1. |
- Andersson, Linda, 1973, et al.
(author)
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PLD1 and ERK2 regulate cytosolic lipid droplet formation
- 2006
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In: J Cell Sci. ; 119:Pt 11, s. 2246-57
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We have previously uncovered roles for phospholipase D (PLD) and an unknown cytosolic protein in the formation of cytosolic lipid droplets using a cell-free system. In this report, PLD1 has been identified as the relevant isoform, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2 (ERK2) as the cytosolic protein. Increased expression of PLD1 increased lipid droplet formation whereas knockdown of PLD1 using siRNA was inhibitory. A role for ERK2 in basal lipid droplet formation was revealed by overexpression or microinjection, and ablation by siRNA knockdown or pharmacological inhibition. Similar manipulations of other Map kinases such as ERK1, JNK1 or JNK2 and p38alpha or p38beta were without effect. Insulin stimulated the formation of lipid droplets and this stimulation was inhibited by knockdown of PLD1 (by siRNA) and by inhibition or knockdown (by siRNA) of ERK2. Inhibition of ERK2 eliminated the effect of PLD1 on lipid droplet formation without affecting PLD1 activity, suggesting that PLD1 functions upstream of ERK2. ERK2 increased the phosphorylation of dynein which increased the amount of the protein on ADRP-containing lipid droplets. Microinjection of antibodies to dynein strongly inhibited the formation of lipid droplets, demonstrating that dynein has a central role in this formation. Thus dynein is a possible target for ERK2.
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2. |
- Björn, Catrine, 1961-, et al.
(author)
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Theatre Nurses Understanding of their Work : A phenomenographic study at a hospital theatre
- 2008
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In: Journal of Advanced Perioperative Care. - Harrogate, UK : Associations for Perioperative Practice. - 1470-5664. ; 3:4, s. 149-155
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The operating theatre is a place where people work together in a multidisciplinary team. It has a very high patient through-put, and use of advanced technology and surgical routine. Working in an operating theatre has been described as dynamic and challenging. The nurse’s perspective of her/his practice role in the operating theatre department is poorly identified, a fact that makes it necessary for the theatre nurses themselves to define their role as nurses in the multidisciplinary team.The aim of this study was to begin the work of describing the theatre nurses’ work using a qualitative descriptive design with a phenomenographic approach. A purposeful sample from two hospitals in Sweden was employed to select the 15 theatre nurses, the interviews formed the basis of this study.As in several other phenomenographic studies three specific questions guided the data collection: What aspect of your practice do you find the easiest? What aspect of your practice do you find the most challenging? What do you think is the most important aspect of your practice? To deepen the interview, what and how questions were used to probe the responses.The interviews were audio-taped and transcribed verbatim. The interviews were read several times, after which an analysis was undertaken.The analysis revealed the following three understandings of the phenomenon of “the work of the theatre nurse”: Theatre nurses achieve control of the situation referred to having the appropriate equipment prepared in advance for the operation, the hygienic aspect, for example keeping the operation area, surgical instruments and people involved sterile, and to control patient, instrument and implant logistics by advance planning and being one step ahead.The possibility of good teamwork is enhanced by being attentive to the spoken and unspoken wishes and needs of the patient as well as all members of the team, especially the surgeon; and Theatre nurses develop their professional practice through practical experience.All three understandings that emerged in present study are useful for both competence development and quality improvement.
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3. |
- Boström, Björn, 1975-
(author)
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Achieving carbon isotope mass balance in northern forest soils, soil respiration and fungi
- 2008
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Northern forests contain a large part of the global terrestrial carbon pool and it is unclear whether they will be sinks or sources for atmospheric carbon if the climate warms as predicted. Stable isotope techniques provide unique tools to study the carbon cycle at different scales but the interpretation of the isotope data is impaired by our inability to close the carbon isotope mass balance of ecosystems. This involves the paradox that the soil organic matter becomes increasingly 13C-enriched with increasing soil depth relative to the carbon input, plant litter, at the same time as soil respiration, the major carbon outflow from the soil, and fungi, organisms dependent on plant derived carbon, both are relatively 13C-enriched. I have determined the δ13C of the respired CO2 and the organic matter from different ecosystem components in a Norway spruce forest aiming at finding an explanation to the observed carbon isotope pattern. In the first study the soil surface respiration rate and isotopic composition was found to be governed by aboveground weather conditions the preceding 1-6 days. This suggests there is a fast flux of recent photosynthates to root respiration. In the second study I compared the respired CO2 from decomposition with the δ13C of the root free soil organic matter sampled from the litter layer down to 50 cm depth. Discrimination against 13C during respiration could not explain the 13C enrichment of soil organic matter with depth because the δ13C of the respired CO2 became increasingly 13C-enriched relative to the organic matter with soil depth. However, ~1.5‰ of the 2‰ 13C-gradient could be explained by the 13C depletion of atmospheric CO2 that has proceeded since the beginning of the 18th century due to the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation. The remaining shift was hypothesized to be due to a belowground contribution of 13C-enriched ectomycorrhizal derived carbon. In the third study I compared the δ13C of respired CO2 and sporocarps of ectomycorrhizal and saprotrophic fungi sampled in the spruce forest. The δ13C of respired CO2 and sporocarps were positively correlated and the differences in δ13C between CO2 and sporocarps were small, <±1‰ in nine out of 16 species, although three out of six species of ectomycorrhizal basidiomycetes respired 13C-enriched CO2 (up to 1.6‰), whereas three out of five species of polypores respired 13C-depleted CO2 (up to 1.7‰; P<0.05). Loss of 13C-depleted CO2 may have enriched the biomass of some fungal species in 13C. However, the consistent 13C enrichment of fungal sporocarps and respired CO2 relative to the plant materials implies that other processes must be found to explain the consistent 13C-enrichment of fungal biomass compared to plant materials. In the final study, compound specific stable isotope analyses provided further evidence for the hypothesis that the biomass of ectomycorrhizal fungi are 13C-enriched relative to host biomass because the carbon provided by the host is 13C-enriched Furthermore, ectomycorrhizal fungi showed lower average δ13C values of metabolites than saprotrophs which gives further support for the so-called saprotrophic-mycorrhizal divide. I conclude that a belowground allocation of 13C-enriched carbon to ectomycorrhizal fungi closes the carbon isotope mass balance in boreal and temperate forest soils and explains the 13C-enriched soil respiration.
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4. |
- Boström, Björn, et al.
(author)
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Can isotopic fractionation during respiration explain the 13C-enriched sporocarps of ectomycorrhizal and saprotrophic fungi?
- 2008
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In: New Phytologist. - Cambridge : Cambridge University Press. - 0028-646X .- 1469-8137. ; 177:4, s. 1012-1019
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- • The mechanism behind the 13C enrichment of fungi relative to plant materials is unclear and constrains the use of stable isotopes in studies of the carbon cycle in soils.• Here, we examined whether isotopic fractionation during respiration contributes to this pattern by comparing δ13C signatures of respired CO2, sporocarps and their associated plant materials, from 16 species of ectomycorrhizal or saprotrophic fungi collected in a Norway spruce forest.• The isotopic composition of respired CO2 and sporocarps was positively correlated. The differences in δ13C between CO2 and sporocarps were generally small, < ±1‰ in nine out of 16 species, and the average shift for all investigated species was 0.04‰. However, when fungal groups were analysed separately, three out of six species of ectomycorrhizal basidiomycetes respired 13C-enriched CO2 (up to 1.6‰), whereas three out of five species of polypores respired 13C-depleted CO2 (up to 1.7‰; P < 0.05). The CO2 and sporocarps were always 13C-enriched compared with wood, litter or roots.• Loss of 13C-depleted CO2 may have enriched some species in 13C. However, that the CO2 was consistently 13C-enriched compared with plant materials implies that other processes must be found to explain the consistent 13C-enrichment of fungal biomass compared with plant materials.
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5. |
- Boström, Björn, et al.
(author)
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Isotope fractionation and 13C enrichment in soil profiles during the decomposition of soil organic matter
- 2007
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In: Oecologia. - Berlin : Springer. - 0029-8549 .- 1432-1939. ; 153:1, s. 89-98
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The mechanisms behind the 13C enrichment of organic matter with increasing soil depth in forests are unclear. To determine if 13C discrimination during respiration could contribute to this pattern, we compared d13C signatures of respired CO2 from sieved mineral soil, litter layer and litterfall with measurements of d13C and d15N of mineral soil, litter layer, litterfall, roots and fungal mycelia sampled from a 68-year-old Norway spruce forest stand planted on previously cultivated land. Because the land was subjected to ploughing before establishment of the forest stand, shifts in d13C in the top 20 cm reflect processes that have been active since the beginning of the reforestation process. As 13C-depleted organic matter accumulated in the upper soil, a 1.0 o/oo d13C gradient from –28.5 o/oo in the litter layer to –27.6 o/oo at a depth of 2–6 cm was formed. This can be explained by the 1 o/oo drop in d13C of atmospheric CO2 since the beginning of reforestation together with the mixing of new C (forest) and old C (farmland). However, the isotopic change of the atmospheric CO2 explains only a portion of the additional 1.0& increase in d13C below a depth of 20 cm. The d13C of the respired CO2 was similar to that of the organic matter in the upper soil layers but became increasingly 13C enriched with depth, up to 2.5 o/oo relative to the organic matter. We hypothesise that this 13C enrichment of the CO2 as well as the residual increase in d13C of the organic matter below a soil depth of 20 cm results from the increased contribution of 13C-enriched microbially derived C with depth. Our results suggest that 13C discrimination during microbial respiration does not contribute to the 13C enrichment of organic matter in soils. We therefore recommend that these results should be taken into consideration when natural variations in d13C of respired CO2 are used to separate different components of soil respiration or ecosystem respiration.
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6. |
- Boström, Cecilia, et al.
(author)
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Experimental results from an offshore wave energy converter
- 2008
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In: Volume 6. ; , s. 653-657
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Anoffshore wave energy converter (WEC) was successfully launched at theSwedish west coast in the middle of March 2006. TheWEC is based on a permanent magnet linear generator locatedon the ocean floor driven by a point absorber. Ameasuring station has been installed on a nearby island whereall measurements and experiments on the WEC have been carriedout. The output voltage from the generator fluctuates both inamplitude and frequency and must therefore be converted to enablegrid connection. In order to study the voltage conversion, themeasure station was fitted with a six pulse diode rectifierand a capacitive filter during the autumn of 2006. Theobject of this paper is to present a detailed descriptionof the existing wave energy system of the Islandsberg project.Special attention will be given to the power absorption bythe generator when it is connected to a non linearload
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7. |
- Boström, Pontus, 1982, et al.
(author)
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Hypoxia converts human macrophages into triglyceride-loaded foam cells.
- 2006
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In: Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology. - 1524-4636. ; 26:8, s. 1871-6
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: Atherosclerotic lesions have regions that are hypoxic. Because the lesion contains macrophages that are loaded with lipid, we investigated whether hypoxia can influence the accumulation of lipids in these cells. METHODS AND RESULTS: Exposure of human macrophages to hypoxia for 24 hours resulted in an increased formation of cytosolic lipid droplets and an increased accumulation of triglycerides. Exposure of the macrophages to oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) increased the accumulation of cytosolic lipid droplets because of an increase in cellular cholesterol esters. The accumulation of lipid droplets in oxLDL-treated cells was further increased after hypoxia, caused by an increased level of triglycerides. Expression analyses combined with immunoblot or RT-PCR demonstrated that hypoxia increased the expression of several genes that could promote the accumulation of lipid droplets. Hypoxia increased the mRNA and protein levels of adipocyte differentiation-related protein (ADRP). It is well known that an increased expression of ADRP increases the formation of lipid droplets. Hypoxia decreased the expression of enzymes involved in beta-oxidation (acyl-coenzyme A synthetase and acyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase) and increased the expression of stearoyl-coenzyme A desaturase, an important enzyme in the fatty acid biosynthesis. Moreover, exposure to hypoxia decreased the rate of beta-oxidation, whereas the accumulation of triglycerides increased. CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate that exposure of human macrophages to hypoxia causes an accumulation of triglyceride-containing cytosolic lipid droplets. This indicates that the hypoxia present in atherosclerotic lesions can contribute to the formation of the lipid-loaded macrophages that characterize the lesion and to the accumulation of triglycerides in such lesions.
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8. |
- Boström, Tobias, 1975-
(author)
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Solution-Chemically Derived Spectrally Selective Solar Absorbers : With System Perspectives on Solar Heating
- 2006
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- This thesis consists of two parts, one dominating part concerning spectrally selective solar absorbers and one dealing with thermal solar systems. The appended papers I to VIII concern the solar absorber part, papers dealing with the systems part have not been included in the thesis.A new spectrally selective absorber derived from a novel solution-chemistry method has been developed and optimized. The main objective was to investigate the potential of the spectrally selective surface. Some of the questions at issue were; would it be possible to create a suitable absorber composite using this method, how high selectivity could be obtained, could the performance be enhanced by using anti-reflection coatings, which was the optimal layer composition, would the thin films be durable and what was the structure and morphology like on a nano scale? The absorber consists of absorbing thin films of nickel nano-particles embedded in a dielectric matrix of alumina and an overlying anti-reflection film consisting of one of the following materials silica, hybrid-silica, alumina or silica-titania. Solution and sol-gel chemistry were used in the process. The thin films were spin-coated onto an aluminum substrate followed by a heat-treatment that generated the multi layer selective solar absorber. The optical constants for the thin film materials in question were determined. An optimal three layer structure was modeled using the experimentally determined optical constants. The theoretical three layer stack was experimentally confirmed and achieved a solar absorptance of 0.97 and a thermal emittance of 0.05 which definitely are commercially competitive values. The configuration of the three layer stack is: an 80%nickel-20%alumina film at the base, a 40%nickel-60%alumina film in the middle and a silica or hybrid-silica film at the top. The three layer absorber was subjected to high temperature and condensation accelerated ageing tests designed by IEA Task 27. The condensation test did not degrade the absorber whatsoever but the high temperature test did reveal some oxidation of the nickel particles. The oxidation occurs initially and then stops. A formed nickel-oxide layer hinders further oxidation. The level of oxidation is small and the absorber is qualified according to the IEA Task 27 test procedure.
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10. |
- Ekblad, Alf, et al.
(author)
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Forest soil respiration rate and d13C is regulated by recent above ground weather conditions
- 2005
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In: Oecologia. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0029-8549 .- 1432-1939. ; 143:1, s. 136-142
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Soil respiration, a key component of the global carbon cycle, is a major source of uncertainty when estimating terrestrial carbon budgets at ecosystem and higher levels. Rates of soil and root respiration are assumed to be dependent on soil temperature and soil moisture yet these factors often barely explain half the seasonal variation in soil respiration. We here found that soil moisture (range 16.5-27.6% of dry weight) and soil temperature (range 8-17.5 degrees C) together explained 55% of the variance (cross-validated explained variance; Q2) in soil respiration rate (range 1.0-3.4 micromol C m(-2) s(-1)) in a Norway spruce (Picea abies) forest. We hypothesised that this was due to that the two components of soil respiration, root respiration and decomposition, are governed by different factors. We therefore applied PLS (partial least squares regression) multivariate modelling in which we, together with below ground temperature and soil moisture, used the recent above ground air temperature and air humidity (vapour pressure deficit, VPD) conditions as x-variables. We found that air temperature and VPD data collected 1-4 days before respiration measurements explained 86% of the seasonal variation in the rate of soil respiration. The addition of soil moisture and soil temperature to the PLS-models increased the Q2 to 93%. delta13C analysis of soil respiration supported the hypotheses that there was a fast flux of photosynthates to root respiration and a dependence on recent above ground weather conditions. Taken together, our results suggest that shoot activities the preceding 1-6 days influence, to a large degree, the rate of root and soil respiration. We propose this above ground influence on soil respiration to be proportionally largest in the middle of the growing season and in situations when there is large day-to-day shifts in the above ground weather conditions. During such conditions soil temperature may not exert the major control on root respiration.
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