Heparin molecularly imprinted surfaces for the attenuation of complement activation in blood

Heparin-imprinted synthetic polymer surfaces with the ability to attenuate activation of both the complement and the coagulation system in whole blood were successfully produced. Imprinting was achieved using a template coated with heparin, a highly sulfated glycosaminoglycan known for its anticoagulant properties. The N,N'-diacryloylpiperazine-methacrylic acid copolymers were characterized using goniometry, AFM and XPS. The influence of the molecular imprinting process on morphology and template rebinding was demonstrated by radioligand binding assays. Surface hemocompatibility was evaluated using human whole blood without anticoagulants followed by measurement of complement activation markers C3a and sC5b-9 and platelet consumption as a surrogate coagulation activation marker. The observed low thrombogenicity of this copolymer combined with the attenuation of complement activation induced by the molecular imprint offer potential for the development of self-regulating surfaces with important potential clinical applications. We propose a mechanism for the observed phenomena based upon the recruitment of endogenous sulfated glycosaminoglycans with heparin-like activities

Cerebrospinal fluid markers of neuronal and glial cell damage to monitor disease activity and predict long-term outcome in patients with autoimmune encephalitis

Background and purpose Clinical symptoms and long‐term outcome of autoimmune encephalitis are variable. Diagnosis requires multiple investigations, and treatment strategies must be individually tailored. Better biomarkers are needed for diagnosis, to monitor disease activity and to predict long‐term outcome. The value of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) markers of neuronal [neurofilament light chain protein (NFL), and total tau protein (T‐tau)] and glial cell [glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)] damage in patients with autoimmune encephalitis was investigated. Methods Demographic, clinical, magnetic resonance imaging, CSF and antibody‐related data of 25 patients hospitalized for autoimmune encephalitis and followed for 1 year were retrospectively collected. Correlations between these data and consecutive CSF levels of NFL, T‐tau and GFAP were investigated. Disability, assessed by the modified Rankin scale, was used for evaluation of disease activity and long‐term outcome. Results The acute stage of autoimmune encephalitis was accompanied by high CSF levels of NFL and T‐tau, whereas normal or significantly lower levels were observed after clinical improvement 1 year later. NFL and T‐tau reacted in a similar way but at different speeds, with T‐tau reacting faster. CSF levels of GFAP were initially moderately increased but did not change significantly later on. Final outcome (disability at 1 year) directly correlated with CSF‐NFL and CSF‐GFAP levels at all time‐points and with CSF‐T‐tau at 3 ± 1 months. This correlation remained significant after age adjustment for CSF‐NFL and T‐tau but not for GFAP. Conclusion In autoimmune encephalitis, CSF levels of neuronal and glial cell damage markers appear to reflect disease activity and long‐term disability

Konferera i skärgården : En studie om konferensanläggningars utvecklingspotential i Stockholms skärgård

Föreliggande studie ämnar undersöka utvecklingspotentialen för konferensanläggningar i Stockholm skärgård. Studiens syfte är att skapa en djupare förståelse för hur konferensanläggningar i rurala miljöer upplever sin utvecklingspotential. För att öka förståelsen för konferensanläggningars utvecklingspotential kompletterades studien med offentliga aktörers upplevelser kring utveckling för mötesanläggningar i rurala miljöer. Studien har en kvalitativ ansats där semistrukturerade intervjuer har genomförts med sju respondenter från konferensanläggningar samt två nyckelpersoner inom offentliga sektorn. Teorierna som används i studien grundar sig i tre olika teoriområden vilka är: utveckling av professionella möten, rural verksamhetsutveckling samt utvecklingshinder för små företag. I empiriavsnittet presenteras konferensanläggningarna var för sig i en djupgående löpande text. Nyckelpersonerna inom den offentliga sektorn presentera en redovisning av vad projektet Stockholm Archipelago innebär, samt hur de båda offentliga aktörerna ser på utvecklingen av konferensanläggningar i rurala områden. Därefter presenteras analysavsnittet där teori och empiri har sammankopplats samt analysen av sambandet dem emellan. Slutligen presenteras resultatet som uppkommit i undersökningen i slutsatsen. De mest framträdande aspekterna var att anläggningarna själva inte ansåg att det finns några stora utvecklingshinder samtidigt som författarna kunnat identifiera brister som kan anses vara negativa för konferensanläggningars utveckling i Stockholms skärgård. De identifierade bristerna var exempelvis bristande transportmöjligheter året om, bristande kännedom om skärgården och att konferensanläggningarna är isolerade från andra kompletterande aktörer.Present study intends to investigate the potential of development for conference facilities in Stockholm archipelago. The study propose to create a deeper understanding for how the conference facilities in rural environment experiencing its potential of development. To increase the understanding for the conference facilities potential of development the study was completed with public actors experience about development for conference facility in rural areas. The study has a qualitative method there semi structured interviews have been done with seven respondents from the conference facilities and two key persons from public sector. The theories who are used in the study are based in three difference theory fields who are development of professional meetings, rural corporation development and obstacles for development in small business. In the empirical part the conference facilities are separately presented in a deeper current text and the key persons from the public sector are presented through a report of what the project Stockholm Archipelago is and also how the key persons from the public sector are looking at the development for the conference facilities in rural areas. Thereafter the analysis part will present the interconnection between theories and the empiric and the analysis of connection between them. The most prominent aspects were that the conference facilities themselves did not consider that there were any major development disabilities for them, but the authors have been able to identify some obstacles that could be negative for a development of conference facilities in the Stockholm archipelago. The identified obstacles were for example, lack of transport opportunities all year round, lack of knowledge about the archipelago and that conference facilities are isolated from other complementary companies

Konferera i skärgården : En studie om konferensanläggningars utvecklingspotential i Stockholms skärgård

Föreliggande studie ämnar undersöka utvecklingspotentialen för konferensanläggningar i Stockholm skärgård. Studiens syfte är att skapa en djupare förståelse för hur konferensanläggningar i rurala miljöer upplever sin utvecklingspotential. För att öka förståelsen för konferensanläggningars utvecklingspotential kompletterades studien med offentliga aktörers upplevelser kring utveckling för mötesanläggningar i rurala miljöer. Studien har en kvalitativ ansats där semistrukturerade intervjuer har genomförts med sju respondenter från konferensanläggningar samt två nyckelpersoner inom offentliga sektorn. Teorierna som används i studien grundar sig i tre olika teoriområden vilka är: utveckling av professionella möten, rural verksamhetsutveckling samt utvecklingshinder för små företag. I empiriavsnittet presenteras konferensanläggningarna var för sig i en djupgående löpande text. Nyckelpersonerna inom den offentliga sektorn presentera en redovisning av vad projektet Stockholm Archipelago innebär, samt hur de båda offentliga aktörerna ser på utvecklingen av konferensanläggningar i rurala områden. Därefter presenteras analysavsnittet där teori och empiri har sammankopplats samt analysen av sambandet dem emellan. Slutligen presenteras resultatet som uppkommit i undersökningen i slutsatsen. De mest framträdande aspekterna var att anläggningarna själva inte ansåg att det finns några stora utvecklingshinder samtidigt som författarna kunnat identifiera brister som kan anses vara negativa för konferensanläggningars utveckling i Stockholms skärgård. De identifierade bristerna var exempelvis bristande transportmöjligheter året om, bristande kännedom om skärgården och att konferensanläggningarna är isolerade från andra kompletterande aktörer.Present study intends to investigate the potential of development for conference facilities in Stockholm archipelago. The study propose to create a deeper understanding for how the conference facilities in rural environment experiencing its potential of development. To increase the understanding for the conference facilities potential of development the study was completed with public actors experience about development for conference facility in rural areas. The study has a qualitative method there semi structured interviews have been done with seven respondents from the conference facilities and two key persons from public sector. The theories who are used in the study are based in three difference theory fields who are development of professional meetings, rural corporation development and obstacles for development in small business. In the empirical part the conference facilities are separately presented in a deeper current text and the key persons from the public sector are presented through a report of what the project Stockholm Archipelago is and also how the key persons from the public sector are looking at the development for the conference facilities in rural areas. Thereafter the analysis part will present the interconnection between theories and the empiric and the analysis of connection between them. The most prominent aspects were that the conference facilities themselves did not consider that there were any major development disabilities for them, but the authors have been able to identify some obstacles that could be negative for a development of conference facilities in the Stockholm archipelago. The identified obstacles were for example, lack of transport opportunities all year round, lack of knowledge about the archipelago and that conference facilities are isolated from other complementary companies

Levels of brain related proteins in cerebrospinal fluid: An aid in the differential diagnosis of parkinsonian disorders

Parkinsonian disorders such as Parkinson's disease (PD), multiple system atrophy (MSA), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), and corticobasal degeneration (CBD), are a large group of common neurodegenerative diseases. The initial differential diagnosis can be extremely challenging with major implications for prognosis. The 42 amino acid fragment of amyloid-beta (Abeta42), neurofilament light chain (NFL), neurofilament heavy chain (pNFH), tau protein, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), neuron specific enolase (NSE), S-100B protein, and myelin basic protein (MBP) are brain related proteins (BRP) present in neurons and glia cells. They are released in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) after brain tissue damage caused by a variety of neurological diseases, including the parkinsonian disorders. A review of the literature shows that, carefully interpreted, the CSF levels of BRP can be of value in the differential diagnosis of parkinsonian disorders