| 1. |
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| 2. |
- Beal, Jacob, et al.
(författare)
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Robust estimation of bacterial cell count from optical density
- 2020
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Ingår i: Communications Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2399-3642. ; 3:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Optical density (OD) is widely used to estimate the density of cells in liquid culture, but cannot be compared between instruments without a standardized calibration protocol and is challenging to relate to actual cell count. We address this with an interlaboratory study comparing three simple, low-cost, and highly accessible OD calibration protocols across 244 laboratories, applied to eight strains of constitutive GFP-expressing E. coli. Based on our results, we recommend calibrating OD to estimated cell count using serial dilution of silica microspheres, which produces highly precise calibration (95.5% of residuals <1.2-fold), is easily assessed for quality control, also assesses instrument effective linear range, and can be combined with fluorescence calibration to obtain units of Molecules of Equivalent Fluorescein (MEFL) per cell, allowing direct comparison and data fusion with flow cytometry measurements: in our study, fluorescence per cell measurements showed only a 1.07-fold mean difference between plate reader and flow cytometry data.
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| 3. |
- Jacobsson, Lars, et al.
(författare)
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ADHD : Diagnostik och behandling, vårdens organisation och patientens delaktigheten systematisk litteraturöversikt
- 2013
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Rapport (refereegranskat)abstract
- ADHD En funktionsnedsättning med debut i baranåren. Kärmsymtom karaktäriseras av uppmärksamhetsproblem, impulsivitet ioch hyperaktivitet.I ett antal fall sker en normalisering eller mognadsprocess, i andra fall kan någon form av psykisk ohälsa förekommma samtidigt. Den diagnostiska utredningen är omfattande, och både instrument för diagnostik och den diagnostiska processen bör undersökas bättre.Många olika insatser och behandlingar, förutom läkemedel förekommer idag, men kunskapen om eras nytta, risker och kostnader måste förbättras. Vissa läkemedel lindrar ADHD symtom vid korttidsbehandling, men nyttan av långtidsbehandling går inte att bedöma. Vanliga biverjkningar av dessa läkemedel är illamående och nedsatt aptit, för barn viktminskning och pulsökning.
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| 4. |
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| 5. |
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| 6. |
- Mishra, A, et al.
(författare)
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Diminishing benefits of urban living for children and adolescents' growth and development
- 2023
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Ingår i: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1476-4687 .- 0028-0836. ; 615:7954, s. 874-883
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Optimal growth and development in childhood and adolescence is crucial for lifelong health and well-being1–6. Here we used data from 2,325 population-based studies, with measurements of height and weight from 71 million participants, to report the height and body-mass index (BMI) of children and adolescents aged 5–19 years on the basis of rural and urban place of residence in 200 countries and territories from 1990 to 2020. In 1990, children and adolescents residing in cities were taller than their rural counterparts in all but a few high-income countries. By 2020, the urban height advantage became smaller in most countries, and in many high-income western countries it reversed into a small urban-based disadvantage. The exception was for boys in most countries in sub-Saharan Africa and in some countries in Oceania, south Asia and the region of central Asia, Middle East and north Africa. In these countries, successive cohorts of boys from rural places either did not gain height or possibly became shorter, and hence fell further behind their urban peers. The difference between the age-standardized mean BMI of children in urban and rural areas was <1.1 kg m–2 in the vast majority of countries. Within this small range, BMI increased slightly more in cities than in rural areas, except in south Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and some countries in central and eastern Europe. Our results show that in much of the world, the growth and developmental advantages of living in cities have diminished in the twenty-first century, whereas in much of sub-Saharan Africa they have amplified.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Ulf, Forsberg, et al.
(författare)
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A high blood level in the venous chamber and a wet-stored dialyzer help to reduce exposure for microemboli during hemodialysis
- 2013
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Ingår i: Hemodialysis International. - : Wiley. - 1492-7535 .- 1542-4758. ; 17:4, s. 612-617
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- During hemodialysis (HD), microemboli develop in the blood circuit of the apparatus. These microemboli can pass through the venous chamber and enter into the patient's circulation. The aim of this study was to investigate whether it is possible to reduce the risk for exposure of microemboli by altering of the treatment mode. Twenty patients on chronic HD were randomized to a prospective cross-over study of three modes of HD: (a) a dry-stored dialyzer (F8HPS, Fresenius, steam sterilized) with a low blood level in the venous chamber (DL), (b) the same dialyzer as above, but with a high level in the venous chamber (DH), and (c) a wet-stored dialyzer (Rexeed, Asahi Kasei Medical, gamma sterilized) with a high blood level (WH). Microemboli measurements were obtained in a continuous fashion during 180 minutes of HD for all settings. A greater number of microemboli were detected during dialysis with the setting DL vs. WH (odds ratio [OR] 4.07, 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.03-4.11, P<0.0001) and DH vs. WH (OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.17-1.19, P<0.0001) and less for DH vs. DL (OR 0.290, 95% CI 0.288-0.2930.288-0.293, P<0.0001). These data indicate that emboli exposure was least when using WH, greater with DH, and most with DL. This study shows that using a high blood level in the venous chamber and wet-stored dialyzers may reduce the number of microemboli.CallSend SMSAdd to SkypeYou'll need Skype CreditFree via Skype
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| 9. |
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| 10. |
- Aberšek, Nina, et al.
(författare)
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Calprotectin levels in amniotic fluid in relation to intra-amniotic inflammation and infection in women with preterm labor with intact membranes: A retrospective cohort study
- 2022
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Ingår i: European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1872-7654 .- 0301-2115. ; 272, s. 24-29
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: To evaluate the concentrations of calprotectin in amniotic fluid with respect to intra-amniotic inflammation and infection and to assess the presence or absence of bacteria in the amnio-chorionic niche with respect to presence or absence of intra-amniotic inflammation. Study design: Seventy-nine women with singleton pregnancies and preterm labor with intact membranes (PTL) were included in the study. Amniotic fluid was collected at the time of admission by amniocentesis and calprotectin levels were analyzed from frozen/thawed samples using ELISA. Interleukin (IL)-6 concentration was measured by point-of-care test. Samples from amniotic fluid and the amnio-chorionic niche (space between amniotic and chorionic membranes) were microbiologically analyzed. Microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity (MIAC) was diagnosed based on a positive PCR result for Ureaplasma species, Mycoplasma hominis, 16S rRNA or positive culture. Intra-amniotic inflammation (IAI) was defined as amniotic fluid point-of-care IL-6 concentration ≥ 745 pg/mL. The cohort of included women was divided into 4 subgroups based on the presence or absence of IAI/MIAC; i) intra-amniotic infection, ii) sterile IAI, iii) intra-amniotic colonization and iv) neither MIAC nor IAI. Results: Women with intra-amniotic infection had a significantly higher intra-amniotic calprotectin concentration (median; 101.6 µg/mL) compared with women with sterile IAI (median; 9.2 µg/mL), women with intra-amniotic colonization (median; 2.6 µg/mL) and women with neither MIAC nor IAI (median 4.6 µg/mL) (p = 0.001). Moreover, significantly higher amniotic fluid calprotectin concentration was seen in women who delivered within 7 days (p = 0.003). A significant negative correlation was found between amniotic fluid calprotectin and gestational age at delivery (rho = 0.32, p = 0.003). Relatively more bacteria in the amnio-chorionic niche were found in the sterile IAI group compared with the other groups. Conclusions: Calprotectin concentrations in amniotic fluid were significantly higher in the intra-amniotic infection group compared with the other groups. Moreover, the bacterial presence in the amnio-chorionic niche was higher in IAI group.
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| 11. |
- Adermark, Louise, 1974, et al.
(författare)
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Age-contingent influence over accumbal neurotransmission and the locomotor stimulatory response to acute and repeated administration of nicotine in Wistar rats
- 2015
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Ingår i: Neuropharmacology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0028-3908. ; 97, s. 104-112
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Nicotine addiction is one of the leading contributors to the global burden of disease, and early onset smokers report a more severe addiction with lower chance of cessation than those with a late onset. Preclinical research supports an age-dependent component to the rewarding and reinforcing properties of nicotine, and the aim of this study was to. define behavioral adaptations and changes in accumbal neurotransmission that arise over 15 days of intermittent nicotine treatment (0.36 mg/kg/day) in rats of three different ages (5 weeks, 10 weeks, 36 weeks old). Repeated treatment increased the locomotor stimulatory response to nicotine in all age groups, but significantly faster in the two younger groups. In addition, nicotine decreased rearing activity in a way that sustained even after repeated administration in aged rats but not in the younger age groups. Electrophysiological field potential recordings revealed a decline in input/output function in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) of animals intermittently treated with nicotine starting at 5 weeks of age, but not in older animals. In drug naive rats, acute administration of nicotine modulated both accumbal dopamine output and excitatory transmission in a partially age dependent manner. Fifteen days of intermittent nicotine treatment did not alter the acute effect displayed by nicotine on dopamine levels or evoked field potentials. The data presented here show that both acute and repeated nicotine administration modulates accumbal neurotransmission and behavior in an age-contingent manner and that these age-dependent differences could reflect important neurobiological underpinnings associated with the increased vulnerability for nicotine-addiction in adolescents. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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| 12. |
- Adermark, Louise, 1974, et al.
(författare)
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Intermittent ethanol consumption depresses endocannabinoid-signaling in the dorsolateral striatum of rat.
- 2011
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Ingår i: Neuropharmacology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1873-7064 .- 0028-3908. ; https://gup.ub.gu.se/publications/sho61:7, s. 1160-1165
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Recent research suggests that adaptations elicited by drugs of abuse share common features with traditional learning models, and that drugs of abuse cause long-term changes in behavior by altering synaptic function and plasticity. In this study, endocannabinoid (eCB) signaling in the dorsolateral striatum, a brain region vital for habit formation, was evaluated in acutely isolated brain slices from ethanol (EtOH)-consuming rats and control rats. EtOH-consuming rats had free access to a 20% EtOH solution for three 24hour sessions a week during seven weeks and consumed an average of 3.4g/kg per session. eCB-mediated long-lasting disinhibition (DLL) of population spike (PS) amplitude induced by moderate frequency stimulation was impaired in EtOH-consuming rats, and was not restored by the muscarinic receptor antagonist scopolamine (10μM). The lack of DLL could be linked to a reduced GABA(A) receptor tone, since bicuculline-mediated disinhibition of striatal output was significantly reduced in slices from EtOH-consuming rats. However, eCB signaling induced by high frequency stimulation (HFS) was also impaired in slices from EtOH-consuming rats and isolated control rats. Activation of presynaptic cannabinoid 1 receptors (CB1R) with WIN55,212-2 (250nM, 1μM) significantly modulated PS amplitude in slices from age-matched control rats while slices from EtOH-consuming rats remained unaffected, indicating that eCB signaling is inhibited at a level that is downstream from CB1R activation. Intermittent alcohol intake for seven weeks might thus be sufficient to modulate a presynaptic mechanism that needs to be synergized with CB1R activation for induction of long-term depression (LTD). In conclusion, alcohol consumption inhibits striatal eCB signaling in a way that could be of importance for understanding the neurological underpinnings of addictive behavior.
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| 13. |
- Adermark, Louise, 1974, et al.
(författare)
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Region-specific depression of striatal activity in Wistar rat by modest ethanol consumption over a ten-month period
- 2013
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Ingår i: Alcohol. - : Elsevier BV. - 0741-8329. ; 47:4, s. 289-298
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The nucleus accumbens (nAc) is the primary target for the mesolimbic dopamine system and a key brain region for the reinforcing effects displayed by drugs of abuse, including ethanol. During the. transition from recreational to compulsive consumption of reinforcing drugs, however, the dorsal striatum seems to be recruited. Understanding how synaptic activity is altered in a sub-region specific manner in the striatum during the course of long-term drug consumption thus could be essential for understanding the long-lasting changes produced by addictive substances, including ethanol. Here we evaluated synaptic activity in the dorsolateral striatum (DLS) and ventral Striatum (nucleus accumbens, nAc) of single-housed Wistar rats consuming water, or water and ethanol, for up to 10 months. Even though ethanol intake was moderate, it was sufficient to decrease input/output function in response to stimulation intensity in the DLS, while recorded population spike (PS) amplitudes in the nAc were unaffected. Striatal disinhibition induced by the GABA(A) receptor antagonist bicuculline had a slower onset in rats that had consumed ethanol for 2 months, and was significantly depressed in slices from rats that had Consumed ethanol for 4 months. Bicuculline-induced disinhibition in the nAc, on the other hand, was not significantly altered by long-term ethanol intake. Changes in PS amplitude induced by taurine or the glycine receptor antagonist strychnine were not significantly altered by ethanol in any brain region. Even though input/output function was not significantly affected by age, there was a significant decline in antagonist-induced disinhibition in brain slices from aged rats. The data presented here suggest that even modest consumption of ethanol is sufficient to alter neurotransmission in the striatum, while synaptic activity appears to be relatively well-preserved in the nAc during the course of long-term ethanol consumption. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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| 14. |
- Ahlqvist, Emma, et al.
(författare)
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A link between GIP and osteopontin in adipose tissue and insulin resistance.
- 2013
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Ingår i: Diabetes. - : American Diabetes Association. - 1939-327X .- 0012-1797. ; 62:6, s. 2088-2094
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Low grade inflammation in obesity is associated with accumulation of the macrophagederived cytokine osteopontin in adipose tissue and induction of local as well as systemic insulin resistance. Since GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) is a strong stimulator of adipogenesis and may play a role in the development of obesity, we explored whether GIP directly would stimulate osteopontin (OPN) expression in adipose tissue and thereby induce insulin resistance. GIP stimulated OPN protein expression in a dose-dependent fashion in rat primary adipocytes. The level of OPN mRNA was higher in adipose tissue of obese individuals (0.13±}0.04 vs 0.04±}0.01, P<0.05) and correlated inversely with measures of insulin sensitivity (r=-0.24, P=0.001). A common variant of the GIP receptor (GIPR) (rs10423928) gene was associated with lower amount of the exon 9 containing isoform required for transmembrane activity. Carriers of the A-allele with a reduced receptor function showed lower adipose tissue OPN mRNA levels and better insulin sensitivity. Together, these data suggest a role for GIP not only as an incretin hormone, but also as a trigger of inflammation and insulin resistance in adipose tissue. Carriers of GIPR rs10423928 A-allele showed protective properties via reduced GIP effects. Identification of this unprecedented link between GIP and OPN in adipose tissue might open new avenues for therapeutic interventions.
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| 15. |
- Ahola, T, et al.
(författare)
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N-acetylcysteine does not prevent bronchopulmonary dysplasia in immature infants: A randomized controlled trial
- 2003
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Ingår i: Journal of Pediatrics. - 1097-6833 .- 0022-3476. ; 143:6, s. 713-719
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective To evaluate whether N-acetyleysteine (NAC) infusion during the first week of life reduces the risk of death or bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD in infants with extremely low birth weight. Study design In a Nordic multicenter, double-blind trial, infants (n = 391) weighing 500 to 999 g and on ventilator or nasal continuous positive airway pressure were randomized before the age of 36 hours to receive NAC 16 to 32 mg/kg/d (n = 194) or placebo (n = 197) intravenously for 6 days. Primary end points were death or BPD, defined as supplementary oxygen requirement at 36 weeks' gestational age. Results There was no difference in the combined incidence of the primary end points death or BPD, 51% vs. 49%, between the NAC group and control group. Also similar was the incidence of BPD in survivors at 36 weeks' gestational age, 40% vs. 40%, and the mean oxygen requirement at the age of 28 days, 31.2% vs. 30.7%, respectively. The severity of BPD was similar in both groups. Conclusions A 6-day course of intravenous N-acetylcysteine at the dosage used does not prevent BPD or death in infants with extremely low birth weight.
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| 16. |
- Ali, Sharafat, 1976-, et al.
(författare)
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Modification of float glass surfaces by novel oxy-nitride thin films
- 2015
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Rapport (refereegranskat)abstract
- Glass is indispensable and innovative material that has plenty of applications. It is an essential component of numerous products that we use every day, most often without noticing it. Glass is widely used in a variety of applications e.g. housing and buildings, automotive and transport, containers, drinking vessels, displays, insulation and optical fibers due to its universal forming ability, transparency, chemical durability, form stability, hardness relatively low price and possibility of recycling. Flat glass is a wide market of the glass industry and generally ninety percent of all flat glass produced worldwide is manufactured using the float forming process. There is a large market strive for thinner and stronger glass in order to reduce costs, save energy, and to find new applications.This study comprises the modification of flat/float glass surface by novel oxynitride thin films in the Mg-Si-O-N and Ca-Si-O-N systems prepared by RF magnetron sputtering technique. The aim of this work is to develop a novel process in order to improve the mechanical and optical properties of flat/float glass by deposition of external materials e.g. alkaline earth metals and nitrogen to the surface in a process with the obvious potential to be automatic in industrial processes. Both mechanical and optical properties of the glass surface have been improved by the deposition of thin films. The float glass surface modified with Mg-Si-O-N have high value of hardness of 20 GPa, elastic modulus of 175 GPa and refractive index value of 1.96 compare to the float glass having hardness of 7 GPa, elastic modulus of 72 GPa and refractive index of 1.50. The method presented here is anticipated to be used in production in the future and would make it possible to produce larger quantities of strong flat glass for smartphone, tablet covers and display technology to a considerably lower cost.
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| 17. |
- Andersson, Bo, et al.
(författare)
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Small x phenomenology: summary and status
- 2002
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Ingår i: European Physical Journal C. Particles and Fields. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1434-6044. ; 25:1, s. 77-101
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of this paper is to summarize the general status of our understanding of small-x physics. It is based on presentations and discussions at an informal meeting OIL this topic held in Lund, Sweden, in March 2001. This document also marks the founding of an informal collaboration between experimentalists and theoreticians with a special interest in small-x physics. This paper is dedicated to the memory of Bo Andersson. who died unexpectedly from a heart attack on March 4th, 2002.
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| 18. |
- Andersson, Eva, et al.
(författare)
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Improved Physical Capacity in a Project with Guided Physical Activity for Persons with Depression or Anxiety.
- 2010
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Higher physical capacity is correlated with increased health. Knowledge in this area regarding psychiatric diseases is sparse. Purpose: The aim was to study aerobic and several strength capacities in a physical activity project for persons with depression or anxiety. Methods: Eighty-four persons (56 women and 28 men) with depression or anxiety were recruited from psychiatric out-patient clinics in Stockholm. Their mean age and BMI was 46 (21-80) years and 26 (17-41) kg/m2, respectively. 50% were sick-listed. 50% had BMI>25. Aerobic and strength tests were chosen by each subgroup´s project leaders. Directed physical activity was given, in groups 10-15, 1 hour twice/week during 8-12 weeks. Results: Significant changes (p<0.05, of all n=84) between pre- and post tests were seen in submaximal cycle test (11% enhanced values, n=56) and distance of 6 minutes walk test (16%, n=15) as well as in strength tests for the back for the back (i.e. time in static horizontal belly-back, 40%, n=44), abdominal and hip flexors (i.e. number of hip flexion sit-ups, 45%, n=38), leg (i.e. standing with 90O in hips and knees, 48%, n=56) and arm with shoulder muscles (i.e. number of raising weights alternately with the arms, 46%, n=32). Hand grip tests, BMI or blood pressure values did not change significantly. Conclusions: Directed 8-12 weeks physical activity programs can improve physical fitness in individuals with depression or anxiety.
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| 19. |
- Andersson, Per, et al.
(författare)
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Parallel Algorithms for Triangular Periodic Sylvester-Type Matrix Equations
- 2008
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Ingår i: Euro-Par 2008 - Parallel Processing. - : Springer. ; , s. 780-789
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present parallel algorithms for triangular periodic Sylvester-type matrix equations, conceptually being the third step of a periodic Bartels-Stewart-like solution method for general periodic Sylvester-type matrix equations based on variants of the periodic Schur decomposition. The presented algorithms are designed and implemented in the framework of the recently developed HPG library SCASY and are based on explicit blocking, 2-dimensional block cyclic data distribution and a wavefront-like traversal of the right hand side matrices. High performance is obtained by rich usage of level 3 BLAS operations. It is also demonstrated how several important key concepts of SCASY regarding communications and the treatment of quasi-triangular coefficient matrices are generalized to the periodic case. Some experimental results from a distributed memory Linux cluster demonstrate are also presented.
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| 20. |
- Appelros, Peter, et al.
(författare)
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Trends in baseline patient characteristics during the years 1995-2008 : observations from Riks-Stroke, the Swedish Stroke Register.
- 2010
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Ingår i: Cerebrovascular Diseases. - : S. Karger AG. - 1015-9770 .- 1421-9786. ; 30:2, s. 114-119
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Reported improvements in outcome in stroke patients treated in hospital are often attributed to advances in stroke care. However, secular trends in patient characteristics that are present already on admission to hospital may also contribute to improved outcome. METHODS: Time trends for baseline data (289,854 stroke admittances) in Riks-Stroke, the Swedish national quality register for stroke care, were analyzed for the years 1995 through 2008. The following data were included: number of strokes for each year, age, sex, risk factors, stroke subtype, stroke severity, functional status and need of external home service before the stroke. RESULTS: The number of annually reported strokes increased until 2005. The proportion of recurrent strokes decreased from 28.0 to 25.9%. The mean age at first-ever stroke increased in women, but not in men. The proportion of smokers dropped, and the proportion of patients who had treated hypertension increased. The stroke severity decreased in men. The prestroke functional status (walking, dressing, toileting) improved in both sexes over these years. More patients lived alone in 2008 than in 1995, and more had home help service. CONCLUSIONS: Many baseline parameters in Riks-Stroke have changed over the years. This has consequences for the interpretation of outcome data. Some changes may be due to inclusion bias, others due to alterations in general health, evolution of vascular risk factors or demographics.
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| 21. |
- Appelros, Peter, 1953-, et al.
(författare)
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Trends in Stroke Treatment and Outcome between 1995 and 2010 : Observations from Riks-Stroke, the Swedish Stroke Register
- 2014
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Ingår i: Cerebrovascular Diseases. - : S. Karger AG. - 1015-9770 .- 1421-9786. ; 37:1, s. 22-29
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Continuous changes in stroke treatment and care, as well as changes in stroke characteristics, may alter stroke outcome over time. The aim of this paper is to describe time trends for treatment and outcome data, and to discuss if any such changes could be attributed to quality changes in stroke care. Methods: Data from Riks-Stroke, the Swedish stroke register, were analyzed for the time period of 1995 through 2010. The total number of patients included was 320,181. The following parameters were included: use of computed tomography (CT), stroke unit care, thrombolysis, medication before and after the stroke, length of stay in hospital, and discharge destination. Three months after stroke, data regarding walking, toileting and dressing ability, as well social situation, were gathered. Survival status after 7, 27 and 90 days was registered. Results: In 1995, 53.9% of stroke patients were treated in stroke units. In 2010 this proportion had increased to 87.5%. Fewer patients were discharged to geriatric or rehabilitation departments in later years (23.6% in 2001 compared with 13.4% in 2010), but more were discharged directly home (44.2 vs. 52.4%) or home with home rehabilitation (0 vs. 10.7%). The need for home help service increased from 18.2% in 1995 to 22.1% in 2010. Regarding prevention, more patients were on warfarin, antihypertensives and statins both before and after the stroke. The functional outcome measures after 3 months did improve from 2001 to 2010. In 2001, 83.8% of patients were walking independently, while 85.6% were independent in 2010. For toileting, independence increased from 81.2 to 84.1%, and for dressing from 78.0 to 80.4%. Case fatality (CF) rates after 3 months increased from 18.7% (2001) to 20.0% (2010). This trend is driven by patients with severe strokes. Conclusions: Stroke outcomes may change over a relatively short time period. In some ways, the quality of care has improved. More stroke patients have CT, more patients are treated in stroke units and more have secondary prevention. Patients with milder strokes may have benefited more from these measures than patients with severe strokes. Increased CF rates for patients with severe stroke may be caused by shorter hospital stays, shorter in-hospital rehabilitation periods and lack of suitable care after discharge from hospital.
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| 22. |
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| 23. |
- Asplund, Kjell, et al.
(författare)
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Hemikraniektomi är livräddande, visar Riks-Stroke : erfarenheter av ingreppet vid malign hjärninfarkt och intracerebral blödning
- 2014
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Ingår i: Läkartidningen. - : Sveriges läkarförbund. - 0023-7205 .- 1652-7518. ; 111:3-4
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- From 2009 to mid-2013, 229 hemicraniectomies were reported in Riks-Stroke, of which 43 were performed in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage. In patients with brain infarction, it was performed in 0.19% (all ages) and 1.07% (below 60 years), higher than reported from the US. Of the hemicraniectomies, 45% were performed in patients above 60 years. Survival was 83% at 3 months and 81% at 12 months, similar to survival reported in the literature. Three months after hemicraniectomy, 69% of survivors responded to a follow-up questionnaire. Of these, 31% were independent in personal ADL and 46% were living at home. Case fatality was higher but functional outcome in survivors was similar in patients above 60 years compared to below 60. In conclusion, outcomes are similar in Sweden to those reported in randomized trials and international observational studies. With proper patient selection, it seems that hemicraniectomy may also benefit patients above 60 years.
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| 24. |
- Asplund, Kjell, et al.
(författare)
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Patient dissatisfaction with acute stroke care
- 2009
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Ingår i: Stroke. - : American Heart Association, Inc.. - 0039-2499 .- 1524-4628. ; 40:12, s. 3851-3856
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Riks-Stroke, the Swedish Stroke Register, was used to explore patient characteristics and stroke services as determinants of patient dissatisfaction with acute in-hospital care. METHODS: All 79 hospitals in Sweden admitting acute stroke patients participate in Riks-Stroke. During 2001 to 2007, 104,876 patients (87% of survivors) responded to a follow-up questionnaire 3 months after acute stroke; this included questions on satisfaction with various aspects of stroke care. RESULTS: The majority (>90%) were satisfied with acute in-hospital stroke care. Dissatisfaction was closely associated with outcome at 3 months. Patient who were dependent regarding activities of daily living, felt depressed, or had poor self-perceived general health were more likely to be dissatisfied. Dissatisfaction with global acute stroke care was linked to dissatisfaction with other aspects of care, including rehabilitation and support by community services. Patients treated in stroke units were less often dissatisfied than patients in general wards, as were patients who had been treated in a small hospital (vs medium or large hospitals) and patient who had participated in discharge planning. In multivariate analyses, the strongest predictor of dissatisfaction with acute care was poor outcome (dependency regarding activities of daily living, depressed mood, poor self-perceived health). CONCLUSIONS: Dissatisfaction with in-hospital acute stroke care is part of a more extensive complex comprising poor functional outcome, depressive mood, poor self-perceived general health, and dissatisfaction not only with acute care but also with health care and social services at large. Several aspects of stroke care organization are associated with a lower risk of dissatisfaction.
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| 25. |
- Asplund, Kjell, et al.
(författare)
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The Riks-Stroke story : building a sustainable national register for quality assessment of stroke care
- 2011
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Ingår i: International Journal of Stroke. - : SAGE Publications. - 1747-4930 .- 1747-4949. ; 6:2, s. 99-108
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Riks-Stroke, the Swedish Stroke Register, is the world's longest-running national stroke quality register (established in 1994) and includes all 76 hospitals in Sweden admitting acute stroke patients. The development and maintenance of this sustainable national register is described. Methods Riks-Stroke includes information on the quality of care during the acute phase, rehabilitation and secondary prevention of stroke, as well as data on community support. Riks-Stroke is unique among stroke quality registers in that patients are followed during the first year after stroke. The data collected describe processes, and medical and patient-reported outcome measurements. The register embraces most of the dimensions of health-care quality (evidence-based, safe, provided in time, distributed fairly and patient oriented). Result Annually, approximately 25 000 patients are included. In 2009, approximately 320 000 patients had been accumulated (mean age 76-years). The register is estimated to cover 82% of all stroke patients treated in Swedish hospitals. Among critical issues when building a national stroke quality register, the delicate balance between simplicity and comprehensiveness is emphasised. Future developments include direct transfer of data from digital medical records to Riks-Stroke and comprehensive strategies to use the information collected to rapidly implement new evidence-based techniques and to eliminate outdated methods in stroke care. Conclusions It is possible to establish a sustainable quality register for stroke at the national level covering all hospitals admitting acute stroke patients. Riks-Stroke is fulfilling its main goals to support continuous quality improvement of Swedish stroke services and serve as an instrument for following up national stroke guidelines.
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| 26. |
- Ayres-de-Campos, Diogo, et al.
(författare)
-
European Association of Perinatal Medicine (EAPM), European Board and College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (EBCOG), European Midwives Association (EMA). Joint position statement : Substandard and disrespectful care in labour - because words matter
- 2024
-
Ingår i: European Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology. - : Elsevier. - 0301-2115 .- 1872-7654. ; 296, s. 205-207
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Substandard or disrespectful care during labour should be of serious concern for healthcare professionals, as it can affect one of the most important events in a woman's life. Substandard care refers to the use of interventions that are not considered best -practice, to the inadequate execution of interventions, to situations where bestpractice interventions are withheld from patients, or there is lack of adequate informed consent. Disrespectful care refers to forms of verbal and non-verbal communication that affect patients' dignity, individuality, privacy, intimacy, or personal beliefs. There are many possible underlying causes for substandard and disrespectful care in labour, including difficulties in modifying behaviours, judgmental or paternalistic attitudes, personal interests and individualism, and a human tendency to make less arduous, less difficult, or less stressful clinical decisions. The term "obstetric violence" is used in some parts of the world to describe various forms of substandard and disrespectful care in labour, but suggests that it is mainly carried out by obstetricians and is a serious form of aggression, carried out with the intent to cause harm. We believe that this term should not be used, as it does not help to identify the underlying problem, its causes, or its correction. In addition, it is generally seen by obstetricians and other healthcare professionals as an unjust and offensive term, generating a defensive and less collaborative mindset. We reach out to all individuals and institutions sharing the common goal of improving women's experience during labour, to work together to address the underlying causes of substandard and disrespectful care, and to develop common strategies to deal with this problem, based on mutual comprehension, trust and respect
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| 27. |
- Barman, Malin, 1983, et al.
(författare)
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Nutritional impact on Immunological maturation during Childhood in relation to the Environment (NICE): a prospective birth cohort in northern Sweden
- 2018
-
Ingår i: BMJ Open. - : BMJ. - 2044-6055 .- 2044-6055. ; 8:10
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2018. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ. INTRODUCTION: Prenatal and neonatal environmental factors, such as nutrition, microbes and toxicants, may affect health throughout life. Many diseases, such as allergy and impaired child development, may be programmed already in utero or during early infancy. Birth cohorts are important tools to study associations between early life exposure and disease risk. Here, we describe the study protocol of the prospective birth cohort, 'Nutritional impact on Immunological maturation during Childhood in relation to the Environment' (NICE). The primary aim of the NICE cohort is to clarify the effect of key environmental exposures-diet, microbes and environmental toxicants-during pregnancy and early childhood, on the maturation of the infant's immune system, including initiation of sensitisation and allergy as well as some secondary outcomes: infant growth, obesity, neurological development and oral health.METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The NICE cohort will recruit about 650 families during mid-pregnancy. The principal inclusion criterion will be planned birth at the Sunderby Hospital in the north of Sweden, during 2015-2018. Questionnaires data and biological samples will be collected at 10 time-points, from pregnancy until the children reach 4 years of age. Samples will be collected primarily from mothers and children, and from fathers. Biological samples include blood, urine, placenta, breast milk, meconium, faeces, saliva and hair. Information regarding allergic heredity, diet, socioeconomic status, lifestyle including smoking, siblings, pet ownership, etc will be collected using questionnaires. Sensitisation to common allergens will be assessed by skin prick testing and allergic disease will be diagnosed by a paediatrician at 1 and 4 years of age. At 4 years of age, the children will also be examined regarding growth, neurobehavioural and neurophysiological status and oral health.ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The NICE cohort has been approved by the Regional Ethical Review Board in Umeå, Sweden (2013/18-31M). Results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals and communicated on scientific conferences.
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| 28. |
- Berg, Sofia, 1980-
(författare)
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Community Robustness Analysis : Theoretical Approaches to Identifying Keystone Structures in Ecological Communities
- 2013
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Most of the world’s ecosystems suffer from stress caused by human activities such as habitat destruction, fragmentation, overexploitation of species and climate change. These factors affect the reproduction and/or survival of individual species as well as interactions between species in ecological communities. Forthcoming effects of this are altered abundances, direct species loss, and indirect cascading extinctions, with yet largely unknown consequences on community structure and functioning. Today, biodiversity loss is of global concern since human society and welfare depend upon resources and services provided by ecosystems. The importance of considering entire ecological communities as a target for conservation and management has been increasingly recognized due to the interdependencie of species. Our ability to make predictions of the response of ecological communities to stress and biodiversity loss is in need of a deeper understanding of how structure and dynamical processes contributes to the functioning and stability of a community. In this thesis I use mathematical theory and dynamical models to study the response of community structure and resilience to a variety of disturbances affecting species and species interactions, ranging from small perturbations (Papers I-II) to large perturbations (species extinctions, Papers IIIIV).In Paper I we develop Community Sensitivity Analysis (CSA) as an analytical tool to study how a small permanent perturbation to the intrinsic growth rate, or mortality rate, of species is expected to affect i) the resilience (return rate) and ii) the structure (distribution of species equilibrium abundances) of an ecological community. Species interactions are described using Lotka-Volterra predator-prey dynamics. We apply CSA on the pelagic food webs of Lake Vättern and the Baltic Sea, respectively, and find that a change in the mortality rate of large-bodied species has a higher impact on community resilience and structure, compared to a perturbation to small-bodied species. However, analyzing the effect of a proportional change to the growth or mortality rate of species (elasticity analysis) shows that smallbodied species have proportionally larger effects on species equilibrium abundances, but not on resilience. CSA can also be used to study the effect of permanent (absolute or proportional) changes to inter- and intraspecific interaction strengths. For the two pelagic systems used in this study, CSA reveal that changes in the effect of a prey on its consumer tend to affect community structure and resilience significantly more than changes in the effect of a predator on its prey.In Paper II we assess the importance of rare species for the structure and resilience of ecological communities. First we show analytically, for a two species predator-prey system, that a change in the intrinsic growth rate of the rare species affect resilience more than a change in the growth rate of the common species. To test the generality of these results we next apply CSA on complex model food webs. In the analysis we distinguish between four trophic groups, each including only species with a similar trophic position, to separate the effect of abundance from the trophic position of species. Using mixed effect models we find support for our analytical predictions. More precisely, we find a strong negative relationship between the importance (sensitivity) of a species and its equilibrium abundance within all consumer groups and a weaker, but significant, relationship for producer species. The results from this study suggest that rare species can act as keystones through their effect on both community resilience and community structure, regardless of its trophic position.In Paper III we evaluate the risk of food web collapse caused by different trait-based extinction scenarios. In previous studies, groups of species, e.g. rare species, large-bodied species and top predators, have been identified to be relatively more prone to extinctions and other studies have found that extinctions of such species have comparably small effects on the remaining community. Using mathematical models of species dynamics we study the response of ecological communities to species removal (i.e. the proportion of species needed to be primarily removed to cause a 50% reduction in species richness, R50) when species are sequentially removed from the food web based on eight different traits. We show, contrary to some previous studies of sequential extinction simulations, that communities can be very vulnerable to realistic species loss. We furthermore find that the response of communities seems to depend on whether the extinction sequence follows a bottom-up or top-down direction, making it difficult to identify one particular extinction sequence as the most important/severe sequence.Finally, in Paper IV we aim to identify traits of species that can be used to identify keystone species, in terms of causing the highest proportion of secondary extinctions following their loss, in food webs with different degree of disassembly. Moreover, we analyze if the loss of a species that triggers a cascade of many secondary extinctions are the same species being identified as a keystones using Community Sensitivity Analysis. To answer these questions we randomly remove species from a set of 100 model communities. We analyze the relationship between the number of secondary extinctions following the randomly removed species and a range of species traits in communities where i) 75-100% of the initial number of species remain, ii) 50-75% of all species remain, iii) 25-50% of all species remain and iv) only 0-25% of all species remain. We find that the variation in secondary extinctions explained using species traits increases when the degree of food web disassembly and food web connectance are taken into account. The most important trait varies for different degrees of food web disassembly and also depends on whether basal species can go primarily extinct or not. However, due to correlation between most important traits, we conclude that the key status of different traits is rather robust against structural changes in the model food webs. Interestingly, food webs seem to be most sensitive to a random species loss after the loss of more than 25% of all initial species, suggesting that there is a threshold from which secondary extinctions increases. We also conclude that species being identified as keystones, based on the effect of their loss, are to some extent the same species being identified as having the largest effect on community structure and resilience, respectively, following a small perturbation.
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| 29. |
- Berg, Sofia, et al.
(författare)
-
Rare but important: perturbations to uncommon species have disproportionately large impact on ecological communities
-
Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The majority of species in the ecosystems of the world are rare. Because the contributions to community biomass and productivity of many of these species are small it has been suggested that loss of rare species should have relatively small ecological consequences. However, the extent to which rare species affect the structure and stability of ecosystems is largely unknown. Using a theoretical approach, based on analytical methods, we here investigate how perturbations to rare as well as common species affect the structure (distribution of equilibrium abundances of species) and resilience (recovery rate) of complex ecological communities. We show that, contrary to expectation, resilience and structure of ecological communities are generally more sensitive to perturbations to rare than to common species. We find the explanation for this to lie in the cause of rarity: rare species tend to interact strongly, on a per capita basis, with other species. Our results suggest that many rare species are likely to fill important ecological roles in ecosystems.
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| 30. |
- Berg, Sofia, et al.
(författare)
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Using sensitivity analysis to identify keystone species and keystone links in size-based food webs
- 2011
-
Ingår i: Oikos. - : Wiley. - 0030-1299 .- 1600-0706. ; 120:4, s. 510-519
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Human-induced alterations in the birth and mortality rates of species and in the strength of interactions within and between species can lead to changes in the structure and resilience of ecological communities. Recent research points to the importance of considering the distribution of body sizes of species when exploring the response of communities to such perturbations. Here, we present a new size-based approach for assessing the sensitivity and elasticity of community structure (species equilibrium abundances) and resilience (rate of return to equilibrium) to changes in the intrinsic growth rate of species and in the strengths of species interactions. We apply this approach on two natural systems, the pelagic communities of the Baltic Sea and Lake Vättern, to illustrate how it can be used to identify potential keystone species and keystone links. We find that the keystone status of a species is closely linked to its body size. The analysis also suggests that communities are structurally and dynamically more sensitive to changes in the effects of prey on their consumers than in the effects of consumers on their prey. Moreover, we discuss how community sensitivity analysis can be used to study and compare the fragility of communities with different body size distributions by measuring the mean sensitivity or elasticity over all species or all interaction links in a community. We believe that the community sensitivity analysis developed here holds some promise for identifying species and links that are critical for the structural and dynamic robustness of ecological communities.
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| 31. |
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| 32. |
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| 33. |
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| 34. |
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| 35. |
- Bergström, Martin, et al.
(författare)
-
Interventions in Foster Family Care: A Systematic Review
- 2020
-
Ingår i: Research on social work practice. - : SAGE Publications. - 1049-7315 .- 1552-7581. ; 30:1, s. 3-18
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: Foster family care is associated with adverse short- and long-term consequences for the child. A systematic review was conducted on interventions for foster children and foster careers. Method: A comprehensive search process was used to find eligible interventions evaluated in randomized controlled trials or quasi-experimental studies. The quality of studies was assessed with GRADE, and effects were synthesized using meta-analytic methods. Results: In all, 28 publications of 18 interventions, including 5,357 children, were identified. Only three specific interventions had sufficient confidence of evidence. No study had examined tools for foster parent selection nor had evaluated preservice programs related to outcomes. Discussion: These analyses provide new insights and hope into the field of systematic interventions in foster care. The overall results indicate that it is possible to improve eight outcomes but cannot point out which programs are superior. Ethically, social care organizations should systematically collect knowledge about effects and side effects.
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| 36. |
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| 37. |
- Björn (Fredriksson), Annika, 1972-, et al.
(författare)
-
Interimreport 1 for the project on natural formation, degradation and occurrence of methyltins in different habitats. : Common project between Rohm and Haas, former Morton Plastics Additive (MPA), Cincinnati, Ohio, USA and the Department of Water and Environmental Studies (DWES), Linköping Univeristy, Sweden
- 1998
-
Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)
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| 38. |
- Björn (Fredriksson), Annika, 1972-, et al.
(författare)
-
Interimreport 2 for the project on natural formation, degradation and occurrence of methyltins in different habitats. : Common project betweenRohm and Haas, former Morton Plastics Additive (MPA), Cincinnati, Ohio, USA and the Department of Water and Environmental Studies (DWES), Linköping Univeristy, Sweden.
- 2000
-
Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)
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| 39. |
- Blomberg, Jerry, et al.
(författare)
-
Evaluating the efficency of the global primary aluminium smelting industry : a data envelopment approach
- 2011
-
Ingår i: Mineral Economics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2191-2203 .- 2191-2211. ; 24:1, s. 29-44
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the efficiency of the global primary aluminum industry. Efficiency is here taken to be evaluated relative to some benchmark, i.e., the smelter or smelters identified as the most efficient in the data set, thus forming the production frontier. The performance of individual smelters, specifically their technical, allocative, and scale efficiencies are calculated by the means of data envelopment analysis. A proprietary database containing data on inputs used, output, and cost of production for 151 primary aluminum smelters operational globally in 2003 were used in the efficiency estimations. In order to assess and contrast the performance of smelters at different locations, facing dissimilar policy and factor supply environments, smelters are grouped into geographical regions. Furthermore, the technology used will also be evaluated in terms of the above efficiency measures. For each region, measures of potential technical and cost-wise factor savings will be calculated in order to assess specifically in what way production factors improvements can be made and approximately how large these improvements are. The findings indicate that; (a) smelters are overall highly efficient given the scale of operation, (b) many smelters operate with increasing returns to scale and thus we find significant scale inefficiencies, (c) substantial allocative inefficiencies exist within the industry, and (d) there are significant variations in the level of efficiency across regions. The allocative efficiency is particularly low in regions such as China and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) region. Finally, the greatest potential for factor reductions is in labor input in China, the CIS region and in Asia.
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| 40. |
- Blomquist, Bo, 1958, et al.
(författare)
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Assembly Systems and Work in the Swedish Automotive Industry
- 2013
-
Ingår i: Nordic Lights. Work, Management, and Welfare in Scandinavia. - 1 85972 106 0 ; , s. 225-254
-
Bokkapitel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- See web-link given på Chalmers Public Library (CPL). This is an edited chapter in a book (editor was Åke Sandberg from the Swedish Institute for work Life Research Stockholm (Arbetslivsinstitutet in Swedish). This publication enlightens the authors' research and development work regarding alternatives to line assembly. Comprising e.g. explaining of the different (real-life) assembly systems utilized in Sweden all through the passing years. In a more overarching way, it criticizes the way the insights and experiences gained by such (more or less socio-technically advanced assembly system designs practised (a vast of misunderstandings and rumours are obviously at hand today. To some extent is thereby this actually a refined summarization of some of our earlier scientific contributions (see some of the other publications registered in Chalmers Public Library CPL).
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| 41. |
- Borg, Tor, et al.
(författare)
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Mått på bostadsbristen : Förslag på hur återkommande bedömningar ska utföras
- 2020
-
Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Boverket fick i juni 2019 i uppdrag av regeringen att lämna förslag på hur återkommande bedömningar av bostadsbristen ska utföras samt att lämna förslag på enhetliga begrepp som ska användas vid kommunikation kring bostadsbristen. Avsikten är att de presenterade beräkningarna ska kunna användas i arbetet med bostadsförsörjningsfrågor och underlätta arbetet med att planera, utföra och följa upp insatser för att åtgärda bostadsbristen. Boverket har tagit fram en årlig beräkningsmodell där antalet hushåll som saknar en rimlig bostad beräknas på både nationell, regional och lokal nivå. Vad som är en rimlig bostad definieras enligt en uppsättning kriterier och normer. Kvantitativa mått visar hur många hushåll som har en boendesituation som inte uppfyller de olika kriterierna. Samråd har skett med Sveriges Kommuner och Regioner (SKR) samt med Socialstyrelsen under uppdragets gång. Båda anser att de givits utrymme att framföra sin mening och har förklarat sig nöjda med samrådet. Avstämningar har också gjorts med en rad andra aktörer. Denna rapport utgör Boverkets slutredovisning av uppdraget. Rapporten har tagits fram av en projektgrupp bestående av Tor Borg, Bengt J Eriksson, Oskar Gramstad, Ulla-Christel Götherström, Hans Jonsson, Bo Söderberg och Hang Zettervall, med den förstnämnda som projektledare.
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| 42. |
- Bornehag, Carl-Gustaf, 1957-, et al.
(författare)
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Prenatal Phthalate Exposures and Anogenital Distance in Swedish Boys
- 2015
-
Ingår i: Journal of Environmental Health Perspectives. - : Environmental Health Perspectives. - 0091-6765 .- 1552-9924. ; 123:1, s. 101-107
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Phthalates are used as plasticizers in soft polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and in a large number of consumer products. Because of reported health risks, diisononyl phthalate (DiNP) has been introduced as a replacement for di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) in soft PVC. This raises concerns because animal data suggest that DiNP may have antiandrogenic properties similar to those of DEHP. The anogenital distance (AGD)-the distance from the anus to the genitals-has been used to assess reproductive toxicity. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine the associations between prenatal phthalate exposure and AGD in Swedish infants. METHODS: AGD was measured in 196 boys at 21 months of age, and first-trimester urine was analyzed for 10 phthalate metabolites of DEP (diethyl phthalate), DBP (dibutyl phthalate), DEHP, BBzP (benzylbutyl phthalate), as well as DiNP and creatinine. Data on covariates were collected by questionnaires. RESULTS: The most significant associations were found between the shorter of two AGD measures (anoscrotal distance; AGDas) and DiNP metabolites and strongest for oh-MMeOP [mono(4-methyl-7-hydroxyloctyl) phthalate] and oxo-MMeOP [mono-(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate]. However, the AGDas reduction was small (4%) in relation to more than an interquartile range increase in DiNP exposure. CONCLUSIONS: These findings call into question the safety of substituting DiNP for DEHP in soft PVC, particularly because a shorter male AGD has been shown to relate to male genital birth defects in children and impaired reproductive function in adult males and the fact that human levels of DiNP are increasing globally.
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| 43. |
- Borrvall, Charlotte, et al.
(författare)
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Biodiversity lessens the risk of cascading extinction in model food webs
- 2000
-
Ingår i: Ecology Letters. - : Wiley. - 1461-023X .- 1461-0248. ; 3:2, s. 131-136
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Due to the complex interactions between species in food webs, the extinction of one species could lead to a cascade of further extinctions and hence cause dramatic changes in species composition and ecosystem processes. We found that the risk of additional species extinction, following the loss of one species in model food webs, decreases with the number of species per functional group. For a given number of species per functional group, the risk of further extinctions is highest when an autotroph is removed and lowest when a top predator is removed. In addition, stability decreases when the distribution of interaction strengths in the webs is changed from equal to skew (few strong and many weak links). We also found that omnivory appears to stabilize model food webs. Our results indicate that high biodiversity may serve as an insurance against radical ecosystem changes.
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| 44. |
- Carlsson, C., et al.
(författare)
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Experimental and simulated fluorescence depolarization due to energy transfer as tools to study DNA-dye interactions
- 1997
-
Ingår i: Biopolymers. - 0006-3525 .- 1097-0282. ; 41:5, s. 481-494
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A method to study DNA-dye complexes by the combination of steady state fluorescence anisotropy measurements and computer simulations of the fluorescence depolarization due to resonance energy transfer is presented. The simulations are based on a Markov chain analysis, assuming random distribution of the dyes along the DNA chain and energy transfer that obeys Forster kinetics. Since the investigated intercalators (ethidium bromide, YO, PO) and groove binders [4'6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI)] were found to show different depolarization dependence on binding density, the method can be used to quite sensitively characterize the binding mode. Excellent agreement between the measured and simulated anisotropy is found for all investigated intercalators. The proposed method gives an estimation of the unwinding angle for intercalators and provides information about the binding site size, and the presence or absence of sequence specificity. For the groove binder DAPI interacting with mixed sequenced DNA, the measured and computed depolarization do not agree, and this can be rationalized in terms of the high sequence specificity of this dye. However, for DAPI bound to [poly(dA-dT)](2) the measured data agree well with computed data for a groove binder that is displaced a distance 7 Angstrom from the helix axis and has a binding site size of three bases. (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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| 45. |
- Carlsson, Christina, 1968, et al.
(författare)
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OPTICAL AND PHOTOPHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF THE OXAZOLE YELLOW DNA PROBES YO AND YOYO
- 1994
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Ingår i: Journal of Physical Chemistry. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0022-3654 .- 1541-5740. ; 98:40, s. 10313-10321
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The photophysical properties of the optical DNA probe YOYO (homodimeric derivative of oxazole yellow) have been characterized in terms of the monomeric part, the YO chromophore. In aqueous solutions YO is virtually nonfluorescent but upon binding to DNA its fluorescence quantum yield is strongly increased. A similar enhancement of the fluorescence is observed for YO in the viscous solvent glycerol. The high fluorescence quantum yield of YO, when bound to DNA or in a viscous solution, is proposed to be a result of decreased rotational mobility around the internuclear bridge between the two aromatic ring systems. This hypothesis is based on similar values of the activation energies for the temperature-dependent nonradiative decay processes (E(A) = 53 kJ/mol) and viscous flow (E(A) = 63 kJ/mol), suggesting related rate-limiting mechanisms. A single electronic transition is found to be responsible for the intense visible absorption band. This conclusion is based on the observation of an essentially wavelength-independent reduced linear dichroism and similarly wavelength independent fluorescence anisotropy, and the fact that the emission spectrum is very nearly a mirror image of the absorption spectrum. The conclusion is further supported by quantum mechanical calculations (CNDO/S). By combination of measurements of fluorescence anisotropy of YO in glycerol and linear dichroism of YO in a stretched poly(vinyl alcohol) film, the transition moment of the strong visible absorption band was found to be nearly long axis polarized, in agreement with the CNDO/S calculations. The low-energy electronic transition and its polarization direction in the YO chromophore remain essentially unperturbed in the YOYO dye, suggesting that the results obtained for the excited state of the YO chromophore are applicable also to YOYO. One difference, though, is that in aqueous solutions the two YO chromophores of YOYO interact with each other, forming an internal dimer, resulting in a distorted absorption spectrum.
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| 46. |
- Coskun, Gökhan, et al.
(författare)
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Analysis of in-cylinder H2O2 and HO2 distributions in an HCCI engine - Comparison of laser-diagnostic results with CFD and SRM simulations
- 2015
-
Ingår i: Combustion and Flame. - : Elsevier BV. - 0010-2180. ; 162:9, s. 3131-3139
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- By applying a novel approach to evaluate photofragmentation laser-induced fluorescence (PFLIF) imaging, experimental quantitative information on the temporal in-cylinder distribution of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in a homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engine was extracted. The results from PFLIF were then compared to those obtained from chemical kinetics simulations using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and a stochastic reactor model (SRM). For the CFD simulations, a sector mesh was applied using Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations together with a reduced chemical kinetic model. These simulations provided detailed information on the spatial distribution of H2O2, HO2 as well as other important species and temperature. The SRM, which offers substantially reduced simulation times but no spatial information, was used with the same reduced kinetic model. Two-dimensional images from PFLIF and CFD show a fair temporal agreement, while details of the spatial distributions disagree. The CFD images show that the combustion chemistry is affected by the interaction with the cylinder walls with, for instance, a local delay of the formation and consumption of H2O2. By using probability density functions (PDFs) of H2O2 and HO2 mass fractions, comparisons could be made between experimental data and both the CFD and SRM simulations. In general the range of mass fractions show good agreement but the experimental distributions are wider. Possible reasons for this discrepancy are actual heterogeneities in the H2O2/HO2 concentration distributions not predicted by the model, spatial temperature variations, which will influence the strength of the PFLIF signal, spatial variations in the laser profiles, not accounted for in the data processing, and photon noise. The good agreement between the CFD and SRM shows the relevance of fast PDF based simulation tools. (C) 2015 The Combustion Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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| 47. |
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| 48. |
- Ebenman, Bo, 1953-, et al.
(författare)
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Using community viability analysis to identify fragile systems and keystone species
- 2005
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Ingår i: Trends in Ecology & Evolution. - : Elsevier BV. - 0169-5347 .- 1872-8383. ; 20:10, s. 568-575
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Owing to interdependences among species in ecological communities, the loss of one species can trigger a cascade of secondary extinctions with potentially dramatic effects on the functioning and stability of the community. It is, therefore, important to assess the risk and likely extent of secondary extinctions. Community viability analysis is a new technique that can be used to accomplish this goal. The analysis can also be used to identify fragile community structures and keystone species and, hence, to provide guidelines for conservation priorities. Here, we describe the principles underlying community viability analysis and review its contributions to our understanding of the response of ecological communities to species loss.
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| 49. |
- Ejenstam, Jesper, et al.
(författare)
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Optimizing the Oxidation Properties of FeCrAl Alloys at Low Temperatures
- 2017
-
Ingår i: Oxidation of Metals. - : Springer-Verlag New York. - 0030-770X .- 1573-4889. ; 88:3-4, s. 361-370
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- FeCrAl alloys are proposed candidate materials for liquid lead applications. Chromium is needed to assist the formation of a protective alumina layer, albeit has to be limited to avoid alpha' precipitation. Reactive elements (RE) improve oxidation properties, but little is known about the RE effects at lower temperatures. An alloy matrix based on Fe-10Cr-4Al (wt%), with varying Zr, Y and Ti contents, was exposed to liquid lead up to 1 year in the temperature interval of 450-550 A degrees C. It was found that the formation of protective alumina was dependent on the RE/carbon ratio. All alloys with ratios lower than unity showed poor oxidation properties due to the formation of Cr-carbides in the metal-oxide interface. A sufficiently high amount of Zr and Ti was shown to significantly improve the oxidation properties at both temperatures. The positive effect is related to the suppression of Cr-carbides by addition of stronger carbide formers.
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- Ekman, Diana, et al.
(författare)
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Stratified genetic analysis reveals sex differences in MPO-ANCA-associated vasculitis
- 2023
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Ingår i: Rheumatology. - : Oxford University Press. - 1462-0324 .- 1462-0332. ; 62:9, s. 3213-3218
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: To identify and genetically characterize subgroups of patients with ANCA-associated vasculitides (AAV) based on sex and ANCA subtype. Methods: A previously established SNP dataset derived from DNA sequencing of 1853 genes and genotyping of 1088 Scandinavian cases with AAV and 1589 controls was stratified for sex and ANCA subtype and analysed for association with five top AAV SNPs. rs9274619, a lead variant at the HLA-DQB1/HLA-DQA2 locus previously associated with AAV positive for myeloperoxidase (MPO)-ANCA, was analysed for association with the cumulative disease involvement of ten different organ systems. Results: rs9274619 showed a significantly stronger association to MPO-ANCA-positive females than males [P = 2.0 × 10-4, OR = 2.3 (95% CI 1.5, 3.5)], whereas proteinase 3 (PR3)-ANCA-associated variants rs1042335, rs9277341 (HLA-DPB1/A1) and rs28929474 (SERPINA1) were equally associated with females and males with PR3-ANCA. In MPO-ANCA-positive cases, carriers of the rs9274619 risk allele were more prone to disease engagement of eyes [P = 0.021, OR = 11 (95% CI 2.2, 205)] but less prone to pulmonary involvement [P = 0.026, OR = 0.52 (95% CI 0.30, 0.92)]. Moreover, AAV with both MPO-ANCA and PR3-ANCA was associated with the PR3-ANCA lead SNP rs1042335 [P = 0.0015, OR = 0.091 (95% CI 0.0022, 0.55)] but not with rs9274619. Conclusions: Females and males with MPO-ANCA-positive AAV differ in genetic predisposition to disease, suggesting at least partially distinct disease mechanisms between the sexes. Double ANCA-positive AAV cases are genetically similar to PR3-ANCA-positive cases, providing clues to the clinical follow-up and treatment of these patients.
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