several outcomes, for example children’s post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, anxiety, depression, self-esteem and behaviour problems. There were studies that did not show effects on some measures, namely depression, present grief, and for the subgroup boys on anxiety, depression, internalizing and externalizing.Conclusions: The results indicate that relatively brief interventions can prevent children from developing more severe problems after the loss of a parent, such as traumatic grief and mental health problems. Studies have shown positive effects for both children’s and remaining caregiver’s health. Further research is required including how best to support younger bereaved children. There is also a need for more empirically rigorous effect studies in this area.
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| 4. |
- Bratt, Anna S., 1969-, et al.
(författare)
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An internet-based compassion course for healthcare professionals : Rationale and protocol for a randomised controlled trial
- 2022
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Ingår i: Internet Interventions. - : Elsevier BV. - 2214-7829. ; 28
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Severe stress is one of the most common causes of sick leave in Sweden. Previous research has shown that compassion interventions for healthcare professionals can decrease work-related stress through the introduction of self-care, self-awareness, and emotion regulation abilities when experiencing difficult situations. Internet-based stress management interventions have hitherto shown promising results in reducing stress. However, further research is needed to examine the effectiveness of internet-based compassion interventions for healthcare professionals. Objective: In the present study protocol, a randomised controlled trial is described, aiming to examine the effects of an internet-based compassion course for healthcare professionals on work-related stress and stress of conscience. Method: Healthcare professionals will be offered an internet-based stress management course of five modules across a period of five weeks. The design is a randomised controlled study consisting of three groups enrolled in one of the following: a compassion course (n = 120), a cognitive behavioural stress management course (n = 120), or placed on a waitlist followed by either the compassion course or the cognitive behavioural stress management course (n = 36). We hypothesise that the internet-based compassion course would reduce the participants' stress of conscience to a greater degree compared to the other two groups. The secondary hypothesis is that the compassion course would increase the participants' professional quality of life (i.e., higher job satisfaction and lower empathy fatigue) and self-compassion. In addition, the internet-based compassion course is expected to reduce the participants' work-related stress and sick leave rates to the same degree (non-inferiority) as the cognitive behavioural stress management course and to a higher degree when compared to the waitlist condition. The primary outcome measure is the Stress of Conscience Questionnaire (SCQ) and the secondary outcome measures are the Professional Quality of Life Scale (PROQOL), the Work-related Stress Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ), and the Self-compassion Scale (SCS). Assessments will be performed at baseline, four weekly assessments during treatment, post-treatment (5 weeks), and follow-ups at 10 weeks, 15 weeks, and 6 months. The repeated measures data will be analysed using a generalised estimating equation for repeated measurements to examine whether changes over time differ between the groups and whether the improvements persist over time. Discussion: The clinical trial is expected to provide novel data on the effects of compassion interventions and add to the existing knowledge of internet-based interventions for stress management in healthcare professionals.
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| 5. |
- Brommesson, Douglas, 1976-, et al.
(författare)
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From variation to convergence in turbulent times : Foreign and security policy choices among the Nordics 2014–2023
- 2024
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Ingår i: European Security. - : Taylor & Francis Group. - 0966-2839 .- 1746-1545. ; 33:1, s. 21-43
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Nordic states have long made distinct choices regarding foreign and security policy principles. However, since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, we are witnessing a convergence of the Nordic countries’ general patterns of cooperation within their security policies. We argue that the challenging international context has led to heightened threat perceptions, triggering a reformulation of their foreign policy roles. Based on this assumption the article aims to analyse the convergence of the Nordic countries’ foreign and security policies by tracing changes in their foreign policy roles following Russia’s increasing aggressiveness. We trace the changes in the Nordic countries’ foreign policy roles through three dimensions: the changes to the international order, threat perceptions and perceptions of reduced manoeuvrability in international affairs. Our empirical analysis sheds light on how all Nordic countries perceive an increasing threat to the multilateral rule-based order, which has consequences for the roles of these states, how the threat perceptions of the Nordic states have been on high alert since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, and finally how this has significantly impacted the Nordic foreign policy elites’ perception of their countries’ ability to manoeuvre and conduct autonomous foreign policy, motivating radical changes in the roles.
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| 6. |
- Bunse, Carina, et al.
(författare)
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Spatio-Temporal Interdependence of Bacteria and Phytoplankton during a Baltic Sea Spring Bloom
- 2016
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Microbiology. - : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 1664-302X. ; 7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In temperate systems, phytoplankton spring blooms deplete inorganic nutrients and are major sources of organic matter for the microbial loop. In response to phytoplankton exudates and environmental factors, heterotrophic microbial communities are highly dynamic and change their abundance and composition both on spatial and temporal scales. Yet, most of our understanding about these processes comes from laboratory model organism studies, mesocosm experiments or single temporal transects. Spatial -temporal studies examining interactions of phytoplankton blooms and bacterioplankton community composition and function, though being highly informative, are scarce. In this study, pelagic microbial community dynamics (bacteria and phytoplankton) and environmental variables were monitored during a spring bloom across the Baltic Proper (two cruises between North Germany to Gulf of Finland). To test to what extent bacterioplankton community composition relates to the spring bloom, we used next generation amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, phytoplankton diversity analysis based on microscopy counts and population genotyping of the dominating diatom Skeletonema rnarinoi. Several phytoplankton bloom related and environmental variables were identified to influence bacterial community composition. Members of Bacteroidetes and Alphaproteobacteria dominated the bacterial community composition but the bacterial groups showed no apparent correlation with direct bloom related variables. The less abundant bacterial phyla Actinobacteria, Planctomycetes, and Verrucomicrobia, on the other hand, were strongly associated with phytoplankton biomass, diatom:dinoflagellate ratio, and colored dissolved organic matter (cDOM). Many bacterial operational taxonomic units (OTUs) showed high niche specificities. For example, particular Bacteroidetes OTUs were associated with two distinct genetic clusters of S. marinoi. Our study revealed the complexity of interactions of bacterial taxa with inter- and intraspecific genetic variation in phytoplankton. Overall, our findings imply that biotic and abiotic factors during spring bloom influence bacterial community dynamics in a hierarchical manner.
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| 7. |
- Carlsson, Catharina, et al.
(författare)
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Mentalizing and Emotional Labor Facilitate Equine-Assisted Social Work with Self-harming Adolescents
- 2015
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Ingår i: Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal. - new york : Springer-Verlag New York. - 0738-0151 .- 1573-2797. ; 32:4, s. 329-339
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This article explores equine-assisted social work (EASW). Horses' capacities to mirror human emotions create possibilities for authentic relationships between clients and staff. This study examines what eases or counteracts the horse's capacity to facilitate relationships perceived by humans to be authentic. Video recordings of the human-horse interactions of three staff members and four female self-harming clients aged 15–21 years in a residential treatment facility were analyzed. The findings show that if the staff gave instructions and advice similar to traditional equestrian sports in combination with viewing the horse as an object, EASW is not facilitated. EASW seems to be facilitated when the horse is perceived as a subject by both staff and clients, provided that the staff gave meaning to the horse's behavior. The staff needed to highlight empathy for the horse when the horse is not able to fulfill its task without adding depth to the client's performance, to avoid raising defense mechanisms. The essence of EASW were perceived as eased by staff members when they focus on the client's emotions and help the client understand that the horse is acting in response to the client's and the staff's behavior through mentalizing and enacting emotional labor in regarding the horse as a subject. The results indicate the need for higher demands on staff members in order to facilitate EASW. Depending on whether the staff and the clients focus on performance or on emotions, different positive or negative outcomes on communication, self-confidence, self-esteem, and self-image will be likely to emerge.
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| 8. |
- Chen, Deliang, 1961, et al.
(författare)
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Summary of a workshop on extreme weather events in a warming world organized by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
- 2020
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Ingår i: Tellus Series B-Chemical and Physical Meteorology. - : Stockholm University Press. - 1600-0889 .- 0280-6509. ; 72:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Climate change is not only about changes in means of climatic variables such as temperature, precipitation and wind, but also their extreme values which are of critical importance to human society and ecosystems. To inspire the Swedish climate research community and to promote assessments of international research on past and future changes in extreme weather events against the global climate change background, the Earth Science Class of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences organized a workshop entitled 'Extreme weather events in a warming world' in 2019. This article summarizes and synthesizes the key points from the presentations and discussions of the workshop on changes in floods, droughts, heat waves, as well as on tropical cyclones and extratropical storms. In addition to reviewing past achievements in these research fields and identifying research gaps with a focus on Sweden, future challenges and opportunities for the Swedish climate research community are highlighted.
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| 9. |
- Christiansen, Evald H, et al.
(författare)
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Instantaneous Wave-free Ratio versus Fractional Flow Reserve to Guide PCI.
- 2017
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Ingår i: The New England journal of medicine. - : Massachussetts Medical Society. - 1533-4406 .- 0028-4793. ; 376:19, s. 1813-1823
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR) is an index used to assess the severity of coronary-artery stenosis. The index has been tested against fractional flow reserve (FFR) in small trials, and the two measures have been found to have similar diagnostic accuracy. However, studies of clinical outcomes associated with the use of iFR are lacking. We aimed to evaluate whether iFR is noninferior to FFR with respect to the rate of subsequent major adverse cardiac events.We conducted a multicenter, randomized, controlled, open-label clinical trial using the Swedish Coronary Angiography and Angioplasty Registry for enrollment. A total of 2037 participants with stable angina or an acute coronary syndrome who had an indication for physiologically guided assessment of coronary-artery stenosis were randomly assigned to undergo revascularization guided by either iFR or FFR. The primary end point was the rate of a composite of death from any cause, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or unplanned revascularization within 12 months after the procedure.A primary end-point event occurred in 68 of 1012 patients (6.7%) in the iFR group and in 61 of 1007 (6.1%) in the FFR group (difference in event rates, 0.7 percentage points; 95% confidence interval [CI], -1.5 to 2.8; P=0.007 for noninferiority; hazard ratio, 1.12; 95% CI, 0.79 to 1.58; P=0.53); the upper limit of the 95% confidence interval for the difference in event rates fell within the prespecified noninferiority margin of 3.2 percentage points. The results were similar among major subgroups. The rates of myocardial infarction, target-lesion revascularization, restenosis, and stent thrombosis did not differ significantly between the two groups. A significantly higher proportion of patients in the FFR group than in the iFR group reported chest discomfort during the procedure.Among patients with stable angina or an acute coronary syndrome, an iFR-guided revascularization strategy was noninferior to an FFR-guided revascularization strategy with respect to the rate of major adverse cardiac events at 12 months. (Funded by Philips Volcano; iFR SWEDEHEART ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02166736 .).
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| 10. |
- Eék, Niels, 1980, et al.
(författare)
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High- versus low-intensity internet interventions for alcohol use disorders (AUD) : A two-year follow-up of a single-blind randomized controlled trial
- 2023
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Ingår i: Internet Interventions. - : Elsevier. - 2214-7829. ; 33
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Alcohol Use Disorders (AUD) are widespread and have serious consequences, but are among the most undertreated mental disorders. Internet interventions have been found effective in treating AUD, but we know little about long-term outcomes, two years or more after treatment. This study explored 12- and 24-month outcomes in alcohol consumption following initial 6-month improvements after a therapist-guided high-intensity internet intervention and an unguided low-intensity internet intervention among individuals with alcohol use disorder. Between-group comparisons were analyzed, as well as within-group comparisons with (1) pre-treatment measurements (2) post-treatment measurements. Participants consisted of a general population sample of internet help-seekers in Sweden. A total of 143 adults (47% men) with a score of 14 (women)/16 (men) or more on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, alcohol consumption of 11 (women)/14 (men) or more standard drinks the preceding week and & GE; 2 DSM-5 alcohol use disorder (AUD) criteria based on a diagnostic interview were included. The high- and low-intensity internet interventions (n = 72 and n = 71 respectively) consisted of modules based on relapse prevention and cognitive-behavioral therapy. The primary outcome was self-reported alcohol consumption in the preceding week measured as (1) number of standard drinks and (2) number of heavy drinking days. Attrition from self-reported questionnaires was 36% at the 12-month follow-up and 53% at the 24month follow-up. No significant between-group differences occurred in outcomes at either long-term follow-up. Regarding within-group differences, compared to pre-treatment, alcohol consumption was lower in both highand low-intensity interventions at both long-term follow-ups [within-group standard drinks effect sizes varied between g = 0.38-1.04 and heavy drinking days effect sizes varied between g = 0.65-0.94]. Compared to posttreatment, within-group alcohol consumption in the high intensity intervention increased at both follow-ups; for the low-intensity intervention, within-group consumption decreased at 12-month follow-up, but did not differ compared to post-treatment at 24 months. Both high- and low-intensity internet interventions for AUD were thus associated with overall reductions in alcohol consumption at long term follow-ups, with no significant differences between the two. However, conclusions are hampered by differential and non-differential attrition.
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