| 1. |
- Alitalo, Antti, et al.
(författare)
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Expression of complement factor H binding immunoevasion proteins in Borrelia garinii isolated from patients with neuroborreliosis.
- 2005
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Ingår i: Eur J Immunol. - 0014-2980. ; 35:10, s. 3043-3053
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Lyme disease-pathogen Borrelia burgdorferi binds the complement inhibitor factor H (FH) to its outer surface protein E- (OspE) and BbA68-families of lipoproteins. In earlier studies, only serum-resistant strains of the genospecies B. burgdorferi sensu stricto or B. afzelii, but not serum-sensitive B. garinii strains, have been shown to bind FH. Since B. garinii often causes neuroborreliosis in man, we have readdressed the interactions of B. garinii with FH. B. garinii 50/97 strain did not express FH-binding proteins. By transforming the B. garinii 50/97 strain with an OspE-encoding gene from complement-resistant B. burgdorferi (ospE-297), its resistance to serum killing could be increased. OspE genes were detected and cloned from the B. garinii BITS, Pistoia and 40/97 strains by PCR and sequencing. The deduced amino acid sequences differed in an N-terminal lysine-rich FH-binding region from OspE sequences of resistant strains. Recombinant B. garinii BITS OspE protein was found to have a considerably lower FH-binding activity than the B. burgdorferi sensu stricto 297 OspE protein P21 (P21-297). Unlike bacteria that had been kept in culture for a long time, neurovirulent B. garinii strains from neuroborreliosis patients were found to express approximately 27-kDa FH-binding proteins. These were not recognized by polyclonal anti-OspE or anti-BbA68 antibodies. We conclude that B. garinii strains carry ospE genes but have a decreased expression of OspE proteins and a reduced ability to bind FH, especially when grown for prolonged periods in vitro. Recently isolated neuroinvasive B. garinii strains, however, can express FH-binding proteins, which may contribute to the virulence of neuroborreliosis-causing B. garinii strains.
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| 2. |
- Bengtsson, Hanna, et al.
(författare)
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PHYSICOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLE FIBER SUSPENSIONS. II: EFFECT OF VARIATIONS IN HEAT TREATMENT
- 2011
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Ingår i: Journal of Texture Studies. - : Wiley. - 0022-4901. ; 42:4, s. 281-290
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The pectin content in the soluble and insoluble fractions of fiber suspensions from carrot, potato pulp and apple heat treated in four different ways was determined together with the particle size distribution, water-holding capacity (WHC), morphology and rheological properties of the fiber suspensions. In the carrot and apple suspensions, where beta-elimination was favored, the soluble pectin increased, whereas a significant but small decrease of the mean particle size of the insoluble material was obtained together with a significant decrease in WHC. For the potato pulp suspensions, however, only minor pectin solubilization was observed by heat treatment. Instead remaining starch in the cell matrix swelled on prolonged heating, leading to a different particle size distribution and a significant increase in WHC However, only minor effects on heating were seen on the elastic modulus for all fiber sources studied. But the source of fiber seems to be more important for the elastic modulus of the suspension, where the order of firmness in heated tissues (not the suspensions) seems to be the determining factor, being in the order of apple > potato > carrot.
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| 3. |
- Hagson, Anders, 1950, et al.
(författare)
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Vad hindrar respektive möjliggör tät och blandad stadsutveckling?
- 2015
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Diskussionen om framtidens hållbara och mer resursvänliga samhälle tar ofta sikte på den täta och funktionsblandade staden. Men om många kan vara överens om principerna, så visar sig den så kallade blandstaden svår att definiera mer precist. Vad innebär en tät och blandad stad, och hur ser förutsättningarna ut för att genomföra den?
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| 4. |
- Lindahl, Jesper, et al.
(författare)
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Add-on pramipexole for anhedonic depression : study protocol for a randomised controlled trial and open-label follow-up in Lund, Sweden
- 2023
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Ingår i: BMJ Open. - : BMJ Publishing Group. - 2044-6055. ; 13:11, s. 9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- INTRODUCTION: Many depressed patients do not achieve remission with available treatments. Anhedonia is a common residual symptom associated with treatment resistance as well as low function and quality of life. There are currently no specific and effective treatments for anhedonia. Some trials have shown that dopamine agonist pramipexole is efficacious for treating depression, but more data is needed before it could become ready for clinical prime time. Given its mechanism of action, pramipexole might be a useful treatment for a depression subtype characterised by significant anhedonia and lack of motivation-symptoms associated with dopaminergic hypofunction. We recently showed, in an open-label pilot study, that add-on pramipexole is a feasible treatment for depression with significant anhedonia, and that pramipexole increases reward-related activity in the ventral striatum. We will now confirm or refute these preliminary results in a randomised controlled trial (RCT) and an open-label follow-up study. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Eighty patients with major depression (bipolar or unipolar) or dysthymia and significant anhedonia according to the Snaith Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS) are randomised to either add-on pramipexole or placebo for 9 weeks. Change in anhedonia symptoms per the SHAPS is the primary outcome, and secondary outcomes include change in core depressive symptoms, apathy, sleep problems, life quality, anxiety and side effects. Accelerometers are used to assess treatment-associated changes in physical activity and sleep patterns. Blood and brain biomarkers are investigated as treatment predictors and to establish target engagement. After the RCT phase, patients continue with open-label treatment in a 6-month follow-up study aiming to assess long-term efficacy and tolerability of pramipexole. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study has been approved by the Swedish Ethical Review Authority and the Swedish Medical Products Agency. The study is externally monitored according to Good Clinical Practice guidelines. Results will be disseminated via conference presentations and peer-reviewed publications. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT05355337 and NCT05825235.
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| 5. |
- Mucci, Nadia, et al.
(författare)
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Genetic diversity and landscape genetic structure of otter (Lutra lutra) populations in Europe
- 2010
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Ingår i: Conservation Genetics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1566-0621 .- 1572-9737. ; 11:2, s. 583-599
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Eurasian otter populations strongly declined and partially disappeared due to global and local causes (habitat destruction, water pollution, human persecution) in parts of their continental range. Conservation strategies, based on reintroduction projects or restoration of dispersal corridors, should rely on sound knowledge of the historical or recent consequences of population genetic structuring. Here we present the results of a survey performed on 616 samples, collected from 19 European countries, genotyped at the mtDNA control-region and 11 autosomal microsatellites. The mtDNA variability was low (nucleotide diversity = 0.0014; average number of pairwise differences = 2.25), suggesting that extant otter mtDNA lineages originated recently. A star-shaped mtDNA network did not allow outlining any phylogeographic inference. Microsatellites were only moderately variable (H (o) = 0.50; H (e) = 0.58, on average across populations), the average allele number was low (observed A (o) = 4.9, range 2.5-6.8; effective A (e) = 2.8; range 1.6-3.7), suggesting small historical effective population size. Extant otters likely originated from the expansion of a single refugial population. Bayesian clustering and landscape genetic analyses however indicate that local populations are genetically differentiated, perhaps as consequence of post-glacial demographic fluctuations and recent isolation. These results delineate a framework that should be used for implementing conservation programs in Europe, particularly if they are based on the reintroduction of wild or captive-reproduced otters.
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| 6. |
- Petersson, Karin, et al.
(författare)
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Impact of cell wall-degrading enzymes on water-holding capacity and solubility of dietary fibre in rye and wheat bran.
- 2013
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Ingår i: Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. - : Wiley. - 1097-0010 .- 0022-5142. ; 93:4, s. 882-889
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Rye and wheat bran were treated with several xylanases and endoglucanases, and the effects on physicochemical properties such as solubility, viscosity, water-holding capacity and particle size as well as the chemical composition of the soluble and insoluble fractions of the bran were studied. A large number of enzymes with well-defined activities were used. This enabled a comparison between enzymes of different origins and with different activities as well as a comparison between the effects of the enzymes on rye and wheat bran. RESULTS: The xylanases derived from Bacillus subtilis were the most effective in solubilising dietary fibre from wheat and rye bran. There was a tendency for a higher degree of degradation of the soluble or solubilised dietary fibre in rye bran than in wheat bran when treated with most of the enzymes. CONCLUSION: None of the enzymes increased the water-holding capacity of the bran or the viscosity of the aqueous phase. The content of insoluble material decreased as the dietary fibre was solubilised by the enzymes. The amount of material that may form a network to retain water in the system was thereby decreased. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry.
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