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- Niemi, MEK, et al.
(author)
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- 2021
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swepub:Mat__t
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- 2019
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)
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- Delios, A., et al.
(author)
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Examining the generalizability of research findings from archival data
- 2022
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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. - 0027-8424 .- 1091-6490. ; 119:30
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This initiative examined systematically the extent to which a large set of archival research findings generalizes across contexts. We repeated the key analyses for 29 original strategic management effects in the same context (direct reproduction) as well as in 52 novel time periods and geographies; 45% of the reproductions returned results matching the original reports together with 55% of tests in different spans of years and 40% of tests in novel geographies. Some original findings were associated with multiple new tests. Reproducibility was the best predictor of generalizability-for the findings that proved directly reproducible, 84% emerged in other available time periods and 57% emerged in other geographies. Overall, only limited empirical evidence emerged for context sensitivity. In a forecasting survey, independent scientists were able to anticipate which effects would find support in tests in new samples.
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- Tierney, W., et al.
(author)
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A creative destruction approach to replication : Implicit work and sex morality across cultures
- 2021
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In: Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0022-1031 .- 1096-0465. ; 93
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- How can we maximize what is learned from a replication study? In the creative destruction approach to replication, the original hypothesis is compared not only to the null hypothesis, but also to predictions derived from multiple alternative theoretical accounts of the phenomenon. To this end, new populations and measures are included in the design in addition to the original ones, to help determine which theory best accounts for the results across multiple key outcomes and contexts. The present pre-registered empirical project compared the Implicit Puritanism account of intuitive work and sex morality to theories positing regional, religious, and social class differences; explicit rather than implicit cultural differences in values; self-expression vs. survival values as a key cultural fault line; the general moralization of work; and false positive effects. Contradicting Implicit Puritanism's core theoretical claim of a distinct American work morality, a number of targeted findings replicated across multiple comparison cultures, whereas several failed to replicate in all samples and were identified as likely false positives. No support emerged for theories predicting regional variability and specific individual-differences moderators (religious affiliation, religiosity, and education level). Overall, the results provide evidence that work is intuitively moralized across cultures.
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- Kennedy, K. M., et al.
(author)
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Questioning the fetal microbiome illustrates pitfalls of low-biomass microbial studies
- 2023
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In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 613:7945, s. 639-649
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Whether the human fetus and the prenatal intrauterine environment (amniotic fluid and placenta) are stably colonized by microbial communities in a healthy pregnancy remains a subject of debate. Here we evaluate recent studies that characterized microbial populations in human fetuses from the perspectives of reproductive biology, microbial ecology, bioinformatics, immunology, clinical microbiology and gnotobiology, and assess possible mechanisms by which the fetus might interact with microorganisms. Our analysis indicates that the detected microbial signals are likely the result of contamination during the clinical procedures to obtain fetal samples or during DNA extraction and DNA sequencing. Furthermore, the existence of live and replicating microbial populations in healthy fetal tissues is not compatible with fundamental concepts of immunology, clinical microbiology and the derivation of germ-free mammals. These conclusions are important to our understanding of human immune development and illustrate common pitfalls in the microbial analyses of many other low-biomass environments. The pursuit of a fetal microbiome serves as a cautionary example of the challenges of sequence-based microbiome studies when biomass is low or absent, and emphasizes the need for a trans-disciplinary approach that goes beyond contamination controls by also incorporating biological, ecological and mechanistic concepts.
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- Venter, C, et al.
(author)
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Dietary factors during pregnancy and atopic outcomes in childhood: a systematic review from the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
- 2020
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In: Pediatric allergy and immunology : official publication of the European Society of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology. - : Wiley. - 1399-3038. ; 31:8, s. 889-912
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Allergic diseases are an increasing public health concern and early life environment is critical to immune development. Maternal diet during pregnancy has been linked to offspring allergy risk. In turn, maternal diet is a potentially modifiable factor, which could be targeted as an allergy prevention strategy. In this systematic review, we focused on non-allergen specific modifying factors of the maternal diet in pregnancyon allergy outcomes in their offspring.We undertook a systematic review of studies investigating the association between maternal diet during pregnancy and allergic outcomes (asthma/wheeze, hay fever/allergic rhinitis/seasonal allergies, eczema/atopic dermatitis (AD), food allergies and allergic sensitization) in offspring. Studies evaluating the effect of food allergen intake were excluded. We searched three bibliographic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science) through February 26, 2019. Evidence was critically appraised using modified versions of the Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias tool for intervention trials and the National Institute for Clinical Excellence methodological checklist for cohort and case-control studies and meta-analysis performed from RCTs.We identified 95 papers: 17 RCTs and 78 observational (case-control, cross-sectional and cohort) studies. Observational studies varied in design and dietary intakes and often had contradictory findings. Based on our meta-analysis, RCTs showed that vitamin Dsupplementation (OR: 0.72; 95% CI: 0.56 - 0.92) is associated with a reduced risk of wheeze/asthma. A positive trend for omega-3 fatty acids was observed for asthma/wheeze but this did not reach statistical significance (OR: 0.70; 95% CI: 0.45 - 1.08). Omega-3 supplementation was also associated with a non-significant decreased risk of allergic rhinitis (OR: 0.76; 95% CI: 0.56 - 1.04). Neither vitamin D nor omega-3 fatty acids were associated an altered risk of AD or food allergy.Prenatal supplementation with vitamin D may have beneficial effects for prevention of asthma. Additional nutritional factors seem to be required for modulating the risk of skin and gastrointestinal outcomes. We found no consistent evidence regarding other dietary factors, perhaps due to differences in study design and host features that were not considered. Whilst confirmatory studies are required, there is also a need for performing RCTs beyond single nutrients/foods.
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- Bauknight, D. K., et al.
(author)
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Importance of thorough tissue and cellular level characterization of targeted drugs in the evaluation of pharmacodynamic effects
- 2019
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In: PLoS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 14:11
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Targeted nanoparticle delivery is a promising strategy for increasing efficacy and limiting side effects of therapeutics. When designing a targeted liposomal formulation, the in vivo biodistribution of the particles must be characterized to determine the value of the targeting approach. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) agonists effectively treat metabolic syndrome by decreasing dyslipidemia and insulin resistance but side effects have limited their use, making them a class of compounds that could benefit from targeted liposomal delivery. The adipose targeting sequence peptide (ATS) could fit this role, as it has been shown to bind to adipose tissue endothelium and induce weight loss when delivered conjugated to a pro-apoptotic peptide. To date, however, a full assessment of ATS in vivo biodistribution has not been reported, leaving important unanswered questions regarding the exact mechanisms whereby ATS targeting enhances therapeutic efficacy. We designed this study to evaluate the biodistribution of ATS-conjugated liposomes loaded with the PPARα/γ dual agonist tesaglitazar in leptin-deficient ob/ob mice. The ATS-liposome biodistribution in adipose tissue and other organs was examined at the cellular and tissue level using microscopy, flow cytometry, and fluorescent molecular tomography. Changes in metabolic parameters and gene expression were measured by target and off-target tissue responses to the treatment. Unexpectedly, ATS targeting did not increase liposomal uptake in adipose relative to other tissues, but did increase uptake in the kidneys. Targeting also did not significantly alter metabolic parameters. Analysis of the liposome cellular distribution in the stromal vascular fraction with flow cytometry revealed high uptake by multiple cell types. Our findings highlight the need for thorough study of in vivo biodistribution when evaluating a targeted therapy. © 2019 Bauknight et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
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- O'Mahony, M. A., et al.
(author)
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Investigation into the mechanism of solution-mediated transformation from FI to FIII carbamazepine : The role of dissolution and the interaction between polymorph surfaces
- 2013
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In: Crystal Growth and Design. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1528-7505 .- 1528-7483. ; 13:5, s. 1861-1871
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The solution mediated polymorphic transformation (SMPT) of the pharmaceutical compound carbamazepine was investigated in ethanol. Bulk transformation experiments were performed by monitoring the solution concentration and polymorphic composition over time during the transformation from the metastable FI polymorph to the stable FIII polymorph for a variety of initial conditions. Microscopic techniques, single-crystal X-ray diffraction, and computational methods were used to analyze the transformation. The nucleating behavior of the stable FIII polymorph was a significant factor affecting the transformation time across the range of experiments. The surfaces of the metastable FI particles were responsible for the nucleation of FIII during the transformation. However, no specific lattice matching or epitaxy was conclusively identified. A modest amount of dissolution of the FI particles was found to favor the nucleation of FIII but where extensive dissolution or no significant dissolution occurred this had a negative effect on the nucleation of FIII.
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- O'Mahony, M. A., et al.
(author)
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Measuring the solubility of a quickly transforming metastable polymorph of carbamazepine
- 2013
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In: Organic Process Research and Development. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1083-6160 .- 1520-586X. ; 17:3, s. 512-518
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The solubility of the stable FIII polymorph of the pharmaceutical compound carbamazepine was measured by determining its solubility gravimetrically in ethanol and methanol. Where the metastable FI polymorph was suspended in a solution of ethanol, the stable FIII polymorph nucleated immediately, initiating a solution-mediated transformation from FI to FIII. This meant that the FI polymorph was not in thermodynamic equilibrium with the solution as FI was continually dissolving while FIII was growing. We show that the solubility of FI can be accurately measured by in situ microscopy using an adaption of the bracketing method, and the results show that the solubility is close to but higher than the maximum solution concentration reached during the solution mediated transformation from FI to FIII carbamazepine in both solvents. The technique demonstrates a relatively simple and robust method for determining the solubility of a metastable crystalline phase which transforms quickly in solution.
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24. |
- O'Mahony, M., et al.
(author)
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Investigating the dissolution of the metastable triclinic polymorph of carbamazepine using in situ microscopy
- 2014
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In: CrystEngComm. - Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)) : Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). - 1466-8033. ; 16:20, s. 4133-4141
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Despite a tendency to undergo solution-mediated polymorphic transformation, the dissolution behaviour of the metastable FI (triclinic) polymorph of the pharmaceutical compound carbamazepine (CBZ) was investigated using in situ optical microscopy. Experiments were performed at an undersaturation where single crystals of the metastable FI polymorph dissolved. Dissolution in different solvents was investigated at a constant undersaturation. Separately the sublimation of FI was examined and additionally the dissolution was observed at undersaturations where the more stable FIII polymorph crystallized. The results show that both the dissolution and sublimation of FI occur primarily in the direction of the a-axis of the FI crystal structure where the CBZ molecules are found to stack in this direction. The order for the dissolution rate of FI was acetonitrile ≥ methanol > ethanol. The order of the dissolution rates in each of the solvents is inversely correlated to the viscosity and the binding energy of the solvents with the (100) surface of FI in each of the solvents. This suggests that the rate determining step for the dissolution may be either the diffusion or the detachment of CBZ molecules from the surface of FI. A notable difference in dissolution behaviour is also observed at undersaturations where the more stable FIII polymorph nucleates and grows.
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25. |
- Osinski, V., et al.
(author)
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In vivo liposomal delivery of PPAR alpha/gamma dual agonist tesaglitazar in a model of obesity enriches macrophage targeting and limits liver and kidney drug effects
- 2020
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In: Theranostics. - : Ivyspring International Publisher. - 1838-7640. ; 10:2, s. 585-601
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Macrophages are important regulators of obesity-associated inflammation and PPAR alpha and -gamma agonism in macrophages has anti-inflammatory effects. In this study, we tested the efficacy with which liposomal delivery could target the PPAR alpha/gamma dual agonist tesaglitazar to macrophages while reducing drug action in common sites of drug toxicity: the liver and kidney, and whether tesaglitazar had anti-inflammatory effects in an in vivo model of obesity-associated dysmetabolism. Methods: Male leptin-deficient (ob/ob) mice were administered tesaglitazar or vehicle for one week in a standard oral formulation or encapsulated in liposomes. Following the end of treatment, circulating metabolic parameters were measured and pro-inflammatory adipose tissue macrophage populations were quantified by flow cytometry. Cellular uptake of liposomes in tissues was assessed using immunofluorescence and a broad panel of cell subset markers by flow cytometry. Finally, PPAR alpha/gamma gene target expression levels in the liver, kidney, and sorted macrophages were quantified to determine levels of drug targeting to and drug action in these tissues and cells. Results: Administration of a standard oral formulation of tesaglitazar effectively treated symptoms of obesity-associated dysmetabolism and reduced the number of pro-inflammatory adipose tissue macrophages. Macrophages are the major cell type that took up liposomes with many other immune and stromal cell types taking up liposomes to a lesser extent. Liposome delivery of tesaglitazar did not have effects on inflammatory macrophages nor did it improve metabolic parameters to the extent of a standard oral formulation. Liposomal delivery did, however, attenuate effects on liver weight and liver and kidney expression of PPAR alpha and -gamma gene targets compared to oral delivery. Conclusions: These findings reveal for the first time that tesaglitazar has anti-inflammatory effects on adipose tissue macrophage populations in vivo. These data also suggest that while nanoparticle delivery reduced off-target effects, yet the lack of tesaglitazar actions in non-targeted cells such (as hepatocytes and adipocytes) and the uptake of drug-loaded liposomes in many other cell types, albeit to a lesser extent, may have impacted overall therapeutic efficacy. This fulsome analysis of cellular uptake of tesaglitazar-loaded liposomes provides important lessons for future studies of liposome drug delivery.
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- Zanti, Maria, et al.
(author)
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A Likelihood Ratio Approach for Utilizing Case-Control Data in the Clinical Classification of Rare Sequence Variants : Application to BRCA1 and BRCA2
- 2023
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In: Human Mutation. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 1059-7794 .- 1098-1004. ; 2023
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A large number of variants identified through clinical genetic testing in disease susceptibility genes are of uncertain significance (VUS). Following the recommendations of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) and Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP), the frequency in case-control datasets (PS4 criterion) can inform their interpretation. We present a novel case-control likelihood ratio-based method that incorporates gene-specific age-related penetrance. We demonstrate the utility of this method in the analysis of simulated and real datasets. In the analysis of simulated data, the likelihood ratio method was more powerful compared to other methods. Likelihood ratios were calculated for a case-control dataset of BRCA1 and BRCA2 variants from the Breast Cancer Association Consortium (BCAC) and compared with logistic regression results. A larger number of variants reached evidence in favor of pathogenicity, and a substantial number of variants had evidence against pathogenicity-findings that would not have been reached using other case-control analysis methods. Our novel method provides greater power to classify rare variants compared with classical case-control methods. As an initiative from the ENIGMA Analytical Working Group, we provide user-friendly scripts and preformatted Excel calculators for implementation of the method for rare variants in BRCA1, BRCA2, and other high-risk genes with known penetrance.
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