| 1. |
- Bergström, Petra, et al.
(författare)
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Association of NFE2L2 and KEAP1 haplotypes with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
- 2014
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Ingår i: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis & frontotemporal degeneration. - : Informa UK Limited. - 2167-9223 .- 2167-8421. ; 15:1-2, s. 130-137
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a degenerative motor neuron syndrome influenced by oxidative stress. The transcription factor Nrf2 and its repressor Keap1 constitute an important defence system in cellular protection against oxidative stress. Here we hypothesize that common genetic variations in the genes NFE2L2 and KEAP1, encoding Nrf2 and Keap1, may influence the risk and phenotype of ALS. Five hundred and twenty-two Swedish patients with sporadic ALS (SALS) and 564 Swedish control subjects were studied. Eight tag SNPs in NFE2L2 and three tag SNPs in KEAP1 were genotyped by allelic discrimination and three functional NFE2L2 promoter SNPs were genotyped by sequencing. One NFE2L2 haplotype (GGGAC) was associated with decreased risk of SALS (OR = 0.62 per allele, p = 0.003) and one haplotype in KEAP1 (CGG) was associated with later SALS onset (+3.4 years per allele, p = 0.015). When stratified by subgroup, one haplotype in NFE2L2, GAGCAGA including three functional promoter SNPs associated with high Nrf2 protein expression, was associated with 4.0 years later disease onset per allele in subgroup ALS (p = 0.008). In conclusion, these results suggest that variations in NFE2L2 and KEAP1, encoding two central proteins in cellular oxidative stress defence, may influence SALS pathogenesis.
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| 2. |
- Lundh Snis, Ulrika, 1970-, et al.
(författare)
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Nordic Innovation Networks in Education : Dealing with Educational Challenges with Cross Boarder Collaboration and User Driven Design
- 2012
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Ingår i: Uddevalla Symposium 2012<em> </em>. - 9789197794343 ; , s. 553-571
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- This is an EU-funded project related to cross boarder collaboration for educational purposes supported by information and communication technologies between Danish, Norwegian and Swedish schools. The project started in 2011 and extends to 2014 so this empirically dominated paper reports on early findings related to cross-border collaboration challenges. The aim of the project is to develop innovative cross-border teaching models by the means of user-driven, practice-based co-design processes between practitioners and researchers. In the first year, 18 classes from 13 schools in Denmark, Norway and Sweden in the Öresund-Kattegatt-Skagerack region participated. Organized in so called Nordic class-match groups (consisting of students and teachers from one class in each country) new cross-border teaching models are co-created, tested and evaluated in an iterative process. Since teaching models are subject dependent, the project develop teaching models in several subject domains, i.e. math, language, science and social studies / history. Heretofore findings show, however, that organizational and technical issues have superseded and squeezed out subject-oriented discussions due to surprisingly many practical issues that needed to be handled first. We have identified three major thresholds to overcome. The first is related to technical difficulties in schools when diverse IT systems are to be synchronized. The second threshold concerns scheduling coordination difficulties in order to allow synchronous cross boarder collaboration. The third threshold concerns linguistic and communication difficulties rooted in participants communicating in their respective Nordic language. Being able to communicate within Nordic languages are explicit learning goals in all three schools systems, and therefore part of the project aim and consequently all participants are expected to use their native languages when communicating. The next phase of the project is therefore to find solutions to these technical, organizational and linguistic barriers, and already now we see some barrier breaking models taking shape in the active network of Nordic teachers, students, school leaders, IT support teams and researchers.
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| 5. |
- Fall, Tove, et al.
(författare)
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Age- and sex-specific causal effects of adiposity on cardiovascular risk factors
- 2015
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Ingår i: Diabetes. - : American Diabetes Association. - 0012-1797 .- 1939-327X. ; 64:5, s. 1841-1852
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Observational studies have reported different effects of adiposity on cardiovascular risk factors across age and sex. Since cardiovascular risk factors are enriched in obese individuals, it has not been easy to dissect the effects of adiposity from those of other risk factors. We used a Mendelian randomization approach, applying a set of 32 genetic markers to estimate the causal effect of adiposity on blood pressure, glycemic indices, circulating lipid levels, and markers of inflammation and liver disease in up to 67,553 individuals. All analyses were stratified by age (cutoff 55 years of age) and sex. The genetic score was associated with BMI in both nonstratified analysis (P = 2.8 × 10(-107)) and stratified analyses (all P < 3.3 × 10(-30)). We found evidence of a causal effect of adiposity on blood pressure, fasting levels of insulin, C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides in a nonstratified analysis and in the <55-year stratum. Further, we found evidence of a smaller causal effect on total cholesterol (P for difference = 0.015) in the ≥55-year stratum than in the <55-year stratum, a finding that could be explained by biology, survival bias, or differential medication. In conclusion, this study extends previous knowledge of the effects of adiposity by providing sex- and age-specific causal estimates on cardiovascular risk factors.
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| 6. |
- Göransson, Anna-Lena, et al.
(författare)
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Dissecting the Aggregation Events of Alzheimer’s disease Associated Aβ peptide Variants by the Combined use of Different Fluorescent Probes
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The formation of soluble prefibrillar oligomeric species of the amyloid β peptide (Aβ) has been implicated as a causative agent in the development of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). It is therefore important to characterize the properties of these aggregates, which precede the formation of amyloid fibrils. We studied the in vitro aggregation process of two Aβ40 peptide variants through the combined use of four different fluorescent probes and transmission electron microscopy. Previous studies have shown that these two studied Aβ40 variants exhibit different levels of neurodegeneration when expressed in the central nervous system of Drosophila melanogaster. In the present study, we demonstrate distinct differences in aggregate morphology and their binding properties to different fluorescent probes during in vitro fibrillation of these Aβ peptides. Our results indicate a potential link between the observed neurodegenerative properties and the biophysical properties of distinct aggregated Aβ species.
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| 7. |
- Havervall, Sebastian, et al.
(författare)
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SARS-CoV-2 induces a durable and antigen specific humoral immunity after asymptomatic to mild COVID-19 infection
- 2022
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Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 17:1, s. e0262169-e0262169
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Current SARS-CoV-2 serological assays generate discrepant results, and the longitudinal characteristics of antibodies targeting various antigens after asymptomatic to mild COVID-19 are yet to be established. This longitudinal cohort study including 1965 healthcare workers, of which 381 participants exhibited antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 spike antigen at study inclusion, reveal that these antibodies remain detectable in most participants, 96%, at least four months post infection, despite having had no or mild symptoms. Virus neutralization capacity was confirmed by microneutralization assay in 91% of study participants at least four months post infection. Contrary to antibodies targeting the spike protein, antibodies against the nucleocapsid protein were only detected in 80% of previously anti-nucleocapsid IgG positive healthcare workers. Both anti-spike and anti-nucleocapsid IgG levels were significantly higher in previously hospitalized COVID-19 patients four months post infection than in healthcare workers four months post infection (p = 2*10−23 and 2*10−13 respectively). Although the magnitude of humoral response was associated with disease severity, our findings support a durable and functional humoral response after SARS-CoV-2 infection even after no or mild symptoms. We further demonstrate differences in antibody kinetics depending on the antigen, arguing against the use of the nucleocapsid protein as target antigen in population-based SARS-CoV-2 serological surveys
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| 8. |
- Hsiung, Sabrina, et al.
(författare)
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Hyperglycemia does not affect tissue repair responses in shear stress-induced atherosclerotic plaques in ApoE-/-mice
- 2018
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Ingår i: Scientific Reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2045-2322. ; 8:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The mechanisms responsible for macrovascular complications in diabetes remain to be fully understood. Recent studies have identified impaired vascular repair as a possible cause of plaque vulnerability in diabetes. This notion is supported by observations of a reduced content of fibrous proteins and smooth muscle cell mitogens in carotid endarterectomy from diabetic patients along with findings of decreased circulating levels of endothelial progenitor cells. In the present study we used a diabetic mouse model to characterize how hyperglycemia affects arterial repair responses. We induced atherosclerotic plaque formation in ApoE-deficient (ApoE-/-) and heterozygous glucokinase knockout ApoE-deficient mice (ApoE-/-GK+/-) mice with a shear stress-modifying cast. There were no differences in cholesterol or triglyceride levels between the ApoE-/-A nd ApoE-/-GK+/-mice. Hyperglycemia did not affect the size of the formed atherosclerotic plaques, and no effects were seen on activation of cell proliferation, smooth muscle cell content or on the expression and localization of collagen, elastin and several other extracellular matrix proteins. The present study demonstrates that hyperglycemia per se has no significant effects on tissue repair processes in injured mouse carotid arteries, suggesting that other mechanisms are involved in diabetic plaque vulnerability.
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| 9. |
- Idborg, Helena, et al.
(författare)
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Two subgroups in systemic lupus erythematosus with features of antiphospholipid or Sjogren's syndrome differ in molecular signatures and treatment perspectives
- 2019
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Ingår i: Arthritis Research & Therapy. - : BioMed Central. - 1478-6362 .- 1478-6354. ; 21
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BackgroundPrevious studies and own clinical observations of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) suggest that SLE harbors distinct immunophenotypes. This heterogeneity might result in differences in response to treatment in different subgroups and obstruct clinical trials. Our aim was to understand how SLE subgroups may differ regarding underlying pathophysiology and characteristic biomarkers.MethodsIn a cross-sectional study, including 378 well-characterized SLE patients and 316 individually matched population controls, we defined subgroups based on the patients' autoantibody profile at inclusion. We selected a core of an antiphospholipid syndrome-like SLE (aPL+ group; positive in the lupus anticoagulant (LA) test and negative for all three of SSA (Ro52 and Ro60) and SSB antibodies) and a Sjogren's syndrome-like SLE (SSA/SSB+ group; positive for all three of SSA (Ro52 and Ro60) and SSB antibodies but negative in the LA test). We applied affinity-based proteomics, targeting 281 proteins, together with well-established clinical biomarkers and complementary immunoassays to explore the difference between the two predefined SLE subgroups.ResultsThe aPL+ group comprised 66 and the SSA/SSB+ group 63 patients. The protein with the highest prediction power (receiver operating characteristic (ROC) area under the curve=0.89) for separating the aPL+ and SSA/SSB+ SLE subgroups was integrin beta-1 (ITGB1), with higher levels present in the SSA/SSB+ subgroup. Proteins with the lowest p values comparing the two SLE subgroups were ITGB1, SLC13A3, and CERS5. These three proteins, rheumatoid factor, and immunoglobulin G (IgG) were all increased in the SSA/SSB+ subgroup. This subgroup was also characterized by a possible activation of the interferon system as measured by high KRT7, TYK2, and ETV7 in plasma. In the aPL+ subgroup, complement activation was more pronounced together with several biomarkers associated with systemic inflammation (fibrinogen, -1 antitrypsin, neutrophils, and triglycerides).ConclusionsOur observations indicate underlying pathogenic differences between the SSA/SSB+ and the aPL+ SLE subgroups, suggesting that the SSA/SSB+ subgroup may benefit from IFN-blocking therapies while the aPL+ subgroup is more likely to have an effect from drugs targeting the complement system. Stratifying SLE patients based on an autoantibody profile could be a way forward to understand underlying pathophysiology and to improve selection of patients for clinical trials of targeted treatments.
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| 10. |
- In ’t Veld, Sjors G.J.G., et al.
(författare)
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Detection and localization of early- and late-stage cancers using platelet RNA
- 2022
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Ingår i: Cancer Cell. - : Elsevier. - 1535-6108 .- 1878-3686. ; 40:9, s. 999-1009.e6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Cancer patients benefit from early tumor detection since treatment outcomes are more favorable for less advanced cancers. Platelets are involved in cancer progression and are considered a promising biosource for cancer detection, as they alter their RNA content upon local and systemic cues. We show that tumor-educated platelet (TEP) RNA-based blood tests enable the detection of 18 cancer types. With 99% specificity in asymptomatic controls, thromboSeq correctly detected the presence of cancer in two-thirds of 1,096 blood samples from stage I–IV cancer patients and in half of 352 stage I–III tumors. Symptomatic controls, including inflammatory and cardiovascular diseases, and benign tumors had increased false-positive test results with an average specificity of 78%. Moreover, thromboSeq determined the tumor site of origin in five different tumor types correctly in over 80% of the cancer patients. These results highlight the potential properties of TEP-derived RNA panels to supplement current approaches for blood-based cancer screening.
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