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- Behrens, Anders, et al.
(författare)
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The Computerized General Neuropsychological INPH Test (CoGNIT) revealed improvement in Idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (INPH) after shunt surgery
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- BackgroundWe have developed the COmputerized General Neuropsychological INPH Test (CoGNIT) dedicated for patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (INPH). Previously, validity and reliability of included tests have been established. The aim was to evaluate the battery’s sensitivity to detect cognitive changes after shunt surgery in INPH patients.MethodsPreoperatively, thirty-one INPH patients were given CoGNIT, which includes tests assessing memory, executive functions, attention, manual dexterity and psychomotor speed. CoGNIT also includes the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Re-examination was done four months after shunt surgery. Scores and test completion were examined and compared to healthy elderly (n=44).ResultsPreoperative INPH test results were significantly lower in all tests compared to healthy. Improvements after shunt surgery were seen in all cognitive domains: memory (Ten-word list test, p<0,01), executive functions (Stroop incongruent, (p<0.05), attention (Two choice reaction test, p<0.01), psychomotor speed (Stroop congruent, p<0.05) and manual dexterity (Four- finger tapping, p<0.01). No ceiling effects were observed. Depressive symptoms were more common in INPH versus healthy and did not change postoperatively. Preoperatively 81 % of INPH patients completed at least eight of the nine included test.ConclusionsCoGNIT is sensitive to cognitive impairment and to investigate changes after shunt surgery in INPH. Completion rates are good. CoGNIT has a potential to be useful in the cognitive assessment of INPH.
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| 3. |
- Bovinder Ylitalo, Erik, 1985-
(författare)
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Molecular heterogeneity of prostate cancer bone metastasis
- 2018
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) develops after androgen deprivation therapy of advanced PC, often with metastatic growth in bone. Patients with metastatic CRPC have very poor prognosis. Growth of CRPC, in most but not all patients, seems to involve androgen receptor (AR) activity, despite castrate levels of serum testosterone. Multiple mechanisms behind AR activation in castrated patients have been described, such as AR amplification, AR mutations, expression of constitutively active AR variants, and intra-tumoral steroid synthesis. However, other mechanisms beside AR activation are also involved and CRPC patients with tumors circumventing the need for AR stimulation will probably not benefit from AR targeting therapies but will need alternative treatments.Available treatments for CRPC are chemotherapy, AR antagonists or inhibition of androgen-synthesis. Novel drugs are constantly under development and several new therapies has recently been approved for clinical use. These include, in addition to new AR targeting therapies also immunotherapy, osteoclast inhibitors and bone-targeting radiopharmaceuticals. Due to heterogeneous mechanisms behind CRPC and that newly developed therapies are based on different mechanisms of action, there are reasons to believe that CRPC patients show different therapy responses due to diverse molecular properties of individual tumors. Although there are promising prospects, no biomarkers are used today for patient stratification into different treatments. Another important aspect is that, when effective, any therapy will probably induce tumor responses that subsequently cause further molecular diversities and alternative paths for development of tumor relapse and castration-resistance. Such mechanisms are important to understand in order to develop new treatment strategies.In this thesis, global gene expression and methylation patterns were studied in bone metastases obtained from PC patients going through metastasis surgery for spinal cord compression. Gene expression patterns were analyzed by multivariate statistics and ontology analysis with the aim to identify subgroups of biological/pathological relevance. Interesting findings from array analysis were verified using qRT-PCR and immunohistochemical analysis. In addition, a xenograft mouse model was used to study the effects of abiraterone (steroidogenesis inhibitor) and cabazitaxel (taxane), and subsequently developed resistance mechanisms in the 22Rv1 PC cell line expressing high levels of AR-V7; a constitutively active AR splice variant associated with a poor prognosis and resistance to AR targeting therapies.In summary, results showed that the majority of CRPC bone metastases were AR-driven, defined from high levels of AR-regulated gene transcripts, while a smaller sub-group was non-AR-driven (paper I). AR-driven bone metastases had high metabolic activity in combination with downregulated immune responses while non-AR-driven cases had a more pronounced immune response (paper I) and higher bone cell activity (paper II). Paper III identified pronounced hypermethylation in primary prostate tumors probably causing a suppressed anti-tumor immune-response whereas metastases showed a different methylation pattern related to increased AR activity and patient outcome. In paper IV, 22Rv1 xenografts showed poor response to abiraterone and initially excellent response to cabazitaxel, but eventually resistance occurred probably due to an upregulation of the ABCB1 transporter protein. Anti-androgens partly reversed the resistance.In conclusion, we have identified molecular heterogeneities in clinical bone metastases associated with biological characteristics, which could perhaps be used both for stratifying patients into treatment modalities, and to aid in further development of effective therapies for CRPC.
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| 5. |
- Kristensen, Anders Raastrup, et al.
(författare)
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Symptoms of organization
- 2008
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Ingår i: Ephemera: Theory and Politics in Organization. - 1473-2866. ; 8:1, s. 1-1
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)
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| 7. |
- Ladenson, Paul W, et al.
(författare)
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Use of the Thyroid Hormone Analogue Eprotirome in Statin-Treated Dyslipidemia
- 2010
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Ingår i: Obstetrical and Gynecological Survey. - : Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. - 0029-7828 .- 1533-9866. ; 65:8, s. 512-513
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Statins effectively reduce levels of serum cholesterol and lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, but have limited effectiveness if stringent goals for serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels are not met or adverse effects develop, requiring a dose reduction or drug discontinuation. Previous studies have shown that thyroid hormone and some of its metabolites reduce levels of serum LDL cholesterol and have potentially favorable actions on other lipoproteins. The studies were discontinued because of reports of adverse effects on heart and bone, and possible deaths. In a recent report, eprotirome, a thyromimetic compound with minimal uptake in nonhepatic-tissues, was shown to reduce levels of serum total and LDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein B without apparent side effects in patients not receiving statin therapy. This randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, multicenter trial investigated the safety and efficacy of eprotirome in lowering the level of serum LDL cholesterol in patients with hypercholesterolemia who already were receiving simvastatin or atorvastatin. The aim of the study was to determine whether adding eprotirome to statin therapy would provide additional lipid-lowering actions without producing adverse extrahepatic thyromimetic effects. Patients were randomly assigned to receive daily oral doses of 25, 50, or 100 mcg of eprotirome or a placebo for 12 weeks. The primary study outcome was changes in serum LDL cholesterol. The potential adverse thyromimetic effects on the heart, bone, and pituitary were examined. Treatment of patients for 12 weeks already receiving statins with either placebo or eprotirome at a dose of 25, 50, or 100 mu g reduced the mean level of serum LDL cholesterol from 141 mg per deciliter (3.6 mmol per liter) at baseline to 127, 113, 99, and 94 mg per deciliter (3.3, 2.9, 2.6, and 2.4 mmol per liter), respectively; this represented a mean reduction from baseline of 7%, 22%, 28%, and 32%, respectively. Similar reductions were found in the secondary study outcomes, which included serum levels of apolipoprotein B, triglycerides, and Lp(a) lipoprotein. No evidence of adverse effects of eprotirome on the heart, bone, or pituitary was noted. Although reductions in serum levels of thyroxine occurred in some patients who received eprotirome, there were no changes in levels of thyrotropin or triiodothyronine. These findings demonstrate that the addition of eprotirome to statin therapy produces substantial further reductions in serum LDL cholesterol, non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and apolipoprotein B. The drug appears to have an excellent safety profile.
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