Search

Regular physical activity is widely recommended in the primary and secondary prevention of stroke. Physical activity may enhance cognitive performance after stroke, but cognitive impairments could also hinder a person to take part in physical activity. However, a majority of previous studies have not found any association between post-stroke cognitive impairments and a person’s subsequent level of activity. In this explorative, longitudinal study, we describe the intraindividual change in physical activity from before to 6 months after stroke, in relation to early screening of post-stroke cognitive impairments. Participants were recruited at 2 to 15 days after stroke, and screened for cognitive impairments using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment tool. Information on pre-stroke physical activity was retrospectively collected at hospital admittance by physiotherapists. Post-stroke physical activity was evaluated after 6 months. Of 49 participants included, 44 were followed up. The level of physical activity changed in more than half of all participants after stroke. Participants who were physically active 6 months after stroke presented with significantly less cognitive impairments. These results highlight that many stroke survivors experience a change in their physical activity level following stroke, and that unimpaired cognition may be important for a stroke survivors’ ability to be physically active.

Funding Information: P.T., G.S. and D.J. would like to thank the National Centre for Research and Development, Poland (under the Leader program, Grant agreement LIDER/0001/L-8/16/NCBR/2017), for financial support of the research and the National Agency for Academic Exchange of Poland (under the Academic International Partnerships program, Grant agreement PPI/APM/2018/1/0004) for sponsoring an internship at Aalto University, Finland, which enabled the execution of a part of this study. G.S. would also like to acknowledge the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Poland for financial support of scientific work from budget funds for science in the years 2019–2023 as a research project under the “Diamond Grant” program (Grant agreement 0036/DIA/201948). Pictograms in Figs. and were made by Freepik ( www.flaticon.com ) and Avogadro: an open-source molecular builder and visualization tool ( www.avogadro.cc ). Publisher Copyright: © 2022, The Author(s). Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) play a unique role in the area of flexible conductors as they have remarkably high electrical conductivity and bend easily without deformation. Consequently, CNTs are commonly deposited on substrates as conductive tracks/coatings. Halogenated solvents are often employed to facilitate the deposition process because they dry rapidly due to their high volatility. In this work, we report that halogenated solvents can dope CNTs considerably. The study showed that the use of dichloromethane, chloroform, or bromoform for the CNT deposition significantly impacts the chemical potential of the material, thereby modifying its charge transport characteristics. As a consequence, up to four-fold improvement in electrical conductivity is noted due to doping.

The role of aluminum concentration and pH in the purification of waste Li-ion battery leach solution was investigated using NaOH and LiOH as neutralization agents ([H2SO4] = 0.313 M, t = 6 h). Solution was prepared from synthetic chemicals to mimic real battery leach solution. Results demonstrate that pH (3.5–5.5) has a significant effect on the precipitation of metals (Fe, Al, Ni, Cu, Co, Mn, and Li), whereas higher temperature (T = 30 and 60 °C) decreases the precipitation pH of metals. Iron and aluminum were both found to precipitate at ca. pH 4 and the presence of aluminum in PLS clearly decreased the separation efficiency of Fe vs. active material metals (Ni, Co, Li). In the absence of dissolved aluminum, Fe precipitated already at pH 3.5 and did not result in the co-precipitation of other metals. Additionally, the Al-free slurry had a superior filtration performance. However, aluminum concentrations of 2 and 4 g/L were found to cause loss of Ni (2–10%), Co (1–2%) and Li (2–10%) to the Fe-Al hydroxide cake at pH 4. The use of LiOH (vs. NaOH) resulted in 50% lower co-precipitation of Ni, Co and Li. Overall, these results demonstrate that hydroxide precipitation can be an effective method to remove iron from battery waste leach solutions at aluminum concentrations of

The impoundment of the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River begins in 2003 and a full pool level is first attained in 2010. This process leads to reciprocal adjustments in flow discharge, sediment transport and morphology downstream of the dam. Based on 26-year recorded hydrologic data 1990–2015 and surveyed bathymetries 1998, 2010 and 2015, this study elucidates, before and after the commissioning of the dam, the alterations along the 500-km reach of the river. Two-dimensional numerical simulations are performed to predict future morphological changes by 2025. The analyses demonstrate that the impoundment modulates the seasonal flow discharges and traps an appreciable amount of sediment, resulting in enhanced erosion potential and coarsening of sediment. On a multi-year basis, the maximum discharge varies by a factor of 1.3 and the corresponding suspended load concentration and transport rate differ by a factor of 3.0 and 3.8, respectively. Combinations of surveyed and simulated bathymetries reveal its morphological responses to the changes. A general pattern of erosion is observed along the reach. In its upper 120 km, the process slows down towards 2025. In the middle 200 km, the erosion shifts, following the gradual impounding, to slight deposition, which then shifts back to erosion around September 2018. In the final 180 km, erosion continues without any sign of de-escalation, which is presumedly ascribed to tidal actions. The reach has not yet achieved a hydro-morphological equilibrium; the riverbed down-cutting is supposed to continue for a while. The combination of the field and numerical investigations provides, with the elapse of time, insight into the morpho-dynamics in the 500 km river reach. Validerad;2021;Nivå 2;2021-07-08 (alebob);Finansiär: Chinese Scholarship Council (CSC); Swedish STandUP for Energy project; Erasmus Programme

Predicting survival accurately in patients with advanced cancer is important in guiding interventions and planning future care. Objective tools are therefore needed. Blood biomarkers are appealing due to their rapid measurement and objective nature. Thrombosis is a common complication in cancer. Recent data indicate that tumor-induced neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are pro-thrombotic. We therefore performed a comprehensive investigation of circulating markers of neutrophil activation, NET formation, coagulation and fibrinolysis in 106 patients with terminal cancer. We found that neutrophil activation and NET markers were prognostic in terminal cancer patients. Interestingly, markers of coagulation and fibrinolysis did not have a prognostic value in this patient group, and there were weak or no correlations between these markers and markers of neutrophil activation and NETs. This suggest that NETs are linked to a poor prognosis through pathways independent of coagulation. Additional studies are needed to determine the utility of circulating neutrophil activation and NET markers, alone or in concert with established clinical parameters, as objective and reliable prognostic tools in advanced cancer.

Chemosignals are used by predators to localize prey and by prey to avoid predators. These cues vary between species, but the odor of blood seems to be an exception and suggests the presence of an evolutionarily conserved chemosensory cue within the blood odor mixture. A blood odor component, E2D, has been shown to trigger approach responses identical to those triggered by the full blood odor in mammalian carnivores and as such, is a key candidate as a food/alarm cue in blood. Using a multidisciplinary approach, we demonstrate that E2D holds the dual function of affecting both approach and avoidance behavior in a predator-prey predicted manner. E2D evokes approach responses in two taxonomically distant blood-seeking predators, Stable fly and Wolf, while evoking avoidance responses in the prey species Mouse. We extend this by demonstrating that this chemical cue is preserved in humans as well; E2D induces postural avoidance, increases physiological arousal, and enhances visual perception of affective stimuli. This is the first demonstration of a single chemical cue with the dual function of guiding both approach and avoidance in a predator-prey predicted manner across taxonomically distant species, as well as the first known chemosignal that affects both human and non-human animals alike. Funding Agencies|Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation [KAW 2012.0141]; Swedish Research Council [VR2014-240]; Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research: NWO VICI [277-70-011]; Swedish Foundation for Humanities and Social Sciences [M14-0375:1]

Human brown adipose tissue (BAT), with a major site in the cervical-supraclavicular depot, is a promising anti-obesity target. This work presents an automated method for segmenting cervical-supraclavicular adipose tissue for enabling time-efficient and objective measurements in large cohort research studies of BAT. Fat fraction (FF) and R2* maps were reconstructed from water-fat magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of 25 subjects. A multi-atlas approach, based on atlases from nine subjects, was chosen as automated segmentation strategy. A semi-automated reference method was used to validate the automated method in the remaining subjects. Automated segmentations were obtained from a pipeline of preprocessing, affine registration, elastic registration and postprocessing. The automated method was validated with respect to segmentation overlap (Dice similarity coefficient, Dice) and estimations of FF, R2* and segmented volume. Bias in measurement results was also evaluated. Segmentation overlaps of Dice = 0.93 +/- 0.03 (mean +/- standard deviation) and correlation coefficients of r > 0.99 (P < 0.0001) in FF, R2* and volume estimates, between the methods, were observed. Dice and BMI were positively correlated (r = 0.54, P = 0.03) but no other significant bias was obtained (P >= 0.07). The automated method compared well with the reference method and can therefore be suitable for time-efficient and objective measurements in large cohort research studies of BAT.

Oxaliplatin typically causes acute neuropathic problems, which may, in a dose-dependent manner, develop into a chronic form of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), which is associated with retention of Pt2+ in the dorsal root ganglion. A clinical study by Coriat and co-workers suggests that co-treatment with mangafodipir [Manganese(II) DiPyridoxyl DiPhosphate; MnDPDP] cures ongoing CIPN. These authors anticipated that it is the manganese superoxide dismutase mimetic activity of MnDPDP that explains its curative activity. However, this is questionable from a pharmacokinetic perspective. Another, but until recently undisclosed possibility is that Pt2+ outcompetes Mn2+/Ca2+/Zn2+ for binding to DPDP or its dephosphorylated metabolite PLED (diPyridoxyL EthylDiamine) and transforms toxic Pt2+ into a non-toxic complex, which can be readily excreted from the body. We have used electron paramagnetic resonance guided competition experiments between MnDPDP (10logKML ≈ 15) and K2PtCl4, and between MnDPDP and ZnCl2 (10logKML ≈ 19), respectively, in order to obtain an estimate the 10logKML of PtDPDP. Optical absorption spectroscopy revealed a unique absorption line at 255 nm for PtDPDP. The experimental data suggest that PtDPDP has a higher formation constant than that of ZnDPDP, i.e., higher than 19. The present results suggest that DPDP/PLED has a high enough affinity for Pt2+ acting as an efficacious drug in chronic Pt2+-associated CIPN.

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) expends chemical energy to produce heat, which makes it a potential therapeutic target for combating metabolic dysfunction and overweight/obesity by increasing its metabolic activity. The most well-established method for measuring BAT metabolic activity is glucose uptake rate (GUR) measured using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET). However, this is expensive and exposes the subjects to potentially harmful radiation. Cheaper and safer methods are warranted for large-scale or longitudinal studies. Potential alternatives include infrared thermography (IRT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The aim of this study was to evaluate and further develop these techniques. Twelve healthy adult subjects were studied. The BAT GUR was measured using 18F-FDG PET during individualized cooling. The temperatures of the supraclavicular fossae and a control region were measured using IRT during a simple cooling protocol. The fat fraction and effective transverse relaxation rate of BAT were measured using MRI without any cooling intervention. Simple and multiple linear regressions were employed to evaluate how well the MRI and IRT measurements could estimate the GUR. Results showed that both IRT and MRI measurements correlated with the GUR. This suggest that these measurements may be suitable for estimating the cold-induced BAT GUR in future studies.

This study assesses the efficacy and exposure–response relationship of omega-3-carboxylic acids (OM-3 CA) in models of crystal-based inflammation. Human THP-1 macrophages and primary peripheral blood mononuclear cells exposed to multiple inflammatory crystal types were used to determine the anti-inflammatory potential of omega-3 (OM-3) fatty acids in vitro. Anti-inflammatory effects of OM-3 CA in vivo were tested in rat monosodium urate (MSU) crystal air pouch and rat knee intra-articular MSU injection models. Acute treatment with the OM-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid suppressed MSU-, cholesterol crystal-, and calcium pyrophosphate crystal-mediated interleukin-1β (IL-1β) production in vitro. In vivo, OM-3 CA dose-dependently reduced crystal-mediated cell migration, exudate volume, and levels of IL-1β and prostaglandin E2. Following intra-articular injection of MSU, treatment with OM-3-CA (1 mL/kg) and indomethacin (1 mg/kg) resulted in similar mean reductions in pain (23% and 41%, respectively) and swelling (58% and 50%, respectively), compared with controls. Additionally, in complex formulations of OM-3 fatty acids, high levels of palmitic acid could reduce the in vivo effect on crystal-mediated IL-1β elevation. OM-3 CA has a broadly efficacious anti-inflammatory effect with a strong exposure–response relationship that could be beneficial in prevention and treatment of crystal arthritis, with potential applications in other IL-1β-mediated diseases.

Social factors play a critical role in a panoply of health processes, including, as recently demonstrated, olfaction. Here, we investigated sex-dependent differences in the relationship between social lives and ability to identify odors in a large sample of nationally representative older US adults (n = 3005, National Social Life and Aging Project (NSHAP)). Social life was measured by the number of friends and close relatives as well as frequency of socializing. We here confirm the association between social lives and olfactory function and extend the notion by showing specifically that olfactory identification ability is modulated by sex in older adults. The connection between olfactory performance and social lives could reflect social modulation of aging as has been reported for health in general. Future studies are necessary to elucidate the precise mechanisms underlying this association and sex difference.

We examined the trajectories of work disability before and after IHD and stroke events. New IHD (n = 13521) and stroke (n = 7162) cases in 2006–2008 were retrieved from nationwide Swedish hospital records and their annual work disability days five years before and after the date of diagnosis were retrieved from a nationwide disability register. There was no pre-event differences in disability days between the IHD and stroke cases and five years prior to the event, they were close to those observed in the general population. In the first post-event year, the adjusted mean days increased to 83.9 (95% CI 80.6–86.5) in IHD; to 179.5 (95% CI 172.4–186.8) in stroke, a six-fold increase in IHD and 14-fold in stroke. Work disability leveled off among the IHD cases but not among those who had stroke. The highest disability levels for the fifth post-event year after a stroke event was associated with pre-existing diabetes (146.9), mental disorder (141.2), non-employment (137.0), and immigrant status (117.9). In a working-age population, the increase in work disability after a cardiovascular event decreases close to the pre-event level in IHD but remains particularly high after stroke; among patients with comorbid depression or diabetes, immigrants, and those not in employment.