| 1. |
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| 2. |
- Aksnessaether, Bjorg Y., et al.
(författare)
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In Reply to Sari et al
- 2020
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Ingår i: International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics. - : Elsevier. - 0360-3016 .- 1879-355X. ; 107:2, s. 388-389
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)
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| 3. |
- Aksnessaether, Bjorg Y., et al.
(författare)
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Second Cancers in Patients With Locally Advanced Prostate Cancer Randomized to Lifelong Endocrine Treatment With or Without Radical Radiation Therapy : Long-Term Follow-up of the Scandinavian Prostate Cancer Group-7 Trial
- 2020
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Ingår i: International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics. - : Elsevier. - 0360-3016 .- 1879-355X. ; 106:4, s. 706-714
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Curative radiation therapy (RT) constitutes a cornerstone in prostate cancer (PC) treatment. We present long-term follow-up estimates for second cancer (SC) risk and overall survival (OS) in patients randomized to hormone therapy (ET) alone or combined with 70 Gy prostatic RT in the Scandinavian Prostate Cancer Group-7 (SPCG-7) study. We explored the effect of salvage RT (≥60 Gy to the ET group) and reported causes of death.Methods and Materials: The SPCG-7 study (1996-2002) was a randomized controlled trial that included 875 men with locally advanced nonmetastatic PC. In this analysis, including data from the Norwegian and Swedish Cancer and Cause of Death registries for 651 Norwegian and 209 Swedish study patients, we estimated hazard ratios (HRs) for SC and death, and cumulative incidences of SC.Results: Median follow-up of the 860 (431 ET and 429) ET + RT patients was 12.2 years for SC risk analysis and 12.6 years for the OS analysis. Eighty-three of the Norwegian ET patients received salvage RT, and median time to salvage RT was 5.9 years. We found 125 and 168 SCs in the ET and ET + RT patients, respectively. With ET alone as reference, ET + RT patients had an HR of 1.19 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.92-1.54) for all SCs and 2.54 (95% CI, 1.14-5.69) for urinary bladder cancer (UBC). The total number of UBC was 31 (23 in ET + RT; 8 in ET), and the vast majority (85%) were superficial. The HR for SC in salvage RT patients was 0.48 (95% CI, 0.24-0.94). Median OS was 12.8 (95% CI, 11.8-13.8) and 15.3 (95%, CI 14.3-16.4) years in the ET and ET + RT groups, respectively. Compared with ET alone, the risk of death was reduced in ET + RT patients (HR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.62-0.86) and in ET patients receiving salvage RT (HR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.30-0.65).Conclusions: Although the risk of UBC was increased in PC patients who received RT in addition to ET, this disadvantage is outweighed by the OS benefit of RT confirmed in our study. The risk of SC, and especially UBC, should be discussed with patients and be reflected in follow-up programs.
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| 4. |
- Alexakis, Alexandros Efraim, et al.
(författare)
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Modification of cellulose through physisorption of cationic bio-based nanolatexes - comparing emulsion polymerization and RAFT-mediated polymerization-induced self-assembly
- 2021
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Ingår i: Green Chemistry. - : Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). - 1463-9262 .- 1463-9270. ; 23:5, s. 2113-2122
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The polymerization of a bio-based terpene-derived monomer, sobrerol methacrylate (SobMA), was evaluated in the design of polymeric nanoparticles (nanolatexes). Their synthesis was accomplished by using emulsion polymerization, either by free-radical polymerization in the presence of a cationic surfactant or a cationic macroRAFT agent by employing RAFT-mediated polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA). By tuning the length of the hydrophobic polymer, it was possible to control the nanoparticle size between 70 and 110 nm. The average size of the latexes in both wet and dry state were investigated by microscopy imaging and dynamic light scattering (DLS). Additionally, SobMA was successfully copolymerized with butyl methacrylate (BMA) targeting soft-core nanolatexes. The comparison of the kinetic profile of the cationically stabilized nanolatexes highlighted the differences of both processes. The SobMA-based nanolatexes yielded high T-g similar to 120 degrees C, while the copolymer sample exhibited a lower T-g similar to 50 degrees C, as assessed by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). Thereafter, the nanolatexes were adsorbed onto cellulose (filter paper), where they were annealed at elevated temperatures to result in polymeric coatings. Their morphologies were analysed by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM) and compared to a commercial sulfate polystyrene latex (PS latex). By microscopic investigation the film formation mechanism could be unravelled. Water contact angle (CA) measurements verified the transition from a hydrophilic to a hydrophobic surface after film formation had occured. The obtained results are promising for the toolbox of bio-based building blocks, focused on sobrerol-based monomers, to be used in emulsion polymerizations either for tailored PISA-latexes or facile conventional latex formation, in order to replace methyl methacrylate or other high T-g-monomers.
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| 5. |
- Brunova, Alica, et al.
(författare)
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Structural and Trap-State Density Enhancement in Flash Infrared Annealed Perovskite Layers
- 2021
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Ingår i: Advanced Materials Interfaces. - : WILEY. - 2196-7350. ; 8:14
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Perovskite solar cells are well-known for their high energy conversion efficiency, low-temperature processing, and cost-effective production. Flash infrared annealing (FIRA) of slot-die cast perovskite precursors offers an attractive manufacturing route using high-throughput roll-to-roll technology. Despite the recent progress in FIRA perovskite annealing, the optimal composition of the perovskite precursor is yet to be developed. Here, the effect of methylammonium chloride (MACI) on the perovskite structure and trap-state density as a function ofthe FIRA annealing time is investigated. In situ real-time grazingincidence wide-angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS) is employed to monitor the perovskite layer formation during FIRA annealing with millisecond temporal resolution. In addition, the density of states in the bandgap is estimated using ex situ energy-resolved electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Evidence is found that adding 10% MACI into the perovskite precursor solution significantly improves the crystallographic orientation of the perovskite layers while reducing the trap-state density by one order of magnitude. In addition, using time-resolved GIWAXS, the most favorable time window for the FIRA processing of perovskite films with the lowest mosaicity and trap-state density is identified. The results are of general importance for elucidating the appropriate temporal windows in complex and fast-evolving crystallization processes.
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| 6. |
- Dalén, Love, et al.
(författare)
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Population history and genetic structure of a circumpolar species : the arctic fox
- 2005
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Ingår i: Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0024-4066 .- 1095-8312. ; 84:1, s. 79-89
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The circumpolar arctic fox Alopex lagopus thrives in cold climates and has a high migration rate involving long-distance movements. Thus, it differs from many temperate taxa that were subjected to cyclical restriction in glacial refugia during the Ice Ages. We investigated population history and genetic structure through mitochondrial control region variation in 191 arctic foxes from throughout the arctic. Several haplotypes had a Holarctic distribution and no phylogeographical structure was found. Furthermore, there was no difference in haplotype diversity between populations inhabiting previously glaciated and unglaciated regions. This suggests current gene flow among the studied populations, with the exception of those in Iceland, which is surrounded by year-round open water. Arctic foxes have often been separated into two ecotypes: ‘lemming’ and ‘coastal’. An analysis of molecular variance suggested particularly high gene flow among populations of the ‘lemming’ ecotype. This could be explained by their higher migration rate and reduced fitness in migrants between ecotypes. A mismatch analysis indicated a sudden expansion in population size around 118 000 BP, which coincides with the last interglacial. We propose that glacial cycles affected the arctic fox in a way opposite to their effect on temperate species, with interglacials leading to short-term isolation in northern refugia.
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| 7. |
- Diaz, Sandra, et al.
(författare)
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The IPBES Conceptual Framework - connecting nature and people
- 2015
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Ingår i: Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability. - : Elsevier BV. - 1877-3435 .- 1877-3443. ; 14, s. 1-16
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The first public product of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) is its Conceptual Framework. This conceptual and analytical tool, presented here in detail, will underpin all IPBES functions and provide structure and comparability to the syntheses that IPBES will produce at different spatial scales, on different themes, and in different regions. Salient innovative aspects of the IPBES Conceptual Framework are its transparent and participatory construction process and its explicit consideration of diverse scientific disciplines, stakeholders, and knowledge systems, including indigenous and local knowledge. Because the focus on co-construction of integrative knowledge is shared by an increasing number of initiatives worldwide, this framework should be useful beyond IPBES, for the wider research and knowledge-policy communities working on the links between nature and people, such as natural, social and engineering scientists, policy-makers at different levels, and decision-makers in different sectors of society.
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| 8. |
- Elfström Pettersson, Katarina
(författare)
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Playing a part in preschool documentation : A study of how participation is enacted in preschool documentation practices and how it is affected by material agents
- 2013
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Licentiatavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The aim of the present study is to explore how children’s participation is constructed and enacted in preschool documentation and what kinds of activities evolve between teachers, children and material objects in preschool documentation practices. The study is based on videorecorded observations of teachers and children documenting different preschool activities in two preschool groups. The video observations are analysed using theoretical perspectives on power relations, governmentality, documentality and agentic realism. The results are presented in two research articles. The results show the complexity of children’s participation in preschool documentation practice. In the first article two different documentation methods, with different theoretical underpinnings, were used in the preschool: portfolio and pedagogical documentation. The results show that, regardless of documentation method, children’s participation varied from attendance to involvement and influence, which can be seen as two ends of a power relation. Power relations between teachers and children also varied between situations as well as within individual situations. The result of the second article shows that children’s participation in preschool documentation practices, as well as the documentation itself, was affected and controlled not only by the humans present, but also by different material agents, such as photos and colour-coded labels. Taking material agents into account allows for a broader understanding of documentation practices, which in turn could open up for new forms of children’s participation in preschool documentation.
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| 9. |
- Engström, Joakim, et al.
(författare)
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Core–Shell Nanoparticle Interface and Wetting Properties
- 2020
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Ingår i: Advanced Functional Materials. - : Wiley. - 1616-301X .- 1616-3028. ; 30:15
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Latex colloids are among the most promising materials for broad thin film applications due to their facile surface functionalization. Yet, the effect of these colloids on chemical film and wetting properties cannot be easily evaluated. At the nanoscale, core–shell particles can deform and coalesce during thermal annealing, yielding fine-tuned physical properties. Two different core–shell systems (soft and rigid) with identical shells but with chemically different core polymers and core sizes are investigated. The core–shell nanoparticles (NPs) are probed during thermal annealing in order to investigate their behavior as a function of nanostructure size and rigidity. X-ray scattering allows to follow the re-arrangement of the NPs and the structural evolution in situ during annealing. Evaluation by real-space imaging techniques reveals a disappearance of the structural integrity and a loss of NP boundaries. The possibility to fine-tune the wettability by tuning the core–shell NPs morphology in thin films provides a facile template methodology for repellent surfaces.
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| 10. |
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| 11. |
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| 12. |
- Garmendia, Eva, 1989-
(författare)
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A Unified Multitude : Experimental Studies of Bacterial Chromosome Organization
- 2017
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Bacteria are many, old and varied; different bacterial species have been evolving for millions of years and show many disparate life-styles and types of metabolism. Nevertheless, some of the characteristics regarding how bacteria organize their chromosomes are relatively conserved, suggesting that they might be both ancient and important, and that selective pressures inhibit their modification. This thesis aims to study some of these characteristics experimentally, assessing how changes affect bacterial growth, and how, after changing conserved features, bacteria might evolve.First, we experimentally tested what are the constraints on the horizontal transfer of a gene highly important for bacterial growth. Second, we investigated the significance of the location and orientation of a highly expressed and essential operon; and we experimentally evolved strains with suboptimal locations and orientations to assess how bacteria could adapt to these changes. Thirdly, we sought to understand the accessibility of different regions of the bacterial chromosome to engage in homologous recombination. And lastly, we constructed bacterial strains with chromosomal inversions to assess what effect the inversions had on growth rate, and how bacteria carrying costly inversions could evolve to reduce these costs.The results provide evidence for different selective forces acting to conserve these chromosome organizational traits. Accordingly, we found that evolutionary distance, functional conservation, suboptimal expression and impaired network connectivity of a gene can affect the successful transfer of genes between bacterial species. We determined that relative location of an essential and highly expressed operon is critical for supporting fast growth rate, and that its location seems to be more important than its orientation. We also found that both the location, and relative orientation of separated duplicate sequences can affect recombination rates between these sequences in different regions of the chromosome. Finally, the data suggest that the importance of having the two arms of a circular bacterial chromosome approximately equal in size is a strong selective force acting against certain type of chromosomal inversions.
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| 13. |
- Giordanetto, Fabrizio, et al.
(författare)
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Design of Selective sPLA2-X Inhibitor (-)-2-{2-[Carbamoyl-6-(trifluoromethoxy)-1 H-indol-1-yl]pyridine-2-yl}propanoic Acid
- 2018
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Ingår i: ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters. - : American Chemical Society. - 1948-5875. ; 9:7, s. 600-605
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A lead generation campaign identified indole-based sPLA2-X inhibitors with a promising selectivity profile against other sPLA2 isoforms. Further optimization of sPLA2 selectivity and metabolic stability resulted in the design of (-)-17, a novel, potent, and selective sPLA2-X inhibitor with an exquisite pharmacokinetic profile characterized by high absorption and low clearance, and low toxicological risk. Compound (-)-17 was tested in an ApoE-/- murine model of atherosclerosis to evaluate the effect of reversible, pharmacological sPLA2-X inhibition on atherosclerosis development. Despite being well tolerated and achieving adequate systemic exposure of mechanistic relevance, (-)-17 did not significantly affect circulating lipid and lipoprotein biomarkers and had no effect on coronary function or histological markers of atherosclerosis.
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| 14. |
- Hagara, Jakub, et al.
(författare)
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Novel highly substituted thiophene-based n-type organic semiconductor : structural study, optical anisotropy and molecular control
- 2020
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Ingår i: CrystEngComm. - : Royal Society of Chemistry. - 1466-8033. ; 22:42, s. 7095-7103
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Oligothiophenes and their functionalized derivatives have been shown to be a viable option for high-performance organic electronic devices. The functionalization of oligothiophene-based materials allows further tailoring of their properties for specific applications. We have synthesized a new thiophene-based molecule 1-[5'-(2-naphthyl)-2,2'-bithiophen-5-yl]hexan-1-one (NCOH), and we have studied the optical and structural properties of NCOH thin films. NCOH is a highly substituted member of the oligothiophene family, designed to improve its molecular stacking, where the presence of an electron-withdrawing group enhances its electron transport capabilities. Employing in situ and time-resolved grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS) measurements, we determined the NCOH thin film crystallographic structure and its evolution starting from the early stages of the film growth. We observed strong optical anisotropy resulting from a highly oriented crystallographic structure. Additionally, we investigated the substrate-induced changes of the molecular orientation utilizing the few-layer MoS2 with different orientations of the atomic layers. This study, with its primary focus on the fundamentally important n-type molecular semiconductor, contributes to the field of organic-based (opto-)electronics.
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| 15. |
- Haghighi, Mona, et al.
(författare)
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A Comparison of Rule-based Analysis with Regression Methods in Understanding the Risk Factors for Study Withdrawal in a Pediatric Study
- 2016
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Ingår i: Scientific Reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2045-2322. ; 6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Regression models are extensively used in many epidemiological studies to understand the linkage between specific outcomes of interest and their risk factors. However, regression models in general examine the average effects of the risk factors and ignore subgroups with different risk profiles. As a result, interventions are often geared towards the average member of the population, without consideration of the special health needs of different subgroups within the population. This paper demonstrates the value of using rule-based analysis methods that can identify subgroups with heterogeneous risk profiles in a population without imposing assumptions on the subgroups or method. The rules define the risk pattern of subsets of individuals by not only considering the interactions between the risk factors but also their ranges. We compared the rule-based analysis results with the results from a logistic regression model in The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) study. Both methods detected a similar suite of risk factors, but the rule-based analysis was superior at detecting multiple interactions between the risk factors that characterize the subgroups. A further investigation of the particular characteristics of each subgroup may detect the special health needs of the subgroup and lead to tailored interventions.
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| 16. |
- Harder, Constantin, et al.
(författare)
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Optical Properties of Slot‐Die Coated Hybrid Colloid/Cellulose‐Nanofibril Thin Films
- 2023
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Ingår i: Advanced Optical Materials. - : Wiley. - 2162-7568 .- 2195-1071. ; 11:13
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Correlating nanostructure and optical properties of thin hybrid films is the crucial ingredient for designing sustainable applications ranging from structural colors in anticounterfeiting to sensors. Here, the tailoring of the refractive index of hybrid cellulose nanofibril/water-dispersed colloidal ink thin films is presented. The authors apply scalable, layer-by-layer slot-die coating for preparing the cellulose nanofibril and hybrid thin films. Making use of the mobility of the polymer chains in the colloids upon annealing, the influence of the different colloid sizes and their glass transition temperature on the refractive index of the hybrid material is shown. The complex refractive indices of the thin films are characterized by spectroscopic ellipsometry and correlated to the different nanostructures of the thin films. The authors find that post-deposition annealing changes the colloidal nanostructure from particulate to agglomerates. Depending on the size of the colloids, imbibition of the colloids into the cellulose nanofibril template is observed. This scalable approach offers new avenues in structural color functional biomaterial hybrid layers.
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| 17. |
- Harder, Constantin, et al.
(författare)
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Poly(sobrerol methacrylate) Colloidal Inks Sprayed onto Cellulose Nanofibril Thin Films for Anticounterfeiting Applications
- 2024
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Ingår i: ACS Applied Nano Materials. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 2574-0970. ; 7:9, s. 10840-10851
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The colloidal layer formation on porous materials is a crucial step for printing and applying functional coatings, which can be used to fabricate anticounterfeiting paper. The deposition of colloidal layers and subsequent thermal treatment allows for modifying the hydrophilicity of the surface of a material. In the present work, wood-based colloidal inks are applied by spray deposition on spray-deposited porous cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) films. The surface modification by thermal annealing of the fabricated colloid-cellulose hybrid thin films is investigated in terms of layering and hydrophobicity. The polymer colloids in the inks are core-shell nanoparticles with different sizes and glass transition temperatures (T-g), thus enabling different and low thermal treatment temperatures. The ratio between the core polymers, poly(sobrerol methacrylate) (PSobMA), and poly(-butyl methacrylate) (PBMA) determines the T-g and hence allows for tailoring of the T-g. The layer formation of the colloidal inks on the porous CNF layer depends on the imbibition properties of the CNF layer which is determined by their morphology. The water adhesion of the CNF layer decreases due to the deposition of the colloids and thermal treatment except for the colloids with a size smaller than the void size of the porous CNF film. In this case, the colloids are imbibed into the CNF layer when T-g of the colloids is reached and the polymer chains transit in a mobile phase. Tailored aggregate and nanoscale-embedded hybrid structures are achieved depending on the colloid properties. The imbibition of these colloids into the porous CNF films is verified with grazing incidence small-angle X-ray scattering. This study shows a route for tuning the nanoscale structure and macroscopic physicochemical properties useful for anticounterfeiting paper.
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| 18. |
- Hooper, Sean D., et al.
(författare)
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Genome-wide sequencing for the identification of rearrangements associated with Tourette syndrome and obsessive-compulsive disorder
- 2012
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Ingår i: BMC Medical Genetics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2350. ; 13, s. 123-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Tourette Syndrome (TS) is a neuropsychiatric disorder in children characterized by motor and verbal tics. Although several genes have been suggested in the etiology of TS, the genetic mechanisms remain poorly understood. Methods: Using cytogenetics and FISH analysis, we identified an apparently balanced t(6,22)(q16.2;p13) in a male patient with TS and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). In order to map the breakpoints and to identify additional submicroscopic rearrangements, we performed whole genome mate-pair sequencing and CGH-array analysis on DNA from the proband. Results: Sequence and CGH array analysis revealed a 400 kb deletion located 1.3 Mb telomeric of the chromosome 6q breakpoint, which has not been reported in controls. The deletion affects three genes (GPR63, NDUFA4 and KLHL32) and overlaps a region previously found deleted in a girl with autistic features and speech delay. The proband's mother, also a carrier of the translocation, was diagnosed with OCD and shares the deletion. We also describe a further potentially related rearrangement which, while unmapped in Homo sapiens, was consistent with the chimpanzee genome. Conclusions: We conclude that genome-wide sequencing at relatively low resolution can be used for the identification of submicroscopic rearrangements. We also show that large rearrangements may escape detection using standard analysis of whole genome sequencing data. Our findings further provide a candidate region for TS and OCD on chromosome 6q16.
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| 19. |
- Hudson, Lawrence N, et al.
(författare)
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The database of the PREDICTS (Projecting Responses of Ecological Diversity In Changing Terrestrial Systems) project
- 2017
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Ingår i: Ecology and Evolution. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 2045-7758. ; 7:1, s. 145-188
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The PREDICTS project-Projecting Responses of Ecological Diversity In Changing Terrestrial Systems (www.predicts.org.uk)-has collated from published studies a large, reasonably representative database of comparable samples of biodiversity from multiple sites that differ in the nature or intensity of human impacts relating to land use. We have used this evidence base to develop global and regional statistical models of how local biodiversity responds to these measures. We describe and make freely available this 2016 release of the database, containing more than 3.2 million records sampled at over 26,000 locations and representing over 47,000 species. We outline how the database can help in answering a range of questions in ecology and conservation biology. To our knowledge, this is the largest and most geographically and taxonomically representative database of spatial comparisons of biodiversity that has been collated to date; it will be useful to researchers and international efforts wishing to model and understand the global status of biodiversity.
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| 20. |
- Hulver, Ann Marie, et al.
(författare)
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Interaction effects of crude oil and nutrient exposure on settlement of coral reef benthos
- 2022
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Ingår i: Marine Pollution Bulletin. - : Elsevier BV. - 0025-326X .- 1879-3363. ; 185, part B
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Anthropogenic stressors increasingly cause ecosystem-level changes to sensitive marine habitats such as coral reefs. Intensification of coastal development and shipping traffic can increase nutrient and oil pollution on coral reefs, yet these two stressors have not been studied in conjunction. Here, we simulate a disturbance scenario exposing carbonate settlement tiles to nutrient and oil pollution in a full-factorial design with four treatments: control, nutrients, oil, and combination to examine community structure and net primary productivity (NPP) of pioneer communities throughout 28 weeks. Compared to the control treatment oil pollution decreased overall settlement and NPP, while nutrients increased turf algae and NPP. However, the combination of these two stressors resulted in similar community composition and NPP as the control. These results indicate that pioneer communities may experience shifts due to nutrient enrichment, and/or oil pollution. However, the timing and duration of an event will influence recovery trajectories requiring further study.
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| 21. |
- Iravani, Behzad, et al.
(författare)
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Relationship Between Odor Intensity Estimates and COVID-19 Prevalence Prediction in a Swedish Population
- 2020
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Ingår i: Chemical Senses. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0379-864X .- 1464-3553. ; 45:6, s. 449-456
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, countries have implemented various strategies to reduce and slow the spread of the disease in the general population. For countries that have implemented restrictions on its population in a stepwise manner, monitoring of COVID-19 prevalence is of importance to guide the decision on when to impose new, or when to abolish old, restrictions. We are here determining whether measures of odor intensity in a large sample can serve as one such measure. Online measures of how intense common household odors are perceived and symptoms of COVID-19 were collected from 2440 Swedes. Average odor intensity ratings were then compared to predicted COVID-19 population prevalence over time in the Swedish population and were found to closely track each other (r = -0.83). Moreover, we found that there was a large difference in rated intensity between individuals with and without COVID-19 symptoms and the number of symptoms was related to odor intensity ratings. Finally, we found that individuals progressing from reporting no symptoms to subsequently reporting COVID-19 symptoms demonstrated a large drop in olfactory performance. These data suggest that measures of odor intensity, if obtained in a large and representative sample, can be used as an indicator of COVID-19 disease in the general population. Importantly, this simple measure could easily be implemented in countries without widespread access to COVID-19 testing or implemented as a fast early response before widespread testing can be facilitated.
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| 22. |
- Johansson, Lasse, et al.
(författare)
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Model for leisure boat activities and emissions – implementation for the Baltic Sea
- 2020
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Ingår i: Ocean Science. - : Copernicus GmbH. - 1812-0792 .- 1812-0784. ; 16:5, s. 1143-1163
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The activities and emissions from leisure boats in the Baltic Sea have been modeled in a comprehensive approach for the first time, using a new simulation model leisure Boat Emissions and Activities siMulator (BEAM). The model utilizes survey data to characterize the national leisure boat fleets. Leisure boats have been categorized based on their size, use and engine specifications, and for these subcategories emission factors for NOx, PM2.5, CO, non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs), and releases of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) from antifouling paints have been estimated according to literature values. The modeling approach also considers the temporal and spatial distribution of leisure boat activities, which are applied to each simulated leisure boat separately. According to our results the CO and NMVOC emissions from leisure boats, as well as Cu and Zn released from antifouling paints, are significant when compared against the emissions originating from registered commercial shipping in the Baltic Sea. CO emissions equal 70 % of the registered shipping emissions and NMVOC emissions equal 160 % when compared against the modeled results in the Baltic Sea in 2014. Modeled NOx and PM2.5 from the leisure boats are less significant compared to the registered shipping emissions. The emissions from leisure boats are concentrated in the summer months of June, July and August and are released in the vicinity of inhabited coastal areas. Given the large emission estimates for leisure boats, this commonly overlooked source of emissions should be further investigated in greater detail.
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| 23. |
- Johansson, L., et al.
(författare)
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Modeling of Leisure Craft Emissions
- 2020
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Ingår i: Springer Proceedings in Complexity. - Cham : Springer International Publishing. - 2213-8684 .- 2213-8692. ; , s. 205-210
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Commercial shipping fleet and its emissions can be modeled in detail, but the emission from leisure craft are often invisible for activity based, bottom-up emission inventories. A new model (FMI-BEAM) describes the emissions from the leisure craft fleet in the Baltic Sea area, complementing the existing STEAM emission modeling suite. BEAM combines information from over 3000 boat marina locations, national small boat registries, Automatic Identification System data and boat survey results to derive leisure boat emissions for over 250,000 boats around the Baltic Sea coastline. The location of marinas and boat counts were determined from satellite images and other available data. With the BEAM leisure craft simulation model the spatial and temporal distribution of air emissions can be estimated. The presented results describe our first attempt to generate fuel consumption and emission inventory for small boats which have been underrepresented in current emission inventories. Small boat activity often occurs near the coastline in vicinity of populated areas and leisure craft emissions contribute to local air quality. The emissions of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons are high compared to the emissions of commercial shipping, because very high emission levels are allowed for old small boat engines according to current legislation. The approach described in this paper can be applied in larger scale, for example to cover European coastlines in the future.
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| 24. |
- Johansson, Niklas, et al.
(författare)
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Smart and Sustainable eMaintenance : Capabilities for Digitalization of Maintenance
- 2019
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Ingår i: Sustainability. - : MDPI. - 2071-1050. ; 11:13
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In the era of Industry 4.0, researchers have begun to more thoroughly examine digital maintenance, i.e., eMaintenance, as digitization is increasingly affecting today’s society. This area is particularly interesting in the case of long-life components such as those used in the mining and transport industries. With eMaintenance, the correct type of maintenance can be utilized and the frequency for device maintenance can be reduced through real-time diagnosis. This leads to reduced costs for companies that implement eMaintenance as well as environmental benefits through improved resource utilization. Advantages of eMaintenance have been described in the literature; however, the capabilities necessary to implement eMaintenance lack proper research. The purpose of this study is to develop a framework that presents the required capabilities and their connection when an organization wants to implement eMaintenance, as well as to identify the outcomes of the transition to eMaintenance. The study is based on an exploratory case study that includes 26 interviews with a digital railway maintenance development company and its main customer, the traffic agency. The study findings are presented in a framework, including five main capabilities for implementing eMaintenance and its relationship within the noted industries. The required capabilities are, namely, digital technology development, organizational development, change of work routines, compliance with regulations, and assuring information security. The framework also analyzes the outcomes of implementing digital maintenance, which demonstrate a variety of economic, environmental, and social benefits.
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| 25. |
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| 26. |
- Källberg, Eva, et al.
(författare)
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S100A9 Interaction with TLR4 Promotes Tumor Growth
- 2012
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Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - San Francisco : Public Library of Science. - 1932-6203. ; 7:3, s. e34207-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- By breeding TRAMP mice with S100A9 knock-out (S100A9(-/-)) animals and scoring the appearance of palpable tumors we observed a delayed tumor growth in animals devoid of S100A9 expression. CD11b(+) S100A9 expressing cells were not observed in normal prostate tissue from control C57BL/6 mice but were readily detected in TRAMP prostate tumors. Also, S100A9 expression was observed in association with CD68(+) macrophages in biopsies from human prostate tumors. Delayed growth of TRAMP tumors was also observed in mice lacking the S100A9 ligand TLR4. In the EL-4 lymphoma model tumor growth inhibition was observed in S100A9(-/-) and TLR4(-/-), but not in RAGE(-/-) animals lacking an alternative S100A9 receptor. When expression of immune-regulating genes was analyzed using RT-PCR the only common change observed in mice lacking S100A9 and TLR4 was a down-regulation of TGF beta expression in splenic CD11b(+) cells. Lastly, treatment of mice with a small molecule (ABR-215050) that inhibits S100A9 binding to TLR4 inhibited EL4 tumor growth. Thus, S100A9 and TLR4 appear to be involved in promoting tumor growth in two different tumor models and pharmacological inhibition of S100A9-TLR4 interactions is a novel and promising target for anti-tumor therapies.
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| 27. |
- Liang, Suzhe, et al.
(författare)
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Template-Induced Growth of Sputter-Deposited Gold Nanoparticles on Ordered Porous TiO2 Thin Films for Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Sensors
- 2022
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Ingår i: ACS Applied Nano Materials. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 2574-0970. ; 5:5, s. 7492-7501
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Ordered porous gold/titanium dioxide (Au/TiO2) hybrid nanostructured films are specifically interesting in large-scale applications using localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). Deposition of Au nanoparticles via sputter deposition is one of the promising technologies to establish optically active sites at low cost in combination with nanostructured TiO2 films. In this work, we investigate the optical response of sputter-deposited Au/TiO2 nanohybrid thin films with a focus on the plasmonic response and application as molecular sensors. The LSPR peak red shifts with an increasing thickness of deposited Au. The Raman intensity of deposited molecules, probed with rhodamine 6G (R6G), depends on the deposited gold thickness. It has its maximum at an effective Au thickness of 3.4 nm. To elucidate the origin of this behavior, we apply in situ grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) to investigate the growth kinetics of Au on a TiO2 template during sputter deposition. On the basis of time-resolved GISAXS, the growth characteristics of sputter-deposited Au on a TiO2 template with a final effective Au layer thickness around the percolation threshold is described with the well-known four-stage model of nucleation and cluster formation, diffusion-mediated growth, adsorption-mediated growth, and grain growth. The maximum in SERS intensity is corroborated by the existence and optimal size of hot spots in the narrow space occurring between the sputter-deposited Au clusters, on staying below the percolation threshold. On the basis of the growth laws extracted, we give a guideline for tailoring the ordered porous Au/TiO2 nanohybrid thin films for SERS sensor applications.
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| 28. |
- Liu, Sirui, et al.
(författare)
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Design of Hygroscopic Bioplastic Products Stable in Varying Humidities
- 2023
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Ingår i: Macromolecular materials and engineering. - : Wiley. - 1438-7492 .- 1439-2054. ; 308:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Hygroscopic biopolymers like proteins and polysaccharides suffer from humidity-dependent mechanical properties. Because humidity can vary significantly over the year, or even within a day, these polymers will not generally have stable properties during their lifetimes. On wheat gluten, a model highly hygroscopic biopolymer material, it is observed that larger/thicker samples can be significantly more mechanically stable than thinner samples. It is shown here that this is due to slow water diffusion, which, in turn, is due to the rigid polymer structure caused by the double-bond character of the peptide bond, the many bulky peptide side groups, and the hydrogen bond network. More than a year is required to reach complete moisture saturation (≈10 wt.%) in a 1 cm thick plate of glycerol-plasticized wheat gluten, whereas this process takes only one day for a 0.5 mm thick plate. The overall moisture uptake is also retarded by swelling-induced mechanical effects. Hence, hygroscopic biopolymers are better suited for larger/thicker products, where the moisture-induced changes in mechanical properties are smeared out over time, to the extent that the product remains sufficiently tough over climate changes, for example, throughout the course of a year.
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| 29. |
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| 30. |
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| 31. |
- Pascual, Unai, et al.
(författare)
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Valuing nature's contributions to people : the IPBES approach
- 2017
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Ingår i: Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability. - : Elsevier BV. - 1877-3435. ; 26-27, s. 7-16
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Nature is perceived and valued in starkly different and often conflicting ways. This paper presents the rationale for the inclusive valuation of nature's contributions to people (NCP) in decision making, as well as broad methodological steps for doing so. While developed within the context of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), this approach is more widely applicable to initiatives at the knowledge–policy interface, which require a pluralistic approach to recognizing the diversity of values. We argue that transformative practices aiming at sustainable futures would benefit from embracing such diversity, which require recognizing and addressing power relationships across stakeholder groups that hold different values on human nature-relations and NCP.
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| 32. |
- Pihlajamäki, Mia, et al.
(författare)
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Deliverable 7.3 Marine Strategies for the Baltic Sea : First steps in the implementation of MSFD in Denmark, Poland, Finland and Sweden
- 2013
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- In 2008, the European Commission adopted its first legislative instrument for comprehensive protection of the marine environment, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). By the end of 2012, the first concrete steps have been taken in the implementation of the directive, including its transposition into national legislations and the preparation of the first phase of the national marine strategies, i.e. Initial Assessment (IA) (Art.8), Determination of Good Environmental Status (GES) (Art.9), and Setting Environmental Targets and Indicators (Art.10). These steps aim at national marine strategies that will further include a Monitoring Programme and a Programme of Measures. The aim of this report is to describe and compare the different preparation processes the MSFD enacted in Denmark, Poland, Sweden and Finland. Throughout the Baltic Sea region, the preparation process has been supported by informal EU level working groups as well as by HELCOM working groups and projects. While the former WGs have concentrated on creating common understanding and providing guidelines for the process, the contribution of the latter ones has been mainly on providing relevant information (i.e. assessments and indicators) for the Baltic Sea region. This study was conducted between June and October 2012 and therefore the observations presented in this report reflect to the processes that took place up to October 2012. The MSFD had been transposed into national legislation in all of the case countries apart from Poland in which the transposition is expected to be finalised by the end of 2012. The delay in the transposition process has significant consequences to the preparation process of Polish national marine strategy. However, all of the four countries failed to finalise the first phase of the national marine strategies (i.e. articles 8, 9 and 10 of the directive) by July 15th 2012, as was required by the directive. Furthermore, the directive stipulated that the first phases of the national marine strategies are reported to the Commission by October 15th 2012, but Denmark was the only country able to report the complete first phase of its national marine strategy to the Commission by the established deadline. The preparation processes and the modes of operation varied regarding, for example, the division of responsibilities in the preparation process. In Denmark and Sweden the responsibility for implementing the MSFD was given to a single agency, whereas in Poland and Finland the responsibility was shared between three ministries and their respective administrative sectors. In Denmark and Poland, the preparation of articles 8, 9 and 10 were outsourced through tendering to national research institutes, universities and a consultancy company (in Denmark), whereas in Finland and Sweden, the related authorities (government agencies and institutes) have carried out the preparatory work as a part of their official duties. In all of the four countries, relevant administrative sectors participated in the preparation process, however, wider stakeholder participation was organised only through the hearing procedures. The hearing procedure was organised in Finland and Sweden in the spring of 2012 and in Denmark over the summer of 2012. The procedure will be organised in Poland after the transposition of the MSFD has been finalised. Despite of the short – only 4 weeks long – hearing procedures over a hundred comments were received in Finland and over seventy in Sweden. In Denmark, the process lasted for 12 weeks and 28 comments were received.
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| 33. |
- Riva, Matteo, et al.
(författare)
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Induction of NFκB responses by the S100A9 protein is TLR4-dependent.
- 2012
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Ingår i: Immunology. - : Wiley. - 0019-2805. ; 137:2, s. 172-182
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Interactions between danger and pathogen-associated molecular patterns (DAMP and PAMP) and pattern recognition receptors such as Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are critical for the regulation of the inflammatory process via activation of NFκB and cytokine secretion. In this report, we investigated the capacity of LPS-free S100A9 (DAMP) protein to activate human and mouse cells compared to lipoprotein-free LPS (PAMP). Firstly, we showed that LPS and S100A9 were able to increase NFκB activity followed by increased cytokine and nitric oxide (NO) secretion both in human THP-1 cells and mouse bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BM-DC). Surprisingly, although S100A9 triggered a weaker cytokine response compared to LPS, we found that S100A9 more potently induced IκBα degradation and hence NFkB activation. Both the S100A9- and LPS-induced response was completely absent in TLR4 knock-out mice, while it was only slightly affected in RAGE knock-out mice. Also, we showed that LPS and S100A9 NFkB induction were strongly reduced in the presence of specific inhibitors of TLR-signaling. Chloroquine reduced S100A9 but not LPS signaling, indicating that S100A9 may need to be internalized in order to be fully active as a TLR4 inducer. This was confirmed using A488-labeled S100A9 that was internalized in THP-1 cells, showing a raise in fluorescence after 30 minutes at 37°C. Chloroquine treatment significantly reduced the fluorescence. In summary, our data indicate that both human and mouse S100A9 are TLR4 agonists. Importantly, S100A9 induced stronger NFκB activation albeit weaker cytokine secretion than LPS, suggesting that S100A9 and LPS activated NFκB in a qualitative distinct manner. © 2012 The Authors. Immunology © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd, Immunology.
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| 34. |
- Roth, Adam, et al.
(författare)
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Reducing Blood Culture Contamination by a Simple Informational Intervention
- 2010
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Ingår i: Journal of Clinical Microbiology. - 1098-660X. ; 48:12, s. 4552-4558
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Compared to truly negative cultures, false-positive blood cultures not only increase laboratory work but also prolong lengths of patient stay and use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, both of which are likely to increase antibiotic resistance and patient morbidity. The increased patient suffering and surplus costs caused by blood culture contamination motivate substantial measures to decrease the rate of contamination, including the use of dedicated phlebotomy teams. The present study evaluated the effect of a simple informational intervention aimed at reducing blood culture contamination at Skane University Hospital (SUS), Malmo, Sweden, during 3.5 months, focusing on departments collecting many blood cultures. The main examined outcomes of the study were pre- and postintervention contamination rates, analyzed with a multivariate logistic regression model adjusting for relevant determinants of contamination. A total of 51,264 blood culture sets were drawn from 14,826 patients during the study period (January 2006 to December 2009). The blood culture contamination rate preintervention was 2.59% and decreased to 2.23% postintervention (odds ratio, 0.86; 95% confidence interval, 0.76 to 0.98). A similar decrease in relevant bacterial isolates was not found postintervention. Contamination rates at three auxiliary hospitals did not decrease during the same period. The effect of the intervention on phlebotomists' knowledge of blood culture routines was also evaluated, with a clear increase in level of knowledge among interviewed phlebotomists postintervention. The present study shows that a relatively simple informational intervention can have significant effects on the level of contaminated blood cultures, even in a setting with low rates of contamination where nurses and auxiliary nurses conduct phlebotomies.
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| 35. |
- Roth, Nathan X., et al.
(författare)
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Molecular Outgassing in Centaur 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 during Its Exceptional 2021 Outburst: Coordinated Multiwavelength Observations Using nFLASH at APEX and iSHELL at the NASA-IRTF
- 2023
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Ingår i: Planetary Science Journal. - 2632-3338. ; 4:9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The extraordinary 2021 September-October outburst of Centaur 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 afforded an opportunity to test the composition of primitive Kuiper disk material at high sensitivity. We conducted nearly simultaneous multiwavelength spectroscopic observations of 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 using iSHELL at the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) and nFLASH at the Atacama Pathfinder EXperiment (APEX) on 2021 October 6, with follow-up APEX/nFLASH observations on 2021 October 7 and 2022 April 3. This coordinated campaign between near-infrared and radio wavelengths enabled us to sample molecular emission from a wealth of coma molecules and to perform measurements that cannot be accomplished at either wavelength alone. We securely detected CO emission on all dates with both facilities, including velocity-resolved spectra of the CO (J = 2-1) transition with APEX/nFLASH and multiple CO (v = 1-0) rovibrational transitions with IRTF/iSHELL. We report rotational temperatures, coma kinematics, and production rates for CO and stringent (3σ) upper limits on abundance ratios relative to CO for CH4, C2H6, CH3OH, H2CO, CS, and OCS. Our upper limits for CS/CO and OCS/CO represent their first values in the literature for this Centaur. Upper limits for CH4, C2H6, CH3OH, and H2CO are the most stringent reported to date, and are most similar to values found in ultra CO-rich Oort cloud comet C/2016 R2 (PanSTARRS), which may have implications for how ices are preserved in cometary nuclei. We demonstrate the superb synergy of coordinated radio and near-infrared measurements, and advocate for future small-body studies that jointly leverage the capabilities of each wavelength.
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| 36. |
- Roth, Philipp J., et al.
(författare)
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Differentiation of charcoal, soot and diagenetic carbon in soil : method comparison and perspectives
- 2012
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Ingår i: Organic Geochemistry. - : Elsevier BV. - 0146-6380 .- 1873-5290. ; 46, s. 66-75
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The various sources of pyrogenic and coalified carbon (black carbon, BC) in soil have considerable structural heterogeneity, making the quantification of BC a challenge. This study was aimed at evaluating the capability of different detection procedures to recover different types of BC from soil. We added defined quantities of urban dust (UD, NIST SRM1649a), diesel particulate matter (DPM, NIST SRM2975), charcoal, lignite, bituminous coal and wood to four topsoil samples. Mixtures were analyzed by way of chemothermal oxidation (CTO), thermal gradient oxidation (ThG), the benzene polycarboxylic acid method (BPCA) and mid-infrared spectroscopy (MIRS). CTO returned good quantification of soot BC in the pure DPM, yet the recovery of soot BC from soil was unsatisfactory (18-270%). ThG gave good precision but lower values for pure soot BC. It severely overestimated the BC content for all soil-standard mixtures. The BPCA method gave a low return for soot BC, but for the spiked soil it reliably detected charcoal and coalified C (69-107% avg. recovery) but underestimated soot BC (52-90% recovery of DPM). Linear coherence in specific MIR vibrations was found in one component soil-BC mixtures for each BC type. Applying these standard calibrations to multi-component mixtures allowed detecting charcoal and a quantification of soot BC (88% avg. recovery) via MIRS, but ignored the presence of diagenetic C. We see the greatest potential in differentiating soot from charcoal in soil by employing a combination of chemical and thermal oxidation and MIRS, while the differentiation from diagenetic C is not possible yet.
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| 37. |
- Sand, Elin, et al.
(författare)
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Buserelin treatment to rats causes enteric neurodegeneration with moderate effects on CRF-immunoreactive neurons and Enterobacteriaceae in colon, and in acetylcholine-mediated permeability in ileum
- 2015
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Ingår i: BMC Research Notes. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1756-0500. ; 8:1
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analog buserelin causes enteric neuronal loss. Acute stress or injection of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) affects motility, secretion, and barrier function of the gastrointestinal tract. The aim of the study was to characterize the CRF immunoreactivity in enteric neurons after buserelin treatment, and to evaluate possible effects of enteric neuropathy on gut microbiota, intestinal permeability, and stress response behavior. Results: Sixty rats were given buserelin (20 μg) or saline subcutaneously for 5 days, repeated four times with 3 weeks in-between. At the study end, enteric neuronal density, enteric expression of CRF, gut microbial composition, and plasma levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and CRF were analyzed. Intestinal permeability was examined in Ussing chambers and the reaction to stressful events was measured by behavior tests. Buserelin treatment reduced the number of neurons along the entire gastrointestinal tract, with increased relative numbers of CRF-immunoreactive submucosal and myenteric neurons in colon (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively). The overall microbial diversity and relative abundance did not differ between groups, but Enterobacteriaceae was decreased in colon in buserelin-treated rats (p = 0.020). Basal intestinal permeability did not differ between groups, whereas carbachol stimulation increased ileum permeability in controls (p < 0.05), but not in buserelin-treated rats. Buserelin did not affect stress behavior. Conclusions: Although buserelin treatment leads to enteric neuronal loss along the gastrointestinal tract with an increased percentage of CRF-immunoreactive neurons in colon, the physiology is well preserved, with modest effects on colon microbiota and absence of carbachol-induced permeability in ileum as the only observed changes. © 2015 Sand et al.
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| 38. |
- Sand, Elin, et al.
(författare)
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Structural and functional consequences of buserelin-induced enteric neuropathy in rat
- 2014
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Ingår i: BMC Gastroenterology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-230X. ; 14
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Women treated with gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogs may develop enteric neuropathy and dysmotility. Administration of a GnRH analog to rats leads to similar degenerative neuropathy and ganglioneuritis. The aim of this study on rat was to evaluate the early GnRH-induced enteric neuropathy in terms of distribution of neuronal subpopulations and gastrointestinal (GI) function. Methods: Forty rats were given the GnRH analog buserelin (20 mu g, 1 mg/ml) or saline subcutaneously, once daily for 5 days, followed by 3 weeks of recovery, representing one treatment session. Two weeks after the fourth treatment session, the animals were tested for GI transit time and galactose absorption, and fecal weight and fat content was analyzed. After sacrifice, enteric neuronal subpopulations were analyzed. Blood samples were analyzed for zonulin and antibodies against GnRH and luteinizing hormone, and their receptors. Results: Buserelin treatment transiently increased the body weight after 5 and 9 weeks (p < 0.001). Increased estradiol in plasma and thickened uterine muscle layers indicate high estrogen activity. The numbers of both submucous and myenteric neurons were reduced by 27%? 61% in ileum and colon. The relative numbers of neurons containing calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), cocaine-and amphetamine-related transcript (CART), galanin, gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP), neuropeptide Y (NPY), nitric oxide synthase (NOS), serotonin, substance P (SP), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) or vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAchT), and their nerve fiber density, were unchanged after buserelin treatment, but the relative number of submucous neurons containing somatostatin tended to be increased (p = 0.062). The feces weight decreased in buserelin-treated rats (p < 0.01), whereas feces fat content increased (p < 0.05), compared to control rats. Total GI transit time, galactose absorption, zonulin levels in plasma, and antibody titers in serum were unaffected by buserelin treatment. Conclusions: A marked enteric neuronal loss with modest effects on GI function is found after buserelin treatment. Increased feces fat content is suggested an early sign of dysfunction.
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| 39. |
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| 40. |
- Svensson, Tobias, et al.
(författare)
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Conjugated Pneumococcal Vaccine Triggers a Better Immune Response than Polysaccharide Pneumococcal Vaccine in Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia : A Randomized Study by the Swedish CLL group
- 2018
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Ingår i: Vaccine. - : Elsevier BV. - 0264-410X .- 1873-2518. ; 36:25, s. 3701-3707
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aim: To determine if patients with untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) benefit from vaccination with a 13-valent conjugated pneumococcal vaccine (PCV13), Prevenar13®, compared with a 23-valent capsular polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23), Pneumovax®, in terms of immune response. Background: Patients with CLL have an increased risk for infection and Streptococcus pneumoniae is one of the most common pathogens with high morbidity. Patients with CLL are known to respond poorly to the traditionally used polysaccharide vaccines. Conjugation of polysaccharide to protein carriers renders a thymus-dependent, memory-inducing and more immunogenic vaccine. In patients with CLL, there is no consensus on a recommendation for pneumococcal vaccination, due to a lack of comparative studies. Methods: 128 treatment naïve CLL patients from eight hematology clinics in Sweden were randomized to vaccination with PCV13 (n=63) or PPSV23 (n=65) after stratification by IgG levels and CLL clinical stage (Rai). Blood samples for evaluation of immune response were obtained at baseline, at one and at six months after vaccination. Analyses for each of the 12 pneumococcal serotypes common for PCV13 and PPSV23 were performed by opsonophagocytic assay (OPA) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: PCV13 elicited a superior immune response than PPSV23 in 10/12 serotypes one month after vaccination and in 5/12 serotypes six months after vaccination, measured as OPA geometric mean titers (GMTs). Geometric mean concentrations of serotype-specific IgG antibodies elicited by PCV13 as measured by ELISA, were higher than those elicited by PPSV23 in half of the common serotypes, both after one and six months. The proportion of patients with good response (defined as response in 8 of 12 common serotypes according to predefined response criteria) was higher in PCV13 recipients than in PPSV23 recipients after one month (40% vs. 22%, p=0.034) as well as after six months (33% vs. 17%, p=0.041). Never did PPSV23 trigger a better immune response for any of the serotypes, than PCV13, regardless of analysis. For two of the serotypes, OPA GMTs were lower at the six months than at the one-month follow up. Negative predictive factors for vaccination response were hypogammaglobulinemia and long disease duration. Both vaccines were well tolerated. Conclusions: In patients with previously untreated CLL, the efficacy of PCV13 in terms of immune response is superior to PPSV23 for many serotypes common for the two vaccines. PCV13 should be considered as a part in vaccination programs against Streptococcus pneumoniae for these patients and administered as early as possible during the course of the disease.
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| 41. |
- Thurner, Lorenz, et al.
(författare)
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B-cell receptor reactivity against Rothia mucilaginosa in nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma
- 2023
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Ingår i: Haematologica. - : Ferrata Storti Foundation. - 0390-6078 .- 1592-8721. ; 108:12, s. 3347-3358
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma (NLPHL) is a Hodgkin lymphoma expressing functional B-cell receptors (BCR). Recently, we described a dual stimulation model of IgD+ lymphocyte-predominant cells by Moraxella catarrhalis antigen RpoC and its superantigen MID/hag, associated with extralong CDR3 and HLA-DRB1*04 or HLA-DRB1*07 haplotype. The aim of the present study was to extend the antigen screening to further bacteria and viruses. The fragment antibody-binding (Fab) regions of seven new and 15 previously reported cases were analyzed. The reactivity of non-Moraxella spp.-reactive Fab regions against lysates of Rothia mucilaginosa was observed in 5/22 (22.7%) cases. Galactofuranosyl transferase (Gltf) and 2,3-butanediol dehydrogenase (Bdh) of R. mucilaginosa were identified by comparative silver-and immuno-staining in two-dimensional gels, with subsequent mass spectrometry and validation by western blots and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Both R. mucilaginosa Gltf and Bdh induced BCR pathway activation and proliferation in vitro. Apoptosis was induced by recombinant Gltf/ETA'-immunotoxin conjugates in DEV cells expressing recombinant R. mucilaginosa-reactive BCR. Reactivity against M. catarrhalis RpoC was confirmed in 3/7 newly expressed BCR (total 10/22 reactive to Moraxella spp.), resulting in 15/22 (68.2%) cases with BCR reactivity against defined bacterial antigens. These findings strengthen the hypothesis of bacterial trigger contributing to subsets of NLPHL.
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| 42. |
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| 43. |
- Wu, Qiong, et al.
(författare)
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Highly Absorbing Antimicrobial Biofoams Based on Wheat Gluten and Its Biohybrids
- 2016
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Ingår i: ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 2168-0485. ; 4:4, s. 2395-2404
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper presents the absorption, mechanical, and antimicrobial properties of novel types of biofoams based on wheat-gluten (WG) and its biohybrids with silica. The hybrid WG foams were in situ polymerized with silica using two different silanes. When immersed in water, the 90-95% porous WG and silica-modified hybrid WG foams showed a maximum water uptake between 32 and 11 times the original sample weight. The maximum uptake was only between 4.3 and 6.7 times the initial weight in limonene (a nonpolar liquid) but showed reversible absorption/desorption and that the foams could be dried into their original shape. The different foams had a cell size of 2-400 mu m, a density of 60-163 kg/m(3), and a compression modulus of 1-9 MPa. The integrity of the foams during swelling in water was improved by cross-linking with glutaraldehyde (GA) or by a thermal treatment at 130 degrees C, which polymerized the proteins. In the never-dried state, the foam acted as a sponge, and it was possible to squeeze out water and soak it repeatedly. If the foam was dried to its glassy state, then the cells collapsed and did not open again even if the solid foam was reimmersed in water, saving as a sensor mechanism that can be used to reveal unintended exposure to polar liquids such as water under a product's service life. Small-angle X-ray scattering revealed that the gliadin-correlated structure expanded and then disappeared in the presence of water. The foam was made antimicrobial by impregnation with a Lanasol solution (a bromophenol existing in algae). It was also shown that the foam can act as a transfer/storage medium for liquids such as natural oils (rapeseed oil) and as a slow-release matrix for surfactant chemicals.
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