| 1. |
- Andersson, Claes, et al.
(författare)
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Evaluation of Interactive Voice Response (IVR) and postal survey in follow-up of children and adolescents discharged from psychiatric outpatient treatment : a randomized controlled trial
- 2014
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Ingår i: SpringerPlus. - : Springer. - 2193-1801. ; 3:77
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Systematic evaluation of child and adolescent psychiatric outpatient treatment is important but time-consuming. The aim of this paper was to study whether Interactive Voice Response (IVR) is a more effective method than a questionnaire sent by post when following up outpatient treatment in child and adolescent psychiatry. Eighty patients were recruited from a child and adolescent psychiatric outpatient unit in Sweden. One parent of each of the patients was randomized to complete the BCFPI follow-up form, using either IVR (n = 40) or postal survey (n = 40) one month after discharge. The response rate for complete answers was 65% in the IVR group and 38% in the postal survey group (p = 0.014). There was less need for reminders in the IVR group (p = 0.000). IVR is a promising and cost-effective method for evaluating evidence-based treatment in child and adolescent psychiatric care.
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| 2. |
- Edvardsson, Bengt
(författare)
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Atenolol in the prophylaxis of chronic migraine: a 3-month open-label study.
- 2013
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Ingår i: SpringerPlus. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2193-1801. ; 2:Sep 22
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Chronic migraine (CM) is a type of chronic daily headache. CM presents a challenge to primary care physicians and neurologists. Any new treatment showing efficiency would therefore be of great importance. Atenolol together with other beta-blockers is a first-line choice in episodic migraine prophylaxis. Clinical findings support the efficacy of atenolol in doses of 50 to 200 mg/day.
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| 3. |
- Edvardsson, Bengt, et al.
(författare)
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Cluster headache and arachnoid cyst.
- 2013
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Ingår i: SpringerPlus. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2193-1801. ; 2:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Cluster headache is a primary headache by definition not caused by any known underlying structural pathology. However, symptomatic cases have been described, e.g. tumours, particularly pituitary adenomas, malformations, and infections/inflammations. The evaluation of cluster headache is an issue unresolved. CASE DESCRIPTION: We present a case of a 43-year-old patient who presented with a 2-month history of side-locked attacks of pain located in the left orbit. He satisfied the revised International Classification of Headache Disorders criteria for cluster headache. His medical and family histories were unremarkable. There was no history of headache. A diagnosis of cluster headache was made. The patient responded to symptomatic treatment. Computer tomography and enhanced magnetic resonance imaging after 1 month displayed a supra- and intrasellar arachnoid cyst with mass effect on adjacent structures. After operation, the headache attacks resolved completely. DISCUSSION AND EVALUATION: Although we cannot exclude an unintentional comorbidity, in our opinion, the co-occurrence of an arachnoid cyst with mass effect with unilateral headache, in a hitherto headache-free man, points toward the fact that in this case the CH was caused or triggered by the AC. The headache attacks resolved completely after the operation and the patient also remained headache free at the follow-up. The response of the headache to sumatriptan and other typical CH medications does not exclude a secondary form. Symptomatic CHs responsive to this therapy have been described. Associated cranial lesions such as tumours have been reported in CH patients and the attacks may be clinically indistinguishable from the primary form. CONCLUSIONS: Neuroimaging, preferably contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging should always be considered in patients with cluster headache despite normal neurological examination. Late-onset cluster headache represents a condition that requires careful evaluation. Supra- and intrasellar arachnoid cyst can present as cluster headache.
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| 4. |
- Edvardsson, Bengt
(författare)
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Cluster headache associated with acute maxillary sinusitis.
- 2013
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Ingår i: SpringerPlus. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2193-1801. ; 2:Oct 5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Cluster headache is a primary headache by definition not caused by any known underlying structural pathology. However, symptomatic cases have been described, for example tumours, particularly pituitary adenomas, malformations, and infections/inflammations. The evaluation of cluster headache is an issue unresolved.
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| 5. |
- Edvardsson, Bengt
(författare)
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Hypertensive encephalopathy and cerebral infarction
- 2014
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Ingår i: SpringerPlus. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2193-1801. ; 3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction: Hypertensive encephalopathy is one cause of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome. Hypertensive encephalopathy and cerebral infarction have only been reported in a few individual case reports. Case description: A 51-year-old woman presented with hypertensive encephalopathy. T2-weighted images from magnetic resonance imaging showed hyperintense lesions in both occipital and parietal lobes. Diffusion-weighted imaging showed that this represented cytotoxic oedema and perfusion magnetic resonance imaging revealed reduced blood volume and flow. The magnetic resonance imaging was repeated 5 months later and subtotal regression of the T2-hyperintensity had occurred. However, small bilateral infarcts were seen on T1-weighted images. Perfusion magnetic resonance imaging presented reduced blood volume and flow on the right side. Discussion and evaluation: The patient in this report had posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome caused by hypertensive encephalopathy. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain showed bilateral cytotoxic oedema that partially resolved and resulted in small infarcts. The imaging findings are compatible with posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome with subtotal resolution and infarct evolution. Conclusion: The case report suggests that the presence of hypertensive encephalopathy and posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome should alert clinicians and lead to prompt treatment in order to prevent cerebral damage.
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| 6. |
- Edvardsson, Bengt
(författare)
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Symptomatic cluster headache: a review of 63 cases.
- 2014
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Ingår i: SpringerPlus. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2193-1801. ; 3:1
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Cluster headache is a primary headache by definition not caused by any known underlying structural pathology. Symptomatic cases have been described, for example tumours, dissections and infections, but a causal relationship between the underlying lesion and the headache is difficult to determine in many cases. The proper diagnostic evaluation of cluster headache is an issue unresolved. The literature has been reviewed for symptomatic cluster headache or cluster headache-like cases in which causality was likely. The review also attempted to identify clinical predictors of underlying lesions in order to formulate guidelines for neuroimaging. Sixty-three cluster headache or "cluster headache-like"/"cluster-like headache" cases in the literature were identified which were associated with an underlying lesion. A majority of the cases had a non-typical presentation that is atypical symptomatology and abnormal examination (including Horner's syndrome). A striking finding in this appraisal was that a significant proportion of CH cases were secondary to diseases of the pituitary gland or pituitary region. Another notable finding was that a proportion of cluster headache cases were associated with arterial dissection. Even typical cluster headaches can be caused by structural lesions and the response to typical cluster headache treatments does not exclude a secondary form. It is difficult to draw definitive conclusions from this retrospective review of case reports especially considering the size of the material. However, based on this review, I suggest that neuroimaging, preferably contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging/magnetic resonance angiography should be undertaken in patients with atypical symptomatology, late onset, abnormal examination (including Horner's syndrome), or those resistant to the appropriate medical treatment. The decision to perform magnetic resonance imaging in cases of typical cluster headache remains a matter of medical art.
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| 7. |
- Einefors, Rickard, et al.
(författare)
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Autoimmune diseases and hypersensitivities improve the prognosis in ER-negative breast cancer.
- 2013
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Ingår i: SpringerPlus. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2193-1801. ; 2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Breast cancer (BC) is one of the leading causes of death among women worldwide. Immunostimulatory treatment has increasingly been used as adjuvant therapy in the last few years, in patients with melanoma and other cancer forms, often with an induction of autoimmunity as a consequence of a successful treatment. We aimed at investigating if coexisting autoimmune diseases (AD) or hypersensitivities (HS) similarly to the side effects of immunostimulatory treatment resulted in a better overall survival, compared to patients without these disorders.
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| 8. |
- Gustbée, Emma, et al.
(författare)
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Excessive milk production during breast-feeding prior to breast cancer diagnosis is associated with increased risk for early events.
- 2013
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Ingår i: SpringerPlus. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2193-1801. ; 2:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Breast-feeding is a known protective factor against breast cancer. Breast-feeding duration is influenced by hormone levels, milk production, and lifestyle factors. The aims were to investigate how breast-feeding duration and milk production affected tumor characteristics and risk for early breast cancer events in primary breast cancer patients. Between 2002 and 2008, 634 breast cancer patients in Lund, Sweden, took part in an ongoing prospective cohort study. Data were extracted from questionnaires, pathology reports, and patients' charts from 592 patients without preoperative treatment. Breast-feeding duration ≤12 months of the first child was associated with higher frequency of ER+/PgR+ tumors (P=0.02). Median follow-up time was 4.9 years. Higher risk for early events was observed for breast-feeding duration of first child >12 months (LogRank P=0.001), total breast-feeding duration >12 months (LogRank P=0.008), as well as 'excessive milk production' during breast-feeding of the first child (LogRank P=0.001). Patients with 'almost no milk production' had no events. In a multivariable model including both 'excessive milk production' and breast-feeding duration of the first child >12 months, both were associated with a two-fold risk for early events, adjusted HRs 2.33 (95% CI: 1.25-4.36) and 2.39 (0.97-5.85), respectively, while total breast-feeding duration was not. 'Excessive milk production' was associated with a two-fold risk of early distant metastases, adjusted HR 2.59 (1.13-5.94), but not duration. In conclusion, 'excessive milk production' during breast-feeding was associated with higher risk for early events independent of tumor characteristics, stressing the need to consider host factors in the evaluation of prognostic markers.
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| 9. |
- Johansson, Björn Axel, et al.
(författare)
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Interactive voice response - an automated follow-up technique for adolescents discharged from acute psychiatric inpatient care : a randomised controlled trial
- 2013
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Ingår i: SpringerPlus. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2193-1801. ; 2:1
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Follow-up methods must be easy for young people to handle. We examine Interactive Voice Response (IVR) as a method for collecting self-reported data. Sixty inpatients were recruited from a child and adolescent psychiatric emergency unit in Malmö, Sweden and called every second (N = 30) or every fourth (N = 30) day from discharge until first visit in outpatient care. A pre-recorded voice asked them to evaluate their current mood using their mobile phones. Average response rate was 91%, and 71% had a 100% response rate. Gender, age and length of inpatient treatment did not affect response rate, nor did randomisation. Boys estimated their current mood on average as 3.52 units higher than girls, CI = (2.65, 4.48). Automated IVR is a feasible method of collecting follow-up data among adolescents discharged from a psychiatric emergency unit.
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| 10. |
- Magaia, Telma, et al.
(författare)
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Dietary fiber, organic acids and minerals in selected wild edible fruits of Mozambique.
- 2013
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Ingår i: SpringerPlus. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2193-1801. ; 2:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The harvesting, utilization and marketing of indigenous fruits and nuts have been central to the livelihoods of the majority of rural communities in African countries. In this study we report on the content of dietary fiber, minerals and selected organic acids in the pulps and kernels of the wild fruits most commonly consumed in southern Mozambique. The content of soluble fiber in the pulps ranged from 4.3 to 65.6 g/100 g and insoluble fiber from 2.6 to 45.8 g/100 g. In the kernels the content of soluble fiber ranged from 8.4 to 42.6 g/100 g and insoluble fiber from 14.7 to 20.9 g/100 g. Citric acid was found in all fruits up to 25.7 g/kg. The kernels of Adansonia digitata and Sclerocarya birrea were shown to be rich in calcium, iron, magnesium and zinc. The data may be useful in selecting wild fruit species appropriate for incorporation into diets.
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| 11. |
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| 12. |
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| 13. |
- Strand, Carina, et al.
(författare)
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The combination of Ki67, histological grade and estrogen receptor status identifies a low-risk group among 1,854 chemo-naive women with N0/N1 primary breast cancer
- 2013
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Ingår i: SpringerPlus. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2193-1801. ; 2
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The aim was to confirm a previously defined prognostic index, combining a proliferation marker, histological grade, and estrogen receptor (ER) in different subsets of primary N0/N1 chemo-naive breast cancer patients. Methods/design: In the present study, including 1,854 patients, Ki67 was used in the index (KiGE), since it is the generally accepted proliferation marker in clinical routine. The low KiGE-group was defined as histological grade 1 patients and grade 2 patients which were ER-positive and had low Ki67 expression. All other patients made up the high KiGE-group. The KiGE-index separated patients into two groups with different prognosis. In multivariate analysis, KiGE was significantly associated with disease-free survival, when adjusted for age at diagnosis, tumor size and adjuvant endocrine treatment (hazard ratio: 3.5, 95% confidence interval: 2.6-4.7, P<0.0001). Discussion: We have confirmed a prognostic index based on a proliferation marker (Ki67), histological grade, and ER for identification of a low-risk group of patients with N0/N1 primary breast cancer. For this low-risk group constituting 57% of the patients, with a five-year distant disease-free survival of 92%, adjuvant chemotherapy will have limited effect and may be avoided.
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| 14. |
- Aguilar, Wilson, et al.
(författare)
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Comparison between leached metakaolin and leached diatomaceous earth as raw materials for the synthesis of ZSM-5
- 2014
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Ingår i: SpringerPlus. - : Springer. - 2193-1801. ; 3:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Inexpensive raw materials have been used to prepare ZSM-5 zeolites with SiO2/Al2O3 molar ratios in the range 20 - 40. Kaolin or Bolivian diatomaceous earth was used as aluminosilicate raw materials and sodium hydroxide and n-butylamine were used as mineralizing agents and template. Dealumination of the raw materials by acid leaching made it possible to reach appropriate SiO2/Al2O3 ratios and to reduce the amount of iron and other impurities. After mixing the components and aging, hydrothermal treatment was carried out and the products were recovered The results clearly show for the first time that well-crystallized ZSM-5 can be directly prepared from leached metakaolin or leached diatomaceous earth using sodium hydroxide and n-butylamine as mineralizing agents and template under appropriate synthesis conditions. A longer induction time prior to crystallization was observed for reaction mixtures prepared from leached diatomaceous earth, probably due to slower digestion of the fossilized diatom skeletons as compared with that for microporous leached metakaolin. The use of leached diatomaceous earth allowed higher yield of ZSM-5 crystals within comparable synthesis times. However, low amounts of Mordenite formed, which was related to the high calcium content of diatomaceous earth. Another considerable advantage of diatomaceous earth over kaolin is that diatomaceous earth does not require heat treatment at high temperature for metakaolinization.
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| 15. |
- Alatalo, Juha M., et al.
(författare)
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Simulated global change : contrasting short and medium term growth and reproductive responses of a common alpine/Arctic cushion plant to experimental warming and nutrient enhancement
- 2014
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Ingår i: SpringerPlus. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2193-1801. ; 3
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Cushion plants are important components of alpine and Arctic plant communities around the world. They fulfill important roles as facilitators, nurse plants and foundation species across trophic levels for vascular plants, arthropods and soil microorganisms, the importance of these functions increasing with the relative severity of the environment. Here we report results from one of the few experimental studies simulating global change impacts on cushion plants; a factorial experiment with warming and nutrient enhancement that was applied to an alpine population of the common nurse plant, Silene acaulis, in sub-arctic Sweden. Experimental perturbations had significant short-term impacts on both stem elongation and leaf length. S. acaulis responded quickly by increasing stem elongation and (to a lesser extent) leaf length in the warming, nutrient, and the combined warming and nutrient enhancements. Cover and biomass also initially increased in response to the perturbations. However, after the initial positive short-term responses, S. acaulis cover declined in the manipulations, with the nutrient and combined warming and nutrient treatments having largest negative impact. No clear patterns were found for fruit production. Our results show that S. acaulis living in harsh environments has potential to react quickly when experiencing years with favorable conditions, and is more responsive to nutrient enhancement than to warming in terms of vegetative growth. While these conditions have an initial positive impact, populations experiencing longer-term increased nutrient levels will likely be negatively affected.
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| 16. |
- Jaros, Adam Marschall, et al.
(författare)
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Acetate adaptation of clostridia tyrobutyricum for improved fermentation production of butyrate
- 2013
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Ingår i: SpringerPlus. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2193-1801. ; 2:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Clostridium tyrobutyricum ATCC 25755 is an acidogenic bacterium capable of utilizing xylose for the fermentation production of butyrate. Hot water extraction of hardwood lingocellulose is an efficient method of producing xylose where autohydrolysis of xylan is catalysed by acetate originating from acetyl groups present in hemicellulose. The presence of acetic acid in the hydrolysate might have a severe impact on the subsequent fermentations. In this study the fermentation kinetics of C. tyrobutyricum cultures after being classically adapted for growth at 26.3 g/L acetate equivalents were studied. Analysis of xylose batch fermentations found that even in the presence of high levels of acetate, acetate adapted strains had similar fermentation kinetics as the parental strain cultivated without acetate. The parental strain exposed to acetate at inhibitory conditions demonstrated a pronounced lag phase (over 100 hours) in growth and butyrate production as compared to the adapted strain (25 hour lag) or non-inhibited controls (0 lag). Additional insight into the metabolic pathway of xylose consumption was gained by determining the specific activity of the acetate kinase (AK) enzyme in adapted versus control batches. AK activity was reduced by 63% in the presence of inhibitory levels of acetate, whether or not the culture had been adapted.
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| 17. |
- Jildenstål, Pether K., 1970-, et al.
(författare)
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Routines for reducing the occurrence of emergence agitation during awakening in children, a national survey
- 2014
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Ingår i: SpringerPlus. - : Springer. - 2193-1801. ; 3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Emergence agitation following anesthesia in children is not uncommon. It is, although generally self-limiting, associated with both patient and parents distress. We conducted a national survey around the management of behavioral and neurocognitive disturbances after surgery/anesthesia including a case scenario about a child at risk for emergence reaction. Premedication with clonidine or midazolam would have been used 58 and 37% of responders respectively. A propofol based anesthesia was the most common anesthetic technique, however sevoflurane or desflurane was an option for 45 and 8% of responders. Before awakening 65% would have administered an opioid, 48% a low-dose of propofol and 25% clonidine. Sign or symptoms of behavioral disturbance was not assessed by standardize assessment tools.A majority of Swedish anesthesia personnel would undertake some preventive action when handling a child at risk for an emergence reaction, the preventive measure differed and it seems as there is an obvious room for further improvements.
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| 18. |
- Liu, Jian, et al.
(författare)
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Phosphorus leaching from loamy sand and clay loam topsoils after application of pig slurry
- 2012
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Ingår i: SpringerPlus. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2193-1801. ; 1, s. 1-10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Management of animal waste is essential for guaranteeing good water quality. A laboratory leaching study with intact soil columns was performed to investigate the risk of phosphorus (P) leaching from a clay loam and a loamy sand. The columns (0.2 m deep) were irrigated before and after application of pig slurry on the surface or after incorporation, or application of mineral P, each at a rate of 30 kg P ha-1. The two soils had different initial P contents (i.e. the ammonium lactate-extractable P was 65 and 142 mg kg-1 for the clay loam and loamy sand, respectively), but had similar P sorption characteristics (P sorption index 3.0) and degree of P saturation (17-21%). Concentrations of dissolved reactive P (DRP) and total P (TP) before P application were significantly higher in leachate from the loamy sand (TP 0.21 mg L-1) than from the clay loam (TP 0.13 mg L-1), but only increased significantly after P application to the clay loam. The highest concentrations were found when slurry was surface-applied (DRP 1.77 mg L-1), while incorporation decreased the DRP concentration by 64% in the clay loam. Thus moderate slurry application to a sandy soil with low P saturation did not pose a major risk of P leaching. However, application of P increased the risk of P leaching from the clay loam, irrespective of application method and despite low P saturation. The results show the importance of considering soil texture and structure in addition to soil chemical characteristics in risk assessments of P leaching. Structured soils such as the clay loam used in this study are high risk soils and application of P to bare soil during wet periods, e.g. in autumn or spring, should be followed by incorporation or avoided completely.
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| 19. |
- Ly, Kien Hoa, et al.
(författare)
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Development and initial evaluation of a smartphone application based on acceptance and commitment therapy
- 2012
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Ingår i: SpringerPlus. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2193-1801. ; 1
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: An intervention, consisting of an ACT-based smartphone-application and a web-based psychoeducation, has been developed. The smartphone-application, together with the psychoeducation, aims to function as a self-help intervention for living consistently with one's values. The study is an exploratory investigation of this new smartphone-based tool.Case description: Primarily, the study aims at investigating a new field, providing a basis for generating hypotheses for further research. The first aim of this initial, exploratory study was to examine if this intervention had an effect on the variables of: valued actions, psychological flexibility, and life satisfaction as well as the states of depression, anxiety and stress, for a non-clinical sample of 11 Swedish Iphone users. This was made with a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design without control group. The second aim was to investigate how the participants experienced the intervention, as measured by a qualitative questionnaire.Discussion and evaluation: The group analyses showed that the participants increased their valued action and psychological flexibility significantly during the intervention. Furthermore, value-based actions and psychological flexibility showed small effect sizes when comparing pretest and posttest score. However, the design of the study makes it impossible to draw any certain conclusions. The qualitative questionnaire showed a general positive experience of the intervention.Conclusions: The results from the present study indicated that the intervention should be studied further. The findings also generated a number of hypotheses that could be investigated in further research.
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| 20. |
- Makela, Johanna, et al.
(författare)
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Fibroblast growth factor-21 enhances mitochondrial functions and increases the activity of PGC-1 alpha in human dopaminergic neurons via Sirtuin-1
- 2014
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Ingår i: SpringerPlus. - : SPRINGER INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHING AG. - 2193-1801. ; 3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Mitochondrial dysfunctions accompany several neurodegenerative disorders and contribute to disease pathogenesis among others in Parkinson's disease (PD). Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1 alpha (PGC-1 alpha) is a major regulator of mitochondrial functions and biogenesis, and was suggested as a therapeutic target in PD. PGC-1 alpha is regulated by both transcriptional and posttranslational events involving also the action of growth factors. Fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF21) is a regulator of glucose and fatty acid metabolism in the body but little is known about its action in the brain. We show here that FGF21 increased the levels and activity of PGC-1 alpha and elevated mitochondrial antioxidants in human dopaminergic cells in culture. The activation of PGC-1 alpha by FGF21 occurred via the NAD(+)-dependent deacetylase Sirtuin-1 (SIRT1) subsequent to an increase in the enzyme, nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (Nampt). FGF21 also enhanced mitochondrial respiratory capacity in human dopaminergic neurons as shown in real-time analyses of living cells. FGF21 is present in the brain including midbrain and is expressed by glial cells in culture. These results show that FGF21 activates PGC-1 alpha and increases mitochondrial efficacy in human dopaminergic neurons suggesting that FGF21 could potentially play a role in dopaminergic neuron viability and in PD.
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| 21. |
- Niyonzima, Théophile, et al.
(författare)
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The value of access to water : livestock farming in Nyagatare district, Rwanda
- 2013
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Ingår i: SpringerPlus. - : Springer Publishing Company. - 2193-1801. ; 2:1, s. 1-6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In Rwanda, access to water is seen as a significant constraint to development in both urban and rural areas. The government and foreign donors give priority to improving access to water for agricultural use. In this paper we study whether and, if so, to what extent the revenue generated by livestock farming in the Nyagatare District is affected by the distance that cattle need to go in order to reach the nearest water point. Our findings suggest that this distance does not affect the revenue from livestock farming much, indicating that improved access to water is not a major constraint to livestock farming at present. Therefore, other water needs can be given greater weight.
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| 22. |
- Pettersson, Karl, 1981-
(författare)
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The intuition of neutrality and consequentialist thinking : potential antinatalist implications
- 2013
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Ingår i: SpringerPlus. - : Springer. - 2193-1801. ; 2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Many people seem to share some version of what has been called the “intuition of neutrality” aboutcreating new people, which, roughly, says that there exists a certain range of levels of well-beingsuch that creating people within this range is, in itself, morally neutral, but creating people with alevel of well-being outside this range is not morally neutral. In this paper, I will discuss differentinterpretations of this intuition, and specifically distinguish between what I will call counterfactualinterpretations and Do-interpretations of the intuition. I will argue that it is hard to interpret theintuition in a way that does not give rise to antinatalist moral reasons, i.e. reasons favoring an emptyfuture population, when it comes to choices of social policy. In particular, this holds if we assume aconception of relevant outcomes of actions reflecting consequentialist moral intuitions. In the end, I will formulate a normative principle of welfare promotion which I argue respects the most plausiblecounterfactual version of the neutrality intuition.
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| 23. |
- Rodling Wahlström, Marie, et al.
(författare)
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Effects of prostacyclin on the early inflammatory response in patients with traumatic brain injury : a randomised clinical study
- 2014
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Ingår i: SpringerPlus. - : Springer. - 2193-1801. ; 3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE AND DESIGN: A prospective, randomised, double-blinded, clinical trial was performed at a level 1 trauma centre to determine if a prostacyclin analogue, epoprostenol (Flolan®), could attenuate systemic inflammatory response in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI).SUBJECTS: 46 patients with severe TBI, randomised to epoprostenol (n = 23) or placebo (n = 23).TREATMENT: Epoprostenol, 0.5 ng · kg(-1) · min(-1), or placebo (saline) was given intravenously for 72 hours and then tapered off over the next 24 hours.METHODS: Interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), soluble intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), C-reactive protein (CRP), and asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) levels were measured over five days. Measurements were made at 24 h intervals ≤24 h after TBI to 97-120 h after TBI.RESULTS: A significantly lower CRP level was detected in the epoprostenol group compared to the placebo group within 73-96 h (p = 0.04) and within 97-120 h (p = 0.008) after trauma. IL-6 within 73-96 h after TBI was significantly lower in the epoprostenol group compared to the placebo group (p = 0.04). ADMA was significantly increased within 49-72 h and remained elevated, but there was no effect of epoprostenol on ADMA levels. No significant differences between the epoprostenol and placebo groups were detected for IL-8 or sICAM-1.CONCLUSIONS: Administration of the prostacyclin analogue epoprostenol significantly decreased CRP and, to some extent, IL-6 levels in patients with severe TBI compared to placebo. These findings indicate an interesting option for treatment of TBI and warrants future larger studies.TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier, NCT01363583.
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| 24. |
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| 25. |
- Svennebring, Andreas, et al.
(författare)
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Net present value approaches for drug discovery
- 2013
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Ingår i: SpringerPlus. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2193-1801. ; 2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Three dedicated approaches to the calculation of the risk-adjusted net present value (rNPV) in drug discovery projects under different assumptions are suggested. The probability of finding a candidate drug suitable for clinical development and the time to the initiation of the clinical development is assumed to be flexible in contrast to the previously used models. The rNPV of the post-discovery cash flows is calculated as the probability weighted average of the rNPV at each potential time of initiation of clinical development. Practical considerations how to set probability rates, in particular during the initiation and termination of a project is discussed.
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| 26. |
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| 27. |
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| 28. |
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| 29. |
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| 30. |
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| 31. |
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| 32. |
- Gafvels, C, et al.
(författare)
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What predicts negative effects of rheumatoid arthritis? A follow-up two years after diagnosis
- 2014
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Ingår i: SpringerPlus. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2193-1801. ; 3, s. 118-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We aimed at analyzing important predictive factors for experienced negative emotional and social effects of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) two years after diagnosis in patients aged 18–65 years. The first group included 41 participants, who had psychosocial problems (PSP) already at diagnosis, and who received an intervention by a medical social worker to improve coping capacity and social situation. The second group included 54 patients (NPSP) without such problems at diagnosis. All completed a questionnaire mapping their social situation, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC) and the General Coping Questionnaire (GCQ) at diagnosis and after 24 months. The most pronounced predictive factor for a strong impact of the disease was high scores on HADS depression scale. After 24 months, PSP participants had a more strained life situation, with higher scores on anxiety and depression and lower on SOC, in comparison with NPSP. NPSP participants improved their coping strategies regarding self-trust, cognitive revaluation, protest and intrusion, but deteriorated regarding problem focusing and social trust. PSP patients kept their initial coping strategies, except for intrusion decreasing over time, and seemed to have a more rigid coping pattern. However, the experienced negative impact of the disease increased over time in both groups despite improvement in sickness related data. Mostly influenced areas were economy, leisure time activities and social life. We conclude that psychosocial consequences of RA are more connected to emotional and social vulnerability than are RA-related clinical factors.
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| 33. |
- Kumar, A, et al.
(författare)
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Tristetraprolin is a novel regulator of BDNF
- 2014
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Ingår i: SpringerPlus. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2193-1801. ; 3, s. 502-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) regulates multiple biological processes ranging from central nervous system development and function to neuroinflammation and myogenic differentiation and repair. While coordination of BDNF levels is central in determining the biological outcome, mechanisms involved in controlling BDNF levels are not fully understood. Here we find that both short (BDNF-S) and long (BDNF-L) BDNF 3’UTR isoforms contain conserved adenylate- and uridylate rich elements (AREs) that may serve as binding sites for RNA-binding proteins (ARE-BPs). We demonstrate that ARE-BPs tristetraprolin (TTP) and its family members butyrate response factor 1 (BRF1) and 2 (BRF2) negatively regulate expression from both BDNF-S and BDNF-L containing transcripts in several cell-lines and that interaction between TTP and AU-rich region in proximal 5’ end of BDNF 3’UTR is direct. In line with the above, endogenous BDNF mRNA co-immunoprecipitates with endogenous TTP in differentiated mouse myoblast C2C12 cells and TTP overexpression destabilizes BDNF-S containing transcript. Finally, RNAi-mediated knock-down of TTP increases the levels of endogenous BDNF protein in C2C12 cells. Our findings uncover TTP as a novel regulator of BDNF assisting future studies in different physiological and pathological contexts.
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| 34. |
- Abdolmajidi, Ehsan, et al.
(författare)
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The stock-flow model of spatial data infrastructure development refined by fuzzy logic
- 2016
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Ingår i: SpringerPlus. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2193-1801. ; 5:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The system dynamics technique has been demonstrated to be a proper method by which to model and simulate the development of spatial data infrastructures (SDI). An SDI is a collaborative effort to manage and share spatial data at different political and administrative levels. It is comprised of various dynamically interacting quantitative and qualitative (linguistic) variables. To incorporate linguistic variables and their joint effects in an SDI-development model more effectively, we suggest employing fuzzy logic. Not all fuzzy models are able to model the dynamic behavior of SDIs properly. Therefore, this paper aims to investigate different fuzzy models and their suitability for modeling SDIs. To that end, two inference and two defuzzification methods were used for the fuzzification of the joint effect of two variables in an existing SDI model. The results show that the Average–Average inference and Center of Area defuzzification can better model the dynamics of SDI development.
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| 35. |
- Angeler, David
(författare)
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Viewing biodiversity through the lens of science ... and art!
- 2016
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Ingår i: SpringerPlus. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2193-1801. ; 5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- With global environmental sustainability at the crossroads, approaches are needed to build an ecologically literate culture for collective societal navigation through the intricacies of swift environmental change. This paper demonstrates a transdisciplinary approach, grounded at the intersection between the arts and sciences, to increase awareness and understanding of the current biodiversity crisis. It focuses on one aspect of biodiversity, beta diversity, which examines how sets of animal and plant species differ between habitats. Theory and real examples of beta diversity of aquatic animal and plant species from dried-out ponds in Mediterranean Spain are presented in pixelized visuals. These visuals are artistic expression of and build the prior knowledge about beta diversity, which is scrutinized subsequently with statistical analyses to support the artistic approach with an objectively identified and numerically underpinned presentation of structure in the visuals. The choice to examine beta diversity in theory and reality first through art and then through science is deliberate. Combined, these aspects examine biodiversity through an ecocentric, rather than a species-and habitat centric view, incorporate elements of surprise (how can aquatic species in dry ecosystems survive), and reduce uncertainty (by providing a common numerical yardstick for interpreting the visuals). Together they can optimize a goal-directed learning process in the viewers necessary for making judgments, inducing affective reactions, and facilitating memory and decision making. The approach presented here provides an integral qualitative and quantitative model useful for a broader inductive-deductive education process towards finding sustainable solutions as our planet moves swiftly to a future without historical analogue. Combined art-sciences approaches, as the one presented here, are useful to facilitate citizens' comprehension of the scientific and potential policy dimensions of environmental change, including biodiversity problems, especially because it is the general public that bears the costs of transformation and adaptation measures.
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| 36. |
- Belizário, José E., et al.
(författare)
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Skeletal muscle wasting and renewal : a pivotal role of myokine IL-6
- 2016
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Ingår i: SpringerPlus. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2193-1801. ; 5:1
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Adult skeletal tissue is composed of heterogeneous population of cells that constantly self-renew by means of a controlled process of activation and proliferation of tissue-resident stem cells named satellite cells. Many growth factors, cytokines and myokines produced by skeletal muscle cells play critical roles in local regulation of the inflammatory process and skeletal muscle regeneration during different pathological conditions. IL-6 is a pleiotropic cytokine released in large amount during infection, autoimmunity and cancer. Low levels of IL-6 can promote activation of satellite cells and myotube regeneration while chronically elevated production promote skeletal muscle wasting. These distinct effects may be explained by a crosstalk of the IL-6/IL-6 receptor and gp130 trans-signaling pathway that oppose to regenerative and anti-inflammatory of the classical IL-6 receptor signaling pathway. Here we discuss on potential therapeutic strategies using monoclonal antibodies to IL-6R for the treatment of skeletal muscle wasting and cachexia. We also highlight on the IL-6/JAK/STAT and FGF/p38αβ MAPK signaling pathways in satellite cell activation and the use of protein kinase inhibitors for tailoring and optimizing satellite cell proliferation during the skeletal muscle renewal. Future investigations on the roles of the IL-6 classical and trans-signaling pathways in both immune and non-immune cells in skeletal muscle tissue will provide new basis for therapeutic approaches to reverse atrophy and degeneration of skeletal muscles in cancer and inflammatory diseases.
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| 37. |
- Björklund, Glenn, et al.
(författare)
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The effects of prior high intensity double poling on subsequent diagonal stride skiing characteristics
- 2015
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Ingår i: SpringerPlus. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2193-1801. ; 4:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: To investigate the influence of prior high intensity double poling (DP) on physiological and biomechanical responses during subsequent diagonal stride (DIA). Methods: Eight well-trained male cross-country skiers (age 22 ± 3 yr; VO2max 69 ± 3 ml · kg−1 · min−1) roller-skied on a treadmill sequentially for 3 min at 90% DIA VO2max (DIA1), 3 min at 90% DP VO2peak and 3 min at 90% DIA VO2max (DIA2). Cardio-respiratory responses were monitored continuously and gases and metabolites in blood from the a. femoralis, v. femoralis and v. subclavia determined. Pole and plantar forces and EMG from 6 lower- and upper-body muscles were measured. Results: VO2 decreased from DIA1 to DP and increased again to DIA2 (both P < 0.05), with no difference between the DIA sessions. Blood lactate rose from DIA1 to DP to DIA2. O2 extraction was attenuated during DP (P < 0.05), but was the same during DIA1 and DIA2. EMGRMS for arm muscles during poling phase, as well as peak pole force and cycle rate were higher, while leg muscle activity was lower during DP than both sessions of DIA (all P < 0.05). The ratio of upper-/whole-body EMGRMS correlated negatively with O2 extraction in the arms during both sessions of DIA (P < 0.05). Conclusions: In well-trained skiers skiing at high-intensity DP prior to DIA did not influence VO2, muscle activation or forces in the latter. At race intensity DP does not influence the distribution of work between upper- and lower-body during a subsequent bout of DIA. O2 extraction is coupled to technical skills during skiing.
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| 38. |
- Bywater, Robert P, et al.
(författare)
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The dipeptide conformations of all twenty amino acid types in the context of biosynthesis.
- 2015
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Ingår i: SpringerPlus. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2193-1801. ; 4
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- There have been many studies of dipeptide structure at a high level of accuracy using quantum chemical methods. Such calculations are resource-consuming (in terms of memory, CPU and other computational imperatives) which is the reason why most previous studies were restricted to the two simplest amino-acid residue types, glycine and alanine. We improve on this by extending the scope of residue types to include all 20 naturally occurring residue types. Our results reveal differences in secondary structure preferences for the all residue types. There are in most cases very deep energy troughs corresponding either to the polyproline II (collagen) helix and the α-helix or both. The β-strand was not strongly favoured energetically although the extent of this depression in the energy surface is, while not "deeper" (energetically), has a wider extent than the other two types of secondary structure. There is currently great interest in the question of cotranslational folding, the extent to which the nascent polypeptide begins to fold prior to emerging from the ribosome exit tunnel. Accordingly, while most previous quantum studies of dipeptides were carried out in the (simulated) gas or aqueous phase, we wished to consider the first step in polypeptide biosynthesis on the ribosome where neither gas nor aqueous conditions apply. We used a dielectric constant that would be compatible with the water-poor macromolecular (ribosome) environment.
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| 39. |
- Bärebring, Linnea, et al.
(författare)
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Food intake and gestational weight gain in Swedish women
- 2016
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Ingår i: Springerplus. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2193-1801. ; 5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The objective of this study was to investigate if food intake (dairy, snacks, caloric beverages, bread, cheese, margarine/butter, potato/rice/pasta/grains, red meat, fish and fruit/berries/vegetables) is associated with gestational weight gain (GWG) in Swedish women. Methods: Four day food records from 95 pregnant Swedish women were collected in the last trimester. GWG was calculated as weighed body weight in the last trimester (median gestational week 36) minus self-reported pre-pregnancy body weight. Excessive GWG was defined according to the guidelines by the Institute of Medicine. Food groups tested for association with GWG were dairy (milk, yoghurt and sour milk), snacks (sweets, crisps, popcorn, ice cream and cookies, but not nuts and seeds), caloric beverages (soft drinks, juice, lemonade and non-alcoholic beer), bread, cheese, margarine/butter, potato/rice/pasta/grains, red meat, fish and fruit/berries/vegetables. Results: Median (lower-upper quartiles) GWG was 12.1 kg (10.0-15.3). In total, 28 % had an excessive GWG. Excessive GWG was most common among pre-pregnancy overweight and obese women, where 69 % had an excessive GWG. Median daily intake of fruits and vegetables was 352 g (212-453), caloric beverages was 238 g (100-420) and snacks was 111 g (69-115). Multivariable linear regression analysis showed that intake of caloric beverages, snacks, fish, bread and dairy in the last trimester of pregnancy were positively related to GWG (R-2 = 0.32). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that intake of caloric beverages, snacks, fish, and bread was associated with higher odds ratios for excessive GWG. Conclusion: Intake of caloric beverages, snacks, fish and bread were positively related to excessive GWG. Thus, these results indicate that maternal dietary intake should be given higher attention in the antenatal care.
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| 40. |
- Díaz, José Luis Pérez, et al.
(författare)
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Surface freezing of water
- 2016
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Ingår i: SpringerPlus. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2193-1801. ; 5:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Freezing, melting, evaporation and condensation of water are essential ingredients for climate and eventually life on Earth. In the present work, we show how surface freezing of supercooled water in an open container is conditioned and triggered—exclusively—by humidity in air. Additionally, a change of phase is demonstrated to be triggered on the water surface forming surface ice crystals prior to freezing of bulk. The symmetry of the surface crystal, as well as the freezing point, depend on humidity, presenting at least three different types of surface crystals. Humidity triggers surface freezing as soon as it overpasses a defined value for a given temperature, generating a plurality of nucleation nodes. An evidence of simultaneous nucleation of surface ice crystals is also provided
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| 41. |
- Dimberg, Jan, et al.
(författare)
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Common 4977 bp deletion and novel alterations in mitochondrial DNA in Vietnamese patients with breast cancer
- 2015
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Ingår i: SpringerPlus. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2193-1801. ; 4, s. 1-7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) has been proposed to be involved in carcinogenesis and ageing. The mtDNA 4977 bp deletion is one of the most frequently observed mtDNA mutations in human tissues and may play a role in breast cancer (BC). The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of mtDNA 4977 bp deletion in BC tissue and its association with clinical factors.We determined the presence of the 4977 bp common deletion in cancer and normal paired tissue samples from 106 Vietnamese patients with BC by sequencing PCR products.The mtDNA 4977 bp deletion was significantly more frequent in normal tissue in comparison with paired cancer tissue. Moreover, the incidence of the 4977 bp deletion in BC tissue was significantly higher in patients with estrogen receptor (ER) positive as compared with ER negative BC tissue. Preliminary results showed, in cancerous tissue, a significantly higher incidence of novel deletions in the group of patients with lymph node metastasis in comparison with the patients with no lymph node metastasis.We have found 4977 bp deletion in mtDNA to be a common event in BC and with special reference to ER positive BC. In addition, the novel deletions were shown to be related to lymph node metastasis. Our finding may provide complementary information in prediction of clinical outcome including metastasis, recurrence and survival of patients with BC.
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| 42. |
- Dimitrova, Radosveta, et al.
(författare)
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Acculturation orientations mediate the link between religious identity and adjustment of Turkish-Bulgarian and Turkish-German adolescents
- 2016
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Ingår i: SpringerPlus. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2193-1801. ; 5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- There is a growing recognition of the need to examine religiousness and conduct research on its influence on acculturation and adjustment among ethnic minorities (Güngör et al. in Int J Behav Dev 36:367–373, 2012. doi:10.1177/0165025412448357). The present study compares Turkish minority youth in Bulgaria and Germany by examining relationships among religious identity, acculturation orientations (i.e., cultural maintenance and adoption) and acculturation outcomes (i.e., life satisfaction and socio-cultural adjustment to the Turkish and mainstream cultures). Participants were 161 youth in Bulgaria and 155 in Germany who completed measures on religious identity, acculturation orientations and adjustment. Results revealed that religious identity and Turkish culture maintenance are more important for Turkish-German, than for Turkish-Bulgarian youth. A multigroup path model showed that for both samples acculturation orientations partially mediated the link between religious identity and adjustment to the Turkish culture, whereas religious identity was directly related both to adjustment to the mainstream culture and to life satisfaction. Findings highlight the centrality of religious identity and Turkish domains of acculturation for positive adjustment outcomes for Turkish youth in Bulgaria and Germany.
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| 43. |
- Edvardsson, Bengt
(författare)
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Venlafaxine as single therapy associated with hypertensive encephalopathy.
- 2015
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Ingår i: SpringerPlus. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2193-1801. ; 4
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Hypertensive encephalopathy with the clinicoradiological entity posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome in the setting of venlafaxine as single therapy has not been reported earlier.
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| 44. |
- Hashemian, Sanaz, et al.
(författare)
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Embryonic and mature astrocytes exert different effects on neuronal growth in rat ventral mesencephalic slice cultures
- 2015
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Ingår i: SpringerPlus. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2193-1801. ; 4
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- One obstacle with grafting of dopamine neurons in Parkinson's disease is the insufficient ability of the transplant to reinnervate the host striatum. Another issue is the prospective interaction between the donor fetal tissue and the adult astrocytes of the host. To study nerve fiber growth and its interaction with immature/mature astrocytes, ventral mesencephalic (VM) organotypic rat tissue cultures from embryonic days (E) 12, E14, and E18 were studied up to 35 days in vitro (DIV), and co-cultures of E14 VM tissue and mature green fluorescent protein (GFP)-positive astrocytes were performed. Generally, nerve fibers grew from the tissue slice either in association with a monolayer of migrated astroglia surrounding the tissue (glial-associated), or distal to the astroglia as non-glial-associated outgrowth. The tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive glial-associated nerve fiber outgrowth reached a plateau at 21 DIV in E12 and E14 cultures. In E18 cultures, TH-positive neurons displayed short processes and migrated onto the astrocytes. While the non-glial-associated nerve fiber outgrowth dominated the E14 cultures, it was found absent in E18 cultures. The GFP-positive cells in the VM and GFP-positive astrocyte co-cultures were generally located distal to the monolayer of migrated fetal astrocytes, a few GFP-positive cells were however observed within the astrocytic monolayer. In those cases TH-positive neurons migrated towards the GFP-positive cells. Both the non-glial-and glial-associated nerve fibers grew onto the GFP-positive cells. Taken together, the glial-associated growth has limited outgrowth compared to the non-glial-associated nerve fibers, while none of the outgrowth types were hampered by the mature astrocytes.
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| 45. |
- Husberg, Britt, et al.
(författare)
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Congenital intestinal malrotation in adolescent and adult patients : a 12-year clinical and radiological survey
- 2016
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Ingår i: SpringerPlus. - : Springer. - 2193-1801. ; 5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Congenital intestinal malrotation is mainly detected in childhood and caused by incomplete rotation and fixation of the intestines providing the prerequisites for life-threatening volvulus of the midgut. The objective of this study was to evaluate a large cohort of adult patients with intestinal malrotation. Thirty-nine patients, 15-67 years, were diagnosed and admitted to a university setting with congenital intestinal malrotation 2002-2013. The patients were divided into three age groups for stratified evaluation. Medical charts were scrutinized, and clinical outcome of surgery was reviewed. Twelve patients presented as emergency cases, whereas 27 were admitted as elective cases. Diagnosis was established in 33 patients who underwent radiological investigation and in the remaining 6 during surgery. A Ladd's operation was performed in 31 symptomatic patients; a conservative strategy was chosen in eight cases. Volvulus was more common in the younger age group. Twenty-six surgically treated patients were available for telephone interview, 1-12 years after surgery. All patients, except one, regarded their general condition improved to a high degree (n = 18) or with some reservation (n = 7). Twelve patients suffered remaining abdominal pain of a chronic and diffuse character. Due to recurrence of malrotation six patients were reoperated. Symptomatic malrotation occurs in both children and the adult population. Improved awareness and an accurately performed CT scan can reveal the malformation and enable surgical treatment. A Ladd's procedure relieved most patients from their severe complaints even when a history of several years of suffering existed.
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| 46. |
- Ignell, Claes, et al.
(författare)
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Model for individual prediction of diabetes up to 5 years after gestational diabetes mellitus
- 2016
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Ingår i: SpringerPlus. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2193-1801. ; 5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- AIMS: To identify predictors of diabetes development up to 5 years after gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and to develop a prediction model for individual use.METHODS: Five years after GDM, a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed in 362 women, excluding women already diagnosed with diabetes at 1- to 2-year follow-up or later (n = 45). All but 21 women had results from follow-up at 1-2 years, while 84 women were lost from that point. Predictive variables were identified by logistic regression analysis.RESULTS: Five years after GDM, 28/362 women (8 %) were diagnosed with diabetes whereas 187/362 (52 %) had normal glucose tolerance (NGT). Of the latter, 139/187 (74 %) also had NGT at 1- to 2-year follow-up. In simple regression analysis, using NGT at 1-2 years and at 5 years as the reference, diabetes at 1- to 2-year follow-up or later was clearly associated with easily assessable clinical variables, such as BMI at 1- to 2-year follow-up, 2-h OGTT glucose concentration during pregnancy, and non-European origin (P < 0.0001). A prediction model based on these variables resulting in 86 % correct classifications, with an area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve of 0.91 (95 % CI 0.86-0.95), was applied in a function-sheet line diagram illustrating the individual effect of weight on diabetes risk.CONCLUSIONS: The results highlight the importance of BMI as a potentially modifiable risk factor for diabetes after GDM. Our proposed prediction model performed well, and should encourage validation in other populations in future studies.
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| 47. |
- Jägerbrand, Annika K., et al.
(författare)
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Effects of human trampling on abundance and diversity of vascular plants, bryophytes and lichens in alpine heath vegetation, Northern Sweden
- 2015
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Ingår i: SpringerPlus. - : Springer. - 2193-1801. ; 4
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study investigated the effects of human trampling on cover, diversity and species richness in an alpine heath ecosystem in northern Sweden. We tested the hypothesis that proximity to trails decreases plant cover, diversity and species richness of the canopy and the understory. We found a significant decrease in plant cover with proximity to the trail for the understory, but not for the canopy level, and significant decreases in the abundance of deciduous shrubs in the canopy layer and lichens in the understory. Proximity also had a significant negative impact on species richness of lichens. However, there were no significant changes in species richness, diversity or evenness of distribution in the canopy or understory with proximity to the trail. While not significant, liverworts, acrocarpous and pleurocarpous bryophytes tended to have contrasting abundance patterns with differing proximity to the trail, indicating that trampling may cause shifts in dominance hierarchies of different groups of bryophytes. Due to the decrease in understory cover, the abundance of litter, rock and soil increased with proximity to the trail. These results demonstrate that low-frequency human trampling in alpine heaths over long periods can have major negative impacts on lichen abundance and species richness. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate that trampling can decrease species richness of lichens. It emphasises the importance of including species-level data on non-vascular plants when conducting studies in alpine or tundra ecosystems, since they often make up the majority of species and play a significant role in ecosystem functioning and response in many of these extreme environments.
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| 48. |
- Jägerbrand, Annika K, 1972-, et al.
(författare)
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Effects of weather conditions, light conditions, and road lighting on vehicle speed
- 2016
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Ingår i: SpringerPlus. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2193-1801. ; 5:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Light conditions are known to affect the number of vehicle accidents and fatalities but the relationship between light conditions and vehicle speed is not fully understood. This study examined whether vehicle speed on roads is higher in daylight and under road lighting than in darkness, and determined the combined effects of light conditions, posted speed limit and weather conditions on driving speed. The vehicle speed of passenger cars in different light conditions (daylight, twilight, darkness, artificial light) and different weather conditions (clear weather, rain, snow) was determined using traffic and weather data collected on an hourly basis for approximately 2 years (1 September 2012–31 May 2014) at 25 locations in Sweden (17 with road lighting and eight without). In total, the data included almost 60 million vehicle passes. The data were cleaned by removing June, July, and August, which have different traffic patterns than the rest of the year. Only data from the periods 10:00 A.M.–04:00 P.M. and 06:00 P.M.–10:00 P.M. were used, to remove traffic during rush hour and at night. Multivariate adaptive regression splines was used to evaluate the overall influence of independent variables on vehicle speed and nonparametric statistical testing was applied to test for speed differences between dark–daylight, dark–twilight, and twilight–daylight, on roads with and without road lighting. The results show that vehicle speed in general depends on several independent variables. Analyses of vehicle speed and speed differences between daylight, twilight and darkness, with and without road lighting, did not reveal any differences attributable to light conditions. However, vehicle speed decreased due to rain or snow and the decrease was higher on roads without road lighting than on roads with lighting. These results suggest that the strong association between traffic accidents and darkness or low light conditions could be explained by drivers failing to adjust their speed to the reduced visibility in dark conditions.
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| 49. |
- Klinga, Gustaf, et al.
(författare)
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A retrospective evaluation of preoperative anemia in patients undergoing radical cystectomy for muscle-invasive urothelial urinary bladder cancer, with or without neoadjuvant chemotherapy
- 2016
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Ingår i: SpringerPlus. - : Springer. - 2193-1801. ; 5
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) can be associated with anemia, which can lead to more perioperative blood transfusions (PBT). Usage of PBT is associated with worse oncological outcomes. We evaluated the prevalence of preoperative anemia (PA) and the effect on hemoglobin levels depending on surgery timing after NAC.METHODS: A retrospective single-center study with 240 consecutive patients undergoing radical cystectomy (RC) between 2001 and 2014 for muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma (MIBC). Anemia was defined according to the WHO classification (male ≤ 130 g/L, female ≤ 120 g/L). Multivariable logistical regression was used to identify factors associated with PA and Pearson correlation for evaluating the change in hemoglobin levels depending on surgery timing.RESULTS: Overall, 128 (53.3 %) patients were anemic pre-RC and 87 (36.3 %) patients received NAC. In a multivariable analysis, age, receipt of NAC, female gender, and low BMI were independent predictors of PA. In patients receiving NAC, the time to surgery from the last NAC cycle was correlated with the change in hemoglobin levels between the initiation of NAC and surgery.CONCLUSIONS: PA was common in patients undergoing RC for MIBC. Receipt of NAC was found to be a strong predictor of PA.CLINICAL MESSAGE: The emerging treatment of cisplatin based neoadjuvant chemotherapy for muscle-invasive bladder cancer, confers an increased risk for preoperative anemia. In the management of this malignancy, preoperative anemia renders further attention and focus.
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| 50. |
- LANDEGREN TEDGÅRD, EVA, et al.
(författare)
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Vulnerable parenting among mothers with substance abuse in their family of origin: a cross-sectional comparative study of mothers in an infant and toddler program
- 2016
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Ingår i: SpringerPlus. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2193-1801. ; 5:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: To investigate whether women raised in a family with substance abuse constitute a particularly vulnerable group of patients in an infant psychiatry setting and to identify the risk factors of suspected parental malfunctioning in women referred to treatment in an infant and toddler intervention program. Background: A history of family substance abuse can severely disrupt the caretaking abilities of parents in ways that can have far-reaching consequences, and children growing up with insufficient parental care may incorporate this deficiency into their own parental behavior. Methods: In total, 126 mothers completed self-report questionnaires assessing their substance abuse and health problems as well as problems in their family of origin. The index group was defined as women who reported substance abuse in their family of origin (n=35). The comparison group was defined as women who denied substance abuse in their family of origin (n=91). Results: Symptoms of depression and anxiety were overrepresented in the total group of mothers compared with the Swedish norm. The index group had experienced parental divorce and traumatic life events more often and reported earlier substance abuse of their own. They had significantly more depression and ADHD symptoms and were more often single parents. All these factors can have a negative influence, separately or in combination, on the ability to practice sensitive parenting. Conclusions: Female offspring of substance-abusing parents are an especially vulnerable group of patients. To prevent the intergenerational transmission of alcohol and drug abuse, it is important to identify parents with specific needs and to administer targeted treatment and support at primary health care centers and child psychiatric clinics. © 2016, The Author(s).
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