| 1. |
- Kattge, Jens, et al.
(författare)
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TRY plant trait database - enhanced coverage and open access
- 2020
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Ingår i: Global Change Biology. - : Wiley-Blackwell. - 1354-1013 .- 1365-2486. ; 26:1, s. 119-188
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Plant traits-the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants-determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystem properties and their benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area of research spanning from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management, restoration, biogeography and earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Increasingly, the TRY database also supports new frontiers of trait-based plant research, including the identification of data gaps and the subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we evaluate the extent of the trait data compiled in TRY and analyse emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traits-almost complete coverage for 'plant growth form'. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modelling are characterized by continuous intraspecific variation and trait-environmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment. Despite unprecedented data coverage, we observe a humbling lack of completeness and representativeness of these continuous traits in many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements. This can only be achieved in collaboration with other initiatives.
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Baumann, Ana A., et al.
(författare)
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Exploring contextual factors influencing the implementation of evidence-based care for hypertension in Rwanda : a cross-sectional study using the COACH questionnaire
- 2021
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Ingår i: BMJ Open. - : BMJ Publishing Group Ltd. - 2044-6055. ; 11:9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- ImportanceHypertension is the largest contributor to the Global Burden of Disease. In Rwanda, as in most low-income and middle-income countries, an increasing prevalence of hypertension and its associated morbidity and mortality is causing major healthcare and economic impact. Understanding healthcare systems context in hypertension care is necessary.ObjectiveTo study the hypertension healthcare context as perceived by healthcare providers using the Context Assessment for Community Health (COACH) tool.DesignA cross-sectional cohort responded to the COACH questionnaire and a survey about hypertension training.SettingThree tertiary care hospitals in Rwanda.ParticipantsHealthcare professionals (n=223).Primary outcome(s) and measure(s)The COACH tool consists of 49 items with eight subscales: resources, community engagement, commitment to work, informal payment, leadership, work culture, monitoring services for action (5-point Likert Scale) and sources of knowledge (on a 0-1 scale). Four questions surveyed training on hypertension.ResultsResponders (n=223, 75% women; 56% aged 20-35 years) included nurses (n=142, 64%, midwives (n=42, 19%), primary care physicians (n=28, 13%) and physician specialists (n=11, 5%)). The subscales commitment to work, leadership, work culture and informal payment scored between 4.7 and 4.1 and the community engagement, monitoring services for action and organizational resources scored between 3.1 and 3.5. Sources of knowledge had a mean score of 0.6 +/- 0.3. While 73% reported having attended a didactic hypertension seminar in the past year, only 28% had received long-term training and 51% had <3-year experience working with hypertension care delivery. The majority (99%) indicated a need for additional training in hypertension care.ConclusionsThere is a need for increased and continuous training in Rwanda. Healthcare responders stated a commitment to work and reported supportive leadership, while acknowledging limited resources and no monitoring systems. The COACH tool provides contextual guidance to develop training strategies prior to the implementation of a sustainable hypertension care programme.
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| 4. |
- Botling, Johan, et al.
(författare)
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High-grade progression confers poor survival in pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors
- 2020
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Ingår i: Neuroendocrinology. - : S. Karger AG. - 0028-3835 .- 1423-0194. ; 110:11-12, s. 891-898
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- INTRODUCTION: Little is known about how Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors (PanNETs) evolve over time and if changes towards a more aggressive biology correlates with prognosis. The purpose of this study was to characterize changes PanNET differentiation and proliferation over time, and to correlate findings to overall survival (OS).PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study we screened 475 PanNET patients treated at Uppsala University Hospital, Sweden. Sporadic patients with baseline and follow-up tumor samples were included. Pathology reports and available tissue sections were re-evaluated with regard to tumor histopathology and Ki-67 index.RESULTS: Forty-six patients with 106 tumor samples (56 available for pathology re-evaluation) were included. Median Ki-67 index at diagnosis was 7% (range 1-38%), grade 1 n=8, grade 2 n=36, and grade 3 n=2. The median change in Ki-67 index (absolute value; follow-up - baseline) was +14% (range -11 to +80%). Increase in tumor grade occurred in 28 patients (63.6%), the majority from grade 1/2 to grade 3 (n=24, 54.5%). The patients with a high-grade progression had a median OS of 50.2 months compared to 115.1 months in patients without such progression (HR 3.89, 95% CI 1.91-7.94, P<0.001).CONCLUSIONS: A longitudinal increase in Ki-67 index and increase in tumor grade were observed in a majority of PanNETs included in this study. We propose that increase in Ki-67 index and high-grade progression should be investigated further as important biomarkers in PanNET.
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| 5. |
- Carleo, Ilaria, et al.
(författare)
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The Multiplanet System TOI-421*
- 2020
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Ingår i: Astronomical Journal. - : American Astronomical Society. - 1538-3881 .- 0004-6256. ; 160:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We report the discovery of a warm Neptune and a hot sub-Neptune transiting TOI-421 (BD-14 1137, TIC 94986319), a bright (V = 9.9) G9 dwarf star in a visual binary system observed by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) space mission in Sectors 5 and 6. We performed ground-based follow-up observations-comprised of Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope transit photometry, NIRC2 adaptive optics imaging, and FIbre-fed Echelle Spectrograph, CORALIE, High Accuracy Radial velocity Planet Searcher, High Resolution echelle Spectrometer, and Planet Finder Spectrograph high-precision Doppler measurements-and confirmed the planetary nature of the 16 day transiting candidate announced by the TESS team. We discovered an additional radial velocity signal with a period of five days induced by the presence of a second planet in the system, which we also found to transit its host star. We found that the inner mini-Neptune, TOI-421 b, has an orbital period of P-b = 5.19672 +/- 0.00049 days, a mass of M-b = 7.17 +/- 0.66 M-circle plus, and a radius of R-b = R-circle plus, whereas the outer warm Neptune, TOI-421 c, has a period of P-c = 16.06819 +/- 0.00035 days, a mass of M-c = 16.42(-1.04)(+1.06)M(circle plus), a radius of R-c = 5.09(-0.15)(+0.16)R(circle plus), and a density of rho(c) = 0.685(-0.072)(+0.080) cm(-3). With its characteristics, the outer planet (rho(c) = 0.685(-0.0072)(+0.080) cm(-3)) is placed in the intriguing class of the super-puffy mini-Neptunes. TOI-421 b and TOI-421 c are found to be well-suited for atmospheric characterization. Our atmospheric simulations predict significant Ly alpha transit absorption, due to strong hydrogen escape in both planets, as well as the presence of detectable CH4 in the atmosphere of TOI-421 c if equilibrium chemistry is assumed.
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| 6. |
- Castelli Dransart, Dolores Angela, et al.
(författare)
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A systematic review of older adults’ request for or attitude toward euthanasia or assisted-suicide
- 2021
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Ingår i: Aging & Mental Health. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1360-7863 .- 1364-6915. ; 25:3, s. 420-430
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives: Prevalence rates of death by euthanasia (EUT) and physician-assisted suicide (PAS) have increased among older adults, and public debates on these practices are still taking place. In this context, it seemed important to conduct a systematic review of the predictors (demographic, physical health, psychological, social, quality of life, religious, or existential) associated with attitudes toward, wishes and requests for, as well as death by EUT/PAS among individuals aged 60years and over.Method: The search for quantitative studies in PsycINFO and MEDLINE databases was conducted three times from February 2016 until April 2018. Articles of probable relevance (n=327) were assessed for eligibility. Studies that only presented descriptive data (n=306) were excluded.Results: This review identified 21 studies with predictive analyses, but in only 4 did older adults face actual end-of-life decisions. Most studies (17) investigated attitudes toward EUT/PAS (9 through hypothetical scenarios). Younger age, lower religiosity, higher education, and higher socio-economic status were the most consistent predictors of endorsement of EUT/PAS. Findings were heterogeneous with regard to physical health, psychological, and social factors. Findings were difficult to compare across studies because of the variety of sample characteristics and outcomes measures.Conclusion: Future studies should adopt common and explicit definitions of EUT/PAS, as well as research designs (e.g. mixed longitudinal) that allow for better consideration of personal, social, and cultural factors, and their interplay, on EUT/PAS decisions.
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| 7. |
- Cova, Giovanni, et al.
(författare)
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Helios represses megakaryocyte priming in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells
- 2021
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Ingår i: Journal of Experimental Medicine. - : Rockefeller University Press. - 0022-1007 .- 1540-9538. ; 218:10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Our understanding of cell fate decisions in hematopoietic stem cells is incomplete. Here, we show that the transcription factor Helios is highly expressed in murine hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs), where it is required to suppress the separation of the platelet/megakaryocyte lineage from the HSPC pool. Helios acts mainly in quiescent cells, where it directly represses the megakaryocyte gene expression program in cells as early as the stem cell stage. Helios binding promotes chromatin compaction, notably at the regulatory regions of platelet-specific genes recognized by the Gata2 and Runx1 transcriptional activators, implicated in megakaryocyte priming. Helios null HSPCs are biased toward the megakaryocyte lineage at the expense of the lymphoid and partially resemble cells of aging animals. We propose that Helios acts as a guardian of HSPC pluripotency by continuously repressing the megakaryocyte fate, which in turn allows downstream lymphoid priming to take place. These results highlight the importance of negative and positive priming events in lineage commitment.
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| 8. |
- Engen, Kristine, et al.
(författare)
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Autoantibodies to the N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor in Adolescents With Early Onset Psychosis and Healthy Controls
- 2020
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Psychiatry. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 1664-0640. ; 11
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Autoantibodies to theN-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR-Abs) in autoimmune encephalitis have been associated with prominent psychiatric symptoms. The aims of the present study are to identify the prevalence of NMDAR-Abs in adolescents with early onset psychosis disorders (EOP) and healthy controls (HC) and examine its clinical significance. Method Plasma samples were acquired from 46 adolescent EOP patients and 69 age- and sex matched HC, and assessed for the presence of immunoglobulin G NMDAR-Abs. All participants underwent psychiatric evaluation, neurological examination and head magnetic resonance imaging. Results NMDAR-Abs were detected in three of 46 (6.5%) EOP patients and in two of 69 (2.9%) HC. One NMDAR-Abs EOP patient presented with unusual psychopathology and minor T1 weighted lesions of vasculopathological origin located bi-frontally and in the basal ganglia, and had a recent diagnosis of a separate autoimmune disease. One NMDAR-Ab HC displayed a T2 weighted FLAIR hyperintensity lesion in the left frontal lobe. The remaining three NMDAR-Ab participants were two EOP patients without neurological or radiological findings, and one HC without any clinical findings. Conclusions We report that a small number of EOP patients and HC have NMDAR-Abs with a similar frequency in both groups. The presence of the antibodies was not associated with any distinctive clinical or radiological features. Detection of the antibodies had no diagnostic implication, and a positive NMDAR antibody test must be carefully interpreted and reviewed within the individual clinical context.
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| 9. |
- Guinness, Lorna, et al.
(författare)
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Essential emergency and critical care as a health system response to critical illness and the COVID19 pandemic : what does it cost?
- 2023
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Ingår i: Cost Effectiveness and Resource Allocation. - : BioMed Central (BMC). - 1478-7547. ; 21:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Essential Emergency and Critical Care (EECC) is a novel approach to the care of critically ill patients, focusing on first-tier, effective, low-cost, life-saving care and designed to be feasible even in low-resourced and low-staffed settings. This is distinct from advanced critical care, usually conducted in ICUs with specialised staff, facilities and technologies. This paper estimates the incremental cost of EECC and advanced critical care for the planning of care for critically ill patients in Tanzania and Kenya.The incremental costing took a health systems perspective. A normative approach based on the ingredients defined through the recently published global consensus on EECC was used. The setting was a district hospital in which the patient is provided with the definitive care typically provided at that level for their condition. Quantification of resource use was based on COVID-19 as a tracer condition using clinical expertise. Local prices were used where available, and all costs were converted to USD2020.The costs per patient day of EECC is estimated to be 1 USD, 11 USD and 33 USD in Tanzania and 2 USD, 14 USD and 37 USD in Kenya, for moderate, severe and critical COVID-19 patients respectively. The cost per patient day of advanced critical care is estimated to be 13 USD and 294 USD in Tanzania and USD 17 USD and 345 USD in Kenya for severe and critical COVID-19 patients, respectively.EECC is a novel approach for providing the essential care to all critically ill patients. The low costs and lower tech approach inherent in delivering EECC mean that EECC could be provided to many and suggests that prioritizing EECC over ACC may be a rational approach when resources are limited.
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| 10. |
- Hoshino, Ayuko, et al.
(författare)
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Extracellular Vesicle and Particle Biomarkers Define Multiple Human Cancers
- 2020
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Ingår i: Cell. - : CELL PRESS. - 0092-8674 .- 1097-4172. ; 182:4, s. 1044-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- There is an unmet clinical need for improved tissue and liquid biopsy tools for cancer detection. We investigated the proteomic profile of extracellular vesicles and particles (EVPs) in 426 human samples from tissue explants (TEs), plasma, and other bodily fluids. Among traditional exosome markers, CD9, HSPA8, ALIX, and HSP90AB1 represent pan-EVP markers, while ACTB, MSN, and RAP1B are novel pan-EVP markers. To confirm that EVPs are ideal diagnostic tools, we analyzed proteomes of TE- (n =151) and plasma-derived (n =120) EVPs. Comparison of TE EVPs identified proteins (e.g., VCAN, TNC, and THBS2) that distinguish tumors from normal tissues with 90% sensitivity/94% specificity. Machine-learning classification of plasma-derived EVP cargo, including immunoglobulins, revealed 95% sensitivity/90% specificity in detecting cancer Finally, we defined a panel of tumor-type-specific EVP proteins in TEs and plasma, which can classify tumors of unknown primary origin. Thus, EVP proteins can serve as reliable biomarkers for cancer detection and determining cancer type.
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