| 1. |
- Axelsson, Robert, et al.
(författare)
-
Evaluation of Multi-level Social Learning for Sustainable Landscapes : Perspective of a Development Initiative in Bergslagen, Sweden
- 2013
-
Ingår i: Ambio. - : Springer Netherlands. - 0044-7447 .- 1654-7209. ; 42:2, s. 241-253
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- To implement policies about sustainable landscapes and rural development necessitates social learning about states and trends of sustainability indicators, norms that define sustainability, and adaptive multi-level governance. We evaluate the extent to which social learning at multiple governance levels for sustainable landscapes occur in 18 local development initiatives in the network of Sustainable Bergslagen in Sweden. We mapped activities over time, and interviewed key actors in the network about social learning. While activities resulted in exchange of experiences and some local solutions, a major challenge was to secure systematic social learning and make new knowledge explicit at multiple levels. None of the development initiatives used a systematic approach to secure social learning, and sustainability assessments were not made systematically. We discuss how social learning can be improved, and how a learning network of development initiatives could be realized.
|
|
| 2. |
- Faxén-Irving, Gerd, et al.
(författare)
-
Effects on transthyretin in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid by DHA-rich n - 3 fatty acid supplementation in patients with Alzheimer's disease : the OmegAD study
- 2013
-
Ingår i: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. - : IOS Press. - 1387-2877 .- 1875-8908. ; 36:1, s. 1-6
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Transthyretin (TTR) binds amyloid-β (Aβ) and may reduce brain Aβ, a pathological feature in Alzheimer's disease (AD). N - 3 fatty acids (FA), docosahexaenoic (DHA), and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) may increase TTR transcription in rat hippocampus. We studied effects of n - 3 FA supplementation on TTR-levels in patients with AD. Outpatients were randomized to receive 1.7 g DHA and 0.6 g EPA (n - 3/n - 3 group) or placebo (placebo/n - 3 group) during 6 months. After 6 months, all patients received n - 3 FA for another 6 months. TTR and FA were measured in plasma in all subjects, whereas TTR in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was measured in a subgroup. The study was completed by 89 patients in the n - 3/n - 3 group (75 y, 57% w) and 85 in the placebo/n - 3 group (75 y, 46% w). Baseline plasma-TTR was within normal range in both groups. After 6 months, plasma-TTR decreased in the placebo/n - 3 group (p < 0.001 within and p < 0.015 between the groups). No changes were observed in CSF TTR. From 6 to 12 months when both groups were supplemented, plasma-TTR increased significantly in both groups. Repeated measures ANOVA indicated an increase in TTR over time (p = 0.04) in those receiving n - 3 FA for 12 months. By linear regression analyses, n - 3 FA treatment was independently associated with increased plasma-TTR at 6 months (β = -0.172, p = 0.028). Thus, n - 3 FA treatment appeared to increase plasma-TTR in patients with AD. Since TTR may influence Aβ deposition in the brain, the results warrant further exploration.
|
|
| 3. |
- Freund-Levi, Yvonne, 1956-, et al.
(författare)
-
Effects of supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids on oxidative stress and inflammation in patients with Alzheimer's disease : the OmegAD study
- 2014
-
Ingår i: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. - : IOS Press. - 1387-2877 .- 1875-8908. ; 42:3, s. 823-831
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Oxidative stress and inflammation are two key mechanisms suggested to be involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Omega-3 fatty acids (ω-3 FAs) found in fish and fish oil have several biological properties that may be beneficial in AD. However, they may also auto-oxidize and induce in vivo lipid peroxidation.OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate systemic oxidative stress and inflammatory biomarkers following oral supplementation of dietary ω-3 FA.METHODS: Forty patients with moderate AD were randomized to receive 1.7 g DHA (22:6) and 0.6 g EPA (20:5) or placebo for 6 months. Urinary samples were collected before and after supplementation. The levels of the major F2-isoprostane, 8-iso-PGF2α, a consistent in vivo biomarker of oxidative stress, and 15-keto-dihydro-PGF2α, a major metabolite of PGF2α and biomarker of inflammatory response, were measured.RESULTS: F2-isoprostane in urine increased in the placebo group after 6 months, but there was no clear difference in treatment effect between supplemented and non-supplemented patients on the urinary levels of F2-isoprostanes and 15-keto-dihydro-PGF2α. At baseline, the levels of 15-keto-dihydro-PGF2α showed negative correlative relationships to ω-3 FAs, and a positive correlation to linoleic acid. 8-iso-PGF2α correlated negatively to the ω-6 FA arachidonic acid.CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that supplementation of ω-3 FAs to patients with AD for 6 months does not have a clear effect on free radical-mediated formation of F2-isoprostane or cyclooxygenase-mediated formation of prostaglandin F2α. The correlative relationships to FAs indicate a potential role of FAs in immunoregulation.
|
|
| 4. |
- Hjorth, Erik, et al.
(författare)
-
Omega-3 fatty acids enhance phagocytosis of Alzheimer's disease-related amyloid-β42 by human microglia and decrease inflammatory markers
- 2013
-
Ingår i: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. - : IOS Press. - 1387-2877 .- 1875-8908. ; 35:4, s. 697-713
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The use of supplements with omega-3 (ω3) fatty acids (FAs) such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) is widespread due to proposed beneficial effects on the nervous and cardiovascular systems. Many effects of ω3 FAs are believed to be caused by down-regulation and resolution of inflammation. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with inflammation mediated by microglia and astrocytes, and ω3 FAs have been proposed as potential treatments for AD. The focus of the present study is on the effects of DHA and EPA on microglial phagocytosis of the AD pathogen amyloid-β (Aβ), on secreted and cellular markers of immune activity, and on production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Human CHME3 microglial cells were exposed to DHA or EPA, with or without the presence of Aβ42. Phagocytosis of Aβ42 was analyzed by flow cytometry in conjunction with immunocytochemistry using antibodies to cellular proteins. Secreted proteins were analyzed by ELISA. Both DHA and EPA were found to stimulate microglial phagocytosis of Aβ42. Phagocytosis of Aβ42 was performed by microglia with a predominance of M2 markers. EPA increased the levels of BDNF in the culture medium. The levels of TNF-α were decreased by DHA. Both DHA and EPA decreased the pro-inflammatory M1 markers CD40 and CD86, and DHA had a stimulatory effect on the anti-inflammatory M2 marker CD206. DHA and EPA can be beneficial in AD by enhancing removal of Aβ42, increasing neurotrophin production, decreasing pro-inflammatory cytokine production, and by inducing a shift in phenotype away from pro-inflammatory M1 activation.
|
|
| 5. |
- Hogenkamp, Pleunie, et al.
(författare)
-
Calorie anticipation alters food intake after low-caloric but not high-caloric preloads
- 2013
-
Ingår i: Obesity. - : Wiley. - 1930-7381 .- 1930-739X. ; 21:8, s. 1548-1553
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: Cognitive factors and anticipation are known to influence food intake. The current study examined the effect of anticipation and actual consumption of food on hormone (ghrelin, cortisol, insulin) and glucose levels, appetite and ad libitum intake, to assess whether changes in hormone levels might explain the predicted differences in subsequent food intake. Design and Methods: During four breakfast sessions, participants consumed a yogurt preload that was either low-caloric (LC; 180 kcal/300 g) or high-caloric (HC; 530 kcal/300 g), and were provided with either consistent or inconsistent calorie information (i.e. stating the caloric content of the preload was low or high). Appetite ratings and hormone and glucose levels were measured at baseline (t=0), after providing the calorie information about the preload (t=20), after consumption of the preload (t=40) and just before ad libitum intake (t=60). Results: Ad libitum intake was lower after HC preloads (as compared to LC preloads; p<0.01). Intake after LC preloads was higher when provided with (consistent) LC-information (467±254 kcal) as compared to (inconsistent) HC-information (346±210 kcal), but intake after the HC preloads did not depend on the information provided (LC-info: 290±178 kcal, HC-info: 333±179 kcal; caloric load*information p=0.03). Hormone levels did not respond in an anticipatory manner, and the post-prandial responses depended on actual calories consumed. Conclusions: These results suggest that both cognitive and physiological information determine food intake. When actual caloric intake was sufficient to produce physiological satiety, cognitive factors played no role; however, when physiological satiety was limited, cognitively-induced satiety reduced intake to comparable levels.
|
|
| 6. |
- Titova, Olga E, et al.
(författare)
-
Anorexia nervosa is linked to reduced brain structure in reward and somatosensory regions : a meta-analysis of VBM studies
- 2013
-
Ingår i: BMC Psychiatry. - 1471-244X. ; 13:1, s. 110-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUNDStructural imaging studies demonstrate brain tissue abnormalities in eating disorders, yet a quantitative analysis has not been done.METHODSIn global and regional meta-analyses of 9 voxel-based morphometry (VBM) studies, with a total of 228 eating disorder participants (currently ill with anorexia nervosa), and 240 age-matched healthy controls, we compare brain volumes using global and regional analyses.RESULTSAnorexia nervosa (AN) patients have global reductions in gray (effect size = -0.66) and white matter (effect size = -0.74) and increased cerebrospinal fluid (effect size = 0.98) and have regional decreases in left hypothalamus, left inferior parietal lobe, right lentiform nucleus and right caudate, and no significant increases. No significant difference in hemispheric lateralization was found.CONCLUSIONSGlobal and regional meta-analyses suggest that excessive restrained eating as found in those with anorexia nervosa coincides with structural brain changes analogous to clinical symptoms.
|
|
| 7. |
- Vedin, Inger, et al.
(författare)
-
Reduced prostaglandin F-2 alpha release from blood mononuclear leukocytes after oral supplementation of omega 3 fatty acids : the OmegAD study
- 2010
-
Ingår i: Journal of Lipid Research. - : American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. - 0022-2275 .- 1539-7262. ; 51:5, s. 1179-1185
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Omega-3 fatty acids, e. g., dokosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eikosapentaenoic acid (EPA), ameliorate inflammatory reactions by various mechanisms, but the role of prostaglandins remains unclear. Our aim was to determine if dietary supplementation with a DHA-rich fish oil influenced the release of PGF(2 alpha) from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). In the OmegAD study, 174 Alzheimer disease patients received either 1.7 g DHA plus 0.6 g EPA or a placebo daily for six months. PBMCs from the 21 ( 9 on fish oil and 12 on placebo) first-randomized patients were stimulated with either lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or phytohemagglutinin (PHA) before and after 6 months. Our results showed that plasma concentrations of DHA and EPA increased significantly at 6 months in the omega-3 group. PGF(2 alpha) release from LPS- ( but not from PHA-) stimulated PBMC was significantly diminished in this group; no change was noted in the placebo group. PGF(2 alpha) changes correlated inversely with changes in plasma DHA and EPA. Decreased IL-6 and IL-1(beta) levels correlated with decreased PGF(2 alpha) levels. The stimulus-specific PGF(2 alpha) release from PBMC after 6 months of oral supplementation with the DHA-rich fish oil might be one event related to reduced inflammatory reactions associated with omega-3 fatty acid intake.
|
|
