| 1. |
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| 2. |
- Ruilope, LM, et al.
(författare)
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Design and Baseline Characteristics of the Finerenone in Reducing Cardiovascular Mortality and Morbidity in Diabetic Kidney Disease Trial
- 2019
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Ingår i: American journal of nephrology. - : S. Karger AG. - 1421-9670 .- 0250-8095. ; 50:5, s. 345-356
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- <b><i>Background:</i></b> Among people with diabetes, those with kidney disease have exceptionally high rates of cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality and progression of their underlying kidney disease. Finerenone is a novel, nonsteroidal, selective mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist that has shown to reduce albuminuria in type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) while revealing only a low risk of hyperkalemia. However, the effect of finerenone on CV and renal outcomes has not yet been investigated in long-term trials. <b><i>Patients and</i></b> <b><i>Methods:</i></b> The Finerenone in Reducing CV Mortality and Morbidity in Diabetic Kidney Disease (FIGARO-DKD) trial aims to assess the efficacy and safety of finerenone compared to placebo at reducing clinically important CV and renal outcomes in T2D patients with CKD. FIGARO-DKD is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, event-driven trial running in 47 countries with an expected duration of approximately 6 years. FIGARO-DKD randomized 7,437 patients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate ≥25 mL/min/1.73 m<sup>2</sup> and albuminuria (urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio ≥30 to ≤5,000 mg/g). The study has at least 90% power to detect a 20% reduction in the risk of the primary outcome (overall two-sided significance level α = 0.05), the composite of time to first occurrence of CV death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or hospitalization for heart failure. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> FIGARO-DKD will determine whether an optimally treated cohort of T2D patients with CKD at high risk of CV and renal events will experience cardiorenal benefits with the addition of finerenone to their treatment regimen. Trial Registration: EudraCT number: 2015-000950-39; ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02545049.
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| 3. |
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| 4. |
- Drobysheva, Arina V., et al.
(författare)
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Structure and function of virion RNA polymerase of a crAss-like phage
- 2021
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Ingår i: Nature. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 589:7841, s. 306-309
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The RNA polymerase from the crAss-like bacteriophage phi14:2, which is translocated into the host cell with phage DNA and transcribes early phage genes, is structurally most similar to eukaryotic RNA interference polymerases, suggesting that the latter have a phage origin. CrAss-like phages are a recently described expansive group of viruses that includes the most abundant virus in the human gut(1-3). The genomes of all crAss-like phages encode a large virion-packaged protein(2,4) that contains a DFDxD sequence motif, which forms the catalytic site in cellular multisubunit RNA polymerases (RNAPs)(5). Here, using Cellulophaga baltica crAss-like phage phi14:2 as a model system, we show that this protein is a DNA-dependent RNAP that is translocated into the host cell along with the phage DNA and transcribes early phage genes. We determined the crystal structure of this 2,180-residue enzyme in a self-inhibited state, which probably occurs before virion packaging. This conformation is attained with the help of a cleft-blocking domain that interacts with the active site and occupies the cavity in which the RNA-DNA hybrid binds. Structurally, phi14:2 RNAP is most similar to eukaryotic RNAPs that are involved in RNA interference(6,7), although most of the phi14:2 RNAP structure (nearly 1,600 residues) maps to a new region of the protein fold space. Considering this structural similarity, we propose that eukaryal RNA interference polymerases have their origins in phage, which parallels the emergence of the mitochondrial transcription apparatus(8).
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| 5. |
- Alekseev, V. A., et al.
(författare)
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Laminar burning velocities of n-decane and binary kerosene surrogate mixture
- 2017
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Ingår i: Fuel. - : Elsevier BV. - 0016-2361. ; 187, s. 429-434
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Laminar burning velocities of n-decane and binary kerosene surrogate mixture consisting of n-decane (80%) and benzene (20%) by liquid volume were determined at atmospheric pressure and initial gas temperatures of 338 and 358 K. The heat flux method was employed to measure the burning velocity in non-stretched flames and three kinetic mechanisms were used to simulate the results: JetSurF 2.0, and two models for kerosene developed at Politecnico di Milano: Skeletal Surrogate (121 species) and high-temperature detailed (ver. 1412). New measurements were compared with available literature results at 400 K by extrapolation, which was performed using calculated temperature dependence of the laminar burning velocity. The data determined with the heat flux method agree with some previous counterflow burner measurements and disagree with the data from spherical flames. The detailed mechanism from PoliMi was able to reproduce the present experiments the best. The increase of the burning velocity in the surrogate mixture compared to n-decane was found to be insignificant.
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
- Soloviova-Sokolova, J. V., et al.
(författare)
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Laminar burning velocities of benzene + air flames at room and elevated temperatures
- 2016
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Ingår i: Fuel. - : Elsevier BV. - 0016-2361. ; 175, s. 302-309
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Laminar burning velocities, SL, of benzene + air flames were determined at atmospheric pressure and initial gas temperatures, T, of 298, 318, 338 and 358 K. Non-stretched flames were stabilized on a perforated plate burner using the heat flux method. New measurements were compared with available literature results obtained in spherical and counterflow flames at room and elevated temperatures. Data consistency was assessed with the help of analysis of the temperature dependence of the laminar burning velocity, which was interpreted using an empirical expression SL = SL0(T/T0)α. Both the laminar burning velocities and the power exponents, α, were compared with predictions of three kinetic mechanisms: JetSurF 2.0, and two models for kerosene developed at Politecnico di Milano: Skeletal Surrogate (121 species) and high-temperature detailed (ver. 1412). The last model demonstrated the best performance over the range of conditions studied.
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| 8. |
- Barrio, Isabel C., et al.
(författare)
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Background invertebrate herbivory on dwarf birch (Betula glandulosa-nana complex) increases with temperature and precipitation across the tundra biome
- 2017
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Ingår i: Polar Biology. - : Springer. - 0722-4060 .- 1432-2056. ; 40:11, s. 2265-2278
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Chronic, low intensity herbivory by invertebrates, termed background herbivory, has been understudied in tundra, yet its impacts are likely to increase in a warmer Arctic. The magnitude of these changes is however hard to predict as we know little about the drivers of current levels of invertebrate herbivory in tundra. We assessed the intensity of invertebrate herbivory on a common tundra plant, the dwarf birch (Betula glandulosa-nana complex), and investigated its relationship to latitude and climate across the tundra biome. Leaf damage by defoliating, mining and gall-forming invertebrates was measured in samples collected from 192 sites at 56 locations. Our results indicate that invertebrate herbivory is nearly ubiquitous across the tundra biome but occurs at low intensity. On average, invertebrates damaged 11.2% of the leaves and removed 1.4% of total leaf area. The damage was mainly caused by external leaf feeders, and most damaged leaves were only slightly affected (12% leaf area lost). Foliar damage was consistently positively correlated with mid-summer (July) temperature and, to a lesser extent, precipitation in the year of data collection, irrespective of latitude. Our models predict that, on average, foliar losses to invertebrates on dwarf birch are likely to increase by 6-7% over the current levels with a 1 degrees C increase in summer temperatures. Our results show that invertebrate herbivory on dwarf birch is small in magnitude but given its prevalence and dependence on climatic variables, background invertebrate herbivory should be included in predictions of climate change impacts on tundra ecosystems.
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| 9. |
- Barrio, Isabel C., et al.
(författare)
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Publisher Correction to : Background invertebrate herbivory on dwarf birch (Betula glandulosa-nana complex) increases with temperature and precipitation across the tundra biome (vol 40, pg 2265, 2017)
- 2018
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Ingår i: Polar Biology. - : Springer. - 0722-4060 .- 1432-2056. ; 41:8, s. 1653-1654
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The above mentioned article was originally scheduled for publication in the special issue on Ecology of Tundra Arthropods with guest editors Toke T. Hoye . Lauren E. Culler. Erroneously, the article was published in Polar Biology, Volume 40, Issue 11, November, 2017. The publisher sincerely apologizes to the guest editors and the authors for the inconvenience caused.
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| 10. |
- Parfenova, L. N., et al.
(författare)
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Influence of climatic and hydrological factors on structure and composition of peat from northern wetland territories with low anthropogenic impact
- 2016
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Ingår i: Science of the Total Environment. - : Elsevier. - 0048-9697 .- 1879-1026. ; 551, s. 108-115
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Northern wetlands ecosystems play an important role in the hydrological balance of neighboring areas, where they act as chemical barriers against anthropogenic and technogenic contaminations. Studied region is well known for quantity of peat deposits and the volume of peat resources. Peat can be considered as a highly informative marker for assessing change in environmental conditions. The study presents the results of the first investigation of peat samples, collected from representative ecosystems of northern wetland territories with low anthropogenic impact. Component and element composition of various peat types were studied in a relation to hydrologic, climate and sampling conditions. It was found out that organic and ash contents are more dependent on the type of the bog, than geographic location. Climatic factors are more important for the formation of bitumen. The degradation degree in peat increases proportionally to content of humates. High content of biogenic and lithogenic elements was observed in transition-and low-moor peat. The content of trace elements in peat samples do not depend on the type of the peat. The structural properties of peat were studied by the light microscopy, AFM and dynamic light scattering. It was determined that the conformation of studied peat samples is characterized by elements of asymmetry. The observed particles in the solutions exist in dynamic equilibrium with separated globular macromolecules. The size of these nanoparticles is comparable with the size of the particles of other biopolymers of similar nature. Swelling of peat in liquid water was studied. The relationship between structural specificities, origin of peat and its maximum degree of swelling was found. The degree of swelling can be used as structural-sensitive parameter in further research. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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| 11. |
- Callaghan, Terry V., et al.
(författare)
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Improving dialogue among researchers, local and indigenous peoples and decision-makers to address issues of climate change in the North
- 2020
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Ingår i: Ambio: a Journal of the Human Environment. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0044-7447. ; 49:6, s. 1161-1178
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Circumpolar North has been changing rapidly within the last decades, and the socioeconomic systems of the Eurasian Arctic and Siberia in particular have displayed the most dramatic changes. Here, anthropogenic drivers of environmental change such as migration and industrialization are added to climate-induced changes in the natural environment such as permafrost thawing and increased frequency of extreme events. Understanding and adapting to both types of changes are important to local and indigenous peoples in the Arctic and for the wider global community due to transboundary connectivity. As local and indigenous peoples, decision-makers and scientists perceive changes and impacts differently and often fail to communicate efficiently to respond to changes adequately, we convened a meeting of the three groups in Salekhard in 2017. The outcomes of the meeting include perceptions of how the three groups each perceive the main issues affecting health and well-being and recommendations for working together better.
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| 12. |
- Chudinova, E., et al.
(författare)
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Determination of the properties and loading efficiency of encapsulated BSA-FITC and dexamethasone for drug delivery systems
- 2019
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Ingår i: IOP Conference Series. - : Institute of Physics Publishing (IOPP).
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this work porous microparticles of calcium carbonate were synthesized with bovine serum albumin - fluorescein isothiocyanate conjugate (BSA-FITC) and dexamethasone, and then used for encapsulation in polymer microcapsules by means of layer-by-layer assembly (LbL). The properties of the obtained microcapsules were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, infrared-, ultraviolet- and visible spectroscopy. According to the performed DLS measurements, an average hydrodynamic diameter ranged from 4 to 8 m and zeta-potential for all types of capsules was determined as -18 and -21 mV. BSA-FITC was encapsulated using this approach yielded a loading efficiency of 49 % protein. This value calculated for dexamethasone was of 38%. The microcapsules filled with an encapsulated drug may find applications in the field of biotechnology, biochemistry, and medicine.
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| 13. |
- Chudinova, E., et al.
(författare)
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Functionalization of additive-manufactured Ti6Al4V scaffolds with poly(allylamine hydrochloride)/poly(styrene sulfonate) bilayer microcapsule system containing dexamethasone
- 2021
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Ingår i: Materials Chemistry and Physics. - : Elsevier BV. - 0254-0584 .- 1879-3312. ; 273
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Porous titanium alloy Ti6Al4V scaffolds manufactured via electron beam melting (EBM®) reveal broad prospects for applications in bone tissue engineering. However, local inflammation and even implant failure may occur while placing an implant into the body. Thus, the application of drug carriers to the surface of a metallic implant can provide treatment at the inflammation site. In this study, we propose to use polyelectrolyte (PE) microcapsules formed by layer-by-layer (LbL) synthesis loaded with both porous calcium carbonate (CaCO3) microparticles and the anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone (DEX) to functionalize implant surfaces and achieve controlled drug release. Scanning electron microscopy indicated that the CaCO3 microparticles coated with PE bilayers loaded with DEX had a spherical shape with a diameter of 2.3 ± 0.2 μm and that the entire scaffold surface was evenly coated with the microcapsules. UV spectroscopy showed that LbL synthesis allows the manufacturing of microcapsules with 40% DEX. According to high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis, 80% of the drug was released within 24 h from the capsules consisting of three bilayers of polystyrene sulfonate (PSS) and poly(allylamine)hydrochloride (PAH). The prepared scaffolds functionalized with CaCO3 microparticles loaded with DEX and coated with PE bilayers showed hydrophilic surface properties with a water contact angle below 5°. Mouse embryonic fibroblast cells were seeded on Ti6Al4V scaffolds with and without LbL surface modification. The surface modification with LbL PE microcapsules with CaCO3 core affected cell morphology in vitro. The results confirmed that DEX had no toxic effect and did not prevent cell adhesion and spreading, thus no cytotoxic effect was observed, which will be further studied in vivo.
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| 14. |
- Ehrich, Dorothee, et al.
(författare)
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Documenting lemming population change in the Arctic : Can we detect trends?
- 2020
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Ingår i: Ambio. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0044-7447 .- 1654-7209. ; 49:3, s. 786-800
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Lemmings are a key component of tundra food webs and changes in their dynamics can affect the whole ecosystem. We present a comprehensive overview of lemming monitoring and research activities, and assess recent trends in lemming abundance across the circumpolar Arctic. Since 2000, lemmings have been monitored at 49 sites of which 38 are still active. The sites were not evenly distributed with notably Russia and high Arctic Canada underrepresented. Abundance was monitored at all sites, but methods and levels of precision varied greatly. Other important attributes such as health, genetic diversity and potential drivers of population change, were often not monitored. There was no evidence that lemming populations were decreasing in general, although a negative trend was detected for low arctic populations sympatric with voles. To keep the pace of arctic change, we recommend maintaining long-term programmes while harmonizing methods, improving spatial coverage and integrating an ecosystem perspective.
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| 15. |
- Jakubauskas, Dainius, et al.
(författare)
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Ultrastructural modeling of small angle scattering from photosynthetic membranes
- 2019
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Ingår i: Scientific Reports. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 2045-2322. ; 9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The last decade has seen a range of studies using non-invasive neutron and X-ray techniques to probe the ultrastructure of a variety of photosynthetic membrane systems. A common denominator in this work is the lack of an explicitly formulated underlying structural model, ultimately leading to ambiguity in the data interpretation. Here we formulate and implement a full mathematical model of the scattering from a stacked double bilayer membrane system taking instrumental resolution and polydispersity into account. We validate our model by direct simulation of scattering patterns from 3D structural models. Most importantly, we demonstrate that the full scattering curves from three structurally typical cyanobacterial thylakoid membrane systems measured in vivo can all be described within this framework. The model provides realistic estimates of key structural parameters in the thylakoid membrane, in particular the overall stacking distance and how this is divided between membranes, lumen and cytoplasmic liquid. Finally, from fitted scattering length densities it becomes clear that the protein content in the inner lumen has to be lower than in the outer cytoplasmic liquid and we extract the first quantitative measure of the luminal protein content in a living cyanobacteria.
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| 16. |
- Lindén, Elin, et al.
(författare)
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Circum-Arctic distribution of chemical anti-herbivore compounds suggests biome-wide trade-off in defence strategies in Arctic shrubs
- 2022
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Ingår i: Ecography. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0906-7590 .- 1600-0587. ; :11
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Spatial variation in plant chemical defence towards herbivores can help us understand variation in herbivore top–down control of shrubs in the Arctic and possibly also shrub responses to global warming. Less defended, non-resinous shrubs could be more influenced by herbivores than more defended, resinous shrubs. However, sparse field measurements limit our current understanding of how much of the circum-Arctic variation in defence compounds is explained by taxa or defence functional groups (resinous/non-resinous). We measured circum-Arctic chemical defence and leaf digestibility in resinous (Betula glandulosa, B. nana ssp. exilis) and non-resinous (B. nana ssp. nana, B. pumila) shrub birches to see how they vary among and within taxa and functional groups. Using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) metabolomic analyses and in vitro leaf digestibility via incubation in cattle rumen fluid, we analysed defence composition and leaf digestibility in 128 samples from 44 tundra locations.We found biogeographical patterns in anti-herbivore defence where mean leaf triterpene concentrations and twig resin gland density were greater in resinous taxa and mean concentrations of condensing tannins were greater in non-resinous taxa. This indicates a biome-wide trade-off between triterpene- or tannin-dominated defences. However, we also found variations in chemical defence composition and resin gland density both within and among functional groups (resinous/non-resinous) and taxa, suggesting these categorisations only partly predict chemical herbivore defence. Complex tannins were the only defence compounds negatively related to in vitro digestibility, identifying this previously neglected tannin group as having a potential key role in birch anti-herbivore defence.We conclude that circum-Arctic variation in birch anti-herbivore defence can be partly derived from biogeographical distributions of birch taxa, although our detailed mapping of plant defence provides more information on this variation and can be used for better predictions of herbivore effects on Arctic vegetation.
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| 17. |
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| 18. |
- Rheubottom, Sarah, I, et al.
(författare)
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Hiding in the background : community-level patterns in invertebrate herbivory across the tundra biome
- 2019
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Ingår i: Polar Biology. - : Springer. - 0722-4060 .- 1432-2056. ; 42:10, s. 1881-1897
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Invertebrate herbivores depend on external temperature for growth and metabolism. Continued warming in tundra ecosystems is proposed to result in increased invertebrate herbivory. However, empirical data about how current levels of invertebrate herbivory vary across the Arctic is limited and generally restricted to a single host plant or a small group of species, so predicting future change remains challenging. We investigated large-scale patterns of invertebrate herbivory across the tundra biome at the community level and explored how these patterns are related to long-term climatic conditions and year-of-sampling weather, habitat characteristics, and aboveground biomass production. Utilizing a standardized protocol, we collected samples from 92 plots nested within 20 tundra sites during summer 2015. We estimated the community-weighted biomass lost based on the total leaf area consumed by invertebrates for the most common plant species within each plot. Overall, invertebrate herbivory was prevalent at low intensities across the tundra, with estimates averaging 0.94% and ranging between 0.02 and 5.69% of plant biomass. Our results suggest that mid-summer temperature influences the intensity of invertebrate herbivory at the community level, consistent with the hypothesis that climate warming should increase plant losses to invertebrates in the tundra. However, most of the observed variation in herbivory was associated with other site level characteristics, indicating that other local ecological factors also play an important role. More details about the local drivers of invertebrate herbivory are necessary to predict the consequences for rapidly changing tundra ecosystems.
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| 19. |
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| 20. |
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| 21. |
- Smelov, V, et al.
(författare)
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Beta and gamma human papillomaviruses in anal and genital sites among men: prevalence and determinants
- 2018
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Ingår i: Scientific reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2045-2322. ; 8:1, s. 8241-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Data regarding the anogenital distribution of and type-specific concordance for cutaneous β- and γ-HPV types in men who have sex with women is limited and geographically narrow. Knowledge of determinants of anogenital detection of cutaneous HPV types in different regions is needed for better understanding of the natural history and transmission dynamics of HPV, and its potential role in the development of anogenital diseases. Genital and anal canal samples obtained from 554 Russian men were screened for 43 β-HPVs and 29 γ-HPVs, using a multiplex PCR combined with Luminex technology. Both β- and γ-HPVs were more prevalent in the anal (22.8% and 14.1%) samples than in the genital (16.8% and 12.3%) samples. Low overall and type-specific concordance for β-HPVs (3.5% and 1.1%) and γ-HPVs (1.3% and 0.6%) were observed between genital and anal samples. HIV-positive men had higher anal β- (crude OR = 12.2, 95% CI: 5.3–28.1) and γ-HPV (crude OR = 7.2, 95% CI: 3.3–15.4) prevalence than HIV-negative men. Due to the lack of genital samples from the HIV-positive men, no comparison was possible for HIV status in genital samples. The lack of type-specific positive concordance between genital and anal sites for cutaneous β- and γ-HPV types in heterosexual men posits the needs for further studies on transmission routes to discriminate between contamination and true HPV infection. HIV-positive status may favor the anal acquisition or modify the natural history of cutaneous HPV types.
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| 22. |
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| 23. |
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| 24. |
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| 25. |
- Sokolova, I. M., et al.
(författare)
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Intraspecific physiological variability of the gastropod Littorina saxatilis related to the vertical shore gradient in the White and North Seas
- 2000
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Ingår i: Marine Biology. - 0025-3162. ; 137:2, s. 297-308
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Physiological responses to desiccation and temperature stress as well as behavioural responses to fast and abrupt environmental changes were investigated in high- and low-shore Littorina saxatilis (Olivi) from several populations from the White and North Seas. Variations in evaporation rates, resistance to air exposure and to acute and chronic temperature stress between animals from different shore levels were similar in White and North Sea periwinkles, consistent with the adaptive nature of these variations. High-shore snails were found to be able to conserve body water reserves better, to resist higher temperatures and to survive longer under conditions of combined temperature and desiccation stress than their low-shore counterparts. In a temperature range of 25 to 35 degrees C, the rate of evaporative water loss was positively correlated with temperature in low-shore snails while being largely temperature-independent in high-shore snails. Median lethal time during air exposure in L. saxatilis was negatively but not linearly related to the temperature of exposure. In a temperature range of 30 to 38 degrees C, the resistance to heat exposure in air was only slightly dependent on the temperature, with Q(10) = 1.4 for the median lethal time; the heat resistance dropped drastically at temperatures above 38 degrees C, with Q(10) = 593.8. This suggests different mechanisms of temperature resistance in different parts of the studied temperature range. In contrast, behavioural response to extreme salinity fluctuations was not uniform in the high- and low-shore periwinkles from the White and North Seas, which may reflect specific environmental conditions at different shore levels in the two areas studied. Observed physiological and behavioural variations are discussed from the viewpoint of different adaptive strategies employed by eulittoral and eulittoral-fringe animals within populations of a single species.
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| 26. |
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