| 1. |
- Backlund, Per, et al.
(författare)
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Evaluation of usefulness of the Elinor console for home-based stroke rehabilitation
- 2011
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference in Games and Virtual Worlds for Serious Applications (VS-Games 2011). - : IEEE Computer Society. - 9780769544199 - 9781457703164 ; 978-1-4577-0316-4., s. Page(s): 98 - 103
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Virtual rehabilitation has emerged as a promising tool over the last decade. However the field is diverse and there is no unified understanding of the concept and in which situations it should be used. The most common usage context is a rehabilitation clinic but there is an urge to offer motivating virtual rehabilitation to be used in the homes of patients. The main drive for using such systems is to enhance motivation by introducing an interesting challenge and an element of fun. This paper describes and evaluates the feasibility of Elinor, a gamebased system for stroke rehabilitation in the home.The Elinor prototype has been positively evaluated with respect to its usability, user acceptance and motivational factors. This paper reports on the initial findings concerning the rehabilitation effect of Elinor. No persons suffered any serious adverse effects from training. We had positive results with respect to the assessment of motor and process skills (AMPS). Even though these improvements were not significant they are still positive enough to motivate future work. The self-reported improvements in the motor activity logs (MAL) also motivate future work.
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| 2. |
- Backlund, Per, et al.
(författare)
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Games on prescription! : Evaluation of the Elinor console for home-based stroke rehabilitation
- 2013
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Ingår i: Transactions on Edutainment IX. - Berlin, Heidelberg : Springer Berlin/Heidelberg. - 9783642370410 - 9783642370427 ; 7544, s. 49-64
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Bokkapitel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper reports the feasibility of Elinor, a game-based system for stroke rehabilitation in the home. The Elinor prototype has been positively evaluated with respect to its usability, user acceptance and motivational factors as well as its rehabilitation effect. This paper reports the findings from the whole project. To summarize the results, we find that game factors can be used to enhance motivation for rehabilitation. We had positive results with respect to many of the rehabilitation measurements employed. For example, the assessment of motor and process skills was positive as were also the self-reported improvements in daily activities. Furthermore, it seems that an increased self-efficacy with respect to the belief that the treatment can have an effect is positive and expected to increase motivation to undergo necessary rehabilitation. The usability and perceived usefulness of the system were also positively evaluated and the subjects expressed a positive attitude towards the system as well as a belief in its usefulness. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.
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| 3. |
- Bergman, Annika, et al.
(författare)
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No germline mutations in supposed tumour suppressor genes SAFB1 and SAFB2 in familial breast cancer with linkage to 19p.
- 2008
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Ingår i: BMC Medical Genetics. - : BioMed Central. - 1471-2350. ; 9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: The scaffold attachment factor B1 and B2 genes, SAFB1/SAFB2 (both located on chromosome 19p13.3) have recently been suggested as tumour suppressor genes involved in breast cancer development. The assumption was based on functional properties of the two genes and loss of heterozygosity of intragenic markers in breast tumours further strengthened the postulated hypothesis. In addition, linkage studies in Swedish breast cancer families also indicate the presence of a susceptibility gene for breast cancer at the 19p locus. Somatic mutations in SAFB1/SAFB2 have been detected in breast tumours, but to our knowledge no studies on germline mutations have been reported. In this study we investigated the possible involvement of SAFB1/SAFB2 on familiar breast cancer by inherited mutations in either of the two genes.RESULTS: Mutation analysis in families showing linkage to the SAFB1/2 locus was performed by DNA sequencing. The complete coding sequence of the two genes SAFB1 and SAFB2 was analyzed in germline DNA from 31 affected women. No missense or frameshift mutations were detected. One polymorphism was found in SAFB1 and eight polymorphisms were detected in SAFB2. MLPA-anlysis showed that both alleles of the two genes were preserved which excludes gene inactivation by large deletions.CONCLUSION: SAFB1 and SAFB2 are not likely to be causative of the hereditary breast cancer syndrome in west Swedish breast cancer families.
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| 4. |
- Hägg, Daniel, 1974, et al.
(författare)
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Augmented levels of CD44 in macrophages from atherosclerotic subjects: a possible IL-6-CD44 feedback loop?
- 2007
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Ingår i: Atherosclerosis. - : Elsevier BV. - 0021-9150 .- 1879-1484. ; 190:2, s. 291-7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The cell-adhesion molecule CD44 likely participates in atherosclerosis development. We have shown previously that pro-inflammatory cytokines affect CD44 expression. Therefore, this work examined the role of elevated CD44 levels in human macrophages. Macrophages from human atherosclerotic subjects (n=15) showed elevated levels of CD44 transcript and protein (1.5-fold) compared to matched controls (n=15) (P=0.050 and 0.044, respectively). To test whether genetic factors influence CD44 expression, two single nucleotide polymorphisms in the CD44 gene were analyzed but these were not associated with coronary artery disease. We also examined the potential connection between plasma cytokine levels and CD44 expression. In atherosclerotic subjects, elevated CD44 expression correlates (P=0.012) with enhanced macrophage IL-6 secretion (3.13+/-2.5 pg/mL versus 0.32+/-0.16 pg/mL in controls, P=0.021). Additionally, CD44-deficient mice exhibit less circulating IL-6 than wild-type controls (9.8+/-0.7 pg/mL versus 14.3+/-0.7 pg/mL; P=0.032). Furthermore, IL-6 augments CD44 expression in primary human macrophages after 24 h (P=0.038) and 48 h (P=0.015). Taken together, our data show an IL-6-CD44 feedback loop in macrophages. Such a positive feedback loop may aggravate atherosclerosis development.
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| 5. |
- Knutsen Rydberg, Ellen, 1969, et al.
(författare)
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Hypoxia increases LDL oxidation and expression of 15-lipoxygenase-2 in human macrophages
- 2004
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Ingår i: Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. ; 24:11, s. 2040-2045
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: Macrophage-mediated oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) by enzymes, such as the lipoxygenases, is considered of major importance for the formation of oxidized LDL during atherogenesis. Macrophages have been identified in hypoxic areas in atherosclerotic plaques. METHODS AND RESULTS: To investigate the role of hypoxia in macrophage-mediated LDL oxidation, we incubated human monocyte-derived macrophages with LDL under normoxic (21% O2) or hypoxic (0% O2) conditions. The results showed that hypoxic macrophages oxidized LDL to a significantly higher extent than normoxic cells. Interestingly, the mRNA and protein expression of 15-lipoxygenase-2 (15-LOX-2) as well as the activity of this enzyme are elevated in macrophages incubated at hypoxia. Both the unspliced 15-LOX-2 and the spliced variant 15-LOX-2sv-a are found in macrophages. In addition, 15-LOX-2 was identified in carotid plaques in some macrophage-rich areas but was only expressed at low levels in nondiseased arteries. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, these observations show for the first time that 15-LOX-2 is expressed in hypoxic macrophages and in atherosclerotic plaques and suggest that 15-LOX-2 may be one of the factors involved in macrophage-mediated LDL oxidation at hypoxia.
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| 6. |
- Slijper, Angelique, et al.
(författare)
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Computer game-based upper extremity training in the home environment in stroke persons : a single subject design
- 2014
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Ingår i: Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation. - : Biomed Central. - 1743-0003. ; 11:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: The objective of the present study was to assess whether computer game-based training in the home setting in the late phase after stroke could improve upper extremity motor function.METHODS: Twelve subjects with prior stroke were recruited; 11 completed the study.DESIGN: The study had a single subject design; there was a baseline test (A1), a during intervention test (B) once a week, a post-test (A2) measured directly after the treatment phase, plus a follow-up (C) 16-18 weeks after the treatment phase. Information on motor function (Fugl-Meyer), grip force (GrippitR) and arm function in activity (ARAT, ABILHAND) was gathered at A1, A2 and C. During B, only Fugl-Meyer and ARAT were measured. The intervention comprised five weeks of game-based computer training in the home environment. All games were designed to be controlled by either the affected arm alone or by both arms. Conventional formulae were used to calculate the mean, median and standard deviations. Wilcoxon's signed rank test was used for tests of dependent samples. Continuous data were analyzed by methods for repeated measures and ordinal data were analyzed by methods for ordered multinomial data using cumulative logistic models. A p-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.RESULTS: Six females and five males, participated in the study with an average age of 58 years (range 26-66). FMA-UE A-D (motor function), ARAT, the maximal grip force and the mean grip force on the affected side show significant improvements at post-test and follow-up compared to baseline. No significant correlation was found between the amount of game time and changes in the outcomes investigated in this study.CONCLUSION: The results indicate that computer game-based training could be a promising approach to improve upper extremity function in the late phase after stroke, since in this study, changes were achieved in motor function and activity capacity.
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| 7. |
- Svensson, Maria, et al.
(författare)
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Characterisation of a T-DNA-tagged gene of Arabidopsis thaliana that regulates gibberellin metabolism and flowering time
- 2005
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Ingår i: Functional Plant Biology. - : CSIRO Publishing. - 1445-4408 .- 1445-4416. ; 32:10, s. 923-932
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A gene (At4g20010) involved in regulating flowering time in Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. was identified by promoter trap T-DNA tagging. Plants containing a T-DNA insert in the 3′-UTR of At4g20010 flowered later under both long- and short-day conditions compared with control plants. Histochemical assays of the mutant plants showed that the promoterless gus gene is expressed predominantly in the shoot apex, but it is also expressed in root tips, stem nodes and in the abscission zone of developing siliques. Measurement of endogenous gibberellin (GA) showed that bioactive GA4 levels in mutant plants were reduced compared with wild type (WT) plants. Like other known mutants defective in GA biosynthesis, the late-flowering phenotype observed in our T-DNA-tagged line could be largely repressed by application of exogenous GA3. The T-DNA-tagged gene At4g20010 encodes a previously uncharacterised protein belonging to the DUF731 family. Sequence analysis showed similarity to a single-stranded binding domain and to an RNA-binding protein of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Considering the above results (sequence similarity, mutant phenotype and level of endogenous GA), we propose that At4g20010 is an RNA-binding protein involved in regulating GA biosynthesis, possibly at the post-transcriptional level.
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| 8. |
- Wennström, Berith, et al.
(författare)
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Being Caught in a Vicious Circle : An Interview Study of Individuals Suffering From Grade II–IV Hiatal Hernia
- 2023
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Ingår i: Gastroenterology Nursing. - : Wolters Kluwer. - 1042-895X .- 1538-9766. ; 46:6, s. 489-496
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Large paraesophageal hernias are related to life-threatening complications that warrant immediate surgery. Whether the long-standing chronic symptoms related to the disease in individuals without hernia incarceration motivate surgical treatment is still a subject for discussion. The aim of this study was to explore how individuals suffering from Grade II–IV hiatal hernia describe their symptoms and health, as well as how the disease affects their life. Semistructured interviews were performed with 22 individuals planning to undergo surgery for a large paraesophageal hernia. The data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis and resulted in one main theme “Being caught in a vicious circle” and six subthemes “Distressing and uncertain times,” “The symptoms have seized control over my health,” “Loss of energy and strength,” “Strategies for managing daily life,” “Loss of social life,” and “Moments of hope despite failing health.” Central to the participants’ descriptions is their commitment to strategies for managing the ever-present and unpredictable symptoms that have seized control over their health. They were trapped in a hopeless and isolated existence, that is, a vicious circle, from which they were unable to escape. Despite the low incidence of volvulus and incarceration, the symptom burden and effect on general health motivate treatment in these individuals.
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