| 1. |
- Berndt, Sonja, I, et al.
(författare)
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Distinct germline genetic susceptibility profiles identified for common non-Hodgkin lymphoma subtypes
- 2022
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Ingår i: Leukemia. - : Springer Nature. - 0887-6924 .- 1476-5551. ; 36:12, s. 2835-2844
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Lymphoma risk is elevated for relatives with common non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) subtypes, suggesting shared genetic susceptibility across subtypes. To evaluate the extent of mutual heritability among NHL subtypes and discover novel loci shared among subtypes, we analyzed data from eight genome-wide association studies within the InterLymph Consortium, including 10,629 cases and 9505 controls. We utilized Association analysis based on SubSETs (ASSET) to discover loci for subsets of NHL subtypes and evaluated shared heritability across the genome using Genome-wide Complex Trait Analysis (GCTA) and polygenic risk scores. We discovered 17 genome-wide significant loci (P < 5 × 10−8) for subsets of NHL subtypes, including a novel locus at 10q23.33 (HHEX) (P = 3.27 × 10−9). Most subset associations were driven primarily by only one subtype. Genome-wide genetic correlations between pairs of subtypes varied broadly from 0.20 to 0.86, suggesting substantial heterogeneity in the extent of shared heritability among subtypes. Polygenic risk score analyses of established loci for different lymphoid malignancies identified strong associations with some NHL subtypes (P < 5 × 10−8), but weak or null associations with others. Although our analyses suggest partially shared heritability and biological pathways, they reveal substantial heterogeneity among NHL subtypes with each having its own distinct germline genetic architecture.
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| 2. |
- Alkner, Sara, et al.
(författare)
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Quality assessment of radiotherapy in the prospective randomized SENOMAC trial
- 2024
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Ingår i: Radiotherapy and Oncology. - 0167-8140 .- 1879-0887. ; 197
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background and purpose: Recommendations for regional radiotherapy (RT) of sentinel lymph node (SLN)-positive breast cancer are debated. We here report a RT quality assessment of the SENOMAC trial.Materials and Methods: The SENOMAC trial randomized clinically node-negative breast cancer patients with 1–2 SLN macrometastases to completion axillary lymph node dissection (cALND) or SLN biopsy only between 2015–2021. Adjuvant RT followed national guidelines. RT plans for patients included in Sweden and Denmark until June 2019 were collected (N = 1176) and compared to case report forms (CRF). Dose to level I (N = 270) and the humeral head (N = 321) was analyzed in detail.Results: CRF-data and RT plans agreed in 99.3 % (breast/chest wall) and in 96.6 % of patients (regional RT). Congruence for whether level I was an intended RT target was lower (78 %). In accordance with Danish national guidelines, level I was more often an intended target in the SLN biopsy only arm (N = 334/611, 55 %,) than in the cALND arm (N = 174/565, 31 %,). When an intended target, level I received prescribed dose to 100 % (IQR 98–100 %) of the volume. However, even when not an intended target, full dose was delivered to > 80 % of level I (IQR 75–90 %). The intentional inclusion of level I in the target volume more than doubled the dose received by ≥ 50 % of the humeral head.Conclusion: Congruence between CRF data and RT plans was excellent. Level I received a high dose coverage even when not intentionally included in the target. Including level I in target significantly increased dose to the humeral head.
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| 3. |
- de Vrind, V. A. J., et al.
(författare)
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Leptin Receptor Expressing Neurons in the Substantia Nigra Regulate Locomotion, and in The Ventral Tegmental Area Motivation and Feeding
- 2021
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Endocrinology. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 1664-2392. ; 12
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Leptin is an anorexigenic hormone, important in the regulation of body weight. Leptin plays a role in food reward, feeding, locomotion and anxiety. Leptin receptors (LepR) are expressed in many brain areas, including the midbrain. In most studies that target the midbrain, either all LepR neurons of the midbrain or those of the ventral tegmental area (VTA) were targeted, but the role of substantia nigra (SN) LepR neurons has not been investigated. These studies have reported contradicting results regarding motivational behavior for food reward, feeding and locomotion. Since not all midbrain LepR mediated behaviors can be explained by LepR neurons in the VTA alone, we hypothesized that SN LepR neurons may provide further insight. We first characterized SN LepR and VTA LepR expression, which revealed LepR expression mainly on DA neurons. To further understand the role of midbrain LepR neurons in body weight regulation, we chemogenetically activated VTA LepR or SN LepR neurons in LepR-cre mice and tested for motivational behavior, feeding and locomotion. Activation of VTA LepR neurons in food restricted mice decreased motivation for food reward (p=0.032) and food intake (p=0.020), but not locomotion. In contrast, activation of SN LepR neurons in food restricted mice decreased locomotion (p=0.025), but not motivation for food reward or food intake. Our results provide evidence that VTA LepR and SN LepR neurons serve different functions, i.e. activation of VTA LepR neurons modulated motivation for food reward and feeding, while SN LepR neurons modulated locomotor activity.
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| 4. |
- Deutsch, Clemens, 1989-
(författare)
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On the Performance of Long-Range Autonomous Underwater Vehicles : Enhancing the Endurance of AUVs
- 2022
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) are robotic platforms that are commonly used to gather environmental data, provide bathymetric images, and perform manipulation tasks. These robots are used not only for scientific, but also for industrial and military purposes. Climate change, political instabilities, and the increasing demand for both renewable and fossil energy sources have created a need for high-performance AUVs and particularly long-range AUVs.The performance of long-range AUVs is characterised by several parameters, such as autonomous decision making, accurate navigation, system reliability, and vehicle endurance. The vehicle’s endurance is the key capability enabling long-range missions and is determined by the energy capacity and power consumption. By cruising at optimum speed, the vehicle endurance can be utilised most efficiently, resulting in the longest achievable vehicle range. The range of AUVs can be extended by maximising the available energy capacity and by minimising the overall power consumption. This thesis shows how the choices of propulsion system and power source can help improving the range of AUVs.The power consumption comprises the hotel load and propulsive power. While the hotel load is largely depending on the payload sensors, the propulsive power can be minimised by choosing the right propulsion system. As a part of this thesis, the transit performance of underwater gliders is analysed using an analytical approach. The analysis yields a glide metric for the assessment of the energy efficiency of underwater gliding and allows for comparison to other conventional propulsion systems.The most common energy systems for AUVs are primary and secondary electrochemical cells, in particular lithium-ion batteries. Alternative energy systems such as fuel cell (FC) systems can potentially improve the range of AUVs. Through a conceptual design study using off-the-shelf components, it is shown how FC systems can increase the energy capacity of AUVs. FC systems are typically implemented as hybrid systems paired with a small capacity battery system. Energy management strategies (EMS) are required to coordinate these two power sources. In this thesis, deterministic and optimisation-based strategies have been tested in simulations and evaluated against realistic AUV power consumption data from field trials. The results suggest that the complexity of the EMS needs to grow with mission complexity. While deterministic methods can yield the lowest energy consumption for standard missions (e.g. bathymetric imaging), optimisation-based methods provide best load-following behavior, making these methods better suited for retaining power reliability through maintaining battery state of charge.
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| 5. |
- Einarsdottir, Sif, et al.
(författare)
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Career Education in the Nordic Countries: A Comparison of National Legislation and Compulsory School Curricula
- 2023
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Ingår i: Nordic Journal of Transitions, Careers and Guidance. - 2003-8046. ; 4:1, s. 97-112
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- All Nordic countries provide career education and guidance (CEG) as part of compulsory education. Although the educational systems share common contexts, features, and challenges, there are differences in how career education as a systematic strategy supporting career learning and development is implemented and accessed in each country. This study aims to map and compare career education in compulsory schools in Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. In doing so, the aim is to spark further discussion, support development in practice, and identify themes for further research. The analysis focuses on macro-level input for career education and includes each nation’s relevant legislation and curriculum, resulting in a broad comparison consisting of four general parts: 1. National legislation, 2. National curriculum, 3. Organisation and roles, and 4. Quality and evaluation. The comparison revealed that while each country guarantees students the right to career guidance by law and requires a certain level of professionalisation for implementation, national legislation on career education and related curricula differ widely. In all the Nordic countries, career counsellors play a role in supporting career learning alongside teachers, but in most cases neither group’s role is well-defined. Quality processes are rarely in place, but ad hoc evaluations have been conducted. The study and the categories can be utilised to enhance discussion in policy and practice development and guide further research on career education. The comparison identifies leadership in career education as an important topic for future research.
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| 6. |
- Hop, Paul J., et al.
(författare)
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Genome-wide study of DNA methylation shows alterations in metabolic, inflammatory, and cholesterol pathways in ALS
- 2022
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Ingår i: Science Translational Medicine. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science. - 1946-6234 .- 1946-6242. ; 14:633
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease with an estimated heritability between 40 and 50%. DNA methylation patterns can serve as proxies of (past) exposures and disease progression, as well as providing a potential mechanism that mediates genetic or environmental risk. Here, we present a blood-based epigenome-wide association study meta-analysis in 9706 samples passing stringent quality control (6763 patients, 2943 controls). We identified a total of 45 differentially methylated positions (DMPs) annotated to 42 genes, which are enriched for pathways and traits related to metabolism, cholesterol biosynthesis, and immunity. We then tested 39 DNA methylation-based proxies of putative ALS risk factors and found that high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, body mass index, white blood cell proportions, and alcohol intake were independently associated with ALS. Integration of these results with our latest genome-wide association study showed that cholesterol biosynthesis was potentially causally related to ALS. Last, DNA methylation at several DMPs and blood cell proportion estimates derived from DNA methylation data were associated with survival rate in patients, suggesting that they might represent indicators of underlying disease processes potentially amenable to therapeutic interventions.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Omrani, A., et al.
(författare)
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Identification of Novel Neurocircuitry Through Which Leptin Targets Multiple Inputs to the Dopamine System to Reduce Food Reward Seeking
- 2021
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Ingår i: Biological Psychiatry. - : Elsevier BV. - 0006-3223. ; 90:12, s. 843-852
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Leptin reduces the motivation to obtain food by modulating activity of the mesolimbic dopamine (DA) system upon presentation of cues that predict a food reward. Although leptin directly reduces the activity of ventral tegmental area (VTA) DA neurons, the majority of leptin receptor (LepR)-expressing DA neurons do not project to the nucleus accumbens, the projection implicated in driving food reward seeking. Therefore, the precise locus of leptin action to modulate motivation for a food reward is unresolved. METHODS: We used transgenic mice expressing Cre recombinase under the control of the LepR promoter, anatomical tracing, optogenetics-assisted patch-clamp electrophysiology, in vivo optogenetics with fiber photometric calcium measurements, and chemogenetics to unravel how leptin-targeted neurocircuitry inhibits food reward seeking. RESULTS: A large number of DA neurons projecting to the nucleus accumbens are innervated by local VTA LepR-expressing GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) neurons. Leptin enhances the activity of these GABA neurons and thereby inhibits nucleus accumbens-projecting DA neurons. In addition, we find that lateral hypothalamic LepR-expressing neurons projecting to the VTA are inhibited by leptin and that these neurons modulate DA neurons indirectly via inhibition of VTA GABA neurons. In accordance with such a disinhibitory function, optogenetically stimulating lateral hypothalamic LepR projections to the VTA potently activates DA neurons in vivo. Moreover, we found that chemogenetic activation of lateral hypothalamic LepR neurons increases the motivation to obtain a food reward only when mice are in a positive energy balance. CONCLUSIONS: We identify neurocircuitry through which leptin targets multiple inputs to the DA system to reduce food reward seeking.
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| 9. |
- Robbins, Hilary A., et al.
(författare)
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Design and methodological considerations for biomarker discovery and validation in the Integrative Analysis of Lung Cancer Etiology and Risk (INTEGRAL) Program
- 2023
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Ingår i: Annals of Epidemiology. - : Elsevier. - 1047-2797 .- 1873-2585. ; 77, s. 1-12
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Integrative Analysis of Lung Cancer Etiology and Risk (INTEGRAL) program is an NCI-funded initiative with an objective to develop tools to optimize low-dose CT (LDCT) lung cancer screening. Here, we describe the rationale and design for the Risk Biomarker and Nodule Malignancy projects within INTEGRAL. The overarching goal of these projects is to systematically investigate circulating protein markers to include on a panel for use (i) pre-LDCT, to identify people likely to benefit from screening, and (ii) post-LDCT, to differentiate benign versus malignant nodules. To identify informative proteins, the Risk Biomarker project measured 1161 proteins in a nested-case control study within 2 prospective cohorts (n = 252 lung cancer cases and 252 controls) and replicated associations for a subset of proteins in 4 cohorts (n = 479 cases and 479 controls). Eligible participants had a current or former history of smoking and cases were diagnosed up to 3 years following blood draw. The Nodule Malignancy project measured 1078 proteins among participants with a heavy smoking history within four LDCT screening studies (n = 425 cases diagnosed up to 5 years following blood draw, 430 benign-nodule controls, and 398 nodule-free controls). The INTEGRAL panel will enable absolute quantification of 21 proteins. We will evaluate its performance in the Risk Biomarker project using a case-cohort study including 14 cohorts (n = 1696 cases and 2926 subcohort representatives), and in the Nodule Malignancy project within five LDCT screening studies (n = 675 cases, 680 benign-nodule controls, and 648 nodule-free controls). Future progress to advance lung cancer early detection biomarkers will require carefully designed validation, translational, and comparative studies.
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| 10. |
- Skoglund, Elisabeth, et al.
(författare)
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Functional improvements to 6 months of physical activity are not related to changes in size or density of multiple lower-extremity muscles in mobility-limited older individuals
- 2022
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Ingår i: Experimental Gerontology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0531-5565 .- 1873-6815. ; 157
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Older adults are encouraged to engage in multicomponent physical activity, which includes aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities. The current work is an extension of the Vitality, Independence, and Vigor in the Elderly 2 (VIVE2) study - a 6-month multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of physical activity and nutritional supplementation in community dwelling 70-year-old seniors. Here, we examined whether the magnitude of changes in muscle size and quality differed between major lower-extremity muscle groups and related these changes to functional outcomes. We also examined whether daily vitamin-D-enriched protein supplementation could augment the response to structured physical activity. Forty-nine men and women (77 ± 5 yrs) performed brisk walking, muscle-strengthening exercises for the lower limbs, and balance training 3 times weekly for 6 months. Participants were randomized to daily intake of a nutritional supplement (20 g whey protein + 800 IU vitamin D), or a placebo. Muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) and radiological attenuation (RA) were assessed in 8 different muscle groups using single-slice CT scans of the hip, thigh, and calf at baseline and after the intervention. Walking speed and performance in the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) were also measured. For both CSA and RA, there were muscle group × time interactions (P < 0.01). Significant increases in CSA were observed in 2 of the 8 muscles studied, namely the knee extensors (1.9%) and the hip adductors (2.8%). For RA, increases were observed in 4 of 8 muscle groups, namely the hip flexors (1.1 HU), hip adductors (0.9 HU), knee extensors (1.2 HU), and ankle dorsiflexors (0.8 HU). No additive effect of nutritional supplementation was observed. While walking speed (13%) and SPPB performance (38%) improved markedly, multivariate analysis showed that these changes were not associated with the changes in muscle CSA and RA after the intervention. We conclude that this type of multicomponent physical activity program results in significant improvements in physical function despite relatively small changes in muscle size and quality of some, but not all, of the measured lower extremity muscles involved in locomotion.
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