| 1. |
- Gustafsson (Lidström), Charlotte, et al.
(författare)
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Gene expression profiling of human decidual macrophages : Evidence for immunosuppressive phenotype
- 2008
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Ingår i: PLoS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 3:4, s. e2078-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Although uterine macrophages are thought to play an important regulatory role at the maternal-fetal interface, their global gene expression profile is not known. Methodology/Principal Findings: Using micro-array comprising approximately 14,000 genes, the gene expression pattern of human first trimester decidual CD14+ monocytes/macrophages was characterized and compared with the expression profile of the corresponding cells in blood. Some of the key findings were confirmed by real time PCR or by secreted protein. A unique gene expression pattern intrinsic of first trimester decidual CD14+ cells was demonstrated. A large number of regulated genes were functionally related to immunomodulation and tissue remodelling, corroborating polarization patterns of differentiated macrophages mainly of the alternatively activated M2 phenotype. These include known M2 markers such as CCL-18, CD209, insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1, mannose receptor c type (MRC)-1 and fibronectin-1. Further, the selective up-regulation of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells (TREM)-2, alpha-2-macroglobulin (A2M) and prostaglandin D2 synthase (PGDS) provides new insights into the regulatory function of decidual macrophages in pregnancy that may have implications in pregnancy complications. Conclusions/Significance: The molecular characterization of decidual macrophages presents a unique transcriptional profile replete with important components for fetal immunoprotection and provides several clues for further studies of these cells.
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Mjösberg, Jenny, et al.
(författare)
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Systemic reduction of functionally suppressive CD4dimCD25highFoxp3+ T-regs in human second trimester pregnancy is induced by progesterone and 17 beta-estradiol
- 2009
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Ingår i: Journal of Reproductive Immunology(ISSN 0165-0378), vol 81, issue 2. - : Elsevier BV. ; , s. 160-161
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- CD4+CD25high regulatory T cells (Tregs) are implicated in maintenance of murine pregnancy. However, reports regarding circulating Treg frequencies in human pregnancy are inconsistent and the functionality and phenotype of these cells in pregnancy have not been clarified. The aim was to determine the frequency, phenotype and function of circulating Tregs in second trimester human pregnancy and the influence of progesterone and 17β-estradiol on Treg phenotype and frequency. Based on expression of Foxp3, CD127 and HLA-DR, as determined by multi-color flow cytometry, we defined a proper CD4dimCD25high Treg population and showed, in contrast to most previous reports, that this population was reduced in second trimester pregnancy. Unexpectedly, Foxp3 expression was decreased in the Treg, as well as in the CD4+ population. These changes could be replicated in an in vitro system resembling the pregnancy hormonal milieu, where 17β-estradiol, and in particular progesterone, induced, in line with the pregnancy situation, a reduction of CD4dimCD25highFoxp3+ cells in PBMC from non-pregnant women. By co-culturing FACS-sorted Tregs and autologous CD4+CD25- responder cells, we showed that Tregs from pregnant women still displayed the same suppressive capacity as non-pregnant women in terms of suppressing IL-2, TNF-α and IFN-γ secretion from responder cells while efficiently producing IL-4 and IL-10. Our findings support the view of hormones, particularly progesterone, as critical regulators of Tregs in pregnancy. Further, we suggest that in the light of the results of this study, early data on circulating Treg frequencies in pregnancy need re-evaluation.
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| 4. |
- Mjösberg, Jenny, et al.
(författare)
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Systemic reduction of functionally suppressive CD4dimCD25highFoxp3+ Tregs in human second trimester pregnancy is induced by progesterone and 17θ-estradiol
- 2009
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Ingår i: Journal of Immunology. - : The American Association of Immunologists. - 0022-1767 .- 1550-6606. ; 183:1, s. 759-769
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- CD4+CD25high regulatory T cells (Tregs) are implicated in the maintenance of murine pregnancy. However, reports regarding circulating Treg frequencies in human pregnancy are inconsistent, and the functionality and phenotype of these cells in pregnancy have not been clarified. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency, phenotype, and function of circulating Tregs in the second trimester of human pregnancy and the influence of progesterone and 17β-estradiol on Treg phenotype and frequency. Based on expressions of Foxp3, CD127, and HLA-DR as determined by multicolor flow cytometry, we defined a proper CD4dimCD25high Treg population and showed, in contrast to most previous reports, that this population was reduced in second trimester of pregnancy. Unexpectedly, Foxp3 expression was decreased in the Treg, as well as in the CD4+ population. These changes could be replicated in an in vitro system resembling the pregnancy hormonal milieu, where 17β-estradiol, and in particular progesterone, induced, in line with the pregnancy situation, a reduction of CD4dimCD25highFoxp3+ cells in PBMC from nonpregnant women. By coculturing FACS-sorted Tregs and autologous CD4+CD25– responder cells, we showed that Tregs from pregnant women still displayed the same suppressive capacity as nonpregnant women in terms of suppressing IL-2, TNF-, and IFN- secretion from responder cells while efficiently producing IL-4 and IL-10. Our findings support the view of hormones, particularly progesterone, as critical regulators of Tregs in pregnancy. Furthermore, we suggest that in the light of the results of this study, early data on circulating Treg frequencies in pregnancy need reevaluation.The costs of publication of this article were defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. This article must therefore be hereby marked advertisement in accordance with 18 U.S.C. Section 1734 solely to indicate this fact.
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| 5. |
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| 6. |
- Nykänen, Arne, et al.
(författare)
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Modelling perceptual dimensions of saxophone sounds
- 2009
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Ingår i: Acta Acoustica united with Acustica. - 1610-1928 .- 1861-9959. ; 95:3, s. 539-549
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In the past, musical instruments were developed over long periods of time by skilled craftsmen. Today, most instruments are mass-produced. Design of musical instruments as mass-produced products requires using strategies which make it easier to identify customer needs and develop exact specifications. To develop useful specifications it is necessary to convert general descriptions into something which can be commonly understood and also be interpretable in terms of acoustic metrics. In this study, methods for analysis and specification of steady state parts of alto saxophone sounds were developed. Saxophonists' use of verbal descriptions of saxophone sounds was investigated. Sound stimuli were binaurally recorded. Judgements upon perceived qualities were made by saxophonists and non-saxophonists using the method of verbal attribute magnitude estimation. Perceptual dimensions were identified using principal component analysis of listening test data. Three prominent dimensions were found and described using the verbal attributes: 1) warm/soft, 2) back vowel analogues and 3) sharp/rough. The perceptual dimensions were modelled as linear functions of acoustic metrics. The results were validated through listening tests with new subjects and new stimuli. Based on the findings, the method was seen as an approach which can enhance the musical instrument design process.
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| 7. |
- Nykänen, Arne, et al.
(författare)
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Perceptual and acoustical dimensions of saxophone sound
- 2005
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Ingår i: Forum Acusticum Budapest 2005, 4th European Congress on Acoustics. ; , s. 519-524
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Specifications of product sound qualities may contain both perceptual and acoustical descriptions. The perceptual descriptions are most helpful when they contain adequate detail and utilises understandable wording. To facilitate the product design process the descriptions should also be interpretable as acoustical quantities. The objectives of the study reported upon here were to investigate how musicians use verbal descriptions of sound and to interpret these descriptions in terms of commonly used acoustical quantities. Musicians' use of verbal descriptions of saxophone sound was investigated through interviews. The most frequently used words were evaluated through listening tests. The subjects were asked to judge how well the words described the timbre of test sounds. To find the most significant perceptual dimensions for the test sounds Principal Component Analysis was used. Four significant dimensions were found and described by 9 words. To interpret the perceptual dimensions in terms of physically measurable indices, models for how acoustical quantities relate to the perceptual dimensions were developed. Dimension 1 was described by full-toned/warm/soft. The psycho-acoustical quantity sharpness correlated negatively with this dimension. Dimension 2 was described by the term [o]-like. Sharpness and specific roughness (9-11 Bark) correlated negatively with this dimension. Dimension 3 was described by sharp/keen/rough. Sharpness and roughness correlated with this dimension. Dimension 4 was described by the term [e]-like. No model for prediction of this dimension was found. To validate the models the effect of a changed design of the tone holes of a saxophone was predicted with the model and validated with new listening tests.
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| 8. |
- Salieb-Beugelaar, Georgette, et al.
(författare)
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DNA movement in sub-20 nm nanoslits
- 2007
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences, uTAS 2007. - 9780979806407 ; , s. 1201-1203
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- The movement of XbaI digested O-DNA in 20 nanometer and O-DNA in 12 nanometer high slits was investigated. We found that DNA moved intermittently and following preferential pathways, indicating an important influence of surface roughness. From these intermittent movements two different mobilities were calculated, the total averaged mobilities and averaged mobilities between the intermittent sticking events. The friction coefficient per unit length was calculated from the latter mobilities. A three order of magnitude increase was found for the 12 nm slits compared to the theoretical value. The mobility furthermore differs less than one order of magnitude between 20 nm and 12 nm slits, and the influence of varying the ionic strength of the buffer was not significant. This work is the first time DNA movement in such shallow constrictions is investigated.
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| 9. |
- Salieb-Beugelaar, Georgette, et al.
(författare)
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Field-Dependent DNA Mobility in 20 nm High Nanoslits.
- 2008
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Ingår i: Nano Letters. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1530-6992 .- 1530-6984. ; 8:7, s. 1785-1790
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The transport behavior of lambda-DNA (48 kbp) in fused silica nanoslits is investigated upon application of electrical fields of different strengths. The slit dimensions are 20 nm in height, 3 microm in width, and 500 microm in length. With fields of 30 kV/m or below, the molecules move fluently through the slits, while at higher electrical fields, the DNA molecules move intermittently, resulting in a strongly reduced mobility. We propose that the behavior can be explained by mechanical and/or field-induced dielectrophoretic DNA trapping due to the surface roughness in the nanoslits. The observation of preferential pathways and trapping sites of the lambda-DNA molecules through the nanoslits supports this hypothesis and indicates that the classical viscous friction models to explain the DNA movement in nanoslits needs to be modified to include these effects. Preliminary experiments with the smaller XbaI-digested litmus-DNA (2.8 kbp) show that the behavior is size-dependent, suggesting that the high field electrophoresis in nanoslits can be used for DNA separation.
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| 10. |
- Agüero, Ramón, et al.
(författare)
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RRM Challenges for Non-Conventional and Low-Cost Networks in Ambient Networks
- 2005
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper presents an overview of the Radio Resource Management (RRM) functionalities needed for Non-Conventional and Low-Cost Networks. These types of networks are characterized by increased cooperation between different types of networks and providers and they are believed to play a fundamental role for future wireless network networking. The paper describes three specific concepts, which latter is used to identify new RRM challenges. In addition, it identifies the relation between the RRM challenges and the Ambient Networks architecture and functionalities, in particular the multiradio resource management functionality.
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