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- Sunyer, Jordi, et al.
(författare)
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Lung function decline, chronic bronchitis, and occupational exposures in young adults
- 2005
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Ingår i: Am J Respir Crit Care Med. ; 172:9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Rationale: Occupational exposures to vapors, gas, dust, or fumes have been shown to be a risk factor of airway obstruction in cross-sectional studies in the general population.Objectives: Our aim was to study the relationships between specific occupations and occupational exposures during a 9-yr follow-up period and changes in lung function and symptoms of chronic bronchitis.Methods: Subjects from the general population aged 20 to 45 yr were randomly selected in 1991-1993 within the European Community Respiratory Health Survey. Follow-up took place from 1998 to 2002 among 4,079 males and 4,461 females in 27 study centers. A total of 3,202 men and 3,279 women twice completed lung function measurements. Job history during follow-up was linked to a job exposure matrix and consequently translated into cumulative exposure estimates.Main Results: Individuals exposed to dusts, gases, and fumes during the period of follow-up did not have a steeper decline of FEV(1) than did individuals with consistently white-collar occupations without occupational exposures (relative change among men and women, + 1.4 and -3.1 ml/yr, respectively; p > 0.2), nor an increase of prevalence or incidence of airway obstruction defined as an FEV(1)/FVC ratio of less than 0.7. The incidence of chronic phlegm increased in men exposed to mineral dust (relative risk, 1.94 [1.29-2.91]) and gases and fumes (relative risk, 1.53 [0.99-2.36]), which was not modified by smoking.Conclusion: Occupational exposures to dusts, gases, and fumes occurring during the 1990s are associated with incidence of chronic bronchitis, although these did not impair lung function in a population of relatively young age.
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Pradat, P., et al.
(författare)
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Long-term follow-up of the hepatitis CHENCORE cohort: response to therapy and occurrence of liver-related complications
- 2007
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Ingår i: Journal of Viral Hepatitis. - : Wiley. - 1365-2893 .- 1352-0504. ; 14:8, s. 556-563
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aims of the study were to verify the longterm effect of time on viral clearance in hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients and to find out factors possibly associated with disease progression. A total of 1641 patients recruited from eight European centres in 1996-1.997 were re-analysed 5-7 years after inclusion. The occurrence of decompensated cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and liver transplantation was analysed in relation to different host and viral factors. Ninety-three per cent of the HCV patients who had cleared the virus (spontaneously or after antiviral therapy) remained HCV-RNA-negative during follow up and may be considered as 'cured'. Among patients who were sustained responders at inclusion, 2.3% developed liver complications during follow up, and 31% of non-responders did. Advanced age at infection and presence of the human leucocyte antigen (HLA) DRBI*1201-3 allele were possibly associated with a higher rate of progression to decompen- sated cirrhosis or HCC. Decompensated cirrhosis might be further associated with male gender, non-response to previous therapy, and lack of FILA DRBI*1301 allele, whereas HCC seems to be associated with the presence of the HLA DQ02 allele. Long-term follow up of HCV patients indicates that virological response persists over time and is associated with a very low incidence of liver complications. Advanced age at inclusion. advanced age at infection, viral genotype 1, non-response to previous therapy and possibly some specific HLA alleles are factors independently associated with a faster rate of progression towards liver complications. The large proportion of patients lost to follow up stresses the need for a strengthened and optimized management of HCV patients.
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| 4. |
- El-Sayed, Najib M., et al.
(författare)
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The genome sequence of Trypanosoma cruzi, etiologic agent of Chagas disease.
- 2005
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Ingår i: Science. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 1095-9203 .- 0036-8075. ; 309:5733, s. 409-15
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Whole-genome sequencing of the protozoan pathogen Trypanosoma cruzi revealed that the diploid genome contains a predicted 22,570 proteins encoded by genes, of which 12,570 represent allelic pairs. Over 50% of the genome consists of repeated sequences, such as retrotransposons and genes for large families of surface molecules, which include trans-sialidases, mucins, gp63s, and a large novel family (>1300 copies) of mucin-associated surface protein (MASP) genes. Analyses of the T. cruzi, T. brucei, and Leishmania major (Tritryp) genomes imply differences from other eukaryotes in DNA repair and initiation of replication and reflect their unusual mitochondrial DNA. Although the Tritryp lack several classes of signaling molecules, their kinomes contain a large and diverse set of protein kinases and phosphatases; their size and diversity imply previously unknown interactions and regulatory processes, which may be targets for intervention.
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| 7. |
- Gustafsdottir, Sigrun M., et al.
(författare)
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Detection of individual microbial pathogens by proximity ligation
- 2006
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Ingår i: Clinical Chemistry. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0009-9147 .- 1530-8561. ; 52:6, s. 1152-1160
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Nucleic acid amplification allows the detection of single infectious agents. Protein-based assays, although they provide information on ongoing infections, have substantially less detection sensitivity.METHODS: We used proximity ligation reactions to detect proteins on bacteria and virus particles via nucleic acid amplification. Antibodies recognizing viral or bacterial surface proteins were equipped with DNA strands that could be joined by ligation when several antibodies were bound in proximity to surface proteins of individual infectious agents.RESULTS: Detection sensitivities similar to those of nucleic acid-based detection reactions were achieved directly in infected samples for a parvovirus and an intracellular bacterium.CONCLUSIONS: This method enables detection of ligated DNA strands with good sensitivity by real-time PCR and could be of value for early diagnosis of infectious disease and in biodefense.
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| 8. |
- Harari, A, et al.
(författare)
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An HIV-1 clade C DNA prime, NYVAC boost vaccine regimen induces reliable, polyfunctional, and long-lasting T cell responses
- 2008
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Ingår i: The Journal of experimental medicine. - : Rockefeller University Press. - 1540-9538 .- 0022-1007. ; 205:1, s. 63-77
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The EuroVacc 02 phase I trial has evaluated the safety and immunogenicity of a prime-boost regimen comprising recombinant DNA and the poxvirus vector NYVAC, both expressing a common immunogen consisting of Env, Gag, Pol, and Nef polypeptide domain from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 clade C isolate, CN54. 40 volunteers were randomized to receive DNA C or nothing on day 0 and at week 4, followed by NYVAC C at weeks 20 and 24. The primary immunogenicity endpoints were measured at weeks 26 and 28 by the quantification of T cell responses using the interferon γ enzyme-linked immunospot assay. Our results indicate that the DNA C plus NYVAC C vaccine regimen was highly immunogenic, as indicated by the detection of T cell responses in 90% of vaccinees and was superior to responses induced by NYVAC C alone (33% of responders). The vaccine-induced T cell responses were (a) vigorous in the case of the env response (mean 480 spot-forming units/106 mononuclear cells at weeks 26/28), (b) polyfunctional for both CD4 and CD8 T cell responses, (c) broad (the average number of epitopes was 4.2 per responder), and (d) durable (T cell responses were present in 70% of vaccinees at week 72). The vaccine-induced T cell responses were strongest and most frequently directed against Env (91% of vaccines), but smaller responses against Gag-Pol-Nef were also observed in 48% of vaccinees. These results support the development of the poxvirus platform in the HIV vaccine field and the further clinical development of the DNA C plus NYVAC C vaccine regimen.
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| 9. |
- Avendano, Esteban, et al.
(författare)
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Coloration Mechanism in Proton-Intercalated Electrochromic Hydrated NiOy and Ni1-xVxOy Thin Films
- 2009
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Ingår i: Journal of the Electrochemical Society. - : The Electrochemical Society. - 0013-4651 .- 1945-7111. ; 156:8, s. p132-p138
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Electrochromic (EC) films of nickel oxide, with and without vanadium, were prepared by reactive dc magnetron sputtering. They were characterized by electrochemical and optical measurements and studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) using synchrotron radiation. The films were analyzed under as-deposited conditions and after bleaching/coloration by insertion/extraction of protons from a basic solution and ensuing charge stabilization. Optical measurements were consistent with a coloration process due to charge-transfer transitions from Ni2+ to Ni3+ states. The PES measurements showed a higher concentration of Ni3+ in the colored films. Moreover, two peaks were present in the O 1s spectra of the bleached film and pointed to contributions of Ni(OH)(2) and NiO. The changes in the O 1s spectra upon coloration treatment indicate the presence of Ni2O3 in the colored film and necessitated an extension of the conventional model for the mechanism of EC coloration. The model involves not only proton extraction from nickel hydroxide to form nickel oxyhydroxide but also participation of NiO in the coloration process to form Ni2O3.
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| 10. |
- Backholm, Jonas, et al.
(författare)
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Iridium-based oxides: Recent advances in coloration mechanism, structural and morphological characterization
- 2008
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Ingår i: Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells. - : Elsevier BV. - 0927-0248 .- 1879-3398. ; 92:2, s. 91-96
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Films of iridium-tantalum oxide and iridium oxide have been prepared by sputtering and studied regarding their structure and electrochemical properties. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy showed an average grain size of 3-4 nm for both films. Point energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry showed an inhomogeneous distribution of iridium and tantalum indicating that the iridium-tantalum oxide may be a mixture of small IrO2 and Ta2O5 grains, which is consistent with the determined composition IrTa1.4O5.6. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy gave valuable information on the stabilization process of the as-deposited films involving an uptake of oxygen, and on a coloration mechanism only including protons.
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