| 1. |
- Barausse, Enrico, et al.
(författare)
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Prospects for fundamental physics with LISA
- 2020
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Ingår i: General Relativity and Gravitation. - : SPRINGER/PLENUM PUBLISHERS. - 0001-7701 .- 1572-9532. ; 52:8
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- In this paper, which is of programmatic rather than quantitative nature, we aim to further delineate and sharpen the future potential of the LISA mission in the area of fundamental physics. Given the very broad range of topics that might be relevant to LISA,we present here a sample of what we view as particularly promising fundamental physics directions. We organize these directions through a "science-first" approach that allows us to classify how LISA data can inform theoretical physics in a variety of areas. For each of these theoretical physics classes, we identify the sources that are currently expected to provide the principal contribution to our knowledge, and the areas that need further development. The classification presented here should not be thought of as cast in stone, but rather as a fluid framework that is amenable to change with the flow of new insights in theoretical physics.
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Chumak, A. V., et al.
(författare)
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Advances in Magnetics Roadmap on Spin-Wave Computing
- 2022
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Ingår i: IEEE Transactions on Magnetics. - 0018-9464. ; 58:6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Magnonics addresses the physical properties of spin waves and utilizes them for data processing. Scalability down to atomic dimensions, operation in the GHz-to-THz frequency range, utilization of nonlinear and nonreciprocal phenomena, and compatibility with CMOS are just a few of many advantages offered by magnons. Although magnonics is still primarily positioned in the academic domain, the scientific and technological challenges of the field are being extensively investigated, and many proof-of-concept prototypes have already been realized in laboratories. This roadmap is a product of the collective work of many authors that covers versatile spin-wave computing approaches, conceptual building blocks, and underlying physical phenomena. In particular, the roadmap discusses the computation operations with Boolean digital data, unconventional approaches like neuromorphic computing, and the progress towards magnon-based quantum computing. The article is organized as a collection of sub-sections grouped into seven large thematic sections. Each sub-section is prepared by one or a group of authors and concludes with a brief description of current challenges and the outlook of further development for each research direction. Author
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| 9. |
- Razavi-Shearer, Devin M., et al.
(författare)
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Adjusted estimate of the prevalence of hepatitis delta virus in 25 countries and territories
- 2024
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Ingår i: JOURNAL OF HEPATOLOGY. - 0168-8278 .- 1600-0641. ; 80:2, s. 232-242
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background & Aims: Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is a satellite RNA virus that requires the hepatitis B virus (HBV) for assembly and propagation. Individuals infected with HDV progress to advanced liver disease faster than HBV-monoinfected individuals. Recent studies have estimated the global prevalence of anti-HDV antibodies among the HBV-infected population to be 5-15%. This study aimed to better understand HDV prevalence at the population level in 25 countries/territories. Methods: We conducted a literature review to determine the prevalence of anti-HDV and HDV RNA in hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive individuals in 25 countries/territories. Virtual meetings were held with experts from each setting to discuss the findings and collect unpublished data. Data were weighted for patient segments and regional heterogeneity to estimate the prevalence in the HBV-infected population. The findings were then combined with The Polaris Observatory HBV data to estimate the anti-HDV and HDV RNA prevalence in each country/territory at the population level. Results: After adjusting for geographical distribution, disease stage and special populations, the anti-HDV prevalence among the HBsAg+ population changed from the literature estimate in 19 countries. The highest anti-HDV prevalence was 60.1% in Mongolia. Once adjusted for the size of the HBsAg+ population and HDV RNA positivity rate, China had the highest absolute number of HDV RNA+ cases. Conclusions: We found substantially lower HDV prevalence than previously reported, as prior meta-analyses primarily focused on studies conducted in groups/regions that have a higher probability of HBV infection: tertiary care centers, specific risk groups or geographical regions. There is large uncertainty in HDV prevalence estimates. The implementation of reflex testing would improve estimates, while also allowing earlier linkage to care for HDV RNA+ individuals. The logistical and economic burden of reflex testing on the health system would be limited, as only HBsAg+ cases would be screened.
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| 10. |
- Bellaver, B., et al.
(författare)
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Blood-brain barrier integrity impacts the use of plasma amyloid-beta as a proxy of brain amyloid-beta pathology
- 2023
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Ingår i: Alzheimers & Dementia. - : Wiley. - 1552-5260 .- 1552-5279. ; 19:9, s. 3815-3825
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- INTRODUCTION Amyloid-beta (A beta) and tau can be quantified in blood. However, biological factors can influence the levels of brain-derived proteins in the blood. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) regulates protein transport between cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood. BBB altered permeability might affect the relationship between brain and blood biomarkers.METHODS We assessed 224 participants in research (TRIAD, n = 96) and clinical (BIODEGMAR, n = 128) cohorts with plasma and CSF/positron emission tomography A beta, p-tau, and albumin measures.RESULTS Plasma A beta(42/40) better identified CSF A beta(42/40) and A beta-PET positivity in individuals with high BBB permeability. An interaction between plasma A beta(42/40) and BBB permeability on CSF A beta(42/40) was observed. Voxel-wise models estimated that the association of positron emission tomography (PET), with plasma A beta was most affected by BBB permeability in AD-related brain regions. BBB permeability did not significantly impact the relationship between brain and plasma p-tau levels.DISCUSSION These findings suggest that BBB integrity may influence the performance of plasma A beta, but not p-tau, biomarkers in research and clinical settings.
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| 11. |
- Blanco, A, et al.
(författare)
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Progress in timing Resistive Plate Chambers
- 2004
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Ingår i: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A. - 0168-9002 .- 1872-9576. ; 535:1-2, s. 272-276
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Timing RPCs are Resistive Plate Chambers made with glass and metal electrodes separated by precision spacers. Typical gas gaps are a few hundred micrometers wide. Such counters were introduced in 1999 and have since reached timing accuracies below 50 ps sigma with efficiencies above 99% for MIPs. Applications in high-energy physics have already taken place with several more under study. Some recent developments include the extension of the counting rate capability by over one order of magnitude, to 25 kHz/cm(2), with time resolutions below 100 ps sigma. A prototype RPC-based Positron Emission Tomograph yielded a reconstructed point-source resolution of 0.6 mm FWHM and a modified timing RPC design, featuring 50 mum pitch anode strips, allowed to reach extremely good position resolution for hard X-rays in digital readout mode. An analytically solvable model has allowed us to clarify the basic factors influencing the time resolution.
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| 12. |
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| 13. |
- Therriault, J., et al.
(författare)
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Equivalence of plasma p-tau217 with cerebrospinal fluid in the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease
- 2023
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Ingår i: Alzheimers & Dementia. - 1552-5260. ; 19:11, s. 4967-4977
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- INTRODUCTION: Plasma biomarkers are promising tools for Alzheimer's disease (AD) diagnosis, but comparisons with more established biomarkers are needed.METHODS: We assessed the diagnostic performance of p-tau(181), p-tau(217), and p-tau(231) in plasma and CSF in 174 individuals evaluated by dementia specialists and assessed with amyloid-PET and tau-PET. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses assessed the performance of plasma and CSF biomarkers to identify amyloid-PET and tau-PET positivity.RESULTS: Plasma p-tau biomarkers had lower dynamic ranges and effect sizes compared to CSF p-tau. Plasma p-tau(181) (AUC = 76%) and p-tau(231) (AUC = 82%) assessments performed inferior to CSF p-tau(181) (AUC = 87%) and p-tau(231) (AUC = 95%) for amyloid-PET positivity. However, plasma p-tau(217) (AUC = 91%) had diagnostic performance indistinguishable from CSF (AUC = 94%) for amyloid-PET positivity.DISCUSSION: Plasma and CSF p-tau(217) had equivalent diagnostic performance for biomarker-defined AD. Our results suggest that plasma p-tau(217) may help reduce the need for invasive lumbar punctures without compromising accuracy in the identification of AD.
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| 14. |
- Woo, M. S., et al.
(författare)
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14-3-3 ζ/δ-reported early synaptic injury in Alzheimer's disease is independently mediated by sTREM2
- 2023
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Ingår i: Journal of Neuroinflammation. - 1742-2094. ; 20:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction Synaptic loss is closely associated with tau aggregation and microglia activation in later stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, synaptic damage happens early in AD at the very early stages of tau accumulation. It remains unclear whether microglia activation independently causes synaptic cleavage before tau aggregation appears.Methods We investigated 104 participants across the AD continuum by measuring 14-3-3 zeta/delta (zeta/delta) as a cerebrospinal fluid biomarker for synaptic degradation, and fluid and imaging biomarkers of tau, amyloidosis, astrogliosis, neurodegeneration, and inflammation. We performed correlation analyses in cognitively unimpaired and impaired participants and used structural equation models to estimate the impact of microglia activation on synaptic injury in different disease stages.Results14-3-3 zeta/delta was increased in participants with amyloid pathology at the early stages of tau aggregation before hippocampal volume loss was detectable. 14-3-3 zeta/delta correlated with amyloidosis and tau load in all participants but only with biomarkers of neurodegeneration and memory deficits in cognitively unimpaired participants. This early synaptic damage was independently mediated by sTREM2. At later disease stages, tau and astrogliosis additionally mediated synaptic loss.ConclusionsOur results advertise that sTREM2 is mediating synaptic injury at the early stages of tau accumulation, underlining the importance of microglia activation for AD disease propagation.
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| 15. |
- Ferreira, P. C. L., et al.
(författare)
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Plasma p-tau231 and p-tau217 inform on tau tangles aggregation in cognitively impaired individuals
- 2023
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Ingår i: Alzheimers & Dementia. - 1552-5260. ; 19:10, s. 4463-4474
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- INTRODUCTIONPhosphorylated tau (p-tau) biomarkers have been recently proposed to represent brain amyloid-& beta; (A & beta;) pathology. Here, we evaluated the plasma biomarkers' contribution beyond the information provided by demographics (age and sex) to identify A & beta; and tau pathologies in individuals segregated as cognitively unimpaired (CU) and impaired (CI). METHODSWe assessed 138 CU and 87 CI with available plasma p-tau231, 217(+), and 181, A & beta;42/40, GFAP and A & beta;- and tau-PET. RESULTSIn CU, only plasma p-tau231 and p-tau217(+) significantly improved the performance of the demographics in detecting A & beta;-PET positivity, while no plasma biomarker provided additional information to identify tau-PET positivity. In CI, p-tau217(+) and GFAP significantly contributed to demographics to identify both A & beta;-PET and tau-PET positivity, while p-tau231 only provided additional information to identify tau-PET positivity. DISCUSSIONOur results support plasma p-tau231 and p-tau217(+) as state markers of early A & beta; deposition, but in later disease stages they inform on tau tangle accumulation. HighlightsIt is still unclear how much plasma biomarkers contribute to identification of AD pathology across the AD spectrum beyond the information already provided by demographics (age + sex).Plasma p-tau231 and p-tau217(+) contribute to demographic information to identify brain A & beta; pathology in preclinical AD.In CI individuals, plasma p-tau231 contributes to age and sex to inform on the accumulation of tau tangles, while p-tau217(+) and GFAP inform on both A & beta; deposition and tau pathology.
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| 16. |
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| 17. |
- Woo, M. S., et al.
(författare)
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Plasma pTau-217 and N-terminal tau (NTA) enhance sensitivity to identify tau PET positivity in amyloid-β positive individuals
- 2024
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Ingår i: Alzheimers & Dementia. - 1552-5260. ; 20:2, s. 1166-1174
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- INTRODUCTIONWe set out to identify tau PET-positive (A+T+) individuals among amyloid-beta (A beta) positive participants using plasma biomarkers.METHODSIn this cross-sectional study we assessed 234 participants across the AD continuum who were evaluated by amyloid PET with [18F]AZD4694 and tau-PET with [18F]MK6240 and measured plasma levels of total tau, pTau-181, pTau-217, pTau-231, and N-terminal tau (NTA-tau). We evaluated the performances of plasma biomarkers to predict tau positivity in A beta+ individuals.RESULTSHighest associations with tau positivity in A beta+ individuals were found for plasma pTau-217 (AUC [CI95%] = 0.89 [0.82, 0.96]) and NTA-tau (AUC [CI95%] = 0.88 [0.91, 0.95]). Combining pTau-217 and NTA-tau resulted in the strongest agreement (Cohen's Kappa = 0.74, CI95% = 0.57/0.90, sensitivity = 92%, specificity = 81%) with PET for classifying tau positivity.DISCUSSIONThe potential for identifying tau accumulation in later Braak stages will be useful for patient stratification and prognostication in treatment trials and in clinical practice.HighlightsWe found that in a cohort without pre-selection pTau-181, pTau-217, and NTA-tau showed the highest association with tau PET positivity.We found that in A beta+ individuals pTau-217 and NTA-tau showed the highest association with tau PET positivity.Combining pTau-217 and NTA-tau resulted in the strongest agreement with the tau PET-based classification.
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| 18. |
- Ferrari-Souza, J. P., et al.
(författare)
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APOEε4 potentiates amyloid β effects on longitudinal tau pathology
- 2023
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Ingår i: Nature Aging. - 2662-8465. ; 3:10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The mechanisms by which the apolipoprotein E epsilon 4 (APOE epsilon 4) allele influences the pathophysiological progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are poorly understood. Here we tested the association of APOE epsilon 4 carriership and amyloid-beta (A beta) burden with longitudinal tau pathology. We longitudinally assessed 94 individuals across the aging and AD spectrum who underwent clinical assessments, APOE genotyping, magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography (PET) for A beta ([F-18]AZD4694) and tau ([F-18]MK-6240) at baseline, as well as a 2-year follow-up tau-PET scan. We found that APOE epsilon 4 carriership potentiates A beta effects on longitudinal tau accumulation over 2 years. The APOE epsilon 4-potentiated A beta effects on tau-PET burden were mediated by longitudinal plasma phosphorylated tau at threonine 217 (p-tau217(+)) increase. This longitudinal tau accumulation as measured by PET was accompanied by brain atrophy and clinical decline. Our results suggest that the APOE epsilon 4 allele plays a key role in A beta downstream effects on the aggregation of phosphorylated tau in the living human brain.
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| 19. |
- Gurgel-Giannetti, J., et al.
(författare)
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A novel complex neurological phenotype due to a homozygous mutation in FDX2
- 2018
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Ingår i: Brain. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0006-8950 .- 1460-2156. ; 141, s. 2289-2298
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Defects in iron-sulphur [Fe-S] cluster biogenesis are increasingly recognized as causing neurological disease. Mutations in a number of genes that encode proteins involved in mitochondrial [Fe-S] protein assembly lead to complex neurological phenotypes. One class of proteins essential in the early cluster assembly are ferredoxins. FDX2 is ubiquitously expressed and is essential in the de novo formation of [2Fe-2S] clusters in humans. We describe and genetically define a novel complex neurological syndrome identified in two Brazilian families, with a novel homozygous mutation in FDX2. Patients were clinically evaluated, underwent MRI, nerve conduction studies, EMG and muscle biopsy. To define the genetic aetiology, a combination of homozygosity mapping and whole exome sequencing was performed. We identified six patients from two apparently unrelated families with autosomal recessive inheritance of a complex neurological phenotype involving optic atrophy and nystagmus developing by age 3, followed by myopathy and recurrent episodes of cramps, myalgia and muscle weakness in the first or second decade of life. Sensory-motor axonal neuropathy led to progressive distal weakness. MRI disclosed a reversible or partially reversible leukoencephalopathy. Muscle biopsy demonstrated an unusual pattern of regional succinate dehydrogenase and cytochrome c oxidase deficiency with iron accumulation. The phenotype was mapped in both families to the same homozygous missense mutation in FDX2 (c. 431C > T, p. P144L). The deleterious effect of the mutation was validated by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis, which demonstrated normal expression of FDX2 mRNA but severely reduced expression of FDX2 protein in muscle tissue. This study describes a novel complex neurological phenotype with unusual MRI and muscle biopsy features, conclusively mapped to a mutation in FDX2, which encodes a ubiquitously expressed mitochondrial ferredoxin essential for early [Fe-S] cluster biogenesis.
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| 20. |
- Hatos, Andras, et al.
(författare)
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DisProt : intrinsic protein disorder annotation in 2020
- 2020
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Ingår i: Nucleic Acids Research. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0305-1048 .- 1362-4962. ; 48:D1, s. D269-D276
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Database of Protein Disorder (DisProt, URL:https://disprot.org) provides manually curated annotations of intrinsically disordered proteins from the literature. Here we report recent developments with DisProt (version 8), including the doubling of protein entries, a new disorder ontology, improvements of the annotation format and a completely new website. The website includes a redesigned graphical interface, a better search engine, a clearer API for programmatic access and a new annotation interface that integrates text mining technologies. The new entry format provides a greater flexibility, simplifies maintenance and allows the capture of more information from the literature. The new disorder ontology has been formalized and made interoperable by adopting the OWL format, as well as its structure and term definitions have been improved. The new annotation interface has made the curation process faster and more effective. We recently showed that new DisProt annotations can be effectively used to train and validate disorder predictors. We believe the growth of DisProt will accelerate, contributing to the improvement of function and disorder predictors and therefore to illuminate the 'dark' proteome.
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| 21. |
- Purcell, Shaun M., et al.
(författare)
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Common polygenic variation contributes to risk of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder
- 2009
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Ingår i: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 460:7256, s. 748-752
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder with a lifetime risk of about 1%, characterized by hallucinations, delusions and cognitive deficits, with heritability estimated at up to 80%(1,2). We performed a genome-wide association study of 3,322 European individuals with schizophrenia and 3,587 controls. Here we show, using two analytic approaches, the extent to which common genetic variation underlies the risk of schizophrenia. First, we implicate the major histocompatibility complex. Second, we provide molecular genetic evidence for a substantial polygenic component to the risk of schizophrenia involving thousands of common alleles of very small effect. We show that this component also contributes to the risk of bipolar disorder, but not to several non-psychiatric diseases.
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| 22. |
- Silva, L. N., et al.
(författare)
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Myricetin protects Galleria mellonella against Staphylococcus aureus infection and inhibits multiple virulence factors
- 2017
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Ingår i: Scientific Reports. - : NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP. - 2045-2322. ; 7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Staphylococcus aureus is an opportunistic pathogen related to a variety of life-threatening infections but for which antimicrobial resistance is liming the treatment options. We report here that myricetin, but not its glycosylated form, can remarkably decrease the production of several S. aureus virulence factors, including adhesion, biofilm formation, hemolysis and staphyloxanthin production, without interfering with growth. Myricetin affects both surface proteins and secreted proteins which indicate that its action is unrelated to inhibition of the agr quorum sensing system. Analysis of virulence related gene expression and computational simulations of pivotal proteins involved in pathogenesis demonstrate that myricetin downregulates the saeR global regulator and interacts with sortase A and alpha-hemolysin. Furthermore, Myr confers a significant degree of protection against staphylococcal infection in the Galleria mellonella model. The present findings reveal the potential of Myr as an alternative multi-target antivirulence candidate to control S. aureus pathogenicity.
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| 23. |
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| 24. |
- Baptista, António M. G., et al.
(författare)
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The macular photostress test in diabetes, glaucoma, and cataract
- 2013
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Ingår i: 8th Iberoamerican Optics Meeting and 11th Latin American Meeting on Optics, Lasers, and Applications. - : SPIE - International Society for Optical Engineering.
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose. The photostress recovery time test (PSRT) has been widely reported as a helpful screening clinical tool. However, the poor standardization of its measurement technique remains to be a limitation among clinicians. The purpose of this study is to apply a recommended clinical technique to measure the PSRT in some of the most commons eye diseases to ascertain whether these diseases affect the PSRT values. Methods. One hundred and one controls and 105 patients, with diagnosed diabetes (without visible signs of diabetic retinopathy), primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) or cataracts underwent photostress testing. The test was performed with a direct ophthalmoscope for illuminating the macula for 30 seconds. Participants belonged to three age classes: A, B and C; and were divided into four groups: control, diabetic, POAG and cataract. The age range for A, B and C classes were respectively 43-54, 55-64 and 65-74 years. The groups were also further compared within each age class. In addition, the influence of age on PSRT was evaluated using the control group. Results. Results demonstrate that PSRT changes with age (p<0.02). In class A, diabetic group had a faster PSRT than control group, (mean ± standard deviation) 20.22±7.51 and 26.14±8.34 seconds. The difference between these groups was statistical significant (t-test, p=0.012). Cataract and POAG groups did not affect the PSRT significantly. Conclusions. The technique used for the Photostress showed that diabetics, younger than 54 years, may have faster PSRT and that, aging delays PSRT
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| 25. |
- Estrader, Marta, et al.
(författare)
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Origin of the large dispersion of magnetic properties in nanostructured oxides : FexO/Fe3O4 nanoparticles as a case study
- 2015
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Ingår i: Nanoscale. - : Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). - 2040-3364 .- 2040-3372. ; 7:7, s. 3002-3015
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The intimate relationship between stoichiometry and physicochemical properties in transition-metal oxides makes them appealing as tunable materials. These features become exacerbated when dealing with nanostructures. However, due to the complexity of nanoscale materials, establishing a distinct relationship between structure-morphology and functionalities is often complicated. In this regard, in the FexO/Fe3O4 system a largely unexplained broad dispersion of magnetic properties has been observed. Here we show, thanks to a comprehensive multi-technique approach, a clear correlation between the magneto-structural properties in large (45 nm) and small (9 nm) FexO/Fe3O4 core/shell nanoparticles that can explain the spread of magnetic behaviors. The results reveal that while the FexO core in the large nanoparticles is antiferromagnetic and has bulk-like stoichiometry and unit-cell parameters, the FexO core in the small particles is highly non-stoichiometric and strained, displaying no significant antiferromagnetism. These results highlight the importance of ample characterization to fully understand the properties of nanostructured metal oxides.
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| 26. |
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| 27. |
- Lantero Rodriguez, Juan, et al.
(författare)
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Plasma and CSF concentrations of N-terminal tau fragments associate with in vivo neurofibrillary tangle burden
- 2023
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Ingår i: Alzheimers & Dementia. - 1552-5260. ; 19:12, s. 5343-5354
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- INTRODUCTIONFluid biomarkers capable of specifically tracking tau tangle pathology in vivo are greatly needed. METHODSWe measured cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma concentrations of N-terminal tau fragments (NTA-tau), using a novel immunoassay (NTA) in the TRIAD cohort, consisting of 272 individuals assessed with amyloid beta (A beta) positron emission tomography (PET), tau PET, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and cognitive assessments. RESULTSCSF and plasma NTA-tau concentrations were specifically increased in cognitively impaired A beta-positive groups. CSF and plasma NTA-tau concentrations displayed stronger correlations with tau PET than with A beta PET and MRI, both in global uptake and at the voxel level. Regression models demonstrated that both CSF and plasma NTA-tau are preferentially associated with tau pathology. Moreover, plasma NTA-tau was associated with longitudinal tau PET accumulation across the aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD) spectrum. DISCUSSIONNTA-tau is a biomarker closely associated with in vivo tau deposition in the AD continuum and has potential as a tau tangle biomarker in clinical settings and trials. HIGHLIGHTSAn assay for detecting N-terminal tau fragments (NTA-tau) in plasma and CSF was evaluated.NTA-tau is more closely associated with tau PET than amyloid PET or neurodegeneration.NTA-tau can successfully track in vivo tau deposition across the AD continuum.Plasma NTA-tau increased over time only in cognitively impaired amyloid-beta positive individuals.
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| 28. |
- Marlevi, David, doktorand, et al.
(författare)
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Combined spatiotemporal and frequency-dependent shear wave elastography enables detection of vulnerable carotid plaques as validated by MRI
- 2020
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Ingår i: Scientific Reports. - : Springer Nature. - 2045-2322. ; 10:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Fatal cerebrovascular events are often caused by rupture of atherosclerotic plaques. However, rupture-prone plaques are often distinguished by their internal composition rather than degree of luminal narrowing, and conventional imaging techniques might thus fail to detect such culprit lesions. In this feasibility study, we investigate the potential of ultrasound shear wave elastography (SWE) to detect vulnerable carotid plaques, evaluating group velocity and frequency-dependent phase velocities as novel biomarkers for plaque vulnerability. In total, 27 carotid plaques from 20 patients were scanned by ultrasound SWE and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). SWE output was quantified as group velocity and frequency-dependent phase velocities, respectively, with results correlated to intraplaque constituents identified by MRI. Overall, vulnerable lesions graded as American Heart Association (AHA) type VI showed significantly higher group and phase velocity compared to any other AHA type. A selection of correlations with intraplaque components could also be identified with group and phase velocity (lipid-rich necrotic core content, fibrous cap structure, intraplaque hemorrhage), complementing the clinical lesion classification. In conclusion, we demonstrate the ability to detect vulnerable carotid plaques using combined SWE, with group velocity and frequency-dependent phase velocity providing potentially complementary information on plaque characteristics. With such, the method represents a promising non-invasive approach for refined atherosclerotic risk prediction.
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| 29. |
- Mendieta-Leiva, Glenda, et al.
(författare)
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EpIG-DB: A database of vascular epiphyte assemblages in the Neotropics
- 2020
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Ingår i: Journal of Vegetation Science. - : Wiley. - 1100-9233 .- 1654-1103. ; 31, s. 518-528
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Vascular epiphytes are a diverse and conspicuous component of biodiversity in tropical and subtropical forests. Yet, the patterns and drivers of epiphyte assemblages are poorly studied in comparison with soil-rooted plants. Current knowledge about diversity patterns of epiphytes mainly stems from local studies or floristic inventories, but this information has not yet been integrated to allow a better understanding of large-scale distribution patterns. EpIG-DB, the first database on epiphyte assemblages at the continental scale, resulted from an exhaustive compilation of published and unpublished inventory data from the Neotropics. The current version of EpIG-DB consists of 463,196 individual epiphytes from 3,005 species, which were collected from a total of 18,148 relevés (host trees and ‘understory’ plots). EpIG-DB reports the occurrence of ‘true’ epiphytes, hemiepiphytes and nomadic vines, including information on their cover, abundance, frequency and biomass. Most records (97%) correspond to sampled host trees, 76% of them aggregated in forest plots. The data is stored in a TURBOVEG database using the most up-to-date checklist of vascular epiphytes. A total of 18 additional fields were created for the standardization of associated data commonly used in epiphyte ecology (e.g. by considering different sampling methods). EpIG-DB currently covers six major biomes across the whole latitudinal range of epiphytes in the Neotropics but welcomes data globally. This novel database provides, for the first time, unique biodiversity data on epiphytes for the Neotropics and unified guidelines for future collection of epiphyte data. EpIG-DB will allow exploration of new ways to study the community ecology and biogeography of vascular epiphytes.
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| 30. |
- Pocas, Juliana, et al.
(författare)
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Syndecan-4 is a maestro of gastric cancer cell invasion and communication that underscores poor survival
- 2023
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). - 0027-8424 .- 1091-6490. ; 120:20
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Gastric cancer is a dominating cause of cancer-associated mortality with limited therapeutic options. Here, we show that syndecan-4 (SDC4), a transmembrane pro-teoglycan, is highly expressed in intestinal subtype gastric tumors and that this sig -nature associates with patient poor survival. Further, we mechanistically demonstrate that SDC4 is a master regulator of gastric cancer cell motility and invasion. We also find that SDC4 decorated with heparan sulfate is efficiently sorted in extracellular vesicles (EVs). Interestingly, SDC4 in EVs regulates gastric cancer cell-derived EV organ distribution, uptake, and functional effects in recipient cells. Specifically, we show that SDC4 knockout disrupts the tropism of EVs for the common gastric cancer metastatic sites. Our findings set the basis for the molecular implications of SDC4 expression in gastric cancer cells and provide broader perspectives on the development of therapeutic strategies targeting the glycan-EV axis to limit tumor progression.
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| 31. |
- Salazar-Alvarez, German, et al.
(författare)
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Enhanced coercivity in Co-rich near-stoichiometric CoFe3-xO4+delta nanoparticles prepared in large batches
- 2007
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Ingår i: Chemistry of Materials. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0897-4756 .- 1520-5002. ; 19:20, s. 4957-4963
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The relationship between the structure and composition with the magnetic properties of near stoichiometric cobalt ferrite nanoparticles CoxFe3-xO4+delta (0.85 < x < 1.1) prepared in large batches with average sizes in the range 60-210 nm has been investigated. Chemical analysis and Rietveld refinement of the X-ray diffraction data in conjunction with Mossbauer spectroscopy allowed us to identify an interplay between particle size, microstructure (concentration of interstitial ions, microstrain, cation arrangement in octahedral and tetrahedral sites), and composition, which sensitively controls the magnetic properties such as coercivity and saturation magnetization. In all cases, cobalt-rich compositions resulted in a higher coercivity, whereas lower degrees of inversion and higher iron contents led to slightly higher saturation magnetization values.
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| 32. |
- Therriault, Joseph, et al.
(författare)
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Comparison of immunoassay- with mass spectrometry-derived p-tau quantification for the detection of Alzheimer’s disease pathology
- 2024
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Ingår i: Molecular Neurodegeneration. - 1750-1326. ; 19:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Antibody-based immunoassays have enabled quantification of very low concentrations of phosphorylated tau (p-tau) protein forms in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), aiding in the diagnosis of AD. Mass spectrometry enables absolute quantification of multiple p-tau variants within a single run. The goal of this study was to compare the performance of mass spectrometry assessments of p-tau181, p-tau217 and p-tau231 with established immunoassay techniques. Methods: We measured p-tau181, p-tau217 and p-tau231 concentrations in CSF from 173 participants from the TRIAD cohort and 394 participants from the BioFINDER-2 cohort using both mass spectrometry and immunoassay methods. All subjects were clinically evaluated by dementia specialists and had amyloid-PET and tau-PET assessments. Bland–Altman analyses evaluated the agreement between immunoassay and mass spectrometry p-tau181, p-tau217 and p-tau231. P-tau associations with amyloid-PET and tau-PET uptake were also compared. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analyses compared the performance of mass spectrometry and immunoassays p-tau concentrations to identify amyloid-PET positivity. Results: Mass spectrometry and immunoassays of p-tau217 were highly comparable in terms of diagnostic performance, between-group effect sizes and associations with PET biomarkers. In contrast, p-tau181 and p-tau231 concentrations measured using antibody-free mass spectrometry had lower performance compared with immunoassays. Conclusions: Our results suggest that while similar overall, immunoassay-based p-tau biomarkers are slightly superior to antibody-free mass spectrometry-based p-tau biomarkers. Future work is needed to determine whether the potential to evaluate multiple biomarkers within a single run offsets the slightly lower performance of antibody-free mass spectrometry-based p-tau quantification.
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| 33. |
- Ahlström, Peter, et al.
(författare)
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A Survey of the Role of Thermodynamics and Transport Properties in ChE University Education in Europe and the USA
- 2010
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Ingår i: Chemical Engineering Education. - : Chemical Engineering Department, University of Florida. - 0009-2479. ; 44:1, s. 35-43
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Thermodynamics and Transport Properties (TTP) is a central subject in the majority of chemical engineering curricula worldwide and it is thus of interest to know how it is taught today in various countries if chemical engineering education is to be improved. A survey of graduate thermodynamics education in the USA was performed a few years ago by Visco et al. [1] but as far as we know no systematic study of the undergraduate thermodynamics education has been performed, at least in recent years. In the present study, a survey about TTP education in Europe and the USA is presented. Results were obtained from nearly twenty different European countries and the USA and in total answers from about 150 universities were used for this study. The study is performed under the auspices of the Working Party of Thermodynamics and Transport Properties of the European Federation of Chemical Engineering. The survey was performed using a web based surveying system for which invitations were sent out to the universities by local representatives who were responsible for one or more countries each. Of the universities that answered more than 70 % offer BSc education 65 % offer MSc education and 55 % offer PhD education. Most universities offer at least two courses of thermodynamics. The following discussion is mainly based on the first two (undergraduate) courses reported. Half of these are taught to chemical engineers exclusively whereas the rest are taught with other branches of engineering, mainly mechanical and / or process engineering. In general two sets of course lengths were observed, corresponding either to a full semester of full time studies or to quarter of a semester. Most courses are centered around lectures and exercise classes with little or no laboratory work whereas home assignments are given in the vast majority (70-80 %) of the courses. The first course is mainly centered around the first and second law of thermodynamics whereas the second course is frequently more concentrated on phase equilibria. Both of these courses are mainly comprising of classical thermodynamics whereas the molecular interpretation often is touched upon. An analysis of the differences between thermodynamics education in Europe and the USA in presently being undertaken and results from this will also be presented. An investigation of the use of thermodynamics within industry is also on-going within the Working Party and results will be reported in the near future. [1] S.K.Dube, D.P. Visco, Chem. Eng. Ed., 2005, 258-263.
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| 34. |
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| 35. |
- Araújo, H. C., et al.
(författare)
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Shaping the policies towards early school leaving in Portugal, Sweden and Poland
- 2018
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Ingår i: Comparative Perspectives on Early School Leaving in the European Union. - London : Routledge. - 9781351691819 - 9781138048072 ; , s. 47-60
-
Bokkapitel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This chapter focuses on education policies in Portugal, Poland and Sweden, exploring links between the political construction of ESL and the fight against it. Portugal still has one of the highest rates in Europe, even with great progress; Sweden is and has been in quite a comfortable position very close to the European average; and the rate of ESL in Poland is significantly below. We take into consideration the relationships of education with Europeanization, including the assertion of new roles for the state that interacts in a multiple scale governance - the dispersion of decision-making from the states to European institutions in line with Roger Dale (2007). We argue that these processes bring to the fore difficulties and opportunities that are explored in national interpretations of the educational policy and phenomena. Taking into account the specific educational structures, policies and practices in the three countries, the chapter highlights that the educational debate varies in areas of concentration and there are tensions in the discussion of vocational tracks; that the socio-political and economic crisis has reshaped the ways different countries address ESL and try to make the best of EU funding; that tensions remain in varying degrees between the social and educational goals and the needs of the labour market; and that social concerns about equality of opportunities and educational development are not as common as they should be in light of the EU concern about social inclusion.
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| 36. |
- Baptista, Antonio M. G., et al.
(författare)
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Causes of Vision Impairment in Portugal : A hospital based study
- 2015
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Ingår i: Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science. - 0146-0404 .- 1552-5783. ; 56:7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose Causes of vision impairment (VI) are influenced by factors such as race or socio-economic circumstances. Because of this collecting national information is important for planning reduction of vision loss. The aim of this study was to determine causes of vision impairment in a population visiting ophthalmology departments in public hospitals in Portugal.Methods This study was designed according with the guidelines of the Vancouver Economic Burden of Vision Loss Group (IOVS, 2010, V51/4/1801). Recommendations are to collect hospital data during 1 year to determine causes of VI. We selected four public hospitals that are expected to have over 120-140K appointments per year. Files are analysed weekly to detect patients with vision impairment. Inclusion criteria are: visual acuity with the current refractive correction equal or less than 0.5 (20/40) in the better-seeing eye and/or a visual field of less than 20 degrees. Patients were selected by trained hospital staff (medics and orthoptists) and inserted in a database. Diagnoses were classified according the ICD9. Data collected included fundamental demographic information, main diagnosis, secondary diagnosis and comorbidities.Results We have now 2462 patients selected that correspond to 4 to 33 weeks of data collection. The number of weeks is variable because we did not start all hospitals simultaneously. From the current number of cases detected, 58% are female, 1.9% are under 20, 8.2% are between 20 and 50 and 89.9% are 50 years or older. The leading causes of vision impairment among these patients are diabetic retinopathy (DR), cataract (C), glaucoma (GC) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Using the North American definition of VI the proportions are 26.8% for DR, 25.5% for C, 10.4% for GC and 8.2% for AMD. The remaining causes of VI have percentages below 5% and in total they correspond to approximately 29% of the cases detected.Conclusions Our results show that the most common causes of vision impairment are eye diseases related with systemic conditions and aging of the population. Vision impairment was relatively low under the age of 20 and the causes were mostly inherited diseases. Numbers reported now will be more accurate at the end of the study but they already highlight the importance of targeting conditions such as diabetes.
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| 37. |
- Bigdeli, TB, et al.
(författare)
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Contributions of common genetic variants to risk of schizophrenia among individuals of African and Latino ancestry
- 2020
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Ingår i: Molecular psychiatry. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1476-5578 .- 1359-4184. ; 25:10, s. 2455-2467
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Schizophrenia is a common, chronic and debilitating neuropsychiatric syndrome affecting tens of millions of individuals worldwide. While rare genetic variants play a role in the etiology of schizophrenia, most of the currently explained liability is within common variation, suggesting that variation predating the human diaspora out of Africa harbors a large fraction of the common variant attributable heritability. However, common variant association studies in schizophrenia have concentrated mainly on cohorts of European descent. We describe genome-wide association studies of 6152 cases and 3918 controls of admixed African ancestry, and of 1234 cases and 3090 controls of Latino ancestry, representing the largest such study in these populations to date. Combining results from the samples with African ancestry with summary statistics from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium (PGC) study of schizophrenia yielded seven newly genome-wide significant loci, and we identified an additional eight loci by incorporating the results from samples with Latino ancestry. Leveraging population differences in patterns of linkage disequilibrium, we achieve improved fine-mapping resolution at 22 previously reported and 4 newly significant loci. Polygenic risk score profiling revealed improved prediction based on trans-ancestry meta-analysis results for admixed African (Nagelkerke’s R2 = 0.032; liability R2 = 0.017; P < 10−52), Latino (Nagelkerke’s R2 = 0.089; liability R2 = 0.021; P < 10−58), and European individuals (Nagelkerke’s R2 = 0.089; liability R2 = 0.037; P < 10−113), further highlighting the advantages of incorporating data from diverse human populations.
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| 38. |
- Borges, J., et al.
(författare)
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Thin films composed of Ag nanoclusters dispersed in TiO2 : Influence of composition and thermal annealing on the microstructure and physical responses
- 2015
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Ingår i: Applied Surface Science. - : Elsevier BV. - 0169-4332 .- 1873-5584. ; 358, s. 595-604
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Noble metal powders containing gold and silver have been used for many centuries, providing different colours in the windows of the medieval cathedrals and in ancient Roman glasses. Nowadays, the interest in nanocomposite materials containing noble nanoparticles embedded in dielectric matrices is related with their potential use for a wide range of advanced technological applications. They have been proposed for environmental and biological sensing, tailoring colour of functional coatings, or for surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy. Most of these applications rely on the so-called localised surface plasmon resonance absorption, which is governed by the type of the noble metal nanoparticles, their distribution, size and shape and as well as of the dielectric characteristics of the host matrix. The aim of this work is to study the influence of the composition and thermal annealing on the morphological and structural changes of thin films composed of Ag metal clusters embedded in a dielectric TiO2 matrix. Since changes in size, shape and distribution of the clusters are fundamental parameters for tailoring the properties of plasmonic materials, a set of films with different Ag concentrations was prepared. The optical properties and the thermal behaviour of the films were correlated with the structural and morphological changes promoted by annealing. The films were deposited by DC magnetron sputtering and in order to promote the clustering of the Ag nanoparticles the as-deposited samples were subjected to an in-air annealing protocol. It was demonstrated that the clustering of metallic Ag affects the optical response spectrum and the thermal behaviour of the films.
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| 39. |
- Carneiro de Freitas, Rui, et al.
(författare)
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Prevalence of Visual Impairment in Portugal : study design and initial results
- 2015
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Ingår i: Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science. - 0146-0404 .- 1552-5783. ; 56:7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose Information about the prevalence of visual impairment is fundamental to define policies that deal with vision loss. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of visual impairment (VI) in the population looking for eye care in public hospitals in Portugal.Methods We designed an observation, cross-sectional prospective study (Prevalence and Costs of Visual Impairment in Portugal: PC-VIP study) to investigate the prevalence of VI in patients attending outpatient appointments in four public hospitals in Portugal. Hospital selected provide from general eye care (3-6 ophthalmologists) to high-specialized eye care (40+ ophthalmologists) that in total have between 120-140K hospital appointments per year. Files of patients are analysed weekly to detect patients with VI. Inclusion criteria were: visual acuity equal or worse than 0.5 (USA definition 20/40) in the better eye and/or a visual field of less than 20deg. Cases are selected by trained hospital staff and inserted in a database. Data collected included demographic information, acuity from both eyes, qualitative information about visual field (good, reduced, requires investigation), main diagnosis, secondary diagnosis and comorbidities. Diagnoses were classified according with ICD9.Results We have now detected 2462 cases of VI that correspond to 4 to 33 weeks of data collection. The number of weeks is variable because collection did not start simultaneously in all sites. From the number of cases detected, 58% were female, 1.9% were under 20y, 8.2% were between 20y and 50y and 89.9% were ≥50y. The mean prevalence of visual impairment was 13.6% (SD=5.6) using the USA definition and it was 7.0%(SD=4.1) using the WHO definition (acuity equal or worse than 0.3 or ~20/63). With a methodology that controls for demographics the lowest and highest estimates were calculated. Considering the USA definition, the prevalence in the general population would be in the range 0.4 -0.4% (age<40y) and 0.8-2.4% (age>=40y). Considering WHO definition, it would be 0.2-0.5% (age<40y) and 0.4-1.0% (age>=40y).Conclusions A hospital-based study can provide effective estimates of the prevalence of visual impairment in a population. Estimates for the country are in agreement with the expected results that can be deducted from neighbour countries and self-reported visual impairment in census 2001.
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| 40. |
- Daelman, Bo, et al.
(författare)
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Frailty and cognitive function in middle-aged and older adults with congenital heart disease
- 2024
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Ingår i: Journal of the American College of Cardiology. - : Elsevier. - 0735-1097 .- 1558-3597. ; 83:12, s. 1149-1159
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Life expectancy of patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) has increased rapidly, resulting in a growing and aging population. Recent studies have shown that older people with CHD have higher morbidity, health care use, and mortality. To maintain longevity and quality of life, understanding their evolving medical and psychosocial challenges is essential.Objectives: The authors describe the frailty and cognitive profile of middle-aged and older adults with CHD to identify predictor variables and to explore the relationship with hospital admissions and outpatient visits.Methods: Using a cross-sectional, multicentric design, we included 814 patients aged ≥40 years from 11 countries. Frailty phenotype was determined using the Fried method. Cognitive function was assessed by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment.Results: In this sample, 52.3% of patients were assessed as robust, 41.9% as prefrail, and 5.8% as frail; 38.8% had cognitive dysfunction. Multinomial regression showed that frailty was associated with older age, female sex, higher physiologic class, and comorbidities. Counterintuitively, patients with mild heart defects were more likely than those with complex lesions to be prefrail. Patients from middle-income countries displayed more prefrailty than those from higher-income countries. Logistic regression demonstrated that cognitive dysfunction was related to older age, comorbidities, and lower country-level income.Conclusions: Approximately one-half of included patients were (pre-)frail, and more than one-third experienced cognitive impairment. Frailty and cognitive dysfunction were identified in patients with mild CHD, indicating that these concerns extend beyond severe CHD. Assessing frailty and cognition routinely could offer valuable insights into this aging population.
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| 41. |
- Grill, G., et al.
(författare)
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Mapping the world's free-flowing rivers
- 2019
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Ingår i: Nature. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 569:7755, s. 215-221
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Free-flowing rivers (FFRs) support diverse, complex and dynamic ecosystems globally, providing important societal and economic services. Infrastructure development threatens the ecosystem processes, biodiversity and services that these rivers support. Here we assess the connectivity status of 12 million kilometres of rivers globally and identify those that remain free-flowing in their entire length. Only 37 per cent of rivers longer than 1,000 kilometres remain free-flowing over their entire length and 23 per cent flow uninterrupted to the ocean. Very long FFRs are largely restricted to remote regions of the Arctic and of the Amazon and Congo basins. In densely populated areas only few very long rivers remain free-flowing, such as the Irrawaddy and Salween. Dams and reservoirs and their up- and downstream propagation of fragmentation and flow regulation are the leading contributors to the loss of river connectivity. By applying a new method to quantify riverine connectivity and map FFRs, we provide a foundation for concerted global and national strategies to maintain or restore them.
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| 42. |
- Han, T., et al.
(författare)
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Emerging Drone Trends for Blockchain-Based 5G Networks: Open Issues and Future Perspectives
- 2021
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Ingår i: Ieee Network. - : Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). - 0890-8044 .- 1558-156X. ; 35:1, s. 38-43
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly known as drones, are receiving growing research interest due to their ability to carry a multitude of sensors and to connect to mobile networks. They are also able to move freely across the air, which enables the creation of numerous applications that were until now considered impracticable. However, such applications may require high computational resources, reliable connection, and high data transmission rates to accomplish different tasks. Therefore, in this work, first, we discuss 5G communication networks and mobile edge computing (MEC) as promising technologies that can provide several benefits to drone-enabled environments and solve some of the presented issues. We also comment on 5G and MEC approaches, presenting the state of the art and seeking to solve each of the latter issues presented. Afterward, we introduce new security concerns of drone communication networks, given their recent popularity. These concerns are related to the possibility of malicious users taking advantage of this brand new technology, which has made many governments ban drones due to public safety. Next, blockchain technology is brought in as a novel solution to the security issues due to its decentralized nature, making it inherently safe. This article also surveys contributions that make use of each of the technologies mentioned to improve the emerging drone industry. Subsequently, we discuss open issues and future perspectives.
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| 43. |
- Hayden, JA, et al.
(författare)
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Exercise treatment effect modifiers in persistent low back pain: an individual participant data meta-analysis of 3514 participants from 27 randomised controlled trials
- 2020
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Ingår i: British journal of sports medicine. - : BMJ. - 1473-0480 .- 0306-3674. ; 54:21, s. 1277-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Low back pain is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. Exercise therapy is widely recommended to treat persistent non-specific low back pain. While evidence suggests exercise is, on average, moderately effective, there remains uncertainty about which individuals might benefit the most from exercise.MethodsIn parallel with a Cochrane review update, we requested individual participant data (IPD) from high-quality randomised clinical trials of adults with our two primary outcomes of interest, pain and functional limitations, and calculated global recovery. We compiled a master data set including baseline participant characteristics, exercise and comparison characteristics, and outcomes at short-term, moderate-term and long-term follow-up. We conducted descriptive analyses and one-stage IPD meta-analysis using multilevel mixed-effects regression of the overall treatment effect and prespecified potential treatment effect modifiers.ResultsWe received IPD for 27 trials (3514 participants). For studies included in this analysis, compared with no treatment/usual care, exercise therapy on average reduced pain (mean effect/100 (95% CI) −10.7 (−14.1 to –7.4)), a result compatible with a clinically important 20% smallest worthwhile effect. Exercise therapy reduced functional limitations with a clinically important 23% improvement (mean effect/100 (95% CI) −10.2 (−13.2 to –7.3)) at short-term follow-up. Not having heavy physical demands at work and medication use for low back pain were potential treatment effect modifiers—these were associated with superior exercise outcomes relative to non-exercise comparisons. Lower body mass index was also associated with better outcomes in exercise compared with no treatment/usual care. This study was limited by inconsistent availability and measurement of participant characteristics.ConclusionsThis study provides potentially useful information to help treat patients and design future studies of exercise interventions that are better matched to specific subgroups.Protocol publicationhttps://doi.org/10.1186/2046-4053-1-64
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| 44. |
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| 45. |
- Marisa, Ferreira, 1992-, et al.
(författare)
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Using endogenous saccades to characterize fatigue in multiple sclerosis
- 2017
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Ingår i: Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders. - : Elsevier. - 2211-0348 .- 2211-0356. ; 14, s. 16-22
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- PurposeMultiple Sclerosis (MS) is likely to cause dysfunction of neural circuits between brain regions increasing brain working load or a subjective overestimation of such working load leading to fatigue symptoms. The aim of this study was to investigate if saccades can reveal the effect of fatigue in patients with MS.MethodsPatients diagnosed with MS (EDSS<=3) and age matched controls were recruited. Eye movements were monitored using an infrared eyetracker. Each participant performed 40 trials in an endogenous generated saccade paradigm (valid and invalid trials). The fatigue severity scale (FSS) was used to assess the severity of fatigue. FSS scores were used to define two subgroups, the MS fatigue group (score above normal range) and the MS non-fatigue. Differences between groups were tested using linear mixed models.ResultsThirty-one MS patients and equal number of controls participated in this study. FSS scores were above the normal range in 11 patients. Differences in saccade latency were found according to group (p<0.001) and trial validity (p=0.023). Differences were 16.9 ms, between MS fatigue and MS non-fatigue, 15.5 ms between MS fatigue and control. The mean difference between valid and invalid trials was 7.5 ms. Differences in saccade peak velocity were found according to group (p<0.001), the difference between MS fatigue and control was 22.3°/s and between MS fatigue and non-fatigue was 12.3°/s. Group was a statistically significant predictor for amplitude (p<0.001). FSS scores were correlated with peak velocity (p=0.028) and amplitude (p=0.019).ConclusionConsistent with the initial hypothesis, our study revealed altered saccade latency, peak velocity and amplitude in patients with fatigue symptoms. Eye movement testing can complement the standard inventories when investigating fatigue because they do not share similar limitations. Our findings contribute to the understanding of functional changes induced by MS and might be useful for clinical trials and treatment decisions.
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| 46. |
- Marques, Ana Patricia, et al.
(författare)
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Emergence of intravitreal injections in a National Health System : 2002-2012
- 2014
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Ingår i: Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science. - 0146-0404 .- 1552-5783. ; 55:13
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose Intravitreal injections of antivascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) are an innovative procedure with well-proven benefits to preserve vision in certain eye conditions. The aim of this study was to examine the diffusion of this treatment in the Portuguese National Health System.Methods We used a database of all in-patient and day cases stays from all Portuguese public hospitals during period 2002-2012. We selected cases based on four procedures, ICD-9-CM codes: 1414, 1475, 1479, 149. Given that these procedures are not specific for intravitreal injections it is likely that our results captured cases that are not anti-VEGF injections. Because we were only interested in the diffusion of new anti-VEGF treatments we included years 2002-2005 as baseline because during that period drugs anti-VEGF were not licenced. We calculated absolute values, yearly rates of episodes and rates of patients treated per 100,000 habitants.Results Our final sample included 98,408 episodes, 52% performed in men. The total number of episodes increased from 1,815 in 2002 to 25,106 in 2012 (mean annual increase of 32%). These values corresponded to an increase in ratios per 100,000 from 17.4 to 238.77. The highest increase was observed between 2007 and 2009 with an increase of 337%. The number of treated patients was six times higher in 2012 with 11,937 treated compared with 1,561 in 2002 (mean annual increase of 24%). The highest increase was also observed between 2006 and 2009. In 2012, 86.2% of the procedures were performed as day cases, representing an increase of 78.3% as compared to 2002. The percentage of patients older than 60 years increased from 60% in 2002 to 80% in 2012. Five diagnoses (See Figure: wet AMD, diabetic macular oedema, oedema of the retina, retinal neovascularization and non-specific AMD) were associated with 73% of these procedures in 2012, in contrast with only 16% in 2002.Conclusions The number of procedures grew exponentially since anti-VGEF treatments were approved. The aging of the population and the expected growth in conditions such as diabetes and AMD are likely to increase the demand for these procedures in years to come. These factors are likely to impose tremendous challenges to health services. That will happen not only due to the price of the procedures but also for number of physicians and other staff needed in Ophthalmology departments. View
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| 47. |
- Marques, Ana Patricia, et al.
(författare)
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Estimating the cost of visual impairment : initial results
- 2015
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Ingår i: Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science. - 0146-0404 .- 1552-5783. ; 56:7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: Vision loss can have a substantial human and economic impact on individuals and society that include disability, loss of productivity and reduction in quality of life. The purpose of this study was to estimate economic burden of visual impairment in Portugal.Methods: A prevalence-based cost of illness approach was adopted to estimate costs of vision impairment. We estimated direct medical costs and indirect economic costs. Direct medical hospital costs were determined using a bottom up approach. For those meeting the inclusion criteria (visual acuity of 20/40 or 0.5decimal or worse in the better eye and/or visual field of less than 20deg) we estimated direct costs by collecting information from administrative records that included: physician’s office visits, emergency and outpatient visits. We developed a survey based in parts of the annotated cost questionnaire-HERU Discussion Paper N.03/01 (UK Working Party on Patient Costs) and the Service Receipt Inventory-European Version. Using the questionnaire that we developed, in face-to-face interviews, we collect direct medical expenditures supported by patients that included: costs with medical prescriptions, low vision aids and devices. With the same questionnaire we collected information for indirect costs calculations. Indirect costs were calculated by estimating the value of productivity losses including employment participation, absenteeism and caregiver costs.Results: Results presented here correspond to 442 patients that met the inclusion criteria. The four main causes of visual impairment in this sample were Diabetic Retinopathy, Cataract, Glaucoma and Age-related macular degeneration. Direct medical hospital costs were accountable for 12% of total costs calculated. Patient expenditures represented 25% of expenses with visual impairment and indirect costs corresponded to 63% of the total. From this data we estimated that the average annual direct cost per patient with VI was 958 euro and average annual indirect cost was 1655 euro.Conclusions: With the instruments and methodology that was adopted we were able quantify direct medical hospital costs as well as indirect costs of visual impairment. Results of this study show that more than half of the costs with VI are indirect. This highlights that particular attention should be given to costs that arise for individuals with vision loss.
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| 48. |
- Morin, Charles M., et al.
(författare)
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Insomnia, anxiety, and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic : an international collaborative study
- 2021
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Ingår i: Sleep Medicine. - : Elsevier. - 1389-9457 .- 1878-5506. ; 87, s. 38-45
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- IMPORTANCE AND STUDY OBJECTIVE: The COVID-19 pandemic has produced unprecedented changes in social, work, and leisure activities, which all have had major impact on sleep and psychological well-being. This study documented the prevalence of clinical cases of insomnia, anxiety, and depression and selected risk factors (COVID-19, confinement, financial burden, social isolation) during the first wave of the pandemic in 13 countries throughout the world.DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS: International, multi-center, harmonized survey of 22 330 adults (mean age = 41.9 years old, range 18-95; 65.6% women) from the general population in 13 countries and four continents. Participants were invited to complete a standardized web-based survey about sleep and psychological symptoms during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic from May to August 2020.RESULTS: Clinical insomnia symptoms were reported by 36.7% (95% CI, 36.0-37.4) of respondents and 17.4% (95% CI, 16.9-17.9) met criteria for a probable insomnia disorder. There were 25.6% (95% CI, 25.0-26.2) with probable anxiety and 23.1% (95% CI, 22.5-23.6) with probable depression. Rates of insomnia symptoms (>40%) and insomnia disorder (>25%) were significantly higher in women, younger age groups, and in residents of Brazil, Canada, Norway, Poland, USA, and United Kingdom compared to residents from Asian countries (China and Japan, 8% for disorder and 22%-25% for symptoms) (all Ps < 0.01). Proportions of insomnia cases were significantly higher among participants who completed the survey earlier in the first wave of the pandemic relative to those who completed it later. Risks of insomnia were higher among participants who reported having had COVID-19, who reported greater financial burden, were in confinement for a period of four to five weeks, and living alone or with more than five people in same household. These associations remained significant after controlling for age, sex, and psychological symptoms.CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: Insomnia, anxiety, and depression were very prevalent during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Public health prevention programs are needed to prevent chronicity and reduce long-term adverse outcomes associated with chronic insomnia and mental health problems.
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| 49. |
- Nobrega, M. S., et al.
(författare)
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Mangrove microbiome reveals importance of sulfur metabolism in tropical coastal waters
- 2022
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Ingår i: Science of the Total Environment. - : Elsevier BV. - 0048-9697. ; 813
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Mangroves under macro-tidal regimes are global carbon sequestration hotspots but the microbial drivers of biogeochemical cycles remain poorly understood. Here, we investigate the drivers of mangrove microbial community composition across a porewater-creek-estuary-ocean continuum. Observations were performed on the Amazon region in one of the largest mangrove systems worldwide with effective sequestration of organic carbon buried in soils and dissolved carbon via outwelling to the ocean. The potential export to the adjacent oceanic region ranged from 57 to 380 kg of dissolved and particulate organic carbon per second (up to 33 thousand tons C per day). Macro tides modulated microbial communities and their metabolic processes, e.g., anoxygenic phototrophy, sulfur, and nitrogen cycling. Respiration, sulfur metabolism and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) levels were linked to functional groups and microbial cell counts. Total microbial counts decreased and cyanobacteria counts peaked in the spring tide. The microbial groups driving carbon, nitrogen, sulfur and methane cycles were consistent across all spatial scales. Taxonomic groups engaged in sulfur cycling (Allochromatium, Desulfovibrio, and Thibacillus) within mangroves were abundant at all scales. Tidally-driven porewater exchange within mangroves drove a progressive increase of sulfur cycle taxonomic groups and their functional genes both temporally (tidal cycles) and spatially (from mangrove porewater to continental shelf). Overall, we revealed a unified and consistent response of microbiomes at different spatial and temporal scales to tidally-driven mangrove porewater exchange.
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