| 1. |
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| 2. |
- Bentham, James, et al.
(författare)
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A century of trends in adult human height
- 2016
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Ingår i: eLIFE. - : eLife Sciences Publications Ltd. - 2050-084X. ; 5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Being taller is associated with enhanced longevity, and higher education and earnings. We reanalysed 1472 population-based studies, with measurement of height on more than 18.6 million participants to estimate mean height for people born between 1896 and 1996 in 200 countries. The largest gain in adult height over the past century has occurred in South Korean women and Iranian men, who became 20.2 cm (95% credible interval 17.5–22.7) and 16.5 cm (13.3– 19.7) taller, respectively. In contrast, there was little change in adult height in some sub-Saharan African countries and in South Asia over the century of analysis. The tallest people over these 100 years are men born in the Netherlands in the last quarter of 20th century, whose average heights surpassed 182.5 cm, and the shortest were women born in Guatemala in 1896 (140.3 cm; 135.8– 144.8). The height differential between the tallest and shortest populations was 19-20 cm a century ago, and has remained the same for women and increased for men a century later despite substantial changes in the ranking of countries.
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| 3. |
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| 4. |
- Lagrange, A. -M., et al.
(författare)
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Post-conjunction detection of beta Pictoris b with VLT/SPHERE
- 2019
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 621
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context. With an orbital distance comparable to that of Saturn in the solar system, beta Pictoris b is the closest (semi-major axis similar or equal to 9 au) exoplanet that has been imaged to orbit a star. Thus it offers unique opportunities for detailed studies of its orbital, physical, and atmospheric properties, and of disk-planet interactions. With the exception of the discovery observations in 2003 with NaCo at the Very Large Telescope (VLT), all following astrometric measurements relative to beta Pictoris have been obtained in the southwestern part of the orbit, which severely limits the determination of the planet's orbital parameters.Aims. We aimed at further constraining beta Pictoris b orbital properties using more data, and, in particular, data taken in the northeastern part of the orbit.Methods. We used SPHERE at the VLT to precisely monitor the orbital motion of beta beta Pictoris b since first light of the instrument in 2014.Results. We were able to monitor the planet until November 2016, when its angular separation became too small (125 mas, i.e., 1.6 au) and prevented further detection. We redetected beta Pictoris b on the northeast side of the disk at a separation of 139 mas and a PA of 30 degrees in September 2018. The planetary orbit is now well constrained. With a semi-major axis (sma) of a = 9.0 +/- 0.5 au (1 sigma), it definitely excludes previously reported possible long orbital periods, and excludes beta Pictoris b as the origin of photometric variations that took place in 1981. We also refine the eccentricity and inclination of the planet. From an instrumental point of view, these data demonstrate that it is possible to detect, if they exist, young massive Jupiters that orbit at less than 2 au from a star that is 20 pc away.
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| 5. |
- Zhou, Bin, et al.
(författare)
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Worldwide trends in diabetes since 1980: A pooled analysis of 751 population-based studies with 4.4 million participants
- 2016
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Ingår i: The Lancet. - : Elsevier B.V.. - 0140-6736 .- 1474-547X. ; 387:10027, s. 1513-1530
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: One of the global targets for non-communicable diseases is to halt, by 2025, the rise in the age standardised adult prevalence of diabetes at its 2010 levels. We aimed to estimate worldwide trends in diabetes, how likely it is for countries to achieve the global target, and how changes in prevalence, together with population growth and ageing, are aff ecting the number of adults with diabetes.Methods: We pooled data from population-based studies that had collected data on diabetes through measurement of its biomarkers. We used a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate trends in diabetes prevalence-defined as fasting plasma glucose of 7.0 mmol/L or higher, or history of diagnosis with diabetes, or use of insulin or oral hypoglycaemic drugs-in 200 countries and territories in 21 regions, by sex and from 1980 to 2014. We also calculated the posterior probability of meeting the global diabetes target if post-2000 trends continue.Findings: We used data from 751 studies including 4372000 adults from 146 of the 200 countries we make estimates for. Global age-standardised diabetes prevalence increased from 4.3% (95% credible interval 2.4-17.0) in 1980 to 9.0% (7.2-11.1) in 2014 in men, and from 5.0% (2.9-7.9) to 7.9% (6.4-9.7) in women. The number of adults with diabetes in the world increased from 108 million in 1980 to 422 million in 2014 (28.5% due to the rise in prevalence, 39.7% due to population growth and ageing, and 31.8% due to interaction of these two factors). Age-standardised adult diabetes prevalence in 2014 was lowest in northwestern Europe, and highest in Polynesia and Micronesia, at nearly 25%, followed by Melanesia and the Middle East and north Africa. Between 1980 and 2014 there was little change in age-standardised diabetes prevalence in adult women in continental western Europe, although crude prevalence rose because of ageing of the population. By contrast, age-standardised adult prevalence rose by 15 percentage points in men and women in Polynesia and Micronesia. In 2014, American Samoa had the highest national prevalence of diabetes (>30% in both sexes), with age-standardised adult prevalence also higher than 25% in some other islands in Polynesia and Micronesia. If post-2000 trends continue, the probability of meeting the global target of halting the rise in the prevalence of diabetes by 2025 at the 2010 level worldwide is lower than 1% for men and is 1% for women. Only nine countries for men and 29 countries for women, mostly in western Europe, have a 50% or higher probability of meeting the global target.Interpretation: Since 1980, age-standardised diabetes prevalence in adults has increased, or at best remained unchanged, in every country. Together with population growth and ageing, this rise has led to a near quadrupling of the number of adults with diabetes worldwide. The burden of diabetes, both in terms of prevalence and number of adults aff ected, has increased faster in low-income and middle-income countries than in high-income countries.
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| 6. |
- Anderson, J. P., et al.
(författare)
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A nearby super-luminous supernova with a long pre-maximum plateau and strong C (II) features
- 2018
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 620
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context. Super-luminous supernovae (SLSNe) are rare events defined as being significantly more luminous than normal terminal stellar explosions. The source of the additional power needed to achieve such luminosities is still unclear. Discoveries in the local Universe (i.e. z < 0.1) are scarce, but afford dense multi-wavelength observations. Additional low-redshift objects are therefore extremely valuable.Aims. We present early-time observations of the type I SLSN ASASSN-18km/SN 2018bsz. These data are used to characterise the event and compare to literature SLSNe and spectral models. Host galaxy properties are also analysed.Methods. Optical and near-IR photometry and spectroscopy were analysed. Early-time ATLAS photometry was used to constrain the rising light curve. We identified a number of spectral features in optical-wavelength spectra and track their time evolution. Finally, we used archival host galaxy photometry together with H( II )region spectra to constrain the host environment.Results. ASASSN-18km/SN 2018bsz is found to be a type I SLSN in a galaxy at a redshift of 0.0267 (111 Mpc), making it the lowest-redshift event discovered to date. Strong C- II lines are identified in the spectra. Spectral models produced by exploding a Wolf-Rayet progenitor and injecting a magnetar power source are shown to be qualitatively similar to ASASSN-18km/SN 2018bsz, contrary to most SLSNe-I that display weak or non-existent C (II) lines. ASASSN-18km/SN 2018bsz displays along, slowly rising, red plateau of >26 days, before a steeper, faster rise to maximum. The host has an absolute magnitude of -19.8 mag (r), a mass of M-* = 1.5(-0.33)(+0.08) x 10(9) M-circle dot, and a star formation rate of =0.50(-0.19)(+2.22) M-circle dot yr(-1). A nearby H (II) region has an oxygen abundance (O3N2) of 8.31 +/- 0.01 dex.
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| 7. |
- Moschner, K., et al.
(författare)
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Relativistic Coulomb excitation of 88Kr
- 2016
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Ingår i: Physical Review C - Nuclear Physics. - 0556-2813. ; 94:5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- To investigate the systematics of mixed-symmetry states in N=52 isotones, a relativistic Coulomb excitation experiment was performed during the PreSPEC campaign at the GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung to determine E2 transition strengths to 2+ states of the radioactive nucleus 88Kr. Absolute transition rates could be measured towards the first and third 2+ states. For the latter a mixed-symmetry character is suggested on the basis of the indication for a strong M1 transition to the fully symmetric 2+1 state, extending the knowledge of the N=52 isotones below Z=40. A comparison with the proton-neutron interacting boson model and shell-model predictions is made and supports the assignment.
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| 8. |
- Felix, Janine F, et al.
(författare)
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Genome-wide association analysis identifies three new susceptibility loci for childhood body mass index.
- 2016
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Ingår i: Human molecular genetics. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1460-2083 .- 0964-6906. ; 25:2, s. 389-403
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A large number of genetic loci are associated with adult body mass index. However, the genetics of childhood body mass index are largely unknown. We performed a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies of childhood body mass index, using sex- and age-adjusted standard deviation scores. We included 35 668 children from 20 studies in the discovery phase and 11 873 children from 13 studies in the replication phase. In total, 15 loci reached genome-wide significance (P-value < 5 × 10(-8)) in the joint discovery and replication analysis, of which 12 are previously identified loci in or close to ADCY3, GNPDA2, TMEM18, SEC16B, FAIM2, FTO, TFAP2B, TNNI3K, MC4R, GPR61, LMX1B and OLFM4 associated with adult body mass index or childhood obesity. We identified three novel loci: rs13253111 near ELP3, rs8092503 near RAB27B and rs13387838 near ADAM23. Per additional risk allele, body mass index increased 0.04 Standard Deviation Score (SDS) [Standard Error (SE) 0.007], 0.05 SDS (SE 0.008) and 0.14 SDS (SE 0.025), for rs13253111, rs8092503 and rs13387838, respectively. A genetic risk score combining all 15 SNPs showed that each additional average risk allele was associated with a 0.073 SDS (SE 0.011, P-value = 3.12 × 10(-10)) increase in childhood body mass index in a population of 1955 children. This risk score explained 2% of the variance in childhood body mass index. This study highlights the shared genetic background between childhood and adult body mass index and adds three novel loci. These loci likely represent age-related differences in strength of the associations with body mass index.
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| 9. |
- Beaumont, Robin N, et al.
(författare)
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Genome-wide association study of offspring birth weight in 86,577 women identifies five novel loci and highlights maternal genetic effects that are independent of fetal genetics.
- 2018
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Ingår i: Human molecular genetics. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1460-2083 .- 1460-2083 .- 0964-6906. ; 27:4, s. 742-756
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of birth weight have focused on fetal genetics, while relatively little is known about the role of maternal genetic variation. We aimed to identify maternal genetic variants associated with birth weight that could highlight potentially relevant maternal determinants of fetal growth. We meta-analysed data on up to 8.7 million SNPs in up to 86,577 women of European descent from the Early Growth Genetics (EGG) Consortium and the UK Biobank. We used structural equation modelling (SEM) and analyses of mother-child pairs to quantify the separate maternal and fetal genetic effects. Maternal SNPs at 10 loci (MTNR1B, HMGA2, SH2B3, KCNAB1, L3MBTL3, GCK, EBF1, TCF7L2, ACTL9, CYP3A7) were associated with offspring birth weight at P<5x10-8. In SEM analyses, at least 7 of the 10 associations were consistent with effects of the maternal genotype acting via the intrauterine environment, rather than via effects of shared alleles with the fetus. Variants, or correlated proxies, at many of the loci had been previously associated with adult traits, including fasting glucose (MTNR1B, GCK and TCF7L2) and sex hormone levels (CYP3A7), and one (EBF1) with gestational duration. The identified associations indicate genetic effects on maternal glucose, cytochrome P450 activity and gestational duration, and potentially on maternal blood pressure and immune function, are relevant for fetal growth. Further characterization of these associations in mechanistic and causal analyses will enhance understanding of the potentially modifiable maternal determinants of fetal growth, with the goal of reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with low and high birth weights.
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| 10. |
- Delerue, N., et al.
(författare)
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A Massive Open Online Course on Particle Accelerators
- 2018. - 9
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Ingår i: Journal of Physics: Conference Series. - : IOP Publishing. - 1742-6588 .- 1742-6596. ; 1067
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- The TIARA (Test Infrastructure and Accelerator Research Area) project funded by the European Union 7th framework programme made a survey of provision of education and training in accelerator science in Europe. This survey highlighted the need for more training opportunities targeting undergraduate-level students. This need is now being addressed by the European Union H2020 project ARIES (Accelerator Research and Innovation for European Science and Society) via the preparation of a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on particle accelerator science and engineering. We present here the current status of this project, the main elements of the syllabus, how it will be delivered, and the schedule for providing the course.
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| 11. |
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| 12. |
- Tyrrell, Jessica, et al.
(författare)
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Genetic Evidence for Causal Relationships Between Maternal Obesity-Related Traits and Birth Weight.
- 2016
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Ingår i: JAMA. - : American Medical Association (AMA). - 1538-3598 .- 0098-7484. ; 315:11, s. 1129-40
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Neonates born to overweight or obese women are larger and at higher risk of birth complications. Many maternal obesity-related traits are observationally associated with birth weight, but the causal nature of these associations is uncertain.To test for genetic evidence of causal associations of maternal body mass index (BMI) and related traits with birth weight.Mendelian randomization to test whether maternal BMI and obesity-related traits are potentially causally related to offspring birth weight. Data from 30,487 women in 18 studies were analyzed. Participants were of European ancestry from population- or community-based studies in Europe, North America, or Australia and were part of the Early Growth Genetics Consortium. Live, term, singleton offspring born between 1929 and 2013 were included.Genetic scores for BMI, fasting glucose level, type 2 diabetes, systolic blood pressure (SBP), triglyceride level, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level, vitamin D status, and adiponectin level.Offspring birth weight from 18 studies.Among the 30,487 newborns the mean birth weight in the various cohorts ranged from 3325 g to 3679 g. The maternal genetic score for BMI was associated with a 2-g (95% CI, 0 to 3 g) higher offspring birth weight per maternal BMI-raising allele (P=.008). The maternal genetic scores for fasting glucose and SBP were also associated with birth weight with effect sizes of 8 g (95% CI, 6 to 10 g) per glucose-raising allele (P=7×10(-14)) and -4 g (95% CI, -6 to -2 g) per SBP-raising allele (P=1×10(-5)), respectively. A 1-SD (≈4 points) genetically higher maternal BMI was associated with a 55-g higher offspring birth weight (95% CI, 17 to 93 g). A 1-SD (≈7.2 mg/dL) genetically higher maternal fasting glucose concentration was associated with 114-g higher offspring birth weight (95% CI, 80 to 147 g). However, a 1-SD (≈10 mm Hg) genetically higher maternal SBP was associated with a 208-g lower offspring birth weight (95% CI, -394 to -21 g). For BMI and fasting glucose, genetic associations were consistent with the observational associations, but for systolic blood pressure, the genetic and observational associations were in opposite directions.In this mendelian randomization study, genetically elevated maternal BMI and blood glucose levels were potentially causally associated with higher offspring birth weight, whereas genetically elevated maternal SBP was potentially causally related to lower birth weight. If replicated, these findings may have implications for counseling and managing pregnancies to avoid adverse weight-related birth outcomes.
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| 13. |
- Kirsebom, O. S., et al.
(författare)
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Discovery of an Exceptionally Strong β -Decay Transition of F 20 and Implications for the Fate of Intermediate-Mass Stars
- 2019
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Ingår i: Physical Review Letters. - 0031-9007. ; 123:26
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A significant fraction of stars between 7 and 11 solar masses are thought to become supernovae, but the explosion mechanism is unclear. The answer depends critically on the rate of electron capture on Ne20 in the degenerate oxygen-neon stellar core. However, because of the unknown strength of the transition between the ground states of Ne20 and F20, it has not previously been possible to fully constrain the rate. By measuring the transition, we establish that its strength is exceptionally large and that it enhances the capture rate by several orders of magnitude. This has a decisive impact on the evolution of the core, increasing the likelihood that the star is (partially) disrupted by a thermonuclear explosion rather than collapsing to form a neutron star. Importantly, our measurement resolves the last remaining nuclear physics uncertainty in the final evolution of degenerate oxygen-neon stellar cores, allowing future studies to address the critical role of convection, which at present is poorly understood
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| 14. |
- Bensi, M., et al.
(författare)
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Deep flow variability offshore south-west Svalbard (fram strait)
- 2019
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Ingår i: Water. - : MDPI AG. - 2073-4441. ; 11:4
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- - Water mass generation and mixing in the eastern Fram Strait are strongly influenced by the interaction between Atlantic and Arctic waters and by the local atmospheric forcing, which produce dense water that substantially contributes to maintaining the global thermohaline circulation. The West Spitsbergen margin is an ideal area to study such processes. Hence, in order to investigate the deep flow variability on short-term, seasonal, and multiannual timescales, two moorings were deployed at ~1040 m depth on the southwest Spitsbergen continental slope. We present and discuss time series data collected between June 2014 and June 2016. They reveal thermohaline and current fluctuations that were largest from October to April, when the deep layer, typically occupied by Norwegian Sea Deep Water, was perturbed by sporadic intrusions of warmer, saltier, and less dense water. Surprisingly, the observed anomalies occurred quasi-simultaneously at both sites, despite their distance (~170 km). We argue that these anomalies may arise mainly by the effect of topographically trapped waves excited and modulated by atmospheric forcing. Propagation of internal waves causes a change in the vertical distribution of the Atlantic water, which can reach deep layers. During such events, strong currents typically precede thermohaline variations without significant changes in turbidity. However, turbidity increases during April-June in concomitance with enhanced downslope currents. Since prolonged injections of warm water within the deep layer could lead to a progressive reduction of the density of the abyssal water moving toward the Arctic Ocean, understanding the interplay between shelf, slope, and deep waters along the west Spitsbergen margin could be crucial for making projections on future changes in the global thermohaline circulation. © 2019 by the authors.
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| 15. |
- Berger, D., et al.
(författare)
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Effect of PEEP, blood volume, and inspiratory hold maneuvers on venous return
- 2016
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Ingår i: American Journal of Physiology. Heart and Circulatory Physiology. - : American Physiological Society. - 0363-6135 .- 1522-1539. ; 311:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- According to Guyton’s model of circulation, mean systemic filling pressure (MSFP), right atrial pressure (RAP), and resistance to venous return (RVR) determine venous return. MSFP has been estimated from inspiratory hold-induced changes in RAP and blood flow. We studied the effect of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) and blood volume on venous return and MSFP in pigs. MSFP was measured by balloon occlusion of the right atrium (MSFPRAO), and the MSFP obtained via extrapolation of pressure-flow relationships with airway occlusion (MSFPinsp_hold) was extrapolated from RAP/pulmonary artery flow (QPA) relationships during inspiratory holds at PEEP 5 and 10 cmH2O, after bleeding, and in hypervolemia. MSFPRAO increased with PEEP [PEEP 5, 12.9 (SD 2.5) mmHg; PEEP 10, 14.0 (SD 2.6) mmHg, P = 0.002] without change in QPA [2.75 (SD 0.43) vs. 2.56 (SD 0.45) l/min, P = 0.094]. MSFPRAO decreased after bleeding and increased in hypervolemia [10.8 (SD 2.2) and 16.4 (SD 3.0) mmHg, respectively, P < 0.001], with parallel changes in QPA. Neither PEEP nor volume state altered RVR (P = 0.489). MSFPinsp_hold overestimated MSFPRAO [16.5 (SD 5.8) vs. 13.6 (SD 3.2) mmHg, P = 0.001; mean difference 3.0 (SD 5.1) mmHg]. Inspiratory holds shifted the RAP/QPA relationship rightward in euvolemia because inferior vena cava flow (QIVC) recovered early after an inspiratory hold nadir. The QIVC nadir was lowest after bleeding [36% (SD 24%) of preinspiratory hold at 15 cmH2O inspiratory pressure], and the QIVC recovery was most complete at the lowest inspiratory pressures independent of volume state [range from 80% (SD 7%) after bleeding to 103% (SD 8%) at PEEP 10 cmH2O of QIVC before inspiratory hold]. The QIVC recovery thus defends venous return, possibly via hepatosplanchnic vascular waterfall. © 2016 the American Physiological Society.
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| 16. |
- Claassen, Yvette H. M., et al.
(författare)
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Treatment and survival of rectal cancer patients over the age of 80 years : a EURECCA international comparison
- 2018
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Ingår i: British Journal of Cancer. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 0007-0920 .- 1532-1827. ; 119:4, s. 517-522
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: The optimal treatment strategy for older rectal cancer patients remains unclear. The current study aimed to compare treatment and survival of rectal cancer patients aged 80+.METHODS: Patients of >= 80 years diagnosed with rectal cancer between 2001 and 2010 were included. Population-based cohorts from Belgium (BE), Denmark (DK), the Netherlands (NL), Norway (NO) and Sweden (SE) were compared side by side for neighbouring countries on treatment strategy and 5-year relative survival (RS), adjusted for sex and age. Analyses were performed separately for stage I-III patients and stage IV patients.RESULTS: Overall, 19 634 rectal cancer patients were included. For stage I-III patients, 5-year RS varied from 61.7% in BE to 72.3% in SE. Proportion of preoperative radiotherapy ranged between 7.9% in NO and 28.9% in SE. For stage IV patients, 5-year RS differed from 2.8% in NL to 5.6% in BE. Rate of patients undergoing surgery varied from 22.2% in DK to 40.8% in NO.CONCLUSIONS: Substantial variation was observed in the 5-year relative survival between European countries for rectal cancer patients aged 80+, next to a wide variation in treatment, especially in the use of preoperative radiotherapy in stage I-III patients and in the rate of patients undergoing surgery in stage IV patients.
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| 17. |
- Garcia Carrasco, Alvaro, et al.
(författare)
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Nitrogen removal from plasma-facing components by ion cyclotron wall conditioning in TEXTOR
- 2015
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Ingår i: Journal of Nuclear Materials. - : Elsevier BV. - 0022-3115 .- 1873-4820. ; 463, s. 688-692
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The efficiency of ion cyclotron wall conditioning (ICWC) in the removal of nitrogen from plasma-facing components in TEXTOR was assessed. In two experiments the wall was loaded with nitrogen and subsequently cleaned by ICWC in deuterium and helium. The retention and removal of nitrogen was studied in-situ by means of mass spectrometry, and ex-situ by surface analysis of a set of graphite, tungsten and TZM plates installed on test limiter systems. N-15 rare isotope was used as a marker. The results from the gas balance showed that about 25% of the retained nitrogen was removed after ICWC cleaning, whereas surface analysis of the plates based on ToF-HIERDA showed an increase of the deposited species after the cleaning. This indicates that during ICWC operation on carbon devices, nitrogen is not only pumped out but also transported to other locations on the wall. Additionally, deuterium surface content was studied before and after ICWC cleaning.
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| 18. |
- Hartoog, O. E., et al.
(författare)
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VLT/X-Shooter spectroscopy of the afterglow of the Swift GRB 130606A Chemical abundances and reionisation at z similar to 6
- 2015
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 580
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context: The reionisation of the Universe is a process that is thought to have ended around z similar to 6, as inferred from spectroscopy of distant bright background sources, such as quasars (QSO) and gamma-ray burst (GRB) afterglows. Furthermore, spectroscopy of a GRB afterglow provides insight in its host galaxy, which is often too dim and distant to study otherwise.Aims: For the Swift GRB 130606A at z = 5.913 we have obtained a high S/N spectrum covering the full optical and near-IR wavelength region at intermediate spectral resolution with VLT/X-Shooter. We aim to measure the degree of ionisation of the intergalactic medium (IGM) between z = 5.02-5.84 and to study the chemical abundance pattern and dust content of its host galaxy.Methods: We estimated the UV continuum of the GRB afterglow using a power-law extrapolation, then measured the flux decrement due to absorption at Ly alpha,beta, and gamma wavelength regions. Furthermore, we fitted the shape of the red damping wing of Lya. The hydrogen and metal absorption lines formed in the host galaxy were fitted with Voigt profiles to obtain column densities. We investigated whether ionisation corrections needed to be applied.Results: Our measurements of the Ly alpha-forest optical depth are consistent with previous measurements of QSOs, but have a much smaller uncertainty. The analysis of the red damping wing yields a neutral fraction x(HI) < 0.05 (3 sigma). We obtain column density measurements of H, Al, Si, and Fe; for C, O, S and Ni we obtain limits. The ionisation due to the GRB is estimated to be negligible (corrections < 0.03 dex), but larger corrections may apply due to the pre-existing radiation field (up to 0.4 dex based on sub-DLA studies). Assuming that [Si/Fe] = +0.79 +/- 0.13 is due to dust depletion, the dust-to-metal ratio is similar to the Galactic value.Conclusions: Our measurements confirm that the Universe is already predominantly ionised over the redshift range probed in this work, but was slightly more neutral at z > 5.6. GRBs are useful probes of the ionisation state of the IGM in the early Universe, but because of internal scatter we need a larger statistical sample to draw robust conclusions. The high [Si/Fe] in the host can be due to dust depletion, a-element enhancement, or a combination of both. The very high value of [Al/Fe] = 2.40 +/- 0.78 might be due to a proton capture process and is probably connected to the stellar population history. We estimate the host metallicity to be -1.7 < [M/H] < -0.9 (2%-13% of solar).
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| 19. |
- Iablonskyi, D., et al.
(författare)
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Slow Interatomic Coulombic Decay of Multiply Excited Neon Clusters
- 2016
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Ingår i: Physical Review Letters. - 0031-9007. ; 117:27
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Ne clusters (∼5000 atoms) were resonantly excited (2p→3s) by intense free electron laser (FEL) radiation at FERMI. Such multiply excited clusters can decay nonradiatively via energy exchange between at least two neighboring excited atoms. Benefiting from the precise tunability and narrow bandwidth of seeded FEL radiation, specific sites of the Ne clusters were probed. We found that the relaxation of cluster surface atoms proceeds via a sequence of interatomic or intermolecular Coulombic decay (ICD) processes while ICD of bulk atoms is additionally affected by the surrounding excited medium via inelastic electron scattering. For both cases, cluster excitations relax to atomic states prior to ICD, showing that this kind of ICD is rather slow (picosecond range). Controlling the average number of excitations per cluster via the FEL intensity allows a coarse tuning of the ICD rate.
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| 20. |
- Møller, M. H., et al.
(författare)
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Scandinavian SSAI clinical practice guideline on choice of inotropic agent for patients with acute circulatory failure
- 2018
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Ingår i: Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica. - Hoboken : John Wiley & Sons. - 0001-5172 .- 1399-6576. ; 62:4, s. 420-450
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Adult critically ill patients often suffer from acute circulatory failure and those with low cardiac output may be treated with inotropic agents. The aim of this Scandinavian Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine guideline was to present patient-important treatment recommendations on this topic.METHODS: This guideline was developed according to GRADE. We assessed the following subpopulations of patients with shock: (1) shock in general, (2) septic shock, (3) cardiogenic shock, (4) hypovolemic shock, (5) shock after cardiac surgery, and (6) other types of shock, including vasodilatory shock. We assessed patient-important outcome measures, including mortality and serious adverse reactions.RESULTS: For all patients, we suggest against the routine use of any inotropic agent, including dobutamine, as compared to placebo/no treatment (very low quality of evidence). For patients with shock in general, and in those with septic and other types of shock, we suggest using dobutamine rather than levosimendan or epinephrine (very low quality of evidence). For patients with cardiogenic shock and in those with shock after cardiac surgery, we suggest using dobutamine rather than milrinone (very low quality of evidence). For the other clinical questions, we refrained from giving any recommendations or suggestions.CONCLUSIONS: We suggest against the routine use of any inotropic agent in adult patients with shock. If used, we suggest using dobutamine rather than other inotropic agents for the majority of patients, however, the quality of evidence was very low, implying high uncertainty on the balance between the benefits and harms of inotropic agents.
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| 21. |
- Geneid, A., et al.
(författare)
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Long-term follow-up of patients with spasmodic dysphonia and improved voice despite discontinuation of treatment
- 2017
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Ingår i: Folia Phoniatrica et Logopaedica. - : S. Karger. - 1021-7762 .- 1421-9972. ; 68:3, s. 144-151
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: To evaluate voice function in patients with adductor spasmodic dysphonia (AdSD) who discontinued botulinum toxin (BTX) treatment because they felt that their voice had improved sufficiently. Patients and Methods: Twenty-eight patients quit treatment in 2004, of whom 20 fulfilled the inclusion criteria for the study, with 3 subsequently excluded because of return of symptoms, leaving 17 patients (11 males, 6 females) included in this follow-up study. A questionnaire concerning current voice function and the Voice Handicap Index were completed. Audio-perceptual voice assessments were done by 3 listeners. The inter- and intrarater reliabilities were r > 0.80. Results: All patients had a subjectively good stable voice, but with differences in their audio-perceptual voice assessment scores. Based on the pre-/posttreatment auditory scores on the overall degree of AdSD, patients were divided into 2 subgroups showing more and less improvement, with 10 and 7 patients, respectively. The subgroup with more improvement had shorter duration from the onset of symptoms until the start of BTX treatment, and included 7 males compared to only 4 males in the subgroup with less improvement. Conclusion: It seems plausible that the symptoms of spasmodic dysphonia may decrease over time. Early intervention and male gender seem to be important factors for long-term reduction of the voice symptoms of AdSD.
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| 22. |
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| 23. |
- Patil, Ketan S., et al.
(författare)
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Combinatory microRNA serum signatures as classifiers of Parkinson's disease
- 2019
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Ingår i: Parkinsonism & Related Disorders. - : Elsevier. - 1353-8020 .- 1873-5126. ; 64, s. 202-210
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction: As current clinical diagnostic protocols for Parkinson's disease (PD) may be prone to inaccuracies there is a need to identify and validate molecular biomarkers, such as circulating microRNAs, which will complement current practices and increase diagnostic accuracy. This study identifies, verifies and validates combinatory serum microRNA signatures as diagnostic classifiers of PD across different patient cohorts. Methods: 370 PD (drug naive) and control serum samples from the Norwegian ParkWest study were used for identification and verification of differential microRNA levels in PD which were validated in a blind study using 64 NY Parkinsonism in UMea (NYPUM) study serum samples and tested for specificity in 48 Dementia Study of Western Norway (DemWest) study Alzheimer's disease (AD) serum samples using miRNA-microarrays, and quantitative (q) RT-PCR. Proteomic approaches identified potential molecular targets for these microRNAs. Results: Using Affymetrix GeneChip (R) miRNA 4.0 arrays and qRT-PCR we comprehensively analyzed serum microRNA levels and found that the microRNA (PARKmiR)-combinations, hsa-miR-335-5p/hsa-miR-3613-3p (95% CI, 0.87-0.94), hsa-miR-335-5p/hsa-miR-6865-3p (95% CI, 0.87-0.93), and miR-335-5p/miR-3613-3p/miR-6865-3p (95% CI, 0.87-0.94) show a high degree of discriminatory accuracy (AUC 0.9-1.0). The PARKmiR signatures were validated in an independent PD cohort (AUC <= 0.71) and analysis in AD serum samples showed PARKmiR signature specificity to PD. Proteomic analyses showed that the PAFtKmiRs regulate key PD-associated proteins, including alpha-synuclein and Leucine Rich Repeat Kinase 2. Conclusions: Our study has identified and validated unique miRNA serum signatures that represent PD classifiers, which may complement and increase the accuracy of current diagnostic protocols.
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| 24. |
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| 25. |
- Pedersen, K. B., et al.
(författare)
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Fixation stability and implication for multifocal electroretinography in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration after anti-VEGF treatment
- 2016
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Ingår i: Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0721-832X .- 1435-702X. ; 254:10, s. 1897-1908
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: To quantify fixation stability in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) at baseline, 3 and 6 months after anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) treatment and furthermore asses the implications of an unsteady fixation for multifocal electroretinography (mfERG) measurements. Methods: Fifty eyes of 50 nAMD patients receiving intravitreal anti-VEGF treatment with either bevacizumab or ranibizumab and eight eyes of eight control subjects were included. Fixation stability measurements were performed with the Eye-Link eyetracking system and the retinal area in degrees2 (deg2) containing the 68 % most frequently used fixation points (RAF68) was calculated. MfERG P1 amplitude and implicit time were analyzed in six concentric rings and as a summed response. Patients were examined at baseline, 3 and 6 months. Four different mfERG recordings were performed for the control subjects to mimic an involuntary unstable fixation: normal central fixation, 2.4°, 4.8°, and 7.1° fixation instability. Results: For control subjects, a fixation instability of 2.4° (corresponding to the central hexagon) did not reduce mfERG ring amplitudes significantly, whereas 4.8° and 7.1° fixation instability reduced the amplitudes significantly in rings 1 and 2 (p <0.001) as well as in the peripheral rings in the 7.1° instability condition (p <0.001). Fixation stability improved non-significantly for patients at 3 and 6 months. The size of the retinal area of fixation was at baseline, 3 and 6 months negatively correlated to visual acuity (VA) (rbaseline = −0.65, r3 months = −0.60, and r6 months = −0.66 respectively, p <0.001) and mfERG amplitudes of the three innermost rings (rbaseline = −0.29, p = 0.042, r3 months = −0.43, p = 0.003 and r6 months = −0.31, p = 0.042). The VA cutoff for a fixation area less than 5 deg2 (approximately the central hexagon) was 65, 77, and 68 ETDRS letters (corresponding a maximal Snellen equivalent of 0.31) at baseline, 3 and 6 months, respectively. Conclusions: MfERG amplitudes in recordings of nAMD patients are at substantial risk of being reduced due to poor fixation as a large number of patients may use a fixation area of more than 5 deg2. Fixation monitoring during recording as well as interpretation of results should be performed with care, especially in patients with poor visual acuity.
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