1. |
- Sliz, E., et al.
(author)
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Evidence of a causal effect of genetic tendency to gain muscle mass on uterine leiomyomata
- 2023
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In: Nature Communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723. ; 14:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Uterine leiomyomata (UL) are the most common tumours of the female genital tract and the primary cause of surgical removal of the uterus. Genetic factors contribute to UL susceptibility. To add understanding to the heritable genetic risk factors, we conduct a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of UL in up to 426,558 European women from FinnGen and a previous UL meta-GWAS. In addition to the 50 known UL loci, we identify 22 loci that have not been associated with UL in prior studies. UL-associated loci harbour genes enriched for development, growth, and cellular senescence. Of particular interest are the smooth muscle cell differentiation and proliferation-regulating genes functioning on the myocardin-cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor 1A pathway. Our results further suggest that genetic predisposition to increased fat-free mass may be causally related to higher UL risk, underscoring the involvement of altered muscle tissue biology in UL pathophysiology. Overall, our findings add to the understanding of the genetic pathways underlying UL, which may aid in developing novel therapeutics.
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3. |
- Brasseur, Z., et al.
(author)
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Measurement report: Introduction to the HyICE-2018 campaign for measurements of ice-nucleating particles and instrument inter-comparison in the Hyytiala boreal forest
- 2022
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In: Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. - : Copernicus GmbH. - 1680-7316 .- 1680-7324. ; 22:8, s. 5117-5145
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The formation of ice particles in Earth's atmosphere strongly influences the dynamics and optical properties of clouds and their impacts on the climate system. Ice formation in clouds is often triggered heterogeneously by ice-nucleating particles (INPs) that represent a very low number of particles in the atmosphere. To date, many sources of INPs, such as mineral and soil dust, have been investigated and identified in the low and mid latitudes. Although less is known about the sources of ice nucleation at high latitudes, efforts have been made to identify the sources of INPs in the Arctic and boreal environments. In this study, we investigate the INP emission potential from high-latitude boreal forests in the mixed-phase cloud regime. We introduce the HyICE-2018 measurement campaign conducted in the boreal forest of Hyytiala, Finland, between February and June 2018. The campaign utilized the infrastructure of the Station for Measuring Ecosystem-Atmosphere Relations (SMEAR) II, with additional INP instruments, including the Portable Ice Nucleation Chamber I and II (PINC and PINCii), the SPectrometer for Ice Nuclei (SPIN), the Portable Ice Nucleation Experiment (PINE), the Ice Nucleation SpEctrometer of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (INSEKT) and the Microlitre Nucleation by Immersed Particle Instrument (mu L-NIPI), used to quantify the INP concentrations and sources in the boreal environment. In this contribution, we describe the measurement infrastructure and operating procedures during HyICE-2018, and we report results from specific time periods where INP instruments were run in parallel for inter-comparison purposes. Our results show that the suite of instruments deployed during HyICE-2018 reports consistent results and therefore lays the foundation for forthcoming results to be considered holistically. In addition, we compare measured INP concentrations to INP parameterizations, and we observe good agreement with the Tobo et al. (2013) parameterization developed from measurements conducted in a ponderosa pine forest ecosystem in Colorado, USA.
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4. |
- Forslund, Tommie, et al.
(author)
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Attachment goes to court : child protection and custody issues
- 2022
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In: Attachment & Human Development. - : Taylor & Francis Group. - 1461-6734 .- 1469-2988. ; 24:1, s. 1-52
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Attachment theory and research are drawn upon in many applied settings, including family courts, but misunderstandings are widespread and sometimes result in misapplications. The aim of this consensus statement is, therefore, to enhance understanding, counter misinformation, and steer family-court utilisation of attachment theory in a supportive, evidence-based direction, especially with regard to child protection and child custody decision-making. The article is divided into two parts. In the first, we address problems related to the use of attachment theory and research in family courts, and discuss reasons for these problems. To this end, we examine family court applications of attachment theory in the current context of the best-interest-of-the-child standard, discuss misunderstandings regarding attachment theory, and identify factors that have hindered accurate implementation. In the second part, we provide recommendations for the application of attachment theory and research. To this end, we set out three attachment principles: the child’s need for familiar, non-abusive caregivers; the value of continuity of good-enough care; and the benefits of networks of attachment relationships. We also discuss the suitability of assessments of attachment quality and caregiving behaviour to inform family court decision-making. We conclude that assessments of caregiver behaviour should take center stage. Although there is dissensus among us regarding the use of assessments of attachment quality to inform child custody and child-protection decisions, such assessments are currently most suitable for targeting and directing supportive interventions. Finally, we provide directions to guide future interdisciplinary research collaboration.
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5. |
- Forslund, Tommie, et al.
(author)
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El Apego Va a Juicio: Problemas de Custodia y Protección Infantil : [Attachment goes to court: Child protection and custody issues]
- 2021
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In: Anuario de psicología jurídica. - : Colegio Oficial de la Psicologia de Madrid. - 1133-0740 .- 2174-0542. ; 32:1, s. 115-139
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Attachment theory and research are drawn upon in many applied settings, including family courts, but misunderstandings are widespread and sometimes result in misapplications. The aim of this consensus statement is, therefore, to enhance understanding, counter misinformation, and steer family-court utilisation of attachment theory in a supportive, evidence-based direction, especially with regard to child protection and child custody decision-making. This article is divided into two parts. In the first part, we address problems related to the use of attachment theory and research in family courts, and discuss reasons for these problems. To this end, we examine family court applications of attachment theory in the current context of the best-interest-of-the-child standard, discuss misunderstandings regarding attachment theory, and identify factors that have hindered accurate implementation. In the second part, we provide recommendations for the application of attachment theory and research. To this end, we set out three attachment principles: the child's need for familiar, non-abusive caregivers; the value of continuity of good-enough care; and the benefits of networks of attachment relationships. We also discuss the suitability of assessments of attachment quality and caregiving behaviour to inform family court decision-making. We conclude that assessments of caregiver behaviour should take center stage. Although there is dissensus among us regarding the use of assessments of attachment quality to inform child custody and child-protection decisions, such assessments are currently most suitable for targeting and directing supportive interventions. Finally, we provide directions to guide future interdisciplinary research collaboration.
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7. |
- Eklundh, A., et al.
(author)
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Etiology of Clinical Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Swedish Children Aged 1-59 Months with High Pneumococcal Vaccine Coverage-The TREND Study
- 2021
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In: Vaccines. - : MDPI AG. - 2076-393X. ; 9:4
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- (1) Immunization with pneumococcal conjugate vaccines has decreased the burden of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children and likely led to a shift in CAP etiology. (2) The Trial of Respiratory infections in children for ENhanced Diagnostics (TREND) enrolled children 1-59 months with clinical CAP according to the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria at Sachs' Children and Youth Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. Children with rhonchi and indrawing underwent "bronchodilator challenge". C-reactive protein and nasopharyngeal PCR detecting 20 respiratory pathogens, were collected from all children. Etiology was defined according to an a priori defined algorithm based on microbiological, biochemical, and radiological findings. (3) Of 327 enrolled children, 107 (32%) required hospitalization; 91 (28%) received antibiotic treatment; 77 (24%) had a chest X-ray performed; and 60 (18%) responded to bronchodilator challenge. 243 (74%) episodes were classified as viral, 11 (3%) as mixed viral-bacterial, five (2%) as bacterial, two (0.6%) as atypical bacterial and 66 (20%) as undetermined etiology. After exclusion of children responding to bronchodilator challenge, the proportion of bacterial and mixed viral-bacterial etiology was 1% and 4%, respectively. (4) The novel TREND etiology algorithm classified the majority of clinical CAP episodes as of viral etiology, whereas bacterial etiology was uncommon. Defining CAP in children <5 years is challenging, and the WHO definition of clinical CAP is not suitable for use in children immunized with pneumococcal conjugate vaccines.
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8. |
- Hakkinen, U, et al.
(author)
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A performance comparison of patient pathways in Nordic capital areas - a pilot study for ischaemic stroke patients
- 2020
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In: Scandinavian journal of public health. - : SAGE Publications. - 1651-1905 .- 1403-4948. ; 48:3, s. 275-288
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aims: This article describes and discusses the extension of performance measurement using an episode-based approach so that the measurement includes primary care, and social and long-term-care services. By using data on incident stroke patients from the capital areas of four Nordic countries, this pilot study: (a) extended the disease-based performance analysis to include new indicators that better describe patient care pathways at different levels of care; (b) described and compared the performance of care given in the four areas; (c) evaluated how additional information changed the rankings of performance between the areas; and (d) described the trends in performance in the capital areas. Methods: The construction of data was based on a common protocol that used routinely collected national registers and statistics linked with local municipal registers. We created new variables describing the timing of discharge to home and institutionalisation, as well as describing the use and cost of primary and social hospital services. Risk adjustment was performed with four different sets of confounders. Results: Differences existed in various performance indicators between the four metropolitan areas. The ranking was sensitive to the risk-adjustment method. The study showed that for stroke patients a performance comparison with data that are only from secondary and tertiary care, and without a valid severity measure, is not sufficient for international comparisons. Conclusions: Extending and deepening international performance analysis in order to cover patient pathways, including primary care and social services, is very useful for benchmarking activities when focusing on diseases affecting older people.
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9. |
- van Meel, Evelien R., et al.
(author)
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Early-life respiratory tract infections and the risk of school-age lower lung function and asthma: a meta-analysis of 150 000 European children
- 2022
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In: European Respiratory Journal. - : EUROPEAN RESPIRATORY SOC JOURNALS LTD. - 0903-1936 .- 1399-3003. ; 60:4
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background Early-life respiratory tract infections might affect chronic obstructive respiratory diseases, but conclusive studies from general populations are lacking. Our objective was to examine if children with early-life respiratory tract infections had increased risks of lower lung function and asthma at school age. Methods We used individual participant data of 150 090 children primarily from the EU Child Cohort Network to examine the associations of upper and lower respiratory tract infections from age 6 months to 5 years with forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), FEV1/FVC, forced expiratory flow at 75% of FVC (FEF75%) and asthma at a median (range) age of 7 (4-15) years. Results Children with early-life lower, not upper, respiratory tract infections had a lower school-age FEV1, FEV1/FVC and FEF75% (z-score range: -0.09 (95% CI -0.14- -0.04) to -0.30 (95% CI -0.36- -0.24)). Children with early-life lower respiratory tract infections had a higher increased risk of school-age asthma than those with upper respiratory tract infections (OR range: 2.10 (95% CI 1.98-2.22) to 6.30 (95% CI 5.64-7.04) and 1.25 (95% CI 1.18-1.32) to 1.55 (95% CI 1.47-1.65), respectively). Adjustment for preceding respiratory tract infections slightly decreased the strength of the effects. Observed associations were similar for those with and without early-life wheezing as a proxy for early-life asthma. Conclusions Our findings suggest that early-life respiratory tract infections affect development of chronic obstructive respiratory diseases in later life, with the strongest effects for lower respiratory tract infections.
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10. |
- Bicak, Mesude, et al.
(author)
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Genetic signature of prostate cancer mouse models resistant to optimized hK2 targeted α-particle therapy
- 2020
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In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 1091-6490. ; 117:26, s. 15172-15181
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Hu11B6 is a monoclonal antibody that internalizes in cells expressing androgen receptor (AR)-regulated prostate-specific enzyme human kallikrein-related peptidase 2 (hK2; KLK2). In multiple rodent models, Actinium-225-labeled hu11B6-IgG1 ([225Ac]hu11B6-IgG1) has shown promising treatment efficacy. In the present study, we investigated options to enhance and optimize [225Ac]hu11B6 treatment. First, we evaluated the possibility of exploiting IgG3, the IgG subclass with superior activation of complement and ability to mediate FC-γ-receptor binding, for immunotherapeutically enhanced hK2 targeted α-radioimmunotherapy. Second, we compared the therapeutic efficacy of a single high activity vs. fractionated activity. Finally, we used RNA sequencing to analyze the genomic signatures of prostate cancer that progressed after targeted α-therapy. [225Ac]hu11B6-IgG3 was a functionally enhanced alternative to [225Ac]hu11B6-IgG1 but offered no improvement of therapeutic efficacy. Progression-free survival was slightly increased with a single high activity compared to fractionated activity. Tumor-free animals succumbing after treatment revealed no evidence of treatment-associated toxicity. In addition to up-regulation of canonical aggressive prostate cancer genes, such as MMP7, ETV1, NTS, and SCHLAP1, we also noted a significant decrease in both KLK3 (prostate-specific antigen ) and FOLH1 (prostate-specific membrane antigen) but not in AR and KLK2, demonstrating efficacy of sequential [225Ac]hu11B6 in a mouse model.
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