| 1. |
- Baker, Karis H., et al.
(author)
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The 10,000-year biocultural history of fallow deer and its implications for conservation policy
- 2024
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In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 1091-6490. ; 121:8
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Over the last 10,000 y, humans have manipulated fallow deer populations with varying outcomes. Persian fallow deer (Dama mesopotamica) are now endangered. European fallow deer (Dama dama) are globally widespread and are simultaneously considered wild, domestic, endangered, invasive and are even the national animal of Barbuda and Antigua. Despite their close association with people, there is no consensus regarding their natural ranges or the timing and circumstances of their human-mediated translocations and extirpations. Our mitochondrial analyses of modern and archaeological specimens revealed two distinct clades of European fallow deer present in Anatolia and the Balkans. Zooarchaeological evidence suggests these regions were their sole glacial refugia. By combining biomolecular analyses with archaeological and textual evidence, we chart the declining distribution of Persian fallow deer and demonstrate that humans repeatedly translocated European fallow deer, sourced from the most geographically distant populations. Deer taken to Neolithic Chios and Rhodes derived not from nearby Anatolia, but from the Balkans. Though fallow deer were translocated throughout the Mediterranean as part of their association with the Greco-Roman goddesses Artemis and Diana, deer taken to Roman Mallorca were not locally available Dama dama, but Dama mesopotamica. Romans also initially introduced fallow deer to Northern Europe but the species became extinct and was reintroduced in the medieval period, this time from Anatolia. European colonial powers then transported deer populations across the globe. The biocultural histories of fallow deer challenge preconceptions about the divisions between wild and domestic species and provide information that should underpin modern management strategies.
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| 2. |
- Emilsson, Ulla Melin, et al.
(author)
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Lack of Coordination between Health Care and Social Care in Multi-Professional Teamwork : the Obstacle for Coherent Care of Older People Suffering from Multi-Morbidity
- 2022
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In: Journal of Population Ageing. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1874-7876 .- 1874-7884. ; 15:2, s. 319-335
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The lack of a cohesive health and social care is a well-known problem of significance for ageing people in general and frail older people in particular. Responsibility for organising and conducting social care and healthcare for the elderly rests on different principals in different countries but difficulties with organisational coordination and collaboration between professions and authorities in social care and healthcare is an extensive concern worldwide. Regardless of the distribution of responsibilities, collaboration and coordination structures are complex and often lead to problems. However, the gap in the coordination between different organisations and the collaboration between professions, implying that frail older people with major care needs still living in their own homes are pinched, has received hardly any recognition. By closely following an implementation project focused on teamwork in order to improve collaboration and coordination between social care and healthcare, the purpose of this article is to fill this gap with the help of an example from Sweden. Data consisted of event diaries, observations, focus groups, structured questionnaires and interviews. Findings showed that multi-professional teams certainly were established, but did not work or last. Among the obstacles found the most prominent features were the various professions’ own organisations, territorial thinking and rivalries. The whole idea of the initiative to achieve a cohesive healthcare and social care for ageing frail older people fell through. By letting this happen, not only did the project hinder the development of better practice in serving older adults, but also cemented the problematic structures it was intended to dissolve.
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| 3. |
- Gunnarsson, Lena, 1978-, et al.
(author)
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Chemistry or service? Sugar daddies’ (re)quest for mutuality within the confines of commercial exchange
- 2022
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In: Journal of Sex Research. - : Taylor & Francis. - 0022-4499 .- 1559-8519. ; 59:3, s. 309-320
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- With the emergence and global proliferation of ‘sugar dating’ websites, the phenomenon of sugar dating is gaining increased attention. Sugar dating is described by these websites as arrangements based on an exchange of financial or other forms of support for intimacy and companionship. The framing of sugar dating as something in-between a business transaction and mutually enjoyable dating serves as the point of departure of this article, which draws on semi-structured interviews and a survey questionnaire with ‘sugar daddies’ engaged in heterosexual sugar dating in Sweden. The article examines how the tension between economic instrumentality and the ideal of mutual enjoyment is played out in ‘sugar daddies’ accounts of their sugar dating experiences. We demonstrate that the participants desire encounters with ‘sugar babies’ to be based on both sexual and relational mutuality, i.e., they want the women to enjoy being with them beyond the economic rewards. We show that the men’s use of economic incentives to gain access to ‘sugar babies’ stands in a relationship of tension with their desire for interactions to be based on mutuality. However, through various mechanisms they still manage to reap the fruits of the experience of mutuality offered in sugar dating encounters.
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| 4. |
- Gunnarsson, Lena, 1978-, et al.
(author)
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Mapping sugar dating in Sweden
- 2020
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Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Since the launch of the first sugar dating site in Sweden in 2017, sugar dating has recurred as a hot topic in media and public debate. Although, as this paper will address, the very definition of sugar dating is contested, it is generally comprised of an arrangement between a ‘sugar babe’ and a ‘sugar daddy’ (or sometimes ‘mama’), where dating and/or sex is compensated for by the daddy in the form of money and/or other gifts. The aim of this paper is to map the practices of sugar dating in a Swedish context, answering two broad questions:What are the practices of sugar dating?Who are the sugar daters?The paper is based on qualitative and quantitative data from an ongoing Forte-funded research project on sugar dating. The bulk of the material was gathered in 2019 and consists of three sets of empirical data: semi-structured interviews with sugar babes and sugar daddies; survey data of members of a major sugar dating site; and membership data of registered users of the same sugar dating site.The paper uses a broad definition of sugar dating, reflecting the participants’ own understandings. A striking feature in the material is the wide variety of practices engaged in under the rubric of ‘sugar dating’, including: the straight-forward selling of sex; economically compensated relationships imitating conventional coupledom; fancy, gender-traditional dates paid for by the ‘daddy’ and ending with sex (with or without additional monetary compensation); and economically compensated online relationships with no sexual content. This multiplicity contrasts both with the wide-spread discourse in Swedish public debate that sugar dating is simply a cover for conventional prostitution, and with the sugar dating industry’s – and some sugar dating researchers’ – claims that sugar dating is something other than prostitution.
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| 5. |
- Gunnarsson, Lena, 1978-, et al.
(author)
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Varieties of Sugar Dating in Sweden : Content, Compensation, Motivations
- 2023
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In: Social problems. - : Oxford University Press. - 0037-7791 .- 1533-8533. ; 70:4, s. 1044-1062
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- With the emergence and global proliferation of “sugar dating” websites, the phenomenon of sugar dating is increasingly on the public agenda. Sugar dating is described by thesesites as dating arrangements based on an exchange of intimacy and companionship for financial or other forms of support. Given that sex is often part of the arrangements, claims are widespread, yet disputed, that sugar dating is a form of prostitution. Based on interviews and a survey questionnaire, this article maps the practice of heterosexual sugar dating in Sweden as described by “sugar babies” and “sugar daddies” themselves. It shows a striking diversity in regard to what sugar dating means for participants, both in terms of what they do when sugar dating and in terms of how money and/or other material goods are involved in arrangements. A further key difference between sugar dating arrangements is whether “sugar babies” enter them for purely instrumental reasons or enjoy them in and of them-selves. Although not all kinds of sugar dating include sex, we argue that sugar dating sitesshould be seen as key actors in the expansion of the sex (and intimacy) industry, drawing on and articulating pre-existing tendencies within it.
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| 6. |
- Ling Lundström, Maria, et al.
(author)
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Faecal biomarkers for diagnosis and prediction of disease course in treatment-naïve patients with IBD.
- 2024
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In: Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics. - 0269-2813 .- 1365-2036.
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Faecal biomarkers can be used to assess inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).AIM: To explore the performance of some promising biomarkers in diagnosing and predicting disease course in IBD.METHODS: We included 65 patients with treatment-naïve, new-onset Crohn's disease (CD), 90 with ulcerative colitis (UC), 67 symptomatic controls (SC) and 41 healthy controls (HC) in this prospective observational study. We analysed faecal samples for calprotectin (FC), myeloperoxidase (MPO), human neutrophil lipocalin (HNL), eosinophil cationic protein ECP and eosinophil-derived neurotoxin (EDN) and compared markers among groups. We assessed the diagnostic capability of biomarkers with receiver operating characteristic curves. Clinical disease course was determined for each patient with IBD and analysed the association with biomarkers by logistic regression.RESULTS: All markers were elevated at inclusion in patients with IBD compared with HC (p < 0.001) and SC (p < 0.001). FC (AUC 0.85, 95% CI: 0.79-0.89) and MPO (AUC 0.85, 95% CI: 0.80-0.89) showed the highest diagnostic accuracy in distinguishing IBD from SC. The diagnostic ability of biomarkers differed between IBD subtypes with the highest performance for FC and MPO in CD. The diagnostic accuracy was further improved by combining FC and MPO (p = 0.02). Levels of FC, MPO and HNL at inclusion were predictive of an aggressive disease course with MPO showing the strongest association (p = 0.006).CONCLUSIONS: This study provides new insight into the diagnostic and prognostic capability of neutrophil and eosinophil biomarkers in IBD and suggests that MPO, alone or in combination with FC, may add to the diagnostic power of faecal biomarkers.
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| 7. |
- Ling Lundström, Maria, et al.
(author)
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Fecal Biomarkers of Neutrophil and Eosinophil Origin Reflect the Response to Biological Therapy and Corticosteroids in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- 2023
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In: Clinical and Translational Gastroenterology. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 2155-384X. ; 14:8
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Introduction: Fecal calprotectin (FC) is anoninvasive tool for examining response to biologics in inflammatory boweldisease (IBD), but its performance in relation to other novel fecal markers of various cellular origins is unknown.Methods: We performed a prospective multicenter cohort study and included patients with active IBD who provided a fecal sample at initiation of biological therapy. Levels of FC, myeloperoxidase (MPO), human neutrophil lipocalin (HNL), and eosinophil-derived neurotoxin (EDN) were analyzed and related to clinical remission status at 3 months. Changes in levels of markers at 3 months were calculated, and the impact of concomitant use of corticosteroids at baseline was estimated.Results: In patients achieving clinical remission (n = 27), a decrease in levels of FC (P = 0.005), MPO (P < 0.001), HNL (P < 0.001), and EDN (P < 0.001) was observed, whereas no significant decrease was seen in patients not achieving remission (n = 39). There was a significant difference in the change in the level of MPO (P = 0.01) and HNL (P = 0.02) between patients achieving clinical remission and those who did not, but changes in FC and EDN could not differentiate between these groups. Patients with concomitant systemic corticosteroids at inclusion had lower levels of HNL (P = 0.01) and EDN (P < 0.001) at baseline, compared with patients without corticosteroids.Discussion: Fecal MPO, HNL, and EDN are all promising biomarkers for assessing the treatment outcome of biologics in patients with IBD. Fecal levels of EDN and HNL are significantly affected by corticosteroids indicating a greater sensitivity to the effects of corticosteroids compared with levels of FC and MPO.
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| 8. |
- Maasfeh, Lujain, et al.
(author)
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Impaired Luminal Control of Intestinal Macrophage Maturation in Patients With Ulcerative Colitis During Remission
- 2021
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In: Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology. - : Elsevier BV. - 2352-345X. ; 12:4, s. 1415-1432
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND & AIMS: Intestinal macrophages adopt a hyporesponsive phenotype through education by local signals. Lack of proper macrophage maturation in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) in remission may initiate gut inflammation. The aim, therefore, was to determine the effects of fecal luminal factors derived from healthy donors and UC patients in remission on macrophage phenotype and function. METHODS: Fecal supernatants (FS) were extracted from fecal samples of healthy subjects and UC patients in remission. Monocytes were matured into macrophages in the presence of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor without/with FS, stimulated with lipopolysaccharide, and macrophage phenotype and function were assessed. Fecal metabolomic profiles were analyzed by gas-chromatography/mass-spectrometry. RESULTS: Fecal luminal factors derived from healthy donors were effective in down-regulating Toll-like receptor signaling, cytokine signaling, and antigen presentation in macrophages. Fecal luminal factors derived from UC patients in remission were less potent in inducing lipopolysaccharide hyporesponsiveness and modulating expression of genes involved in macrophage cytokine and Toll-like receptor signaling pathways. Although phagocytic and bactericidal abilities of macrophages were not affected by FS treatment, healthy FS-treated macrophages showed a greater ability to suppress cluster of differentiation 4(+) T-cell activation and interferon gamma secretion compared with UC remission FS-treated counterparts. Furthermore, metabolomic analysis showed differential fecal metabolite composition for healthy donors and UC patients in remission. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that UC patients in remission lack luminal signals able to condition macrophages toward a hyporesponsive and tolerogenic phenotype, which may contribute to their persistent vulnerability to relapse.
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| 9. |
- Mavroudis, Georgios, et al.
(author)
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Health-related quality of life in patients with long-standing ulcerative colitis in remission
- 2022
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In: Therapeutic Advances in Gastroenterology. - : SAGE Publications. - 1756-283X .- 1756-2848. ; 15:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Introduction: Ulcerative colitis (UC) contributes to impaired health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Although disease activity is the most important factor, reduced HRQoL has been reported even in quiescent UC. We aimed to determine HRQoL, and identify predictors thereof, in patients with long-standing UC in remission. Methods: In total, 66 patients with inactive UC were included 10 years after the disease onset. Clinical assessment including rigid sigmoidoscopy was performed to ensure remission. Data on demographic, clinical, treatment-related, and psychological determinants of HRQoL were obtained with a structured interview and self-assessment questionnaires measuring gastrointestinal (GI) and psychological symptoms and fatigue. HRQoL was measured with the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). Results: The SF-36 domains were comparable to the general Swedish population, except for Vitality, where UC patients scored lower. Gender, smoking, comorbidity, or disease phenotype had no impact on HRQoL. In contrast, corticosteroid use and sick leave during the previous year were independently associated with Physical Functioning and Bodily Pain domains of SF-36; persisting GI symptoms during remission with Bodily Pain; and fatigue with Role Physical, General Health and Vitality. For all other SF-36 domains reflecting mental HRQoL (Social Function, Role Emotional, Mental Health), only psychological distress contributed uniquely. Conclusions: Although overall HRQoL in long-standing UC in remission is comparable to the general population, previous disease activity as well as persisting GI symptoms, fatigue, and psychological distress are associated with a lower HRQoL among these patients. Improved HRQoL may allow for better UC patient health and reduced costs for health care. © The Author(s), 2021.
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| 10. |
- Moraes Holst, Luiza, et al.
(author)
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Downregulated Mucosal Autophagy, Alpha Kinase-1 and IL-17 Signaling Pathways in Active and Quiescent Ulcerative Colitis
- 2022
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In: Clinical and Experimental Gastroenterology. - : DOVE MEDICAL PRESS LTD. - 1178-7023. ; 15, s. 129-144
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Improved mucosal immune profiling in active and quiescent colonic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is needed to develop therapeutic options for treating and preventing flares. This study therefore aimed to provide a comprehensive mucosal characterization with emphasis on immunological host response of patients with active ulcerative colitis (UC active), UC during remission (UC remission) and active colonic Crohn's disease (CD active).Methods: Colonic biopsies from 47 study subjects were collected for gene expression and pathway analyses using the NanoString host-response panel, including 776 genes and 56 immune-related pathways.Results: The majority of mucosal gene expression and signaling pathway scores were increased in active IBD (n=27) compared to healthy subjects (n=10). However, both active IBD and UC remission (n=10) demonstrated decreased gene expression and signaling pathway scores related to autophagy, alpha kinase-1 and IL-17 signaling pathways compared to healthy subjects. Further, UC remission was characterized by decreased scores of several signaling pathways linked to homeostasis along with increased mononuclear cell migration pathway score as compared to healthy subjects. No major differences in the colonic mucosal gene expression between CD active (n=7) and UC (n=20) active were observed.Conclusion: This study indicates that autophagy, alpha kinase-1 and IL-17 signaling pathways are persistently downregulated in UC irrespective of disease activity. Further, UC patients in remission present a unique mucosal environment, potentially preventing patients from reaching and sustaining true homeostasis. These findings may enable better comprehension of the remitting and relapsing pattern of colonic IBD and guide future treatment and prevention of flares.
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| 11. |
- Moraes Holst, Luiza, et al.
(author)
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Fecal Luminal Factors from Patients with Gastrointestinal Diseases Alter Gene Expression Profiles in Caco-2 Cells and Colonoids
- 2022
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In: International Journal of Molecular Sciences. - : MDPI AG. - 1422-0067 .- 1661-6596. ; 23:24
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Previous in vitro studies have shown that the intestinal luminal content, including metabolites, possibly regulates epithelial layer responses to harmful stimuli and promotes disease. Therefore, we aimed to test the hypothesis that fecal supernatants from patients with colon cancer (CC), ulcerative colitis (UC) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) contain distinct metabolite profiles and establish their effects on Caco-2 cells and human-derived colon organoids (colonoids). The metabolite profiles of fecal supernatants were analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and distinguished patients with CC (n = 6), UC (n = 6), IBS (n = 6) and healthy subjects (n = 6). Caco-2 monolayers and human apical-out colonoids underwent stimulation with fecal supernatants from different patient groups and healthy subjects. Their addition did not impair monolayer integrity, as measured by transepithelial electrical resistance; however, fecal supernatants from different patient groups and healthy subjects altered the gene expression of Caco-2 monolayers, as well as colonoid cultures. In conclusion, the stimulation of Caco-2 cells and colonoids with fecal supernatants derived from CC, UC and IBS patients altered gene expression profiles, potentially reflecting the luminal microenvironment of the fecal sample donor. This experimental approach allows for investigating the crosstalk at the gut barrier and the effects of the gut microenvironment in the pathogenesis of intestinal diseases.
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| 12. |
- Moraes, Luiza, et al.
(author)
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Systemic Inflammatory Protein Profiles Distinguish Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Ulcerative Colitis, Irrespective of Inflammation or IBS-Like Symptoms.
- 2020
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In: Inflammatory bowel diseases. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1536-4844 .- 1078-0998. ; 26:6, s. 874-884
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Inflammatory mechanisms of ulcerative colitis (UC) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may overlap or are part of different spectrums. However, potential links between inflammation and IBS-like symptoms in these patient groups are still unclear. The aim of this study was to determine if the systemic inflammatory protein (SIP) profiles differ between UC patients, with presence of inflammation or in remission with or without IBS-like symptoms, and IBS patients.Serum from patients with active UC (UCA), UC patients in remission with or without IBS-like symptoms (UCR+IBS, UCR-IBS), IBS patients (IBS), and healthy subjects (HS) was analyzed using the ProSeek Multiplex Inflammation kit, which detects 92 proteins.The exploratory cohort consisted of 166 subjects (UCA, n = 40; UCR-IBS, n = 45; UCR+IBS, n = 20; IBS, n = 40; HS, n = 21). Systemic inflammatory protein profiles separated UC from non-UC (HS and IBS) patients in multivariate analysis, revealing caspase 8, axin 1, sulfotransferase 1A1, and tumor necrosis factor superfamily member 14 as the variables most important to clustering. Although minor differences were detected between UCR+IBS and UCR-IBS, SIP profiles discriminated UCA from UCR, and interleukin (IL) 17C, IL17A, chemokine ligand 9, and transforming growth factor-α characterized active inflammation. SIP profiles weakly discriminated HS from IBS, although fibroblast growth factor 21 and IL6 serum levels were higher in IBS. Results were confirmed in a validation cohort (UCA, n = 15; UCR+IBS, n = 9; IBS, n = 14).SIP profiles distinguish UC patients from IBS patients, irrespective of inflammation or IBS-like symptoms, suggesting that inflammatory mechanisms of the diseases are part of different spectrums.
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| 13. |
- Steffan, Adrian, et al.
(author)
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Validation of an open source, remote web-based eye-tracking method (WebGazer) for research in early childhood
- 2024
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In: Infancy. - 1525-0008 .- 1532-7078. ; 29:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Measuring eye movements remotely via the participant's webcam promises to be an attractive methodological addition to in-person eye-tracking in the lab. However, there is a lack of systematic research comparing remote web-based eye-tracking with in-lab eye-tracking in young children. We report a multi-lab study that compared these two measures in an anticipatory looking task with toddlers using WebGazer.js and jsPsych. Results of our remotely tested sample of 18-27-month-old toddlers (N=125) revealed that web-based eye-tracking successfully captured goal-based action predictions, although the proportion of the goal-directed anticipatory looking was lower compared to the in-lab sample (N=70). As expected, attrition rate was substantially higher in the web-based (42%) than the in-lab sample (10%). Excluding trials based on visual inspection of the match of time-locked gaze coordinates and the participant's webcam video overlayed on the stimuli was an important preprocessing step to reduce noise in the data. We discuss the use of this remote web-based method in comparison with other current methodological innovations. Our study demonstrates that remote web-based eye-tracking can be a useful tool for testing toddlers, facilitating recruitment of larger and more diverse samples; a caveat to consider is the larger drop-out rate.
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| 14. |
- Strid, Lena, et al.
(author)
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Läs- och skrivkunnighet i det medeltida samhället
- 2022
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In: Kodex : Boken i medeltidens Sverige - Boken i medeltidens Sverige. - 2002-5017 .- 1654-6601. - 9789198580068 - 9789198580075 ; 54, s. 88-94
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Book chapter (peer-reviewed)
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| 15. |
- Strid, Lena
(author)
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Worked goose radii from medieval England : What were they used for?
- 2022
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In: Quaternary International. - : Elsevier BV. - 1040-6182. ; 626-627, s. 121-132
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper examines an artefact type of unknown function, found in several places across medieval England. These artefacts are mostly made from goose radii, but other species, such as chicken and hare, are also known. The worked radii have often been interpreted as being related to writing, but a closer examination suggests that they are more likely to be awls.
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| 16. |
- Strid, Sofia, Docent, 1976-, et al.
(author)
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Sugardating as Empowerment or Exploitation? Feminist Interpretations of the Commodification of Intimacy
- 2021
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The paper explores the mechanisms of heterosexual so called “sugardating” and the proliferation of specific sugardating online datingplatforms from a feminist perspective. Sugardating, according to these platforms, is an arrangement based on the exchange of intimacy andmaterial support, often including sex and money.The aim of the paper is to describe, analyse and provide a critique of sugardating seen as aspecific manifestation of the changing nature of the contemporary social organisation of human sexual experience, where women areincreasingly commodified. In so doing, the paper informs about and engages with lived life and real-world events, with the aim to stimulatediscussion over controversies surrounding contemporary sexualities.The analysis is based on semi-structured interviews with men andwomen with experience of sugardating (n=23), a structured questionnaire with members of a sugardating online community (n=100), andregistered membership profile data of a sugardating online community (n=34 578).The paper argues that sugardating needs to be situated and analysed in its socio-sexual and economic contexts, rather than from anindividual perspective.In remaining based on structural inequalities and unequally positioned men and women, sugardating perpetuatesgender and binary norms and practices of women’s sexuality as subordinate to men’s sexuality. Further, this inbuilt structural inequality doeslittle, contrary to postfeminist arguments, to transform or subvert fe/male (hetero)sexuality. Ultimately, sugardating serves to upholdprostitution and underpin the prevailing gender order. The enabling mechanisms are the continued commodification of women and theconflation of intimacy and patriarchal capitalist practices of the sex industry.
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| 17. |
- Strömbeck, Anna, et al.
(author)
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Fecal microbiota composition is linked to the postoperative disease course in patients with Crohn's disease
- 2020
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In: BMC Gastroenterology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-230X. ; 20:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background The role of the fecal microbiota composition for the postoperative disease course of patients with Crohn's disease (CD) who have undergone ileocecal resection remains to be established. In this study, we investigated if the fecal microbiota composition, determined by a high throughput test quantifying a pre-selected set of bacteria, is associated with the postoperative disease course of CD patients. Methods Fecal samples were obtained from healthy subjects as well as from CD patients, 3-10 weeks and 1 year after ileocaecal resection. The fecal microbial composition was analyzed by Genetic Analysis GA-map Dysbiosis test, targeting >= 300 bacteria on different taxonomic levels. Postoperative disease status was assessed endoscopically according to Rutgeerts scoring system 1 year after surgery. Differences in fecal microbiota composition between groups were analyzed by multivariate factor analyses and cluster analysis. Microbial stability over time was determined using Bray-Curtis dissimilarity. Results One year after surgery, the fecal microbiota composition differed between CD patients (n = 21) and healthy subjects (n = 7). At this time point, the microbiota composition of CD patients was associated with disease course, clearly separating patients with disease relapse (n = 8) and patients in remission (n = 13). Further, the microbial within-patient stability was high during the first year after surgery, irrespective of disease course. Conclusion The fecal microbiota composition of CD patients, analyzed by GA-map Dysbiosis test, is subject to little variation over time, and may potentially be used as a non-invasive diagnostic tool for the postoperative disease course.
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| 18. |
- Van Den Houte, Maaike, et al.
(author)
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Predictors of symptom trajectory in newly diagnosed ulcerative colitis: a 3-year follow-up cohort study.
- 2024
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In: Journal of Crohn's & colitis. - 1876-4479.
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Psychological symptoms are associated with poorer ulcerative colitis (UC)-related outcomes. However, the majority of research is cross-sectional. We aimed to identify subgroups based on the longitudinal evolution of GI symptom levels and health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and to disentangle the directionality of effects between GI symptom levels and psychological distress.Self-reported GI symptom severity, HRQoL, inflammatory biomarkers and psychological distress were assessed in 98 newly diagnosed UC patients at disease onset and yearly for 3 consecutive years. Latent class growth analysis was used to determine subgroups based on longitudinal trajectories of symptom severity and HRQoL, and baseline predictors of trajectory group membership were determined. Cross-lagged structural equation models were used to disentangle temporal relationships between psychological functioning and symptom severity.Patients with higher initial psychological distress had increased probability of maintaining higher levels of diarrhea and abdominal pain. Conversely, patients with lower initial levels of diarrhea and abdominal pain had higher chances of maintaining lower levels of psychological distress. Higher levels of C-reactive protein at baseline predicted greater improvements in mental health after anti-inflammatory treatment. Reductions in diarrhea and abdominal pain preceded reductions in psychological symptoms over time.Baseline psychological distress is predictive of increased GI symptom severity and reduced mental HRQoL over time, suggesting early assessment of psychological symptoms may identify patients who may have worse disease trajectories. Abdominal pain predicted increased psychological distress, but not the other way around. Intervening on abdominal pain may help prevent or reduce future psychological distress.
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| 19. |
- Öhman, Lena, 1967, et al.
(author)
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Fecal microbiota dynamics during disease activity and remission in newly diagnosed and established ulcerative colitis
- 2021
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In: Scientific Reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2045-2322. ; 11
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) have an altered gut microbiota composition, but the microbial relationship to disease activity needs to be further elucidated. Therefore, temporal dynamics of the fecal microbial community during remission and flare was determined. Fecal samples were collected at 2-6 time-points from UC patients during established disease (cohort EST) and at diagnosis (cohort NEW). Sampling range for cohort EST was 3-10 months and for cohort NEW 36 months. Relapses were monitored for an additional three years for cohort EST. Microbial composition was assessed by Genetic Analysis GA-map Dysbiosis Test, targeting >= 300 bacteria. Eighteen patients in cohort EST (8 with maintained remission and 10 experiencing a flare), provided 71 fecal samples. In cohort NEW, 13 patients provided 49 fecal samples. The microbial composition showed no clustering related to disease activity in any cohort. Microbial dissimilarity was higher between than within patients for both cohorts, irrespective of presence of a flare. Microbial stability within patients was constant over time with no major shift in overall composition nor modification in the abundance of any specific species. Microbial composition was not affected by intensified medical treatment or linked to future disease course. Thus in UC, the gut microbiota is highly stable irrespective of disease stage, disease activity or treatment escalation. This suggests that prolonged dietary interventions or repeated fecal transplantations are needed to be able to induce permanent alterations of the gut microbiota.
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