| 1. |
- Vogelezang, Suzanne, et al.
(author)
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Novel loci for childhood body mass index and shared heritability with adult cardiometabolic traits.
- 2020
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In: PLoS genetics. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1553-7404. ; 16:10
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The genetic background of childhood body mass index (BMI), and the extent to which the well-known associations of childhood BMI with adult diseases are explained by shared genetic factors, are largely unknown. We performed a genome-wide association study meta-analysis of BMI in 61,111 children aged between 2 and 10 years. Twenty-five independent loci reached genome-wide significance in the combined discovery and replication analyses. Two of these, located near NEDD4L and SLC45A3, have not previously been reported in relation to either childhood or adult BMI. Positive genetic correlations of childhood BMI with birth weight and adult BMI, waist-to-hip ratio, diastolic blood pressure and type 2 diabetes were detected (Rg ranging from 0.11 to 0.76, P-values <0.002). A negative genetic correlation of childhood BMI with age at menarche was observed. Our results suggest that the biological processes underlying childhood BMI largely, but not completely, overlap with those underlying adult BMI. The well-known observational associations of BMI in childhood with cardio-metabolic diseases in adulthood may reflect partial genetic overlap, but in light of previous evidence, it is also likely that they are explained through phenotypic continuity of BMI from childhood into adulthood.
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| 2. |
- Bauer, Michael, et al.
(author)
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Association between solar insolation and a history of suicide attempts in bipolar I disorder.
- 2019
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In: Journal of psychiatric research. - : Elsevier BV. - 1879-1379 .- 0022-3956. ; 113, s. 1-9
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In many international studies, rates of completed suicide and suicide attempts have a seasonal pattern that peaks in spring or summer. This exploratory study investigated the association between solar insolation and a history of suicide attempt in patients with bipolar I disorder. Solar insolation is the amount of electromagnetic energy from the Sun striking a surface area on Earth. Data were collected previously from 5536 patients with bipolar I disorder at 50 collection sites in 32 countries at a wide range of latitudes in both hemispheres. Suicide related data were available for 3365 patients from 310 onset locations in 51 countries. 1047 (31.1%) had a history of suicide attempt. There was a significant inverse association between a history of suicide attempt and the ratio of mean winter solar insolation/mean summer solar insolation. This ratio is smallest near the poles where the winter insolation is very small compared to the summer insolation. This ratio is largest near the equator where there is relatively little variation in the insolation over the year. Other variables in the model that were positively associated with suicide attempt were being female, a history of alcohol or substance abuse, and being in a younger birth cohort. Living in a country with a state-sponsored religion decreased the association. (All estimated coefficients p<0.01). In summary, living in locations with large changes in solar insolation between winter and summer may be associated with increased suicide attempts in patients with bipolar disorder. Further investigation of the impacts of solar insolation on the course of bipolar disorder is needed.
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| 3. |
- Burmeister, Florian, et al.
(author)
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Description and performance of an electron-ion coincidence TOF spectrometer used at the Brazilian synchrotron facility LNLS
- 2010
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In: Journal of Electron Spectroscopy and Related Phenomena. - : Elsevier BV. - 0368-2048 .- 1873-2526. ; 180:1-3, s. 6-13
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper reports the characteristics and performance of a Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer (TOF-MS) for coincidence measurements between electrons and ions that has been developed jointly in Sweden and Brazil. The spectrometer, used for studies of inner-shell photoexcitation of molecules in the gas-phase, has been optimized by implementing ion and electron lenses to allow the use of relatively small diameter detectors. Simulations were performed to understand the lens performance and they show that ions (electrons) could be collected without angular discrimination with a maximum kinetic energy up to ten (two) times higher than without the lens actions. A rotary vacuum chamber allows the spectrometer axis to be positioned at different angles relative to the polarization vector of the excitation beam. An important characteristic of the apparatus is that the acquisition setup allows a multi-hit capability with 1 ns resolution. Hereby, Photoelectron-Photoion-Photoion Coincidence (PEPIPICO) measurements can be performed on molecules containing two or more atoms of equal mass. A method to obtain experimental detection efficiencies of a single ion and one of one, two or three electrons has been developed. A systematic study of the interaction region has been performed to determine the shape of the photon and gas beams. Measurements on molecular nitrogen demonstrate the spectrometer's ability to resolve fragments with the same charge to mass ratio arriving within only a few ns. Simulations and experimental results of fragmentation of two singly charged cation nitrogen atoms agree, confirming that the spectrometer performance is well understood. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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| 4. |
- Frazier-Wood, Alexis C., et al.
(author)
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Genetic variants associated with subjective well-being, depressive symptoms, and neuroticism identified through genome-wide analyses
- 2016
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In: Nature Genetics. - : Nature Research (part of Springer Nature). - 1061-4036 .- 1546-1718. ; 48, s. 624-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Very few genetic variants have been associated with depression and neuroticism, likely because of limitations on sample size in previous studies. Subjective well-being, a phenotype that is genetically correlated with both of these traits, has not yet been studied with genome-wide data. We conducted genome-wide association studies of three phenotypes: subjective well-being (n = 298,420), depressive symptoms (n = 161,460), and neuroticism (n = 170,911). We identify 3 variants associated with subjective well-being, 2 variants associated with depressive symptoms, and 11 variants associated with neuroticism, including 2 inversion polymorphisms. The two loci associated with depressive symptoms replicate in an independent depression sample. Joint analyses that exploit the high genetic correlations between the phenotypes (vertical bar(p) over cap vertical bar approximate to 0.8) strengthen the overall credibility of the findings and allow us to identify additional variants. Across our phenotypes, loci regulating expression in central nervous system and adrenal or pancreas tissues are strongly enriched for association.
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| 5. |
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| 6. |
- Kanter Schlifke, Irene, et al.
(author)
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Galanin gene transfer curtails generalized seizures in kindled rats without altering hippocampal synaptic plasticity
- 2007
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In: Neuroscience. - : Elsevier BV. - 1873-7544 .- 0306-4522. ; 150:4, s. 984-992
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Gene therapy-based overexpression of endogenous seizure-suppressing molecules represents a promising treatment strategy for epilepsy. Viral vector-based overexpression of the neuropeptide galanin has been shown to effectively suppress generalized seizures in various animal models of epilepsy. However, it has not been explored whether such treatment can also prevent the epileptogenesis. Using a recombinant adeno-associated viral (rAAV) vector, we induced hippocampal galanin overexpression under the neuron specific enolase promoter in rats. Here we report that in animals with galanin overexpression, the duration of electrographic afterdischarges was shortened and initiation of convulsions was delayed at generalized seizure stages. However, the hippocampal kindling development was unchanged. Short-term plasticity of mossy fiber-cornu ammonis (CA) 3 synapses was unaltered, as assessed by paired-pulse and frequency facilitation of field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSPs) in hippocampal slices, suggesting that despite high transgene galanin expression, overall release probability of glutamate in these synapses was unaffected. These data indicate that hippocampal rAAV-based galanin overexpression is capable of mediating anticonvulsant effects by lowering the seizure susceptibility once generalized seizures are induced, but does not seem to affect kindling development or presynaptic short-term plasticity in mossy fibers.
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| 7. |
- Kilpeläinen, Tuomas O, et al.
(author)
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Physical activity attenuates the influence of FTO variants on obesity risk: a meta-analysis of 218,166 adults and 19,268 children.
- 2011
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In: PLoS medicine. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1549-1676 .- 1549-1277. ; 8:11
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: The FTO gene harbors the strongest known susceptibility locus for obesity. While many individual studies have suggested that physical activity (PA) may attenuate the effect of FTO on obesity risk, other studies have not been able to confirm this interaction. To confirm or refute unambiguously whether PA attenuates the association of FTO with obesity risk, we meta-analyzed data from 45 studies of adults (n=218,166) and nine studies of children and adolescents (n=19,268). METHODS AND FINDINGS: All studies identified to have data on the FTO rs9939609 variant (or any proxy [r(2)>0.8]) and PA were invited to participate, regardless of ethnicity or age of the participants. PA was standardized by categorizing it into a dichotomous variable (physically inactive versus active) in each study. Overall, 25% of adults and 13% of children were categorized as inactive. Interaction analyses were performed within each study by including the FTO×PA interaction term in an additive model, adjusting for age and sex. Subsequently, random effects meta-analysis was used to pool the interaction terms. In adults, the minor (A-) allele of rs9939609 increased the odds of obesity by 1.23-fold/allele (95% CI 1.20-1.26), but PA attenuated this effect (p(interaction) =0.001). More specifically, the minor allele of rs9939609 increased the odds of obesity less in the physically active group (odds ratio =1.22/allele, 95% CI 1.19-1.25) than in the inactive group (odds ratio =1.30/allele, 95% CI 1.24-1.36). No such interaction was found in children and adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: The association of the FTO risk allele with the odds of obesity is attenuated by 27% in physically active adults, highlighting the importance of PA in particular in those genetically predisposed to obesity.
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| 8. |
- Ledri, Marco, et al.
(author)
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Differential Effect of Neuropeptides on Excitatory Synaptic Transmission in Human Epileptic Hippocampus.
- 2015
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In: The Journal of Neuroscience. - 1529-2401. ; 35:26, s. 9622-9631
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Development of novel disease-modifying treatment strategies for neurological disorders, which at present have no cure, represents a major challenge for today's neurology. Translation of findings from animal models to humans represents an unresolved gap in most of the preclinical studies. Gene therapy is an evolving innovative approach that may prove useful for clinical applications. In animal models of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), gene therapy treatments based on viral vectors encoding NPY or galanin have been shown to effectively suppress seizures. However, how this translates to human TLE remains unknown. A unique possibility to validate these animal studies is provided by a surgical therapeutic approach, whereby resected epileptic tissue from temporal lobes of pharmacoresistant patients are available for neurophysiological studies in vitro. To test whether NPY and galanin have antiepileptic actions in human epileptic tissue as well, we applied these neuropeptides directly to human hippocampal slices in vitro. NPY strongly decreased stimulation-induced EPSPs in dentate gyrus and CA1 (up to 30 and 55%, respectively) via Y2 receptors, while galanin had no significant effect. Receptor autoradiographic binding revealed the presence of both NPY and galanin receptors, while functional receptor binding was only detected for NPY, suggesting that galanin receptor signaling may be impaired. These results underline the importance of validating findings from animal studies in human brain tissue, and advocate for NPY as a more appropriate candidate than galanin for future gene therapy trials in pharmacoresistant TLE patients.
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| 9. |
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| 10. |
- Lillethorup, Thea P., et al.
(author)
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Longitudinal monoaminergic PET imaging of chronic proteasome inhibition in minipigs
- 2018
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In: Scientific Reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2045-2322. ; 8:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Impairment of the ubiquitin proteasome system has been implicated in Parkinson’s disease. We used positron emission tomography to investigate longitudinal effects of chronic intracerebroventricular exposure to the proteasome inhibitor lactacystin on monoaminergic projections and neuroinflammation. Göttingen minipigs were implanted in the cisterna magna with a catheter connected to a subcutaneous injection port. Minipigs were imaged at baseline and after cumulative doses of 200 and 400 μg lactacystin, respectively. Main radioligands included [11C]-DTBZ (vesicular monoamine transporter type 2) and [11C]-yohimbine (α2-adrenoceptor). [11C]-DASB (serotonin transporter) and [11C]-PK11195 (activated microglia) became available later in the study and we present their results in a smaller subset of animals for information purposes only. Striatal [11C]-DTBZ binding potentials decreased significantly by 16% after 200 μg compared to baseline, but the decrease was not sustained after 400 μg (n = 6). [11C]-yohimbine volume of distribution increased by 18–25% in the pons, grey matter and the thalamus after 200 μg, which persisted at 400 μg (n = 6). In the later subset of minipigs, we observed decreased [11C]-DASB (n = 5) and increased [11C]-PK11195 (n = 3) uptake after 200 μg. These changes may mimic monoaminergic changes and compensatory responses in early Parkinson’s disease.
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