| 1. |
- Frisoni, G. B., et al.
(författare)
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Strategic roadmap for an early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease based on biomarkers
- 2017
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Ingår i: Lancet Neurology. - 1474-4422 .- 1474-4465. ; 16:8, s. 661-676
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease can be improved by the use of biological measures. Biomarkers of functional impairment, neuronal loss, and protein deposition that can be assessed by neuroimaging (ie, MRI and PET) or CSF analysis are increasingly being used to diagnose Alzheimer's disease in research studies and specialist clinical settings. However, the validation of the clinical usefulness of these biomarkers is incomplete, and that is hampering reimbursement for these tests by health insurance providers, their widespread clinical implementation, and improvements in quality of health care. We have developed a strategic five-phase roadmap to foster the clinical validation of biomarkers in Alzheimer's disease, adapted from the approach for cancer biomarkers. Sufficient evidence of analytical validity (phase 1 of a structured framework adapted from oncology) is available for all biomarkers, but their clinical validity (phases 2 and 3) and clinical utility (phases 4 and 5) are incomplete. To complete these phases, research priorities include the standardisation of the readout of these assays and thresholds for normality, the evaluation of their performance in detecting early disease, the development of diagnostic algorithms comprising combinations of biomarkers, and the development of clinical guidelines for the use of biomarkers in qualified memory clinics.
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| 2. |
- Hanson, C. E., et al.
(författare)
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Modelling the impact of climate extremes: an overview of the MICE project
- 2007
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Ingår i: Climatic Change. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0165-0009 .- 1573-1480. ; 81:Suppl. 1, s. 163-177
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper provides an overview of the aims, objectives, research activities under-taken, and a selection of results generated in the European Commission-funded project entitled "Modelling the Impact of Climate Extremes" (MICE) - a pan-European end-to-end assessment, from climate model to impact model, of the potential impacts of climate change on a range of economic sectors important to the region. MICE focussed on changes in temperature, precipitation and wind extremes. The research programme had three main themes - the evaluation of climate model performance, an assessment of the potential future changes in the occurrence of extremes, and an examination of the impacts of changes in extremes on six activity sectors using a blend of quantitative modelling and expert judgement techniques. MICE culminated in a large stakeholder-orientated workshop, the aim of which was not only to disseminate project results but also to develop new stakeholder networks, whose expertise can be drawn on in future projects such as ENSEMBLES. MICE is part of a cluster of three projects, all related to European climate change and its impacts. The other projects in the cluster are PRUDENCE (Prediction of Regional Scenarios and Uncertainties for Defining European Climate Change Risks and Effects) and STARDEX (Statistical and Regional Dynamical Downscaling of Extremes for European Regions).
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| 5. |
- Giannakopoulos, I, et al.
(författare)
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The Effects of Action Observation Therapy as a Rehabilitation Tool in Parkinson's Disease Patients: A Systematic Review
- 2022
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Ingår i: International journal of environmental research and public health. - : MDPI AG. - 1660-4601. ; 19:6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- During Action Observation (AO), patients observe human movements that they then try to imitate physically. Until now, few studies have investigated the effectiveness of it in Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, due to the diversity of interventions, it is unclear how the dose and characteristics can affect its efficiency. We investigated the AO protocols used in PD, by discussing the intervention features and the outcome measures in relation to their efficacy. A search was conducted through MEDLINE, Scopus, Cochrane, and WoS until November 2021, for RCTs with AO interventions. Participant’s characteristics, treatment features, outcome measures, and main results were extracted from each study. Results were gathered into a quantitative synthesis (MD and 95% CI) for each time point. Seven studies were included in the review, with 227 participants and a mean PEDro score of 6.7. These studies reported positive effects of AO in PD patients, mainly on walking ability and typical motor signs of PD like freezing of gait. However, disagreements among authors exist, mainly due to the heterogeneity of the intervention features. In overall, AO improves functional abilities and motor control in PD patients, with the intervention dose and the characteristics of the stimulus playing a decisive role in its efficacy.
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| 6. |
- Barnaure, I., et al.
(författare)
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Clinicoradiologic Correlations of Cerebral Microbleeds in Advanced Age
- 2017
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Ingår i: American Journal of Neuroradiology. - 0195-6108 .- 1936-959X. ; 38, s. 39-45
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The presence of cerebral microbleeds has been associated with dementia and cognitive decline, although studies report conflicting results. Our aim was to determine the potential role of the presence and location of cerebral microbleeds in early stages of cognitive decline.MATERIALS AND METHODS: Baseline 3T MR imaging examinations including SWI sequences of 328 cognitively intact community-dwelling controls and 72 subjects with mild cognitive impairment were analyzed with respect to the presence and distribution of cerebral microbleeds. A neuropsychological follow-up of controls was performed at 18 months post inclusion and identified cases with subtle cognitive deficits were referred to as controls with a deteriorating condition. Group differences in radiologic parameters were studied by using nonparametric tests, 1-way analysis of variance, and Spearman correlation coefficients.RESULTS: Cerebral microbleed prevalence was similar in subjects with mild cognitive impairment and controls with stable and cognitively deteriorating conditions (25%-31.9%). In all diagnostic groups, lobar cerebral microbleeds were more common. They occurred in 20.1% of all cases compared with 6.5% of cases with deep cerebral microbleeds. None of the investigated variables (age, sex, microbleed number, location and depth, baseline Mini-Mental State Examination score, and the Fazekas score) were significantly associated with cognitive deterioration with the exception of education of >12 years showing a slight but significant protective effect (OR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.22-0.92; P = .028). The Mini-Mental State Examination and the Buschke total score were correlated with neither the total number nor lobar-versus-deep location of cerebral microbleeds.CONCLUSIONS: Cerebral microbleed presence, location, and severity are not related to the early stages of cognitive decline in advanced age.
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| 7. |
- Christodoulou, C., et al.
(författare)
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Tuning the work function of graphene-on-quartz with a high weight molecular acceptor
- 2014
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Ingår i: The Journal of Physical Chemistry C. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1932-7447 .- 1932-7455. ; 118:9, s. 4784-4790
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Ultraviolet and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies in combination with density functional theory (DFT) calculations were used to study the change in the work function (Φ) of graphene, supported by quartz, as induced by adsorption of hexaazatriphenylene-hexacarbonitrile (HATCN). Near edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (NEXAFS) and DFT modeling show that a molecular-density-dependent reorientation of HATCN from a planar to a vertically inclined adsorption geometry occurs upon increasing surface coverage. This, in conjunction with the orientation-dependent magnitude of the interface dipole, allows one to explain the evolution of graphene Φ from 4.5 eV up to 5.7 eV, rendering the molecularly modified graphene-on-quartz a highly suitable hole injection electrode.
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| 8. |
- Drivas, Ioannis C., et al.
(författare)
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Self-other agreement for improving communication in libraries and information services
- 2016
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Ingår i: Library Review. - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 0024-2535 .- 1758-793X. ; 65:3, s. 206-223
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose – This paper aims to examine the Self-Other Agreement between leaders and employees in the sector of Libraries and Information Services (LIS) to construct a sustainable and strategic communicational process among library directors and staff. Design/methodology/approach – A sample of 135 leaders-employees of 17 organisations of LIS in more than five countries answered on a quantitative methodological research instrument in a multiplicity of variables. Statistical analysis of independent samples t-test was used to testify our research hypotheses. Findings – Results indicated that there is a difference in means between the two independent samples (leaders-employees). There are library leaders who rate themselves quite high, and there are employees who rate their leaders with lower evaluations. Research limitations/implications – This research extends and improves the matter of Self-Other Agreement in the sector of LIS through the collection of data that indicated a possible gap of communication and trustworthiness between leaders and employees. Practical implications – Regardless of the difference or the consensus of ratings among leaders and employees, the results of this research could be served as a stimulus plus as a starting point for library leaders by correcting or developing relations of communication and trustworthiness between them and their followers. Originality/value – Self-Other Agreement is one of the major factors that positively or negatively affect the overall operation of the organization in the way a leader could perceive the additional feedback. In the sector of LIS, the study of Self-Other Agreement is a rich and unexplored research area which deserves further analysis. © 2016, © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
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| 9. |
- Good, P., et al.
(författare)
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Non-linear regional relationships between climate extremes and annual mean temperatures in model projections for 1961-2099 over Europe
- 2006
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Ingår i: Climate Research. - : Inter-Research Science Center. - 1616-1572 .- 0936-577X. ; 31:1, s. 19-34
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A simple method is tested for scaling climate-extreme results from high resolution regional climate models (RCMs) to time-periods and emission scenarios for which the RCMs have not been run. The 30 yr mean relationships between indicators of extremes (IoEs) and annual mean daily maximum temperature (T-xa) are investigated. Such relationships from the UK Met Office Hadley Centre RCM HadRM3P, along with temperatures from the global climate model HadCM3, are used to scale IoEs to other time periods and scenarios. This is tested for selected indicators of heat-wave and drought over Europe for the period 1961-2099. Curvature is demonstrated in the relationships between these quantities and T-xa. Such non-linearities are shown to have a large potential effect on how these climate extremes are likely to evolve during the century, as well as their sensitivity to emissions. A broad picture of possible changes in European heat-wave and drought severity is presented. For drought over the Mediterranean and western Europe, a very clear positive curvature in the relationship between drought length and annually averaged temperature is found. (This feature is also common in a brief study of 6 other RCMs.) It suggests a rapid increase in drought length towards the end of the century, and a strong sensitivity to the emission scenario. Extended summer dry spells are projected to become a much more regular feature of western European climates. For European heatwaves, we find a slightly earlier onset of increases in heat-wave severity and a reduced sensitivity to emission scenarios than might be expected from a more straightforward interpretation of the Hadley Centre model results. This is linked with extreme dryness occurring at high summer in all years by the end of the century, but was not evident in the 6 other RCMs studied. Based on these results, suggestions are made for choices of future RCM experiments.
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| 10. |
- Haller, Sven, et al.
(författare)
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APOE*E4 Is Associated with Gray Matter Loss in the Posterior Cingulate Cortex in Healthy Elderly Controls Subsequently Developing Subtle Cognitive Decline
- 2017
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Ingår i: American Journal of Neuroradiology. - 0195-6108 .- 1936-959X. ; 38:7, s. 1335-1342
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The presence of apolipoprotein E4 (APOE*E4) is the strongest currently known genetic risk factor for Alzheimer disease and is associated with brain gray matter loss, notably in areas involved in Alzheimer disease pathology. Our objective was to assess the effect of APOE*E4 on brain structures in healthy elderly controls who subsequently developed subtle cognitive decline.MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective study included 382 community-dwelling elderly controls. At baseline, participants underwent MR imaging at 3T, extensive neuropsychological testing, and genotyping. After neuropsychological follow-up at 18 months, participants were classified into cognitively stable controls and cognitively deteriorating controls. Data analysis included whole-brain voxel-based morphometry and ROI analysis of GM.RESULTS: APOE*E4-related GM loss at baseline was found only in the cognitively deteriorating controls in the posterior cingulate cortex. There was no APOE*E4-related effect in the hippocampus, mesial temporal lobe, or brain areas not involved in Alzheimer disease pathology. Controls in the cognitively deteriorating group had slightly lower GM concentration in the hippocampus at baseline. Higher GM densities in the hippocampus, middle temporal lobe, and amygdala were associated with a decreased risk for cognitively deteriorating group status at follow-up.CONCLUSIONS: APOE*E4-related GM loss in the posterior cingulate cortex (an area involved in Alzheimer disease pathology) was found only in those elderly controls who subsequently developed subtle cognitive decline but not in cognitively stable controls. This finding might explain the partially conflicting results of previous studies that typically did not include detailed neuropsychological assessment and follow-up. Most important, APOE*E4 status had no impact on GM density in areas affected early by neurofibrillary tangle formation such as the hippocampus and mesial temporal lobe.
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