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Hayderi A, Kumawat AK, Shavva VS, Dreifaldt M, Sigvant B, Petri MH, Kragsterman B, Olofsson PS, Sirsjö A, Ljungberg LU. RSAD2 is abundant in atherosclerotic plaques and promotes interferon-induced CXCR3-chemokines in human smooth muscle cells. Sci Rep 2024; 14:8196. [PMID: 38589444 PMCID: PMC11001978 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58592-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
In atherosclerotic lesions, monocyte-derived macrophages are major source of interferon gamma (IFN-γ), a pleotropic cytokine known to regulate the expression of numerous genes, including the antiviral gene RSAD2. While RSAD2 was reported to be expressed in endothelial cells of human carotid lesions, its significance for the development of atherosclerosis remains utterly unknown. Here, we harnessed publicly available human carotid atherosclerotic data to explore RSAD2 in lesions and employed siRNA-mediated gene-knockdown to investigate its function in IFN-γ-stimulated human aortic smooth muscle cells (hAoSMCs). Silencing RSAD2 in IFN-γ-stimulated hAoSMCs resulted in reduced expression and secretion of key CXCR3-chemokines, CXCL9, CXCL10, and CXCL11. Conditioned medium from RSAD2-deficient hAoSMCs exhibited diminished monocyte attraction in vitro compared to conditioned medium from control cells. Furthermore, RSAD2 transcript was elevated in carotid lesions where it was expressed by several different cell types, including endothelial cells, macrophages and smooth muscle cells. Interestingly, RSAD2 displayed significant correlations with CXCL10 (r = 0.45, p = 0.010) and CXCL11 (r = 0.53, p = 0.002) in human carotid lesions. Combining our findings, we uncover a novel role for RSAD2 in hAoSMCs, which could potentially contribute to monocyte recruitment in the context of atherosclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Assim Hayderi
- School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden.
| | - Ashok K Kumawat
- School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Vladimir S Shavva
- Laboratory of Immunobiology, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Center for Bioelectronic Medicine, Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mats Dreifaldt
- School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Vascular Surgery, Örebro University Hospital, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Birgitta Sigvant
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Centre for Clinical Research and Education, Region Värmland, Karlstad, Sweden
| | - Marcelo H Petri
- School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Vascular Surgery, Örebro University Hospital, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Björn Kragsterman
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Surgery, Västmanlands Hospital Västerås, Västerås, Sweden
| | - Peder S Olofsson
- Laboratory of Immunobiology, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Center for Bioelectronic Medicine, Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Institute of Bioelectronic Medicine, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, USA
| | - Allan Sirsjö
- School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
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2
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Lönn M, Svedberg P, Nygren J, Jarbin H, Aili K, Larsson I. The efficacy of weighted blankets for sleep in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder-A randomized controlled crossover trial. J Sleep Res 2024; 33:e13990. [PMID: 37452697 DOI: 10.1111/jsr.13990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Weighted blankets are a non-pharmacological intervention for treating sleep and anxiety problems in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. However, research on the efficacy of weighted blankets is sparse. The aim of this randomized controlled trial with a crossover design (4 + 4 weeks) was to evaluate the efficacy of weighted blankets on sleep among children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and sleeping problems. Children diagnosed with uncomplicated Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder with verified sleep problems were randomized to start with either a weighted blanket or a lighter control blanket. Data collection was performed at weeks 0, 4 and 8 using actigraphy, questionnaires and a daily sleep diary. T-tests were used to evaluate efficacy. The study included 94 children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (mean age 9.0 [sd 2.2] years; 54 [57.4%] boys). Weighted blankets had a significant effect on total sleep time (mean diff. 7.72 min, p = 0.027, Cohen's d = 0.24), sleep efficiency (mean diff. 0.82%, p = 0.038, Cohen's d = 0.23) and wake after sleep onset (mean diff. -2.79 min, p = 0.015, Cohen's d = -0.27), but not on sleep-onset latency (p = 0.432). According to our exploratory subgroup analyses, weighted blankets may be especially beneficial for improving total sleep time in children aged 11-14 years (Cohen's d = 0.53, p = 0.009) and in children with the inattentive attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder subtype (Cohen's d = 0.58, p = 0.016). Our results suggest that weighted blankets may improve children's sleep and could be used as an alternative to pharmacological sleep interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Lönn
- Department of Health and Care, School of Health and Welfare, Halmstad University, Halmstad, Sweden
- Psychiatry Halland, Region Halland, Halmstad, Sweden
| | - Petra Svedberg
- Department of Health and Care, School of Health and Welfare, Halmstad University, Halmstad, Sweden
| | - Jens Nygren
- Department of Health and Care, School of Health and Welfare, Halmstad University, Halmstad, Sweden
| | - Håkan Jarbin
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Region Halland, Halmstad, Sweden
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Katarina Aili
- Department of Health and Sport, School of Health and Welfare, Halmstad University, Halmstad, Sweden
| | - Ingrid Larsson
- Department of Health and Care, School of Health and Welfare, Halmstad University, Halmstad, Sweden
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Thazhathveettil J, Kumawat AK, Demirel I, Sirsjö A, Paramel GV. Vascular smooth muscle cells in response to cholesterol crystals modulates inflammatory cytokines release and promotes neutrophil extracellular trap formation. Mol Med 2024; 30:42. [PMID: 38519881 PMCID: PMC10960408 DOI: 10.1186/s10020-024-00809-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The formation and accumulation of cholesterol crystals (CC) at the lesion site is a hallmark of atherosclerosis. Although studies have shown the importance of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in the disease atherosclerosis, little is known about the molecular mechanism behind the uptake of CC in VSMCs and their role in modulating immune response. METHODS Human aortic smooth muscle cells were cultured and treated with CC. CC uptake and CC mediated signaling pathway and protein induction were studied using flow cytometry, confocal microscopy, western blot and Olink proteomics. Conditioned medium from CC treated VSMCs was used to study neutrophil adhesion, ROS production and phagocytosis. Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) formations were visualized using confocal microscopy. RESULTS VSMCs and macrophages were found around CC clefts in human carotid plaques. CC uptake in VSMCs are largely through micropinocytosis and phagocytosis via PI3K-AkT dependent pathway. The uptake of CC in VSMCs induce the release inflammatory proteins, including IL-33, an alarming cytokine. Conditioned medium from CC treated VSMCs can induce neutrophil adhesion, neutrophil reactive oxygen species (ROS) and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) formation. IL-33 neutralization in conditioned medium from CC treated VSMCs inhibited neutrophil ROS production and NETs formation. CONCLUSION We demonstrate that VSMCs due to its vicinity to CC clefts in human atherosclerotic lesion can modulate local immune response and we further reveal that the interaction between CC and VSMCs impart an inflammatory milieu in the atherosclerotic microenvironment by promoting IL-33 dependent neutrophil influx and NETs formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jishamol Thazhathveettil
- Cardiovascular Research Centre, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, 70182, Örebro, Sweden
- School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, 70182, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Ashok Kumar Kumawat
- Cardiovascular Research Centre, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, 70182, Örebro, Sweden
- School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, 70182, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Isak Demirel
- School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, 70182, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Allan Sirsjö
- Cardiovascular Research Centre, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, 70182, Örebro, Sweden
- School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, 70182, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Geena Varghese Paramel
- Cardiovascular Research Centre, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, 70182, Örebro, Sweden.
- School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, 70182, Örebro, Sweden.
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Al Musawi A, Hellström L, Axelsson M, Midlöv P, Rämgård M, Cheng Y, Eriksson T. Intervention for a correct medication list and medication use in older adults: a non-randomised feasibility study among inpatients and residents during care transitions. Int J Clin Pharm 2024:10.1007/s11096-024-01702-4. [PMID: 38340241 DOI: 10.1007/s11096-024-01702-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Medication discrepancies in care transitions and medication non-adherence are problematic. Few interventions consider the entire process, from the hospital to the patient's medication use at home. AIM In preparation for randomised controlled trials (RCTs), this study aimed (1) to investigate the feasibility of recruitment and retention of patients, and data collection to reduce medication discrepancies at discharge and improve medication adherence, and (2) to explore the outcomes of the interventions. METHOD Participants were recruited from a hospital and a residential area. Hospital patients participated in a pharmacist-led intervention to establish a correct medication list upon discharge and a follow-up interview two weeks post-discharge. All participants received a person-centred adherence intervention for three to six months. Discrepancies in the medication lists, the Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire (BMQ-S), and the Medication Adherence Report Scale (MARS-5) were assessed. RESULTS Of 87 asked to participate, 35 were included, and 12 completed the study. Identifying discrepancies, discussing discrepancies with physicians, and performing follow-up interviews were possible. Conducting the adherence intervention was also possible using individual health plans for medication use. Among the seven hospital patients, 24 discrepancies were found. Discharging physicians agreed that all discrepancies were errors, but only ten were corrected in the discharge information. Ten participants decreased their total BMQ-S concern scores, and seven increased their total MARS-5 scores. CONCLUSION Based on this study, conducting the two RCTs separately may increase the inclusion rate. Data collection was feasible. Both interventions were feasible in many aspects but need to be optimised in upcoming RCTs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Al Musawi
- Department of Biomedical Science and Biofilm - Research Center for Biointerfaces, Faculty of Health and Society, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden.
| | - Lina Hellström
- Department of Medicine and Optometry, eHealth Institute, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden
- Pharmaceutical Department, Region Kalmar County, Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Malin Axelsson
- Department of Care Science, Faculty of Health and Society, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Patrik Midlöv
- Department of Clinical Sciences Malmö, Center for Primary Health Care Research, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Margareta Rämgård
- Department of Care Science, Faculty of Health and Society, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Yuanji Cheng
- Department of Materials Science and Applied Mathematics, Faculty of Technology and Society, Malmo University, Malmo, Sweden
| | - Tommy Eriksson
- Department of Biomedical Science and Biofilm - Research Center for Biointerfaces, Faculty of Health and Society, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden
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5
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Lassila AA, Svensson D, Wang W, Andersson T. Numerical evaluation of cutting strategies for thin-walled parts. Sci Rep 2024; 14:1459. [PMID: 38228725 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-51883-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Static form errors due to in-process deflections is a major concern in flank milling of thin-walled parts. To increase both productivity and part geometric accuracy, there is a need to predict and control these form errors. In this work, a modelling framework for prediction of the cutting force-induced form errors, or thickness errors, during flank milling of a thin-walled workpiece is proposed. The modelled workpiece geometry is continuously updated to account for material removal and the reduced stiffness matrix is calculated for nodes in the engagement zone. The proposed modelling framework is able to predict the resulting thickness errors for a thin-walled plate which is cut on both sides. Several cutting strategies and cut patterns using constant z-level finishing are studied. The modelling framework is used to investigate the effect of different cut patterns, machining allowance, cutting tools and cutting parameters on the resulting thickness errors. The framework is experimentally validated for various cutting sequences and cutting parameters. The predicted thickness errors closely correspond to the experimental results. It is shown from numerical evaluations that the selection of an appropriate cut pattern is crucial in order to reduce the thickness error. Furthermore, it is shown that an increased machining allowance gives a decreased thickness error for thin-walled plates.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniel Svensson
- School of Engineering Science, University of Skövde, Kaplansgatan 11, SE-541 34, Skövde, Sweden.
| | - Wei Wang
- School of Engineering Science, University of Skövde, Kaplansgatan 11, SE-541 34, Skövde, Sweden
| | - Tobias Andersson
- School of Engineering Science, University of Skövde, Kaplansgatan 11, SE-541 34, Skövde, Sweden
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Zegeye MM, Nakka SS, Andersson JSO, Söderberg S, Ljungberg LU, Kumawat AK, Sirsjö A. Soluble LDL-receptor is induced by TNF-α and inhibits hepatocytic clearance of LDL-cholesterol. J Mol Med (Berl) 2023; 101:1615-1626. [PMID: 37861809 PMCID: PMC10697900 DOI: 10.1007/s00109-023-02379-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Defective LDL-C clearance and hence its elevation in the circulation is an established risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) such as myocardial infarction (MI). A soluble LDL-receptor (sLDL-R) has been detected in human plasma which correlates strongly with circulating LDL-C and classical conditions that promote chronic inflammation. However, the mechanistic interplay between sLDL-R, inflammation, and CVDs remains to be investigated. Here, we report that stimulation of HepG2 cells with TNF-α induces the release of sLDL-R into culture supernatants. In addition, TNF-α induces gene expression of peptidases ADAM-17 and MMP-14 in HepG2 cells, and inhibiting these peptidases using TMI 1 significantly reduces the TNF-α induced sLDL-R release. We found that a soluble form of recombinant LDL-R (100 nM) can strongly bind to LDL-C and form a stable complex (KD = E-12). Moreover, incubation of HepG2 cells with this recombinant LDL-R resulted in reduced LDL-C uptake in a dose-dependent manner. In a nested case-control study, we found that baseline sLDL-R in plasma is positively correlated with plasma total cholesterol level. Furthermore, a twofold increase in plasma sLDL-R was associated with a 55% increase in the risk of future MI [AOR = 1.55 (95% CI = 1.10-2.18)]. Nevertheless, mediation analyses revealed that a significant proportion of the association is mediated by elevation in plasma cholesterol level (indirect effect β = 0.21 (95% CI = 0.07-0.38). Collectively, our study shows that sLDL-R is induced by a pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α via membrane shedding. Furthermore, an increase in sLDL-R could inhibit hepatic clearance of LDL-C increasing its half-life in the circulation and contributing to the pathogenesis of MI. KEY MESSAGES: TNF-α causes shedding of hepatocytic LDL-R through induction of ADAM-17 and MMP-14. sLDL-R binds strongly to LDL-C and inhibits its uptake by hepatocytic cells. Plasma sLDL-R is positively correlated with TNF-α and cholesterol. Plasma sLDL-R is an independent predictor of myocardial infarction (MI). Plasma cholesterol mediates the association between sLDL-R and MI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mulugeta M Zegeye
- Cardiovascular Research Centre, School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University Södra Grev, Rosengatan 32, 703 62, Örebro, Sweden.
| | - Sravya S Nakka
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Region Västra Götaland, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Jonas S O Andersson
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Skellefteå Research Unit, Umeå University, 931 86, Skellefteå, Sweden
| | - Stefan Söderberg
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Medicine Unit, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Liza U Ljungberg
- Cardiovascular Research Centre, School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University Södra Grev, Rosengatan 32, 703 62, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Ashok K Kumawat
- Cardiovascular Research Centre, School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University Södra Grev, Rosengatan 32, 703 62, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Allan Sirsjö
- Cardiovascular Research Centre, School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University Södra Grev, Rosengatan 32, 703 62, Örebro, Sweden
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Tuerxun K, Eklund D, Wallgren U, Dannenberg K, Repsilber D, Kruse R, Särndahl E, Kurland L. Predicting sepsis using a combination of clinical information and molecular immune markers sampled in the ambulance. Sci Rep 2023; 13:14917. [PMID: 37691028 PMCID: PMC10493220 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-42081-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Sepsis is a time dependent condition. Screening tools based on clinical parameters have been shown to increase the identification of sepsis. The aim of current study was to evaluate the additional predictive value of immunological molecular markers to our previously developed prehospital screening tools. This is a prospective cohort study of 551 adult patients with suspected infection in the ambulance setting of Stockholm, Sweden between 2017 and 2018. Initially, 74 molecules and 15 genes related to inflammation were evaluated in a screening cohort of 46 patients with outcome sepsis and 50 patients with outcome infection no sepsis. Next, 12 selected molecules, as potentially synergistic predictors, were evaluated in combination with our previously developed screening tools based on clinical parameters in a prediction cohort (n = 455). Seven different algorithms with nested cross-validation were used in the machine learning of the prediction models. Model performances were compared using posterior distributions of average area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) and difference in AUCs. Model variable importance was assessed by permutation of variable values, scoring loss of classification as metric and with model-specific weights when applicable. When comparing the screening tools with and without added molecular variables, and their interactions, the molecules per se did not increase the predictive values. Prediction models based on the molecular variables alone showed a performance in terms of AUCs between 0.65 and 0.70. Among the molecular variables, IL-1Ra, IL-17A, CCL19, CX3CL1 and TNF were significantly higher in septic patients compared to the infection non-sepsis group. Combing immunological molecular markers with clinical parameters did not increase the predictive values of the screening tools, most likely due to the high multicollinearity of temperature and some of the markers. A group of sepsis patients was consistently miss-classified in our prediction models, due to milder symptoms as well as lower expression levels of the investigated immune mediators. This indicates a need of stratifying septic patients with a priori knowledge of certain clinical and molecular parameters in order to improve prediction for early sepsis diagnosis.Trial registration: NCT03249597. Registered 15 August 2017.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kedeye Tuerxun
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden.
- Inflammatory Response and Infection Susceptibility Centre, (iRiSC), Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden.
| | - Daniel Eklund
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
- Inflammatory Response and Infection Susceptibility Centre, (iRiSC), Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | | | - Katharina Dannenberg
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Dirk Repsilber
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Robert Kruse
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
- Inflammatory Response and Infection Susceptibility Centre, (iRiSC), Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Research Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Eva Särndahl
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
- Inflammatory Response and Infection Susceptibility Centre, (iRiSC), Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Lisa Kurland
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
- Inflammatory Response and Infection Susceptibility Centre, (iRiSC), Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Örebro University Hospital, Örebro, Sweden
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Qian M, Kalbina I, Rosenqvist E, Jansen MAK, Strid Å. Supplementary UV-A and UV-B radiation differentially regulate morphology in Ocimum basilicum. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2023; 22:2219-2230. [PMID: 37310640 DOI: 10.1007/s43630-023-00443-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
UV-A- or UV-B-enriched growth light was given to basil plants at non-stress-inducing intensities. UV-A-enriched growth light gave rise to a sharp rise in the expression of PAL and CHS genes in leaves, an effect that rapidly declined after 1-2 days of exposure. On the other hand, leaves of plants grown in UV-B-enriched light had a more stable and long-lasting increase in the expression of these genes and also showed a stronger increase in leaf epidermal flavonol content. UV supplementation of growth light also led to shorter more compact plants with a stronger UV effect the younger the tissue. The effect was more prominent in plants grown under UV-B-enriched light than in those grown under UV-A. Parameters particularly affected were internode lengths, petiole lengths and stem stiffness. In fact, the bending angle of the 2nd internode was found to increase as much as 67% and 162% for plants grown in the UV-A- and UV-B-enriched treatments, respectively. The decreased stem stiffness was probably caused by both an observed smaller internode diameter and a lower specific stem weight, as well as a possible decline in lignin biosynthesis due to competition for precursors by the increased flavonoid biosynthesis. Overall, at the intensities used, UV-B wavelengths are stronger regulators of morphology, gene expression and flavonoid biosynthesis than UV-A wavelengths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minjie Qian
- Örebro Life Science Center, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, 70182, Örebro, Sweden
- School of Horticulture, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China
| | - Irina Kalbina
- Örebro Life Science Center, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, 70182, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Eva Rosenqvist
- Section of Crop Sciences, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Hoejbakkegaard Allé 9, 2630, Taastrup, Denmark
| | - Marcel A K Jansen
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Environmental Research Institute, University College Cork, North Mall, Cork, T23 TK30, Ireland
| | - Åke Strid
- Örebro Life Science Center, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, 70182, Örebro, Sweden.
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9
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Nilsson J, Ekblom M, Moberg M, Lövdén M. The role of acute changes in mBDNF, cortisol and pro-BDNF in predicting cognitive performance in old age. Sci Rep 2023; 13:9418. [PMID: 37296176 PMCID: PMC10256682 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-35847-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The interplay between biomarkers of relevance to neuroplasticity and its association with learning and cognitive ability in old age remains poorly understood. The present study investigated acute changes in plasma concentrations of mature brain-derived neurotrophic factor (mBDNF), its precursor protein (pro-BDNF), and cortisol, in response to acute physical exercise and cognitive training interventions, their covariation and role in predicting cognitive performance. Confirmatory results provided no support for mBDNF, pro-BDNF and cortisol co-varying over time, as the acute interventions unfolded, but did confirm a positive association between mBDNF and pro-BDNF at rest. The confirmatory results did not support the hypothesis that mBDNF change following physical exercise were counteracted by temporally coupled changes in cortisol or pro-BDNF, or by cortisol at rest, in its previously demonstrated faciliatory effect on cognitive training outcome. Exploratory results instead provided indications of a general and trait-like cognitive benefit of exhibiting greater mBDNF responsiveness to acute interventions when coupled with lesser cortisol responsiveness, greater pro-BDNF responsiveness, and lower cortisol at rest. As such, the results call for future work to test whether certain biomarker profiles are associated with preserved cognition in old age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonna Nilsson
- Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Maria Ekblom
- Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Marcus Moberg
- Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Martin Lövdén
- Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
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10
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Halling Ullberg O, Toivanen S, Tillander A, Bälter K. Workplace health promotion to facilitate physical activity among office workers in Sweden. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1175977. [PMID: 37124789 PMCID: PMC10133573 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1175977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Office workers spend most of their working time being sedentary, contributing to a sedentary lifestyle that increases the risk of developing disease and disability. A gradual decline in cardiorespiratory fitness among adults, along with increased rate of non-communicable diseases across developed countries, makes the workplace an important opportunity for promoting healthy behaviors. This study aimed to investigate: how office companies in Sweden organize and provide workplace health promotion services related to physical activity; the companies' vision for providing workplace health promotion; and potential facilitators and barriers. Nine informants from eight companies participated in the study, and both qualitative and quantitative data were collected by semi-structured interviews. Informants were selected through purposive sampling in collaboration with eight companies in the office market, including companies that own and develop office buildings, shared workspaces, interior design, sustainable solutions, or consult on issues related to the office sector. The framework method was used to analyze the data in a flexible and systematic way. The results showed that workplace health promotion is implemented to maintain employee health, productivity, and employee branding. Also, a significant number of financial resources, organizational support and office space are devoted to workplace health promotion. Convenience and easy access to storage and fitness facilities are key facilitators. In conclusion, this study highlights the importance of employees' engagement in developing and improving workplace health promotion and addressing work-life balance constraints that hinder a healthy lifestyle. Removing barriers on an organizational level may improve the usage of workplace health promotion related to physical activity among office employees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oskar Halling Ullberg
- Division of Public Health Sciences, School of Health, Care and Social Welfare, Mälardalen University, Västerås, Sweden
- *Correspondence: Oskar Halling Ullberg
| | - Susanna Toivanen
- Division of Public Health Sciences, School of Health, Care and Social Welfare, Mälardalen University, Västerås, Sweden
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Annika Tillander
- Department of Statistics and Machine Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Katarina Bälter
- Division of Public Health Sciences, School of Health, Care and Social Welfare, Mälardalen University, Västerås, Sweden
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
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11
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Omer AAM, Hinkula J, Tran PTH, Melik W, Zattarin E, Aili D, Selegård R, Bengtsson T, Khalaf H. Plantaricin NC8 αβ rapidly and efficiently inhibits flaviviruses and SARS-CoV-2 by disrupting their envelopes. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0278419. [PMID: 36449554 PMCID: PMC9710782 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0278419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Potent broad-spectrum antiviral agents are urgently needed to combat existing and emerging viral infections. This is particularly important considering that vaccine development is a costly and time consuming process and that viruses constantly mutate and render the vaccine ineffective. Antimicrobial peptides (AMP), such as bacteriocins, are attractive candidates as antiviral agents against enveloped viruses. One of these bacteriocins is PLNC8 αβ, which consists of amphipathic peptides with positive net charges that display high affinity for negatively charged pathogen membrane structures, including phosphatidylserine rich lipid membranes of viral envelopes. Due to the morphological and physiological differences between viral envelopes and host cell plasma membranes, PLNC8 αβ is thought to have high safety profile by specifically targeting viral envelopes without effecting host cell membranes. In this study, we have tested the antiviral effects of PLNC8 αβ against the flaviviruses Langat and Kunjin, coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, influenza A virus (IAV), and human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1). The concentration of PLNC8 αβ that is required to eliminate all the infective virus particles is in the range of nanomolar (nM) to micromolar (μM), which is surprisingly efficient considering the high content of cholesterol (8-35%) in their lipid envelopes. We found that viruses replicating in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)/Golgi complex, e.g. SARS-CoV-2 and flaviviruses, are considerably more susceptible to PLNC8 αβ, compared to viruses that acquire their lipid envelope from the plasma membrane, such as IAV and HIV-1. Development of novel broad-spectrum antiviral agents can significantly benefit human health by rapidly and efficiently eliminating infectious virions and thereby limit virus dissemination and spreading between individuals. PLNC8 αβ can potentially be developed into an effective and safe antiviral agent that targets the lipid compartments of viral envelopes of extracellular virions, more or less independent of virus antigenic mutations, which faces many antiviral drugs and vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abubakr A. M. Omer
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Jorma Hinkula
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences (BKV), Division of Molecular Medicine and Virology, Mucosa infection och inflammation Center (MIIC), Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Pham-Tue-Hung Tran
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Wessam Melik
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Elisa Zattarin
- Laboratory of Molecular Materials, Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM), Division of Biophysics and Bioengineering, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Daniel Aili
- Laboratory of Molecular Materials, Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM), Division of Biophysics and Bioengineering, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Robert Selegård
- Laboratory of Molecular Materials, Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM), Division of Biophysics and Bioengineering, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Torbjörn Bengtsson
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Hazem Khalaf
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
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12
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Iwaya LH, Babar MA, Rashid A, Wijayarathna C. On the privacy of mental health apps: An empirical investigation and its implications for app development. Empir Softw Eng 2022; 28:2. [PMID: 36407814 PMCID: PMC9643945 DOI: 10.1007/s10664-022-10236-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED An increasing number of mental health services are now offered through mobile health (mHealth) systems, such as in mobile applications (apps). Although there is an unprecedented growth in the adoption of mental health services, partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns about data privacy risks due to security breaches are also increasing. Whilst some studies have analyzed mHealth apps from different angles, including security, there is relatively little evidence for data privacy issues that may exist in mHealth apps used for mental health services, whose recipients can be particularly vulnerable. This paper reports an empirical study aimed at systematically identifying and understanding data privacy incorporated in mental health apps. We analyzed 27 top-ranked mental health apps from Google Play Store. Our methodology enabled us to perform an in-depth privacy analysis of the apps, covering static and dynamic analysis, data sharing behaviour, server-side tests, privacy impact assessment requests, and privacy policy evaluation. Furthermore, we mapped the findings to the LINDDUN threat taxonomy, describing how threats manifest on the studied apps. The findings reveal important data privacy issues such as unnecessary permissions, insecure cryptography implementations, and leaks of personal data and credentials in logs and web requests. There is also a high risk of user profiling as the apps' development do not provide foolproof mechanisms against linkability, detectability and identifiability. Data sharing among 3rd-parties and advertisers in the current apps' ecosystem aggravates this situation. Based on the empirical findings of this study, we provide recommendations to be considered by different stakeholders of mHealth apps in general and apps developers in particular. We conclude that while developers ought to be more knowledgeable in considering and addressing privacy issues, users and health professionals can also play a role by demanding privacy-friendly apps. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10664-022-10236-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Horn Iwaya
- Centre for Research on Engineering Software Technologies, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005 Australia
- Cyber Security Cooperative Research Centre (CSCRC), Joondalup, Australia
- Privacy and Security (PriSec), Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Karlstad University, Karlstad, Sweden
| | - M. Ali Babar
- Centre for Research on Engineering Software Technologies, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005 Australia
- Cyber Security Cooperative Research Centre (CSCRC), Joondalup, Australia
| | - Awais Rashid
- Bristol Cyber Security Group, Department of Computer Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- REPHRAIN: National Research Centre on Privacy, Harm Reduction and Adversarial Influence Online, Bristol, UK
| | - Chamila Wijayarathna
- Centre for Research on Engineering Software Technologies, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005 Australia
- Cyber Security Cooperative Research Centre (CSCRC), Joondalup, Australia
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13
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Eriksson KM, Carlsson L, Olsson AK. To digitalize or not? Navigating and merging human- and technology perspectives in production planning and control. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 2022; 122:4365-4373. [PMID: 35968033 PMCID: PMC9361888 DOI: 10.1007/s00170-022-09874-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Contemporary manufacturing companies are navigating industrial digitalization anticipating increased production efficiency and competitiveness in a volatile environment. This study focuses on the implementation processes of digital tools for production planning and control (PPC), i.e., advanced planning and scheduling (APS) software, in relation to the application of analog planning with physical flow boards. Digital tools can support understanding the consequences of production changes and variations, hence facilitating adaptable and resilient manufacturing. However, technological changes can be daunting, and effective implementations require dynamic capabilities to remain competitive in elusive environments. The aim is to study the implementation processes of an APS software to understand the requirements of fruitfully moving from analog planning to next-generation digital tools for decision support in PPC. The paper presents an explorative case study, at a manufacturing company within the energy sector. The interview study took place over 9 months during 2020-2021, investigating current and retrospective aspects of the case across 2019-2021. The case study comprises 17 in-depth interviews with a range of company employees, e.g., logistics managers and functions responsible for digitalization development. The results highlight the challenges of implementing and especially trusting digital tools for PPC. To realize the value of digital tools for PPC, it is argued that it is imperative to simultaneously apply a human-centric perspective in decision making to ensure trustworthy, sustainable, and resilient human-data-technology nexus implementations towards smart manufacturing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina M. Eriksson
- Department of Engineering Science, University West, SE-461 86 Trollhättan, Sweden
| | - Linnéa Carlsson
- School of Business, Economics and IT, University West, SE-461 86 Trollhättan, Sweden
| | - Anna Karin Olsson
- School of Business, Economics and IT, University West, SE-461 86 Trollhättan, Sweden
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14
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Sundstedt V, Garro V. A Systematic Review of Visualization Techniques and Analysis Tools for Eye-Tracking in 3D Environments. Front Neurogenom 2022; 3:910019. [PMID: 38235460 PMCID: PMC10790926 DOI: 10.3389/fnrgo.2022.910019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
This systematic literature review presents an update on developments in 3D visualization techniques and analysis tools for eye movement data in 3D environments. With the introduction of affordable and non-intrusive eye-tracking solutions to the mass market, access to users' gaze is now increasingly possible. As a result, the adoption of eye-tracking in virtual environments using head-mounted displays is expected to increase since the trend is to incorporate gaze tracking as part of new technical solutions. The systematic literature review presented in this paper was conducted using the Scopus database (using the period 2017 to 17th of May 2022), which after analysis, resulted in the inclusion of 15 recent publications with relevance in eye-tracking visualization techniques for 3D virtual scenes. First, this paper briefly describes the foundations of eye-tracking and traditional 2D visualization techniques. As background, we also list earlier 3D eye-tracking visualization techniques identified in a previous review. Next, the systematic literature review presents the method used to acquire the included papers and a description of these in terms of eye-tracking technology, observed stimuli, application context, and type of 3D gaze visualization techniques. We then discuss the overall findings, including opportunities, challenges, trends, and present ideas for future directions. Overall the results show that eye-tracking in immersive virtual environments is on the rise and that more research and developments are needed to create novel and improved technical solutions for 3D gaze analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Sundstedt
- Department of Computer Science, Blekinge Institute of Technology, Karlskrona, Sweden
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15
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Bereketoglu C, Pradhan A. Plasticizers: negative impacts on the thyroid hormone system. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2022; 29:38912-38927. [PMID: 35303231 PMCID: PMC9119869 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-19594-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
This review aims to understand the impacts of plasticizers on the thyroid system of animals and humans. The thyroid gland is one of the earliest endocrine glands that appear during embryogenesis. The thyroid gland synthesizes thyroid hormones (TH), triiodothyronine (T3), and thyroxine (T4) that are important in the regulation of body homeostasis. TH plays critical roles in regulating different physiological functions, including metabolism, cell growth, circadian rhythm, and nervous system development. Alteration in thyroid function can lead to different medical problems. In recent years, thyroid-related medical problems have increased and this could be due to rising environmental pollutants. Plasticizers are one such group of a pollutant that impacts thyroid function. Plasticizers are man-made chemicals used in a wide range of products, such as children's toys, food packaging items, building materials, medical devices, cosmetics, and ink. The increased use of plasticizers has resulted in their detection in the environment, animals, and humans. Studies indicated that plasticizers could alter thyroid function in both animals and humans at different levels. Several studies demonstrated a positive and/or negative correlation between plasticizers and serum T4 and T3 levels. Plasticizers could also change the expression of various TH-related genes and proteins, including thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH), and transporters. Histological analyses demonstrated thyroid follicular cell hypertrophy and hyperplasia in response to several plasticizers. In conclusion, plasticizers could disrupt TH homeostasis and the mechanisms of toxicity could be diverse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ceyhun Bereketoglu
- Department of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Marmara University, 34722, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Ajay Pradhan
- Biology, The Life Science Center, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, 701 82, Örebro, Sweden.
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16
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Alégroth E, Karl K, Rosshagen H, Helmfridsson T, Olsson N. Practitioners' best practices to Adopt, Use or Abandon Model-based Testing with Graphical models for Software-intensive Systems. Empir Softw Eng 2022; 27:103. [PMID: 35668867 PMCID: PMC9149667 DOI: 10.1007/s10664-022-10145-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Model-based testing (MBT) has been extensively researched for software-intensive systems but, despite the academic interest, adoption of the technique in industry has been sparse. This phenomenon has been observed by our industrial partners for MBT with graphical models. They perceive one cause to be a lack of evidence-based MBT guidelines that, in addition to technical guidelines, also take non-technical aspects into account. This hypothesis is supported by a lack of such guidelines in the literature. Objective: The objective of this study is to elicit, and synthesize, MBT experts' best practices for MBT with graphical models. The results aim to give guidance to practitioners and aspire to give researchers new insights to inspire future research. Method: An interview survey is conducted using deep, semi-structured, interviews with an international sample of 17 MBT experts, in different roles, from software industry. Interview results are synthesised through semantic equivalence analysis and verified by MBT experts from industrial practice. Results: 13 synthesised conclusions are drawn from which 23 best-practice guidelines are derived for the adoption, use and abandonment of the technique. In addition, observations and expert insights are discussed that help explain the lack of wide-spread adoption of MBT with graphical models in industrial practice. Conclusions: Several technical aspects of MBT are covered by the results as well as conclusions that cover process- and organizational factors. These factors relate to the mindset, knowledge, organization, mandate and resources that enable the technique to be used effectively within an organization. The guidelines presented in this work complement existing knowledge and, as a primary objective, provide guidance for industrial practitioners to better succeed with MBT with graphical models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emil Alégroth
- SERL Sweden Blekinge Institute of Technology, Karlskrona, Sweden
| | - Kristian Karl
- SERL Sweden Blekinge Institute of Technology, Karlskrona, Sweden
| | - Helena Rosshagen
- SERL Sweden Blekinge Institute of Technology, Karlskrona, Sweden
| | | | - Nils Olsson
- SERL Sweden Blekinge Institute of Technology, Karlskrona, Sweden
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17
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Talu M, Seyoum A, Yitayew B, Aseffa A, Jass J, Mamo G, Olsson PE. Transcriptional responses of Daphnia magna exposed to Akaki river water. Environ Monit Assess 2022; 194:349. [PMID: 35394223 PMCID: PMC8993723 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-022-09973-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Pollution of the aquatic environment is a global problem, with industrial waste, farming effluents, sewage, and wastewater as the main contributors. Many pollutants are biologically active at low concentrations, resulting in sublethal effects, which makes it a highly complex situation and difficult to assess. In many places, such as the Akaki river in Ethiopia, the pollution situation has resulted in streams with minimal presence of invertebrates or vertebrates. As it is difficult to perform a complete chemical analysis of the waters, the present study focused on using gene expression analysis as a biological end point to determine the effects of Akaki river contaminants. The present study was conducted using the small planktonic crustacean Daphnia magna with toxicogenomic molecular markers. Daphnia magna neonates were exposed to Akaki water samples collected from two different sites on the river and analyzed for mortality and expression of genes involved in different biological pathways. Despite the poor quality of Akaki river water, 48 h acute toxicity tests showed no mortality. Interestingly, analysis of sublethal toxicogenomic responses showed that exposure to Akaki water altered the expression of 25 out of 37 genes involved in metal regulation, immune response, oxidative stress, respiration, reproduction, and development. The toxicogenomic data gives insight into the mechanisms involved in causing potential adverse effects to aquatic biota harboring the Akaki river system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meron Talu
- The Life Science Center-Biology, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, 701 82, Orebro, Sweden
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Veterinary Public Health, College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Asmerom Seyoum
- The Life Science Center-Biology, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, 701 82, Orebro, Sweden
| | - Berhanu Yitayew
- The Life Science Center-Biology, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, 701 82, Orebro, Sweden
- College of Health Science Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Abraham Aseffa
- Armauer Hansen Research Institute (AHRI), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Jana Jass
- The Life Science Center-Biology, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, 701 82, Orebro, Sweden
| | - Gezahegne Mamo
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Veterinary Public Health, College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Per-Erik Olsson
- The Life Science Center-Biology, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, 701 82, Orebro, Sweden.
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18
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Ekelund Ugge GM, Jonsson A, Berglund O. Molecular biomarker responses in the freshwater mussel Anodonta anatina exposed to an industrial wastewater effluent. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2022; 29:2158-2170. [PMID: 34363176 PMCID: PMC8732836 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-15633-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Using a selection of molecular biomarkers, we evaluated responses in freshwater mussels (Anodonta anatina) exposed to effluent from an industrial wastewater treatment facility. The aims of this work were to (1) assess biomarkers of general toxicity under sublethal exposure to an anthropogenic mixture of chemicals, represented by an arbitrary effluent, and (2) evaluate the potential of A. anatina as a bioindicator of pollution. Adult mussels (n = in total 32; 24 males and 8 females) were exposed (96 h) in the laboratory to a fixed dilution of effluent or to a control treatment of standardized freshwater. Metal concentrations were in general higher in the effluent, by an order of magnitude or more, compared to the control. Toxic unit estimates were used as proxies of chemical stress, and Cu, Ni, and Zn were identified as potential major contributors (Cu> Ni > Zn). Six transcriptional (cat, gst, hsp70, hsp90, mt, sod) and two biochemical (AChE, GST) biomarkers were analyzed in two tissues, gills, and digestive glands. Out of the 16 responses (eight biomarkers × two tissues), 14 effect sizes were small (within ± 28 % of control) and differences non-significant (p > 0.05). Results did however show that (1) AChE activity increased by 40% in gills of exposed mussels compared to control, (2) hsp90 expression was 100% higher in exposed female gills compared to control, and (3) three marker signals (AChE in both tissues, and hsp70 in gills) differed between sexes, independent of treatment. Results highlight a need for further investigation of molecular biomarker variability and robustness in A. anatina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustaf Mo Ekelund Ugge
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, 223 62, Lund, Sweden.
- School of Bioscience, University of Skövde, Högskolevägen 3, 541 46, Skövde, Sweden.
| | - Annie Jonsson
- School of Bioscience, University of Skövde, Högskolevägen 3, 541 46, Skövde, Sweden
| | - Olof Berglund
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, 223 62, Lund, Sweden
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19
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Abstract
Nano-structured materials are used in electronics, diagnostics, therapeutics, smart packaging, energy management and textiles, areas critical for society and quality of life. However, their fabrication often places high demands on limited natural resources. Accordingly, renewable sources for the feedstocks used in their production are highly desirable. We demonstrate the use of readily available biopolymers derived from maize (zein), milk (casein) and malacostraca (crab-shell derived chitin) in conjunction with sacrificial templates, self-assembled monodisperse latex beads and anodized aluminium membranes, for producing robust surfaces coated with highly regular hyperporous networks or wire-like morphological features, respectively. The utility of this facile strategy for nano-structuring of biopolymers was demonstrated in a surface based-sensing application, where biotin-selective binding sites were generated in the zein-based nano-structured hyperporous network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subramanian Suriyanarayanan
- Bioorganic and Biophysical Chemistry Laboratory, Linnaeus Centre for Biomaterials Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Biomedical Sciences, Linnaeus University, 39231, Kalmar, Sweden.
| | - Ian A Nicholls
- Bioorganic and Biophysical Chemistry Laboratory, Linnaeus Centre for Biomaterials Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Biomedical Sciences, Linnaeus University, 39231, Kalmar, Sweden.
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20
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Sáenz-de la O D, Morales LO, Strid Å, Torres-Pacheco I, Guevara-González RG. Ultraviolet-B exposure and exogenous hydrogen peroxide application lead to cross-tolerance toward drought in Nicotiana tabacum L. Physiol Plant 2021; 173:666-679. [PMID: 33948972 DOI: 10.1111/ppl.13448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2021] [Revised: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Acclimation of plants to water deficit involves biochemical and physiological adjustments. Here, we studied how ultraviolet (UV)-B exposure and exogenously applied hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 ) potentiates drought tolerance in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. xanthi nc). Separate and combined applications for 14 days of 1.75 kJ m-2 day-1 UV-B radiation and 0.2 mM H2 O2 were assessed. Both factors, individually and combined, resulted in inhibition of growth. Furthermore, the combined treatment led to the most compacted plants. UV-B- and UV-B + H2 O2 -treated plants increased total antioxidant capacity and foliar epidermal flavonol index. H2 O2 - and UV-B + H2 O2 -pre-treated plants showed cross-tolerance to a subsequent 7-day moderate drought treatment, which was assessed as the absence of negative impact on growth, leaf wilting, and leaf relative water content. Plant responses to the pre-treatment were notably different: (1) H2 O2 increased the activity of catalase (EC 1.11.1.6), phenylalanine ammonia lyase (EC 4.3.1.5), and peroxidase activities (EC 1.11.1.7), and (2) the combined treatment induced epidermal flavonols which were key to drought tolerance. We report synergistic effects of UV-B and H2 O2 on transcription accumulation of UV RESISTANCE LOCUS 8, NAC DOMAIN PROTEIN 13 (NAC13), and BRI1-EMS-SUPPRESSOR 1 (BES1). Our data demonstrate a pre-treatment-dependent response to drought for NAC13, BES1, and CHALCONE SYNTHASE transcript accumulation. This study highlights the potential of combining UV-B and H2 O2 to improve drought tolerance which could become a useful tool to reduce water use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Sáenz-de la O
- Biosystems Engineering, School of Engineering, Autonomous University of Queretaro-Campus Amazcala, Querétaro, Mexico
| | - Luis O Morales
- School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Åke Strid
- School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Irineo Torres-Pacheco
- Biosystems Engineering, School of Engineering, Autonomous University of Queretaro-Campus Amazcala, Querétaro, Mexico
| | - Ramón G Guevara-González
- Biosystems Engineering, School of Engineering, Autonomous University of Queretaro-Campus Amazcala, Querétaro, Mexico
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21
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Badam TVS, de Weerd HA, Martínez-Enguita D, Olsson T, Alfredsson L, Kockum I, Jagodic M, Lubovac-Pilav Z, Gustafsson M. A validated generally applicable approach using the systematic assessment of disease modules by GWAS reveals a multi-omic module strongly associated with risk factors in multiple sclerosis. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:631. [PMID: 34461822 PMCID: PMC8404328 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07935-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There exist few, if any, practical guidelines for predictive and falsifiable multi-omic data integration that systematically integrate existing knowledge. Disease modules are popular concepts for interpreting genome-wide studies in medicine but have so far not been systematically evaluated and may lead to corroborating multi-omic modules. RESULT We assessed eight module identification methods in 57 previously published expression and methylation studies of 19 diseases using GWAS enrichment analysis. Next, we applied the same strategy for multi-omic integration of 20 datasets of multiple sclerosis (MS), and further validated the resulting module using both GWAS and risk-factor-associated genes from several independent cohorts. Our benchmark of modules showed that in immune-associated diseases modules inferred from clique-based methods were the most enriched for GWAS genes. The multi-omic case study using MS data revealed the robust identification of a module of 220 genes. Strikingly, most genes of the module were differentially methylated upon the action of one or several environmental risk factors in MS (n = 217, P = 10- 47) and were also independently validated for association with five different risk factors of MS, which further stressed the high genetic and epigenetic relevance of the module for MS. CONCLUSIONS We believe our analysis provides a workflow for selecting modules and our benchmark study may help further improvement of disease module methods. Moreover, we also stress that our methodology is generally applicable for combining and assessing the performance of multi-omic approaches for complex diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tejaswi V S Badam
- School of Bioscience, Systems Biology Research Center, University of Skövde, Skövde, Sweden
- Bioinformatics, Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping university, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Hendrik A de Weerd
- School of Bioscience, Systems Biology Research Center, University of Skövde, Skövde, Sweden
- Bioinformatics, Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping university, Linköping, Sweden
| | - David Martínez-Enguita
- Bioinformatics, Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping university, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Tomas Olsson
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, SE-171 76, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lars Alfredsson
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, SE-171 76, Stockholm, Sweden
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, SE-171 76, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ingrid Kockum
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, SE-171 76, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Maja Jagodic
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, SE-171 76, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Zelmina Lubovac-Pilav
- School of Bioscience, Systems Biology Research Center, University of Skövde, Skövde, Sweden
| | - Mika Gustafsson
- Bioinformatics, Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping university, Linköping, Sweden.
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22
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Nicholls IA, Golker K, Olsson GD, Suriyanarayanan S, Wiklander JG. The Use of Computational Methods for the Development of Molecularly Imprinted Polymers. Polymers (Basel) 2021; 13:2841. [PMID: 34502881 PMCID: PMC8434026 DOI: 10.3390/polym13172841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent years have witnessed a dramatic increase in the use of theoretical and computational approaches in the study and development of molecular imprinting systems. These tools are being used to either improve understanding of the mechanisms underlying the function of molecular imprinting systems or for the design of new systems. Here, we present an overview of the literature describing the application of theoretical and computational techniques to the different stages of the molecular imprinting process (pre-polymerization mixture, polymerization process and ligand-molecularly imprinted polymer rebinding), along with an analysis of trends within and the current status of this aspect of the molecular imprinting field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian A. Nicholls
- Bioorganic & Biophysical Chemistry Laboratory, Linnaeus University Centre for Biomaterials Chemistry, Department of Chemistry & Biomedical Sciences, Linnaeus University, SE-391 82 Kalmar, Sweden; (K.G.); (G.D.O.); (S.S.); (J.G.W.)
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23
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Abbaspour S, Naber A, Ortiz-Catalan M, GholamHosseini H, Lindén M. Real-Time and Offline Evaluation of Myoelectric Pattern Recognition for the Decoding of Hand Movements. Sensors (Basel) 2021; 21:5677. [PMID: 34451119 PMCID: PMC8402521 DOI: 10.3390/s21165677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Pattern recognition algorithms have been widely used to map surface electromyographic signals to target movements as a source for prosthetic control. However, most investigations have been conducted offline by performing the analysis on pre-recorded datasets. While real-time data analysis (i.e., classification when new data becomes available, with limits on latency under 200-300 milliseconds) plays an important role in the control of prosthetics, less knowledge has been gained with respect to real-time performance. Recent literature has underscored the differences between offline classification accuracy, the most common performance metric, and the usability of upper limb prostheses. Therefore, a comparative offline and real-time performance analysis between common algorithms had yet to be performed. In this study, we investigated the offline and real-time performance of nine different classification algorithms, decoding ten individual hand and wrist movements. Surface myoelectric signals were recorded from fifteen able-bodied subjects while performing the ten movements. The offline decoding demonstrated that linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) significantly (p < 0.05) outperformed other classifiers, with an average classification accuracy of above 97%. On the other hand, the real-time investigation revealed that, in addition to the LDA and MLE, multilayer perceptron also outperformed the other algorithms and achieved a classification accuracy and completion rate of above 68% and 69%, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Abbaspour
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Autumn Naber
- Center for Bionics and Pain Research, 431 80 Möndal, Sweden; (A.N.); (M.O.-C.)
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Max Ortiz-Catalan
- Center for Bionics and Pain Research, 431 80 Möndal, Sweden; (A.N.); (M.O.-C.)
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
- Operational Area 3, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, 431 80 Mölndal, Sweden
- Department of Orthopaedics, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 431 80 Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Hamid GholamHosseini
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland 1010, New Zealand;
| | - Maria Lindén
- School of Innovation, Design and Engineering, Mälardalen University, 722 20 Västerås, Sweden;
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24
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Boyd H, Gonzalez-Martinez JF, Welbourn RJL, Ma K, Li P, Gutfreund P, Klechikov A, Arnebrant T, Barker R, Sotres J. Effect of nonionic and amphoteric surfactants on salivary pellicles reconstituted in vitro. Sci Rep 2021; 11:12913. [PMID: 34155330 PMCID: PMC8217253 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-92505-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Surfactants are important components of oral care products. Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) is the most common because of its foaming properties, taste and low cost. However, the use of ionic surfactants, especially SDS, is related to several oral mucosa conditions. Thus, there is a high interest in using non-ionic and amphoteric surfactants as they are less irritant. To better understand the performance of these surfactants in oral care products, we investigated their interaction with salivary pellicles i.e., the proteinaceous films that cover surfaces exposed to saliva. Specifically, we focused on pentaethylene glycol monododecyl ether (C12E5) and cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB) as model nonionic and amphoteric surfactants respectively, and investigated their interaction with reconstituted salivary pellicles with various surface techniques: Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation, Ellipsometry, Force Spectroscopy and Neutron Reflectometry. Both C12E5 and CAPB were gentler on pellicles than SDS, removing a lower amount. However, their interaction with pellicles differed. Our work indicates that CAPB would mainly interact with the mucin components of pellicles, leading to collapse and dehydration. In contrast, exposure to C12E5 had a minimal effect on the pellicles, mainly resulting in the replacement/solubilisation of some of the components anchoring pellicles to their substrate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Boyd
- Biomedical Science Department, Biofilms-Research Center for Biointerfaces, Malmö University, 20506, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Juan F Gonzalez-Martinez
- Biomedical Science Department, Biofilms-Research Center for Biointerfaces, Malmö University, 20506, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Rebecca J L Welbourn
- ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot, OX11 0QX, UK
| | - Kun Ma
- ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot, OX11 0QX, UK
| | - Peixun Li
- ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot, OX11 0QX, UK
| | - Philipp Gutfreund
- Institut Laue Langevin, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Alexey Klechikov
- Institut Laue Langevin, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000, Grenoble, France
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, 75120, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Thomas Arnebrant
- Biomedical Science Department, Biofilms-Research Center for Biointerfaces, Malmö University, 20506, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Robert Barker
- School of Physical Sciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7NZ, UK
| | - Javier Sotres
- Biomedical Science Department, Biofilms-Research Center for Biointerfaces, Malmö University, 20506, Malmö, Sweden.
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25
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Zhao R, Cui S, Ge Z, Zhang Y, Bera K, Zhu L, Sun SX, Konstantopoulos K. Hydraulic resistance induces cell phenotypic transition in confinement. Sci Adv 2021; 7:7/17/eabg4934. [PMID: 33893091 PMCID: PMC8064631 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abg4934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Cells penetrating into confinement undergo mesenchymal-to-amoeboid transition. The topographical features of the microenvironment expose cells to different hydraulic resistance levels. How cells respond to hydraulic resistance is unknown. We show that the cell phenotype shifts from amoeboid to mesenchymal upon increasing resistance. By combining automated morphological tracking and wavelet analysis along with fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP), we found an oscillatory phenotypic transition that cycles from blebbing to short, medium, and long actin network formation, and back to blebbing. Elevated hydraulic resistance promotes focal adhesion maturation and long actin filaments, thereby reducing the period required for amoeboid-to-mesenchymal transition. The period becomes independent of resistance upon blocking the mechanosensor TRPM7. Mathematical modeling links intracellular calcium oscillations with actomyosin turnover and force generation and recapitulates experimental data. We identify hydraulic resistance as a critical physical cue controlling cell phenotype and present an approach for connecting fluorescent signal fluctuations to morphological oscillations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Runchen Zhao
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Johns Hopkins Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Siqi Cui
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Johns Hopkins Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Zhuoxu Ge
- Johns Hopkins Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Yuqi Zhang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Johns Hopkins Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Kaustav Bera
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Johns Hopkins Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Lily Zhu
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Sean X Sun
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Johns Hopkins Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Johns Hopkins Physical Sciences-Oncology Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Konstantinos Konstantopoulos
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
- Johns Hopkins Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Johns Hopkins Physical Sciences-Oncology Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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26
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Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has shown high infection and mortality rates all over the world, and despite the global efforts, there is so far no specific therapy available for COVID-19. Interestingly, while the severity and mortality of COVID-19 are higher in males than in females, the underlying molecular mechanisms are unclear. In this review, we explore sex-related differences that may be contributing factors to the observed male-biased mortality from COVID-19. Males are considered the weaker sex in aspects related to endurance and infection control. Studies show that viral RNA clearance is delayed in males with COVID-19. A recent study has indicated that the testis can harbor coronavirus, and consequently, males show delayed viral clearance. However, the role of testis involvement in COVID-19 severity and mortality needs further research. Males and females show a distinct difference in immune system responses with females eliciting stronger immune responses to pathogens. This difference in immune system responses may be a major contributing factor to viral load, disease severity, and mortality. In addition, differences in sex hormone milieus could also be a determinant of viral infections as estrogen has immunoenhancing effects while testosterone has immunosuppressive effects. The sex-specific severity of COVID-19 infections indicates that further research on understanding the sex differences is needed. Inclusion of both males and females in basic research and clinical trials is required to provide critical information on sex-related differences that may help to better understand disease outcome and therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajay Pradhan
- Biology, The Life Science Center, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, SE-701 82, Örebro, Sweden.
| | - Per-Erik Olsson
- Biology, The Life Science Center, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, SE-701 82, Örebro, Sweden
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27
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Granéli C, Hicks R, Brolén G, Synnergren J, Sartipy P. Diabetic Cardiomyopathy Modelling Using Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Derived Cardiomyocytes: Recent Advances and Emerging Models. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2020; 15:13-22. [PMID: 30343468 PMCID: PMC6513824 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-018-9858-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The global burden of diabetes has drastically increased over the past decades and in 2017 approximately 4 million deaths were caused by diabetes and cardiovascular complications. Diabetic cardiomyopathy is a common complication of diabetes with early manifestations of diastolic dysfunction and left ventricular hypertrophy with subsequent progression to systolic dysfunction and ultimately heart failure. An in vitro model accurately recapitulating key processes of diabetic cardiomyopathy would provide a useful tool for investigations of underlying disease mechanisms to further our understanding of the disease and thereby potentially advance treatment strategies for patients. With their proliferative capacity and differentiation potential, human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) represent an appealing cell source for such a model system and cardiomyocytes derived from induced pluripotent stem cells have been used to establish other cardiovascular related disease models. Here we review recently made advances and discuss challenges still to be overcome with regard to diabetic cardiomyopathy models, with a special focus on iPSC-based systems. Recent publications as well as preliminary data presented here demonstrate the feasibility of generating cardiomyocytes with a diabetic phenotype, displaying insulin resistance, impaired calcium handling and hypertrophy. However, capturing the full metabolic- and functional phenotype of the diabetic cardiomyocyte remains to be accomplished.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Granéli
- Systems Biology Research Center, School of Bioscience, University of Skövde, SE-541 28, Skövde, Sweden.
- Discovery Sciences, IMED Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca Gothenburg, SE-431 50, Mölndal, Sweden.
| | - Ryan Hicks
- Discovery Sciences, IMED Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca Gothenburg, SE-431 50, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Gabriella Brolén
- Discovery Sciences, IMED Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca Gothenburg, SE-431 50, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Jane Synnergren
- Systems Biology Research Center, School of Bioscience, University of Skövde, SE-541 28, Skövde, Sweden
| | - Peter Sartipy
- Systems Biology Research Center, School of Bioscience, University of Skövde, SE-541 28, Skövde, Sweden
- Global Medicines Development, CVRM, AstraZeneca Gothenburg, SE-431 50, Mölndal, Sweden
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28
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Ekelund Ugge GMO, Jonsson A, Olsson B, Sjöback R, Berglund O. Transcriptional and biochemical biomarker responses in a freshwater mussel (Anodonta anatina) under environmentally relevant Cu exposure. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2020; 27:9999-10010. [PMID: 31933076 PMCID: PMC7089896 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-07660-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2019] [Accepted: 01/07/2020] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Molecular biomarkers, like gene transcripts or enzyme activities, are potentially powerful tools for early warning assessment of pollution. However, a thorough understanding of response and baseline variation is required to distinguish actual effects from pollution. Here, we assess the freshwater mussel Anodonta anatina as a biomarker model species for freshwater ecosystems, by testing responses of six transcriptional (cat, gst, hsp70, hsp90, mt, and sod) and two biochemical (AChE and GST) biomarkers to environmentally relevant Cu water concentrations. Mussels (n = 20), collected from a stream free from point source pollution, were exposed in the laboratory, for 96 h, to Cu treatments (< 0.2 μg/L, 0.77 ± 0.87 μg/L, and 6.3 ± 5.4 μg/L). Gills and digestive glands were extracted and analyzed for transcriptional and biochemical responses. Biological and statistical effect sizes from Cu treatments were in general small (mean log2 fold-change ≤ 0.80 and Cohen's f ≤ 0.69, respectively), and no significant treatment effects were observed. In contrast, four out of eight biomarkers (cat, gst, hsp70, and GST) showed a significant sex:tissue interaction, and additionally one (sod) showed significant overall effects from sex. Specifically, three markers in gills (cat, mt, GST) and one in digestive gland (AChE) displayed significant sex differences, independent of treatment. Results suggest that sex or tissue effects might obscure low-magnitude biomarker responses and potential early warnings. Thus, variation in biomarker baselines and response patterns needs to be further addressed for the future use of A. anatina as a biomarker model species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustaf Magnus Oskar Ekelund Ugge
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, 223 62, Lund, Sweden.
- School of Bioscience, University of Skövde, Högskolevägen 3, 541 28, Skövde, Sweden.
| | - Annie Jonsson
- School of Bioscience, University of Skövde, Högskolevägen 3, 541 28, Skövde, Sweden
| | - Björn Olsson
- School of Bioscience, University of Skövde, Högskolevägen 3, 541 28, Skövde, Sweden
| | - Robert Sjöback
- TATAA Biocenter, Odinsgatan 28, 411 03, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Olof Berglund
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, 223 62, Lund, Sweden
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29
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies on multiple modalities of omics data such as transcriptomics, genomics and proteomics are growing in popularity, since they allow us to investigate complex mechanisms across molecular layers. It is widely recognized that integrative omics analysis holds the promise to unlock novel and actionable biological insights into health and disease. Integration of multi-omics data remains challenging, however, and requires combination of several software tools and extensive technical expertise to account for the properties of heterogeneous data. RESULTS This paper presents the miodin R package, which provides a streamlined workflow-based syntax for multi-omics data analysis. The package allows users to perform analysis of omics data either across experiments on the same samples (vertical integration), or across studies on the same variables (horizontal integration). Workflows have been designed to promote transparent data analysis and reduce the technical expertise required to perform low-level data import and processing. CONCLUSIONS The miodin package is implemented in R and is freely available for use and extension under the GPL-3 license. Package source, reference documentation and user manual are available at https://gitlab.com/algoromics/miodin.
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30
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Abbaspour S, Lindén M, Gholamhosseini H, Naber A, Ortiz-Catalan M. Evaluation of surface EMG-based recognition algorithms for decoding hand movements. Med Biol Eng Comput 2019; 58:83-100. [PMID: 31754982 PMCID: PMC6946760 DOI: 10.1007/s11517-019-02073-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Myoelectric pattern recognition (MPR) to decode limb movements is an important advancement regarding the control of powered prostheses. However, this technology is not yet in wide clinical use. Improvements in MPR could potentially increase the functionality of powered prostheses. To this purpose, offline accuracy and processing time were measured over 44 features using six classifiers with the aim of determining new configurations of features and classifiers to improve the accuracy and response time of prosthetics control. An efficient feature set (FS: waveform length, correlation coefficient, Hjorth Parameters) was found to improve the motion recognition accuracy. Using the proposed FS significantly increased the performance of linear discriminant analysis, K-nearest neighbor, maximum likelihood estimation (MLE), and support vector machine by 5.5%, 5.7%, 6.3%, and 6.2%, respectively, when compared with the Hudgins’ set. Using the FS with MLE provided the largest improvement in offline accuracy over the Hudgins feature set, with minimal effect on the processing time. Among the 44 features tested, logarithmic root mean square and normalized logarithmic energy yielded the highest recognition rates (above 95%). We anticipate that this work will contribute to the development of more accurate surface EMG-based motor decoding systems for the control prosthetic hands. ![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Abbaspour
- School of Innovation, Design and Engineering, Mälardalen University, 721 23 Västerås, Sweden
- RISE Acreo AB, Isafjordsgatan 22, 164 40 Kista, Sweden
| | - Maria Lindén
- School of Innovation, Design and Engineering, Mälardalen University, 721 23 Västerås, Sweden
| | - Hamid Gholamhosseini
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Auckland University of Technology, Private Bag 92006, Auckland, 1142 New Zealand
| | - Autumn Naber
- Biomechatronics and Neurorehabilitation Laboratory, Department of Electrical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Max Ortiz-Catalan
- Biomechatronics and Neurorehabilitation Laboratory, Department of Electrical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Integrum AB, Mölndal, Sweden
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31
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Andersson L, Bryngelsson IL, Hedbrant A, Persson A, Johansson A, Ericsson A, Lindell I, Stockfelt L, Särndahl E, Westberg H. Respiratory health and inflammatory markers - Exposure to respirable dust and quartz and chemical binders in Swedish iron foundries. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0224668. [PMID: 31675355 PMCID: PMC6824619 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0224668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 10/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose To study the relationship between respirable dust, quartz and chemical binders in Swedish iron foundries and respiratory symptoms, lung function (as forced expiratory volume FEV1 and vital capacity FVC), fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) and levels of club cell secretory protein 16 (CC16) and CRP. Methods Personal sampling of respirable dust and quartz was performed for 85 subjects in three Swedish iron foundries. Full shift sampling and examination were performed on the second or third day of a working week after a work free weekend, with additional sampling on the fourth or fifth day. Logistic, linear and mixed model analyses were performed including, gender, age, smoking, infections, sampling day, body mass index (BMI) and chemical binders as covariates. Results The adjusted average respirable quartz and dust concentrations were 0.038 and 0.66 mg/m3, respectively. Statistically significant increases in levels of CC16 were associated with exposure to chemical binders (p = 0.05; p = 0.01) in the regression analysis of quartz and respirable dust, respectively. Non-significant exposure-responses were identified for cumulative quartz and the symptoms asthma and breathlessness. For cumulative chemical years, non-significant exposure–response were observed for all but two symptoms. FENO also exhibited a non significant exposure-response for both quartz and respirable dust. No exposure-response was determined for FEV1 or FVC, CRP and respirable dust and quartz. Conclusions Our findings suggest that early markers of pulmonary effect, such as increased levels of CC16 and FENO, are more strongly associated with chemical binder exposure than respirable quartz and dust in foundry environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena Andersson
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
- Department of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
- * E-mail:
| | - Ing-Liss Bryngelsson
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Alexander Hedbrant
- Department of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
- Inflammatory Response and Infection Susceptibility Centre (iRiSC), Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Alexander Persson
- Department of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
- Inflammatory Response and Infection Susceptibility Centre (iRiSC), Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Anders Johansson
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Annette Ericsson
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Ina Lindell
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Leo Stockfelt
- Unit of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Eva Särndahl
- Department of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
- Inflammatory Response and Infection Susceptibility Centre (iRiSC), Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Håkan Westberg
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
- Department of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
- Inflammatory Response and Infection Susceptibility Centre (iRiSC), Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
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Rajan SK, Lindqvist M, Brummer RJ, Schoultz I, Repsilber D. Phylogenetic microbiota profiling in fecal samples depends on combination of sequencing depth and choice of NGS analysis method. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0222171. [PMID: 31527871 PMCID: PMC6748435 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0222171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The human gut microbiota is well established as an important factor in health and disease. Fecal sample microbiota are often analyzed as a proxy for gut microbiota, and characterized with respect to their composition profiles. Modern approaches employ whole genome shotgun next-generation sequencing as the basis for these analyses. Sequencing depth as well as choice of next-generation sequencing data analysis method constitute two main interacting methodological factors for such an approach. In this study, we used 200 million sequence read pairs from one fecal sample for comparing different taxonomy classification methods, using default and custom-made reference databases, at different sequencing depths. A mock community data set with known composition was used for validating the classification methods. Results suggest that sequencing beyond 60 million read pairs does not seem to improve classification. The phylogeny prediction pattern, when using the default databases and the consensus database, appeared to be similar for all three methods. Moreover, these methods predicted rather different species. We conclude that the choice of sequencing depth and classification method has important implications for taxonomy composition prediction. A multi-method-consensus approach for robust gut microbiota NGS analysis is recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Ida Schoultz
- School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Dirk Repsilber
- School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
- * E-mail:
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Wendin K, Olsson V, Langton M. Mealworms as Food Ingredient-Sensory Investigation of a Model System. Foods 2019; 8:E319. [PMID: 31390775 PMCID: PMC6723702 DOI: 10.3390/foods8080319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Revised: 07/19/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The use of insects as food is a sustainable alternative to meat and as a protein source is fully comparable to meat, fish and soybeans. The next step is to make insects available for use in the more widespread production of food and meals. Sensory attributes are of great importance in being able to increase the understanding of insects as an ingredient in cooking and production. In this pilot study, mealworms were used as the main ingredient in a model system, where the aim was to evaluate the impact on sensory properties of changing particle size, oil/water ratio and salt content of the insects using a factorial design. Twelve different samples were produced according to the factorial design. Further, the effect of adding an antioxidant agent was evaluated. Sensory analysis and instrumental analyses were performed on the samples. Particle size significantly influenced the sensory attributes appearance, odor, taste and texture, but not flavor, whereas salt content affected taste and flavor. The viscosity was affected by the particle size and instrumentally measured color was affected by particle size and oil content. The addition of the antioxidant agent decreased the changes in color, rancidity and separation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin Wendin
- Department of Food and Meal Science, Kristianstad University, SE-291 88 Kristianstad, Sweden.
- Department of Food Science, University of Copenhagen, DK-1958 Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
| | - Viktoria Olsson
- Department of Food and Meal Science, Kristianstad University, SE-291 88 Kristianstad, Sweden
| | - Maud Langton
- Department of Molecular Sciences, SLU-Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Molecular profiles change in response to perturbations. These changes are coordinated into functional modules via regulatory interactions. The genes and their products within a functional module are expected to be differentially expressed in a manner coherent with their regulatory network. This perspective presents a promising approach to increase precision in detecting differential signals as well as for describing differential regulatory signals within the framework of a priori knowledge about the underlying network, and so from a mechanistic point of view. RESULTS We present Coherent Network Expression (CoNE), an effective procedure for identifying differentially activated functional modules in molecular interaction networks. Differential gene expression is chosen as example, and differential signals coherent with the regulatory nature of the network are identified. We apply our procedure to systematically simulated data, comparing its performance to alternative methods. We then take the example case of a transcription regulatory network in the context of particle-induced pulmonary inflammation, recapitulating and proposing additional candidates to previously obtained results. CoNE is conveniently implemented in an R-package along with simulation utilities. CONCLUSION Combining coherent interactions with error control on differential gene expression results in uniformly greater specificity in inference than error control alone, ensuring that captured functional modules constitute real findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen T. A. Rush
- School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Södra Grev Rosengatan, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Dirk Repsilber
- School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Södra Grev Rosengatan, Örebro, Sweden
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Jacobsen AV, Nordén M, Engwall M, Scherbak N. Effects of perfluorooctane sulfonate on genes controlling hepatic fatty acid metabolism in livers of chicken embryos. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2018; 25:23074-23081. [PMID: 29860686 PMCID: PMC6096545 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-018-2358-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2017] [Accepted: 05/22/2018] [Indexed: 04/15/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic surfactants with a wide variety of applications; however, due to their stability, they are particularly resistant to degradation and, as such, are classed as persistent organic pollutants. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is one such PFAS that is still detectable in a range of different environmental settings, despite its use now being regulated in numerous countries. Elevated levels of PFOS have been detected in various avian species, and the impact of this on avian health is of interest when determining acceptable levels of PFOS in the environment. Due to its similarities to naturally occurring fatty acids, PFOS has potential to disrupt a range of biological pathways, particularly those associated with lipid metabolism, and this has been shown in various species. In this study, we have investigated how in ovo exposure to environmentally relevant levels of PFOS affects expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism of developing chicken embryos. We have found a broad suppression of transcription of genes involved in fatty acid oxidation and PPAR-mediated transcription with more significant effects apparent at lower doses of PFOS. These results highlight the need for more research investigating the biological impacts of low levels of PFAS to properly inform environmental policy governing their regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annette V Jacobsen
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, Australia
- The Life Science Center, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Marcus Nordén
- MTM Research Center, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Magnus Engwall
- MTM Research Center, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Nikolai Scherbak
- The Life Science Center, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden.
- MTM Research Center, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden.
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Björklund E, Svahn O, Bak S, Bekoe SO, Hansen M. Pharmaceutical Residues Affecting the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Kristianstads Vattenrike Wetlands: Sources and Sinks. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 2016; 71:423-436. [PMID: 27480162 PMCID: PMC5014903 DOI: 10.1007/s00244-016-0303-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2016] [Accepted: 07/18/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
This study is the first to investigate the pharmaceutical burden from point sources affecting the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Kristianstads Vattenrike, Sweden. The investigated Biosphere Reserve is a >1000 km(2) wetland system with inflows from lakes, rivers, leachate from landfill, and wastewater-treatment plants (WWTPs). We analysed influent and treated wastewater, leachate water, lake, river, and wetland water alongside sediment for six model pharmaceuticals. The two WWTPs investigated released pharmaceutical residues at levels close to those previously observed in Swedish monitoring exercises. Compound-dependent WWTP removal efficiencies ranging from 12 to 100 % for bendroflumethiazide, oxazepam, atenolol, carbamazepine, and diclofenac were observed. Surface-water concentrations in the most affected lake were ≥100 ng/L for the various pharmaceuticals with atenolol showing the highest levels (>300 ng/L). A small risk assessment showed that adverse single-substance toxicity on aquatic organisms within the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve is unlikely. However, the effects of combinations of a large number of known and unknown pharmaceuticals, metals, and nutrients are still unknown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erland Björklund
- Division of Natural Sciences, School of Education and Environment, Kristianstad University, 291 88, Kristianstad, Sweden.
| | - Ola Svahn
- Division of Natural Sciences, School of Education and Environment, Kristianstad University, 291 88, Kristianstad, Sweden
| | - Søren Bak
- Analytical Biosciences, Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Samuel Oppong Bekoe
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Martin Hansen
- Department of Environmental and Civil Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
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Runnsjö A, Dabkowska AP, Sparr E, Kocherbitov V, Arnebrant T, Engblom J. Diffusion through Pig Gastric Mucin: Effect of Relative Humidity. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0157596. [PMID: 27336158 PMCID: PMC4918968 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0157596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2016] [Accepted: 05/31/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Mucus covers the epithelium found in all intestinal tracts, where it serves as an important protecting barrier, and pharmaceutical drugs administrated by the oral, rectal, vaginal, ocular, or nasal route need to penetrate the mucus in order to reach their targets. Furthermore, the diffusion in mucus as well as the viscosity of mucus in the eyes, nose and throat can change depending on the relative humidity of the surrounding air. In this study we have investigated how diffusion through gels of mucin, the main protein in mucus, is affected by changes in ambient relative humidity (i.e. water activity). Already a small decrease in water activity was found to give rise to a significant decrease in penetration rate through the mucin gel of the antibacterial drug metronidazole. We also show that a decrease in water activity leads to decreased diffusion rate in the mucin gel for the fluorophore fluorescein. This study shows that it is possible to alter transport rates of molecules through mucus by changing the water activity in the gel. It furthermore illustrates the importance of considering effects of the water activity in the mucosa during development of potential pharmaceuticals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Runnsjö
- Biomedical Science, Faculty of Health and Society, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden
- Biofilms—Research Center for Biointerfaces, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden
- * E-mail:
| | | | - Emma Sparr
- Division of Physical Chemistry, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Vitaly Kocherbitov
- Biomedical Science, Faculty of Health and Society, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden
- Biofilms—Research Center for Biointerfaces, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Thomas Arnebrant
- Biomedical Science, Faculty of Health and Society, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden
- Biofilms—Research Center for Biointerfaces, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Johan Engblom
- Biomedical Science, Faculty of Health and Society, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden
- Biofilms—Research Center for Biointerfaces, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden
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