| 1. |
- Papaevangelou, T., et al.
(författare)
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ESS nBLM : Beam loss monitors based on fast neutron detection
- 2018
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Ingår i: HB2018 - Proceedings of the 61st ICFA Advanced Beam Dynamics Workshop on High-Intensity and High-Brightness Hadron Beams. - 9783954502028 ; , s. 404-409
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- A new type of Beam Loss Monitor (BLM) system is being developed for use in the European Spallation Source (ESS) linac, primarily aiming to cover the low energy part (proton energies between 3-100 MeV). In this region of the linac, typical BLM detectors based on charged particle detection (i.e. Ionization Chambers) are not appropriate because the expected particle fields will be dominated by neutrons and photons. Another issue is the photon background due to the RF cavities, which is mainly due to field emission from the electrons from the cavity walls, resulting in bremsstrahlung photons. The idea for the ESS neutron sensitive BLM system (ESS nBLM) is to use Micromegas detectors specially designed to be sensitive to fast neutrons and insensitive to low energy photons (X and gammas). In addition, the detectors must be insensitive to thermal neutrons, because those neutrons may not be directly correlated to beam losses. The appropriate configuration of the Micromegas operating conditions will allow excellent timing, intrinsic photon background suppression and individual neutron counting, extending thus the dynamic range to very low particle fluxes.
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| 2. |
- Elsaid, K., et al.
(författare)
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Amplification of Inflammation by Lubricin Deficiency Implicated in Incident, Erosive Gout Independent of Hyperuricemia
- 2023
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Ingår i: Arthritis & Rheumatology. - : Wiley. - 2326-5191 .- 2326-5205. ; 75:5, s. 794-805
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective In gout, hyperuricemia promotes urate crystal deposition, which stimulates the NLRP3 inflammasome and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta)-mediated arthritis. Incident gout without background hyperuricemia is rarely reported. To identify hyperuricemia-independent mechanisms driving gout incidence and progression, we characterized erosive urate crystalline inflammatory arthritis in a young female patient with normouricemia diagnosed as having sufficient and weighted classification criteria for gout according to the American College of Rheumatology (ACR)/EULAR gout classification criteria (the proband).Methods We conducted whole-genome sequencing, quantitative proteomics, whole-blood RNA-sequencing analysis using serum samples from the proband. We used a mouse model of IL-1 beta-induced knee synovitis to characterize proband candidate genes, biomarkers, and pathogenic mechanisms of gout.Results Lubricin level was attenuated in human proband serum and associated with elevated acute-phase reactants and inflammatory whole-blood transcripts and transcriptional pathways. The proband had predicted damaging gene variants of NLRP3 and of inter-alpha trypsin inhibitor heavy chain 3, an inhibitor of lubricin-degrading cathepsin G. Changes in the proband's serum protein interactome network supported enhanced lubricin degradation, with cathepsin G activity increased relative to its inhibitors, SERPINB6 and thrombospondin 1. Activation of Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR-2) suppressed levels of lubricin mRNA and lubricin release in cultured human synovial fibroblasts (P < 0.01). Lubricin blunted urate crystal precipitation and IL-1 beta induction of xanthine oxidase and urate in cultured macrophages (P < 0.001). In lubricin-deficient mice, injection of IL-1 beta in knees increased xanthine oxidase-positive synovial resident M1 macrophages (P < 0.05).Conclusion Our findings linked normouricemic erosive gout to attenuated lubricin, with impaired control of cathepsin G activity, compounded by deleterious NLRP3 variants. Lubricin suppressed monosodium urate crystallization and blunted IL-1 beta-induced increases in xanthine oxidase and urate in macrophages. The collective activities of articular lubricin that could limit incident and erosive gouty arthritis independently of hyperuricemia are subject to disruption by inflammation, activated cathepsin G, and synovial fibroblast TLR-2 signaling.
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| 3. |
- Ilander, M, et al.
(författare)
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Increased proportion of mature NK cells is associated with successful imatinib discontinuation in chronic myeloid leukemia.
- 2017
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Ingår i: Leukemia. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0887-6924 .- 1476-5551. ; 31:5, s. 1108-1116
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Recent studies suggest that a proportion of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients in deep molecular remission can discontinue the tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment without disease relapse. In this multi-center, prospective clinical trial (EURO-SKI, NCT01596114) we analyzed the function and phenotype of T and NK cells and their relation to successful TKI cessation. Lymphocyte subclasses were measured from 100 imatinib-treated patients at baseline and 1 month after the discontinuation, and functional characterization of NK and T cells was done from 45 patients. The proportion of NK cells was associated with the molecular relapse-free survival as patients with higher than median NK-cell percentage at the time of drug discontinuation had better probability to stay in remission. Similar association was not found with T or B cells or their subsets. In non-relapsing patients the NK-cell phenotype was mature, whereas patients with more naïve CD56(bright) NK cells had decreased relapse-free survival. In addition, the TNF-α/IFN-γ cytokine secretion by NK cells correlated with the successful drug discontinuation. Our results highlight the role of NK cells in sustaining remission and strengthen the status of CML as an immunogenic tumor warranting novel clinical trials with immunomodulating agents.Leukemia advance online publication, 16 December 2016; doi:10.1038/leu.2016.360.
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| 4. |
- Bereczki, E., et al.
(författare)
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Synaptic proteins predict cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease andLewy body dementia
- 2016
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Ingår i: Alzheimer's & Dementia. - : Wiley. - 1552-5260 .- 1552-5279. ; 12:11, s. 1149-1158
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction Our objective was to compare the levels of three synaptic proteins involved in different steps of the synaptic transmission: Rab3A, SNAP25, and neurogranin, in three common forms of dementia: Alzheimer's disease (AD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and Parkinson's disease dementia. Methods A total of 129 postmortem human brain samples were analyzed in brain regional specific manner exploring their associations with morphologic changes and cognitive decline. Results We have observed robust changes reflecting synaptic dysfunction in all studied dementia groups. There were significant associations between the rate of cognitive decline and decreased levels of Rab3 in DLB in the inferior parietal lobe and SNAP25 in AD in the prefrontal cortex. Of particular note, synaptic proteins significantly discriminated between dementia cases and controls with over 90% sensitivity and specificity. Discussion Our findings suggest that the proposition that synaptic markers can predict cognitive decline in AD, should be extended to Lewy body diseases. © 2016 The Alzheimer's Association
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| 5. |
- Hjorth-Hansen, H., et al.
(författare)
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Safety and efficacy of the combination of pegylated interferon-alpha 2b and dasatinib in newly diagnosed chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia patients
- 2016
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Ingår i: Leukemia. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0887-6924 .- 1476-5551. ; 30:9, s. 1853-1860
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Dasatinib (DAS) and interferon-a have antileukemic and immunostimulatory effects and induce deep responses in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). We assigned 40 newly diagnosed chronic-phase CML patients to receive DAS 100 mg o.d. followed by addition of pegylated interferon-alpha 2b (PegIFN) after 3 months (M3). The starting dose of PegIFN was 15 mu g/week and it increased to 25 mu g/week at M6 until M15. The combination was well tolerated with manageable toxicity. Of the patients, 84% remained on PegIFN at M12 and 91% (DAS) and 73% (PegIFN) of assigned dose was given. Only one patient had a pleural effusion during first year, and three more during the second year. After introduction of PegIFN we observed a steep increase in response rates. Major molecular response was achieved in 10%, 57%, 84% and 89% of patients at M3, M6, M12 and M18, respectively. At M12, MR4 was achieved by 46% and MR4.5 by 27% of patients. No patients progressed to advanced phase. In conclusion, the combination treatment appeared safe with very promising efficacy. A randomized comparison of DAS +/- PegIFN is warranted.
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| 6. |
- Jadersten, M., et al.
(författare)
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Targeting SAMHD1 with hydroxyurea in first-line cytarabine-based therapy of newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukaemia: Results from the HEAT-AML trial
- 2022
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Ingår i: Journal of Internal Medicine. - : Wiley. - 0954-6820 .- 1365-2796. ; 292:6, s. 925-940
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Treatment of newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is based on combination chemotherapy with cytarabine (ara-C) and anthracyclines. Five-year overall survival is below 30%, which has partly been attributed to cytarabine resistance. Preclinical data suggest that the addition of hydroxyurea potentiates cytarabine efficacy by increasing ara-C triphosphate (ara-CTP) levels through targeted inhibition of SAMHD1. Objectives In this phase 1 trial, we evaluated the feasibility, safety and efficacy of the addition of hydroxyurea to standard chemotherapy with cytarabine/daunorubicin in newly diagnosed AML patients. Methods Nine patients were enrolled and received at least two courses of ara-C (1 g/m(2)/2 h b.i.d. d1-5, i.e., a total of 10 g/m(2) per course), hydroxyurea (1-2 g d1-5) and daunorubicin (60 mg/m(2) d1-3). The primary endpoint was safety; secondary endpoints were complete remission rate and measurable residual disease (MRD). Additionally, pharmacokinetic studies of ara-CTP and ex vivo drug sensitivity assays were performed. Results The most common grade 3-4 toxicity was febrile neutropenia (100%). No unexpected toxicities were observed. Pharmacokinetic analyses showed a significant increase in median ara-CTP levels (1.5-fold; p = 0.04) in patients receiving doses of 1 g hydroxyurea. Ex vivo, diagnostic leukaemic bone marrow blasts from study patients were significantly sensitised to ara-C by a median factor of 2.1 (p = 0.0047). All nine patients (100%) achieved complete remission, and all eight (100%) with validated MRD measurements (flow cytometry or real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction [RT-qPCR]) had an MRD level <0.1% after two cycles of chemotherapy. Treatment was well-tolerated, and median time to neutrophil recovery >1.0 x 10(9)/L and to platelet recovery >50 x 10(9)/L after the start of cycle 1 was 19 days and 22 days, respectively. Six of nine patients underwent allogeneic haematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). With a median follow-up of 18.0 (range 14.9-20.5) months, one patient with adverse risk not fit for HSCT experienced a relapse after 11.9 months but is now in second complete remission. Conclusion Targeted inhibition of SAMHD1 by the addition of hydroxyurea to conventional AML therapy is safe and appears efficacious within the limitations of the small phase 1 patient cohort. These results need to be corroborated in a larger study.
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| 7. |
- Kontro, M, et al.
(författare)
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HOX gene expression predicts response to BCL-2 inhibition in acute myeloid leukemia
- 2017
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Ingår i: Leukemia. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0887-6924 .- 1476-5551. ; 31:2, s. 301-309
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Inhibitors of B-cell lymphoma-2 (BCL-2) such as venetoclax (ABT-199) and navitoclax (ABT-263) are clinically explored in several cancer types, including acute myeloid leukemia (AML), to selectively induce apoptosis in cancer cells. To identify robust biomarkers for BCL-2 inhibitor sensitivity, we evaluated the ex vivo sensitivity of fresh leukemic cells from 73 diagnosed and relapsed/refractory AML patients, and then comprehensively assessed whether the responses correlated to specific mutations or gene expression signatures. Compared with samples from healthy donor controls (nonsensitive) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients (highly sensitive), AML samples exhibited variable responses to BCL-2 inhibition. Strongest CLL-like responses were observed in 15% of the AML patient samples, whereas 32% were resistant, and the remaining exhibited intermediate responses to venetoclax. BCL-2 inhibitor sensitivity was associated with genetic aberrations in chromatin modifiers, WT1 and IDH1/IDH2. A striking selective overexpression of specific HOXA and HOXB gene transcripts were detected in highly BCL-2 inhibitor sensitive samples. Ex vivo responses to venetoclax showed significant inverse correlation to β2-microglobulin expression and to a lesser degree to BCL-XL and BAX expression. As new therapy options for AML are urgently needed, the specific HOX gene expression pattern can potentially be used as a biomarker to identify venetoclax-sensitive AML patients for clinical trials.Leukemia advance online publication, 2 September 2016; doi:10.1038/leu.2016.222.
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| 8. |
- Lindsay, Willow, 1980, et al.
(författare)
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Endless forms of sexual selection
- 2019
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Ingår i: PeerJ. - : PeerJ. - 2167-8359. ; 7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In recent years, the field of sexual selection has exploded, with advances in theoretical and empirical research complementing each other in exciting ways. This perspective piece is the product of a "stock-taking'' workshop on sexual selection and sexual conflict. Our aim is to identify and deliberate on outstanding questions and to stimulate discussion rather than provide a comprehensive overview of the entire field. These questions are organized into four thematic sections we deem essential to the field. First we focus on the evolution of mate choice and mating systems. Variation in mate quality can generate both competition and choice in the opposite sex, with implications for the evolution of mating systems. Limitations on mate choice may dictate the importance of direct vs. indirect benefits in mating decisions and consequently, mating systems, especially with regard to polyandry. Second, we focus on how sender and receiver mechanisms shape signal design. Mediation of honest signal content likely depends on integration of temporally variable social and physiological costs that are challenging to measure. We view the neuroethology of sensory and cognitive receiver biases as the main key to signal form and the 'aesthetic sense' proposed by Darwin. Since a receiver bias is sufficient to both initiate and drive ornament or armament exaggeration, without a genetically correlated or even coevolving receiver, this may be the appropriate 'null model' of sexual selection. Thirdly, we focus on the genetic architecture of sexually selected traits. Despite advances in modern molecular techniques, the number and identity of genes underlying performance, display and secondary sexual traits remains largely unknown. In-depth investigations into the genetic basis of sexual dimorphism in the context of long-term field studies will reveal constraints and trajectories of sexually selected trait evolution. Finally, we focus on sexual selection and conflict as drivers of speciation. Population divergence and speciation are often influenced by an interplay between sexual and natural selection. The extent to which sexual selection promotes or counteracts population divergence may vary depending on the genetic architecture of traits as well as the covariance between mating competition and local adaptation. Additionally, post-copulatory processes, such as selection against heterospecific sperm, may influence the importance of sexual selection in speciation. We propose that efforts to resolve these four themes can catalyze conceptual progress in the field of sexual selection, and we offer potential avenues of research to advance this progress.
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| 9. |
- Mauri, G., et al.
(författare)
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Neutron reflectometry with the Multi-Blade B-10-based detector
- 2018
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the Royal Society. Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences. - : The Royal Society. - 1364-5021 .- 1471-2946. ; 474:2216
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Multi-Blade is a boron-10-based gaseous detector developed for neutron reflectometry instruments at the European Spallation Source in Sweden. The main challenges for neutron reflectometry detectors are the instantaneous counting rate and spatial resolution. The Multi-Blade has been tested on the CRISP reflectometer at the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source in the UK. A campaign of scientific measurements has been performed to study the Multi-Blade response in real instrumental conditions. The results of these tests are discussed in this paper.
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| 10. |
- Oliver, Jonathan M, et al.
(författare)
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A Season of American Football Is Not Associated with Changes in Plasma Tau.
- 2017
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Ingår i: Journal of neurotrauma. - : Mary Ann Liebert Inc. - 1557-9042 .- 0897-7151. ; 34:23, s. 3295-3300
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- American football athletes are routinely exposed to sub-concussive impacts over the course of the season. This study sought to examine the effect of a season of American football on plasma tau, a potential marker of axonal damage. Nineteen National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) football athletes underwent serial blood sampling over the course of the 2014-2015 season at those times in which the number and magnitude of head impacts likely changed. Non-contact sport controls (NCAA men's swim athletes; n=19) provided a single plasma sample for comparison. No significant differences were observed between control swim athletes and football athletes following a period of non-contact (p=0.569) or a period of contact (p=0.076). Football athletes categorized as starters (n=11) had higher tau concentrations than non-starters (n=8) following a period of non-contact (p=0.039) and contact (p=0.036), but not higher than swimmers (p=1.000 and p=1.000, respectively). No difference was noted over the course of the season in football athletes, irrespective of starter status. Despite routine head impacts common to the sport of American football, no changes were observed over the course of the season in football athletes, irrespective of starter status. Further, no difference was observed between football athletes and non-contact control swim athletes following a period of non-contact or contact. These data suggest that plasma tau is not sensitive enough to detect damage associated with repetitive sub-concussive impacts sustained by collegiate-level football athletes.
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