| 1. |
- Agebratt, Christian, et al.
(author)
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A Randomized Study of the Effects of Additional Fruit and Nuts Consumption on Hepatic Fat Content, Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Basal Metabolic Rate
- 2016
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In: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 11:1, s. e0147149-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BackgroundFruit has since long been advocated as a healthy source of many nutrients, however, the high content of sugars in fruit might be a concern.ObjectivesTo study effects of an increased fruit intake compared with similar amount of extra calories from nuts in humans.MethodsThirty healthy non-obese participants were randomized to either supplement the diet with fruits or nuts, each at +7 kcal/kg bodyweight/day for two months. Major endpoints were change of hepatic fat content (HFC, by magnetic resonance imaging, MRI), basal metabolic rate (BMR, with indirect calorimetry) and cardiovascular risk markers.ResultsWeight gain was numerically similar in both groups although only statistically significant in the group randomized to nuts (fruit: from 22.15±1.61 kg/m2 to 22.30±1.7 kg/m2, p = 0.24 nuts: from 22.54±2.26 kg/m2 to 22.73±2.28 kg/m2, p = 0.045). On the other hand BMR increased in the nut group only (p = 0.028). Only the nut group reported a net increase of calories (from 2519±721 kcal/day to 2763±595 kcal/day, p = 0.035) according to 3-day food registrations. Despite an almost three-fold reported increased fructose-intake in the fruit group (from 9.1±6.0 gram/day to 25.6±9.6 gram/day, p<0.0001, nuts: from 12.4±5.7 gram/day to 6.5±5.3 gram/day, p = 0.007) there was no change of HFC. The numerical increase in fasting insulin was statistical significant only in the fruit group (from 7.73±3.1 pmol/l to 8.81±2.9 pmol/l, p = 0.018, nuts: from 7.29±2.9 pmol/l to 8.62±3.0 pmol/l, p = 0.14). Levels of vitamin C increased in both groups while α-tocopherol/cholesterol-ratio increased only in the fruit group.ConclusionsAlthough BMR increased in the nut-group only this was not linked with differences in weight gain between groups which potentially could be explained by the lack of reported net caloric increase in the fruit group. In healthy non-obese individuals an increased fruit intake seems safe from cardiovascular risk perspective, including measurement of HFC by MRI.
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| 2. |
- David, Fresnais, et al.
(author)
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Lack of association in acne and salivary testosterone
- 2018
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In: Journal of controversies in biomedical research. - : Codon Publications. - 2205-5975. ; 4:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The pathogenesis of acne vulgaris has only been partially elucidated. Various hormones, especially androgens, are likely to play a role, but results of studies are still inconclusive. The objective of the current study was to investigate whether day to day variation in salivary testosterone correlates with acne in males. Saliva samples were collected for 120 consecutive days from each of the 40 males. Salivary testosterone concentrations were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Facial acne lesions were assessed on a daily basis by photography by the participating males. Potential confounders’ (sexual intercourse, masturbation, physical exercise and disease) were also registered every day by the participants. A significant but weak association between salivary testosterone and acne was found (n = 4602, r = 0.031, P = 0.034). Elevated testosterone concentrations were associated with an increase in acne, but when testosterone concentrations were above twice the individual average, acne lesions paradoxically decreased. The current results indicate that daily fluctuations in salivary testosterone levels in males are associated with acne patterns, but the weak correlation suggests that the effect is too small to be of clinical significance. The analysis in the current study was complicated by a large number of days on which the participants had no acne, as well as the seemingly non-monotonic relation between testosterone and acne. This may indicate that the actual relation is stronger than concluded here.
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| 3. |
- Fridell, Sara, et al.
(author)
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A randomised study in young subjects of the effects of eating extra fruit or nuts on periodontal inflammation
- 2018
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In: BDJ Open. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 2056-807X. ; 3
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objectives/Aims:Fruit is often advocated as a healthy source of nutrients and vitamins. However, the high contents of sugars in many fruits could potentially counteract positive effects on the teeth.Materials and methods:We recruited 30 healthy non-obese participants who were randomised to either supplement their diet with extra fruits or nuts, each at +7 kcal/kg body weight/day, for 2 months.Results:Fructose intake increased from 9.1±6.0 to 25.6±9.6 g/day, P<0.0001, in the fruit group and was reduced from 12.4±5.7 to 6.5±5.3 g/day, P=0.007, in the nut group. Serum-vitamin C increased in both groups (fruit: P=0.017; nuts: P=0.009). α-Tocopherol/cholesterol ratio increased in the fruit group (P=0.0033) while β-carotene/cholesterol decreased in the nut group (P<0.0001). The amount of subjects with probing pocket depths ⩾4 mm in the fruit group was reduced (P=0.045) according to blinded examinations, and the difference in the changes in probing pockets ⩾4 mm was also statistically significant between the food groups (P=0.010).Conclusion:A large increase of fruit intake, compared with nuts, had a favourable effect on periodontal status in some respects, despite the high sugar contents. To search for potential protective micronutrients in fruit that protect the teeth could be an aim for further research.
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| 4. |
- Gudjonsdottir, Johanna, et al.
(author)
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Psychometric evaluation of the Swedish Quality of Dyadic Relationships scale : homogeneity and construct validity
- 2021
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In: Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences. - : Blackwell Publishing. - 0283-9318 .- 1471-6712. ; 35:2, s. 468-475
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Rationale and aims: The Quality of Dyadic Relationships is a self-assessment scale used to evaluate various aspects of relationship quality. Psychometric evaluation by the developers of the instrument has led to a nontested amended version. Further psychometric testing is thus warranted, and the aim of this study was to evaluate homogeneity, construct validity (in terms of concurrent, discriminant and known-groups validity) and any floor and ceiling effects of the Quality of Dyadic Relationships.Methods: Forty-seven cohabitant couples (47 women with a mean age of 30.0 years and 47 men with a mean age of 31.5 years) answered the Quality of Dyadic Relationships, the Relationship Assessment Scale (to test concurrent validity) and the Perceived Stress Scale (to test discriminant validity). Homogeneity (internal consistency) was calculated by Cronbach's alpha. Concurrent and discriminant validity were estimated as correlations between Quality of Dyadic Relationships and the other instruments. Assessment of known-groups validity was based on the variables of parental status and gender. Floor and ceiling effects were evaluated according to frequency distribution.Results: The overall homogeneity was good with acceptable Cronbach's alpha values (alpha > 0.70) for all subscales but dyadic sexuality. Concurrent validity and discriminant validity were found. Known-groups validity was indicated by significant differences between individuals with different parental status on the total QDR index, where the ones without children scored higher. No difference between the genders was found. No significant floor effects were found, but a significant ceiling effect was found in the subscale dyadic sensuality, with 27.7% of respondents scoring maximum.Conclusion: In all, the QDR showed promising psychometric properties and may be used for screening and follow-up purposes. However, it can benefit from further development, as suggested by the ceiling effect in the subscale dyadic sensuality and the low internal consistency in the subscale dyadic sexuality.
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| 5. |
- Ingberg, Edvin, 1988-
(author)
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Challenges in experimental stroke research : The 17β-estradiol example
- 2016
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Ischemic stroke causes millions of deaths around the world each year, and surviving patients often suffer from long-term disability. Hundreds of promising drug candidates have been identified in animal models, but the clinical trials have repeatedly failed. Lack of methodological quality in the animal studies, e.g. low statistical power as a result of small group sizes in combination with high outcome variability and high mortality, has been suggested to in part explain the lack of translational success. In the meta-analytical Papers II and Paper V, we therefore investigated how method parameters impact infarct size variation and mortality in rodent stroke studies. These findings can help researchers to optimize their animal models or to more exactly predict variability and mortality given a certain experimental setup.The relation between ischemic stroke and estrogens is complex. Premenopausal women have a lower risk of stroke than men of the same age, suggesting that female sex hormones provide protection against cerebrovascular events. The idea of a beneficial effect on the brain of estrogens was also supported by epidemiological studies showing that estrogens given as postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy decreased the risk of stroke. However, subsequent clinical trials reported the opposite, an increased risk. Interestingly, discrepancies exist also in the animal stroke literature. The majority of the rodent studies on the effects of estrogens have shown protection, but there are also several examples of increased damage. Based on experimental results and a meta-analysis, it was hypothesized that differences in hormone administration methods and their resulting plasma concentrations of estrogens might explain the previous discordant animal findings. Paper I investigated the commonly used methods for 17β-estradiol administration and found that the popular slow-release pellets produced high and unpredictable serum concentrations. A novel method with 17β-estradiol administered orally in Nutella® was also evaluated with promising results. Paper III extracted data regarding methodological choices from all previously published estrogen-stroke studies, and showed through metaanalysis that slow-release pellets are more prone to render estrogens damaging. Finally, Paper IV tested whether estrogens could both exert neuroprotection and promote detrimental effects merely depending on dose and irrespective of the administration route. Surprisingly, and in contrast to the hypothesis, a significant negative correlation was found between 17β-estradiol dose group and infarct size meaning that the higher the dose, the smaller the infarcts.In summary, this thesis does not confirm the hypothesis of dose-related neuroprotective vs neurodamaging effects of estrogens on ischemic stroke. If high estrogen doses/plasma concentrations per se can cause increased stroke damage, such a phenomenon is not very robust, and seems to depend on tight dose ranges and/or other experimental circumstances. Although not directly applicable to the clinical situation, hopefully in a long-term perspective these findings may contribute in elucidating when estrogens are beneficial and when they are harmful. Further, it adds to the growing literature on how the quality of experimental stroke research can be increased to try to overcome translational difficulties.
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| 6. |
- Ingberg, Edvin, 1988-, et al.
(author)
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Effect of laser Doppler flowmetry and occlusion time on outcome variability and mortality in rat middle cerebral artery occlusion : inconclusive results
- 2018
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In: BMC Neuroscience. - London : BioMed Central. - 1471-2202. ; 19:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Stroke is among the leading causes of death and disability. Although intense research efforts have provided promising treatment options in animals, most clinical trials in humans have failed and the therapeutic options are few. Several factors have been suggested to explain this translational difficulty, particularly concerning methodology and study design. Consistent infarcts and low mortality might be desirable in some, but not all, studies. Here, we aimed to investigate whether the use of laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) and the occlusion time (60 vs. 45 min) affected outcome variability and mortality in a rat stroke model. Eighty ovariectomized female Wistar rats were subjected to ischemic stroke using intraluminal filament middle cerebral artery occlusion with or without LDF and with occlusion times of 45 or 60 min. Outcome was evaluated by triphenyl tetrazolium chloride staining of brain slices to measure infarct size and a modified sticky tape test.RESULTS: Neither LDF nor occlusion times of 45 versus 60 min significantly affected mortality, outcome variability or outcome severity.CONCLUSIONS: Due to the unexpectedly high mortality and variability the statistical power was very low and thus the results were inconclusive.
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| 7. |
- Ingberg, Edvin, et al.
(author)
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Effects of high and low 17 beta-estradiol doses on focal cerebral ischemia in rats
- 2016
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In: Scientific Reports. - : NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP. - 2045-2322. ; 6:20228
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The majority of the numerous animal studies of the effects of estrogens on cerebral ischemia have reported neuroprotective results, but a few have shown increased damage. Differences in hormone administration methods, resulting in highly different 17 beta-estradiol levels, may explain the discrepancies in previously reported effects. The objective of the present study was to test the hypothesis that it is the delivered dose per se, and not the route and method of administration, that determines the effect, and that high doses are damaging while lower doses are protective. One hundred and twenty ovariectomized female Wistar rats (n = 40 per group) were randomized into three groups, subcutaneously administered different doses of 17 beta-estradiol and subjected to transient middle cerebral artery occlusion. The modified sticky tape test was performed after 24 h and the rats were subsequently sacrificed for infarct size measurements. In contrast to our hypothesis, a significant negative correlation between 17 beta-estradiol dose and infarct size was found (p = 0.018). Thus, no support was found for the hypothesis that 17 beta-estradiol can be both neuroprotective and neurotoxic merely depending on dose. In fact, on the contrary, the findings indicate that the higher the dose of 17 beta-estradiol, the smaller the infarct.
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| 8. |
- Ingberg, Edvin, 1988-, et al.
(author)
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Effects of high and low 17β-estradiol doses on focal cerebral ischemia in rats
- 2016
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In: Scientific Reports. - London, United Kingdom : Nature Publishing Group. - 2045-2322. ; 6
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The majority of the numerous animal studies of the effects of estrogens on cerebral ischemia have reported neuroprotective results, but a few have shown increased damage. Differences in hormone administration methods, resulting in highly different 17β-estradiol levels, may explain the discrepancies in previously reported effects. The objective of the present study was to test the hypothesis that it is the delivered dose per se, and not the route and method of administration, that determines the effect, and that high doses are damaging while lower doses are protective. One hundred and twenty ovariectomized female Wistar rats (n = 40 per group) were randomized into three groups, subcutaneously administered different doses of 17β-estradiol and subjected to transient middle cerebral artery occlusion. The modified sticky tape test was performed after 24 h and the rats were subsequently sacrificed for infarct size measurements. In contrast to our hypothesis, a significant negative correlation between 17β-estradiol dose and infarct size was found (p = 0.018). Thus, no support was found for the hypothesis that 17β-estradiol can be both neuroprotective and neurotoxic merely depending on dose. In fact, on the contrary, the findings indicate that the higher the dose of 17β-estradiol, the smaller the infarct.
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| 9. |
- Ingberg, Edvin, 1988-, et al.
(author)
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Elevated body swing test after focal cerebral ischemia in rodents : methodological considerations
- 2015
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In: BMC Neuroscience. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2202. ; 16
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: The elevated body swing test (EBST) is a behavioral test used to evaluate experimental stroke in rodents. The basic idea is that when the animal is suspended vertically by the tail, it will swing its head laterally to the left or right depending on lesion side. In a previous study from our lab using the EBST after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo), rats swung contralateral to the infarct day 1 post-MCAo, but ipsilateral day 3 post-MCAo. This shift was unexpected and prompted us to perform the present study. First, the literature was systematically reviewed to elucidate whether a similar shift had been noticed before, and if consensus existed regarding swing direction. Secondly, an experiment was conducted to systematically investigate the suggested behavior. Eighty-three adult male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to MCAo or sham surgery and the EBST was performed up to 7 days after the lesion.Results: Both experimentally and through systematic literature review, the present study shows that the direction of biased swing activity in the EBST for rodents after cerebral ischemia can differ and even shift over time in some situations. The EBST curve for females was significantly different from that of males after the same occlusion time (p = 0.023).Conclusions: This study highlights the importance of adequate reporting of behavioral tests for lateralization and it is concluded that the EBST cannot be recommended as a test for motor asymmetry after MCAo in rats.
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| 10. |
- Ingberg, Edvin, 1988-, et al.
(author)
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Method parameters' impact on mortality and variability in mouse stroke experiments : a meta-analysis
- 2016
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In: Scientific Reports. - London, England : Nature Publishing Group. - 2045-2322. ; 11:SUPP 3, s. 108-108
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Although hundreds of promising substances have been tested in clinical trials, thrombolysis currently remains the only specific pharmacological treatment for ischemic stroke. Poor quality, e.g. low statistical power, in the preclinical studies has been suggested to play an important role in these failures. Therefore, it would be attractive to use animal models optimized to minimize unnecessary mortality and outcome variability, or at least to be able to power studies more exactly by predicting variability and mortality given a certain experimental setup. The possible combinations of methodological parameters are innumerous, and an experimental comparison of them all is therefore not feasible. As an alternative approach, we extracted data from 334 experimental mouse stroke articles and, using a hypothesis-driven meta-analysis, investigated the method parameters' impact on infarct size variability and mortality. The use of Swiss and C57BL6 mice as well as permanent occlusion of the middle cerebral artery rendered the lowest variability of the infarct size while the emboli methods increased variability. The use of Swiss mice increased mortality. Our study offers guidance for researchers striving to optimize mouse stroke models.
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