| 1. |
- Bjarnegård, Mattias, 1970, et al.
(author)
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Endothelium-specific ablation of PDGFB leads to pericyte loss and glomerular, cardiac and placental abnormalities
- 2004
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In: DEVELOPMENT. - : The Company of Biologists. - 0950-1991 .- 1477-9129. ; 131:8, s. 1847-1857
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Platelet-derived growth factor-B (PDGFB) is necessary for normal cardiovascular development, but the relative importance of different cellular sources of PDGFB has not been established. Using Cre-lox techniques, we show here that genetic ablation of Pdgfb in endothelial cells leads to impaired recruitment of pericytes to blood vessels. The endothelium-restricted Pdgfb knockout mutants also developed organ defects including cardiac, placental and renal abnormalities. These defects were similar to those observed in Pdgfb null mice. However, in marked contrast to the embryonic lethality of Pdgfb null mutants, the endothelium-specific mutants survived into adulthood with persistent pathological changes, including brain microhemorrhages, focal astrogliosis, and kidney glomerulus abnormalities. This spectrum of pathological changes is reminiscent of diabetic microangiopathy, suggesting that the endothelium-restricted Pdgfb knockouts may serve as models for some of the pathogenic events of vascular complications to diabetes. Key words: PDGFB, Endothelium, Cre, loxP, Pericytes, Microaneurysm
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| 2. |
- Borg, Michael A., et al.
(author)
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Maltese Antibiotic Stewardship Programme in the Community (MASPIC): Protocol of a prospective quasiexperimental social marketing intervention
- 2017
-
In: BMJ Open. - : BMJ Publishing Group: Open Access / BMJ Publishing Group. - 2044-6055. ; 7:9
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Introduction Antibiotic misuse is a key driver of antibiotic resistance. In 2015/2016, Maltese respondents reported the highest proportions of antibiotic consumption in Europe. Since antibiotics are prescription-only medicines in Malta, research on effective strategies targeting general practitioners' (GPs) knowledge and behaviour is needed. Multifaceted behaviour change (BC) interventions are likely to be effective. Social marketing (SM) can provide the tools to promote sustained BC; however, its utilisation in Europe is limited. This paper aims to describe the design and methods of a multifaceted SM intervention aimed at changing Maltese GPs' antibiotic prescribing behaviour for patients with acute respiratory tract infections (aRTIs). Methods and analysis This 4-year quasiexperimental intervention study will be carried out in Malta and includes three phases: preintervention, intervention and postintervention. The preintervention phase intends to gain insight into the practices and attitudes of GPs, pharmacists and parents through interviews, focus group discussions and antibiotic prescribing surveillance. A 6-month intervention targeting GPs will be implemented following assessment of their prescribing intention and readiness for BC. The intervention will likely comprise: prescribing guidelines, patient educational materials, delayed antibiotic prescriptions and GP education. Outcomes will be evaluated in the postintervention phase through questionnaires based on the theory of planned behaviour and stages-of-change theory, as well as postintervention surveillance. The primary outcome will be the antibiotic prescribing rate for all patients with aRTIs. Secondary outcomes will include the proportion of diagnosis-specific antibiotic prescription and symptomatic relief medication prescribed, and the change in GPs stage-of-change and their intention to prescribe antibiotics. Ethics and dissemination The project received ethical approval from the University of Malta's Research Ethics Committee. Should this intervention successfully decrease antibiotic prescribing, it may be scaled up locally and transferred to similar settings.
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| 3. |
- Choquet, Remi, et al.
(author)
-
Estimating demographic parameters from capturerecapture data with dependence among individuals within clusters
- 2013
-
In: Methods in Ecology and Evolution. - 2041-210X. ; 4:5, s. 474-482
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Two-level data, in which level-1 units or individuals are nested within level-2 units or clusters, are very common in natural populations. However, very few multilevel analyses are conducted for data with imperfect detection of individuals. Multilevel analyses are important to quantify the variability at each level of the data. In this study, we present two-level analyses for estimating demographic parameters from data with imperfect detection of individuals and with a source of individual variability that is nested within a source of cluster variability. This method allows separating and quantifying the phenotypic plasticity or facultative behavioural responses from the evolutionary responses. We illustrate our approach using data from studies of a long-lived perennially monogamous seabird, the Cory's shearwater (Calonectris diomedea) and a patchy population of collared flycatchers (Ficedula albicollis). We demonstrate the existence of dependence in recapture probability between paired individuals in the Cory's shearwater. In addition, we show that family structure has no influence on parentoffspring resemblance in collared flycatchers dispersal. The new method is implemented in program e-surge which is freely available from the internet.
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| 4. |
- Comasco, Erika, et al.
(author)
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Psychiatric symptoms in adolescents: FKBP5 genotype-early life adversity interaction effects
- 2015
-
In: European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. - : Springer. - 1018-8827 .- 1435-165X. ; 24:12, s. 1473-1483
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Psychiatric disorders are multi-factorial and their symptoms overlap. Constitutional and environmental factors influence each other, and this contributes to risk and resilience in mental ill-health. We investigated functional genetic variation of stress responsiveness, assessed as FKBP5 genotype, in relation to early life adversity and mental health in two samples of adolescents. One population-based sample of 909 12-year-old adolescents was assessed using the Life Incidence of Traumatic Events scale and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. One sample of 398 17-year-old adolescents, enriched for poly-victimized individuals (USSS), was assessed using the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire and the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children (TSCC). The FKBP5 rs1360780 and rs3800373 polymorphisms were genotyped using a fluorescence-based competitive allele-specific PCR. Most prominently among poly-victimized older male adolescents, the least common alleles of the polymorphisms, in interaction with adverse life events, were associated with psychiatric symptoms, after controlling for ethno-socio-economic factors. The interaction effect between rs3800373 and adverse life events on the TSCC sub-scales-anxiety, depression, anger, and dissociation-and with the rs1360780 on dissociation in the USSS cohort remained significant after Bonferroni correction. This pattern of association is in line with the findings of clinical and neuroimaging studies, and implies interactive effects of FKBP5 polymorphisms and early life environment on several psychiatric symptoms. These correlates add up to provide constructs that are relevant to several psychiatric symptoms, and to identify early predictors of mental ill-health.
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| 5. |
- Costell, M, et al.
(author)
-
Hyperplastic conotruncal endocardial cushions and transposition of great arteries in perlecan-null mice
- 2002
-
In: Circulation Research. - 0009-7330. ; 91:2, s. 158-164
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Perlecan is a heparan-sulfate proteoglycan abundantly expressed in pericellular matrices and basement membranes during development. Inactivation of the perlecan gene in mice is lethal at two developmental stages: around E10 and around birth. We report a high incidence of malformations of the cardiac outflow tract in perlecan-deficient embryos. Complete transposition of great arteries was diagnosed in 11 out of 15 late embryos studied (73%). Three of these 11 embryos also showed. malformations of semilunar valves. Mesenchymal cells in the outflow tract were abnormally abundant in mutant embryos by E9.5, when the endocardial-mesenchymal transformation starts in wild-type embryos. At E10.5, mutant embryos lacked well-defined spiral endocardial ridges, and the excess of mesenchymal cells obstructed sometimes the outflow tract lumen. Most of this anomalous mesenchyme expressed the smooth muscle cell-specific a-actin isoform, a marker of the neural crest in the outflow tract of the mouse. In wild-type embryos, perlecan is present in the basal surface of myocardium and endocardium, as well as surrounding presumptive neural crest cells. We suggest that the excess of mesenchyme at the earlier stages of conotruncal development precludes the formation of the spiral ridges and the rotation of the septation complex in order to achieve a concordant ventriculoarterial connection. The observed mesenchymal overpopulation might be due to an uncontrolled migration of neural crest cells, which would arrive prematurely to the heart. Thus, perlecan is involved in the control of the outflow tract mesenchymal population size, underscoring the importance of the extracellular matrix in cardiac morphogenesis.
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| 6. |
- Costell, Mercedes, et al.
(author)
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Perlecan maintains the integrity of cartilage and some basement membranes
- 1999
-
In: Journal of Cell Biology. - 0021-9525. ; 147:5, s. 1109-1122
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Perlecan is a heparan sulfate proteoglycan that is expressed in all basement membranes (BMs), in cartilage, and several other mesenchymal tissues during development. Perlecan binds growth factors and interacts with various extracellular matrix proteins and cell adhesion molecules. Homozygous mice with a null mutation in the perlecan gene exhibit normal formation of BMs. However, BMs deteriorate in regions with increased mechanical stress such as the contracting myocardium and the expanding brain vesicles showing that perlecan is crucial for maintaining BM integrity. As a consequence, small clefts are formed in the cardiac muscle leading to blood leakage into the pericardial cavity and an arrest of heart function. The defects in the BM separating the brain from the adjacent mesenchyme caused invasion of brain tissue into the overlaying ectoderm leading to abnormal expansion of neuroepithelium, neuronal ectopias, and exencephaly. Finally, homozygotes developed a severe defect in cartilage, a tissue that lacks BMs. The chondrodysplasia is characterized by a reduction of the fibrillar collagen network, shortened collagen fibers, and elevated expression of cartilage extracellular matrix genes, suggesting that perlecan protects cartilage extracellular matrix from degradation.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Enge, Maria, 1970, et al.
(author)
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Endothelium-specific platelet-derived growth factor-B ablation mimics diabetic retinopathy.
- 2002
-
In: The EMBO journal. - : Wiley. - 0261-4189 .- 1460-2075. ; 21:16, s. 4307-16
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Loss of pericytes from the capillary wall is a hallmark of diabetic retinopathy, however, the pathogenic significance of this phenomenon is unclear. In previous mouse gene knockout models leading to pericyte deficiency, prenatal lethality has so far precluded analysis of postnatal consequences in the retina. We now report that endothelium-restricted ablation of platelet-derived growth factor-B generates viable mice with extensive inter- and intra-individual variation in the density of pericytes throughout the CNS. We found a strong inverse correlation between pericyte density and the formation of a range of retinal microvascular abnormalities strongly reminiscent of those seen in diabetic humans. Proliferative retinopathy invariably developed when pericyte density was <50% of normal. Our data suggest that a reduction of the pericyte density is sufficient to cause retinopathy in mice, implying that pericyte loss may also be a causal pathogenic event in human diabetic retinopathy.
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| 9. |
- Ewerlöf, Sofia, et al.
(author)
-
DN Debatt. ”Låt gräsklipparen stå – för naturens skull”
- 2023
-
In: Dagens nyheter (DN debatt). - 1101-2447.
-
Journal article (pop. science, debate, etc.)abstract
- In an era of species extinction and climate change, we should abandon the well-trimmed lawn and let gardens grow wilder, writes Anna Persson and other researchers and landscape architects on DN Debatt.
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| 10. |
- Fletcher, Kevin, et al.
(author)
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Glucocorticoid response to both predictable and unpredictable challenges detected as corticosterone metabolites in collared flycatcher droppings
- 2018
-
In: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 13:12
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In most vertebrate animals, glucocorticoid hormones are the chief mediators of homeostasis in response to ecological conditions and as they progress through their lifecycle. In addition, glucocorticoids are a major part of the stress response and stress induced elevations of the hormone can make it difficult to assess glucocorticoid secretion in response to changes in life-stage and current environmental conditions in wild animals. Particularly when quantifying circulating levels of glucocorticoids in the blood which fluctuate rapidly in response to stress. An alternative method of quantifying glucocorticoids is as hormone metabolites in faeces or urine giving a historical sample related to the gut passage time and urinary tract that is less sensitive to stressful events which cause spikes in the circulating hormone level. Although the concentration of glucocorticoid metabolites are influenced by faecal mass thereby potentially affecting any differences in hormone metabolites detected amongst samples. In the present study, we aimed to detect changes in levels of corticosterone, the primary bird glucocorticoid, in relation to the phase of reproduction, in a breeding population of collared flycatchers by sampling corticosterone metabolites in droppings. We also tested how corticosterone metabolite concentrations were affected by ambient temperature and related to body condition in adult birds. Our results indicate that the upregulation of corticosterone between incubation and nestling feeding in female birds is crucial for successful reproduction in this species. Also, females appear to downregulate corticosterone during incubation in response to lower ambient temperature and poorer body condition. Our results did not indicate a relationship between dropping mass and corticosterone metabolite concentrations, which suggests that our findings were linked to the regulation of corticosterone in response to predictable and unpredictable challenges.
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| 11. |
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| 12. |
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| 13. |
- Franco, Claudio Areias, et al.
(author)
-
Serum response factor is required for sprouting angiogenesis and vascular integrity
- 2008
-
In: Developmental Cell. - : Elsevier BV. - 1534-5807. ; 15:3, s. 448-461
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Serum response factor (SRF) is a transcription factor that controls the expression of cytoskeletal proteins and immediate early genes in different cell types. Here, we found that SRF expression is restricted to endothelial cells (ECs) of small vessels such as capillaries in the mouse embryo. EC-specific Srf deletion led to aneurysms and hemorrhages from 11.5 days of mouse development (E11.5) and lethality at E14.5. Mutant embryos presented a reduced capillary density and defects in EC migration, with fewer numbers of filopodia in tip cells and ECs showing defects in actin polymerization and intercellular junctions. We show that SRF is essential for the expression of VE-cadherin and beta-actin in ECs both in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, knockdown of SRF in ECs impaired VEGF- and FGF-induced in vitro angiogenesis. Taken together, our results demonstrate that SRF plays an important role in sprouting angiogenesis and small vessel integrity in the mouse embryo.
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| 14. |
- Gustafsson, Erika, et al.
(author)
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Directed evolution of chemotaxis inhibitory protein of Staphylococcus aureus generates biologically functional variants with reduced interaction with human antibodies
- 2010
-
In: Protein Engineering Design & Selection. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1741-0126 .- 1741-0134. ; 23:2, s. 91-101
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Chemotaxis inhibitory protein of Staphylococcus aureus (CHIPS) is a protein that binds and blocks the C5a receptor (C5aR) and formylated peptide receptor, thereby inhibiting the immune cell recruitment associated with inflammation. If CHIPS was less reactive with existing human antibodies, it would be a promising anti-inflammatory drug candidate. Therefore, we applied directed evolution and computational/rational design to the CHIPS gene in order to generate new CHIPS variants displaying lower interaction with human IgG, yet retaining biological function. The optimization was performed in four rounds: one round of random mutagenesis to add diversity into the CHIPS gene and three rounds of DNA recombination by Fragment INduced Diversity (FIND((R))). Every round was screened by phage selection and/or ELISA for decreased interaction with human IgG and retained C5aR binding. The mean binding of human anti-CHIPS IgG decreased with every round of evolution. For further optimization, new amino acid substitutions were introduced by rational design, based on the mutations identified during directed evolution. Finally, seven CHIPS variants with low interaction with human IgG and retained C5aR blocking capacity could be identified.
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| 15. |
- Gustafsson, Erika, et al.
(author)
-
Identification of conformational epitopes for human IgG on chemotaxis inhibitory protein of Staphylococcus aureus
- 2009
-
In: BMC Immunology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2172. ; 10:13
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background The Chemotaxis inhibitory protein of Staphylococcus aureus (CHIPS) blocks the Complement fragment C5a receptor (C5aR) and formylated peptide receptor (FPR) and is thereby a potent inhibitor of neutrophil chemotaxis and activation of inflammatory responses. The majority of the healthy human population has antibodies against CHIPS that have been shown to interfere with its function in vitro. The aim of this study was to define potential epitopes for human antibodies on the CHIPS surface. We also initiate the process to identify a mutated CHIPS molecule that is not efficiently recognized by preformed anti-CHIPS antibodies and retains anti-inflammatory activity. Results In this paper, we panned peptide displaying phage libraries against a pool of CHIPS specific affinity-purified polyclonal human IgG. The selected peptides could be divided into two groups of sequences. The first group was the most dominant with 36 of the 48 sequenced clones represented. Binding to human affinity-purified IgG was verified by ELISA for a selection of peptide sequences in phage format. For further analysis, one peptide was chemically synthesized and antibodies affinity-purified on this peptide were found to bind the CHIPS molecule as studied by ELISA and Surface Plasmon Resonance. Furthermore, seven potential conformational epitopes responsible for antibody recognition were identified by mapping phage selected peptide sequences on the CHIPS surface as defined in the NMR structure of the recombinant CHIPS31-121 protein. Mapped epitopes were verified by in vitro mutational analysis of the CHIPS molecule. Single mutations introduced in the proposed antibody epitopes were shown to decrease antibody binding to CHIPS. The biological function in terms of C5aR signaling was studied by flow cytometry. A few mutations were shown to affect this biological function as well as the antibody binding. Conclusions Conformational epitopes recognized by human antibodies have been mapped on the CHIPS surface and amino acid residues involved in both antibody and C5aR interaction could be defined. This information has implications for the development of an effective anti-inflammatory agent based on a functional CHIPS molecule with low interaction with human IgG.
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| 16. |
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| 17. |
- Gustafsson, Erika
(author)
-
Molecular evolution of a C5aR antagonist against inflammatory disease
- 2009
-
Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- New anti-inflammatory drugs with fewer adverse effects than existing drugs may prove to be useful in the treatment of several inflammatory disorders. A critical step in acute inflammation is the infiltration of neutrophils into tissues. Therefore, molecules that target and inhibit this early inflammatory event are attractive to engineer to suit medical needs. The Chemotaxis Inhibitory Protein of Staphylococcus aureus (CHIPS) binds and blocks the C5a receptor (C5aR) and formylated peptide receptor (FPR) and is therefore a potent inhibitor of activation and migration of neutrophils. However, as the majority of the human population has been exposed to S. aureus, pre-existing antibodies against CHIPS will be present in human sera. This thesis is based on four original papers, with the overall aim to decrease the interaction of CHIPS with pre-existing human IgG in order to tailor it for pharmaceutical purposes. Specific IgG epitopes on the CHIPS surface were mapped by the use of phage displayed random peptide libraries. This study showed that polyclonal CHIPS specific IgGs mainly recognize conformational epitopes exposed on the surface. In addition, amino acid residues in CHIPS that are involved in this interaction, as well as in C5aR inhibition were identified. Directed evolution is a process commonly used to improve certain protein properties without the need for detailed prior knowledge of the protein structure. This can be performed by the use of in vitro DNA recombination, a procedure by which beneficial mutations from a randomly mutated library can be recombined to generate new protein variants. In this thesis, the DNA recombination technology Fragment INduced Diversity (FIND), was applied in combination with molecular modeling and site-directed mutagenesis to generate CHIPS variants with low interaction with human IgG and retained ability to inhibit the C5aR. One CHIPS variant, designated ADC-1004, was selected for further studies. This new CHIPS variant, has high affinity for the C5aR and inhibits it efficiently, despite the truncation and seven mutations that mediate low interaction with pre-existing human IgG.
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| 18. |
- Gustafsson, Erika, et al.
(author)
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Perlecan maintains microvessel integrity in vivo and modulates their formation in vitro.
- 2013
-
In: PLoS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 8:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Perlecan is a heparan sulfate proteoglycan assembled into the vascular basement membranes (BMs) during vasculogenesis. In the present study we have investigated vessel formation in mice, teratomas and embryoid bodies (EBs) in the absence of perlecan. We found that perlecan was dispensable for blood vessel formation and maturation until embryonic day (E) 12.5. At later stages of development 40% of mutant embryos showed dilated microvessels in brain and skin, which ruptured and led to severe bleedings. Surprisingly, teratomas derived from perlecan-null ES cells showed efficient contribution of perlecan-deficient endothelial cells to an apparently normal tumor vasculature. However, in perlecan-deficient EBs the area occupied by an endothelial network and the number of vessel branches were significantly diminished. Addition of FGF-2 but not VEGF(165) rescued the in vitro deficiency of the mutant ES cells. Furthermore, in the absence of perlecan in the EB matrix lower levels of FGFs are bound, stored and available for cell surface presentation. Altogether these findings suggest that perlecan supports the maintenance of brain and skin subendothelial BMs and promotes vasculo- and angiogenesis by modulating FGF-2 function.
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| 19. |
- Gustafsson, Erika, et al.
(author)
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Purification of truncated and mutated chemotaxis inhibitory protein of Staphylococcus aureus—an anti-inflammatory protein
- 2009
-
In: Protein Expression and Purification. - : Elsevier BV. - 1046-5928. ; 63:2, s. 95-101
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Chemotaxis Inhibitory Protein of Staphylococcus aureus (CHIPS) binds and blocks the C5a receptor (C5aR) and formyl-peptide receptor (FPR). This way, CHIPS is a potent inhibitor of the immune cell recruitment associated with inflammation. Truncation of the protein and the introduction of mutations, shifts the expression towards the insoluble fraction of Escherichia coli, whereas the wild-type protein can be solubly expressed. A protocol for expression and tag independent purification of biologically active CHIPS variants has been established to enable further characterization of an improved CHIPS variant, called ADC-1004. The CHIPS variants were purified by washing of E. coli inclusion bodies followed by refolding and gel filtration. New techniques were utilized to optimize the purification process. Expression in inclusion bodies was increased by the use of Ultra Yield™ flasks and optimal refolding conditions were determined by the use of the iFOLD Refolding System 2™. The folding and biological activity of the purified proteins were analyzed by circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and flow cytometry, respectively, and compared to solubly produced CHIPS31–113 and wild-type CHIPS1–121. We show that the CHIPS variants produced in inclusion bodies can be refolded and purified to achieve equal biological activity as solubly produced CHIPS31–113 and wild-type CHIPS1–121. The truncation causes minor structural changes while purification from inclusion bodies or the soluble fraction does not further affect the structure.
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| 20. |
- Gustafsson, Erika, et al.
(author)
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Rehabilitation between institutional and non-institutional forensic psychiatric care : important influences on the transition process.
- 2012
-
In: Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. - : Wiley. - 1351-0126 .- 1365-2850. ; 19, s. 729-737
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- ACCESSIBLE SUMMARY: • All patients cared for in Forensic Psychiatric Care (FPC) have some kind of psychiatric disorder and most of them have committed one or more criminal acts. In addition, several of the patients have alcohol and drug problems. • During the stay in institutional FPC, one part of the rehabilitation program is to prepare the patient for non-institutional FPC. However, several patients fail with the rehabilitation. • This study focuses important aspects that influence the patients' ability to manage their rehabilitation through admission to non-institutional FPC, viewed from different caregivers' perspective. • The transition is influenced by a well-planned care plan, together with a suitable non-institutional dwelling and a tailored occupation. A major barrier for successful admission was whether the patients managed their own finances or not. Other important areas were having a well-functioning and trusting social network and a good relationship with a contact person. ABSTRACT: All patients cared for in forensic psychiatric care (FPC) have some kind of psychiatric disorder and most of them have committed one or more criminal acts. One part of the patient's rehabilitation is the transition from institutional to non-institutional FPC, but a number of patients do not succeed. The aim of this study was to elucidate different caregivers' experiences of aspects that influence the patients' ability to manage this rehabilitation. A qualitative approach was chosen. Data were collected by interviews in two focus groups, each group comprising of six caregivers representing both institutional and non-institutional FPC. The transcribed interviews were analysed using a qualitative content analysis. Important aspects influencing the patients' transition described were a well-planned care plan, together with a suitable non-institutional dwelling and a tailored occupation. Other important areas were having a well-functioning and trusting social network and a good relationship with a contact person/advocate. A major barrier to a successful transition was whether the patients managed their own finances or not. It was stated that it is important that the patients participate in the care and that different authorities create individual conditions and flexible solutions. All of these factors are important to focus on when caring for patients during their stay in the institutional FPC.
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| 21. |
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| 22. |
- Gustafsson, Lisa, 1975-
(author)
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Endogenous Opioids and Voluntary Ethanol Drinking : Consequences of Postnatal Environmental Influences in Rats
- 2007
-
Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Genetic and environmental factors interact to determine the individual vulnerability to develop ethanol dependence. The neurobiological mechanisms underlying these processes are not fully understood. Endogenous opioid peptides have been suggested to contribute. Brain opioids mediate ethanol reward and reinforcement via actions on the mesocorticolimbic dopamine system. This thesis focuses on environmental factors and investigates the impact of the early-life environment on adult voluntary ethanol consumption. The possible involvement of opioid peptides in environmental influences on adult ethanol consumption was examined using an experimental animal model. Maternal separation with short 15 min separations (MS15) was used to simulate a safe environment whereas prolonged 360 min separations (MS360) simulated an unsafe environment. Control rats were subjected to normal animal facility rearing (AFR). The separations were performed daily from postnatal day 1 to 21. Long-term ethanol consumption was registered using a two-bottle or a four-bottle free-choice paradigm in adult male and female ethanol-preferring AA (Alko, Alcohol), ethanol-avoiding ANA (Alko, Non-Alcohol) and non-preferring Wistar rats. In addition, analyses of immunoreactive Met-enkephalin-Arg6Phe7 (MEAP), dynorphin B (DYNB) and nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) peptide levels were performed after maternal separation as well as after voluntary ethanol drinking. In male rats, MS15 was related to lower ethanol consumption and these rats preferred lower concentrations, whereas MS360 was associated with an increased risk for higher consumption and/or preference for higher ethanol concentrations. Differences in basal opioid levels were observed in MS15 and MS360 rats. Furthermore, the ethanol-induced effects on opioid peptides in adults were dependent on the early environment. Female rats, on the other hand, were less affected or unaffected by maternal separation both in terms of ethanol consumption and neurobiological effects. Taken together, voluntary ethanol drinking, preference for low or high ethanol concentrations and opioid peptides in brain areas related to reward and reinforcement, motivation and stress were influenced by postnatal maternal separation in a sex dependent manner. The early environment thus had profound impact on the adult brain and the individual propensity for high ethanol drinking. A deranged endogenous opioid system contributed to these effects and may act as a mediator for long-term environmental influence on voluntary ethanol consumption.
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| 23. |
- Herzog, C, et al.
(author)
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Dystroglycan in skin and cutaneous cells: beta-subunit is shed from the cell surface
- 2004
-
In: Journal of Investigative Dermatology. - 1523-1747. ; 122:6, s. 1372-1380
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In skin, hemidesmosomal protein complexes attach the epidermis to the dermis and are critical for stable connection of the basal epithelial cell cytoskeleton with the basement membrane (BM). In muscle, a similar supramolecular aggregate, the dystrophin glycoprotein complex links the inside of muscle cells with the BM. A component of the muscle complex, dystroglycan (DG), also occurs in epithelia. In this study, we characterized the expression and biochemical properties of authentic and recombinant DG in human skin and cutaneous cells in vitro. We show that DG is present at the epidermal BM zone, and it is produced by both keratinocytes and fibroblasts in vitro. The biosynthetic precursor is efficiently processed to the alpha- and beta-DG subunits; and, in addition, a distinct extracellular segment of the transmembranous beta-subunit is shed from the cell surface by metalloproteinases. Shedding of the beta-subunit releases the alpha-subunit from the DG complex on the cell surface into the extracellular space. The shedding is enhanced by IL-1beta and phorbol esters, and inhibited by metalloproteinase inhibitors. Deficiency of perlecan, a major ligand of alpha-DG, enhanced shedding suggesting that lack of a binding partner destabilizes the epithelial DG complex and makes it accessible to proteolytic processing.
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| 24. |
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| 25. |
- Kang, TB, et al.
(author)
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Caspase-8 serves both apoptotic and nonapoptotic roles
- 2004
-
In: Journal of Immunology. - 1550-6606. ; 173:5, s. 2976-2984
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Knockout of caspase-8, a cysteine protease that participates in the signaling for cell death by receptors of the TNF/nerve growth factor family, is lethal to mice in utero. To explore tissue-specific roles of this enzyme, we established its conditional knockout using the Cre/loxP recombination system. Consistent with its role in cell death induction, deletion of caspase-8 in hepatocytes protected them from Fas-induced caspase activation and death. However, application of the conditional knockout approach to investigate the cause of death of caspase-8 knockout embryos revealed that this enzyme also serves cellular functions that are nonapoptotic. Its deletion in endothelial cells resulted in degeneration of the yolk sac vasculature and embryonal death due to circulatory failure. Caspase-8 deletion in bone-marrow cells resulted in arrest of hemopoietic progenitor functioning, and in cells of the myelomonocytic lineage, its deletion led to arrest of differentiation into macrophages and to cell death. Thus, besides participating in cell death induction by receptors of the TNF/nerve growth factor family, caspase-8, apparently independently of these receptors, also mediates nonapoptotic and perhaps even antiapoptotic activities.
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| 26. |
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| 27. |
- Knutsson, Erika, 1975-
(author)
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Bundling for consumers? : Understanding complementarity and its effect on consumers' preferences and satisfaction
- 2011
-
Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- It is a common market practice to offer two products in a package, so called bundling. While much research investigate how companies can use bundling to increase sales and profit, less is known about how bundling can be beneficial for consumers. There are many advantages with bundling for consumers, as bundles often are offered at a reduced price and provide convenience and reduced risk. But there are also major drawbacks, for example reduced freedom of choice and increased risk of over-consumption. In the present study, the general aim is to increase the understanding of how consumers’ perceive bundle value. To achieve this, focus is turned to bundle composition, more specifically the complementarity between bundle products, as a source of value for consumers. By exploring what complementarity is, how it influences consumer preferences for and satisfaction with bundles and how it interacts with bundle discount insights about the overall value of bundles for consumers is gained. In five scenario-based experiments, the influence of different kinds and different degrees of complementarity on consumers’ perceptions of bundle value is studied and compared to evaluations of separate products. The results show that bundles generally are not preferred over separate products and that they only exceptionally provide more satisfaction. However, the results also highlight the influence of bundle composition on consumer evaluations. Generally, bundle complementarity has a positive effect on preferences and satisfaction, especially when combined with a discount. The results also illustrates that complementarity is a multifaceted concept. Many kinds of relations between bundle products are considered complementary and the degree of complementarity may vary within and between different types of complementarity. Based on the results it is suggested that the notion of complementarity is closely related to consumers’ everyday practices and the value bundles provides in use. When consumers understand the value that bundle products provide in use, the perceived complementarity increases and preferences and satisfaction is positively influenced. It is suggested that bundling can be used as a strategic tool by companies to increase value for customers. By considering their customers’ needs and practices companies can compose bundles that are perceived as complementary and offer value-in-use.
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| 28. |
- Kvist, Alexander, et al.
(author)
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Chondroitin sulfate perlecan enhances collagen fibril formation - Implications for perlecan chondrodysplasias
- 2006
-
In: Journal of Biological Chemistry. - 1083-351X. ; 281:44, s. 33127-33139
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Inactivation of the perlecan gene leads to perinatal lethal chondrodysplasia. The similarity to the phenotypes of the Col2A1 knock-out and the disproportionate micromelia mutation suggests perlecan involvement in cartilage collagen matrix assembly. We now present a mechanism for the defect in collagen type II fibril assembly by perlecan-null chondrocytes. Cartilage perlecan is a heparin sulfate or a mixed heparan sulfate/ chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan. The latter form binds collagen and accelerates fibril formation in vitro, with more defined fibril morphology and increased fibril diameters produced in the presence of perlecan. Interestingly, the enhancement of collagen fibril formation is independent on the core protein and is mimicked by chondroitin sulfate E but neither by chondroitin sulfate D nor dextran sulfate. Furthermore, perlecan chondroitin sulfate contains the 4,6-disulfated disaccharides typical for chondroitin sulfate E. Indeed, purified glycosaminoglycans from perlecan-enriched fractions of cartilage extracts contain elevated levels of 4,6-disulfated chondroitin sulfate disaccharides and enhance collagen fibril formation. The effect on collagen assembly is proportional to the content of the 4,6- disulfated disaccharide in the different cartilage extracts, with growth plate cartilage glycosaminoglycan being the most efficient enhancer. These findings demonstrate a role for perlecan chondroitin sulfate side chains in cartilage extracellular matrix assembly and provide an explanation for the perlecan-null chondrodysplasia.
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| 29. |
- Lindberg, Karolin, et al.
(author)
-
Validation of the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP-64) : a comparison of Swedish female outpatients with anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa and controls
- 2018
-
In: Nordic Journal of Psychiatry. - : Taylor & Francis. - 0803-9488 .- 1502-4725. ; 72:5, s. 347-353
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- AIM: The aim of the study was to explore the psychometric properties of the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP-64) and to compare levels of interpersonal distress in Swedish female outpatients with anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa with age- and gender-matched controls.METHODS: Totally, 401 participants were included; anorexia nervosa (n = 74), bulimia nervosa (n = 85) and controls (n = 242). All participants completed the IIP-64. The eating disorder (ED) patients also filled out the Eating Disorder Inventory-2/3 (EDI).RESULTS: Internal consistency of IIP-64 was acceptable to high. Principal component analyses with varimax rotation of the IIP-64 subscales confirmed the circumplex structure with two underlying orthogonal dimensions; affiliation and dominance. Significant correlations between EDI-3 composite scales ineffectiveness and interpersonal problems and IIP-64 were found. ED patients reported higher levels of interpersonal distress than controls on all but one subscale (intrusive/needy).CONCLUSIONS: IIP-64 can be considered to have acceptable to good reliability and validity in a Swedish ED sample. IIP-64 can be a useful complement in assessment of interpersonal problems in ED.
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| 30. |
- Lindgren, Timmy, et al.
(author)
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Psychiatry Nurses' Experiences of Patient-Initiated Brief Admission from Inpatient and Outpatient Perspectives : A Qualitative Exploratory Study
- 2024
-
In: Issues in Mental Health Nursing. - 1096-4673. ; , s. 1-10
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Patient-initiated brief admission (PIBA) allows patients to decide when admission to psychiatric care is necessary. This may prevent long-term hospitalisation and promote patient participation. Research on psychiatric nurses' experiences with PIBA is lacking, therefore 11 nurses were interviewed and data analysed using content analysis. Prominent categories were: improved personal development for the patient, more equal nurse-patient relationship, rapid access to a safe environment and strengthened professional collaboration. PIBA is a helpful intervention for patients in crisis, giving both patients and nurses a sense of security. Future studies should explore how this impacts nurses' work environment and job satisfaction.
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| 31. |
- Lundberg, Martin, et al.
(author)
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Multiplexed Homogeneous Proximity Ligation Assays for High-throughput Protein Biomarker Research in Serological Material
- 2011
-
In: Molecular & Cellular Proteomics. - 1535-9476 .- 1535-9484. ; 10:4, s. M110.004978-
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A high throughput protein biomarker discovery tool has been developed based on multiplexed proximity ligation assays in a homogeneous format in the sense of no washing steps. The platform consists of four 24-plex panels profiling 74 putative biomarkers with sub-pM sensitivity each consuming only 1 mu l of human plasma sample. The system uses either matched monoclonal antibody pairs or the more readily available single batches of affinity purified polyclonal antibodies to generate the target specific reagents by covalently linking with unique nucleic acid sequences. These paired sequences are united by DNA ligation upon simultaneous target binding forming a PCR amplicon. Multiplex proximity ligation assays thereby converts multiple target analytes into real-time PCR amplicons that are individually quantified using microfluidic high capacity qPCR in nano liter volumes. The assay shows excellent specificity, even in multiplex, by its dual recognition feature, its proximity requirement, and most importantly by using unique sequence specific reporter fragments on both antibody-based probes. To illustrate the potential of this protein detection technology, a pilot biomarker research project was performed using biobanked plasma samples for the detection of colorectal cancer using a multivariate signature.
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| 32. |
- Lundby, Erika
(author)
-
Consuming for friendship : Children´s perceptions of relational consumption
- 2014
-
Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Swedish children have, from a historical perspective and compared with many other countries, greater economic resources and a higher material living standard. However, there is a widening gap between affluent and vulnerable households in Sweden. At the same time, children are targets for significant pressure to consume in order to gain inclusion among peers. This thesis aims to investigate how children, between the ages of 9 and 12, perceive consumption, as part of their social life among peers. Children’s own perspectives are central throughout the thesis. Therefore, an additional aim is to make a contribution to the debate concerning how to interpret children in their roles as consumers. A research overview of Nordic consumer research relating to tweens was carried out. Thereafter, empirical data was collected through projective focus group interviews and drawings. In total, 101 children, from four different schools, participated in the study. The location and prestige of the schools confirms that the selected children were mixed in terms of class and ethnicity. The results are presented in four articles that provide different segments in the understanding of how children perceive consumption in their social life among peers. In the summary chapters, a synthesized analysis shows, among other things, that most children perceived consumption as a useful tool to enhance social relationships with peers. However, some children expressed moral values concerning consumption, where they emphasised that it felt “wrong to buy friends”. Moreover, the children’s perceptions of consumption varied depending on age, gender and neighbourhood. The analysis suggests that we need to address children both as competent and dependent individuals, in order to gain a more nuanced understanding of children as consumers. Additionally, a new concept, relational consumption, is developed from the children’s perceptions of consumption, principally referring to consumption used to create, strengthen and maintain social relationships. In summary: the work presented in this thesis contributes to increase the knowledge about 9 to 12 year old children’s perceptions of consumption in today’s Swedish society and demonstrates the importance for social work to address the aspect of relational consumption.
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| 33. |
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| 34. |
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| 35. |
- Majoros, Erika, 1984, et al.
(author)
-
Four decades of measuring attitude towards mathematics
- 2020
-
In: National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME) Annual Meeting, September 9-11, 2020, digital event.
-
Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The present study aims to evaluate the feasibility of linking two mathematics attitude scales in international large-scale assessments on mathematics from 1980 to 2015. The purpose is to provide a basis for investigating long-term trends in non-cognitive educational outcomes. Preliminary results show great possibilities for linking.
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| 36. |
- Majoros, Erika, 1984, et al.
(author)
-
Four decades of measuring attitude towards mathematics
- 2020
-
In: European Conference on Educational Research (ECER) European Educational Research Association (EERA), canceled.
-
Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Descriptive findings from twenty years of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) suggest that promoting enjoyment and self-confidence in relation to mathematics might be important policy goals even without expecting them to boost achievement (Mullis, Martin, and Loveless, 2016). This suggestion regards attitude as another important outcome of education as it was classified in the First International Mathematics Study (Husén, 1967). Therefore, investigating the measurement of attitudes towards mathematics over time may result in implications for policy besides methodological advancements given the challenges of this approach. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the feasibility of linking mathematics attitude scales in international large-scale assessments on mathematics from 1980 to 2015. Data is drawn from SIMS, administered in 1980, and all the TIMSS cycles, repeated in every fourth year since 1995. Six educational systems, which have participated in all time points have been chosen, England, Hong Kong, Hungary, Israel, Japan, and the United States. We used data from the populations of grade eight or equivalent and items from the scales of extrinsic motivation. Document analysis is conducted using the international reports of the respective studies to evaluate the degrees of similarity by employing the scheme suggested by Kolen and Brennan (2004). Furthermore, we explore overlaps in the instruments by identifying similar and identical common items of the student questionnaires. Measurement invariance across cycles and between countries is evaluated with the multiple group factor analysis alignment method (Asparouhov & Muthén, 2014). Preliminary results show great possibilities for linking the scales in terms of the degree of similarity between the studies. The present study provides an empirical starting point for a long-term linking of non-cognitive scales measuring attitude toward mathematics from 1980 to 2015. Long-term trends of the non-cognitive outcomes might reveal empirical evidence supporting the significance of promoting enjoyment and self-confidence in relation to mathematics.
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| 37. |
- Majoros, Erika, 1984, et al.
(author)
-
Measures of long-term trends in mathematics: linking large-scale assessments over 50 years
- 2021
-
In: Educational Assessment Evaluation and Accountability. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1874-8597 .- 1874-8600. ; 33:1, s. 71-103
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- International comparative assessments of student achievement are constructed to assess country-level differences and change over time. A coherent understanding of the international trends in educational outcomes is strongly needed as suggested by numerous previous studies. Investigating these trends requires long-term analysis, as substantial changes on the system level are rarely observed regarding student outcomes in short periods (i.e., between adjacent international assessment cycles). The present study aims to link recent and older studies conducted by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) onto a common scale to study long-term trends within and across countries. It explores the comparability of the achievement tests of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study and previous IEA studies on mathematics in grade eight. Employing item response theory, we perform a concurrent calibration of item parameters to link the eight studies onto a common scale spanning the period from 1964 to 2015 using data from England, Israel, Japan, and the USA.
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| 38. |
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| 39. |
- Mewes, Daniela, et al.
(author)
-
Evaluation Methods for Photovoltaic Installations on Existing Buildings at the KTH Campus in Stockholm, Sweden
- 2017
-
In: International Conference - Alternative And Renewable Energy Quest (AREQ 2017). - : Elsevier. ; , s. 409-422
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The aim of this project is to investigate and evaluate the suitable area on the existing buildings at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) campus for the installation of solar PV panels along with the resulting potential for electricity production. The building evaluations were conducted to determine the available campus rooftops that could be utilized by eliminating those with visible contributions to shading. Two sample buildings were chosen for further simulation in the software PVsyst. The results of the simulation were further evaluated in terms of losses and applied to the whole campus suitable area in order to determine a total potential energy production. The resulting electricity production through PV installation was significantly lower in comparison to the total building energy consumption. Therefore, the importance of reducing energy usage and increasing energy efficiency is highlighted instead of focusing on renewable energy installations. This may result in a greater contribution from PV panels to the share of energy production in the future, making the campus more self-reliant and less dependent on the grid.
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| 40. |
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| 41. |
- Nyman-Carlsson, Erika, 1982-
(author)
-
Anorexia nervosa - The journey towards recovery : A randomized controlled treatment trial: assessment, prediction, treatment outcome and clinical change
- 2021
-
Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The overall aim of this thesis was to study young adult women with anorexia nervosa (AN) participating in an randomized controlled trial in relation to assessment, treatment outcome, prediction, and clinical change. The results confirm the Eating Disorder Inventory-3 as a valid instrument for measuring eating disorder symptoms and general psychopathology. AN patients, however, rate themselves significantly lower than patients with other eating disorder diagnoses, and interoceptive deficits are the best predictive subscale for AN diagnosis. Patients significantly improved in terms of weight and eating disorder psychopathology, with no differences between individual CBT and family therapy (FT). Most patients did not fulfill the diagnostic criteria at post-assessment, at 76% and 86% at followup. Patients in FT were considered completers to a higher extent than patients receiving CBT, and 8% were prematurely discharged, in comparison to 30% for CBT. Bulimic symptoms and emotional dysregulation at baseline had a negative effect on diagnostic symptoms, and lower levels of interoceptive deficits predicted weight increase in the FT group. Lower levels of emotional dysregulation and higher levels of interoceptive deficits explained 37% of the variance in BMI changes in the CBT group. The classifications of CS/RCI were shown to be valid when compared to normal controls. Patients classified as clinically significantly improved constituted 35-47% of all patients, and only three patients fulfilled the proposed definition of recovery. The agreement of the diagnostic criteria was fair.The results suggest that individual CBT and FT are effective treatments for young adults. The ability to acknowledge, interpret, and handle emotions is an important aspect of treatment. Self-report measurements are useful for evaluating individual changes; however, diagnostic criteria do not accord with self-reported symptom changes and physical, behavioral, and psychological measurements are important for a complete estimation of recovery.
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| 42. |
- Nyman-Carlsson, Erika, 1982-, et al.
(author)
-
Individual cognitive behavioral therapy and combined family/individual therapy for young adults with Anorexia nervosa : A randomized controlled trial
- 2020
-
In: Psychotherapy Research. - : Routledge. - 1050-3307 .- 1468-4381. ; 30:8, s. 1011-1025
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: In this study, we evaluate the efficacy of outpatient individual cognitive behavioral therapy for young adults (CBT-YA) and combined family/individual therapy for young adults (FT-YA) for anorexia nervosa (AN).METHOD: Participants (aged 17-24 years) with AN in Sweden were recruited and assigned to 18 months of CBT-YA or FT-YA. Treatment efficacy was assessed primarily using BMI, presence of diagnosis, and degree of eating-related psychopathology at post-treatment and follow-up. Secondary outcomes included depression and general psychological psychopathology. The trial was registered at http://www.isrctn.com/, ISRCTN (25181390).RESULTS: Seventy-eight participants were randomized, and seventy-four of them received allocated treatment and provided complete data. Clinical outcomes from within groups resulted in significant improvements for both groups. BMI increased from baseline (CBT-YA 16.49; FT-YA 16.54) to post-treatment (CBT-YA 19.61; FT-YA 19.33) with high effect sizes. The rate of weight restoration was 64.9% in the CBT-YA group and 83.8% in the FT-YA group. The rate of recovery was 76% in both groups at post-treatment, and at follow-up, 89% and 81% had recovered in the CBT-YA and FT-YA groups respectively.CONCLUSIONS: Outpatient CBT-YA and FT-YA appear to be of benefit to young adults with AN in terms of weight restoration and reduced eating disorder and general psychopathology.
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| 43. |
- Nyman-Carlsson, Erika, 1982-, et al.
(author)
-
Predictors of outcome among young adult patients with anorexia nervosa in a randomised controlled trial
- 2019
-
In: European eating disorders review. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 1072-4133 .- 1099-0968. ; 27:1, s. 76-85
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: The prognosis in cases of anorexia nervosa (AN) is unsatisfactory, and it is therefore important to examine pretreatment predictors of outcome.METHODS: Female AN patients (N = 74) included in a randomised controlled trial receiving individual cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) or family-based treatment (FBT) were included. Predictors of the outcome were explored using pretreatment eating disorder psychopathology.RESULTS: In the CBT group, lower levels of emotional dysregulation and greater deficits in identifying and coping with inner states were predictors of weight increase, explaining 37.7% of the variance. In the FBT group, lower interoceptive deficits predicted an increase in weight (explaining 17.7% of the variance), whereas bulimic behaviour (32.4%) and problems with emotional regulation (23.3%) were predictors of increased diagnostic symptoms.CONCLUSIONS: Bulimic symptoms and the ability to identify and cope with emotional states appear to be important aspects that should be addressed in the treatment of young adult patients with AN.
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| 44. |
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| 45. |
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| 46. |
- Rapp [Nordin], Erika, et al.
(author)
-
Preference for full-fat over low-fat foods among individuals suffering from coronary heart disease and healthy controls
- 2009
-
In: Physiology and Behavior. - : Elsevier. - 0031-9384 .- 1873-507X. ; 98:4, s. 489-497
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Dietary behaviour can modify the risks for coronary heart disease (CHD). Dietary fat contributes to the sensory characteristics of many foods, but there are individual differences in liking for regular and reduced fat products. Preference for dietary fat might differ between healthy individuals and those of diagnosed CHD status. Preference for full-fat versus low-fat foods was assessed in a group suffering from CHD (N = 24) and a healthy control group (N = 41). Preferences were evaluated using a series of paired preference tests including 34 food pairs. Further, patterns across fat preference and a range of known risk factors for CHD were examined. The study was conducted in Sweden; March 2004 until May 2006. Overall the full-fat food items were preferred to the low-fat alternatives by both patients and control participants. The pattern of preference responses diverged significantly between patients and controls on only four of the 34 food items, in both directions, why preference related to total fat content per se is not confirmed as differentiating significantly between a group diagnosed with CHD compared to a healthy control group.
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| 47. |
- Rapp [Nordin], Erika, 1970-
(author)
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Sensory, attitudinal, and contextual aspects of the meal : health implications and connections with risk factors for coronary heart disease and obesity
- 2008
-
Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Det övergripande syftet var att undersöka mat- och måltidsrelaterade faktorer som bidragande orsak till övervikt och hjärt-kärlsjukdom.I en sensorisk studie jämfördes individer som insjuknat i hjärtinfarkt med en frisk kontroll-grupp med avseende på preferens för mat med hög respektive låg fetthalt, smakkänslighet för grundsmakerna (surt, beskt, salt, sött, umami och metalliskt) samt det beska ämnet 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP). Undersökningsgruppen hade mer ogynnsam metabolisk profil, vilket kan indikera högre intag av fet, energirik mat och mindre intag av frukt och grönsaker, jämfört med kontrollgruppen. Det påvisades emellertid ingen signifikant skillnad i smakkänslighet mel-lan grupperna. När grupperna slogs samman konstaterades däremot att känslighet för surt var relaterat till lågt body mass index (BMI), och känslighet för beska var relaterat till lågt HDL-kolesterol samt högt BMI och bukfetma. Det indikerar ett samband mellan riskprofil, smak-känslighet och matvanor. Upplevd beska kan vara en bidragande orsak till låg konsumtion av frukt och grönsaker. Båda grupperna föredrog generellt mat med hög fetthalt, varför preferens för hög fetthalt i sig inte kan anses vara en bidragande riskfaktor för insjuknande i hjärtinfarkt. För hälften av rätterna påvisades emellertid ingen signifikant skillnad i preferens för hög- respek-tive låg fetthalt. För att undersöka hur sensoriska egenskaper förändras vid olika fetthalter stu-derades två såser med varierande smörmängd. Totalt sett minskade smakegenskaperna (tomat, vitlök, timjan, kyckling, syrlighet) när mer smör tillsattes, medan smörsmaken och såsernas vis-kositet ökade. Stor skillnad i smörmängd (energiinnehåll) frambringar däremot endast små smakförändringar.I en enkätstudie påvisades att matvanor och inställning till mat och hälsa skilde sig mellan män och kvinnor samt beroende av BMI. En klusteranalys resulterade i tre grupper, varav en grupp med jämn könsfördelning som i genomsnitt hade högre BMI och sämre matvanor. I den gruppen ingick kvinnor som är mindre intresserade av sin hälsa och män som är mer fokuserade på mat som njutning, vilket indikerar att orsakerna till ohälsosamma matvanor skiljer sig mellan kvinnor och män. I en öppen fråga beskrevs essensen i en god måltid innefatta både krav på maten (råvaror, maträtter, menyer, sensoriska egenskaper samt näring och mättnad) och krav på sammanhanget (estetik, gemenskap, lugn och ro, och sinnesstämning). Att identifiera indivi-ders olika anspråk på en god måltid kan vara komplementära kunskaper till hjälp vid föränd-ring av mat- och måltidsvanor. Slutligen bidrog en litteraturfördjupning till kunskaper om mat- måltidsupplevelser med fokus på uppskattning och tillfredsställelse i relation till hälsotillstånd.Resultaten indikerar att det är av betydelse att identifiera enskilda individers förutsättningar och preferenser för mat och måltider vad gäller smak, matvanor och kontext i vardagen för att underlätta intervention och hälsofrämjande arbete.
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| 48. |
- Rapp [Nordin], Erika, et al.
(author)
-
The sensory effect of butter in culinary sacues
- 2007
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In: Journal of Foodservice. - : Blackwell Publishing. - 1748-0159 .- 1748-0140. ; 18:1, s. 31-42
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A common belief is that when butter is added to food, a more desired flavour develops and that other flavours are enhanced. The aim of this study was to investigate how different amounts of added butter affected the perceived sensory characteristics of tomato sauce and chicken velouté using sensory analysis. In addition, a preference test was performed for tomato sauce. As more butter was added, the intensity of butter flavour and the viscosity increased, and the other flavour, aroma and taste attributes tested were perceived as being less intense in varying magnitudes. No significant difference was obtained in the preference study, except liking of the appearance among the men who preferred the sauce containing less butter. The results show that a large amount of butter is not always essential, unless it is the flavour and aroma of butter itself that is sought, or if it is necessary to balance the flavour, taste and texture attributes. These results could have a positive health effect for consumers if the use of fat in restaurant kitchens is reduced.
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| 49. |
- Ringvall, Maria, 1969-
(author)
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Functions of Heparan Sulfate During Mouse Development : Studies of Mice with Genetically Altered Heparan Sulfate Biosynthesis
- 2004
-
Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Heparan sulfate (HS) is a ubiquitous polysaccharide on the cell surface and in the extracellular matrix. HS is an important actor in the regulation of cell signaling, especially in the developing embryo. In combination with cell culture and biochemical experiments, in vivo studies of genetically modified animals have pointed out the sulfation pattern of HS as highly important for binding of ligands, their receptors and other signaling modulators.The sulfation pattern of an HS chain is gained by several modifying steps, performed by multiple enzymes during biosynthesis in the Golgi apparatus. By alterations of sulfation pattern, and the amount of sulfate groups, a cell can regulate the binding properties of its HS to different molecules. The most highly sulfated form of HS is called heparin, and can only be found intracellularly in mast cells.This thesis describes the phenotypes and the alterations in HS/heparin biosynthesis of two genetically modified mouse strains deficient in N-deacetylase/N-sulfotransferase-1 (NDST1) and -2 (NDST2) respectively. We have found NDST1 to be important for correct sulfation of HS and that NDST2 is crucial in heparin biosynthesis. NDST2 deficient mice completely lack heparin and therefore have a severe mast cell phenotype. NDST1 deficient mice produce undersulfated HS and show several developmental disturbances. Some NDST1 embryos die in utero while the rest die neonatally due to breathing difficulties. Defect brain, eye and skeletal development has also been observed while some organs, such as the liver, appear to be largely unaffected. Several phenotypes are similar to defects seen in other mouse strains with impaired fibroblast growth factor and bone morphogenetic protein signaling, among others. This suggests the phenotypes of NDST1 deficient embryos to be of a multi factorial origin, in complete accordance to the many signaling pathways HS is suggested to modulate.
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| 50. |
- Roman, Erika, et al.
(author)
-
Behavioral profiles and stress-induced corticosteroid secretion in male Wistar rats subjected to short and prolonged periods of maternal separation
- 2006
-
In: Hormones and Behavior. - : Elsevier BV. - 0018-506X .- 1095-6867. ; 50:5, s. 736-747
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Early life experiences are important for the development of neurobiobehavioral mechanisms and subsequent establishment of mental functions. In experimental animals, early life experiences can be studied using the maternal separation model. Maternal separation has been described to induce neurobiological changes and thus affect brain function, mental state and behavior. We have established a protocol in order to study the effects of repeated short and prolonged periods of maternal separation during the postnatal period on adult neurochemistry, voluntary ethanol intake and behavior. In the present experiment, we focus on the long-term effects of maternal separation on exploration and risk assessment behavior as well corticosteroid secretion. Rat pups were assigned to 15 min (MS15) or 360 min (MS360) of daily maternal separation and normal animal facility rearing (AFR) during postnatal days 1-21. To establish the adult behavioral profile in male rats, three tests were used: the Concentric Square Field (CSF), the Open Field (OF) and the Elevated Plus-maze (EPM). No differences between the three experimental groups were found in the traditional OF and EPM tests. The CSF test indicated that the MS360 rats were more explorative and expressed an altered risk assessment and risk-taking profile. In response to a restraint stress, MS360 rats had a blunted corticosterone release in contrast to MS15 and AFR rats. In contrast to previous results, the outcome of the present investigation does not support the notion that a prolonged period of maternal separation results in an adult phenotype characterized by an increased emotional reactivity.
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