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- Engberg, Anna E., et al.
(author)
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Prediction of inflammatory responses induced by biomaterials in contact with human blood using protein fingerprint from plasma
- 2015
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In: Biomaterials. - : Elsevier BV. - 0142-9612 .- 1878-5905. ; 36, s. 55-65
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Inappropriate complement activation is often responsible for incompatibility reactions that occur when biomaterials are used. Complement activation is therefore a criterion included in legislation regarding biomaterials testing. However, no consensus is yet available regarding appropriate complement-activation-related test parameters. We examined protein adsorption in plasma and complement activation/cytokine release in whole blood incubated with well-characterized polymers. Strong correlations were found between the ratio of C4 to its inhibitor C4BP and generation of 10 (mainly pro-inflammatory) cytokines, including IL-17, IFN-gamma, and IL-6. The levels of complement activation products correlated weakly (C3a) or not at all (C5a, sC5b-9), confirming their poor predictive values. We have demonstrated a direct correlation between downstream biological effects and the proteins initially adhering to an artificial surface after contact with blood. Consequently, we propose the C4/C4BP ratio as a robust, predictor of biocompatibility with superior specificity and sensitivity over the current gold standard. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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| 2. |
- Baldwin, Dare A., et al.
(author)
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Segmenting dynamic human action via statistical structure
- 2008
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In: Cognition. - : Springer. - 0010-0277 .- 1873-7838. ; 106:3, s. 1382-1407
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Human social, cognitive, and linguistic functioning depends on skills for rapidly processing action. Identifying distinct acts within the dynamic motion flow is one basic component of action processing; for example, skill at segmenting action is foundational to action categorization, verb learning, and comprehension of novel action sequences. Yet little is currently known about mechanisms that may subserve action segmentation. The present research documents that adults can register statistical regularities providing clues to action segmentation. This finding provides new evidence that structural knowledge gained by mechanisms such as statistical learning can play a role in action segmentation, and highlights a striking parallel between processing of action and processing in other domains, such as language.
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| 5. |
- Engberg, Anna E., 1982-, et al.
(author)
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EVALUATION OF THE HEMOCOMPATIBILITY OF NOVEL POLYMERIC MATERIALS
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Other publication (other academic/artistic)abstract
- When a biomaterial surface comes in contact with blood an immediate adsorption of plasma proteins to the surface will occur, and the cascade systems in the blood, such as the complement, coagulation and contact system, will be activated to various degrees. The intensity of this reaction will determine the hemocompatibility of the materials. Here we present an evaluation of the link between the composition, the physico-chemical properties and the protein adsorption properties of six newly synthesized polymers (P1-P6) and the hemocompatibility.The hemocompatibility of the polymeric surfaces was evaluated in human blood plasma and whole blood. Commercially available polyvinylchloride (PVC) was used as reference material. The hemocompatibility of the polymeric surfaces was evaluated with regard to complement activation (C3a and sC5-9 generation) and coagulation activation (platelet loss and TAT-formation) and cytokine productions (27 analytes in multiplex assay) after contact with whole blood. Contact activation was quantified by analyses of FXIIa-C1INH, FXIa-C1INH, and kallikrein-C1INH complexes.Polymers P2 (p<0.05 for C3a), P3, P5 and P6 showed less complement activation, and polymers P1 and P4 (p<0.05 for platelet loss), as well as P5 and P6 showed less coagulation activation compared with reference PVC. Polymers P1-P3 induced activation of the contact system, P3 being the most potent. Secretion of 17 cytokines including chemokines and growth factors were differentially influenced by the polymers, P1 and P3 being significantly (p<0.05) more compatible for five of the analytes.Collectively these data demonstrate that the composition of the polymers clearly leads to different biological properties as a consequence of distinctive physico-chemical properties and protein adsorption patterns.1
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| 8. |
- Isaksson, Jenny, et al.
(author)
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Chlamydiaceae-like bacterium, but no Chlamydia psittaci, in sea birds from Antarctica
- 2015
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In: Polar Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0722-4060 .- 1432-2056. ; 38:11, s. 1931-1936
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Within the growing order of Chlamydiales, there are a number of pathogens. One is Chlamydia psittaci, a zoonotic pathogen, with birds as natural hosts that may be transmitted to humans and cause severe respiratory disease, psittacosis. The prevalence of this pathogen in Antarctic birds is almost unknown as well as the ramifications of its potential spread in na < ve bird populations. To investigate the prevalence of chlamydia organisms, cloacal and fecal samples were collected from 264 penguins and 263 seabirds on the Antarctic Peninsula and in Southern Chile. No C. psittaci could be detected by 23S rRNA real-time PCR. However, DNA sequencing of the 16S rRNA 298-bp signature sequence revealed a Chlamydiaceae-like bacterium previously found in seabirds from the subarctic zone, demonstrating that this not yet fully characterized bacterium is widespread. In conclusion, the prevalence of C. psittaci among wild birds on the Antarctic Peninsula seems to be low, but other types of chlamydial organisms are common. Further studies are required to taxonomically define and finally understand the role of these non-classified Chlamydiae.
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