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| 9. |
- Franz, D, et al.
(författare)
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Towards long-term standardised carbon and greenhouse gas observations for monitoring Europe´s terrestrial ecosystems: a review
- 2018
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Ingår i: International Agrophysics. - : Walter de Gruyter GmbH. - 0236-8722 .- 2300-8725. ; 32, s. 439-455
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Research infrastructures play a key role in launching a new generation of integrated long-term, geographically distributed observation programmes designed to monitor climate change, better understand its impacts on global ecosystems, and evaluate possible mitigation and adaptation strategies. The pan-European Integrated Carbon Observation System combines carbon and greenhouse gas (GHG; CO2, CH4, N2O, H2O) observations within the atmosphere, terrestrial ecosystems and oceans. High-precision measurements are obtained using standardised methodologies, are centrally processed and openly available in a traceable and verifiable fashion in combination with detailed metadata. The Integrated Carbon Observation System ecosystem station network aims to sample climate and land-cover variability across Europe. In addition to GHG flux measurements, a large set of complementary data (including management practices, vegetation and soil characteristics) is collected to support the interpretation, spatial upscaling and modelling of observed ecosystem carbon and GHG dynamics. The applied sampling design was developed and formulated in protocols by the scientific community, representing a trade-off between an ideal dataset and practical feasibility. The use of open-access, high-quality and multi-level data products by different user communities is crucial for the Integrated Carbon Observation System in order to achieve its scientific potential and societal value.
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| 12. |
- Luyssaert, S., et al.
(författare)
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CO2 balance of boreal, temperate, and tropical forests derived from a global database
- 2007
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Ingår i: Global Change Biology. - : Wiley. - 1354-1013 .- 1365-2486. ; 13:12, s. 2509-2537
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Terrestrial ecosystems sequester 2.1 Pg of atmospheric carbon annually. A large amount of the terrestrial sink is realized by forests. However, considerable uncertainties remain regarding the fate of this carbon over both short and long timescales. Relevant data to address these uncertainties are being collected at many sites around the world, but syntheses of these data are still sparse. To facilitate future synthesis activities, we have assembled a comprehensive global database for forest ecosystems, which includes carbon budget variables (fluxes and stocks), ecosystem traits (e.g. leaf area index, age), as well as ancillary site information such as management regime, climate, and soil characteristics. This publicly available database can be used to quantify global, regional or biome-specific carbon budgets; to re-examine established relationships; to test emerging hypotheses about ecosystem functioning [e.g. a constant net ecosystem production (NEP) to gross primary production (GPP) ratio]; and as benchmarks for model evaluations. In this paper, we present the first analysis of this database. We discuss the climatic influences on GPP, net primary production (NPP) and NEP and present the CO2 balances for boreal, temperate, and tropical forest biomes based on micrometeorological, ecophysiological, and biometric flux and inventory estimates. Globally, GPP of forests benefited from higher temperatures and precipitation whereas NPP saturated above either a threshold of 1500 mm precipitation or a mean annual temperature of 10 degrees C. The global pattern in NEP was insensitive to climate and is hypothesized to be mainly determined by nonclimatic conditions such as successional stage, management, site history, and site disturbance. In all biomes, closing the CO2 balance required the introduction of substantial biome-specific closure terms. Nonclosure was taken as an indication that respiratory processes, advection, and non-CO2 carbon fluxes are not presently being adequately accounted for.
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| 13. |
- Polme, S., et al.
(författare)
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FungalTraits: a user-friendly traits database of fungi and fungus-like stramenopiles
- 2020
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Ingår i: Fungal Diversity. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1560-2745 .- 1878-9129. ; 105:1, s. 1-16
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The cryptic lifestyle of most fungi necessitates molecular identification of the guild in environmental studies. Over the past decades, rapid development and affordability of molecular tools have tremendously improved insights of the fungal diversity in all ecosystems and habitats. Yet, in spite of the progress of molecular methods, knowledge about functional properties of the fungal taxa is vague and interpretation of environmental studies in an ecologically meaningful manner remains challenging. In order to facilitate functional assignments and ecological interpretation of environmental studies we introduce a user friendly traits and character database FungalTraits operating at genus and species hypothesis levels. Combining the information from previous efforts such as FUNGuild and Fun(Fun) together with involvement of expert knowledge, we reannotated 10,210 and 151 fungal and Stramenopila genera, respectively. This resulted in a stand-alone spreadsheet dataset covering 17 lifestyle related traits of fungal and Stramenopila genera, designed for rapid functional assignments of environmental studies. In order to assign the trait states to fungal species hypotheses, the scientific community of experts manually categorised and assigned available trait information to 697,413 fungal ITS sequences. On the basis of those sequences we were able to summarise trait and host information into 92,623 fungal species hypotheses at 1% dissimilarity threshold.
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| 14. |
- Wingate, L., et al.
(författare)
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Interpreting canopy development and physiology using a European phenology camera network at flux sites
- 2015
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Ingår i: Biogeosciences. - : Copernicus GmbH. - 1726-4189. ; 12:20, s. 5995-6015
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Plant phenological development is orchestrated through subtle changes in photoperiod, temperature, soil moisture and nutrient availability. Presently, the exact timing of plant development stages and their response to climate and management practices are crudely represented in land surface models. As visual observations of phenology are laborious, there is a need to supplement long-term observations with automated techniques such as those provided by digital repeat photography at high temporal and spatial resolution. We present the first synthesis from a growing observational network of digital cameras installed on towers across Europe above deciduous and evergreen forests, grasslands and croplands, where vegetation and atmosphere CO2 fluxes are measured continuously. Using colour indices from digital images and using piecewise regression analysis of time series, we explored whether key changes in canopy phenology could be detected automatically across different land use types in the network. The piecewise regression approach could capture the start and end of the growing season, in addition to identifying striking changes in colour signals caused by flowering and management practices such as mowing. Exploring the dates of green-up and senescence of deciduous forests extracted by the piecewise regression approach against dates estimated from visual observations, we found that these phenological events could be detected adequately (RMSE < 8 and 11 days for leaf out and leaf fall, respectively). We also investigated whether the seasonal patterns of red, green and blue colour fractions derived from digital images could be modelled mechanistically using the PROSAIL model parameterised with information of seasonal changes in canopy leaf area and leaf chlorophyll and carotenoid concentrations. From a model sensitivity analysis we found that variations in colour fractions, and in particular the late spring 'green hump' observed repeatedly in deciduous broadleaf canopies across the network, are essentially dominated by changes in the respective pigment concentrations. Using the model we were able to explain why this spring maximum in green signal is often observed out of phase with the maximum period of canopy photosynthesis in ecosystems across Europe. Coupling such quasi-continuous digital records of canopy colours with co-located CO2 flux measurements will improve our understanding of how changes in growing season length are likely to shape the capacity of European ecosystems to sequester CO2 in the future.
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| 15. |
- Lakhwani, Girish, et al.
(författare)
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Intensive Chiroptical Properties of Chiral Polyfluorenes Associated with Fibril Formation
- 2009
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Ingår i: Journal of Physical Chemistry B. - : American Chemical Society. - 1520-6106 .- 1520-5207. ; 113:43, s. 14047-14051
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Thin films of chiral poly {9,9-bis[(3S)-3,7-dimethyloctyl]-2,7-fluorene} (1) were studied using circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. Films spin coated from chloroform solution, show CD with a degree of polarization g(abs) (= +4 x 10(-4) at 400 nm) that is independent of film thickness (50-290 nm). This implies that gabs is an intensive property of the material and related to the chiral organization of the molecules on a length scale less than 50 nm. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) on the films reveals fibrils. Addition of nonsolvent methanol to a solution of 1 in chloroform leads to fibril formation in solution and results in CD similar in band shape to that of the pristine spin coated films from chloroform solution and a g(abs) comparable in magnitude. Thus the chiral molecular arrangement leading to circular dichroism is part of the internal structure of these fibrils.
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| 16. |
- Linde, C, et al.
(författare)
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The Membership Committee of the ESC
- 2019
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Ingår i: Cardiovascular research. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1755-3245 .- 0008-6363. ; 115:12, s. E130-E132
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)
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| 17. |
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| 18. |
- Menchon, JM, et al.
(författare)
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A prospective international multi-center study on safety and efficacy of deep brain stimulation for resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder
- 2021
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Ingår i: Molecular psychiatry. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1476-5578 .- 1359-4184. ; 26:4, s. 1234-1247
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has been proposed for severe, chronic, treatment-refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients. Although serious adverse events can occur, only a few studies report on the safety profile of DBS for psychiatric disorders. In a prospective, open-label, interventional multi-center study, we examined the safety and efficacy of electrical stimulation in 30 patients with DBS electrodes bilaterally implanted in the anterior limb of the internal capsule. Safety, efficacy, and functionality assessments were performed at 3, 6, and 12 months post implant. An independent Clinical Events Committee classified and coded all adverse events (AEs) according to EN ISO14155:2011. All patients experienced AEs (195 in total), with the majority of these being mild (52% of all AEs) or moderate (37%). Median time to resolution was 22 days for all AEs and the etiology with the highest AE incidence was ‘programming/stimulation’ (in 26 patients), followed by ‘New illness, injury, condition’ (13 patients) and ‘pre-existing condition, worsening or exacerbation’ (11 patients). Sixteen patients reported a total of 36 serious AEs (eight of them in one single patient), mainly transient anxiety and affective symptoms worsening (20 SAEs). Regarding efficacy measures, Y-BOCS reduction was 42% at 12 months and the responder rate was 60%. Improvements in GAF, CGI, and EuroQol-5D index scores were also observed. In sum, although some severe AEs occurred, most AEs were mild or moderate, transient and related to programming/stimulation and tended to resolve by adjustment of stimulation. In a severely treatment-resistant population, this open-label study supports that the potential benefits outweigh the potential risks of DBS.
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| 20. |
- de Beeck, M. O., et al.
(författare)
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Soil-meteorological measurements at ICOS monitoring stations in terrestrial ecosystems
- 2018
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Ingår i: International Agrophysics. - : Walter de Gruyter GmbH. - 0236-8722 .- 2300-8725. ; 32:4, s. 619-631
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Integrated Carbon Observation System is a pan-European research infrastructure providing standardized, long-term observations of greenhouse gas concentrations and earth-atmosphere greenhouse gas interactions. The terrestrial component of Integrated Carbon Observation System comprises a network of monitoring stations in terrestrial ecosystems where the principal activity is the measurement of ecosystem-atmosphere fluxes of greenhouse gases and energy by means of the eddy covariance technique. At each station a large set of ancillary variables needed for the interpretation of observed fluxes and for process studies is additionally monitored. This set includes a subset of variables that describe the thermal and moisture conditions of the soil and which are here conveniently referred to as soil-meteorological variables: soil temperature, volumetric soil water content, water table depth, and soil heat flux density. This paper describes the standard methodology that has been developped for the monitoring of these variables at the ecosystem stations.
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| 23. |
- McKibben, Jodi B. A., et al.
(författare)
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Epidemiology of burn injuries II : Psychiatric and behavioral perspectives
- 2009
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Ingår i: International Review of Psychiatry. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0954-0261 .- 1369-1627. ; 21:6, s. 512-521
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Modern technological advances have decreased the incidence and severity of burn injuries, and medical care improvements of burn injuries have significantly increased survival rates, particularly in developed countries. Still, fire-related burn injuries are responsible for 300,000 deaths and 10 million disability-adjusted life years lost annually worldwide. The extent to which psychiatric and behavioural factors contribute to the incidence and outcomes of these tragedies has not been systematically documented, and the available data is often insufficient to reach definitive conclusions. Accordingly, this article reviews the evidence of psychiatric and behavioural risk factors and prevention opportunities for burn injuries worldwide. Psychiatric prevalence rates and risk factors for burn injuries, prevalence and risks associated with 'intentional' burn injuries (self-immolation, assault, and child maltreatment), and prevention activities targeting the general population and those with known psychiatric and behavioural risk factors are discussed. These issues are substantially interwoven with many co-occurring risk factors. While success in teasing apart the roles and contributions of these factors rests upon improving the methodology employed in future research, the nature of this entanglement increases the likelihood that successful interventions in one problem area will reap benefits in others.
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| 25. |
- Yuan, W., et al.
(författare)
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Thermal adaptation of net ecosystem exchange
- 2011
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Ingår i: Biogeosciences. - : Copernicus GmbH. - 1726-4189. ; 8:6, s. 1453-1463
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Thermal adaptation of gross primary production and ecosystem respiration has been well documented over broad thermal gradients. However, no study has examined their interaction as a function of temperature, i.e. the thermal responses of net ecosystem exchange of carbon (NEE). In this study, we constructed temperature response curves of NEE against temperature using 380 site-years of eddy covariance data at 72 forest, grassland and shrubland ecosystems located at latitudes ranging from similar to 29 degrees N to 64 degrees N. The response curves were used to define two critical temperatures: transition temperature (T-b) at which ecosystem transfer from carbon source to sink and optimal temperature (T-o) at which carbon uptake is maximized. T-b was strongly correlated with annual mean air temperature. T-o was strongly correlated with mean temperature during the net carbon uptake period across the study ecosystems. Our results imply that the net ecosystem exchange of carbon adapts to the temperature across the geographical range due to intrinsic connections between vegetation primary production and ecosystem respiration.
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| 26. |
- Boonen, Steven, et al.
(författare)
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Influence of bone remodelling rate on quantitative ultrasound parameters at the calcaneus and DXA BMDa of the hip and spine in middle-aged and elderly European men: the European Male Ageing Study (EMAS)
- 2011
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Ingår i: European Journal of Endocrinology. - 1479-683X. ; 165:6, s. 977-986
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: To assess the influence of sex hormones on markers of bone turnover and to explore the association between these markers and bone health in middle-aged and elderly European men. Design: A cross-sectional population-based survey. Methods: Men aged 40-79 years were recruited from population registers in eight European centres. Subjects completed a postal questionnaire which included questions concerning lifestyle and were invited to undergo quantitative ultrasound (QUS) of the calcaneus and to provide a fasting blood sample from which the bone markers serum N-terminal propeptide of type 1 procollagen (P1NP) and crosslinks (beta C-terminal cross-linked telopeptide (beta-cTX)), total testosterone, total oestradiol (E-2), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) were measured. Dualenergy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) of the hip and lumbar spine was performed in two centres. Results: A total of 3120, mean age 59.9 years (S.D. = 11.0) were included. After adjustment for centre, age, height, weight, lifestyle factors, season and other hormones, total and free E-2 were negatively associated with beta-cTX but not P1NP while SHBG, IGF1 and parathyroid hormone (PTH) were positively associated with both beta-cTX and P1NP. Total or free testosterone was not independently associated with either bone marker. After the same adjustments, higher levels of both bone markers were significantly associated with lower QUS parameters and lower DXA-assessed bone density at the total hip and lumbar spine. Conclusions: E-2, SHBG, IGF1 and PTH contribute significantly to the regulation/rate of bone turnover in middle-aged and older European men. Higher rates of bone remodelling are negatively associated with male bone health.
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| 27. |
- Broeckx, Bart J. G., et al.
(författare)
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Improved canine exome designs, featuring ncRNAs and increased coverage of protein coding genes
- 2015
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Ingår i: Scientific Reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2045-2322. ; 5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- By limiting sequencing to those sequences transcribed as mRNA, whole exome sequencing is a cost-efficient technique often used in disease-association studies. We developed two target enrichment designs based on the recently released annotation of the canine genome: the exome-plus design and the exome-CDS design. The exome-plus design combines the exons of the CanFam 3.1 Ensembl annotation, more recently discovered protein-coding exons and a variety of non-coding RNA regions (microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs and antisense transcripts), leading to a total size of approximate to 152 Mb. The exome-CDS was designed as a subset of the exome-plus by omitting all 3' and 5' untranslated regions. This reduced the size of the exome-CDS to approximate to 71 Mb. To test the capturing performance, four exome-plus captures were sequenced on a NextSeq 500 with each capture containing four pre-capture pooled, barcoded samples. At an average sequencing depth of 68.3x, 80% of the regions and well over 90% of the targeted base pairs were completely covered at least 5 times with high reproducibility. Based on the performance of the exome-plus, we estimated the performance of the exome-CDS. Overall, these designs provide flexible solutions for a variety of research questions and are likely to be reliable tools in disease studies.
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| 28. |
- Cook, Michael J., et al.
(författare)
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Frailty and bone health in European men
- 2017
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Ingår i: Age and Ageing. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0002-0729 .- 1468-2834. ; 46:4, s. 635-641
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: frailty is associated with an increased risk of fragility fractures. Less is known, however, about the association between frailty and bone health.Methods: men aged 40-79 years were recruited from population registers in eight European centres for participation in the European Male Aging Study. Subjects completed a comprehensive assessment which included quantitative ultrasound (QUS) scan of the heel (Hologic-SAHARA) and in two centres, dual-energy bone densitometry (dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, DXA). Frailty was defined based on an adaptation of Fried's phenotype criteria and a frailty index (FI) was constructed. The association between frailty and the QUS and DXA parameters was determined using linear regression, with adjustments for age, body mass index and centre.Results: in total, 3,231 subjects contributed data to the analysis. Using the Fried categorisation of frailty, pre-frail and frail men had significantly lower speed of sound (SOS), broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA) and quantitative ultrasound index (QUI) compared to robust men (P< 0.05). Similar results were seen using the FI after categorisation into 'high', 'medium' and 'low' levels of frailty. Using the Fried categorisation, frail men had lower femoral neck bone mineral density (BMD) compared to robust men (P < 0.05), but not lower lumbar spine BMD. Using the FI categorisation, a 'high' level of frailty (FI > 0.35) was associated with lower lumbar spine BMD (P < 0.05) when compared to those with low (FI < 0.2), but not lower femoral neck BMD. When analysed as a continuous variable, higher FI was linked with lower SOS, BUA and QUI (P < 0.05).Conclusions: optimisation of bone health as well as prevention of falls should be considered as strategies to reduce fractures in frail older people.
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| 29. |
- Decin, L., et al.
(författare)
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Reduction of the maximum mass-loss rate of OH/IR stars due to unnoticed binary interaction
- 2019
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Ingår i: Nature Astronomy. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2397-3366. ; 3:5, s. 408-415
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- © 2019, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited. In 1981, the idea of a superwind that ends the life of cool giant stars was proposed 1 . Extreme oxygen-rich giants, OH/IR stars, develop superwinds with the highest mass-loss rates known so far, up to a few 10 −4 solar masses (M ⊙ ) per year 2–12 , informing our understanding of the maximum mass-loss rate achieved during the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) phase. A conundrum arises whereby the observationally determined duration of the superwind phase is too short for these stars to lose enough mass to become white dwarfs 2–4,6,8–10 . Here we report on the detection of spiral structures around two cornerstone extreme OH/IR stars, OH 26.5 + 0.6 and OH 30.1 − 0.7, thereby identifying them as wide binary systems. Hydrodynamic simulations show that the companion’s gravitational attraction creates an equatorial density enhancement mimicking a short, extreme superwind phase, thereby solving the decades-old conundrum. This discovery restricts the maximum mass-loss rate of AGB stars to around the single-scattering radiation pressure limit of a few 10 −5 M ⊙ yr −1 . This has crucial implications for nucleosynthetic yields, planet survival and the wind-driving mechanism.
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| 30. |
- Dupont, Jolan, et al.
(författare)
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Inflammatory markers are associated with quality of life, physical activity, and gait speed but not sarcopenia in aged men (40–79 years)
- 2021
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Ingår i: Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle. - : Wiley. - 2190-5991 .- 2190-6009. ; 12:6, s. 1818-1831
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Age-related chronic low-grade inflammation (inflammaging) is one of the proposed mechanisms behind sarcopenia. However, findings regarding inflammatory markers in sarcopenic older adults are conflicting. This study aimed to determine the association between inflammatory markers, prevalent as well as incident sarcopenia, sarcopenia-defining parameters, quality of life (QoL), and physical activity in middle-aged and older men. Methods: Men aged 40–79 years (mean 59.66 ± 11.00y) were recruited from population registers in eight European centres for participation in the European Male Aging study (EMAS). Subjects were assessed at baseline (2003–2005) and again after a median follow-up of 4.29 years. In 2577 participants, associations between baseline inflammatory markers [high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), white blood cell count (WBC), albumin] and baseline physical activity (PASE) and QoL (SF-36) were analysed. In the Leuven and Manchester cohort (n = 447), data were available on muscle mass (whole-body dual X-ray absorptiometry) and strength. In this subgroup, cross-sectional associations between baseline inflammatory markers and sarcopenia-defining parameters (handgrip strength, chair stand test, appendicular lean mass, and gait speed) and prevalent sarcopenia were examined. In a further subgroup (n = 277), associations with knee extensor strength were explored. Longitudinally, predictive value of baseline inflammation on functional decline, physical activity, QoL, and incident sarcopenia was examined. Subgroup analyses were performed in subgroups with chronic inflammation and stratified by age. Linear and logistic regressions were used, adjusted for age, body mass index, centre, and smoking. Results: At baseline, hs-CRP and WBC were negatively associated with PASE score (hs-CRP: β = −7.920, P < 0.001; and WBC: β = −4.552, P < 0.001) and the physical component score of SF-36 (hs-CRP: β = −1.025, P < 0.001; and WBC: β = −0.364, P < 0.001). Baseline WBC levels were negatively associated with gait speed (β = −0.013; P = 0.025), quadriceps isometric 90° (β = −5.983; P = 0.035) and isokinetic 60°/s peak torque/body weight (β = −5.532; P = 0.027). The prevalence of sarcopenia at baseline was 18.1% (n = 81). Of those without sarcopenia at baseline, 64 (18.6%) satisfied criteria for sarcopenia at follow-up. There were no significant associations between baseline inflammatory markers and either prevalent or incident sarcopenia, or change in level of sarcopenia-defining parameters between baseline and follow-up. Conclusions: In middle-aged and older men, hs-CRP and WBC were negatively associated with QoL and PASE scores, while WBC was negatively associated with gait speed and knee strength. Associations with hs-CRP remained significant in all ages, whereas WBC levels were only associated with PASE, gait speed and knee strength in older adults (60–79 years). Baseline inflammatory markers (hs-CRP, WBC and albumin) did not predict functional decline, decline in physical activity, decreased QoL or incident sarcopenia.
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| 31. |
- Gielen, Marij, et al.
(författare)
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Body mass index is negatively associated with telomere length : A collaborative cross-sectional meta-analysis of 87 observational studies
- 2018
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Ingår i: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. - : Elsevier BV. - 0002-9165. ; 108:3, s. 453-475
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Even before the onset of age-related diseases, obesity might be a contributing factor to the cumulative burden of oxidative stress and chronic inflammation throughout the life course. Obesity may therefore contribute to accelerated shortening of telomeres. Consequently, obese persons are more likely to have shorter telomeres, but the association between body mass index (BMI) and leukocyte telomere length (TL) might differ across the life span and between ethnicities and sexes. Objective: A collaborative cross-sectionalmeta-analysis of observational studies was conducted to investigate the associations between BMI and TL across the life span. Design: Eighty-seven distinct study samples were included in the meta-analysis capturing data from 146,114 individuals. Studyspecific age- and sex-adjusted regression coefficients were combined by using a random-effects model in which absolute [base pairs (bp)] and relative telomere to single-copy gene ratio (T/S ratio) TLs were regressed against BMI. Stratified analysis was performed by 3 age categories ("young": 18-60 y; "middle": 61-75 y; and "old": >75 y), sex, and ethnicity. Results: Each unit increase in BMI corresponded to a-3.99 bp (95% CI: -5.17, -2.81 bp) difference in TL in the total pooled sample; among young adults, each unit increase in BMI corresponded to a -7.67 bp (95% CI:-10.03,-5.31 bp) difference. Each unit increase in BMI corresponded to a -1.58 × 10-3 unit T/S ratio (0.16% decrease; 95% CI: -2.14 × 10-3, -1.01 × 10-3) difference in ageand sex-adjusted relative TL in the total pooled sample; among young adults, each unit increase in BMI corresponded to a -2.58 × 10-3 unit T/S ratio (0.26% decrease; 95% CI: -3.92 × 10-3, -1.25 × 10-3). The associations were predominantly for the white pooled population. No sex differences were observed. Conclusions: A higher BMI is associated with shorter telomeres, especially in younger individuals. The presently observed difference is not negligible. Meta-analyses of longitudinal studies evaluating change in body weight alongside change in TL arewarranted.
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| 32. |
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| 33. |
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| 34. |
- Holliday, Kate L., et al.
(författare)
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The ESR1 (6q25) Locus Is Associated with Calcaneal Ultrasound Parameters and Radial Volumetric Bone Mineral Density in European Men
- 2011
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Ingår i: PLoS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 6:7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified 6q25, which incorporates the oestrogen receptor alpha gene (ESR1), as a quantitative trait locus for areal bone mineral density (BMDa) of the hip and lumbar spine. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of this locus on other bone health outcomes; calcaneal ultrasound (QUS) parameters, radial peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) parameters and markers of bone turnover in a population sample of European men. Methods: Eight single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the 6q25 locus were genotyped in men aged 40-79 years from 7 European countries, participating in the European Male Ageing Study (EMAS). The associations between SNPs and measured bone parameters were tested under an additive genetic model adjusting for centre using linear regression. Results: 2468 men, mean (SD) aged 59.9 (11.1) years had QUS measurements performed and bone turnover marker levels measured. A subset of 628 men had DXA and pQCT measurements. Multiple independent SNPs showed significant associations with BMD using all three measurement techniques. Most notably, rs1999805 was associated with a 0.10 SD (95%CI 0.05, 0.16; p = 0.0001) lower estimated BMD at the calcaneus, a 0.14 SD (95%CI 0.05, 0.24; p = 0.004) lower total hip BMDa, a 0.12 SD (95%CI 0.02, 0.23; p = 0.026) lower lumbar spine BMDa and a 0.18 SD (95%CI 0.06, 0.29; p = 0.003) lower trabecular BMD at the distal radius for each copy of the minor allele. There was no association with serum levels of bone turnover markers and a single SNP which was associated with cortical density was also associated with cortical BMC and thickness. Conclusions: Our data replicate previous associations found between SNPs in the 6q25 locus and BMDa at the hip and extend these data to include associations with calcaneal ultrasound parameters and radial volumetric BMD.
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| 35. |
- Laurent, M. R., et al.
(författare)
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Lower bone turnover and relative bone deficits in men with metabolic syndrome : a matter of insulin sensitivity? The European Male Ageing Study
- 2016
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Ingår i: Osteoporosis International. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0937-941X .- 1433-2965. ; 27:11, s. 3227-3237
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Summary: We examined cross-sectional associations of metabolic syndrome and its components with male bone turnover, density and structure. Greater bone mass in men with metabolic syndrome was related to their greater body mass, whereas hyperglycaemia, hypertriglyceridaemia or impaired insulin sensitivity were associated with lower bone turnover and relative bone mass deficits. Introduction: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) has been associated with lower bone turnover and relative bone mass or strength deficits (i.e. not proportionate to body mass index, BMI), but the relative contributions of MetS components related to insulin sensitivity or obesity to male bone health remain unclear. Methods: We determined cross-sectional associations of MetS, its components and insulin sensitivity (by homeostatic model assessment-insulin sensitivity (HOMA-S)) using linear regression models adjusted for age, centre, smoking, alcohol, and BMI. Bone turnover markers and heel broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA) were measured in 3129 men aged 40–79. Two centres measured total hip, femoral neck, and lumbar spine areal bone mineral density (aBMD, n = 527) and performed radius peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT, n = 595). Results: MetS was present in 975 men (31.2 %). Men with MetS had lower β C-terminal cross-linked telopeptide (β-CTX), N-terminal propeptide of type I procollagen (PINP) and osteocalcin (P <0.0001) and higher total hip, femoral neck, and lumbar spine aBMD (P ≤ 0.03). Among MetS components, only hypertriglyceridaemia and hyperglycaemia were independently associated with PINP and β-CTX. Hyperglycaemia was negatively associated with BUA, hypertriglyceridaemia with hip aBMD and radius cross-sectional area (CSA) and stress–strain index. HOMA-S was similarly associated with PINP and β-CTX, BUA, and radius CSA in BMI-adjusted models. Conclusions: Men with MetS have higher aBMD in association with their greater body mass, while their lower bone turnover and relative deficits in heel BUA and radius CSA are mainly related to correlates of insulin sensitivity. Our findings support the hypothesis that underlying metabolic complications may be involved in the bone’s failure to adapt to increasing bodily loads in men with MetS.
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| 36. |
- Lee, David M., et al.
(författare)
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Association of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D and parathyroid hormone with mortality among middle-aged and older European men
- 2014
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Ingår i: Age and Ageing. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1468-2834 .- 0002-0729. ; 43:4, s. 528-535
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Setting: prospective cohort analysis within the European Male Ageing Study. Participants: 2,816 community-dwelling men aged 40-79 years at baseline. Methods: Cox regression was used to examine the association of all-cause mortality with 25(OH)D, 1,25(OH)(2)D and PTH; cardiovascular and cancer mortality were modelled using competing-risks regression. Results were expressed as hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for Cox models; sub-hazard ratios (SHR) and 95% CIs for competing-risks models. Results: a total of 187 men died during a median of 4.3 years of follow-up. Serum levels of 25(OH)D (per 1 SD decrease: HR = 1.45; 95% CI = 1.16, 1.81) and 1,25(OH)(2)D (per 1 SD decrease: HR = 1.20; 95% CI = 1.00, 1.44) were associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality after adjusting for age, centre, smoking, self-reported morbidities, physical activity and functional performance. Only levels of 25(OH)D < 25 nmol/l predicted cancer mortality (SHR = 3.33; 95% CI = 1.38, 8.04). Conclusion: lower 25(OH)D and 1,25(OH)(2)D levels independently predicted all-cause mortality in middle-aged and older European men. Associations with cancer mortality were only observed among men with very low levels of 25(OH)D. These associations were only partially explained by the range of adverse health and lifestyle factors measured here.
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| 37. |
- Lee, David M., et al.
(författare)
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Frailty and Sexual Health in Older European Men
- 2013
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Ingår i: Journals of Gerontology - Series B Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1079-5014. ; 68:7, s. 837-844
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background. There has been little research on how late-life frailty interrelates with sexual health. Our objective was to examine the association of frailty with sexual functioning and satisfaction among older men. Methods. The study population consisted of 1,504 men aged 60 to 79 years, participating in the European Male Aging Study. Self-report questionnaires measured overall sexual functioning, sexual function related distress, and erectile dysfunction. Frailty status was defined using a phenotype (FP) or index (FI). Associations between frailty and sexual function were explored using regression models. Results. Based on the frailty phenotype, 5% of men were classified as frail, and the mean frailty index was 0.18 (SD = 0.12). Frailty was associated with decreasing overall sexual functioning and increasing sexual function related distress in multiple linear regressions adjusted for age, smoking, alcohol consumption, living arrangements, comorbidities, and depression. Frailty was also associated with an increased odds of erectile dysfunction after adjustment for the same confounders: odds ratio = 1.99 (95% confidence interval = 1.14, 3.48) and 4.08 (95% confidence interval = 2.63, 6.36) for frailty phenotype and frailty index, respectively. Conclusions. Frailty was associated with impaired overall sexual functioning, sexual function related distress, and erectile dysfunction. Individuals assessed for frailty-related deficits may also benefit from an appraisal of sexual health as an important aspect of well-being and quality of life.
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| 38. |
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| 39. |
- Manduca, Robert, et al.
(författare)
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Measuring Absolute Income Mobility : Lessons from North America and Europet
- 2024
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Ingår i: American Economic Journal. - : American Economic Association. - 1945-7782 .- 1945-7790. ; 16:2, s. 1-30
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We use linked parent-child administrative data for five countries in North America and Europe, as well as detailed survey data for two more, to investigate methodological challenges in the estimation of absolute income mobility. We show that the commonly used "copula and marginals" approximation methods perform well across countries in our sample, and the greatest challenges to their accuracy stem not from assumptions about relative mobility rates over time but from the use of nonrepresentative marginal income distributions. We also provide a multicountry analysis of sensitivity to specification decisions related to age of income measurement, income concept, family structure, and price index. (JEL D31, G51, I31, J12, J31, J62)
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| 40. |
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| 41. |
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| 42. |
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| 43. |
- Overman, Margot J., et al.
(författare)
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Evaluation of cognitive subdomains, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D in the European Male Ageing Study
- 2017
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Ingår i: European Journal of Nutrition. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1436-6207 .- 1436-6215. ; 56:6, s. 2093-2103
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: Although lower levels of vitamin D have been related to poor cognitive functioning and dementia in older adults, evidence from longitudinal investigations is inconsistent. The objective of this study was to determine whether 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25(OH)2D] levels are associated with specified measures of cognitive decline in ageing men. Methods: The European Male Ageing Study (EMAS) followed 3369 men aged 40–79 over 4.4 years. 25(OH)D levels at baseline were measured by radioimmunoassay, and 1,25(OH)2D levels were obtained with liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Visuoconstructional abilities, visual memory, and processing speed at baseline and follow-up were assessed using the Rey–Osterrieth Complex Figure Test (ROCF), Camden Topographical Recognition Memory (CTRM), and the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST). Results: Following attritions, a total of 2430 men with a mean (SD) age of 59.0 (10.6) were included in the analyses. At baseline, the mean 25(OH)D concentration was 64.6 (31.5) nmol/l, and mean 1,25(OH)2D level was 59.6 (16.6) pmol/l. In age-adjusted linear regression models, high 25(OH)D concentrations were associated with a smaller decline in the DSST (β = 0.007, p = 0.020). Men with low 25(OH)D levels (2D and decline in cognitive subdomains. Conclusion: We found no evidence for an independent association between 25(OH)D or 1,25(OH)2D levels and visuoconstructional abilities, visual memory, or processing speed over on average 4.4 years in this sample of middle-aged and elderly European men.
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| 44. |
- Overman, Margot J., et al.
(författare)
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Glycemia but not the Metabolic Syndrome is Associated with Cognitive Decline : Findings from the European Male Ageing Study
- 2017
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Ingår i: American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. - : Elsevier BV. - 1064-7481. ; 25:6, s. 662-671
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: Previous research has indicated that components of the metabolic syndrome (MetS), such as hyperglycemia and hypertension, are negatively associated with cognition. However, evidence that MetS itself is related to cognitive performance has been inconsistent. This longitudinal study investigates whether MetS or its components affect cognitive decline in aging men and whether any interaction with inflammation exists. Methods: Over a mean of 4.4 years (SD ± 0.3), men aged 40-79 years from the multicenter European Male Ageing Study were recruited. Cognitive functioning was assessed using the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure (ROCF), the Camden Topographical Recognition Memory (CTRM) task, and the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST). High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels were measured using a chemiluminescent immunometric assay. Results: Overall, 1,913 participants contributed data to the ROCF analyses and 1,965 subjects contributed to the CTRM and DSST analyses. In multiple regression models the presence of baseline MetS was not associated with cognitive decline over time (p > 0.05). However, logistic ordinal regressions indicated that high glucose levels were related to a greater risk of decline on the ROCF Copy (β = -0.42, p < 0.05) and the DSST (β = -0.39, p < 0.001). There was neither a main effect of hs-CRP levels nor an interaction effect of hs-CRP and MetS at baseline on cognitive decline. Conclusion: No evidence was found for a relationship between MetS or inflammation and cognitive decline in this sample of aging men. However, glycemia was negatively associated with visuoconstructional abilities and processing speed.
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| 45. |
- Pavelka, M., et al.
(författare)
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Standardisation of chamber technique for CO2, N2O and CH4 fluxes measurements from terrestrial ecosystems
- 2018
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Ingår i: International Agrophysics. - : Walter de Gruyter GmbH. - 0236-8722 .- 2300-8725. ; 32:4, s. 569-587
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Chamber measurements of trace gas fluxes between the land surface and the atmosphere have been conducted for almost a century. Different chamber techniques, including static and dynamic, have been used with varying degrees of success in estimating greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4, N2O) fluxes. However, all of these have certain disadvantages which have either prevented them from providing an adequate estimate of greenhouse gas exchange or restricted them to be used under limited conditions. Generally, chamber methods are relatively low in cost and simple to operate. In combination with the appropriate sample allocations, chamber methods are adaptable for a wide variety of studies from local to global spatial scales, and they are particularly well suited for in situ and laboratory-based studies. Consequently, chamber measurements will play an important role in the portfolio of the Pan-European long-term research infrastructure Integrated Carbon Observation System. The respective working group of the Integrated Carbon Observation System Ecosystem Monitoring Station Assembly has decided to ascertain standards and quality checks for automated and manual chamber systems instead of defining one or several standard systems provided by commercial manufacturers in order to define minimum requirements for chamber measurements. The defined requirements and recommendations related to chamber measurements are described here.
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| 46. |
- Peltola, Jukka, et al.
(författare)
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Deep Brain Stimulation of the Anterior Nucleus of the Thalamus in Drug-Resistant Epilepsy in the MORE Multicenter Patient Registry
- 2023
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Ingår i: Neurology. - : Wolters Kluwer. - 0028-3878 .- 1526-632X. ; 100:18, s. E1852-E1865
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background and Objectives The efficacy of deep brain stimulation of the anterior nucleus of the thalamus (ANT DBS) in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) was demonstrated in the double-blind Stimulation of the Anterior Nucleus of the Thalamus for Epilepsy randomized controlled trial. The Medtronic Registry for Epilepsy (MORE) aims to understand the safety and longer-term effectiveness of ANT DBS therapy in routine clinical practice.Methods MORE is an observational registry collecting prospective and retrospective clinical data. Participants were at least 18 years old, with focal DRE recruited across 25 centers from 13 countries. They were followed for at least 2 years in terms of seizure frequency (SF), responder rate (RR), health-related quality of life (Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory 31), depression, and safety outcomes.Results Of the 191 patients recruited, 170 (mean [SD] age of 35.6 [10.7] years, 43% female) were implanted with DBS therapy and met all eligibility criteria. At baseline, 38% of patients reported cognitive impairment. The median monthly SF decreased by 33.1% from 15.8 at baseline to 8.8 at 2 years (p < 0.0001) with 32.3% RR. In the subgroup of 47 patients who completed 5 years of follow-up, the median monthly SF decreased by 55.1% from 16 at baseline to 7.9 at 5 years (p < 0.0001) with 53.2% RR. High-volume centers (>10 implantations) had 42.8% reduction in median monthly SF by 2 years in comparison with 25.8% in low-volume center. In patients with cognitive impairment, the reduction in median monthly SF was 26.0% by 2 years compared with 36.1% in patients without cognitive impairment. The most frequently reported adverse events were changes (e.g., increased frequency/severity) in seizure (16%), memory impairment (patient-reported complaint, 15%), depressive mood (patient-reported complaint, 13%), and epilepsy (12%). One definite sudden unexpected death in epilepsy case was reported.Discussion The MORE registry supports the effectiveness and safety of ANT DBS therapy in a real-world setting in the 2 years following implantation.Classification of Evidence This study provides Class IV evidence that ANT DBS reduces the frequency of seizures in patients with drug-resistant focal epilepsy.
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| 47. |
- Pye, Stephen R., et al.
(författare)
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Influence of Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein (IGFBP)-1 and IGFBP-3 on Bone Health: Results from the European Male Ageing Study
- 2011
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Ingår i: Calcified Tissue International. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1432-0827 .- 0171-967X. ; 88:6, s. 503-510
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of this study was to determine the influence of insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP)-1, IGFBP-3, and IGF-I on calcaneal ultrasound parameters in middle-aged and elderly European men. Men aged 40-79 years were recruited from population registers for participation in the European Male Ageing Study (EMAS). Subjects were invited by letter to complete a postal questionnaire and to attend for an interviewer-assisted questionnaire, quantitative ultrasound (QUS) of the calcaneus, and a fasting blood sample from which serum levels of IGFBP-1, IGFBP-3, IGF-I, estradiol (E-2), and SHBG were assayed. The questionnaires included the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE) and questions about smoking and alcohol consumption. Estimated bone mineral density (eBMD) was derived as a function of the QUS parameters speed of sound and broadband ultrasound attenuation. Height and weight were measured in all subjects. 3057 men, mean age 59.7 years (standard deviation 11.0) were included in the analysis. After adjusting for age, center, and BMI, higher levels of IGFBP-1 were associated with lower eBMD. Higher levels of both IGFBP-3 and IGF-I were associated with higher eBMD. After further adjustment for PASE score, current smoking, alcohol consumption, free E-2, and SHBG, IGFBP-3 and IGF-I, though not IGFBP-1, remained significantly associated with eBMD. IGFBP-1 was associated with bone health, though the effect could be explained by other factors. IGFBP-3 and IGF-I were independent determinants of bone health in middle-aged and elderly European men.
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| 48. |
- Pye, Stephen R, et al.
(författare)
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Low heel ultrasound parameters predict mortality in men: results from the European Male Ageing Study (EMAS).
- 2015
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Ingår i: Age and Ageing. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1468-2834 .- 0002-0729. ; 44:5, s. 801-807
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- low bone mineral density measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry is associated with increased mortality. The relationship between other skeletal phenotypes and mortality is unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between quantitative heel ultrasound parameters and mortality in a cohort of European men.
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| 49. |
- Ravindrarajah, Rathi, et al.
(författare)
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The ability of three different models of frailty to predict all-cause mortality: Results from the European Male Aging Study (EMAS)
- 2013
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Ingår i: Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics. - : Elsevier BV. - 1872-6976 .- 0167-4943. ; 57:3, s. 360-368
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Few studies have directly compared the ability of the most commonly used models of frailty to predict mortality among community-dwelling individuals. Here, we used a frailty index (FI), frailty phenotype (FP), and FRAIL scale (FS) to predict mortality in the EMAS. Participants were aged 40-79 years (n = 2929) at baseline and 6.6% (n = 193) died over a median 4.3 years of follow-up. The FI was generated from 39 deficits, including self-reported health, morbidities, functional performance and psychological assessments. The FP and FS consisted of five phenotypic criteria and both categorized individuals as robust when they had 0 criteria, prefrail as 1-2 criteria and frail as 3+ criteria. The mean FI increased linearly with age (r(2) = 0.21) and in Cox regression models adjusted for age, center, smoking and partner status the hazard ratio (HR) for death for each unit increase of the FI was 1.49. Men who were prefrail or frail by either the FP or FS definitions, had a significantly increased risk of death compared to their robust counterparts. Compared to robust men, those who were FP frail at baseline had a HR for death of 3.84, while those who were FS frail had a HR of 3.87. All three frailty models significantly predicted future mortality among community-dwelling, middle-aged and older European men after adjusting for potential confounders. Our data suggest that the choice of frailty model may not be of paramount importance when predicting future risk of death, enabling flexibility in the approach used. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
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| 50. |
- Salvo, P., et al.
(författare)
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Fabrication and functionalization of PCB gold electrodes suitable for DNA-based electrochemical sensing
- 2014
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Ingår i: Bio-medical materials and engineering. - 0959-2989 .- 1878-3619. ; 24:4, s. 1705-1714
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The request of high specificity and selectivity sensors suitable for mass production is a constant demand in medical research. For applications in point-of-care diagnostics and therapy, there is a high demand for low cost and rapid sensing platforms. This paper describes the fabrication and functionalization of gold electrodes arrays for the detection of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in printed circuit board (PCB) technology. The process can be implemented to produce efficiently a large number of biosensors. We report an electrolytic plating procedure to fabricate low-density gold microarrays on PCB suitable for electrochemical DNA detection in research fields such as cancer diagnostics or pharmacogenetics, where biosensors are usually targeted to detect a small number of genes. PCB technology allows producing high precision, fast and low cost microelectrodes. The surface of the microarray is functionalized with self-assembled monolayers of mercaptoundodecanoic acid or thiolated DNA. The PCB microarray is tested by cyclic voltammetry in presence of 5 mM of the redox probe K3Fe(CN6) in 0.1 M KCl. The voltammograms prove the correct immobilization of both the alkanethiol systems. The sensor is tested for detecting relevant markers for breast cancer. Results for 5 nM of the target TACSTD1 against the complementary TACSTD1 and non-complementary GRP, MYC, SCGB2A1, SCGB2A2, TOP2A probes show a remarkable detection limit of 0.05 nM and a high specificity.
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