| 1. |
- Aartsen, M. G., et al.
(författare)
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The IceCube Neutrino Observatory : instrumentation and online systems
- 2017
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Ingår i: Journal of Instrumentation. - : IOP PUBLISHING LTD. - 1748-0221. ; 12
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The IceCube Neutrino Observatory is a cubic-kilometer-scale high-energy neutrino detector built into the ice at the South Pole. Construction of IceCube, the largest neutrino detector built to date, was completed in 2011 and enabled the discovery of high-energy astrophysical neutrinos. We describe here the design, production, and calibration of the IceCube digital optical module (DOM), the cable systems, computing hardware, and our methodology for drilling and deployment. We also describe the online triggering and data filtering systems that select candidate neutrino and cosmic ray events for analysis. Due to a rigorous pre-deployment protocol, 98.4% of the DOMs in the deep ice are operating and collecting data. IceCube routinely achieves a detector uptime of 99% by emphasizing software stability and monitoring. Detector operations have been stable since construction was completed, and the detector is expected to operate at least until the end of the next decade.
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| 2. |
- Hoffmann, Jean-Marc, et al.
(författare)
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Differences in Expansion Potential of Naive Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells from Healthy Donors and Untreated Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Patients
- 2018
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Immunology. - : FRONTIERS MEDIA SA. - 1664-3224. ; 8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction: Therapy with chimeric antigen receptor T (CART) cells for hematological malignancies has shown promising results. Effectiveness of CART cells may depend on the ratio of naive (T-N) vs. effector (T-E) T cells, TN cells being responsible for an enduring antitumor activity through maturation. Therefore, we investigated factors influencing the T-N/T-E ratio of CART cells.Materials and methods: CART cells were generated upon transduction of peripheral blood mononuclear cells with a CD19.CAR-CD28-CD137zeta third generation retroviral vector under two different stimulating culture conditions: anti-CD3/anti-CD28 antibodies adding either interleukin (IL)-7/1L-15 or IL-2. CART cells were maintained in culture for 20 days. We evaluated 24 healthy donors (HDs) and 11 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) for the composition of cell subsets and produced CART cells. Phenotype and functionality were tested using flow cytometry and chromium release assays.Results: IL -7/1L-15 preferentially induced differentiation into T-N, stem cell memory (T-SCM: naive CD27+ CD95+), CD4+ and CXCR3+ CART cells, while IL-2 increased effector memory (T-EM), CD56+ and CD4+ T regulatory (T-Reg) CART cells. The net amplification of different CART subpopulations derived from HDs and untreated CLL patients was compared. Particularly the expansion of CD4+ CART(N) cells differed significantly between the two groups. For HDs, this subtype expanded >60-fold, whereas CD4+ CART(N) cells of untreated CLL patients expanded less than 10-fold. Expression of exhaustion marker programmed cell death 1 on CART(N) cells on day 10 of culture was significantly higher in patient samples compared to HD samples. As the percentage of malignant B cells was expectedly higher within patient samples, an excessive amount of B cells during culture could account for the reduced expansion potential of CART(N) cells in untreated CLL patients. Final T-N/T-E ratio stayed <0.3 despite stimulation condition for patients, whereas this ratio was >2 in samples from HDs stimulated with IL-7/1L-15, thus demonstrating efficient CART(N) expansion.Conclusion: Untreated CLL patients might constitute a challenge for long-lasting CART effects in vivo since only a low number of T-N among the CART product could be generated. Depletion of malignant B cells before starting CART production might be considered to increase the T-N/T-E ratio within the CART product.
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| 3. |
- Kreitschmann-Andermahr, Ilonka, et al.
(författare)
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Diagnosis and management of acromegaly : the patient's perspective
- 2016
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Ingår i: Pituitary. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1386-341X .- 1573-7403. ; 19:3, s. 268-276
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- PURPOSE:Early diagnosis is a success factor for the prevention of long-term comorbidity and premature death in patients with acromegaly, but large-scale data on the diagnostic process and disease management are scarce. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the diagnostic process, implementation of treatment and changes in life situation in patients with acromegaly, focusing on sex-specific differences.METHODS:Non-interventional patient-reported outcome study. 165 patients with clinically and biochemically proven acromegaly were questioned about the diagnostic process and utilization of health care by means of a self-developed standardized postal survey including questions on acromegaly symptoms experienced before diagnosis, number and specialty of consulted doctors, time to diagnosis and aftercare.RESULTS:The diagnostic process took 2.9 (SD 4.53) years, during which 3.4 (SD 2.99) physicians were consulted. Women waited longer [4.1 (SD 5.53) years] than men [1.6 (SD 2.69) years; p = 0.001] for the correct diagnosis, and consulted more doctors in the process [4.0 (SD 2.99) vs. 2.7 (SD 2.84) doctors, p < 0.001, respectively]. In 48.5 % of patients, acromegaly was diagnosed by an endocrinologist (men: 45.1 %; women: 52.4 %). Overall disease duration from symptom onset until last surgery was 5.5 (SD 6.85) years, with no sex differences. A change in employment status was the most commonly reported event after diagnosis and a quarter of the patients stated that the illness had changed their lives.CONCLUSIONS:Our findings confirm the urgent need to increase awareness of the clinical manifestation of acromegaly to facilitate an earlier diagnosis of the disease and to provide diagnostic equality across the sexes.
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| 4. |
- Kreitschmann-Andermahr, Ilonka, et al.
(författare)
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Predictors Of Quality Of Life In 165 Patients With Acromegaly : Results From A Single-Center Study
- 2017
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Ingår i: Endocrine Practice. - : AMER ASSOC CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGISTS. - 1530-891X .- 1934-2403. ; 23:1, s. 79-88
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: Even if treated, acromegaly has a considerable impact on patient quality of life (QoL); despite this, the exact clinical determinants of QoL in acromegaly are unknown. This study retrospectively examines a cohort of treated patients with acromegaly, with the aim of identifying these determinants. Methods: Retrospective survey analysis, with 165 patients included in the study. All patients completed a survey, which included demographic data and the clinical details of their disease, the Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36), the revised Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), and the Bern Embitterment Inventory (BEI). Stepwise regression was used to identify predictors of QoL. Results: The strongest predictors of the physical component score of the SF-36 were (in order of declining strength of association): Delay between first presentation of the disease and diagnosis, body mass index (BMI), number of doctors visited before the diagnosis of acromegaly, and age at diagnosis. For the mental component score, the strongest predictors were: number of doctors visited, previous radiotherapy, and age at study entry; and, for the BDI-II score: number of doctors visited, previous radiotherapy, age at study entry, and employment status at the time of diagnosis. The following were predictors of the BEI score: number of doctors visited, and age at study entry. Conclusion: Diagnostic delay and lack of diagnostic acumen in medical care provision are strong predictors of poor QoL in patients with acromegaly. Other identified parameters are radiotherapy, age, BMI, and employment status. An efficient acromegaly service should address these aspects when devising disease management plans.
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