| 1. |
- Ling, Charlotte, et al.
(författare)
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Genetic and epigenetic factors are associated with expression of respiratory chain component NDUFB6 in human skeletal muscle.
- 2007
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Ingår i: The Journal of clinical investigation. - 0021-9738. ; 117:11, s. 3427-35
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes are associated with decreased expression of genes that regulate oxidative phosphorylation in skeletal muscle. To determine whether this defect might be inherited or acquired, we investigated the association of genetic, epigenetic, and nongenetic factors with expression of NDUFB6, a component of the respiratory chain that is decreased in muscle from diabetic patients. Expression of NDUFB6 was influenced by age, with lower gene expression in muscle of elderly subjects. Heritability of NDUFB6 expression in muscle was estimated to be approximately 60% in twins. A polymorphism in the NDUFB6 promoter region that creates a possible DNA methylation site (rs629566, A/G) was associated with a decline in muscle NDUFB6 expression with age. Although young subjects with the rs629566 G/G genotype exhibited higher muscle NDUFB6 expression, this genotype was associated with reduced expression in elderly subjects. This was subsequently explained by the finding of increased DNA methylation in the promoter of elderly, but not young, subjects carrying the rs629566 G/G genotype. Furthermore, the degree of DNA methylation correlated negatively with muscle NDUFB6 expression, which in turn was associated with insulin sensitivity. Our results demonstrate that genetic, epigenetic, and nongenetic factors associate with NDUFB6 expression in human muscle and suggest that genetic and epigenetic factors may interact to increase age-dependent susceptibility to insulin resistance.
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| 2. |
- Blennborn, Maria, et al.
(författare)
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The couple's decision-making in IVF : one or two embryos at transfer?
- 2005
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Ingår i: Human Reproduction. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0268-1161 .- 1460-2350. ; 20:5, s. 1292-1297
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of this study was to evaluate the decision-making process and factors that contribute to the decision of IVF participants to choose one or two embryos at transfer.Methods: Two hundred and seventy-four IVF patients equally distributed in males and females were personally interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire which included 82 items.Results: In the whole study population, previous childbirth [odds ratio (OR) 2.1; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.9–3.6], and spare embryos to freeze (OR 23.6; 95% CI 11.2–54.5) emerged as the most important variables in patients who had one embryo transferred, while previous IVF treatments (OR 0.3; 95% CI 0.1–0.6) and the assumed increased pregnancy chance (OR 0.1; 95% CI 0.05–0.3) were the most important decision-making factors among those who had two embryos. The women were more satisfied with the information (83 versus 71%; P=0.02), and more aware of the risks with twin pregnancies (77 versus 66%; P=0.03) than the males. The women were also more concerned about their age. Knowledge about risks of multiple pregnancies was higher in females (77%) than in males (66%, P=0.03).Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that despite good information about the risks for complications with multiple pregnancies, many patients wish to have two embryos transferred. Spare embryos to freeze, improvement of pregnancy rate in single embryo transfer and young age of the woman are predictive of choosing single embryo transfer. However, the final decision must always be made in agreement with the physician.
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| 3. |
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| 4. |
- Clark, Charlotte, et al.
(författare)
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Psychological restoration, coping strategies and children’s cognitive performance in the RANCH study
- 2006
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Ingår i: Proceedings of Inter-Noise 2006, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, 3-6 December, 2006, Paper no in06_090 (Available on CD). ; :Paper no in06_090
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- The RANCH study found a linear exposure effect association between chronic aircraft noise exposure at primary school and the impairment of children’s reading comprehension, in the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom. This paper presents multilevel modelling analyses, exploring psychological mechanisms, which may moderate the effect of aircraft noise on children’s cognition. Psychological restoration – the process whereby places which afford tranquility and relaxation are utilized to reduce stress and promote well being – has been shown to reduce the adverse effect of noise on children’s annoyance responses. This paper examines whether having places for psychological restoration at home, moderates the adverse effects of chronic aircraft noise exposure at school on children’s cognition. In addition, the effectiveness of coping strategies in relation to noise exposure at school are examined – are specific coping strategies associated with less impairment of cognition? Multi-level models examining the role of psychological restoration and coping strategies, as part of a broader model of environmental risk and protective factors for children’s cognition are presented. The implication of the findings for interventions for children attending noise exposed schools are discussed.
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| 5. |
- DeLuca, Thomas H, et al.
(författare)
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Ecosystem controls on nitrogen fixation in boreal feather moss communities.
- 2007
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Ingår i: Oecologia. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0029-8549 .- 1432-1939. ; 152:1, s. 121-30
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- N fixation in feather moss carpets is maximized in late secondary successional boreal forests; however, there is limited understanding of the ecosystem factors that drive cyanobacterial N fixation in feather mosses with successional stage. We conducted a reciprocal transplant experiment to assess factors in both early and late succession that control N fixation in feather moss carpets dominated by Pleurozium schreberi. In 2003, intact microplots of moss carpets (30 cm × 30 cm × 10–20 cm deep) were excavated from three early secondary successional (41–101 years since last fire) forest sites and either replanted within the same stand or transplanted into one of three late successional (241–356 years since last fire) forest sites and the transverse was done for late successional layers of moss. Moss plots were monitored for changes in N-fixation rates by acetylene reduction (June 2003–September 2005) and changes in the presence of cyanobacteria on moss shoots by microscopy (2004). Forest nutrient status was measured using ionic resin capsules buried in the humus layer. Late successional forests exhibit high rates of N fixation and consistently high numbers of cyanobacteria on moss shoots, but low levels of available N. Conversely, early successional forests have higher N availability and have low rates of N fixation and limited presence of cyanobacteria on moss shoots. Transplantation of moss carpets resulted in a significant shift in presence and activity of cyanobacteria 1 year after initiation of the experiment responding to N fertility differences in early versus late successional forests.
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| 6. |
- Fraga, MF, et al.
(författare)
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Epigenetic differences arise during the lifetime of monozygotic twins
- 2005
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 1091-6490 .- 0027-8424. ; 102:30, s. 10604-10609
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Monozygous twins share a common genotype. However, most monozygotic twin pairs are not identical; several types of phenotypic discordance may be observed, such as differences in susceptibilities to disease and a wide range of anthropomorphic features. There are several possible explanations for these observations, but one is the existence of epigenetic differences. To address this issue, we examined the global and locus-specific differences in DNA methylation and histone acetylation of a large cohort of monozygotic twins. We found that, although twins are epigenetically indistinguishable during the early years of life, older monozygous twins exhibited remarkable differences in their overall content and genomic distribution of 5-methylcytosine DNA and histone acetylation, affecting their gene-expression portrait. These findings indicate how an appreciation of epigenetics is missing from our understanding of how different phenotypes can be originated from the same genotype.
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| 7. |
- Fredriksson, Ann-Charlotte, et al.
(författare)
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Patients' perception of music versus ordinary sound in a postanaesthesia care unit : a randomised crossover trial
- 2009
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Ingår i: Intensive & Critical Care Nursing. - : Elsevier BV. - 0964-3397 .- 1532-4036. ; 25:4, s. 208-213
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We performed an experimental single-blind crossover design study in a postanaesthesia care unit (PACU): (i) to test the hypothesis that patients will experience a higher degree of wellbeing if they listen to music compared to ordinary PACU sounds during their early postoperative care, (ii) to determine if there is a difference over time, and (iii) to evaluate the importance of the acoustic environment and whether patients prefer listening to music during their stay. Two groups received a three-phase intervention: one group (n=23) experienced music-ordinary sound-music and the second group (n=21) experienced ordinary sound-music-ordinary sound. Each period lasted 30 min, and after each period the patients assessed their experience of the sound. The results demonstrated a significant difference (p<0.001) between groups in the proportions of patients reporting that the acoustic environment was of great importance for their wellbeing during the three-phase intervention, and most participants (n=36 versus n=8) noticed that they were exposed to different sounds during the PACU period. The results also revealed that most participants (n=32) preferred listening to music versus listening to ordinary sound (n=3) while in the PACU (p<0.001). These findings promote use of listening to music to establish a healing environment for patients in a postanaesthesia care unit.
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| 8. |
- Gentili, Francesco, et al.
(författare)
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Physiological and molecular diversity of feather moss associative N2-fixing cyanobacteria.
- 2005
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Ingår i: Journal of Experimental Botany. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0022-0957 .- 1460-2431. ; 56:422, s. 3121-7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Cyanobacteria colonizing the feather moss Pleurozium schreberi were isolated from moss samples collected in northern Sweden and subjected to physiological and molecular characterization. Morphological studies of isolated and moss-associated cyanobacteria were carried out by light microscopy. Molecular tools were used for cyanobacteria identification, and a reconstitution experiment of the association between non-associative mosses and cyanobacteria was conducted. The influence of temperature on N2 fixation in the different cyanobacterial isolates and the influence of light and temperature on N2-fixation rates in the moss were studied using the acetylene reduction assay. Two different cyanobacteria were effectively isolated from P. schreberi: Nostoc sp. and Calothrix sp. A third genus, Stigonema sp. was identified by microscopy, but could not be isolated. The Nostoc sp. was found to fix N2 at lower temperatures than Calothrix sp. Nostoc sp. and Stigonema sp. were the predominant cyanobacteria colonizing the moss. The attempt to reconstitute the association between the moss and cyanobacteria was successful. The two isolated genera of cyanobacteria in feather moss samples collected in northern Sweden differ in their temperature optima, which may have important ecological implications.
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| 9. |
- Grunnet, Louise G., et al.
(författare)
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Regulation and Function of FTO mRNA Expression in Human Skeletal Muscle and Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue
- 2009
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Ingår i: Diabetes. - : American Diabetes Association. - 1939-327X .- 0012-1797. ; 58:10, s. 2402-2408
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE-Common variants in FTO (the fat mass- and obesity-associated gene) associate with obesity and type 2 diabetes. The regulation and biological function of FTO mRNA expression in target tissue is unknown. We investigated the genetic and nongenetic regulation of FTO mRNA in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue and their influence on in vivo glucose and fat metabolism. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS-The FTO rs9939609 polymorphism was genotyped in two twin cohorts: 1) 298 elderly twins aged 62-83 years with glucose tolerance ranging from normal to type 2 diabetes and 2) 196 young (25-32 years) and elderly (58-66 years) nondiabetic twins examined by a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp including indirect calorimetry. FTO mRNA expression was determined in subcutaneous adipose tissue (n = 226) and skeletal muscle biopsies (n = 158). RESULTS-Heritability of FTO expression in both tissues was low, and FTO expression was not influenced by FTO rs9939609 genotype. FTO mRNA expression in skeletal muscle was regulated by age and sex, whereas age and BMI were predictors of adipose tissue FTO mRNA expression. FTO mRNA expression in adipose tissue was associated with an atherogenic lipid profile. In skeletal muscle, FTO mRNA expression was negatively associated to fat and positively to glucose oxidation rates as well as positively correlated with expression of genes involved in oxidative phosphorylation including PGC1 alpha. CONCLUSIONS-The heritability of FTO expression in adipose tissue and skeletal muscle is low and not influenced by obesity-associated FTO genotype. The age-dependent decline in FTO expression is associated with peripheral defects of glucose and fat metabolism. Diabetes 58:2402-2408, 2009
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| 10. |
- Gundale, Michael, et al.
(författare)
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The sensitivity of nitrogen fixation by a feathermoss-cyanobacteria association to litter and moisture variability in young and old boreal forests
- 2009
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Ingår i: Canadian Journal of Forest Research. - 0045-5067 .- 1208-6037. ; 39, s. 2542-2549
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We conducted a pair of experiments to assess whether nitrogen (N) fixation by a feathermoss-cyanobacteria association was sensitive to moisture availability and quality of litter inputs, and whether sensitivity to these factors differed between young and old forests. In our first greenhouse experiment, we experimentally varied the frequency of water addition to Pleurozium schreberi (Brid.) Mitt. collected from young and old forest sites. This experiment revealed that the extreme drought treatment reduced N fixation capacity (measured via acetylene reduction), whereas daily watering increased N fixation capacity. The experiment also demonstrated that sensitivity to moisture variability was greater in old forests than in young forests. In a second greenhouse experiment, we repeatedly applied litter extracts from six common boreal species, Pinus sylvestris L., Picea abies (L.) Karst., Betula pubescens Ehrh., Vaccinium myrtillus L., Vaccinium vitis-idaea L., and Empetrum hermaphroditum Lange ex Hagerup. After 43 days, we found no significant effects of litter or litter by stand age interaction on N fixation capacity of P. schreberi, whereas stand age remained a significant factor. These experiments suggest that the N fixation capacity of the P. schreberi - cyanobacteria association is relatively resistant to short-term variation of litter as an environmental driver but that precipitation extremes in old forests may significantly alter the N fixation capacity of the association.
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