11. |
- Ek, Lena, et al.
(author)
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Decline in executive functions and speed in suspected low-grade gliomas : A 3-year follow-up of a clinical cohort
- 2018
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In: Applied Neuropsychology. Adult. - : Informa UK Limited. - 2327-9095 .- 2327-9109. ; 25:4, s. 376-384
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Changes over time in information processing speed and executive functions (EFs) were studied in patients with suspected low-grade gliomas (LGG) 3 years after diagnosis. Using a person-oriented approach, the study aimed at focusing solely on two cognitive domains known to be significant in the understanding of the impact of white matter diseases. The Barkley’s hybrid model of EFs was used as a theoretical framework for the evaluation of EFs. The majority of the patients showed a decline in at least one of these two cognitive domains indicating that the progress of diffuse brain injury cannot be neglected in understanding neuropsychological changes over time in patients with LGG. In our sample, higher age and radiological signs of radiotherapy-induced brain atrophy were seen in patients with a decline in both domains.
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12. |
- Forsberg, Simon, et al.
(author)
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The Shepherds' Tale : A Genome-Wide Study across 9 Dog Breeds Implicates Two Loci in the Regulation of Fructosamine Serum Concentration in Belgian Shepherds
- 2015
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In: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 10:5
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Diabetes mellitus is a serious health problem in both dogs and humans. Certain dog breeds show high prevalence of the disease, whereas other breeds are at low risk. Fructosamine and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) are two major biomarkers of glycaemia, where serum concentrations reflect glucose turnover over the past few weeks to months. In this study, we searched for genetic factors influencing variation in serum fructosamine concentration in healthy dogs using data from nine dog breeds. Considering all breeds together, we did not find any genome-wide significant associations to fructosamine serum concentration. However, by performing breed-specific analyses we revealed an association on chromosome 3 (rho(corrected) approximate to 1:68 x 10(-6)) in Belgian shepherd dogs of the Malinois subtype. The associated region and its close neighbourhood harbours interesting candidate genes such as LETM1 and GAPDH that are important in glucose metabolism and have previously been implicated in the aetiology of diabetes mellitus. To further explore the genetics of this breed specificity, we screened the genome for reduced heterozygosity stretches private to the Belgian shepherd breed. This revealed a region with reduced heterozygosity that shows a statistically significant interaction (rho = 0.025) with the association region on chromosome 3. This region also harbours some interesting candidate genes and regulatory regions but the exact mechanisms underlying the interaction are still unknown. Nevertheless, this finding provides a plausible explanation for breed-specific genetic effects for complex traits in dogs. Shepherd breeds are at low risk of developing diabetes mellitus. The findings in Belgian shepherds could be connected to a protective mechanism against the disease. Further insight into the regulation of glucose metabolism could improve diagnostic and therapeutic methods for diabetes mellitus.
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13. |
- Forslin, Y., et al.
(author)
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Gadolinium Retention in the Brain: An MRI Relaxometry Study of Linear and Macrocyclic Gadolinium-Based Contrast Agents in Multiple Sclerosis
- 2019
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In: American Journal of Neuroradiology. - : AMER SOC NEURORADIOLOGY. - 0195-6108 .- 1936-959X. ; 40:8, s. 1265-1273
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Brain gadolinium retention is consistently reported for linear gadolinium-based contrast agents, while the results for macrocyclics are contradictory and potential clinical manifestations remain controversial. Furthermore, most previous studies are based on conventional T1-weighted MR imaging. We therefore aimed to quantitatively investigate longitudinal and transversal relaxation in the brain in relation to previous gadolinium-based contrast agent administration and explore associations with disability in multiple sclerosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty-five patients with MS and 21 healthy controls underwent longitudinal and transverse relaxation rate (R-1 and R-2) relaxometry. Patients were divided into linear, mixed, and macrocyclic groups based on previous gadolinium-based contrast agent administration. Neuropsychological testing was performed in 53 patients. The dentate nucleus, globus pallidus, caudate nucleus, and thalamus were manually segmented. Repeatability measures were also performed. RESULTS: The relaxometry was robust (2.0% scan-rescan difference) and detected higher R-1 (dentate nucleus, globus pallidus, caudate nucleus, thalamus) and R-2 (globus pallidus, caudate nucleus) in patients receiving linear gadolinium-based contrast agents compared with controls. The number of linear gadolinium-based contrast agent administrations was associated with higher R-1 and R-2 in all regions (except R-2 in the thalamus). No similar differences and associations were found for the macrocyclic group. Higher relaxation was associated with lower information-processing speed (dentate nucleus, thalamus) and verbal fluency (caudate nucleus, thalamus). No associations were found with physical disability or fatigue. CONCLUSIONS: Previous linear, but not macrocyclic, gadolinium-based contrast agent administration is associated with higher relaxation rates in a dose-dependent manner. Higher relaxation in some regions is associated with cognitive impairment but not physical disability or fatigue in MS. The findings should be interpreted with care but encourage studies into gadolinium retention and cognition.
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16. |
- Neuman (Lindvall), Jannika, et al.
(author)
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MATHEMATICS TEXTBOOKS’ IMPACT ON CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION : EXAMINING THE VIEWS OF 278 SWEDISH TEACHERS
- 2015
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In: <em>Studies in Subject Didactics 10. Nordic Research in Mathematics Education - Proceedings of NORMA14</em>. - 9789525993172 ; , s. 215-225
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- For mathematics teachers to achieve an instruction where students have the opportunity to develop different mathematical competencies is difficult without access to adequate support. The most commonly used supportive tools are by far mathematics textbooks. However, in Sweden, there is very little research available on the characteristics of these materials. In this paper we aim to examine the relationship between teachers’ (K–6) perceived support from the curriculum materials and their mathematics instruction, looking for patterns associated with commonly used textbooks. Our analysis of teachers’ responses to a questionnaire (n=278) showed major differences regarding perceived support for teachers using different textbooks. This pattern was also evident when the teachers were to report about their mathematics instruction.
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17. |
- Sakhnini, Laila I, et al.
(author)
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Improving the Developability of an Antigen Binding Fragment by Aspartate Substitutions
- 2019
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In: Biochemistry. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0006-2960 .- 1520-4995. ; 58:24, s. 2750-2759
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aggregation can be a major challenge in the development of antibody-based pharmaceuticals as it can compromise the quality of the product during bioprocessing, formulation, and drug administration. To avoid aggregation, developability assessment is often run in parallel with functional optimization in the early screening phases to flag and deselect problematic molecules. As developability assessment can be demanding with regard to time and resources, there is a high focus on the development of molecule design strategies for engineering molecules with a high developability potential. Previously, Dudgeon et al. [(2012) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 109, 10879-10884] demonstrated how Asp substitutions at specific positions in human variable domains and single-chain variable fragments could decrease the aggregation propensity. Here, we have investigated whether these Asp substitutions would improve the developability potential of a murine antigen binding fragment (Fab). A full combinatorial library consisting of 393 Fab variants with single, double, and triple Asp substitutions was first screened in silico with Rosetta; thereafter, 26 variants with the highest predicted thermodynamic stability were selected for production. All variants were subjected to a set of developability studies. Interestingly, most variants had thermodynamic stability on par with or improved relative to that of the wild type. Twenty-five of the variants exhibited improved nonspecificity. Half of the variants exhibited improved aggregation resistance. Strikingly, while we observed remarkable improvement in the developability potential, the Asp substitutions had no substantial effect on the antigenic binding affinity. Altogether, by combining the insertion of negative charges and the in silico screen based on computational models, we were able to improve the developability of the Fab rapidly.
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18. |
- Selin, Lotta, et al.
(author)
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High-dose versus low-dose of oxytocin for labour augmentation : a randomised controlled trial
- 2019
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In: Women and Birth. - : ELSEVIER. - 1871-5192 .- 1878-1799. ; 32:4, s. 356-363
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Problem: Delayed labour progress is common in nulliparous women, often leading to caesarean section despite augmentation of labour with synthetic oxytocin.Background: High-or low-dose oxytocin can be used for augmentation of delayed labour, but evidence for promoting high-dose is weak.Aim: To ascertain the effect on caesarean section rate of high-dose versus low-dose oxytocin for augmentation of delayed labour in nulliparous women.Methods: Multicentre parallel double-blind randomised controlled trial (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01587625) in six labour wards in Sweden. Healthy nulliparous women at term with singleton cephalic fetal presentation, spontaneous labour onset, confirmed delay in labour and ruptured membranes (n = 1351) were randomised to labour augmentation with either high-dose (6.6 mU/minute) or low-dose (3.3 mU/minute) oxytocin infusion.Findings: 1295 women were included in intention-to-treat analysis (high-dose n = 647; low-dose n = 648). Caesarean section rates did not differ between groups (12.4% and 12.3%, 95% Confidence Interval -3.7 to 3.8). Women with high-dose oxytocin had: shorter labours (-23.4 min); more uterine tachysystole (43.2% versus 33.5%); similar rates of instrumental vaginal births, with more due to fetal distress (43.8% versus 22.7%) and fewer due to failure to progress (39.6% versus 58.8%). There were no differences in neonatal outcomes.Discussion: Our study could not confirm results of two systematic reviews indicating, with weak evidence, that use of high-dose oxytocin was associated with lower frequency of caesarean section.Conclusion: We found no advantages for routine use of high-dose oxytocin in the management of delay in labour. Low-dose oxytocin regimen is recommended to avoid unnecessary events of tachysystole and fetal distress.
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19. |
- Stenson, David, et al.
(author)
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Induction of labor in women with a uterine scar
- 2016
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In: The Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1476-7058 .- 1476-4954. ; 29:20, s. 3286-3291
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective: To evaluate the frequency of uterine rupture following induction of labor in women with a previous cesarean section. Misoprostol was compared to other methods of induction.Methods: A retrospective cohort study of 208 women attempting induction of labor after one previous cesarean section. Delivery data were collected retrospectively and compared. Group 1(2009-2010) was compared with Group 2 (2012-2013). In Group 1, the main method of induction was vaginal PGE(2) (prostaglandin-E-2), amniotomy, oxytocin or a balloon catheter. In Group 2, the dominant method of induction was an oral solution of misoprostol. Main outcome measures: frequency of uterine rupture in the two groups.Results: Nine cases (4.3%) of uterine rupture occurred. There was no significant difference in the frequency of uterine rupture following the change of method of induction from PGE(2), amniotomy, oxytocin or mechanical dilatation with a balloon catheter to orally administered misoprostol (4.1 versus 4.6%, p=0.9). All ruptures occurred in women with no prior vaginal delivery.Conclusion: The shift to oral misoprostol as the primary method of induction in women with a previous cesarean section did not increase the frequency of uterine rupture in the cohort studied.
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20. |
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Tjejer och teknik
- 2019
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Artistic workabstract
- Studier visar att intresset för teknikämnet i skolan sjunker dramatiskt bland flickor mellan årskurs 5 och årskurs 8. Är det verkligen så att flickor tappar allt intresse för teknik eller visar siffrorna på något annat? Ulrika Sultan, doktorand i teknikens didaktik vid Institutionen för samhälls- och välfärdsstudier vid Linköpings universitet, menar att flickor ÄR intresserade av teknik och GÖR teknik hela tiden, men att de inte definierar det de gör som teknik.Arbetsgivarorganisationen Teknikföretagen lyfter fram att för att Sverige ska kunna behålla sin position i framkant när det gäller industriell utveckling och innovation behövs en breddad rekrytering till tekniska yrken.Utställningen tar med besökaren till miljöer där kvinnor, flickor och tjejer i olika åldrar rör sig i teknikens värld. Här lyfts kvinnliga förebilder fram, eldsjälar och föreningar som jobbar för att stärka tjejers tekniska självförtroende.Utställningsperiod 30/8-19/12 2019 (Vallabiblioteket) och 20/1-31/3 2020 (Campus Norrköpings bibliotek)
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