| 1. |
- Antoni, Gunnar, et al.
(författare)
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In Vivo Visualization of Amyloid Deposits in the Heart with C-11-PIB and PET
- 2013
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Ingår i: Journal of Nuclear Medicine. - : Society of Nuclear Medicine. - 0161-5505 .- 1535-5667 .- 2159-662X. ; 54:2, s. 213-220
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Cardiac amyloidosis is a differential diagnosis in heart failure and is associated with high mortality. There is currently no noninvasive imaging test available for specific diagnosis. N-[methyl-C-11]2-(4'-methylamino-phenyl)-6-hydroxybenzothiazole (C-11-PIB) PET is used in the evaluation of brain amyloidosis. We evaluated the potential use of C-11-PIB PET in systemic amyloidosis affecting the heart. Methods: Patients (n = 10) diagnosed with systemic amyloidosis-including heart involvement of either monoclonal immunoglobulin light-chain (AL) or transthyretin (ATTR) type- and healthy volunteers (n = 5) were investigated with PET/CT using C-11-PIB to study cardiac amyloid deposits and with C-11-acetate to measure myocardial blood flow to study the impact of global and regional perfusion on PIB retention. Results: Myocardial C-11-PIB uptake was visually evident in all patients 15-25 min after injection and was not seen in any volunteer. A significant difference in C-11-PIB retention in the heart between patients and healthy controls was found. The data indicate that myocardial amyloid deposits in patients diagnosed with systemic amyloidosis could be visualized with C-11-PIB. No correlation between C-11-PIB retention index and myocardial blood flow as measured with C-11-acetate was found on the global level, whereas a positive correlation on the segmental level was seen in a single patient. Conclusion: C-11-PIB and PET could be a method to study systemic amyloidosis of type AL and ATTR affecting the heart and should be investigated further both as a diagnostic tool and as a noninvasive method for treatment follow-up.
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| 2. |
- Burman, Joachim, et al.
(författare)
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Autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation for aggressive multiple sclerosis : the Swedish experience
- 2014
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Ingår i: Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry. - London, United Kingdom : BMJ Publishing Group Ltd. - 0022-3050 .- 1468-330X. ; 85:10, s. 1116-1121
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a viable option for treatment of aggressive multiple sclerosis (MS). No randomised controlled trial has been performed, and thus, experiences from systematic and sustained follow-up of treated patients constitute important information about safety and efficacy. In this observational study, we describe the characteristics and outcome of the Swedish patients treated with HSCT for MS.Methods: Neurologists from the major hospitals in Sweden filled out a follow-up form with prospectively collected data. Fifty-two patients were identified in total; 48 were included in the study and evaluated for safety and side effects; 41 patients had at least 1 year of follow-up and were further analysed for clinical and radiological outcome. In this cohort, 34 patients (83%) had relapsing-remitting MS, and mean follow-up time was 47 months.Results: At 5 years, relapse-free survival was 87%; MRI event-free survival 85%; expanded disability status scale (EDSS) score progression-free survival 77%; and disease-free survival (no relapses, no new MRI lesions and no EDSS progression) 68%. Presence of gadolinium-enhancing lesions prior to HSCT was associated with a favourable outcome (disease-free survival 79% vs 46%, p=0.028). There was no mortality. The most common long-term side effects were herpes zoster reactivation (15%) and thyroid disease (8.4%).Conclusions: HSCT is a very effective treatment of inflammatory active MS and can be performed with a high degree of safety at experienced centres.
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| 3. |
- Carlson, Johan, 1972, et al.
(författare)
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Minimizing Dimensional Variation and Robot Traveling Time in Welding Stations
- 2014
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Ingår i: Procedia CIRP. - : Elsevier BV. - 2212-8271. ; 23:C, s. 77-82
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Complex assembled products as an automotive car body consist of about 300 sheet metal parts joined by up to 4000 spot welds. In the body factory, there are several hundred robots organized into lines of welding stations. The distribution of welds between robots and the welding sequences have a significant influence on both dimensional quality and throughput. Therefore, this paper proposes a novel method for quality and throughput optimization based on a systematic search algorithm which exploits properties of the welding process. It uses approximated lower bounds to speed up the search and to estimate the quality of the solution. The method is successfully tested on reference assemblies, including detailed fixtures, welding robots and guns.
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| 4. |
- Daikeler, Thomas, et al.
(författare)
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New autoimmune diseases after cord blood transplantation : a retrospective study of EUROCORD and the Autoimmune Disease Working Party of the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation
- 2013
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Ingår i: Blood. - : American Society of Hematology. - 0006-4971 .- 1528-0020. ; 121:6, s. 1059-1064
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- To describe the incidence, risk factors, and treatment of autoimmune diseases (ADs) occurring after cord blood transplantation (CBT), we analyzed both CBT recipients reported to EUROCORD who had developed at least 1 new AD and those who had not. Fifty-two of 726 reported patients developed at least 1 AD within 212 days (range, 27-4267) after CBT. Cumulative incidence of ADs after CBT was 5.0% +/- 1% at 1 year and 6.6% +/- 1% at 5 years. Patients developing ADs were younger and had more nonmalignant diseases (P < .001). ADs target hematopoietic (autoimmune hemolytic anemia, n = 20; Evans syndrome, n = 9; autoimmune thrombocytopenia, n = 11; and immune neutropenia, n = 1) and other tissues (thyroiditis, n = 3; psoriasis, n = 2; Graves disease, n = 1; membranous glomerulonephritis, n = 2; rheumatoid arthritis, n = 1; ulcerative colitis, n = 1; and systemic lupus erythematosus, n = 1). Four patients developed 2 ADs (3 cases of immune thrombocytopenia followed by autoimmune hemolytic anemia and 1 Evans syndrome with rheumatoid arthritis). By multivariate analysis, the main risk factor for developing an AD was nonmalignant disease as an indication for CBT (P = .0001). Hematologic ADs were most often treated with steroids, rituximab, and cyclosporine. With a median follow-up of 26 months (range, 2-91), 6 of 52 patients died as a consequence of ADs. We conclude that CBT may be followed by potentially life-threatening, mainly hematologic ADs.
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| 5. |
- Gimsing, Peter, et al.
(författare)
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Effect of pamidronate 30 mg versus 90 mg on physical function in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (Nordic Myeloma Study Group): a double-blind, randomised controlled trial
- 2010
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Ingår i: LANCET ONCOLOGY. - : Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam.. - 1470-2045 .- 1474-5488. ; 11:10, s. 973-982
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Compared with placebo, prophylactic treatment with bisphosphonates reduces risk of skeletal events in patients with multiple myeloma. However, because of toxicity associated with long-term bisphosphonate treatment, establishing the lowest effective dose is important. This study compared the effect of two doses of pamidronate on health-related quality of life and skeletal morbidity in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. Methods This double-blind, randomised, phase 3 trial was undertaken at 37 clinics in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Patients with multiple myeloma who were starting antimyeloma treatment were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive one of two doses of pamidronate (30 mg or 90 mg) given by intravenous infusion once a month for at least 3 years. Randomisation was done by use of a central, computerised minimisation system. Primary outcome was physical function after 12 months estimated by the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-C30 questionnaire (scale 0-100). All patients who returned questionnaires at 12 months and were still on study treatment were included in the analysis of the primary endpoint. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials. gov, number NCT00376883. Findings From January, 2001, until August, 2005, 504 patients were randomly assigned to pamidronate 30 mg or 90 mg (252 in each group). 157 patients in the 90 mg group and 156 in the 30 mg group were included in the primary analysis. Mean physical function at 12 months was 66 points (95% CI 62.9-70.0) in the 90 mg group and 68 points (64.6-71.4) in the 30 mg group (95% CI of difference -6.6 to 3.3; p=0.52). Median time to first skeletal-related event in patients who had such an event was 9.2 months (8.1-10.7) in the 90 mg group and 10-2 months (7.3-14.0) in the 30 mg group (p=0.63). In a retrospective analysis, eight patients in the pamidronate 90 mg group developed osteonecrosis of the jaw compared with two patients in the 30 mg group. Interpretation Monthly infusion of pamidronate 30 mg should be the recommended dose for prevention of bone disease in patients with multiple myeloma.
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| 6. |
- Granstam, Sven-Olof, et al.
(författare)
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Evaluation of patients with cardiac amyloidosis using echocardiography, ECG and right heart catheterization
- 2013
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Ingår i: Amyloid. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1350-6129 .- 1744-2818. ; 20:1, s. 27-33
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aims:To characterize patients with cardiac amyloidosis using echocardiography, electrocardiogram (ECG) and right heart catheterization (RHC).Methods and results:Fourteen patients with biopsy verified light chain or transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis were included. All patients had heart failure with markedly elevated NT-proBNP. Echocardiography demonstrated biventricular hypertrophy, left atrial enlargement and normal to slightly reduced left ventricular ejection fraction. Tissue Doppler septal e´ was low and median E/e´ was high. Within 6 months RHC was performed in eight of the patients. The restrictive filling pattern demonstrated by echocardiography corresponded well to median pulmonary wedge pressure (21 mmHg). Systolic pulmonary artery pressure (SPAP) was increased, whereas cardiac output and stroke volume were seen to be decreased with both methods. ECG demonstrated: low voltage (36%), abnormal R-progression (65%), ST-T abnormalities (71%) and high incidence of fibrillation (36%). In addition, a case report following the treatment of melphalan and dexamethasone is presented with improvement of hypertrophy, SPAP, left ventricular mass and e´.Conclusion: These findings should lead to a suspicion of cardiac amyloidosis and suggest further investigation.
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| 7. |
- Hansson, Hans, et al.
(författare)
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Real-Time Systems
- 2010
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Bok (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This is a textbook developed for use in the Master Programme Module E-M.6 "Real-Time Systems" as part of the Postgraduate Distance studies organized by Fraunhofer IESE and the Distance and International Studies Center at the Technical University of Kaiserslauten, Germany.
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
- Hjorth, Martin, et al.
(författare)
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Thalidomide and dexamethasone vs. bortezomib and dexamethasone for melphalan refractory myeloma: a randomized study.
- 2012
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Ingår i: European journal of haematology. - : Wiley. - 0902-4441 .- 1600-0609. ; 88:6, s. 485-496
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Objectives: Thalidomide and bortezomib have been frequently used for second-line therapy in patients with myeloma relapsing after or refractory to initial melphalan-based treatment, but no randomized trials have been published comparing these two treatment alternatives. Methods: Thalidomide- and bortezomib-naïve patients with melphalan refractory myeloma were randomly assigned to low-dose thalidomide + dexamethasone (Thal-Dex) or bortezomib + dexamethasone (Bort-Dex). At progression on either therapy, the patients were offered crossover to the alternative drug combination. An estimated 300 patients would be needed for the trial to detect a 50% difference in median PFS between the treatment arms. Results: After inclusion of 131 patients, the trial was prematurely closed because of low accrual. Sixty-seven patients were randomized to Thal-Dex and 64 to Bort-Dex. Progression-free survival was similar (median, 9.0 months for Thal-Dex and 7.2 for Bort-Dex). Response rate was similar (55% for Thal-Dex and 63% for Bort-Dex), but time to response was shorter (P < 0.05) and the VGPR rate higher (P < 0.01) for Bort-Dex. Time-to-other treatment after crossover was similar (median, 13.2 months for Thal-Dex and 11.2 months for Bort-Dex), as was overall survival (22.8 months for Thal-Dex and 19.0 for Bort-Dex). Venous thromboembolism was seen in seven patients and cerebrovascular events in four patients in the Thal-Dex group. Severe neuropathy, reactivation of herpes virus infections, and mental depression were more frequently observed in the Bort-Dex group. In the quality-of-life analysis, no difference was noted for physical function, pain, and global quality of life. Fatigue and sleep disturbances were significantly more prevalent in the Bort-Dex group. Conclusions: Thalidomide (50–100 mg daily) in combination with dexamethasone seems to have an efficacy comparable with that of bortezomib and dexamethasone in melphalan refractory myeloma. However, the statistical strength of the results in this study is limited by the low number of included patients.
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| 10. |
- Jantunen, Esa, et al.
(författare)
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Autologous stem cell transplantation for enteropathy-associated T-cell lymphoma : a retrospective study by the EBMT
- 2013
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Ingår i: Blood. - : American Society of Hematology. - 0006-4971 .- 1528-0020. ; 121:13, s. 2529-2532
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Enteropathy-associated T-cell lymphoma (EATL) is a rare subtype of peripheral T-cell lymphomas with a poor prognosis. Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) was retrospectively evaluated as a consolidation or salvage strategy for EATL. The analysis included 44 patients who received ASCT for EATL between 2000 and 2010. Thirty-one patients (70%) were in first complete or partial remission at the time of the ASCT. With a median follow-up of 46 months, relapse incidence, progression-free survival, and overall survival were 39%, 54%, and 59% at 4 years, respectively, with only one relapse occurring beyond 18 months posttransplant. There was a trend for better survival in patients transplanted in first complete or partial remission at 4 years (66% vs 36%; P = .062). ASCT is feasible in selected patients with EATL and can yield durable disease control in a significant proportion of the patients.
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