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- Lundström, Erik, Docent, 1964-, et al.
(author)
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Update on the EFFECTS study of fluoxetine for stroke recovery: a randomised controlled trial in Sweden
- 2020
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In: Trials. - Uppsala : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1745-6215. ; 21:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Studies have suggested that fluoxetine might improve neurological recovery after stroke, but the results remain inconclusive. The EFFECTS (Efficacy oF Fluoxetine - a randomisEd Controlled Trial in Stroke) reached its recruitment target of 1500 patients in June 2019. The purpose of this article is to present all amendments to the protocol and describe how we formed the EFFECTS trial collaboration in Sweden. Methods In this investigator-led, multicentre, parallel-group, randomised, placebo-controlled trial, we enrolled non-depressed stroke patients aged 18 years or older between 2 and 15 days after stroke onset. The patients had a clinical diagnosis of stroke (ischaemic or intracerebral haemorrhage) with persisting focal neurological deficits. Patients were randomised to fluoxetine 20 mg or matching placebo capsules once daily for 6 months. Results Seven amendments were made and included clarification of drug interaction between fluoxetine and metoprolol and the use of metoprolol for severe heart failure as an exclusion criterion, inclusion of data from central Swedish registries and the Swedish Stroke Register, changes in informed consent from patients, and clarification of design of some sub-studies. EFFECTS recruited 1500 patients at 35 centres in Sweden between 20 October 2014 and 28 June 2019. We plan to unblind the data in January 2020 and report the primary outcome in May 2020. Conclusion EFFECTS will provide data on the safety and efficacy of 6 months of treatment with fluoxetine after stroke in a Swedish health system setting. The data from EFFECTS will also contribute to an individual patient data meta-analysis.
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- Sircova, Anna, et al.
(author)
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Time perspectives profiles of cultures
- 2015
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In: <em>Time perspective theory; review, research and application </em>. - Cham, Switzeland: : Springer. - 9783319073682 ; , s. 169-187
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Book chapter (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This chapter summarises some results of the International Time Perspective Research Project, which is a collaborative cross-cultural study of time perspective carried out in 24 countries. The highlights of structural equivalence assessment study are presented, showing the cross-cultural invariance of 36 items of the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ZTPI) scale. The associations between country-level ZTPI scores and other culture-level indicators, including the Human Development Index and Hofstede cultural dimensions, are presented and discussed. Using hierarchical cluster analysis, five distinct profiles of time perspective were found (future-oriented, present-oriented, balanced, moderately fatalistic, and negative), and significant differences in the prevalence of these profiles across cultures were found. Implications and perspectives for future research are discussed.
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- Sjöstrand, Karin, et al.
(author)
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Breed Differences in Natriuretic Peptides in Healthy Dogs
- 2014
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In: Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine. - : Wiley. - 0891-6640 .- 1939-1676. ; 28:2, s. 451-457
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background Measurement of plasma concentration of natriuretic peptides (NPs) is suggested to be of value in diagnosis of cardiac disease in dogs, but many factors other than cardiac status may influence their concentrations. Dog breed potentially is 1 such factor. Objective To investigate breed variation in plasma concentrations of pro-atrial natriuretic peptide 31-67 (proANP 31-67) and N-terminal B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in healthy dogs. Animals 535 healthy, privately owned dogs of 9 breeds were examined at 5 centers as part of the European Union (EU) LUPA project. Methods Absence of cardiovascular disease or other clinically relevant organ-related or systemic disease was ensured by thorough clinical investigation. Plasma concentrations of proANP 31-67 and NT-proBNP were measured by commercially available ELISA assays. Results Overall significant breed differences were found in proANP 31-67 (P<.0001) and NT-proBNP (P<.0001) concentrations. Pair-wise comparisons between breeds differed in approximately 50% of comparisons for proANP 31-67 as well as NT-proBNP concentrations, both when including all centers and within each center. Interquartile range was large for many breeds, especially for NT-proBNP. Among included breeds, Labrador Retrievers and Newfoundlands had highest median NT-proBNP concentrations with concentrations 3 times as high as those of Dachshunds. German Shepherds and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels had the highest median proANP 31-67 concentrations, twice the median concentration in Doberman Pinschers. Conclusions and Clinical Importance Considerable interbreed variation in plasma NP concentrations was found in healthy dogs. Intrabreed variation was large in several breeds, especially for NT-proBNP. Additional studies are needed to establish breed-specific reference ranges.
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- Bergendal, G., et al.
(author)
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Callosal atrophy in multiple sclerosis is related to cognitive speed
- 2013
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In: Acta Neurologica Scandinavica. - : Hindawi Limited. - 0001-6314 .- 1600-0404. ; 19:7, s. 969-969
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Bergendal G, Martola J, Stawiarz L, Kristoffersen-Wiberg M, Fredrikson S, Almkvist O. Callosal atrophy in multiple sclerosis is related to cognitive speed. Acta Neurol Scand: 2013: 127: 281-289. (C) 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Background Long-term changes regarding corpus callosum area (CCA) and information processing speed in cognitive and sensory-motor tasks have rarely been studied in multiple sclerosis (MS). Objective and methods Information processing speed in cognitive (Symbol Digit Modalities Test, SDMT), sensory (visual and auditory reaction time) and motor (finger-tapping speed, FT; right and left hand) tasks as well as auditory inter-hemispheric transfer (verbal dichotic listening, VDL) was related to CCA, measured by MRI at baseline and at follow-up after nine years in 22 patients with MS. Possible confounding by demographic (age, gender and education), clinical (symptom onset, duration, severity of disease) and relative brain volume (RBV) as well as T2 lesion load was taken into account. Results The smaller the CCA at baseline, the slower was SDMT performance at baseline. In a similar way, CCA at follow-up was associated with poor SDMT result at follow-up. Furthermore, the higher the annual rate of change in CCA, the poorer was performance in VDL on the left ear and the more pronounced was the right ear advantage. A positive relationship between performance in VDL right ear and annual rate of change in RBV was also seen. Sensory-motor tests were not significantly associated with CCA. T2 lesion load at baseline was associated with FT performance at baseline. Demographic, clinical and radiological (RBV and T2 lesion load) characteristics did not confound the significant relation between CCA and SDMT. Conclusions CCA unlike RBV and T2 lesion load was associated with SDMT, which indicated a marked cognitive rather than perceptual-motor component.
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- Brohlin, Maria, et al.
(author)
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Characterisation of human mesenchymal stem cells following differentiation into Schwann cell-like cells
- 2009
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In: Neuroscience research. - : Elsevier BV. - 0168-0102 .- 1872-8111. ; 64:1, s. 41-49
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Cell-based therapies provide a clinically applicable and available alternative to nerve autografts. Our previous studies have characterised rat-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) and here we have investigated the phenotypic, molecular and functional characteristics of human-derived MSC (hMSC) differentiated along a Schwann cell lineage. The hMSC were isolated from healthy human donors and the identity of the undifferentiated hMSC was confirmed by the detection of MSC specific cells surface markers. The hMSC were differentiated along a glial cell lineage using an established cocktail of growth factors including glial growth factor-2. Following differentiation, the hMSC expressed the key Schwann cell (SC) markers at both the transcriptional and translational level. More importantly, we show the functional effect of hMSC on neurite outgrowth using an in vitro co-culture model system with rat-derived primary sensory neurons. The number of DRG sprouting neurites was significantly enhanced in the presence of differentiated hMSC; neurite length and density (branching) were also increased. These results provide evidence that hMSC can undergo molecular, morphological and functional changes to adopt a SC-like behaviour and, therefore, could be suitable as SC substitutes for nerve repair in clinical applications.
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| 10. |
- Cato, Ingemar, et al.
(author)
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DIOXINS AND OTHER POPS IN THE BALTIC SEA – TRENDS AND CURRENT
- 2009
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In: 29th International Symposium on Halogenated Persistent Organic Pollutants (Dioxin 2009) in Bejing, China, August 25-30, 2009.
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper summarizes a project that was initiated by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2006. It involved several field studies and fate model calculations with the aim to better understand the present contamination situation of dioxins and other persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the Baltic Sea region. Atmospheric inputs were found to be the dominant external source for all of the selected POPs (dioxins, PCBs and HCB). The model also predicted a significant decline of POP-levels in Baltic surface water if atmospheric concentrations are reduced. This issue is highly prioritized by the Swedish EPA since TEQ-levels of fatty fish exceed maximum residue limits set by the EU. Dioxin source regions were identified by air measurements and analysis of air mass origin. It was found that air that had passed over the European continent contained the highest concentrations, and the congener composition indicated that several major sources types may exist. This research has high relevance for the Swedish EPA, and continued efforts for resolving the dioxin issue of the Baltic Sea will follow.
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