1. |
- Carlsen, Henrik, et al.
(author)
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Co-evolutionary scenarios for creative prototyping of future robot systems for civil protection
- 2014
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In: Technological forecasting & social change. - : Elsevier BV. - 0040-1625 .- 1873-5509. ; 84, s. 93-100
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Co-evolutionary scenarios are used for creative prototyping with the purpose of assessing potential implications of future autonomous robot systems on civil protection. The methodology is based on a co-evolutionary scenario approach and the development of different evolutionary paths. Opportunities, threats and ethical aspects in connection with the introduction of robotics in the domestic security and safety sector are identified using an iterative participatory workshop methodology. Three creative prototypes of robotic systems are described: "RoboMall", "RoboButler" and "SnakeSquad". The debate in society that might follow the introduction of these three robot systems and society's response to the experienced ethical problems and opportunities are discussed in the context of two scenarios of different future societies.
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2. |
- Gregers, Jannie, et al.
(author)
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Polymorphisms in the ABCB1 gene affect outcome and toxicity in Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
- 2012
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Other publication (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The membrane transporter P-glycoprotein, encoded by the ABCB1 gene, influences pharmacokinetics in several anti-cancer drugs. We hypothesized that 1199G>A, 1236C>T, 2677G>A/T and 3435C>T variants of ABCB1 could affect outcome and toxicity in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), since treatment includes known P-glycoprotein substrates and 3435C/T may affect methotrexate therapy. We studied 522 Danish children with ALL treated according to NOPHO ALL92 and ALL2000 protocols, 93% of all those eligible during 1992-2007. Risk of relapse was 2.9-fold increased for 41 patients with the 1199GA variant compared to 477 with 1199GG (p=0.001), and reduced by 61% and 40%, respectively for 421 patients with the 3435CT or 3435TT variants compared to 96 with 3435CC (overall p=0.02). Degree of bone marrow toxicity during doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisolone induction therapy was higher in 71 patients with 3435TT variant (median nadirs: hemoglobin 3% and platelets 34/37% lower in3435CT/3435CC) compared to 160 patients with 3435CT/3435CC (Hemoglobin p=0.01 and platelets p<0.0001). We observed more liver toxicity after high-dose methotrexate in 109 patients with 3435CC variant versus 3435CT/TT (Median max alanineaminotransferase: 280 versus 142/111 U/L, p=0.03). In conclusion, there is a statistically significant association between ABCB1 polymorphisms and efficacy and toxicity in childhood ALL.
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4. |
- Baard, Patrik, et al.
(author)
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Scenarios and sustainability : tools for alleviating the gap between municipal means and responsibilities in adaptation planning
- 2012
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In: Local Environment. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1354-9839 .- 1469-6711. ; 17:6-7, s. 641-662
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Adaptation to climate change often involves long-time frames and uncertainties over the consequences of chosen adaptation measures. In this study, two tools designed for assisting local decision-makers in adaptation planning were tested: socio-economic scenarios and sustainability analysis. The objective was to study whether these tools could be of practical relevance to Swedish municipalities and facilitate local-level climate change adaptation. We found that the municipal planners who participated in the testing generally considered the tools useful and of high relevance, but that more time was needed to use the tools than was provided during the test process.
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5. |
- Gregers, Jannie, et al.
(author)
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Pharmacogenetic polymorphisms in folate metabolism affect toxicity after high dose methotrexate in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia
- 2012
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Other publication (other academic/artistic)abstract
- We hypothesized that polymorphisms in folate metabolism would affect treatment effects of the folate antagonist methotrexate (MTX). We studied whether ATIC347C>T, MTHFR677C>T, MTHFR1298C>A and SHMT1-1420C>T polymorphisms influence risk of disease or efficacy and toxicity of MTX in a large population of children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). The children were treated after standardized Nordic protocols with 5-8 g/m2 high-dose MTX courses and long term oral maintenance therapy with weekly MTX. Ninety-four percent (n=533) of the children diagnosed during a 16 year time period were included. The study showed that the polymorphisms had no effect on risk of ALL, MTX pharmacokinetics or outcome. However after high-dose MTX treatment, patients with MTHFR677TT/MTHFR677CT had more liver toxicity than patients with MTHFR677CC (alanine transferase: 174/154 versus 115U/L, p=0.049). Patients with MTHFR1298AA had more liver toxicity than patients with MTHFR1298CC (alanine transferase: 144 versus 108 U/L, p=0.04). More bone marrow toxicity was found in patients with MTHFR1298CC compared to MTHFR1298CT / MTHFR1298AA (Nadir means: Platelets 72 versus 109/93*109/L, p=0.0001). In conclusion this study supports that MTHFR1298C>A and MTHFR677C>T are associated with toxicity in MTX treatment and the MTHFR variants should be considered as markers for individualization of treatment in childhood ALL in combination with other pharmacogenetic markers.
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6. |
- Gregers, Jannie, et al.
(author)
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The association of reduced folate carrier 80G greater than A polymorphism to outcome in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia interacts with chromosome 21 copy number
- 2010
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In: Blood. - : American Society of Hematology. - 0006-4971 .- 1528-0020. ; 115:23, s. 4671-4677
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The reduced folate carrier (RFC) is involved in the transport of methotrexate (MTX) across the cell membrane. The RFC gene (SLC19A1) is located on chromosome 21, and we hypothesized that the RFC80 G greater than A polymorphism would affect outcome and toxicity in childhood leukemia and that this could interact with chromosome 21 copy number in the leukemic clone. A total of 500 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia treated according to the common Nordic treatment protocols were included, and we found that the RFC AA variant was associated with a 50% better chance of staying in remission compared with GG or GA variants (P = .046). Increased copy numbers of chromosome 21 appear to improve outcome also in children with GA or GG variant. In a subset of 182 children receiving 608 high-dose MTX courses, we observed higher degree of bone marrow toxicity in patients with the RFC AA variant compared with GA/GG variants (platelet 73 vs 99/105 x 10(9)/L, P = .004, hemoglobin 5.6 vs 5.9/6.0 mmol/L, P = .004) and a higher degree of liver toxicity in patients with RFC GG variant (alanine aminotransferase 167 vs 127/124 U/L, P = .05). In conclusion, the RFC 80G greater than A polymorphism interacts with chromosome 21 copy numbers and affects both efficacy and toxicity of MTX.
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7. |
- Lindahl, Björn, et al.
(author)
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Fungal community analysis by high-throughput sequencing of amplified markers – a user's guide
- 2013
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In: New Phytologist. - : Wiley. - 0028-646X .- 1469-8137. ; 199:1, s. 288-299
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- * Novel high-throughput sequencing methods outperform earlier approaches in terms of resolution and magnitude. They enable identification and relative quantification of community members and offer new insights into fungal community ecology. These methods are currently taking over as the primary tool to assess fungal communities of plant-associated endophytes, pathogens, and mycorrhizal symbionts, as well as free-living saprotrophs. * Taking advantage of the collective experience of six research groups, we here review the different stages involved in fungal community analysis, from field sampling via laboratory procedures to bioinformatics and data interpretation. We discuss potential pitfalls, alternatives, and solutions. * Highlighted topics are challenges involved in: obtaining representative DNA/RNA samples and replicates that encompass the targeted variation in community composition, selection of marker regions and primers, options for amplification and multiplexing, handling of sequencing errors, and taxonomic identification. * Without awareness of methodological biases, limitations of markers, and bioinformatics challenges, large-scale sequencing projects risk yielding artificial results and misleading conclusions.
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8. |
- Lindner, Daniel L., et al.
(author)
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Employing 454 amplicon pyrosequencing to reveal intragenomic divergence in the internal transcribed spacer rDNA region in fungi
- 2013
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In: Ecology and Evolution. - : Wiley. - 2045-7758. ; 3:6, s. 1751-1764
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region has been accepted as a DNA barcoding marker for fungi and is widely used in phylogenetic studies; however, intragenomic ITS variability has been observed in a broad range of taxa, including prokaryotes, plants, animals, and fungi, and this variability has the potential to inflate species richness estimates in molecular investigations of environmental samples. In this study 454 amplicon pyrosequencing of the ITS1 region was applied to 99 phylogenetically diverse axenic single-spore cultures of fungi (Dikarya: Ascomycota and Basidiomycota) to investigate levels of intragenomic variation. Three species (one Basidiomycota and two Ascomycota), in addition to a positive control species known to contain ITS paralogs, displayed levels of molecular variation indicative of intragenomic variation; taxon inflation due to presumed intragenomic variation was ≈9%. Intragenomic variability in the ITS region appears to be widespread but relatively rare in fungi (≈3–5% of species investigated in this study), suggesting this problem may have minor impacts on species richness estimates relative to PCR and/or pyrosequencing errors. Our results indicate that 454 amplicon pyrosequencing represents a powerful tool for investigating levels of ITS intragenomic variability across taxa, which may be valuable for better understanding the fundamental mechanisms underlying concerted evolution of repetitive DNA regions.
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