| 1. |
- Agholme, Lotta, et al.
(författare)
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An In Vitro Model for Neuroscience: Differentiation of SH-SY5Y Cells into Cells with Morphological and Biochemical Characteristics of Mature Neurons
- 2010
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Ingår i: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. - : Ios Press. - 1387-2877 .- 1875-8908. ; 20:4, s. 1069-1082
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Neuroscience, including research on Alzheimers disease, is hampered by the lack of suitable in vitro models to study the human nervous system. To counteract this, many attempts to differentiate cell lines into more neuron-like cells have been performed, resulting in partial expression of neuronal features. Furthermore, it has been reported that neuroblastoma cell lines lack mature isoforms of tau. Our aim was to develop an improved in vitro model, generating sustainable cells with morphology and biochemistry of human, mature neurons. To obtain cells with neuronal differentiation and function, we investigated the effect of combining three-dimensional culturing of SH-SY5Y cells in extracellular matrix (ECM) gel with several factors reported to have neuro-differentiating effects. This resulted in cells with apparent neuronal morphology with long, extensively branched neurites. Further investigation revealed expression of several neurospecific markers including synapse protein Sv2 and nuclear marker NeuN, as well as the presence of synapses and axonal vesicle transport. In addition, these cells expressed mature tau isoforms, and tau protein expression was significantly increased compared to undifferentiated cells, reaching levels found in adult human brain. In conclusion, we found that pre-treatment with retinoic acid followed by ECM gel culturing in combination with brain derived neurotrophic factor, neuregulin beta(1), nerve growth factor, and vitamin D-3 treatment generated sustainable cells with unambiguous resemblance to adult neurons. These cells also expresses adult splicing forms of tau with neuronal localization, making this cellular in vitro model useful in many areas of neuroscience research, particularly the Alzheimers disease field.
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| 2. |
- Antonsson, Stefan, et al.
(författare)
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The relationship between hygroexpansion, tensile stiffness, and mechano–sorptive creep in bleached hardwood kraft pulps
- 2010
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Ingår i: Appita journal. - 1038-6807. ; 63:1, s. 231-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Hygroexpansion coefficient and tensile stiffness are important parameters in many paper applications. This study compares several bleached industrial hardwood kraft pulps, comprising five eucalypt pulps from South America, Europe, and Africa as well as an acacia pulp from Asia and a birch pulp from Scandinavia. Refined and unrefined pulps are compared. The results indicate significant differences in hygroexpansion but smaller differences in tensile stiffness index at comparable densities. No single factor offering a reasonable explanation of these differences in hygroexpansion coefficient, such as carbohydrate composition, fibre dimensions, or fibre form, was found. However, correlation between hygroexpansion coefficient and the mechano-sorptive creep stiffness was observed. We suggest that the hygroexpansion coefficient at a given tensile stiffness level can be used to rank pulps in terms of their mechano-sorptive creep properties.
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| 3. |
- Brain, Cecilia, 1969, et al.
(författare)
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Drug attitude and other predictors of medication adherence in schizophrenia : 12 months of electronic monitoring (MEMS (R)) in the Swedish COAST-study
- 2013
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Ingår i: European Neuropsychopharmacology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0924-977X .- 1873-7862. ; 23:12, s. 1754-1762
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim was to investigate clinical predictors of adherence to antipsychotics. Medication use was electronically monitored with a Medication Event Monitoring System (MEMS (R)) for 12 months in 112 outpatients with schizophrenia and schizophrenia-like psychosis according to DSM-IV. Symptom burden, insight, psychosocial function (PSP) and side effects were rated at baseline. A comprehensive neuropsychological test battery was administered and a global composite score was calculated. The Drug Attitude Inventory (DAI-10) was filled in. A slightly modified DAI-10 version for informants was distributed as a postal questionnaire. Nonadherence (MEMS (R) adherence <= 0.80) was observed in 27%. In univariate regression models low scores on DAI-10 and DAI-10 informant, higher positive symptom burden, poor function, psychiatric side effects and lack of insight predicted non-adherence. No association was observed with global cognitive function. In multivariate regression models, low patient-rated DAI-10 and PSP scores emerged as predictors of non-adherence. A ROC analysis showed that DAI-10 had a moderate ability to correctly identify non-adherent patients (AUC=0.73, p<0.001). At the most "optimal" cut-off of 4, one-third of the adherent would falsely be. identified as non-adherent. A somewhat larger AUC (0.78, p<0.001) was observed when the ROC procedure was applied to the final regression model including DAI-10 and PSP. For the subgroup with informant data, the AUC for the DAI-10 informant version was 0.68 (p=0.021). Non-adherence cannot be properly predicted in the clinical setting on the basis of these instruments alone. The DAI-10 informant questionnaire needs further testing.
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| 4. |
- Brain, Cecilia, 1969, et al.
(författare)
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Stigma, discrimination and medication adherence in schizophrenia: Results from the Swedish COAST study
- 2014
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Ingår i: Psychiatry Research. - : Elsevier BV. - 0165-1781 .- 1872-7123. ; 2014:220(3), s. 811-817
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aims of thisn aturalistic non-interventional study were to quantify the level of stigma and discrimination in persons with schizophrenia and to test for potential associations between different types of stigma and adherence to antipsychotics. Antipsychotic medication use was electronically monitored with a Medication Event Monitoring System (MEMS) for 12 months in 111 outpatients with schizophrenia and schizophrenia-like psychosis (DSM-IV). Stigma was assessed at endpoint using the Discrimination and Stigma Scale (DISC). Single DISC items that were most frequently reported included social relationships in making /keeping friends (71%) and in the neighborhood (69%). About half of the patients experienced discrimination by their families, in intimate relationships, regarding employment and by mental health staff. Most patients (88%) wanted to conceal their mental health problems from others; 70% stated that anticipated discrimination resulted in avoidance of close personal relationships. Non-adherence (MEMS adherencer 0.80) was observed in 30 (27.3%). When DISC subscale scores (SD) were entered in separate regression models, neither experienced nor anticipated stigma was associated with adherence. Our data do not support an association between stigma and non-adherence. Further studies in other settings are needed as experiences of stigma and levels of adherence and their potential associations might vary by health care system or cultural and sociodemographic contexts.
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| 5. |
- Brain, Cecilia, 1969, et al.
(författare)
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Twelve months of electronic monitoring (MEMS®) in the Swedish COAST-study : a comparison of methods for the measurement of adherence in schizophrenia
- 2014
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Ingår i: European Neuropsychopharmacology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1873-7862 .- 0924-977X. ; 24:2, s. 22-215
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The primary aim was to compare objective and subjective measures of adherence in a naturalistic cohort of schizophrenia outpatients over 12 months between October 2008 and June 2011. Antipsychotic medication adherence was monitored in 117 outpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizophrenia-like psychosis according to DSM-IV criteria in a naturalistic prospective study. Adherence was determined by the Medication Event Monitoring System (MEMS®), pill count, plasma levels and patient, staff, psychiatrist and close informant ratings. The plasma level adherence measure reflects adherence to medication and to lab visits. Relationships between MEMS® adherence and other measures were expressed as a concordance index and kappa (K). Non-adherence (MEMS® ≤0.80) was observed in 27% of the patients. MEMS® adherence was highly correlated with pill count (concordance= 89% and K=0.72, p<0.001). Concordance and K were lower for all other adherence measures and very low for the relationship between MEMS® adherence and plasma levels (concordance=56% and K=0.05, p=0.217). Adherence measures were also entered into a principal component analysis that yielded three components. MEMS® recordings, pill count and informant ratings had their highest loadings in the first component, plasma levels alone in the second and patient, psychiatrist and staff ratings in the third. The strong agreement between MEMS® and pill count suggests that structured pill count might be a useful tool to follow adherence in clinical practice. The large discrepancy between MEMS® and the adherence measure based on plasma levels needs further study in clinical settings.
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| 6. |
- Bäcklund, A., et al.
(författare)
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Cystatin C influences the autoimmune but not inflammatory response to cartilage type II collagen leading to chronic arthritis development
- 2011
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Ingår i: Arthritis Research & Therapy. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1478-6362. ; 13
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- INTRODUCTION: Collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) is a mouse model for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and is induced after immunization with type II collagen (CII). CIA, like RA, is an autoimmune disease leading to destruction of cartilage and joints, and both the priming and inflammatory phases have been suggested to be dependent on proteases. In particular, the cysteine proteases have been proposed to be detrimental to the arthritic process and even immunomodulatory. A natural inhibitor of cysteine proteases is cystatin C. METHODS: Cystatin C-deficient, sufficient and heterozygous mice were tested for onset, incidence and severity of CIA. The effect of cystatin C-deficiency was further dissected by testing the inflammatory effector phase of CIA; that is, collagen antibody-induced arthritis model and priming phase, that is, T cell response both in vivo and in vitro. In addition, in order to determine the importance of T cells and antigen-presenting cells (APCs), these cell populations were separated and in vitro T cell responses determined in a mixed co-culture system. Finally, flow cytometry was used in order to further characterize cell populations in cystatin C-deficient mice. RESULTS: Here, we show that mice lacking cystatin C, develop arthritis at a higher incidence and an earlier onset than wild-type controls. Interestingly, when the inflammatory phase of CIA was examined independently from immune priming then cystatin C-deficiency did not enhance the arthritis profile. However, in line with the enhanced CIA, there was an increased T cell and B cell response as delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction and anti-CII antibody titers were elevated in the cystatin C-deficient mice after immunization. In addition, the ex vivo naive APCs from cystatin C-deficient mice had a greater capacity to stimulate T cells. Interestingly, dendritic cells had a more activated phenotype in naive cystatin C-deficient mice. CONCLUSIONS: The lack of cystatin C enhances CIA and primarily affects in vivo priming of the immune system. Although the mechanism of this is still unknown, we show evidence for a more activated APC compartment, which would elevate the autoimmune response towards CII, thus resulting in an enhanced development of chronic arthritis.
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| 7. |
- Dänhardt, Juliana, et al.
(författare)
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Ekosystemtjänster i det skånska jordbrukslandskapet
- 2013
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Rapport (populärvet., debatt m.m.)abstract
- Jordbrukslandskapet tillhandahåller ekosystemtjänster som utgör förutsättningen för en uthållig jordbruksproduktion och är till nytta för samhället i stort. Bakom dessa finns ekologiska processer som beror av samspel mellan en mångfald av organismer. Skånes jordbruk har genomgått betydande förändringar som förändrat landskapet och livsmiljön för många av dessa. För att bevara och förvalta ekosystemtjänsterna krävs en förståelse för sambanden mellan jordbruk, landskap och ekosystemprocesser. Rapporten beskriver ekologiska processer som ligger till grund för några viktiga ekosystemtjänster i Skånes jordbrukslandskap och visar betydelsen av biologisk mångfald för deras funktion. Där så är möjligt beskrivs hur de kan värderas. Slutligen redovisas praktiska åtgärder som gynnar dem. Rapporten visar att ekosystemtjänster inte enkelt går att ersätta med teknologiska lösningar, utan att förvaltning av dessa tjänster lönar sig. Detta kräver ökad ekologisk kunskap och anpassade styrmedel vilket kräver ökat samråd och regelbunden återkoppling mellan lantbrukare, myndigheter och forskare. Förhoppningen är att rapporten, framtagen av Lunds universitet och Region Skåne, inspirerar till detta!
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
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| 10. |
- Lindström, Katarina, et al.
(författare)
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Reuse of Waste Textiles For Composite Production
- 2013
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Large amounts of cotton/PET textiles are wasted every year due to economically unfeasible separation of cotton and PET from waste textiles. These waste textiles were reused to form composites for technical applications and their properties were studied in this project. The waste textile, bed linen, used in this project comes from local hospital. The aim of this study is to produce composites from cotton/PET waste textiles and characterize by mechanical and thermal analysis. The effect of orientation of the fibers was studied and the processing parameters such as temperature, pressure and time of compression were optimized.
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