1. |
- Barack, Leor, et al.
(author)
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Black holes, gravitational waves and fundamental physics : a roadmap
- 2019
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In: Classical and quantum gravity. - : IOP Publishing. - 0264-9381 .- 1361-6382. ; 36:14
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The grand challenges of contemporary fundamental physics dark matter, dark energy, vacuum energy, inflation and early universe cosmology, singularities and the hierarchy problem all involve gravity as a key component. And of all gravitational phenomena, black holes stand out in their elegant simplicity, while harbouring some of the most remarkable predictions of General Relativity: event horizons, singularities and ergoregions. The hitherto invisible landscape of the gravitational Universe is being unveiled before our eyes: the historical direct detection of gravitational waves by the LIGO-Virgo collaboration marks the dawn of a new era of scientific exploration. Gravitational-wave astronomy will allow us to test models of black hole formation, growth and evolution, as well as models of gravitational-wave generation and propagation. It will provide evidence for event horizons and ergoregions, test the theory of General Relativity itself, and may reveal the existence of new fundamental fields. The synthesis of these results has the potential to radically reshape our understanding of the cosmos and of the laws of Nature. The purpose of this work is to present a concise, yet comprehensive overview of the state of the art in the relevant fields of research, summarize important open problems, and lay out a roadmap for future progress. This write-up is an initiative taken within the framework of the European Action on 'Black holes, Gravitational waves and Fundamental Physics'.
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2. |
- Edholm, Olle, et al.
(author)
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The effect of water on the Fe3+/Fe2+ reduction potential of heme
- 2000
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In: Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications - BBRC. - : Elsevier BV. - 0006-291X .- 1090-2104. ; 268:3, s. 683-687
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Hemeproteins can act as catalysts, oxygen carriers or electron conductors. The ferric/ferrous reduction potential E-m7 of iron in the center of the prosthetic group ranges from negative values for peroxidases to an extreme positive value for cytochrome a, with Hb and Mb in the middle [1]. Proteins exercise their influence on E-m7 in several ways: via substituents at the periphery of the chelate structure, via the proximal ligand, and via interaction with the surrounding medium, amino acid side chains, or polar solvents. Work on recombined proteins and ap-substituted free hemes documented that the first two effects are additive [2]. For the third effect, models of the dielectric media on a molecular level have been successfully applied [3-5]. E-m7 has also been empirically correlated to the degree of heme exposure to water [6-8]. The apoprotein/porphyrin and water/porphyrin interfaces are complementary since water molecules fill any empty space in the crevice and surround any pertinent part of heme outside the protein boundary. The present work links to this idea by a combination of statistical mechanics simulations and quantum mechanical calculations comparing heme in water with heme in an apolar environment. Our results show that polarization of the porphyrin pi-electron cloud by the held from water dipoles influences E-m7 The dominant effect of this and other determinates of iron electron availability is perturbations of delocalized electron density in the porphyrin chelate, reproduced by a model where the prosthetic group is treated as a disc of uniform electron density. The present work is also of interest since the interfacial energy constitutes the main barrier for heme-protein Separation [9-11].
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3. |
- Edholm, T., et al.
(author)
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Differential incretin effects of GIP and GLP-1 on gastric emptying, appetite, and insulin-glucose homeostasis
- 2010
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In: Neurogastroenterology and Motility. - : Wiley. - 1350-1925 .- 1365-2982. ; 22:11, s. 1191-e315
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) are major incretins with important effects on glucoregulatory functions. The aim of this study was to investigate effects of GIP and GLP-1 on gastric emptying and appetite after a mixed meal, and effects on insulin secretion and glucose disposal in humans. Methods Randomized crossover single-blind study in 17 healthy volunteers receiving GIP (2 or 5 pmol kg−1 min−1, n = 8), GLP-1 (0.75 pmol kg−1 min−1, n = 9) or NaCl for 180 min with a radionuclide-labeled omelette and fruit punch (370 kcal). Outcome measures were gastric emptying rate, insulinogenic index, hunger, satiety, desire to eat, and prospective food consumption. Blood was analyzed for GIP, GLP-1, glucagon, C-peptide, peptide YY (PYY) and ghrelin. Key Results Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide 2 and 5 pmol kg−1 min−1 decreased gastric half-emptying time from 128.5 ± 34.0 min in controls to 93.3 ± 6.3 and 85.2 ± 11.0 min (P < 0.05). Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide 5 pmol kg−1 min−1 decreased postprandial glucose (P < 0.001) and insulin (P < 0.05) with increased insulinogenic index. Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide had no effects on hunger, desire to eat, satiety or prospective consumption. Glucagon-like peptide-1 0.75 pmol kg−1 min−1 increased half-emptying time from 76.6 ± 7.6 min to 329.4 ± 71.6 (P < 0.01). Glucagon-like peptide-1 decreased plasma glucose and insulin (both P < 0.05–0.001), and increased insulinogenic index markedly. Hunger, desire to eat and prospective consumption were decreased (P < 0.05), and satiety borderline increased (P < 0.06). Conclusion & Inferences The incretin effect of GIP and GLP-1 differs as GLP-1 exerts a strong glucoregulatory incretin through inhibition of gastric emptying, which GIP does not. Thus, GLP-1 as incretin mimetic may offer unique benefits in terms of weight loss in treatment of type 2 diabetes.
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4. |
- Hakansson, P., et al.
(author)
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A direct simulation of EPR slow-motion spectra of spin labelled phospholipids in liquid crystalline bilayers based on a molecular dynamics simulation of the lipid dynamics
- 2001
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In: Physical Chemistry, Chemical Physics - PCCP. - : Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). - 1463-9076 .- 1463-9084. ; 3:23, s. 5311-5319
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- EPR line shapes can be calculated from the stochastic Liouville equation assuming a stochastic model for the reorientation of the spin probe. Here we use instead and for the first time a detailed molecular dynamics (MD) simulation to generate the stochastic input to the Langevin form of the Liouville equation. A 0.1 mus MD simulation at T = 50 degreesC of a small lipid bilayer formed by 64 dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) molecules at the water content of 23 water molecules per lipid was used. In addition, a 10 ns simulation of a 16 times larger system consisting of 32 DPPC molecules with a nitroxide spin moiety attached at the sixth position of the sn2 chain and 992 ordinary DPPC molecules, was used to investigate the extent of the perturbation caused by the spin probe. Order parameters, reorientational dynamics and the EPR FID curve were calculated for spin probe molecules and ordinary DPPC molecules. The timescale of the electron spin relaxation for a spin-moiety attached at the sixth carbon position of a DPPC lipid molecule is 11.9 x 10(7) rad s(-1) and for an unperturbed DPPC molecule it is 3.5 x 10(7) rad s(-1).
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5. |
- Hellström, P. M., et al.
(author)
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GLP-1 suppresses gastrointestinal motility and inhibits the migrating motor complex in healthy subjects and patients with irritable bowel syndrome
- 2008
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In: Neurogastroenterology and Motility. - : Wiley. - 1350-1925 .- 1365-2982. ; 20:6, s. 649-659
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is released after food intake to act as an incretin. GLP-1 also inhibits gastric emptying and increases satiety. In rats, GLP-1 inhibits small bowel motility. Our aim was to study the effects of GLP-1 on gastrointestinal motility in healthy subjects and patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Antro-duodeno-jejunal manometry was carried out during a 4-h control period with saline, followed by a 4-h period with intravenous GLP-1 (healthy: 0.7 and 1.2 pmol kg-1 min-1 (n = 16), IBS, 1.2 and 2.5 pmol kg-1 min-1 (n = 14). Plasma was analysed for GLP-1 and gut hormones, and gut tissue expression of GLP-1 receptor was studied. In healthy subjects, GLP-1 0.7 pmol kg-1 min-1 reduced the migrating motor complexes (MMCs) from a median of 2 (range 2-3) to 0.5 (0-2), and motility index from 4.9 ± 0.1 to 4.3 ± 0.3 ln ∑(mmHg*s min-1) in jejunum, while GLP-1 1.2 pmol kg -1 min-1 diminshed MMCs from 2 (2-3) to 1.5 (1-2.5), and motility index from 5.2 ± 0.2 to 4.4 ± 0.2. In IBS patients, GLP-1 1.2 pmol kg-1 min-1 reduced the MMCs from 2.5 (2-3.5) to 1 (0-1.5) without affecting motility index. At 2.5 pmol kg-1 min -1 GLP-1 decreased MMCs from 2 (1.5-3) to 1 (0.5-1.5), and motility index from 5.2 ± 0.2 to 4.0 ± 0.5. Motility responses to GLP-1 were similar in antrum and duodenum. Presence of the GLP-1 receptor in the gut was verified by reverse transcriptase PCR. In conclusion, the gut peptide GLP-1 decreases motility in the antro-duodeno-jejunal region and inhibits the MMC in healthy subjects and IBS patients. © 2008 The Authors.
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6. |
- Petrus, P, et al.
(author)
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Depot-specific differences in fatty acid composition and distinct associations with lipogenic gene expression in abdominal adipose tissue of obese women
- 2017
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In: International Journal of Obesity. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0307-0565 .- 1476-5497. ; 41:8, s. 1295-1298
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Cardiometabolic diseases are primarily linked to enlarged visceral adipose tissue (VAT). However, some data suggest heterogeneity within the subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) depot with potential metabolic differences between the superficial SAT (sSAT) and deep SAT (dSAT) compartments. We aimed to investigate the heterogeneity of these three depots with regard to fatty acid (FA) composition and gene expression. Adipose tissue biopsies were collected from 75 obese women undergoing laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery. FA composition and gene expression were determined with gas chromatography and quantitative real-time-PCR, respectively. Stearoyl CoA desaturase-1 (SCD-1) activity was estimated by product-to-precursor FA ratios. All polyunsaturated FAs (PUFA) with 20 carbons were consistently lower in VAT than either SAT depots, whereas essential PUFA (linoleic acid, 18:2n-6 and α-linolenic acid, 18:3n-3) were similar between all three depots. Lauric and palmitic acid were higher and lower in VAT, respectively. The SCD-1 product palmitoleic acid as well as estimated SCD-1 activity was higher in VAT than SAT. Overall, there was a distinct association pattern between lipid metabolizing genes and individual FAs in VAT. In conclusion, SAT and VAT are two distinct depots with regard to FA composition and expression of key lipogenic genes. However, the small differences between sSAT and dSAT suggest that FA metabolism of SAT is rather homogenous.
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8. |
- Veenstra, M M K, et al.
(author)
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Complications and survival after hybrid and fully minimally invasive oesophagectomy
- 2021
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In: BJS Open. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 2474-9842. ; 5:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Minimally invasive oesophagectomy (MIO) is reported to produce fewer respiratory complications than open oesophagectomy. This study assessed differences in postoperative complications between MIO and hybrid MIO (HMIO) employing thoracoscopy and laparotomy, along with the influence of co-morbidities on postoperative outcomes.METHODS: Patients with oesophageal cancer undergoing three-stage MIO or three-stage HMIO between 1999 and 2018 were identified from a prospectively developed database, which included patient demographics, co-morbidities, preoperative therapies, and cancer stage. The primary outcome was postoperative complications in the two groups. Secondary outcomes included duration of operation, blood transfusion requirement, duration of hospital stay, and overall survival.RESULTS: There were 828 patients, of whom 722 had HMIO and 106 MIO, without significant baseline differences. Median duration of operation was longer for MIO (325 versus 289 min; P < 0.001), but with less blood loss (median 250 versus 300 ml; P < 0.001) and a shorter hospital stay (median 12 versus 13 days; P = 0.006). Respiratory complications were not associated with operative approach (31.1 versus 35.2 per cent for MIO and HMIO respectively; P = 0.426). Anastomotic leak rates (10.4 versus 10.2 per cent) and 90-day mortality (1.0 versus 1.7 per cent) did not differ. Cardiac co-morbidity was associated with more medical and surgical complications. Overall survival was associated with AJCC stage and co-morbidities, but not operative approach.CONCLUSION: MIO had a small benefit in terms of blood loss and hospital stay, but not in operating time. Oncological outcomes were similar in the two groups. Postoperative complications were associated with pre-existing cardiorespiratory co-morbidities rather than operative approach.
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10. |
- Djerf, K, et al.
(author)
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A simplified roentgen stereophotogrammetric method. Analysis of small movements between the prosthetic stem and the femur after total hip replacement.
- 1987
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In: Acta Radiologica. - : SAGE Publications. - 0284-1851 .- 1600-0455. ; 28:5, s. 603-606
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A simplified roentgen stereophotogrammetric method is described. It is based on the use of a 50 mm thick reference plate consisting of a carbon-fibre-reinforced polyester box. The patient is placed directly on this box, which makes the methods less cumbersome and more suitable for routine use. The method has been tested in a model experiment designed for detecting small movements between femur and prosthesis at an early stage after total hip replacement. The head and two hemispheres on the prosthesis and three small tantalum balls inserted in the femur serve as reference points. The model experiment now reported shows that the method has acceptable precision.
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