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- Bassani, Carlos L., et al.
(author)
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Nanocrystal Assemblies : Current Advances and Open Problems
- 2024
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In: ACS Nano. - 1936-0851. ; 18:23, s. 14791-14840
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We explore the potential of nanocrystals (a term used equivalently to nanoparticles) as building blocks for nanomaterials, and the current advances and open challenges for fundamental science developments and applications. Nanocrystal assemblies are inherently multiscale, and the generation of revolutionary material properties requires a precise understanding of the relationship between structure and function, the former being determined by classical effects and the latter often by quantum effects. With an emphasis on theory and computation, we discuss challenges that hamper current assembly strategies and to what extent nanocrystal assemblies represent thermodynamic equilibrium or kinetically trapped metastable states. We also examine dynamic effects and optimization of assembly protocols. Finally, we discuss promising material functions and examples of their realization with nanocrystal assemblies.
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- Hollung, Sandra Julsen, et al.
(author)
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Point prevalence and motor function of children and adolescents with cerebral palsy in Scandinavia and Scotland : a CP-North study
- 2021
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In: Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology. - : Wiley. - 0012-1622 .- 1469-8749. ; 63:6, s. 721-728
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- AIM: To describe the point prevalence of cerebral palsy (CP) and distribution of gross and fine motor function in individuals registered in a CP-North surveillance programme.METHOD: Aggregate data of individuals with CP aged 6 to 19 years, sex, CP subtype, and gross and fine motor function levels were collected from each programme. Overall and age-specific point prevalence of CP was calculated for each programme using 95% confidence intervals. Logistic regression was used to estimate prevalence and CP subtypes with age as the covariate variable. Pearson χ2 tests were used to compare the distributions of CP subtypes, Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels, and Manual Ability Classification System (MACS) levels by age and between programmes.RESULTS: Among 3 759 138 individuals residing in Scandinavia and Scotland, 8278 had a diagnosis of CP (57-59% were males). The overall point prevalence of CP ranged from 2.13 to 2.32 per 1000 residents. Age-specific prevalence in each programme varied with the exception of Denmark. While the proportions of bilateral spastic CP were similar between programmes, there were variations in all other CP subtypes and in GMFCS and MACS levels.INTERPRETATION: While the results of this study may reflect real differences in CP populations between countries, they may not be clinically relevant. The variations may be attributable to differences in the year when each programme was first established, different data collection methods, and country-specific governmental policies.
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- Hägglund, Gunnar, et al.
(author)
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Treatment of spasticity in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy in Northern Europe : a CP-North registry study
- 2021
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In: BMC Neurology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2377. ; 21:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Spasticity is present in more than 80% of the population with cerebral palsy (CP). The aim of this study was to describe and compare the use of three spasticity reducing methods; Botulinum toxin-A therapy (BTX-A), Selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) and Intrathecal baclofen therapy (ITB) among children and adolescents with CP in six northern European countries.METHODS: This registry-based study included population-based data in children and adolescents with CP born 2002 to 2017 and recorded in the follow-up programs for CP in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland and Scotland, and a defined cohort in Finland.RESULTS: A total of 8,817 individuals were included. The proportion of individuals treated with SDR and ITB was significantly different between the countries. SDR treatment ranged from 0% ( Finland and Iceland) to 3.4% (Scotland) and ITB treatment from 2.2% (Sweden) to 3.7% (Denmark and Scotland). BTX-A treatment in the lower extremities reported 2017-2018 ranged from 8.6% in Denmark to 20% in Norway (p < 0.01). Mean age for undergoing SDR ranged from 4.5 years in Norway to 7.3 years in Denmark (p < 0.01). Mean age at ITB surgery ranged from 6.3 years in Norway to 10.1 years in Finland (p < 0.01). Mean age for BTX-A treatment ranged from 7.1 years in Denmark to 10.3 years in Iceland (p < 0.01). Treatment with SDR was most common in Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) level III, ITB in level V, and BTX-A in level I. The most common muscle treated with BTX-A was the calf muscle, with the highest proportion in GMFCS level I. BTX-A treatment of hamstring and hip muscles was most common in GMFCS levels IV-V in all countries.CONCLUSION: There were statistically significant differences between countries regarding the proportion of children and adolescents with CP treated with the three spasticity reducing methods, mean age for treatment and treatment related to GMFCS level. This is likely due to differences in the availability of these treatment methods and/or differences in preferences of treatment methods among professionals and possibly patients across countries.
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- Patterson, Allison, et al.
(author)
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Foraging range scales with colony size in high-latitude seabirds
- 2022
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In: Current Biology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0960-9822 .- 1879-0445. ; 32:17, s. 3800-3807
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Density-dependent prey depletion around breeding colonies has long been considered an important factor controlling the population dynamics of colonial animals.1, 2, 3, 4 Ashmole proposed that as seabird colony size increases, intraspecific competition leads to declines in reproductive success, as breeding adults must spend more time and energy to find prey farther from the colony.1 Seabird colony size often varies over several orders of magnitude within the same species and can include millions of individuals per colony.5,6 As such, colony size likely plays an important role in determining the individual behavior of its members and how the colony interacts with the surrounding environment.6 Using tracking data from murres (Uria spp.), the world’s most densely breeding seabirds, we show that the distribution of foraging-trip distances scales to colony size0.33 during the chick-rearing stage, consistent with Ashmole’s halo theory.1,2 This pattern occurred across colonies varying in size over three orders of magnitude and distributed throughout the North Atlantic region. The strong relationship between colony size and foraging range means that the foraging areas of some colonial species can be estimated from colony sizes, which is more practical to measure over a large geographic scale. Two-thirds of the North Atlantic murre population breed at the 16 largest colonies; by extrapolating the predicted foraging ranges to sites without tracking data, we show that only two of these large colonies have significant coverage as marine protected areas. Our results are an important example of how theoretical models, in this case, Ashmole’s version of central-place-foraging theory, can be applied to inform conservation and management in colonial breeding species.
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- Servetto, N., et al.
(author)
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Molecular responses to ocean acidification in an Antarctic bivalve and an ascidian
- 2023
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In: Science of the Total Environment. - 0048-9697 .- 1879-1026. ; 903
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Southern Ocean organisms are considered particularly vulnerable to Ocean acidification (OA), as they inhabit cold waters where calcite-aragonite saturation states are naturally low. It is also generally assumed that OA would affect calcifying animals more than non-calcifying animals. In this context, we aimed to study the impact of reduced pH on both types of species: the ascidian Cnemidocarpa verrucosa sp. A, and the bivalve Aequiyoldia eightsii, from an Antarctic fjord. We used gene expression profiling and enzyme activity to study the responses of these two Antarctic benthic species to OA. We report the results of an experiment lasting 66 days, comparing the molecular mechanisms underlying responses under two pCO2 treatments (ambient and elevated pCO2). We observed 224 up-regulated and 111 down-regulated genes (FC >= 2; p-value <= 0.05) in the ascidian. In particular, the decrease in pH caused an upregulation of genes involved in the immune system and antioxidant response. While fewer differentially expressed (DE) genes were observed in the infaunal bivalve, 34 genes were up -regulated, and 69 genes were downregulated (FC >= 2; p-value <= 0.05) in response to OA. We found down -regulated genes involved in the oxidoreductase pathway (such as glucose dehydrogenase and trimethyl lysine dioxygenase), while the heat shock protein 70 was up-regulated. This work addresses the effect of OA in two common, widely distributed Antarctic species, showing striking results. Our major finding highlights the impact of OA on the non-calcifying species, a result that differ from the general trend, which describes a higher impact on calcifying species. This calls for discussion of potential effects on non-calcifying species, such as ascidians, a diverse and abundant group that form extended three-dimensional clusters in shallow waters and shelf areas in the Southern Ocean.
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