| 1. |
- Ahlgren, Cecilia, 1946, et al.
(författare)
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Serum and CSF measles antibody levels increase over time in patients with multiple sclerosis or clinically isolated syndrome
- 2012
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Ingår i: Journal of Neuroimmunology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0165-5728. ; 247:1-2, s. 70-74
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In general, measles virus (MV) immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody titres decline over time. However, we found that serum and CSF MV antibody titres increased with age (slope=0.038, p<0.001 and slope=0.022, p=0.008), respectively, and disease duration (slope=0.031, p=0.002 and slope=0.032, p=0.005), respectively, in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) or clinically isolated syndrome (CIS). The age dependency of serum antibody levels differed between patients and controls (slope=0.038 versus -0.004, p<0.001). The increasing MV antibody litres over time in MS/CIS patients support a general nonspecific stimulation of B cells and plasma cells that is not confined only to the CNS/CSF compartment.
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| 2. |
- Ahlgren, Cecilia, 1946, et al.
(författare)
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The effect of live, attenuated measles vaccine and measles infection on measles antibody levels in serum and CSF of patients with multiple sclerosis or clinically isolated syndrome.
- 2011
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Ingår i: Journal of neuroimmunology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1872-8421 .- 0165-5728. ; 235:1-2, s. 98-103
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- High occurrence of measles, rubella and varicella zoster antibodies has been used as a biomarker for MS (the MRZ test). We analyzed measles antibody titres with respect to measles infection/measles vaccination status in 166 patients with MS or clinically isolated syndrome. Fifty blood donors served as controls. Measles vaccination yielded CSF measles antibodies in fewer patients (62%) than measles infection did (87%, p=0.001) and yielded lower measles titres in both serum and CSF (p<0.001). Controls had lower CSF measles titres than patients with measles vaccination alone (p<0.001). Childhood vaccinations probably reduce the sensitivity of the MRZ diagnostic test for MS.
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| 3. |
- Ahlgren, Erik, 1962, et al.
(författare)
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Assessing long-term sustainability of district heating systems
- 2012
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Ingår i: Proceedings EcoBalance Yokohama Nov 20-23 2012.
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Biomass has become the main fuel for district heating (DH) systems in Sweden, and the substitution of biomass for oil during the last decades has led to considerably reduced CO2 emissions within the DH systems. Today, biomass is used both in heat- only boilers and, increasingly, in combined heat-and-power plants. District heating contributes also to increased sustainability through the utilization of industrial waste heat, which substitutes for primary energy use.With increasing pressure on constrained biomass resources and due to the geographical distribution of waste-heat sources, the municipal DH systems need to look for new solutions in order to further reduce their dependency on primary energy sources and enhance their sustainability. An integration of local systems into a regional heat system would allow for utilization of an increasing amount of waste heat, to capture scale effects of biomass combined heat and power plants and also to compensate for load profile differences between the local systems. DH systems are in addition being increasingly integrated with the power system and also with biorefineries through the production of bio transport fuels. Thus, the role of DH systems is becoming increasingly complex. This calls for new tools and methods to assess the sustainability of various possible future options and developments.The aim of the study is to assess the long-term sustainability of different DH developments with a focus on possibilities for integration of local DH systems into a regional system. In order to assess the sustainability in a long-term perspective of future DH options, we combine methods such as energy systems modeling and life cycle assessment in a procedural framework called life cycle sustainability assessment. The energy systems model applied is an optimizing bottom-up model. The study concerns the Vastra Gotaland region of Sweden and our model represents all the municipal DH systems at a detailed level. This presentation will mainly focus on the methodological aspects of the work: on how the different methods can be integrated and applied in a sustainability assessment of future district heating.
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| 4. |
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| 5. |
- Ahlgren, Serina, et al.
(författare)
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Review of methodological choices in LCA of biorefinery systems - key issues and recommendations
- 2015
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Ingår i: Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining. - : Wiley. - 1932-1031 .- 1932-104X. ; 9:5, s. 606-619
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- The current trend in biomass conversion technologies is toward more efficient utilization of biomass feedstock in multiproduct biorefineries. Many life-cycle assessment (LCA) studies of biorefinery systems have been performed but differ in how they use the LCA methodology. Based on a review of existing LCA standards and guidelines, this paper provides recommendations on how to handle key methodological issues when performing LCA studies of biorefinery systems. Six key issues were identified: (i) goal definition, (ii) functional unit, (iii) allocation of biorefinery outputs, (iv) allocation of biomass feedstock, (v) land use, and (vi) biogenic carbon and timing of emissions. Many of the standards and guidelines reviewed here provide only general methodological recommendations. Some make more specific methodological recommendations, but these often differ between standards. In this paper we present some clarifications (e.g. examples of research questions and suitable functional units) and methodological recommendations (e.g. on allocation).
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| 6. |
- Alanentalo, Tomas, et al.
(författare)
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High-resolution three-dimensional imaging of islet-infiltrate interactions based on optical projection tomography assessments of the intact adult mouse pancreas
- 2008
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Ingår i: Journal of Biomedical Optics. - Bellingham, WA : SPIE--the International Society for Optical Engineering. - 1083-3668 .- 1560-2281. ; 13:5, s. 054070-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A predicament when assessing the mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of type-1 diabetes (T1D) has been to maintain simultaneous global and regional information on the loss of insulin-cell mass and the progression of insulitis. We present a procedure for high-resolution 3-D analyses of regions of interest (ROIs), defined on the basis of global assessments of the 3-D distribution, size, and shape of molecularly labeled structures within the full volume of the intact mouse pancreas. We apply a refined protocol for optical projection tomography (OPT)-aided whole pancreas imaging in combination with confocal laser scanning microscopy of site-directed pancreatic microbiopsies. As such, the methodology provides a useful tool for detailed cellular and molecular assessments of the autoimmune insulitis in T1D. It is anticipated that the same approach could be applied to other areas of research where 3-D molecular distributions of both global and regional character is required.
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| 7. |
- Alanentalo, Tomas, et al.
(författare)
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Mesoscopic Optical Imaging of the Pancreas : Revisiting Pancreatic Anatomy and Pathophysiology
- 2021
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Endocrinology. - : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 1664-2392. ; 12
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- The exocrine-endocrine multipart organization of the pancreas makes it an exceedingly challenging organ to analyze, quantitatively and spatially. Both in rodents and humans, estimates of the pancreatic cellular composition, including beta-cell mass, has been largely relying on the extrapolation of 2D stereological data originating from limited sample volumes. Alternatively, they have been obtained by low resolution non-invasive imaging techniques providing little detail regarding the anatomical organization of the pancreas and its cellular and/or molecular make up. In this mini-review, the state of the art and the future potential of currently existing and emerging high-resolution optical imaging techniques working in the mm-cm range with μm resolution, here referred to as mesoscopic imaging approaches, will be discussed regarding their contribution toward a better understanding of pancreatic anatomy both in normal conditions and in the diabetic setting. In particular, optical projection tomography (OPT) and light sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM) imaging of the pancreas and their associated tissue processing and computational analysis protocols will be discussed in the light of their current capabilities and future potential to obtain more detailed 3D-spatial, quantitative, and molecular information of the pancreas.
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| 8. |
- Alanentalo, Tomas, 1978-
(författare)
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Optical projection tomography based 3D-spatial and quantitative assessments of the diabetic pancreas
- 2008
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The gastrointestinal tract comprises a number of digestive organs including the stomach and pancreas. The stomach is involved in the digestion and short term storage of food while the pancreas is a mixed endocrine and exocrine gland which provides the body with hormones and enzymes essential for nutritional utilisation. The pancreas consists of three different cell lineages, acinar, ductal and endocrine cells. The endocrine cells, organised in the islets of Langerhans, are scattered throughout the exocrine parenchyma and regulate blood glucose levels by production of hormones such as glucagon and insulin. The Nkx family of homeodomain proteins controls numerous processes during development. Previous studies have identified two members belonging to the Nkx6 subfamily of Nkx proteins, Nkx6.1 and Nkx6.2. We have described the cloning and embryonic expression pattern of Nkx6.3. All three members of the Nkx6 gene family were shown to be expressed in partially overlapping domains during the development of the gastrointestinal tract and the central nervous system. Nkx6.2 was also identified as a transient marker for pancreatic exocrine cells. Analysing gene expression patterns and morphological features in tissues and organs is often performed by stereologic sampling which is a labour-intensive two dimensional approach that rely on certain assumptions when calculating e.g. β-cell mass and islet number in the pancreas. By combined improvements in immunohistochemical protocols, computational processing and tomographic scanning, we have developed a methodology based on optical projection tomography (OPT) allowing for 3D visualisation and quantification of specifically labelled objects within intact adult mouse organs. In the pancreas, this technique allows for spatial and quantitative measurements of total islet number and β-cell mass. We have further developed a protocol allowing for high resolution regional analyses based on global OPT assessments of the pancreatic constitution. This methodology is likely to facilitate detailed cellular and molecular analysis of user defined regions of interest in the pancreas, at the same time providing information on the overall disease state of the gland. Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) can occur at any age and is characterized by the marked inability of the pancreas to secrete insulin due to an autoimmune destruction of the insulin producing β-cells. Information on the key cellular and molecular events underlying the recruitment of lymphocytes, their infiltration of the islets of Langerhans and consequent β-cell destruction is essential for understanding the pathogenesis of T1D. Using the developed methodology we have recorded the spatial and quantitative distribution of islet β-cells and infiltrating lymphocytes in the non obese diabetic (NOD) mouse model for T1D. This study shows that the smaller islets, which are predominantly organised in the periphery of the organ, are the first to disappear during the progression of T1D. The larger islets appear more resistant and our data suggest that a compensatory proliferative process is going on side by side with the autoimmune-induced β-cell destruction. Further, the formation of structures resembling tertiary lymphoid organs (TLOs) in areas apparently unaffected by insulitis suggests that local factors may provide cues for the homing of these lymphocytes back to the pancreas.
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| 9. |
- Alanentalo, Tomas, et al.
(författare)
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Quantification and 3-D imaging of the insulitis-induced destruction of β-cells in murine type 1 diabetes
- 2010
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Ingår i: Diabetes. - : American Diabetes Association. - 0012-1797 .- 1939-327X. ; 59:7, s. 1756-1764
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: The aim of this study was to refine the information regarding the quantitative and spatial dynamics of infiltrating lymphocytes and remaining beta-cell volume during the progression of type 1 diabetes in the NOD mouse model of the disease.Research design and methods: Using an ex vivo technique, optical projection tomography (OPT), we quantified and assessed the 3D spatial development and progression of insulitis and beta-cell destruction in pancreas from diabetes prone NOD and non-diabetes prone congenic NOD.H-2b mice between 3 and 16 weeks of age.Results: Together with results showing the spatial dynamics of the insulitis process we provide data of beta-cell volume distributions down to the level of the individual islets and throughout the pancreas during the development and progression of type 1 diabetes. Our data provide evidence for a compensatory growth potential of the larger insulin(+) islets during the later stages of the disease around the time point for development of clinical diabetes. This is in contrast to smaller islets, which appear less resistant to the autoimmune attack. We also provide new information on the spatial dynamics of the insulitis process itself, including its apparently random distribution at onset, the local variations during its further development, and the formation of structures resembling tertiary lymphoid organs at later phases of insulitis progression.Conclusions: Our data provides a powerful tool for phenotypic analysis of genetic and environmental effects on type 1 diabetes etiology as well as for evaluating the potential effect of therapeutic regimes.
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| 10. |
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