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| 2. |
- Accinelli, Cesare, et al.
(författare)
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Dissipation and removal of oseltamivir (Tamiflu) in different aquatic environments
- 2010
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Ingår i: Chemosphere. - : Elsevier BV. - 0045-6535 .- 1879-1298. ; 79:8, s. 891-897
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The antiviral drug oseltamivir (Tamiflu) has received recent attention due to the potential use as a first-line defense against H5N1 and H1N1 influenza viruses. Research has shown that oseltamivir is not removed during conventional wastewater treatments, thus having the potential to enter surface water bodies. A series of laboratory experiments investigated the fate and the removal of oseltamivir in two surface water ecosystems of Japan and in a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Northern Italy. Persistence of oseltamivir in surface water ranged from non-detectable degradation to a half-life of 53 d. After 40 d, <3% of radiolabeled oseltamivir evolved as (CO2)-C-14. The presence of sediments (5%) led to a significant increase of oseltamivir degradation and mineralization rates. A more intense mineralization was observed in samples of the wastewater treatment plant when applying a long incubation period (40 d). More precisely, 76% and 37% of the initial radioactivity applied as C-14-oseltamivir was recovered as (CO2)-C-14 from samples of the biological tank and effluent water, respectively. Two bacterial strains growing on oseltamivir as sole carbon source were isolated and used for its removal from synthetic medium and environmental samples, including surface water and wastewater. Inoculation of water and wastewater samples with the two oseltamivir-degrading strains showed that mineralization of oseltamivir was significantly higher in both inoculated water and wastewater, than in uninoculated controls. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and quantitative PCR analysis showed that Tamiflu would not affect the microbial population of surface water and wastewater.
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| 3. |
- Ahlgren, Joakim, et al.
(författare)
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Release of Organic P Forms from Lake Sediments
- 2011
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Ingår i: Water Research. - : Elsevier BV. - 0043-1354 .- 1879-2448. ; 45:2, s. 565-572
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The effects of different physical and chemical conditions on the decomposition and release of organic and inorganic P compound groups from the sediment of Lake Erken were investigated in a series of laboratory experiments. Conditions investigated were temperature, oxygen level, and the effects of additions of carbon substrate (glucose) and poison (formalin). The effects on the P compound groups were determined by measurements with 31P NMR before and after the experiments, as well as analysis of P in effluent water throughout the experiment. Phosphate analysis of the effluent water showed that oxygen level was the most influential in terms of release rates, with the sediments under anoxic conditions generally releasing more phosphate than the other treatments. 31P NMR showed that the various treatments did influence the P compound group composition of the sediment. In particular, the addition of glucose led to a decrease in orthophosphate and polyphosphate while the addition of formalin led to a decrease in phosphorus lipids, DNAphosphate and polyphosphate. Oxic conditions resulted in an increase in polyphosphates, and anoxic conditions in a decrease in these. Temperature did not seem to affect the composition significantly.
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| 4. |
- Ahlström, Katarina, 1966, et al.
(författare)
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Exogenous carbon monoxide does not affect cell membrane energy availability assessed by sarcolemmal calcium fluxes during myocardial ischaemia-reperfusion in the pig
- 2011
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Ingår i: European Journal of Anaesthesiology. - 0265-0215 .- 1365-2346. ; 28:5, s. 356-362
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Carbon monoxide is thought to be cytoprotective and may hold therapeutic promise for mitigating ischaemic injury. The purpose of this study was to test low-dose carbon monoxide for protective effects in a porcine model of acute myocardial ischaemia and reperfusion. In acute open-thorax experiments in anaesthetised pigs, pretreatment with low-dose carbon monoxide (5% increase in carboxyhaemoglobin) was conducted for 120 min before localised ischaemia (45 min) and reperfusion (60 min) was performed using a coronary snare. Metabolic and injury markers were collected by microdialysis sampling in the ventricular wall. Recovery of radio-marked calcium delivered locally by microperfusate was measured to assess carbon monoxide treatment effects during ischaemia/reperfusion on the intracellular calcium pool. Coronary occlusion and ischaemia/reperfusion were analysed for 16 animals (eight in each group). Changes in glucose, lactate and pyruvate from the ischaemic area were observed during ischaemia and reperfusion interventions, though there was no difference between carbon monoxide-treated and control groups during ischaemia or reperfusion. Similar results were observed for glycerol and microdialysate Ca-45(2+) recovery. These findings show that a relatively low and clinically relevant dose of carbon monoxide did not seem to provide acute protection as indicated by metabolic, energy-related and injury markers in a porcine myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion experimental model. We conclude that protective effects of carbon monoxide related to ischaemia/reperfusion either require higher doses of carbon monoxide or occur later after reperfusion than the immediate time frame studied here. More study is needed to characterise the mechanism and time frame of carbon monoxide-related cytoprotection.
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| 5. |
- Akopyan, Karen, et al.
(författare)
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Translocation of surface-localized effectors in type III secretion
- 2011
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 0027-8424 .- 1091-6490. ; 108:4, s. 1639-1644
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Pathogenic Yersinia species suppress the host immune response by using a plasmid-encoded type III secretion system (T3SS) to translocate virulence proteins into the cytosol of the target cells. T3SS-dependent protein translocation is believed to occur in one step from the bacterial cytosol to the target-cell cytoplasm through a conduit created by the T3SS upon target cell contact. Here, we report that T3SS substrates on the surface of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis are translocated into target cells. Upon host cell contact, purified YopH coated on Y. pseudotuberculosis was specifically and rapidly translocated across the target-cell membrane, which led to a physiological response in the infected cell. In addition, translocation of externally added YopH required a functional T3SS and a specific translocation domain in the effector protein. Efficient, T3SS-dependent translocation of purified YopH added in vitro was also observed when using coated Salmonella typhimurium strains, which implies that T3SS-mediated translocation of extracellular effector proteins is conserved among T3SS-dependent pathogens. Our results demonstrate that polarized T3SS-dependent translocation of proteins can be achieved through an intermediate extracellular step that can be reconstituted in vitro. These results indicate that translocation can occur by a different mechanism from the assumed single-step conduit model.
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| 6. |
- Akre, Olof, et al.
(författare)
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Mortality Among Men with Locally Advanced Prostate Cancer Managed with Noncurative Intent: A Nationwide Study in PCBaSe Sweden
- 2011
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Ingår i: European Urology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1873-7560 .- 0302-2838. ; 60:3, s. 554-563
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: There are limited prognostic data for locally advanced prostate cancer PCa to guide in the choice of treatment. Objective: To assess mortality in different prognostic categories among men with locally advanced PCa managed with noncurative intent. Design, setting, and participants: We conducted a register-based nationwide cohort study within the Prostate Cancer DataBase Sweden. The entire cohort of locally advanced PCa included 14 908 men. After the exclusion of 2724 (18%) men treated with curative intent, 12 184 men with locally advanced PCa either with local clinical stage T3 or T4 or with T2 with serum levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) between 50 and 99 ng/ml and without signs of metastases remained for analysis. Measurements: We followed up the patient cohort in the Cause of Death Register for <= 11 yr and assessed cumulative incidence of PCa -specific death stratified by age and clinical characteristics. Results and limitations: The PCa -specific mortality at 8 yr of follow-up was 28% (95% confidence interval [CI], 25-32%) for Gleason score (GS) 2-6, 41% (95% CI, 38-44%) for GS 7, 52% (95% CI, 47-57%) for GS 8, and 64% (95% CI, 59-69%) for GS 9-10. Even for men aged >85 yr at diagnosis with GS 8-10, PCa was a major cause of death: 42% (95% CI, 37-47%). Men with locally advanced disease and a PSA <4 ng/ml at diagnosis were at particularly increased risk of dying from PCa. One important limitation is the lack of bone scans in 42% of the patient cohort, but results remained after exclusion of patients with unknown metastasis status. Conclusions: The PCa-specific mortality within 8 yr of diagnosis is high in locally advanced PCa, suggesting undertreatment, particularly among men in older age groups. Our results underscore the need for more studies of treatment with curative intent for locally advanced tumors. (C) 2011 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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| 7. |
- Almqvist, Catarina, et al.
(författare)
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LifeGene - A large prospective population-based study of global relevance
- 2011
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Ingår i: European Journal of Epidemiology. - Stockholm : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0393-2990 .- 1573-7284. ; 26:1, s. 67-77
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Studying gene-environment interactions requires that the amount and quality of the lifestyle data is comparable to what is available for the corresponding genomic data. Sweden has several crucial prerequisites for comprehensive longitudinal biomedical research, such as the personal identity number, the universally available national health care system, continuously updated population and health registries and a scientifically motivated population. LifeGene builds on these strengths to bridge the gap between basic research and clinical applications with particular attention to populations, through a unique design in a research-friendly setting. LifeGene is designed both as a prospective cohort study and an infrastructure with repeated contacts of study participants approximately every 5 years. Index persons aged 18-45 years old will be recruited and invited to include their household members (partner and any children). A comprehensive questionnaire addressing cutting-edge research questions will be administered through the web with short follow-ups annually. Biosamples and physical measurements will also be collected at baseline, and re-administered every 5 years thereafter. Event-based sampling will be a key feature of LifeGene. The household-based design will give the opportunity to involve young couples prior to and during pregnancy, allowing for the first study of children born into cohort with complete pre-and perinatal data from both the mother and father. Questions and sampling schemes will be tailored to the participants' age and life events. The target of LifeGene is to enrol 500,000 Swedes and follow them longitudinally for at least 20 years.
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| 8. |
- Altmae, Signe, et al.
(författare)
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Variations in folate pathway genes are associated with unexplained female infertility
- 2010
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Ingår i: Fertility and Sterility. - : Elsevier BV. - 0015-0282 .- 1556-5653. ; 94:1, s. 130-137
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: To investigate associations between folate-metabolizing gene variations, folate status, and unexplained female infertility. Design: An association study. Setting: Hospital-based IVF unit and university-affiliated reproductive research laboratories. Patient(s): Seventy-one female patients with unexplained infertility. Intervention(s): Blood samples for polymorphism genotyping and homocysteine, vitamin B12, and folate measurements. Main Outcome Measure(s): Allele and genotype frequencies of the following polymorphisms: 5,10-methylenetetra-hydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) 677C/T, 1298A/C, and 1793G/A, folate receptor 1 (FOLR1) 1314G/A, 1816delC, 1841G/A, and 1928C/T, transcobalamin II (TCN2) 776C/G, cystathionase (CTH) 1208G/T and solute carrier family 19, member 1 (SLC19A1) 80G/A, and concentrations of plasma homocysteine, vitamin B12, and serum folate. Result(s): MTHFR genotypes 677CT and 1793GA, as well as 1793 allele A were significantly more frequent among controls than in patients. The common MTHFR wild-type haplotype (677, 1298, 1793) CAG was less prevalent, whereas the rare haplotype CCA was more frequent in the general population than among infertility patients. The frequency of SLC19A1 80G/A genotypes differed significantly between controls and patients and the A allele was more common in the general population than in infertile women. Plasma homocysteine concentrations were influenced by CTH 1208G/T polymorphism among infertile women. Conclusion(s): Polymorphisms in folate pathway genes could be one reason for fertility complications in some women with unexplained infertility. (Fertil Steril (R) 2010;94:130-7. (C) 2010 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.)
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| 9. |
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| 10. |
- Ames, William, et al.
(författare)
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Theoretical Evaluation of Structural Models of the S(2) State in the Oxygen Evolving Complex of Photosystem II : Protonation States and Magnetic Interactions
- 2011
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Ingår i: Journal of the American Chemical Society. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0002-7863 .- 1520-5126. ; 133:49, s. 19743-19757
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Protonation states of water ligands and oxo bridges are intimately involved in tuning the electronic structures and oxidation potentials of the oxygen evolving complex (OEC) in Photosystem II, steering the mechanistic pathway, which involves at least five redox state intermediates S(n) (n = 0-4) resulting in the oxidation of water to molecular oxygen. Although protons are practically invisible in protein crystallography, their effects on the electronic structure and magnetic properties of metal active sites can be probed using spectroscopy. With the twin purpose of aiding the interpretation of the complex electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopic data of the OEC and of improving the view of the cluster at the atomic level, a complete set of protonation configurations for the S(2) state of the OEC were investigated, and their distinctive effects on magnetic properties of the cluster were evaluated. The most recent X-ray structure of Photosystem II at 1.9 Å resolution was used and refined to obtain the optimum structure for the Mn(4)O(5)Ca core within the protein pocket. Employing this model, a set of 26 structures was constructed that tested various protonation scenarios of the water ligands and oxo bridges. Our results suggest that one of the two water molecules that are proposed to coordinate the outer Mn ion (Mn(A)) of the cluster is deprotonated in the S(2) state, as this leads to optimal experimental agreement, reproducing the correct ground state spin multiplicity (S = 1/2), spin expectation values, and EXAFS-derived metal-metal distances. Deprotonation of Ca(2+)-bound water molecules is strongly disfavored in the S(2) state, but dissociation of one of the two water ligands appears to be facile. The computed isotropic hyperfine couplings presented here allow distinctions between models to be made and call into question the assumption that the largest coupling is always attributable to Mn(III). The present results impose limits for the total charge and the proton configuration of the OEC in the S(2) state, with implications for the cascade of events in the Kok cycle and for the water splitting mechanism.
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