| 1. |
- Alsmark, Cecilia M., et al.
(författare)
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The louse-borne human pathogen Bartonella quintana is a genomic derivative of the zoonotic agent Bartonella henselae
- 2004
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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. - 0027-8424 .- 1091-6490. ; 101:26, s. 9716-9721
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present the complete genomes of two human pathogens, Bartonella quintana (1,581,384 bp) and Bartonella henselae (1,931,047 bp). The two pathogens maintain several similarities in being transmitted by insect vectors, using mammalian reservoirs, infecting similar cell types (endothelial cells and erythrocytes) and causing vasculoproliferative changes in immunocompromised hosts. A primary difference between the two pathogens is their reservoir ecology. Whereas B. quintana is a specialist, using only the human as a reservoir, B. henselae is more promiscuous and is frequently isolated from both cats and humans. Genome comparison elucidated a high degree of overall similarity with major differences being B. henselae specific genomic islands coding for filamentous hemagglutinin, and evidence of extensive genome reduction in B. quintana, reminiscent of that found in Rickettsia prowazekii. Both genomes are reduced versions of chromosome I from the highly related pathogen Brucella melitensis. Flanked by two rRNA operons is a segment with similarity to genes located on chromosome II of B. melitensis, suggesting that it was acquired by integration of megareplicon DNA in a common ancestor of the two Bartonella species. Comparisons of the vector-host ecology of these organisms suggest that the utilization of host-restricted vectors is associated with accelerated rates of genome degradation and may explain why human pathogens transmitted by specialist vectors are outnumbered by zoonotic agents, which use vectors of broad host ranges.
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| 2. |
- Andersson, Elin M, et al.
(författare)
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Does a multi-component intervention including pictorial risk communication about subclinical atherosclerosis improve perceptions of cardiovascular disease risk without deteriorating efficacy beliefs?
- 2024
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Ingår i: Social Science and Medicine. - : Elsevier. - 0277-9536 .- 1873-5347. ; 341
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Pictorial communication about subclinical atherosclerosis can improve cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, but whether it leads to long-term shifts in self-rated CVD risk (risk perception) and beliefs about possibility to influence personal risk (efficacy beliefs) is unknown.Purpose: To study the impact of personalized color-coded and age-related risk communication about atherosclerosis and motivational conversation, compared to traditional risk factor-based communication, on risk perception and efficacy beliefs. Also, whether risk perception increases with message severity.Method: The effect of the pragmatic RCT Visualization of Asymptomatic Atherosclerotic Disease for Optimum Cardiovascular Prevention (VIPVIZA) was analyzed using a linear mixed effects model with risk perception and efficacy believes at 1-year and 3-year follow up as dependent variables. Participants’ (n = 3532) CVD risk perception and efficacy beliefs were assessed with visual analog scales (0–10). Fixed effects were group (intervention vs control), time point (1 year or 3 years) and interaction between group and time point. Further, the models were adjusted for corresponding baseline measurement of the dependent variable and a baseline × time point interaction. Effect of pictorial color-coded risk in the intervention group was investigated using a corresponding mixed effects model, but with pictorial risk group (message severity) as exposure instead of intervention group.Results: After one year, the intervention group rated their CVD risk as higher (m = 0.46, 95% CI 0.32–0.59), with an effect also after 3 years (m = 0.57, 95% CI 0.43–0.70). The effect was consistent in stratified analyses by sex and education. Overall, no effect on efficacy beliefs was observed. In the intervention group, differences in CVD risk perception were found between participants with different color-coded risk messages on atherosclerosis status.Conclusion: Personalized, color-coded and age-related risk communication about atherosclerosis had an effect on risk perception with an effect also after 3 years, whereas overall, no effect on efficacy beliefs was observed.
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| 3. |
- Andersson, Siv GE, et al.
(författare)
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The genome sequence of Rickettsia prowazekii and the origin of mitochondria
- 1998
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Ingår i: Nature. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 396:6707, s. 133-140
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We describe here the complete genome sequence (1,111,523 base pairs) of the obligate intracellular parasite Rickettsia prowazekii, the causative agent of epidemic typhus. This genome contains 834 protein-coding genes. The functional profiles of these genes show similarities to those of mitochondrial genes: no genes required for anaerobic glycolysis are found in either R. prowazekii or mitochondrial genomes, but a complete set of genes encoding components of the tricarboxylic acid cycle and the respiratory-chain complex is found in R. prowazekii. In effect, ATP production in Rickettsia is the same as that in mitochondria. Many genes involved in the biosynthesis and regulation of biosynthesis of amino acids and nucleosides in free-living bacteria are absent from R. prowazekii and mitochondria. Such genes seem to have been replaced by homologues in the nuclear (host) genome. The R. prowazekii genome contains the highest proportion of non-coding DNA (24%) detected so far in a microbial genome. Such non-coding sequences may be degraded remnants of 'neutralized' genes that await elimination from the genome. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that R. prowazekii is more closely related to mitochondria than is any other microbe studied so far.
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| 4. |
- Berglund, Eva C., et al.
(författare)
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Genome dynamics of Bartonella grahamii in micro-populations of woodland rodents
- 2010
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Ingår i: BMC Genomics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2164. ; 11, s. 152-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Rodents represent a high-risk reservoir for the emergence of new human pathogens. The recent completion of the 2.3 Mb genome of Bartonella grahamii, one of the most prevalent blood-borne bacteria in wild rodents, revealed a higher abundance of genes for host-cell interaction systems than in the genomes of closely related human pathogens. The sequence variability within the global B. grahamii population was recently investigated by multi locus sequence typing, but no study on the variability of putative host-cell interaction systems has been performed. Results: To study the population dynamics of B. grahamii, we analyzed the genomic diversity on a whole-genome scale of 27 B. grahamii strains isolated from four different species of wild rodents in three geographic locations separated by less than 30 km. Even using highly variable spacer regions, only 3 sequence types were identified. This low sequence diversity contrasted with a high variability in genome content. Microarray comparative genome hybridizations identified genes for outer surface proteins, including a repeated region containing the fha gene for filamentous hemaggluttinin and a plasmid that encodes a type IV secretion system, as the most variable. The estimated generation times in liquid culture medium for a subset of strains ranged from 5 to 22 hours, but did not correlate with sequence type or presence/absence patterns of the fha gene or the plasmid. Conclusion: Our study has revealed a geographic microstructure of B. grahamii in wild rodents. Despite near-identity in nucleotide sequence, major differences were observed in gene presence/absence patterns that did not segregate with host species. This suggests that genetically similar strains can infect a range of different hosts.
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| 5. |
- Berglund, Eva C., et al.
(författare)
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Run-off replication of host-adaptability genes is associated with gene transfer agents in the genome of mouse-infecting Bartonella grahamii
- 2009
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Ingår i: PLoS genetics. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1553-7404. ; 5:7, s. e1000546-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The genus Bartonella comprises facultative intracellular bacteria adapted to mammals, including previously recognized and emerging human pathogens. We report the 2,341,328 bp genome sequence of Bartonella grahamii, one of the most prevalent Bartonella species in wild rodents. Comparative genomics revealed that rodent-associated Bartonella species have higher copy numbers of genes for putative host-adaptability factors than the related human-specific pathogens. Many of these gene clusters are located in a highly dynamic region of 461 kb. Using hybridization to a microarray designed for the B. grahamii genome, we observed a massive, putatively phage-derived run-off replication of this region. We also identified a novel gene transfer agent, which packages the bacterial genome, with an over-representation of the amplified DNA, in 14 kb pieces. This is the first observation associating the products of run-off replication with a gene transfer agent. Because of the high concentration of gene clusters for host-adaptation proteins in the amplified region, and since the genes encoding the gene transfer agent and the phage origin are well conserved in Bartonella, we hypothesize that these systems are driven by selection. We propose that the coupling of run-off replication with gene transfer agents promotes diversification and rapid spread of host-adaptability factors, facilitating host shifts in Bartonella.
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| 6. |
- Dyrhage, Karl, et al.
(författare)
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Genome Evolution of a Symbiont Population for Pathogen Defence in Honeybees
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Ingår i: Genome Biology and Evolution. - 1759-6653.
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The honeybee gut microbiome is thought to be important for bee health, but the role of the individual members is poorly understood. Here, we present closed genomes and associated mobilomes of 102 Apilactobacillus kunkeei isolates obtained from the honey crop (foregut) of honeybees sampled from beehives in Helsingborg in the south of Sweden and from the islands Gotland and Åland in the Baltic Sea. Each beehive contained a unique composition of isolates and repeated sampling of similar isolates from two beehives in Helsingborg suggests that the bacterial community is stably maintained across bee generations during the summer months. The sampled bacterial population contained an open pan- genome structure with a high genomic density of transposons. A subset of strains affiliated with phylogroup A inhibited growth of the bee pathogen Melisococcus plutonius, all of which contained a 19.5 kb plasmid for the synthesis of the antimicrobial compound kunkecin A, while a subset of phylogroups B and C strains contained a 32.9 kb plasmid for the synthesis of a putative polyketide antibiotic. This study suggests that the mobile gene pool of A. kunkeei plays a key role in pathogen defence in honeybees, providing new insights into the evolutionary dynamics of defensive symbiont populations.
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| 7. |
- Dyrhage, Karl, et al.
(författare)
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Genome Evolution of a Symbiont Population for Pathogen Defense in Honeybees
- 2022
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Ingår i: Genome Biology and Evolution. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1759-6653. ; 14:11
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The honeybee gut microbiome is thought to be important for bee health, but the role of the individual members is poorly understood. Here, we present closed genomes and associated mobilomes of 102 Apilactobacillus kunkeei isolates obtained from the honey crop (foregut) of honeybees sampled from beehives in Helsingborg in the south of Sweden and from the islands Gotland and angstrom land in the Baltic Sea. Each beehive contained a unique composition of isolates and repeated sampling of similar isolates from two beehives in Helsingborg suggests that the bacterial community is stably maintained across bee generations during the summer months. The sampled bacterial population contained an open pan-genome structure with a high genomic density of transposons. A subset of strains affiliated with phylogroup A inhibited growth of the bee pathogen Melissococcus plutonius, all of which contained a 19.5 kb plasmid for the synthesis of the antimicrobial compound kunkecin A, while a subset of phylogroups B and C strains contained a 32.9 kb plasmid for the synthesis of a putative polyketide antibiotic. This study suggests that the mobile gene pool of A. kunkeei plays a key role in pathogen defense in honeybees, providing new insights into the evolutionary dynamics of defensive symbiont populations.
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| 8. |
- Dyrhage, Karl, et al.
(författare)
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Mapping transcriptomics and proteomics data onto a metabolic pathway model of fructophilic lactic acid bacteria
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Fructophilic lactic acid bacteria have been isolated from fructose-rich habitats, such as fruits and fermented food derived from fruit products. Despite their unique biochemical characteristics, no studies of the expression patterns of enzymes involved in the fermentation of fructose have been performed. Here, we report a genome-wide study of expression profiles in Apilactobacillus kunkeei, an obligate fructophilic bacterium isolated from honeybees. Transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics data were collected from A. kunkeei strain A1401 at early exponential and early stationary growth in MRS medium supplemented with fructose and mapped onto a metabolic pathway model. The results confirmed high expression levels of enzymes involved in the fermentation of fructose to lactate and acetate during exponential growth. The transcription levels of genes for enzymes involved in the conversion of fructose to glucose-6-phosphate increased about 40-fold during the stationary phase. Likewise, the transcription levels of two operons for enzymes involved in de novo biosynthesis of UMP were upregulated about 30-fold during the shift to stationary phase. Moreover, genes coding for proteins involved in oxidative stress, protein degradation, heat shock and acid shock were highly upregulated during stationary growth. The results serve as an excellent basis for future genetic engineering efforts to exploit the unique biotechnological, ecological and dietary potential of Apilactobacillus kunkeei.
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| 9. |
- Ellegaard, Kirsten Maren, et al.
(författare)
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Comparative Genomics of Wolbachia and the Bacterial Species Concept
- 2013
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Ingår i: PLOS Genetics. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1553-7390 .- 1553-7404. ; 9:4, s. e1003381-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The importance of host-specialization to speciation processes in obligate host-associated bacteria is well known, as is also the ability of recombination to generate cohesion in bacterial populations. However, whether divergent strains of highly recombining intracellular bacteria, such as Wolbachia, can maintain their genetic distinctness when infecting the same host is not known. We first developed a protocol for the genome sequencing of uncultivable endosymbionts. Using this method, we have sequenced the complete genomes of the Wolbachia strains wHa and wNo, which occur as natural double infections in Drosophila simulans populations on the Seychelles and in New Caledonia. Taxonomically, wHa belong to supergroup A and wNo to supergroup B. A comparative genomics study including additional strains supported the supergroup classification scheme and revealed 24 and 33 group-specific genes, putatively involved in host-adaptation processes. Recombination frequencies were high for strains of the same supergroup despite different host-preference patterns, leading to genomic cohesion. The inferred recombination fragments for strains of different supergroups were of short sizes, and the genomes of the co-infecting Wolbachia strains wHa and wNo were not more similar to each other and did not share more genes than other A- and B-group strains that infect different hosts. We conclude that Wolbachia strains of supergroup A and B represent genetically distinct clades, and that strains of different supergroups can co-exist in the same arthropod host without converging into the same species. This suggests that the supergroups are irreversibly separated and that barriers other than host-specialization are able to maintain distinct clades in recombining endosymbiont populations. Acquiring a good knowledge of the barriers to genetic exchange in Wolbachia will advance our understanding of how endosymbiont communities are constructed from vertically and horizontally transmitted genes.
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| 10. |
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| 11. |
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| 12. |
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| 13. |
- Guy, Lionel, et al.
(författare)
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A Gene Transfer Agent and a Dynamic Repertoire of Secretion Systems Hold the Keys to the Explosive Radiation of the Emerging Pathogen Bartonella
- 2013
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Ingår i: PLOS Genetics. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1553-7390 .- 1553-7404. ; 9:3, s. e1003393-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Gene transfer agents (GTAs) randomly transfer short fragments of a bacterial genome. A novel putative GTA was recently discovered in the mouse-infecting bacterium Bartonella grahamii. Although GTAs are widespread in phylogenetically diverse bacteria, their role in evolution is largely unknown. Here, we present a comparative analysis of 16 Bartonella genomes ranging from 1.4 to 2.6 Mb in size, including six novel genomes from Bartonella isolated from a cow, two moose, two dogs, and a kangaroo. A phylogenetic tree inferred from 428 orthologous core genes indicates that the deadly human pathogen B. bacilliformis is related to the ruminant-adapted clade, rather than being the earliest diverging species in the genus as previously thought. A gene flux analysis identified 12 genes for a GTA and a phage-derived origin of replication as the most conserved innovations. These are located in a region of a few hundred kb that also contains 8 insertions of gene clusters for type III, IV, and V secretion systems, and genes for putatively secreted molecules such as cholera-like toxins. The phylogenies indicate a recent transfer of seven genes in the virB gene cluster for a type IV secretion system from a catadapted B. henselae to a dog-adapted B. vinsonii strain. We show that the B. henselae GTA is functional and can transfer genes in vitro. We suggest that the maintenance of the GTA is driven by selection to increase the likelihood of horizontal gene transfer and argue that this process is beneficial at the population level, by facilitating adaptive evolution of the host-adaptation systems and thereby expansion of the host range size. The process counters gene loss and forces all cells to contribute to the production of the GTA and the secreted molecules. The results advance our understanding of the role that GTAs play for the evolution of bacterial genomes.
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| 14. |
- Guy, Lionel, et al.
(författare)
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A genome-wide study of recombination rate variation in Bartonella henselae
- 2012
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Ingår i: BMC Evolutionary Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2148. ; 12, s. 65-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Rates of recombination vary by three orders of magnitude in bacteria but the reasons for this variation is unclear. We performed a genome-wide study of recombination rate variation among genes in the intracellular bacterium Bartonella henselae, which has among the lowest estimated ratio of recombination relative to mutation in prokaryotes. Results: The 1.9 Mb genomes of B. henselae strains IC11, UGA10 and Houston-1 genomes showed only minor gene content variation. Nucleotide sequence divergence levels were less than 1% and the relative rate of recombination to mutation was estimated to 1.1 for the genome overall. Four to eight segments per genome presented significantly enhanced divergences, the most pronounced of which were the virB and trw gene clusters for type IV secretion systems that play essential roles in the infection process. Consistently, multiple recombination events were identified inside these gene clusters. High recombination frequencies were also observed for a gene putatively involved in iron metabolism. A phylogenetic study of this gene in 80 strains of Bartonella quintana, B. henselae and B. grahamii indicated different population structures for each species and revealed horizontal gene transfers across Bartonella species with different host preferences. Conclusions: Our analysis has shown little novel gene acquisition in B. henselae, indicative of a closed pan-genome, but higher recombination frequencies within the population than previously estimated. We propose that the dramatically increased fixation rate for recombination events at gene clusters for type IV secretion systems is driven by selection for sequence variability.
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| 15. |
- Guy, Lionel, et al.
(författare)
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Low-coverage pyrosequencing reveals recombination and run-off replication in Bartonella henselae strains
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Bartonella henselae is a natural intracellular colonizer of cats, and is transferred by blood-sucking insect vectors. It is also an opportunistic human pathogen. Two strains of B. henselae, thought to be representative of the diversity of the species, were selected for low-coverage 454 sequencing. The comparison of these two strains to the published Houston-1 reveals very high nucleotide identity and low substitution and recombination, with the remarkable exception of phages and host-interaction genes such as type IV and V secretion systems. Among the few variable genes of unknown function, BH14680, an alpha-Proteobacteria-specific gene, shows faster evolution in Bartonella compared to other alpha-Proteobacteria. Its 5’ end, which is likely coding for a domain exposed extracellularly, is under positive or very relaxed selection, and might be involved in host-interaction processes. Finally, we show that a simple genome coverage analysis reveal major genomic events such as duplications and unusual replication modes, such as the run-off replication. The latter, combined with a gene transfer agent, is thought to be a novel way to increase substitution and recombination frequencies. An extensive analysis of all bacterial pyrosequencing projects showed that it is probably Bartonella-specific.
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| 16. |
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| 17. |
- Jesinkey, Kristina, et al.
(författare)
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Initiation of reaching when standing with and without DAFOs in children with spastic diplegia
- 2005
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Ingår i: Advances in Physiotherapy. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1403-8196 .- 1651-1948. ; 7:4, s. 144-153
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We investigated whether the use of dynamic ankle foot orthoses (DAFOs) can improve the coordination between standing posture and a reaching movement. We investigated the temporal sequence between onset of center of pressure (CoP) displacement and onset of hand displacement by means of two AMTI force plates and a two-camera optoelectronic system (ELITE). The task was to reach for a cup. Reflective markers were placed on hand, trunk and the cup. Four children with spastic diplegia and eight control children (aged 5-12) participated. They were tested wearing DAFOs (diplegia) and the results were compared with wearing shoes (diplegia and control). The children with spastic diplegia were able to make use of anticipatory changes in CoP displacement. The results indicated that more trials in children with spastic diplegia had CoP onset preceding hand onset while wearing DAFOs (18/20) than when wearing only shoes. More trials (27/40) during the 20% reaching condition in the control group had CoP onset preceding hand onset than during the 10% reaching condition (18/40). In spite of different amounts of assistance, anticipatory postural adjustments were found in the diplegia group. Use of anticipatory postural adjustments was not consistent in the control group. Practice of reaching during standing can be carried out with DAFOs and/or hand support, and can promote motor learning of anticipatory postural adjustments.
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| 18. |
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| 19. |
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| 20. |
- Klasson, Lisa, et al.
(författare)
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The mosaic genome structure of the Wolbachia wRi strain infecting Drosophila simulans
- 2009
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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. - 0027-8424 .- 1091-6490. ; 106:14, s. 5725-5730
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The obligate intracellular bacterium Wolbachia pipientis infects around 20% of all insect species. It is maternally inherited and induces reproductive alterations of insect populations by male killing, feminization, parthenogenesis, or cytoplasmic incompatibility. Here, we present the 1,445,873-bp genome of W. pipientis strain wRi that induces very strong cytoplasmic incompatibility in its natural host Drosophila simulans. A comparison with the previously sequenced genome of W. pipientis strain wMeI from Drosophila melanogaster identified 35 breakpoints associated with mobile elements and repeated sequences that are stable in Drosophila lines transinfected with wRi. Additionally, 450 genes with orthologs in wRi and wMeI were sequenced from the W. pipientis strain wUni, responsible for the induction of parthenogenesis in the parasitoid wasp Muscidifurax uniraptor. The comparison of these A-group Wolbachia strains uncovered the most highly recombining intracellular bacterial genomes known to date. This was manifested in a 500-fold variation in sequence divergences at synonymous sites, with different genes and gene segments supporting different strain relationships. The substitution-frequency profile resembled that of Neisseria meningitidis, which is characterized by rampant intraspecies recombination, rather than that of Rickettsia, where genes mostly diverge by nucleotide substitutions. The data further revealed diversification of ankyrin repeat genes by short tandem duplications and provided examples of horizontal gene transfer across A- and B- group strains that infect D. simulans. These results suggest that the transmission dynamics of Wolbachia and the opportunity for coinfections have created a freely recombining intracellular bacterial community with mosaic genomes.
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| 21. |
- Lindahl, Bernt, et al.
(författare)
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Health literacy is independently and inversely associated with carotid artery plaques and cardiovascular risk
- 2020
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Ingår i: European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. - : Sage Publications. - 2047-4873 .- 2047-4881. ; 27:2, s. 209-215
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aims: Health literacy, the degree to which individuals understand and act upon health information, may have a pivotal role in the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD), with low health literacy potentially explaining poorer adherence to prevention guidelines. We investigated the associations between health literacy, ultrasound-detected carotid atherosclerosis and cardiovascular risk factors.Methods: Baseline data (cross-sectional analysis) from a randomized controlled trial, integrated within the Västerbotten Intervention Program, Northern Sweden, was used. We included 3459 individuals, aged 40 or 50 years with ≥1 conventional risk factor or aged 60 years old. The participants underwent clinical examination, blood sampling, carotid ultrasound assessment of intima-media wall thickness (CIMT) and plaque formation, and answered a questionnaire on health literacy – the Brief Health Literacy Screen. The European Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation and Framingham Risk Score were calculated.Results: About 20% of the participants had low health literacy. Low health literacy was independently associated with the presence of ultrasound-detected carotid artery plaques after adjustment for age and education, odds ratio (95% confidence interval) 1.54 (1.28–1.85), demonstrating a similar level of risk as for smoking. Health literacy was associated with CIMT in men. Low health literacy was associated with higher CVD risk scores. Sensitivity analyses with low health literacy set to 9% or 30% of the study sample, respectively, yielded essentially the same results.Conclusions: Low health literacy was independently associated with carotid artery plaques and a high level of CVD risk scores. Presenting health information in a fashion that is understood by all patients may improve preventive efforts.
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| 22. |
- Lindroos, Hillevi, et al.
(författare)
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Characterization of the genome composition of Bartonella koehlerae by microarray comparative genomic hybridization profiling
- 2005
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Ingår i: Journal of Bacteriology. - Washington DC, USA : American Society for Microbiology. - 0021-9193 .- 1098-5530. ; 187:17, s. 6155-6165
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Bartonella henselae is present in a wide range of wild and domestic feline hosts and causes cat-scratch disease and bacillary angiomatosis in humans. We have estimated here the gene content of Bartonella koehlerae, a novel species isolated from cats that was recently identified as an agent of human endocarditis. The investigation was accomplished by comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) to a microarray constructed from the sequenced 1.93-Mb genome of B. henselae. Control hybridizations of labeled DNA from the human pathogen Bartonella quintana with a reduced genome of 1.58 Mb were performed to evaluate the accuracy of the array for genes with known levels of sequence divergence. Genome size estimates of B. koehlerae by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis matched that calculated by the CGH, indicating a genome of 1.7 to 1.8 Mb with few unique genes. As in B. quintana, sequences in the prophage and the genomic islands were reported absent in B. koehlerae. In addition, sequence variability was recorded in the chromosome II-like region, where B. koehlerae showed an intermediate retention pattern of both coding and noncoding sequences. Although most of the genes missing in B. koehlerae are also absent from B. quintana, its phylogenetic placement near B. henselae suggests independent deletion events, indicating that host specificity is not solely attributed to genes in the genomic islands. Rather, the results underscore the instability of the genomic islands even within bacterial populations adapted to the same host-vector system, as in the case of B. henselae and B. koehlerae.
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| 23. |
- Lindroos, Hillevi, et al.
(författare)
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Genome rearrangements, deletions, and amplifications in the natural population of Bartonella henselae
- 2006
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Ingår i: Journal of Bacteriology. - Washington DC, USA : American Society for Microbiology. - 0021-9193 .- 1098-5530. ; 188:21, s. 7426-7439
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Cats are the natural host for Bartonella henselae, an opportunistic human pathogen and the agent of cat scratch disease. Here, we have analyzed the natural variation in gene content and genome structure of 38 Bartonella henselae strains isolated from cats and humans by comparative genome hybridizations to microarrays and probe hybridizations to pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) blots. The variation in gene content was modest and confined to the prophage and the genomic islands, whereas the PFGE analyses indicated extensive rearrangements across the terminus of replication with breakpoints in areas of the genomic islands. We observed no difference in gene content or structure between feline and human strains. Rather, the results suggest multiple sources of human infection from feline B. henselae strains of diverse genotypes. Additionally, the microarray hybridizations revealed DNA amplification in some strains in the so-called chromosome II-like region. The amplified segments were centered at a position corresponding to a putative phage replication initiation site and increased in size with the duration of cultivation. We hypothesize that the variable gene pool in the B. henselae population plays an important role in the establishment of long-term persistent infection in the natural host by promoting antigenic variation and escape from the host immune response.
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| 24. |
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| 25. |
- Mickelsson, Malin, et al.
(författare)
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ABO blood groups, RhD factor and their association with subclinical atherosclerosis assessed by carotid ultrasonography
- 2024
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Ingår i: Journal of Clinical Medicine. - : MDPI. - 2077-0383. ; 13:5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The ABO blood group system has previously been associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD), where non-O blood group individuals have shown an increased risk. Studies assessing early atherosclerotic disease while also including RhD are few. We aimed to determine whether the ABO and RhD blood groups are associated with subclinical atherosclerosis in a healthy population.Methods: We included 3532 participants from the VIPVIZA trial with available carotid ultrasonography results to assess subclinical disease. Information about blood groups was obtained from the SCANDAT-3 database, where 85% of VIPVIZA participants were registered.Results: RhD− individuals aged 40 years showed increased carotid intima–media thickness (B 1.09 CI 95% 1.03; 1.14) compared to RhD+ individuals. For ABO, there were no differences in ultrasonography results when assessing the whole study population. However, 60-year-old individuals with heredity for CVD and a non-O blood group had decreased odds for carotid plaques (OR 0.54 CI 95% 0.33; 0.88).Conclusions: RhD blood group is associated with subclinical atherosclerosis in younger individuals, indicating a role as a mediator in the atherosclerotic process. In addition, a non-O blood group was associated with decreased subclinical atherosclerosis in individuals aged 60 and with heredity (corresponding to the group with the highest atherosclerotic burden).
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| 26. |
- Neuvonen, Minna M., et al.
(författare)
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The genome of Rhizobiales bacteria in predatory ants reveals urease gene functions but no genes for nitrogen fixation
- 2016
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Ingår i: Scientific Reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2045-2322. ; 6, s. 1-11
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Gut-associated microbiota of ants include Rhizobiales bacteria with affiliation to the genus Bartonella. These bacteria may enable the ants to fix atmospheric nitrogen, but no genomes have been sequenced yet to test the hypothesis. Sequence reads from a member of the Rhizobiales were identified in the data collected in a genome project of the ant Harpegnathos saltator. We present an analysis of the closed 1.86 Mb genome of the ant-associated bacterium, for which we suggest the species name Candidatus Tokpelaia hoelldoblerii. A phylogenetic analysis reveals a relationship to Bartonella and Brucella, which infect mammals. Novel gene acquisitions include a gene for a putative extracellular protein of more than 6,000 amino acids secreted by the type I secretion system, which may be involved in attachment to the gut epithelium. No genes for nitrogen fixation could be identified, but genes for a multi-subunit urease protein complex are present in the genome. The urease genes are also present in Brucella, which has a fecal-oral transmission pathway, but not in Bartonella, which use blood-borne transmission pathways. We hypothesize that the gain and loss of the urease function is related to transmission strategies and lifestyle changes in the host-associated members of the Rhizobiales.
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| 27. |
- Nordin, Steven, 1960-, et al.
(författare)
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Associations between emotional support and cardiovascular risk factors and subclinical atherosclerosis in middle-age
- 2023
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Ingår i: Psychology and Health. - : Routledge. - 0887-0446 .- 1476-8321.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: To test the hypothesis of low emotional support being associated with lifestyle and biomedical cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, estimated risk of CVD morbidity and mortality, and subclinical atherosclerosis in middle-aged healthy adults.Methods and measures: Cross-sectional data were obtained from participants aged 40–60 years who had one or more conventional CVD risk factor. They underwent assessment based on questionnaires, clinical examination, blood sampling, and carotid ultrasound of plaque formation and carotid intima-media wall thickness (cIMT). Based on the Interview Schedule for Social Interaction, the participants were categorised as either low in emotional support (n = 884) or as a referent (n = 2570). Logistic regression analyses were conducted to study the associations.Results: Logistic regression analyses showed that low emotional support was significantly associated with smoking, alcohol consumption and physical inactivity (OR = 1.53 − 1.94), estimated risk of CVD morbidity and mortality (OR = 1.56 − 1.68), and plaque formation (OR = 1.39). No significant associations were found regarding biomedical CVD risk factors or cIMT.Conclusion: The findings suggest that low social support is associated with lifestyle CVD risk factors, estimated risk of CVD morbidity and mortality, and subclinical atherosclerosis in middle-aged healthy adults, encouraging causal evaluation with longitudinal data investigating an impact of emotional support on mechanisms underlying CVD.
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| 28. |
- Nystedt, Björn, 1978-, et al.
(författare)
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Evolution of Host Adaptation Systems in the Mammalian Blood Specialist Bartonella
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Bacteria of the genus Bartonella are facultative intracellular bacteria infecting the red blood cells of mammals. Bartonella isolates have now been reported from a wide range of mammalian host species, including humans, domestic animals such as pets and livestock, as well as many wild animals such as deer, moose, kangaroo, and whales. Here, we present the first major genus-wide investigation of host-adaptation systems in Bartonella, using 5 published and 5 draft genome sequences. The sampling includes both clinical and natural isolates, and represent well the major phylogenetic diversity of the genus. Our study reveals four distinct protein families of Type V Secretion Systems (T5SS) shared by all sequenced members of the genus. We also show that a recently identified gene transfer agent (GTA) consisting of a defective phage is, surprisingly, the most conserved gene cluster among all Bartonella-specific or imported genes, strongly emphasizing the functional importance of this system for the life-style and evolution of Bartonella.
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| 29. |
- Näslund, Annika, et al.
(författare)
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Effects of dynamic ankle-foot orthoses on standing in children with severe spastic diplegia
- 2005
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Ingår i: International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation. - : Mark Allen Group. - 1741-1645 .- 1759-779X. ; 12:5, s. 200-7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of this study was to investigate whether wearing a dynamic ankle-foot orthosis (DAFO) improved standing posture in six children with severe spastic diplegia Kinematics and ground reaction forces were recorded with a three-dimensional optoelectronic movement analysis system and two force plates. The results revealed that on a group level, DAFOs did not improve standing posture, distribution of body weight or lateral standing stability as reflected in the horizontal ground reaction forces. However, some children could benefit from the use of a DAFO through a more equal weight distribution and improved sagittal position of the knee, compared to wearing shoes alone. According to the heterogeneous clinical signs and symptoms in children with severe spastic diplegia, studies on a group level easily lead to negative findings and therefore individual benefits could be showed by using single case designs
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| 30. |
- Näslund, Kristina Görel
(författare)
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Health behavior : studies on determinants for health behavior and the relationships between health behavior, beliefs, and knowledge
- 1996
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The general aim was to study determinants for health behavior. The groups surveyed were: 1) male and female university students, 2) male and female blue-collar workers, and 3) middle-aged men with slightly to moderately elevated coronary heart disease risk factors invited to participate in a 6-month diet and physical exercise program. The research also surveyed the relationships between health behavior, beliefs and knowledge, and the role of demographic, socioeconomic, and personality factors for health behavior and compliance with medical care recommendations. Both among university students and blue-collar workers, women were characterized by having more positive health practices, better health knowledge, and stronger beliefs about the importance of positive health practices than men. A relationship was found between behavior and beliefs concerning the importance of positive health practices, and between knowledge and beliefs, while the link between health knowledge and behavior was weak. Middle-aged men who enrolled, and who declined to enrol, in a 6-month diet and physical exercise program were characterized by different health beliefs and knowledge. Among the participants in the diet and exercise intervention program, reduced compliance with increased intake of dietary fiber was linked to smoking, higher levels of hostility, perception of barriers to dietary change, and poor knowledge of CHD risk factors. Reduced compliance with low fat diet was linked to smoking, younger age, and not having relatives or friends afflicted with CHD. Reduced compliance with the physical exercise program tended to be associated with younger age and having children living at home. Both smokers and non-smokers managed to reduce their estimated CHD risk in the intervention program, but after intervention the smokers still had an elevated coronary risk profile compared to non-smokers. Despite similar knowledge about the health hazards of smoking, smokers gave a lower rating than non-smokers for the importance of not smoking. It was concluded that although health behaviors may be determined by a number of different factors, behaviors are generally linked to beliefs about the importance of positive health practices.
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| 31. |
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| 32. |
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| 33. |
- Näslund, Lovisa, et al.
(författare)
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Being everybody's accomplice : Trust and control in eco-labelling
- 2017
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Ingår i: Trust in regulatory regimes. - Cheltenham : Edward Elgar Publishing. - 9781785365560 - 9781785365577 ; , s. 145-180
-
Bokkapitel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In the chapter “Being everybody’s accomplice: trust and control in eco-labelling”, the focus is on regulatory regimes as intermediaries. Using case studies of three Swedish eco-labelling organizations (Good Environmental Choice, The Swan, and KRAV), the chapter studies how regulators, through the creation of impersonal system trust, are able to act as guardians of trust on globalized markets. In order to do so, they need to be credible as accomplices to both citizens and organizations (regulatees). Voluntary private regulators need to solve the paradox of appearing to distrust regulatees (in order to attain legitimacy as independent regulators), while simultaneously creating a trusting relationship with them (in order to enable a business relationship and ensure compliance). The studied labelling organizations use a combination of strategies to solve this dilemma. In terms of organizing, the different tasks necessary to create an eco-label are separated and decoupled. However, as it is not the act of monitoring itself that breeds distrust, but rather the attitude of distrust that it tends to signal, such organizational strategies need to be combined with sensegiving strategies, seen here in terms of three storylines, highlighting different aspects or interpretations of the regulatory regime, and aimed at different stakeholders. The chapter thus shows how the intermediary position of a regulatory actor allows it to act as a guardian of trust, but giving this chain of strangers legitimacy and authority, and ensuring compliance with its regulatory regime creates a dilemma that requires strategic sensegiving and organizing in order to be solved.
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| 34. |
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| 35. |
- Näslund, Lovisa, et al.
(författare)
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“I trust they’re checking” : the role of eco-labels in reducing consumer uncertainty
- 2014
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This paper examines how uncertainty is resolved on complex markets with socially distant actors, and the role of trust in this resolution, through a qualitative study of the role of eco-labels on Swedish market of ecological consumer goods, and the attitudes of eco-friendly consumers. It is shown how eco-labels function as devices to resolve consumer uncertainty in three different ways: firstly, eco-labels are control organisations, who make up for the inability for the consumer to personally monitor or control the producers, by providing third-party certification. For consumers, however, the uncertainty resolution is based not on monitoring, but on trust, as eco-labels function as guardians of trust, and offer guarantees made trustworthy primarily by their values, and their independence from commercial actors. This system is thus able to create trust through a context of social relations. But the system also creates trust, and resolves uncertainty, in a third way, as the eco-labels through the store context where the consumer encounters them are transformed to signs, which are given meaning by their relation to other signs and environmental groups. Trust is therefore created not solely through social context, but also through semiotic context, by creating a physical, trustworthy sign of sustainable production. The study thus shows how the organisation of trust creation must draw on a semiotic as well as social context, in order to provide trust on mass markets, and furthermore how third-party certification bodies must function not only as guardians of trust, but also as creators of signs, if they are to be able to build consumer trust.
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| 36. |
- Näslund, Ulf, et al.
(författare)
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Visualization of asymptomatic atherosclerotic disease for optimum cardiovascular prevention (VIPVIZA) : a pragmatic, open-label, randomised controlled trial
- 2019
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Ingår i: The Lancet. - : Elsevier. - 0140-6736 .- 1474-547X. ; 393:10167, s. 133-142
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Primary prevention of cardiovascular disease often fails because of poor adherence among practitioners and individuals to prevention guidelines. We aimed to investigate whether ultrasound-based pictorial information about subclinical carotid atherosclerosis, targeting both primary care physicians and individuals, improves prevention.METHODS: Visualization of asymptomatic atherosclerotic disease for optimum cardiovascular prevention (VIPVIZA) is a pragmatic, open-label, randomised controlled trial that was integrated within the Västerbotten Intervention Programme, an ongoing population-based cardiovascular disease prevention programme in northern Sweden. Individuals aged 40, 50, or 60 years with one or more conventional risk factors were eligible to participate. Participants underwent clinical examination, blood sampling, and ultrasound assessment of carotid intima media wall thickness and plaque formation. Participants were randomly assigned 1:1 with a computer-generated randomisation list to an intervention group (pictorial representation of carotid ultrasound plus a nurse phone call to confirm understanding) or a control group (not informed). The primary outcomes, Framingham risk score (FRS) and European systematic coronary risk evaluation (SCORE), were assessed after 1 year among participants who were followed up. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01849575.FINDINGS: 3532 individuals were enrolled between April 29, 2013, and June 7, 2016, of which 1783 were randomly assigned to the control group and 1749 were assigned to the intervention group. 3175 participants completed the 1-year follow-up. At the 1-year follow-up, FRS and SCORE differed significantly between groups (FRS 1·07 [95% CI 0·11 to 2·03, p=0·0017] and SCORE 0·16 [0·02 to 0·30, p=0·0010]). FRS decreased from baseline to the 1-year follow-up in the intervention group and increased in the control group (-0·58 [95% CI -0·86 to -0·30] vs 0·35 [0·08 to 0·63]). SCORE increased in both groups (0·13 [95% CI 0·09 to 0·18] vs 0·27 [0·23 to 0·30]).INTERPRETATION: This study provides evidence of the contributory role of pictorial presentation of silent atherosclerosis for prevention of cardiovascular disease. It supports further development of methods to reduce the major problem of low adherence to medication and lifestyle modification.
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| 37. |
- Rosengren, Malin, 1982, et al.
(författare)
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Born to be wild: effects of rearing density and environmental enrichment on stress, welfare, and smolt migration in hatchery-reared Atlantic salmon
- 2017
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Ingår i: Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. - : Canadian Science Publishing. - 0706-652X .- 1205-7533. ; 74:3, s. 396-405
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Hatchery-reared salmonids released into the wild generally have poor survivability compared with wild conspecifics. To assess potential hatchery rearing improvements, behavioral and physiological effects of reducing animal density and adding in-tank shelter were investigated. Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) parr were placed in barren or shelter-enriched tanks at high or low density up until release as smolts. Lowered density rendered positive effects on growth and intestinal barrier function, and both lowered density and shelter decreased conspecific aggression, as inferred by fin damage. Furthermore, while the presence of shelter decreased stress hormone levels following human disturbance, it also decreased growth and smolt migration success, an effect particularly pronounced at high densities. Therefore, we suggest that this type of structural enrichment should be avoided for Atlantic salmon smolts held at high densities and conclude that a lowered animal density with or without shelter has the highest potential in producing a more resilient smolt for stocking.
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| 38. |
- Seeger, Christian, 1982-, et al.
(författare)
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Characterization and composition of membrane vesicles and secreted proteins in Apilactobacillus kunkeei
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Secreted particles, including membrane vesicles, have increasingly been recognized as important for bacterial community functions and host-interaction processes, but their specific compositions and functional roles are debated. In this study, we have characterized the secreted particles of Apilactobacillus kunkeei, a defensive symbiont of honeybees. We cultivated A. kunkeei strains A1401 and A0901 and separated the secreted protein particles from the extracellular membrane vesicles using density gradient ultracentrifugation. A proteomics analysis identified more than 500 proteins in each strain, of which 27 to 45 proteins were relatively more abundant in the cell-free supernatant, including glycoside hydrolases and peptidases. The extracellular transcriptome associated with the membrane vesicles contained a relatively higher fraction of mRNAs derived from highly transcribed operons such as those coding for ribosomal proteins and ATP synthase subunits, whereas highly expressed tRNAs were relatively more abundant in the cellular fraction. Based on these results, we propose that mRNAs for highly expressed proteins are overproduced and that superfluous mRNAs are fragmented, packaged into membrane vesicles and secreted. The results have implications for the utilization of membrane vesicles in A. kunkeei as a delivery tool for small RNA molecules, while also providing more general insights into the role of membrane vesicles in bacteria.
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| 39. |
- Sjöström, Lars, et al.
(författare)
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Bariatric surgery and long-term cardiovascular events.
- 2012
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Ingår i: JAMA : the journal of the American Medical Association. - : American Medical Association (AMA). - 1538-3598. ; 307:1, s. 56-65
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Obesity is a risk factor for cardiovascular events. Weight loss might protect against cardiovascular events, but solid evidence is lacking.
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| 40. |
- Sjöström, Lars, et al.
(författare)
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Effects of bariatric surgery on cancer incidence in obese patients in Sweden (Swedish Obese Subjects Study): a prospective, controlled intervention trial.
- 2009
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Ingår i: The lancet oncology. - 1474-5488. ; 10:7, s. 653-62
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Obesity is a risk factor for cancer. Intentional weight loss in the obese might protect against malignancy, but evidence is limited. To our knowledge, the Swedish Obese Subjects (SOS) study is the first intervention trial in the obese population to provide prospective, controlled cancer-incidence data. METHODS: The SOS study started in 1987 and involved 2010 obese patients (body-mass index [BMI] >or=34 kg/m(2) in men, and >or=38 kg/m(2) in women) who underwent bariatric surgery and 2037 contemporaneously matched obese controls, who received conventional treatment. While the main endpoint of SOS was overall mortality, the main outcome of this exploratory report was cancer incidence until Dec 31, 2005. Cancer follow-up rate was 99.9% and the median follow-up time was 10.9 years (range 0-18.1 years). FINDINGS: Bariatric surgery resulted in a sustained mean weight reduction of 19.9 kg (SD 15.6 kg) over 10 years, whereas the mean weight change in controls was a gain of 1.3 kg (SD 13.7 kg). The number of first-time cancers after inclusion was lower in the surgery group (n=117) than in the control group (n=169; HR 0.67, 95% CI 0.53-0.85, p=0.0009). The sex-treatment interaction p value was 0.054. In women, the number of first-time cancers after inclusion was lower in the surgery group (n=79) than in the control group (n=130; HR 0.58, 0.44-0.77; p=0.0001), whereas there was no effect of surgery in men (38 in the surgery group vs 39 in the control group; HR 0.97, 0.62-1.52; p=0.90). Similar results were obtained after exclusion of all cancer cases during the first 3 years of the intervention. INTERPRETATION: Bariatric surgery was associated with reduced cancer incidence in obese women but not in obese men. FUNDING: Swedish Research Council, Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research, Swedish Federal Government under the LUA/ALF agreement, Hoffmann La Roche, Cederoths, AstraZeneca, Sanofi-Aventis, Ethicon Endosurgery.
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| 41. |
- Sjöström, Lars, et al.
(författare)
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Effects of bariatric surgery on mortality in Swedish obese subjects.
- 2007
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Ingår i: The New England journal of medicine. - 1533-4406. ; 357:8, s. 741-52
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Obesity is associated with increased mortality. Weight loss improves cardiovascular risk factors, but no prospective interventional studies have reported whether weight loss decreases overall mortality. In fact, many observational studies suggest that weight reduction is associated with increased mortality. METHODS: The prospective, controlled Swedish Obese Subjects study involved 4047 obese subjects. Of these subjects, 2010 underwent bariatric surgery (surgery group) and 2037 received conventional treatment (matched control group). We report on overall mortality during an average of 10.9 years of follow-up. At the time of the analysis (November 1, 2005), vital status was known for all but three subjects (follow-up rate, 99.9%). RESULTS: The average weight change in control subjects was less than +/-2% during the period of up to 15 years during which weights were recorded. Maximum weight losses in the surgical subgroups were observed after 1 to 2 years: gastric bypass, 32%; vertical-banded gastroplasty, 25%; and banding, 20%. After 10 years, the weight losses from baseline were stabilized at 25%, 16%, and 14%, respectively. There were 129 deaths in the control group and 101 deaths in the surgery group. The unadjusted overall hazard ratio was 0.76 in the surgery group (P=0.04), as compared with the control group, and the hazard ratio adjusted for sex, age, and risk factors was 0.71 (P=0.01). The most common causes of death were myocardial infarction (control group, 25 subjects; surgery group, 13 subjects) and cancer (control group, 47; surgery group, 29). CONCLUSIONS: Bariatric surgery for severe obesity is associated with long-term weight loss and decreased overall mortality.
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| 42. |
- Sjöström, Lars, et al.
(författare)
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Swedish obese subjects (SOS). Recruitment for an intervention study and a selected description of the obese state
- 1992
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Ingår i: International Journal of Obesity. ; 19, s. 465-479
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Department of Medicine, Sahlgren's Hospital, University of Göteborg, Sweden. SOS (Swedish obese subjects) is an on-going intervention trial designed to determine whether the mortality and morbidity rates among obese individuals who lose weight by surgical means (gastric banding, vertical banded gastroplasty and gastric by-pass) differ from the rates associated with conventional treatment. For this purpose, the study is recruiting a sample of obese men and women who constitute a registry of potential subjects from which the participants are drawn. Eligibility criteria for participation in the registry were: age at application 37-57 years and BMI greater than or equal to 34 kg/m2 for men and greater than or equal to 38 kg/m2 for women. Before receiving a health examination, all patients complete extensive questionnaires on current and past health status, utilization of medical care and medications, socio-economic status, psychological profiles, dietary habits, physical activity, weight history, and familial disposition to obesity. Each surgical case is matched to its optimal control in the registry, to ensure that the two groups do not differ systematically with respect to any of 18 matching variables that may affect prognosis. The first 1006 subjects included in the registry have been studied with respect to morbidity and compared with on-going population studies of men and women in Göteborg, Sweden. The relative risks of prevalent disease and symptoms associated with obesity in 50-year-old males and females respectively were 4.3 and 4.7 (dyspnoea), 14.7 and 11.8 (angina), 6.3 (myocardial infarction, males only), 2.1 and 4.5 (hypertension), 5.2 and 6.6 (diabetes), 4.6 and 26.1 (claudication) and 1.7 and 1.8 (gall bladder disease). Correspondingly, obese males and females display elevations of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting glucose, insulin, triglyceride, and uric acid levels. However, total cholesterol was not increased in obese males and was in fact significantly lower in obese compared with reference women. HDL-cholesterol was lower in obese than reference men (data were not available in reference women). The rate of taking sick pensions was over twice as high in SOS obese patients than in population controls. Finally, comparison of measurements with self-reported prevalence estimates revealed a considerable amount of previously undiagnosed hypertension and diabetes in the obese subjects. These data suggest that the excess health risks associated with obesity may not be fully appreciated. PMID: 1322873 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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| 43. |
- Tamas, Ivica, et al.
(författare)
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50 million years of genomic stasis in endosymbiotic bacteria.
- 2002
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Ingår i: Science. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 0036-8075 .- 1095-9203. ; 296:5577, s. 2376-9
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Comparison of two fully sequenced genomes of Buchnera aphidicola, the obligate endosymbionts of aphids, reveals the most extreme genome stability to date: no chromosome rearrangements or gene acquisitions have occurred in the past 50 to 70 million years, despite substantial sequence evolution and the inactivation and loss of individual genes. In contrast, the genomes of their closest free-living relatives, Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp., are more than 2000-fold more labile in content and gene order. The genomic stasis of B. aphidicola, likely attributable to the loss of phages, repeated sequences, and recA, indicates that B. aphidicola is no longer a source of ecological innovation for its hosts.
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| 44. |
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| 45. |
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| 46. |
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