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- Agredo Chavez, Angelica Maria, et al.
(author)
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Cracking and Fatigue of Heavy Loaded Prestressed Concrete Bridge in Sweden
- 2022
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In: IABSE Symposium Prague 2022: Challenges for Existing and Oncoming Structures - Report, International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering. - Zürich : International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering. ; , s. 792-799
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A prestressed concrete bridge was built in 1963 with BBRV cables. It has three spans and a total length of 134.8 m. Due to mining activities the bridge was loaded with trucks with a total weight of 90 ton during 2012-2014 and from 2019. Crack development has been monitored manually and from 2020 with strain gauges and LVDTs.Cracks normally vary between 0.1 to 0.3 mm in width and grow in length with time. In November 2020 some of the strain gauges on the concrete showed alarming growth and the bridge was closed for traffic. Additional strain gauges were installed on vertical reinforcement bars and an assessment was carried out of the fatigue capacity of the bridge. It was found that the new strain gauges did not indicate any growth in strain and that the fatigue capacity was sufficient. The bridge could be opened again for traffic after being closed for five weeks. Monitoring drift in the strain gauges and fatigue are discussed.
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- Andersson Trojer, Markus, et al.
(author)
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Elastic strain-hardening and shear-thickening exhibited by thermoreversible physical hydrogels based on poly(alkylene oxide)-grafted hyaluronic acid or carboxymethylcellulose
- 2020
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In: Physical Chemistry, Chemical Physics - PCCP. - : Royal Society of Chemistry. - 1463-9076 .- 1463-9084. ; 22:26, s. 14579-14590
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The formation of strongly elastic physical gels based on poly(alkylene oxide)-grafted hyaluronan or carboxymethylcellulose, exhibiting both shear-thickening and strain-hardening have been studied using rheometry and explained using a slightly different interpretation of the transient network theory. The graft copolymers were prepared by a quantitative coupling reaction. Their aqueous solutions displayed a thermoreversible continuous transition from Newtonian fluid to viscoelastic solid which could be controlled by the reaction conditions. The evolution of all material properties of the gel could be categorized into two distinct temperature regimes with a fast evolution at low temperatures followed by a slow evolution at high temperatures. The activation energy of the zero shear viscosity and the relaxation time of the graft inside the interconnecting microdomains were almost identical to each other in both temperature regimes. This suggests that the number of microdomains remained approximately constant whereas the aggregation number inside the microdomains increased according to the binodal curve of the thermosensitive graft.
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- Cheregi, Otilia, et al.
(author)
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Transcriptome analysis reveals insights into adaptive responses of two marine microalgae species to Nordic seasons
- 2023
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In: Algal Research. - 2211-9264. ; 74
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- There is an increasing interest in algae-based biomass produced outdoors in natural and industrial settings for biotechnological applications. To predict the yield and biochemical composition of the biomass, it is important to understand how the transcriptome of species and strains of interest is affected by seasonal changes. Here we studied the effects of Nordic winter and summer on the transcriptome of two phytoplankton species, namely the diatom Skeletonema marinoi (Sm) and the eustigmatophyte Nannochloropsis granulata (Ng), recently identified as potentially important for biomass production on the west coast of Sweden. Cultures were grown in photobioreactors in simulated Nordic summer and winter, and the gene expression in two phases was quantified by Illumina RNA-sequencing. Five paired comparisons were made among the four conditions. Sm was overall more responsive to seasons since 70 % of the total transcriptome (14,783 genes) showed differential expression in at least one comparison as compared to 1.6 % (1403 genes) for Ng. For both species, we observed larger differences between the seasons than between the phases of the same season. In summer phase 1, Sm cells focused on photosynthesis and polysaccharide biosynthesis. Nitrate assimilation and recycling of intracellular nitrogen for protein biosynthesis were more active in summer phase 2 and throughout winter. Lipid catabolism was upregulated in winter relative to summer to supply carbon for respiration. Ng favored lipid accumulation in summer, while in winter activated different lipid remodeling pathways as compared to Sm. To cope with winter, Ng upregulated breakdown and transport of carbohydrates for energy production. Taken together, our transcriptome data reveal insights into adaptive seasonal responses of Sm and Ng important for biotechnological applications on the west coast of Sweden, but more work is required to decipher the molecular mechanisms behind these responses.
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- Chew, Michelle S., et al.
(author)
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Identification of myocardial injury using perioperative troponin surveillance in major noncardiac surgery and net benefit over the Revised Cardiac Risk Index
- 2022
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In: British Journal of Anaesthesia. - : Elsevier. - 0007-0912 .- 1471-6771. ; 128:1, s. 26-36
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Patients with perioperative myocardial injury are at risk of death and major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE). The primary aim of this study was to determine optimal thresholds of preoperative and perioperative changes in high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) to predict MACCE and mortality.METHODS: Prospective, observational, cohort study in patients ≥50 yr of age undergoing elective major noncardiac surgery at seven hospitals in Sweden. The exposures were hs-cTnT measured before and days 0-3 after surgery. Two previously published thresholds for myocardial injury and two thresholds identified using receiver operating characteristic analyses were evaluated using multivariable logistic regression models and externally validated. The weighted comparison net benefit method was applied to determine the additional value of hs-cTnT thresholds when compared with the Revised Cardiac Risk Index (RCRI). The primary outcome was a composite of 30-day all-cause mortality and MACCE.RESULTS: We included 1291 patients between April 2017 and December 2020. The primary outcome occurred in 124 patients (9.6%). Perioperative increase in hs-cTnT ≥14 ng L-1 above preoperative values provided statistically optimal model performance and was associated with the highest risk for the primary outcome (adjusted odds ratio 2.9, 95% confidence interval 1.8-4.7). Validation in an independent, external cohort confirmed these findings. A net benefit over RCRI was demonstrated across a range of clinical thresholds.CONCLUSIONS: Perioperative increases in hsTnT ≥14 ng L-1 above baseline values identifies acute perioperative myocardial injury and provides a net prognostic benefit when added to RCRI for the identification of patients at high risk of death and MACCE.CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT03436238.
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- Dada, Shakila, et al.
(author)
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Agreement between participation ratings of children with intellectual disabilities and their primary caregivers
- 2020
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In: Research in Developmental Disabilities. - : Elsevier. - 0891-4222 .- 1873-3379. ; 104
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Participation of children with ID it is argued must be understood in relation to the fit with the environment. Since caregivers are a vital factor within the close environment of a child with intellectual disability, their perceptions are unequivocally important.Aims: The main aim of this study is to describe the self-reported participation of children with ID and the perceptions of their primary caregivers. Both frequency of attendance and perceived importance of activity was measured with self-reported and proxy-reports.Methods & Procedures: A custom developed Picture my Participation (PmP) survey was utilised in an interview format with children with intellectual disability whilst their primary caregivers completed the survey independently.Results: Overall, the perceptions of children with intellectual disabilities and of primary caregivers showed similarities regarding attendance and activities considered important. On group level, both children and primary caregivers perceived the child to have a high level of attendance ofFormal learning in school, Family mealtime, Interacting with family and Celebrations. An overall poor agreement in perceived frequency of attendance was found. However, in child-primary cargiver-dyads poor agreement in perceived frequency of attendance was found.Conclusions: While primary caregivers and children's ratings of attendance and selection of the most important activities appeared somewhat similar, there was a noted difference, in that primary caregivers’ were uniform in their selection, whilst there was a diversity in the selection of activities amongst children.
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- Lindsay, Willow, 1980, et al.
(author)
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Seasonal but not sex-biased gene expression of the carotenoid ketolase, CYP2J19, in the sexually dichromatic southern red bishop (Euplectes orix)
- 2022
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In: Royal Society Open Science. - : The Royal Society. - 2054-5703. ; 9:8
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Intense red colours in birds are often owing to ketocarotenoids (KCs). In many land birds, KCs are oxidized from dietary yellow precursors, presumably by the avian carotenoid ketolase CYP2J19, the regulation and constraints of which have important implications for condition-dependence and honest signalling of carotenoid colour displays. We investigated hepatic CYP2J19 gene expression in the seasonally and sexually dichromatic southern red bishop (Euplectes orix) in relation to season, sex, progression of the prenuptial moult, testis size, body condition, redness and circulating sex steroids. A coloration function of CYP2J19 is supported by a seasonal upregulation prior to and during the carotenoid-depositing stage of the male prenuptial moult. However, CYP2J19 expression was similarly high in females (which do not moult prenuptially), and remained high in males after moult, suggesting additional or alternative roles of hepatic CYP2J19 or its products, such as detoxification or antioxidant functions. In males, the CYP2J19 upregulation preceded and was unrelated to the rise in plasma testosterone, but was correlated with androstenedione, probably of adrenal origin and compatible with luteinizing hormone-induced and (in females) oestrogen-suppressed moult. Finally, contrary to ideas that carotenoid ketolation rate mediates honest signalling of male quality, CYP2J19 expression was not related to plumage redness or male body condition.
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- Lundgren, Anna, 1974, et al.
(author)
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Plasmablasts in previously immunologically naive COVID-19 patients express markers indicating mucosal homing and secrete antibodies cross-reacting with SARS-CoV-2 variants and other beta-coronaviruses
- 2023
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In: Clinical and Experimental Immunology. - 0009-9104 .- 1365-2249. ; 213:2, s. 173-89
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Antigen-specific class-switched antibodies are detected at the same time or even before IgM in serum of non-vaccinated individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2. These derive from the first wave of plasmablasts formed. Hence, the phenotype and specificity of plasmablasts can reveal information about early B-cell activation. Here we have analyzed B cells and plasmablasts circulating in blood of COVID-19 patients not previously exposed to SARS-CoV-2 during and after disease. We find that during infection with the original Wuhan strain, plasmablasts in blood produce IgA1, IgG1, and IgM, and that most express CCR10 and integrin beta 1, only some integrin beta 7, while the majority lack CCR9. Plasmablast-secreted antibodies are reactive to the spike (S) and nucleocapsid (N) proteins of the Wuhan strain as well as later variants of concern, but also bind S proteins from endemic and non-circulating betacoronaviruses. In contrast, after recovery, antibodies produced from memory B cells target variants of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV-1 but compared to previously non-infected individuals do not show increased binding to endemic coronaviruses. This suggests that the early antibody response to a large extent stems from pre-existing cross-reactive class-switched memory B cells, and that although newly formed memory cells target the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus the numbers of broadly cross-reactive memory B cells do not increase extensively. The observations give insight into the role of pre-existing memory B cells in early antibody responses to novel pathogens and may explain why class-switched antibodies are detected early in the serum of COVID-19 patients. During an infection, plasmablasts circulating in blood represent ongoing formation of antibody-producing cells from activated B cells. Here we study the early plasmablasts in previously naive COVID-19 patients arriving at hospital. We find extensive cross-reactivity to circulating and non-circulating beta-coronaviruses, that IgA1 responses dominate, and that the cells express markers suggesting mucosal homing.
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- Mihalič, Filip, et al.
(author)
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Conservation of Affinity Rather Than Sequence Underlies a Dynamic Evolution of the Motif-Mediated p53/MDM2 Interaction in Ray-Finned Fishes
- 2024
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In: Molecular biology and evolution. - : Oxford University Press. - 0737-4038 .- 1537-1719. ; 41:2
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The transcription factor and cell cycle regulator p53 is marked for degradation by the ubiquitin ligase MDM2. The interaction between these 2 proteins is mediated by a conserved binding motif in the disordered p53 transactivation domain (p53TAD) and the folded SWIB domain in MDM2. The conserved motif in p53TAD from zebrafish displays a 20-fold weaker interaction with MDM2, compared to the interaction in human and chicken. To investigate this apparent difference, we tracked the molecular evolution of the p53TAD/MDM2 interaction among ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii), the largest vertebrate clade. Intriguingly, phylogenetic analyses, ancestral sequence reconstructions, and binding experiments showed that different loss-of-affinity changes in the canonical binding motif within p53TAD have occurred repeatedly and convergently in different fish lineages, resulting in relatively low extant affinities (KD = 0.5 to 5 mu M). However, for 11 different fish p53TAD/MDM2 interactions, nonconserved regions flanking the canonical motif increased the affinity 4- to 73-fold to be on par with the human interaction. Our findings suggest that compensating changes at conserved and nonconserved positions within the motif, as well as in flanking regions of low conservation, underlie a stabilizing selection of "functional affinity" in the p53TAD/MDM2 interaction. Such interplay complicates bioinformatic prediction of binding and calls for experimental validation. Motif-mediated protein-protein interactions involving short binding motifs and folded interaction domains are very common across multicellular life. It is likely that the evolution of affinity in motif-mediated interactions often involves an interplay between specific interactions made by conserved motif residues and nonspecific interactions by nonconserved disordered regions.
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