| 1. |
- Claesson, Rolf, et al.
(författare)
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Multilocus Sequence Typing of Non-JP2 Serotype b Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans Strains of Ghanaian and Swedish Origin
- 2021
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology. - : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 2235-2988. ; 11
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective and Methods: The Gram-negative bacterium, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans is associated with periodontitis affecting young individuals. The geographic dissemination of the highly leukotoxic JP2 genotype of serotype b of this species was previously studied by multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Here, we have used MLST to genetically characterize non-JP2 genotype strains of serotype b, isolated from individuals living in Ghana (n=41), and in Sweden (n=13), respectively.Results: The MLST analysis revealed a total of nine sequence types (ST). Both Ghanaian and Swedish isolates were distributed in ST 1-3. ST 5 and 6 were only identified among the Ghanaian strains, whereas ST 4, 7, 8 and 9 were uniquely represented among the Swedish strains. Previously, we characterized these non-JP2 genotype strains of A. actinomycetemcomitans serotype b by arbitrarily-primed (AP)-PCR, which distributed them into three groups, AP-PCR type 1, 2, and 3, respectively. AP-PCR type 1 strains are generally highly leukotoxic, and are associated with progression of periodontal attachment loss. As AP-PCR type 1 includes both JP2 genotype strains and a proportion of non-JP2 genotype strains of serotype b, a straightforward diagnostic procedure has been sought. This has revealed a gene, cagE, which appears to be conserved only in this AP-PCR type. According to our results, MLST was not a highly discriminatory method to identify AP-PCR type 1, as strains of this AP-PCR type could be found within three different ST: ST 2, ST 3 and ST 8.Conclusion: According to MLST, a geographic dissemination of non-JP2 genotype A. actinomycetemcomitans serotype b appears to exist. However, aiming to identify carriers of AP-PCR type 1, non-JP2 genotype serotype b, PCR with cagE-specific primers is likely the most efficient diagnostic procedure known today.
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| 2. |
- Belibasakis, Georgios N, et al.
(författare)
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Virulence and Pathogenicity Properties of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans
- 2019
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Ingår i: Pathogens. - Basel : MDPI. - 2076-0817. ; 8:4
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans is a periodontal pathogen colonizing the oral cavity of a large proportion of the human population. It is equipped with several potent virulence factors that can cause cell death and induce or evade inflammation. Because of the large genetic diversity within the species, both harmless and highly virulent genotypes of the bacterium have emerged. The oral condition and age, as well as the geographic origin of the individual, influence the risk to be colonized by a virulent genotype of the bacterium. In the present review, the virulence and pathogenicity properties of A. actinomycetemcomitans will be addressed.
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| 3. |
- Claesson, Rolf, et al.
(författare)
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Carriage of the JP2 genotype of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans by periodontitis patients of various geographic origin, living in Sweden
- 2022
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Ingår i: Pathogens. - : MDPI. - 2076-0817. ; 11:11
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The JP2 genotype of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans serotype b is associated with aggressive forms of periodontitis and was initially identified as affecting adolescents in North and West Africa. The dissemination of this genotype follows the migration routes and can today be detected in samples from periodontitis patients in a high number of countries. In the present study, we aim to describe findings of the JP2 genotype A. actinomycetemcomits in a clinical laboratory at the Dental School, Odontology, Umeå University, Sweden. The findings of JP2 carriers are documented during a 21-year period, and the age and geographic origin of the sampled individuals are described. In addition, the collected JP2 isolates were separated into North or West African origin by analyses of the presence of a point mutation in the hbpA2 pseudogene of the bacterium. In a total of 2296 sampled individuals during this period in this Swedish population of periodontitis patients, 32 JP2 carriers were detected by cultivation and PCR. The geographic background of these individuals was diverse, including sixteen with African origin, ten with a Swedish origin and six additional ones with a non-African origin. The JP2 genotypes of A. actinomycetemcomitans were mainly isolated from young individuals (<35 years of age), and seven out of the 32 isolates were of a West African origin based on the sequence of hbpA2. We conclude that the JP2 genotype of A. actinomycetemcomitans can be detected world-wide in subgingival plaque samples from adolescents affected by periodontitis.
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| 4. |
- Claesson, Rolf, et al.
(författare)
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Characterization of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans Serotype b Strains with Five Different, Including Two Novel, Leukotoxin Promoter Structures
- 2020
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Ingår i: Vaccines. - Basel, Switzerland : MDPI. - 2076-393X. ; 8:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The JP2 genotype of A. actinomycetemcomitans, serotype b has attracted much interest during the past three decades due to its close association with periodontitis in young individuals and the enhanced expression of a leukotoxin (LtxA). A typical feature of this genotype is a 530-base pair (bp) deletion in the ltxCABD promoter region controlling leukotoxin expression. In the present work, we have characterized serotype b strains with four additional promoter types. Two novel types have been recognized, that is, one with a 230-bp deletion and one with a 172-bp duplication. Moreover, a strain with a 640-bp deletion and three strains with a full-length promoter, including the type strain Y4, were included in the present study. The seven strains were characterized by multi locus sequence typing (MLST) and arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and assessed for LtxA production. MLST showed that the strains with the non-JP2-like deletions represented distinct monophyletic groups, whereas the JP2 strain, HK1651, represented a separate branch. LtxA production was high in all three strains with a promoter deletion, whereas the other four strains showed significantly lower levels. It can be concluded that the genetic characterization and determination of LtxA production of A. actinomycetemcomitans isolates from individuals with periodontitis can contribute to the identification of novel virulent genotypes of this bacterium.
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| 5. |
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| 6. |
- Hu, Min, 1979-, et al.
(författare)
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Assessment of a Three-Dimensional Fiber Orientation Model for Timber
- 2016
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Ingår i: Wood and Fiber Science. - 0735-6161. ; 48:4, s. 271-290
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Wood is an orthotropic material with very different properties along and across fibers, and every board has its own pattern of knots and fiber deviations. Therefore, detailed knowledge of the three-dimensional (3D) fiber orientation of individual boards would enable more accurate assessment of properties such as stiffness, strength, and shape stability. This paper presents a method for modeling 3D fiber orientation of side boards of Norway spruce. The method is based on dot laser scanning and utilization of the tracheid effect, and it is verified by a comparison between strain fields calculated on the basis of the fiber orientation model and corresponding strains determined using digital image correlation (DIC) technique. By means of the method, it is possible to identify knots and to reproduce the fiber orientation in clear wood in the vicinity of knots. Fiber orientation models of side boards including traversing edge knots were established and integrated in finite element models of boards used for simulation of four-point bending tests. The same boards were also tested in laboratory and displacement fields of the wide faces were recorded at different load levels using DIC technique. Comparisons of strain fields from measurements and simulations showed close agreement, regarding both strain patterns and strain levels. Local strain concentrations caused by very small defects were detected using the models and also found from the laboratory test results. The modeling approach may be used both to achieve improved accuracy of existing machine strength grading methods and, after further development, also for more advanced analysis of eg crack propagation and strength of timber.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Hu, Min, 1979-, et al.
(författare)
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Growth layer and fibre orientation around knots in Norway spruce : a laboratory investigation
- 2018
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Ingår i: Wood Science and Technology. - : Springer. - 0043-7719 .- 1432-5225. ; 52:1, s. 7-27
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The strength of structural timber largely depends on the occurrence of knots and on the local material directions in the surroundings of such knots. There is, however, a lack of methods for establishing a full dataset of the local material directions. The present research aims at the development and application of a laboratory method to assess the geometry of growth layers and the orientation of fibres in a high-resolution 3D grid within wood specimens containing knots. The laboratory method was based on optical flatbed scanning and laser scanning, the former resulting in surface images and the latter, utilizing the tracheid effect, resulting in in-plane fibre angles determined in high-resolution grids on scanned surfaces. A rectangular solid wood specimen containing a single knot was cut from a tree in such a way that it could be assumed that a plane of symmetry existed in the specimen. By splitting the specimen through this plane through the centre line of the knot, two new specimens with assumed identical but mirrored properties were achieved. On one of the new specimens, the longitudinal-radial plane was subsequently scanned, and the longitudinal–tangential plane was scanned on the other. Then, by repeatedly planing off material on both specimens followed by scanning of the new surfaces that gradually appeared, 3D coordinate positions along different growth layers and 3D orientation of fibres in a 3D grid were obtained. Comparisons between detected fibre orientation and growth layer geometry were used for the assessment of the accuracy obtained regarding 3D fibre orientation. It was shown that the suggested method is well suited to capture growth layer surfaces and that it provides reliable information on 3D fibre orientation close to knots. Such knowledge is of great importance for understanding the properties of timber including knots. The quantitative data obtained are also useful for calibration of model parameters of general models on fibre orientation close to knots.
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| 9. |
- Hu, Min, et al.
(författare)
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Local variation of modulus of elasticity in timber determined on the basis of non-contact deformation measurement and scanned fibre orientation
- 2014
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Ingår i: European Journal of Wood and Wood Products. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0018-3768 .- 1436-736X. ; 73:1, s. 17-27
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- During the last decade, the utilization of non-contact deformation measurement systems based on digital image correlation (DIC) has increased in wood related research. By measuring deformations with DIC systems, surface strain fields can be calculated. The first aim of this study concerns the possibility to detect detailed strain fields along the entire length of a wooden board subjected to pure bending and the potential of using such strain fields to determine a bending modulus of elasticity (MOE) profile along a board. Displacements were measured over 12 subareas along a flat surface of the board. For each such area, a separate local coordinate system was defined. After the transformation of locally measured coordinates to a global system, high resolution strain fields and a corresponding bending MOE profile were calculated. A second method in establishing bending MOE profiles is to use fibre angle information obtained from laser scanning and a calculation model based on integration of bending stiffness over board cross sections. Such profiles have recently been utilized for accurate strength grading. A second aim of this study was to investigate the accuracy of the bending MOE profiles determined using the latter method involving fibre angle information. Bending MOE profiles determined using the two described methods agree rather well. However, for some patterns of knot clusters, the local bending MOE, calculated on the basis of fibre angles and integration of bending stiffness, is overestimated. Hence, this research adds knowledge that may be utilized to improve the newly suggested strength grading method.
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| 10. |
- Hu, Min, 1979-, et al.
(författare)
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Modelling local bending stiffness based on fibre orientation in sawn timber
- 2018
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Ingår i: European Journal of Wood and Wood Products. - : Springer. - 0018-3768 .- 1436-736X. ; 76:6, s. 1605-1621
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Strength of structural timber depends to a high degree on the occurrence of knots and on the local fibre deviation around such defects. Knowledge of local fibre orientation, obtained by laser scanning, has been utilized in a previously developed machine strength grading method, but rather crude assumptions regarding the fibre orientation in the interior of boards and a mechanical model that does not capture the full compliance of knotty sections were adopted. The purpose of the present study was to suggest and verify a model with which local bending stiffness can be predicted with high accuracy. This study included development of a model of fibre orientation in the interior of boards, and application of a three-dimensional finite element model that is able to capture the compliance of the board. Verification included bending of boards in the laboratory and application of digital image correlation to obtain strain fields comparable to those obtained by finite element simulation. Results presented comprise strain fields of boards subjected to bending and calculated bending stiffness profiles along boards. Comparisons of results indicated that the model suggested here was sufficient to capture the variation of local bending stiffness along boards with very high accuracy.
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